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

After returning from Lu Ye's house, Liu Wenying made a special trip back to the thatched hut to put the old people at ease.

The days passed by like flowing water.

Autumn arrived in the blink of an eye, and the private school gave out its autumn break.

Luo Luo no longer needs to go. She spends all day running around in the village, either chasing chickens or squatting by the vegetable patch watching ants move their nest.

Liu Wenying let her make a fuss, only instructing Granny Wang to keep a close eye on her.

At noon, she was checking the accounts for the autumn harvest in the accounting room when someone came in.

Xue Bi lifted the curtain and entered. Today he was wearing a bamboo-green long robe with the cuffs rolled up. He was holding several account books in his hands, and his eyes and brows were filled with a friendly smile.

Liu Wenying was somewhat surprised, "Isn't the autumn break supposed to be at the end of the month? Why is it here now?"

Xue Bi placed the account book on the table and said gently, "The autumn harvest is busy in the village, and I'm just sitting around doing nothing anyway. Besides, the wages paid by the head of Liu Village are generous, so I feel more at ease helping out."

Liu Wenying felt a warmth in her heart from hearing his sincere words.

Since the day the matchmaker made a scene, Xue Bi still comes as usual, but he talks less than before.

She had thought he was bothered by it, but now it seems she had been worrying too much.

"Then I'll trouble you."

She brought out the new accounts.

"Here are the harvest and yield figures submitted by the farmers. Please check them and reconcile them with the warehouse's inflow and outflow records."

Xue Bi responded and sat down opposite her.

The two were engrossed in organizing the accounts, one reading out numbers and the other manipulating the abacus, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones.

The autumn sun slanted in through the window, the clinking of the abacus beads was crisp and rhythmic, mingling with the occasional giggles outside, creating a sense of peaceful tranquility.

When the accounts became unclear, Liu Wenying leaned over to help.

Xue Bi also leaned closer to take a closer look, and the two heads were almost touching.

"...Perhaps there was an error in the weighing," Xue Bi pondered. "I'll go to the warehouse later and check it again."

Before the words were finished, Wang Mama's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door: "Second Master! It's Second Master Pei!"

Liu Wenying was startled and looked up.

The curtain was lifted by a hand with distinct knuckles, and Pei Zeyu stepped in.

He was dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with dark patterns, looking travel-worn and weary, but his fox-like eyes suddenly lit up when he saw Liu Wenying.

"Wenying," he called her, his voice warm and gentle.

Liu Wenying quickly stood up, her surprise and delight evident on her face: "Second Master? What brings you here?"

She hurried over to meet him, and Pei Zeyu naturally reached out and wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief.

I was so focused on tidying up the accounts that I didn't even realize I was sweating.

"You don't welcome me?" The tone was affectionate.

"No." Liu Wenying's cheeks flushed slightly as she took the handkerchief from his hand. "It's just that you haven't come for a long time."

"Something in the capital is holding me back."

Pei Zeyu spoke casually, but his gaze passed over her and landed on Xue Bi behind her.

Liu Wenying then remembered that Xue Bi was still there, and quickly stepped aside to introduce him: "This is Master Xue Bi, the accountant of the manor."

He then said to Xue Bi, "Master Xue, this is the second master of the Duke of Yu's mansion."

Xue Bi bowed with his hands clasped, his posture as elegant as bamboo.

"My name is Xue Bi, a native of Tanxi Village. I make a living by running a private school in the village and also manage the accounts for Liu Zhuangtou."

He spoke slowly and deliberately, and although he wore a faded blue robe, he possessed the integrity of a scholar.

Pei Zeyu raised his eyes slightly, looked him over for a moment, and nodded in return, saying, "Greetings."

One wore a brocade robe and jade belt, the other a plain cloth shirt, yet both exuded composure.

Pei Zeyu stopped focusing his attention on Xue Bi and turned to Liu Wenying.

"If I remember correctly, Xue Bi is the person listed on the invitation that day?"

Liu Wenying's heart skipped a beat.

She had almost forgotten that the Second Master had seen her changing the postcard.

Given his personality, now that he's taken the post, he might investigate the whole story.

"Second Master, you've misunderstood."

"I met Master Xue because Luo Luo wanted to start her education and was looking for a teacher."

As for the matter of exchanging letters... it was Jin Koumei's own decision. Mr. Xue and I were not acquainted before, as you know.

Pei Zeyu was about to reassure her that she didn't need to be so cautious and that nothing would happen to her.

Unfortunately, Xue Bi spoke up to defend him.

"Xue was employed by Liuzhuangtou to manage accounts and earn some money to supplement his family's income. As for exchanging documents..."

He looked up at Pei Zeyu, his expression calm.

"When the matchmaker from Jinkou came to me that day, she only said that there was a marriage to be arranged, and the other party was a widow with a daughter, but she did not specify who it was."

The implication is crystal clear.

By what right, Second Master Pei, are you questioning me? As the master of the Duke's mansion?

However, Liu Wenying signed an employment contract, not a servitude contract. She was free to marry, and it was not up to her employer to interfere.

There was a moment of silence in the accounting room.

The sounds of Luo Luo laughing and playing with the village children drifted in from outside the window, making the atmosphere inside the room even more stagnant.

Pei Zeyu didn't look at Xue Bi, but smiled faintly, "Wen Ying, you certainly know how to find people."

Liu Wenying sensed the displeasure in his voice, but thankfully, the Second Master didn't call her Liu Zhuangtou.

She opened her mouth, about to speak, when Pei Zeyu stood up and naturally took her hand.

My palms were warm, and my fingers had thin calluses from years of holding a pen.

He gently squeezed her hand, leaned down and whispered in her ear, his breath brushing against her earlobe.

"Come with me and explain yourself clearly."

The voice was kept extremely low, so that only the two of them could hear it.

Liu Wenying's ears went weak, and she tried to pull her hand away, but he held it even tighter.

There's nothing we can do.

She could only turn to Xue Bi and say, "Mr. Xue, please continue to check the accounts. I will be back shortly."

Xue Bi stood there, watching as Pei Zeyu led her out of the tent by the hand.

The autumn sun was blinding, and he squinted slightly. The pale white figure and the plain dress walked side by side and disappeared outside the door.

Upon seeing this, the farmers in the village all stopped what they were doing.

"Second Master Pei is here again? What a rare guest."

"Look, she's holding hands with Liu Zhuangtou. They're a perfect match."

"Indeed. For someone of Second Master's stature to make so many trips to this rural village for the sake of Liu Zhuangtou shows that he really cares about it."

"If you ask me, it would be a blessing for Liu Zhuangtou if she could really get into the Duke's mansion..."

The faint sounds of discussion drifted into the tent.

Xue Bi lowered her eyes and looked at the abacus, the beads still in the positions she had previously manipulated.

He reached out and gently pushed the abacus.

The beads scattered with a clatter, and my heart was in turmoil.

As dusk settled, Liu Wenying looked out the window countless times.

The last rays of dawn were fading from the horizon, and the outlines of the distant mountains were gradually blurring into dark silhouettes.

Smoke curled up from the village chimneys, mingling with the aroma of dried autumn grains, spreading in the evening breeze.

"What are you looking at?" Pei Zeyu's voice came from behind.

He had somehow walked up to her side, his brocade robe gleaming faintly in the dimming light.

Liu Wenying came to her senses and said softly, "It's getting late. Second Master should set off back to the capital. If it gets any later, he might miss the curfew."

Pei Zeyu remained motionless, gazing out the window at the twilight with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face: "I don't plan to leave today."

Liu Wenying was taken aback: "Second Master wants to stay overnight?"

I hadn't been here for more than half a month, and when I came back, I ran into Xue Bi. We exchanged letters to talk, and now I want to stay.

Liu Wenying had a vague feeling that tonight might not be so simple.

…………