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

The two walked through the bustling crowd and turned into the main store on the street.

The waiter, clearly having received prior instructions, courteously led them to a private room on the second floor facing the street.

Pushing open the door, one finds the room elegantly furnished, with four small dishes and a pot of warm wine already laid out on the round sandalwood table.

"Are you going to treat me to dinner?"

Liu Wenying nodded and placed the oil paper package on a chair to the side.

"Yes, I just came from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. I didn't even have time to eat before I rushed off to buy clothes."

If you've already eaten, then please do me the honor of having some with me.

If you haven't eaten yet, that's perfect.

Pei Zeyu picked up his chopsticks. "I haven't eaten yet, I'll eat with you."

Liu Wenying curved her lips into a smile, picked up the wine pot and poured him wine, the amber liquid rippling in the cup.

Pei Zeyu held his chopsticks, his wrist as steady as when he picked up food.

When chewing, the jawline is clearly defined, and even the curve of placing the chopsticks is just right.

Even in a small, unassuming shop, he maintained the demeanor of a scion of a prominent family, remaining exceptionally poised.

The meal was eaten quietly, without the slightest awkwardness.

After the meal, Liu Wenying stood up and said, "I'll go pay the bill."

Without waiting for his reply, she took the oil paper package from the chair and hurried out.

Pei Zeyu sat alone in the private room, with faint sounds of laughter coming from outside the window, making the room even quieter.

He stared at the empty bowl across from him, feeling a sense of emptiness in his heart.

Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging us into complete darkness.

Only the light from outside the window shone in, not much, casting a few hazy shadows on the floor.

A sliver of candlelight peeked in through the crack in the door, flickering like a lost firefly.

Liu Wenying walked in carrying a round plate piled high with layers of pastries, topped with a thin red candle.

The candlelight flickered in her eyes, illuminating her smiling gaze.

"Second Master, happy birthday! May you be free from worries and troubles, and live in peace year after year."

The empty space in Pei Zeyu's heart was instantly filled.

It was so full and warm that it made his eyes sting a little.

The candlelight was too dim for Liu Wenying to see the tears welling up in his eyes.

While he was distracted, I placed the simple cake on the table and stepped back half a step.

"In my hometown, when people celebrate their birthdays, they make soft cakes with eggs and flour and light candles on top of them."

The birthday person makes a wish while looking at the candle, then blows it out, and their wish will come true.

Liu Wenying's gentle voice carried a hint of longing.

"I can't buy those kinds of pastries here, so I could only find the closest ones. They're not exactly authentic, but they're still quite exquisite."

"If you don't mind, Second Master, why don't you give it a try?"

Dislike? He doesn't dislike it.

However, her nostalgia for her hometown seemed genuine.

He had sent people to investigate Xinghua Village, which is not far from the capital, and they had never heard of such a custom.

Pei Zeyu suppressed the turmoil and doubt in his heart, and without asking, smiled and said, "Okay."

Liu Wenying pushed the plate towards him, saying expectantly, "Then Second Master, please make a wish."

"Say whatever you want to the candle, and blow it out after you've made your wish, and it will come true."

Pei Zeyu looked at the plate of novel pastries and asked, "How so?"

Liu Wenying demonstrated for him, putting her hands together in front of her chest, interlocking her fingers, and closing her eyes.

Her long eyelashes drooped like butterfly wings, the tips of which were tinged with gold by the candlelight.

She smiled, gentle and lively, without the restraint she displayed in the mansion, but rather a softness that came from being immersed in the warmth of everyday life.

No, that's not the light of a candle; it's her radiance.

For many years, he has been cautiously maneuvering in the imperial court and navigating the complexities of his home life.

At this moment, however, I feel a luxurious warmth.

"Just like that, think of your wish, then open your eyes, blow out a breath, and extinguish it."

Liu Wenying opened her eyes, and Pei Zeyu looked away. Urged by her, he followed her example and made a wish.

What should he wish for? He has no shortage of power and wealth, so...

After making his promise, he blew out the candles.

The candle flame flickered and then went out, leaving only a wisp of smoke that drifted between the two of them.

Liu Wenying clapped her hands and chuckled, "Alright, Heaven will surely hear Second Master's wish."

"My heartfelt words are too small; I'm afraid even God won't hear them. But as long as the person I long for can hear them, that's enough."

He turned to look at the night sky, his whole being seemingly soaked in the darkness, exuding an extreme gentleness rarely seen in his daily life.

May you live ten thousand years, and may every year bring you spring.

When he said this, Pei Zeyu didn't look at the sky, he looked at her.

Liu Wenying was stunned, unable to tell whether he was making a wish or a promise.

She celebrated his birthday with a meal and a cake made of pastries.

He then granted her a wish.

His wish contained no thoughts of officialdom, no career advancement, not even himself; it contained only her.

May you live a long and healthy life, and may every year bring you spring.

He wished her a long and healthy life, and that every year bring her good fortune.

It should have been cut off, shouldn't it?

She went to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, while he stayed at the Duke of Yuguo's mansion. The two paths diverged further and further, and the further they diverged, the more they should break off their relationship.

But why does he still care about her so much?

This caused her inner defenses to crumble time and time again.

Suddenly, her eyes felt hot, but Liu Wenying tried her best to hold back the tears.

"The past is like yesterday's death; Second Master... it's time to look forward."

Not daring to look at his reaction, Liu Wenying quickly said, "It's getting late, this servant will take her leave," and went to get the little clothes she had bought for Luo Luo.

The moment my fingers touched the cloth bag, my forearm was grabbed.

He stood up and pulled her into his arms.

His actions were reckless and disregardful, a stark contrast to his usual composure.

He rested his chin on the top of her head, speaking each word clearly.

"But considering all that may happen, like today, Wenying, I want to seize the moment. If it weren't for the Lin family, would we...?"

"Second Master, watch your words!"

Liu Wenying interrupted him.

"When did you become someone who likes to talk about hypotheticals? There are no 'what ifs,' so what's the point of asking?"

She pushed him away, took two steps back, and hugged the bundle of clothes to her chest, her voice flat.

"May the Second Master enjoy spring every year thereafter."

After saying that, she quickly walked out of the private room and left completely.

The window was half-open, and the night breeze blew in, dispersing the lingering sweet fragrance in the room.

There are no ifs...

Yes, the most useless thing in this world is "what if".

The long street downstairs was still bustling and brightly lit, but all that liveliness was irrelevant to him.

He gazed at the dark night in the distance, his eyes churning with emotions that were gradually suppressed, transforming into a cold and resolute expression.

He had given Lin Zhiyao a respectable treatment.

The divorce papers were signed, the family property was divided, and even her future was planned out.

She didn't want those respectable things, so he couldn't blame her.

The laws of the Great Wei state that there are seven grounds for divorce and three grounds for non-repeating divorce, but there is one exception to the many grounds for non-repeating divorce: adultery.

Pei Zeyu's gaze was deep and his mind raced. Next month was the day Lin Zhiyao's younger sister was getting married.

This time, he will personally sever the absurd marriage and cut off all the obstacles standing between them.

Even if the methods used are not honorable.

…………