Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

In front of Liu Wenying, the tough stance he had been maintaining for so long loosened considerably.

He didn't even notice the hint of dejection in his low, hoarse voice, as if he had finally shed all pretense and revealed the pent-up frustration in his heart.

"...Actually, I think I'm pretty useless."

Liu Wenying paused in her breathing.

The candlelight flickered in his eyes, reflecting a bottomless abyss of confusion and self-loathing.

"My elder brother is ruthless in the Ministry of Justice; even His Majesty praises his keen insight."

"My second brother works in the Ministry of Personnel. He seems easygoing with everyone, but everyone knows he holds the future of countless people in his hands. Only I..."

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice softened, as if afraid of being heard.

"I was the only one observing the government in the Ministry of Works, and I couldn't even handle the smallest things. My father was right; I am impulsive, willful, and utterly useless."

He closed his eyes, his long, thick eyelashes trembling slightly, like the wings of a dying butterfly.

"I can never...be the talented person they see."

Her frail body was so thin that even her voice seemed to float on the wind, gently landing on Liu Wenying's heart.

She patted the back of his hand. "No one is born useless."

"Oranges grown south of the Huai River are sweet oranges, but those grown north of the Huai River are bitter oranges. The same seeds produce sweet oranges when grown south of the Huai River, but sour bitter oranges when grown north of the Huai River."

"Third Master is warm-hearted and pure, intolerant of any imperfections, and prefers the truth to pretense."

The bureaucratic formalities and intrigues of the imperial court may not be the best place for you, so how can you be considered useless?

Pei Yaojun opened his eyes in surprise, the mist in his eyes dissipating somewhat.

She actually... sees him like that?

They saw his stubbornness as sincerity and his lack of talent as simply not having found the right path.

Her chest heaved, and heat spread from her flushed cheeks to her eyes.

He turned his head away, trying to suppress the heat, but ultimately couldn't resist.

A tear slid down the corner of her feverish, slightly red eye, landed on the pillow, and silently seeped in.

He hurriedly raised his hand to wipe it away, but another hot tear splashed onto the back of his fingers, and he could no longer cover it.

The water gathered more and more, soaking her eyelashes.

Like a black butterfly with its wings soaked by rain, so heavy that it can no longer fly.

Then, the third drop, the fourth drop...

No matter how he tried to wipe it off, he couldn't get it off, so he simply covered his eyebrows with his hand.

"Don't, don't overthink it. I wasn't crying. I just had a high fever, and the heat made me tear up. It has nothing to do with anything else..."

Liu Wenying looked at him quietly, without exposing him.

She hummed in agreement, as if she were coaxing a child.

"I know, it's from a fever, it has nothing to do with anything else."

But in his heart he thought: I'll listen to your nonsense.

"Would you like to lean back and rest for a bit?"

She patted her shoulder and made the suggestion gently.

My intention was to let him lean on my shoulder and rest for a while.

Before she could finish speaking, Pei Yaojun seemed to have found an outlet. Without saying a word, he slightly raised his body and buried his face in her chest.

His arms were still tightly wrapped around her waist, and he leaned all his weight on her.

She just wanted to borrow a shoulder to lean on...

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

Because the person in her arms was nestled close to her, their burning forehead pressed against the soft fabric, their breath seeping through the fabric, making her heart tremble with heat.

Never mind, the patient comes first.

She sighed inwardly, placed her palm on the top of his head and smoothed it down, letting him be.

Once he had calmed down, he was ready to calm down.

The night was as dark as ink, and it was getting late.

She's taken her medicine and eaten her meal; it's really time for her to go.

"Third Master, the Old Madam needs to get up early tomorrow to serve her, so I have to go."

Liu Wenying gently patted the back of the person in her arms.

Pei Yaojun remained silent, burying his face even deeper, unwilling to let go.

Just as Liu Wenying hesitated whether to forcefully break free, Ah Cai's deliberately raised voice suddenly came from outside.

"Grandpa, grandpa! What brings you here!"

The light was both urgent and bright; it was Ah Cai tipping her off.

Liu Wenying's heart skipped a beat.

Grandpa Pei Dingxuan?

Why is he here?

She cannot be seen by him.

With the previous concubine scandal just over, if she were caught alone in the Third Master's room late at night again, she would never be able to shake off the accusation of seducing her master.

Liu Wenying immediately pushed Pei Yaojun away and looked around in a panic.

The Little Yama's inner chamber was neatly arranged, with only a bed, a wardrobe, a small table, and a screen, and nothing else to conceal it.

The door was pushed open, and footsteps could be heard outside.

Calm, clear, and approaching step by step.

That's too late.

Liu Wenying bent down and quickly slipped inside.

Almost simultaneously, a figure flashed outside the screen, and Pei Dingxuan walked around the screen and into the inner room.

He was dressed in dark blue casual clothes, his gaze sweeping across the room before finally settling on the bed.

Pei Yaojun lay comfortably on the bed, but the brocade quilt was bulging high, as if an extra pillow had been stuffed in.

Before he could suspect anything, Pei Yaojun spoke up: "What is it, brother?"

Pei Dingxuan withdrew his gaze and sat down on the round stool by the bed.

"I came to see you. Your mother cried all night, and her eyes are swollen."

"Brother is probably worried that Mother will hurt herself by crying. I'm fine, I won't die."

Pei Dingxuan looked at him, "You have everything, and your health is also very important. Don't be temperamental and worry your mother. Take your medicine on time, and eat your meals too—"

"I've already eaten, brother, there's no need for further discussion."

"have eaten?"

Pei Dingxuan swallowed back all the carefully considered words of advice he had given on his way here, leaving them stuck in his chest, utterly useless.

That's fine, it saves us from arguing, he's never been one to waste time.

Seeing that he was standing there silently, Pei Yaojun was afraid that he would notice something, so he immediately found an excuse to send him away.

"Brother, you're too busy to come see me all the time."

The implication that he was being asked to leave was all too clear, and Pei Dingxuan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

His gaze fell once again on the unnaturally bulging quilt.

"What happened to your blanket?"

Pei Yaojun lied casually, without batting an eye.

"I had a high fever and felt cold, so I covered myself up with thicker blankets, is that not allowed?"

Pei Dingxuan didn't reply, but took two steps forward and approached the bed.

His shadow was cast on the blanket, long and imposing.

Pei Dingxuan reached out, wanting to lift the corner of the blanket to see what was going on.

The blanket suddenly twitched slightly, a very small movement, but it didn't escape his notice.

Pei Dingxuan's eyes darkened instantly, and he asked in a low voice, "Is someone in your bed?"

"How is that possible!"

Pei Yaojun denied it, saying, "I was just feeling hot, so I stretched my legs."

As he spoke, as if to prove it, he stuck one leg out from under the covers.

But Pei Dingxuan remained standing there, showing no intention of leaving.

Pei Yaojun feigned weakness, coughed twice, and shooed people away in a hoarse voice.

"Big brother, I feel terribly unwell and just want to sleep. Don't believe me? Then uncover it and take a look, but be careful not to let the night wind blow on me..."

"No need."

Pei Dingxuan turned and took a few steps back. "Since you're not feeling well, you should rest properly."

"Take care, brother," Pei Yaojun replied immediately, as if relieved.

The door hinges clicked softly, and the echo of the door closing had barely faded.

Pei Yaojun relaxed his tense back and said to the person under the covers, "He's already gone."

As soon as he finished speaking, the bulging blanket began to twitch slightly.

…………