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

The candlelight outlined the silhouette behind the screen, hazy yet all the more evocative.

Pei Zeyu could see the way she raised her hand to tuck her hair, the curve of her neck, the lines of her shoulders and back...

The light and shadow reflected on the silk surface shimmered on the rippling water, and Pei Zeyu's Adam's apple bobbed.

He forced himself to look back at the documents in his hands.

However, those densely packed words seemed to come alive at this moment, jumping and twisting before my eyes.

At the same time, the sound of pattering water felt like an invitation.

Pei Zeyu closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

But the image is actually clearer in the dark.

On the day of his birthday banquet, he was in a daze, but not completely unconscious.

He knew how smooth and delicate the texture of his hands was.

The sound of water stopped.

Pei Zeyu suddenly opened his eyes, and the figure behind the screen was already dressed.

He abruptly looked away, picked up the cold tea on the table, and took a big gulp, trying to suppress the restlessness within him.

Liu Wenying came out wearing her nightgown, her wet hair draped over her shoulders.

She had a handkerchief in her hand, but she didn't bother to wipe it. As soon as she came out, she quickly walked to the table.

"Second Master, I've made a discovery."

Pei Zeyu looked up; her hair was soaked.

Water droplets slid down her neck and into her collar, spreading a small patch of dark color on the plain white fabric.

"Go ahead." The sip of cold tea did nothing to ease his hoarse voice.

"Madam Li is lying. She says she has a weak heart and often goes to Qingzhou for treatment, but wouldn't a person with a weak heart be even more exhausted from traveling such a long distance?"

"Besides, she spoke with a strong, clear voice, not at all like a patient..."

After Liu Wenying finished speaking in one breath, she realized that her hair was still dripping wet, so she hurriedly picked up a handkerchief and wiped it haphazardly.

Pei Zeyu heard him clearly. He stood up, walked behind her, pressed her shoulder to make her sit down, and then naturally took the handkerchief.

"As you said, Madam Li does not seem to be ill."

As he spoke, he wrapped a strand of her wet hair in a handkerchief and gently rubbed it.

Liu Wenying was initially unaware and continued her analysis.

"If she wasn't going to see a doctor, then why was she going to Qingzhou so frequently? Besides, Madam Zhou mentioned that she always stayed at Magistrate Zhao's residence whenever she went—"

Suddenly he stopped, a thought flashing through his mind.

"Could it be that they're using the guise of medical treatment to send something shady?"

"It's not just things, sometimes it's also news."

Pei Zeyu's voice came from behind her, very close, his warm breath brushing against her ear.

Liu Wenying's heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to refocus on the matter at hand. "News?"

"The relationship between Zhao Dechang and Li Tingyu is certainly not as simple as it appears to us."

At today's banquet, I deliberately asked about the funds allocated for canal repairs in Wujiang County in recent years. Li Tingyu answered fluently, but when I pressed for more details, his eyes began to wander, and he claimed he couldn't remember.

Liu Wenying was so engrossed in listening that she forgot to pay attention to the movements of the person behind her.

"They won't collude with their superiors or subordinates to embezzle..."

"That's probably it."

Her hair was no longer dripping wet. Pei Zeyu removed the handkerchief and gently combed her long hair with his fingers.

The hair was soft and carried the fresh scent of soap, and it felt like it was entwining as it slipped through his fingers.

Liu Wenying was suddenly startled to realize that he was actually drying her hair!

"Second Master, this is against the rules!"

She turned around and snatched the handkerchief from his hand.

Pei Zeyu's hand was still in her hair, and he chuckled softly.

"What's wrong with that? Between husband and wife, taking care of each other is the rule."

Instead of backing away, he placed both hands on her shoulders.

"Madam needs to adjust well."

……

Before the light of day had fully broken through, it seeped in through the cracks in the window, casting a faint bluish hue over everything in the room.

Liu Wenying opened her eyes and saw the face beside her pillow.

Pei Zeyu was sleeping soundly, and Liu Wenying observed him closely in the dim morning light.

Undeniably, he was exceptionally handsome.

Her eyebrows were long but not sharp, and they relaxed slightly in her sleep, making her look less aloof than usual.

His high nose bridge and well-defined lips reminded her of that kiss from that day.

He leaned down urgently, his nose bumping against hers, their lips locked in a passionate kiss.

She has fair skin but doesn't look effeminate.

Even when it's just lying there quietly, it's impossible to look away.

Liu Wenying was somewhat lost in thought as she watched.

Over the course of a few days, his behavior toward her became more and more like that of a real couple.

He dried her hair, slept in the same bed with her at night, and spoke to her with a natural intimacy.

She's not a wooden person; she can sense subtle tenderness that transcends a cooperative relationship.

But the more she felt this way, the more panicked she became.

Liu Wenying swallowed hard, gently lifted the covers, and prepared to get up.

As soon as I moved, a sharp pain suddenly shot through my scalp.

Liu Wenying gasped and reached out to touch it, only to find a tangled clump of hair.

A strand of her hair had somehow become tangled with Pei Zeyu's, forming a tight knot on the pillow.

Pei Zeyu was awakened by the noise.

He opened his eyes, his vision still somewhat blurry at first, but once he saw the scene before him, he became mostly awake.

"What's wrong?" The voice was hoarse from just waking up.

Liu Wenying's cheeks flushed, and she hurriedly tried to untangle the hair knot. "My hair is tangled."

The knot was tied very tightly, and the more she tried to untie it, the less she could, and it only made her scalp ache.

Pei Zeyu pressed her hand down, "Don't rush, take your time."

Liu Wenying didn't have time to think about it and wanted to call a maid in to hand her the scissors.

"I'm going to cut this lock of my hair."

"Don't cut it."

Pei Zeyu grasped her slender wrist. "Untie it little by little. Don't be so ruthless."

Pei Zeyu released her and turned to untangle her hair, his long, slender fingers deftly combing through the tangled strands.

The strands of hair were separated one by one.

It was as if he wasn't untying a knot in their hair, but rather the unspeakable relationship between them.

Finally, the last strand of hair was untangled.

Pei Zeyu tucked the strand of black hair that had regained its freedom behind her ear and said, "Okay."

"Thank you, Second Master."

After her hair was untied, Liu Wenying hurriedly got off at the hotel.

She turned her back to Pei Zeyu to tidy her clothes, the warmth from his touch on her ear lingering for a long time.

There was a rustling sound behind me; Pei Zeyu had also gotten up.

He didn't pressure her; he simply calmly called someone in to help her wash up.

Breakfast was served in the outer room: congee and side dishes.

After the meal, Pei Zeyu sat down at the desk and picked up the accounting documents again.

He read one volume after another, from morning till almost noon, without even looking up.

Liu Wenying sat beside him and refilled his tea several times.

Pei Zeyu frowned from time to time, pinched his brow, and his neck must have been stiff, but he had to hurry up and check.

Liu Wenying felt a little guilty, after all, he had rushed here for her sake.

Liu Wenying hesitated for a moment, then came up behind him.

"I know some massage techniques to relieve fatigue. If you don't mind, my husband, I'll give you a massage."

Pei Zeyu did not refuse, "Thank you for your trouble, Madam."

Liu Wenying placed her hand on his shoulder, and through his clothes, she could feel that the muscles in his shoulders and neck were very tense.

She pressed down gently, kneading slowly along the curve of her shoulder blade.

The force was just right, gradually dissolving those stiff nodules.

Pei Zeyu felt those soft hands roaming over his shoulders and neck.

He suddenly regretted agreeing to her request.

…………