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

"Your son is willing to dedicate everything he has to the Duke's mansion from now on—his future, his official career, even his life—he only asks that you grant his request."

Madam Pei looked at him, unusually giving him a cold shoulder.

He was reckless and foolish in his youth, and she was angry and scolded him.

She felt even more sorry for him when he was forced to kneel in the rain as punishment by the Duke.

To everyone's surprise, his kneeling plea was for... that heinous crime.

"Get up."

Pei Yaojun did not move.

After a long, long silence, the deathly stillness in the room was broken by a sob. Madam Pei, her eyes red, finally softened.

"Okay, I promise you, you can let her in."

Pei Yaojun raised his head, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes, only to be extinguished by his next words.

"But she cannot be my wife, nor can she enter the house now."

Madam Pei continued.

"She can only enter the family after you marry the Cheng family's daughter."

If I can't be a wife, then I'm just a concubine.

He didn't understand why his mother insisted that he marry someone he didn't like.

"No, Mother, that's too unfair to her, I can't do that..."

Madam Pei's face also darkened.

"Marriage is a major event, decided by parents and arranged by matchmakers."

"Even if you make a big fuss, your father won't allow you to act recklessly. He will only cut the Gordian knot and put an end to this matter."

Madam Pei didn't explain who the tangled mess was, but they all knew.

He knew, of course, that what his mother said was true.

He can do whatever he wants, but the consequences will ultimately fall on her.

Seeing that his expression had relaxed, Madam Pei softened her tone.

"It's one thing for you to be willful and reckless in the past, but important matters in life cannot be handled recklessly."

"This marriage with the Cheng family is of great importance to you and to the Duke's mansion."

Pei Yaojun did not agree, only saying, "Your son understands..."

He got up to leave, but Madam Pei called him back.

"Today is your grandmother's birthday, and there are many guests. You must not cause trouble."

On his grandmother's birthday, no matter how ignorant he was, he knew he had to save face for his grandmother.

"Don't worry, Mother." With that, he lifted the curtain and went out.

Pei Yaojun outwardly agreed, but resentment lingered in his heart.

He promised he wouldn't cause trouble at the birthday banquet, but who can say for sure what will happen afterward?

Night fell over the courtyard, and the moonlight shone like a ribbon.

Liu Wenying was unaware that Hechuntang had become embroiled in trouble because of her.

After her shift ended, she prepared to go back to her room to rest, as usual.

A gentle evening breeze brushed her face, carrying the scent of osmanthus. A figure leaned against the corner, startling her.

The man leaned against the blue-tiled white wall, his back slightly hunched, a leaf he had picked from who-knows-where between his fingers, which he was playing with.

The moonlight was cool and clear, and his figure was tall and slender yet aloof.

Gone is the dashing figure of yesteryear, replaced by a somber demeanor, concealing a heart full of unspoken worries.

He heard the noise, looked up at her briefly, then quickly looked away.

It's as if they're hiding and afraid.

He crumpled the leaf between his fingers, and the fragments fell to the ground.

Liu Wenying walked over and asked softly, "Third Master? Are you here to see Grandmother? The old lady has already retired for the night."

Pei Yaojun did not answer, but simply extended his hand, which was soaked in the juice of flowers and plants, and gently took her hand.

"If I were looking for my grandmother, I would have gone in already."

"Is Third Master here to see me?"

"Um."

Pei Yaojun responded, but remained silent for a long time.

The unwavering resolve I had shown in front of my mother vanished as I faced her clear eyes; I found myself at a loss for words.

Liu Wenying laughed, "What does Third Master want to say? Hesitating like this is unlike you."

What would it take to be like him?

Pei Yaojun couldn't figure it out for a moment, but he didn't forget why he had come.

"I... I told my mother that I wanted you to come to Zhaolin Hospital."

Is Third Master trying to poach her again?

Liu Wenying said helplessly, "Third Master, the Old Madam is at a critical moment, and I can't leave. Let's forget about it..."

"No, I didn't ask you to serve people."

He spoke very slowly, word by word.

I want to welcome you into the house.

A night breeze blew by, and the candlelight in the stone lantern flickered.

Liu Wenying stared blankly, as if she hadn't understood what he said, her mind a complete blank.

After saying that, he should feel a great sense of relief.

But Pei Yaojun immediately lowered his head, not daring to look at her, feeling guilty.

"I have no choice but to make you wait a little longer."

He paused, then continued, "My mother wants me to marry someone else first, but I swear I won't touch that person."

"When she can't hold back and wants a divorce, I'll be in my second marriage, and then I can be with you openly and honestly."

He naively believed that his mother did not approve of their marriage because Liu Wenying had been married before, while he had not.

He wouldn't dare say he has any extraordinary abilities, but he does have the ability to mess things up.

Once he divorces, he will be remarrying, and then he will be a suitable match for her in the eyes of the world.

As they talked, the shadow of guilt dissipated as the CD player in their hearts lit up, and their tone became lighter as they imagined their future together.

He talked on and on, his eyes filled with longing.

But Liu Wenying seemed to have lost her soul, her body split in two, one half warm and the other half cold.

What warmed her heart was the Third Master's affection for her. He seemed not to have figured out what it was yet, but he wanted to protect her as much as he could.

The same applies to cold things.

Third Master thought it was honey for her.

But he may not have realized that, from Madam Pei's perspective, what he gave her was not salvation, but deadly poison.

"...Trust me, I won't keep you waiting too long."

Liu Wenying opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Pei Yaojun thought she was too shocked, after all, she had gone from being a maid who served others to being served as the third wife.

Such a dramatic turn of events would take anyone time to process.

After he finished speaking, he leaned down and gently kissed her cheek, reaffirming his commitment.

Hechuntang.

Most of the candles were blown out, leaving only two solitary lamps in front of the dressing table, illuminating the room in a dim, hazy light.

The Duke had drunk too much at the banquet and had already retired for the night; faint snoring could be heard coming from the inner room.

Madam Pei sat in front of the dressing table, slowly applying beauty cream to her face in front of the bronze mirror.

She sighed softly.

Her personal nanny massaged her shoulders and neck, and whispered words of comfort.

"Madam, it's late. Thinking about these things will only trouble your mind. We can take our time with Third Master's matter."

"Take your time?"

Madam Pei put down the cream in her hand and frowned as she looked at her well-maintained face in the mirror.

"How could I not be angry? It was one thing for him to be outrageous in the past, but why is he still so troublesome now?"

The old woman smiled, her tone tinged with nostalgia.

"When the Third Master came of age, Madam wanted to take him concubines and carefully selected several, but what happened? He kicked them all out. Madam was quite angry at that time."

As Madam Pei listened, her brows relaxed slightly, but she still sighed.

"Yeah, I was wondering why he was so stubborn back then, but now he's changed, and the change is too drastic."

He jumped directly from the terminology of a nanny to the idea of ​​getting married.

Even if Jun'er insisted on making Liu Wenying her concubine, she would never agree.

Firstly, with Jun'er's marriage to the Cheng family imminent, taking a concubine at this time would be disrespectful to the Cheng family.

Secondly, Liu Wenying has a child with her. The wife hasn't even entered the house yet, and there's already a concubine's child in the room. If word gets out, people will only laugh at the Pei family for their poor management and lack of decorum!

The old woman shook her head with a wry smile. "Third Master's temperament is unpredictable. This old servant can't fathom why he would choose a widow."

Madam Pei remained silent, and the nanny assumed she was tired and didn't want to talk anymore.

But after a moment, she said softly, "Since the problem doesn't lie with Jun'er, it must be Liu Wenying's fault."

…………