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

Autumn has arrived in the blink of an eye.

The Duke of Yu's Mansion, Tinglan Courtyard.

Most of the sycamore leaves in the courtyard had fallen, leaving bare branches stretching towards the sky. The chrysanthemums in the corner of the wall, however, were in full bloom, golden and snow-white, clustered together in close proximity.

Liu Wenying sat on the balustrade under the eaves, holding a cup of warm osmanthus tea in her hand.

She was dressed simply, without a single piece of jewelry, but the composure that emanated from her very being was more dazzling than any jewels.

Wen Jingshu sat opposite her.

Zizhu came out of the house carrying a fruit platter, placed it on a small table, took a step back, and looked at Liu Wenying with a smile.

"Miss, you don't know, Madam doesn't care about those things anymore. Before, when she was in the manor, Madam managed the food, drink, and daily life of hundreds of people. She had to be involved in everything."

Now, things have gotten much better. He doesn't even bother to look through the account books anymore, or play cards. All he does all day is tend to the flowers and plants, drink tea, and watch the clouds.

"You be the judge, young lady. Madam must really enjoy Zhuangzi's life; she doesn't care about the servants anymore..."

Wen Jingshu coughed, and Zizhu stuck out her tongue.

Liu Wenying curled her lips and sized up Wen Jingshu.

She was fuller than before, and her cheeks were rounder, unlike the pale and fragile look of someone recovering from a serious illness.

Wen Jingshu met her gaze and said awkwardly, "Don't listen to Zizhu about managing the household affairs. I've only recently recovered from my illness, and I'm finding it a bit difficult to manage these trivial matters. I really don't have the same mindset as before."

Liu Wenying then inquired about the injuries.

Wen Jingshu said that the pain had subsided, but her sternum still felt a little sore and swollen on cloudy or rainy days. The doctor said that she would fully recover after a few more months of rest.

As the two were talking, footsteps came from the courtyard gate.

Zizhu said, "The master has arrived."

Pei Dingxuan walked in. He was not wearing court robes today, but only a dark blue casual robe with a matching brocade belt around his waist, making him look thin.

Perhaps it was the autumn chill, for he was wearing a dark gray cloak draped over his shoulders.

"Sister Wen, it's getting late, I should go back."

Liu Wenying said.

Wen Jingshu stood up to see him off, "Alright, then I won't keep you any longer. Take care on your journey."

"Eh."

Liu Wenying agreed and was about to leave when she turned around and saw Pei Dingxuan staring at her blankly, as if he had something to say.

Coincidentally, she also had something she wanted to say to him, so she figured there was no better time than now.

"My lord, before I leave, I have a few words I'd like to speak with you privately. Would that be alright?"

Pei Dingxuan's phoenix eyes lit up. "Of course."

In the study, Pei Dingxuan and Liu Wenying sat facing each other across a rosewood tea table.

Two teacups sat on the coffee table, the tea in the celadon cups clear and green, the steam rising gently and turning into a hazy mist in the light and shadow.

"If Your Excellency has anything to say to me, please speak first."

Pei Dingxuan nodded.

"His Majesty has approved your request to expand the almshouse. Construction on the fifty acres of land near the manor on the outskirts of the capital will begin soon."

Your words about respecting the elderly as you would your own parents and caring for the young as you would your own children, have been written into the new policy platform, and all prefectures and governments should follow suit.

Liu Wenying lowered her eyes to look at the tea leaves floating in the teacup and nodded gently: "Thank you for your help, Duke."

"No need to thank me, you deserve it."

The study fell silent, save for the sound of the wind rustling through the branches outside the window.

Suddenly, Pei Dingxuan put down his teacup, the porcelain cup touching the wooden table.

"Hearing the Oriole".

Liu Wenying looked up, and the sunlight shone directly on her face, illuminating her clear, autumn-water-like eyes.

"Between us," Pei Dingxuan said slowly, each word uttered with extreme deliberation, "is this the end?"

Liu Wenying suddenly remembered many things.

When she first entered the Pei family, she was constantly harassed by the Third Master, and it was he who showed up to help her.

He was the one who protected her when she was trapped in the temple, clearing snow, and during the avalanche.

Ye'er was taken away by the flower sellers and was in great danger, but he came to her rescue just in time, like a divine intervention.

During the autumn hunt, she was attacked and felt extremely uneasy and panicked, but luckily she met him.

There are too many to count...

"The Duke saved my life, and I will never forget this kindness."

"Just a favor?" Pei Dingxuan pressed, his eyes burning.

Wenying avoided his gaze and looked out the window.

The shadows of the trees swayed, and the autumn light shattered on the ground.

"What's the point of saying all this now?"

I am the owner of Zhiyun Manor and Yinian Manor, and I also own an almshouse. You are the newly appointed Duke Yu, the pillar of the Pei family.

We each have our own paths, and each has our own destination.

Pei Dingxuan's smile was bitter. "So you've never had any feelings for me? Not even for a moment?"

Liu Wenying remained silent.

The air in the study was thick with tension; the scent of ink and tea mingled together, almost suffocating.

"What if you're moved, or what if you're not? Things in this world can't be perfected just by being moved."

Pei Dingxuan stared at her for a very long time.

Liu Wenying lowered her head, stood up and curtsied: "Wenying takes her leave. The autumn air is chilly and the dew is heavy. Please remember to wear more clothes, Your Highness."

"etc."

Pei Dingxuan asked her to sit down and brewed tea again.

The new tea, when poured into the cup, has a darker color and a richer aroma, with a certain indescribable sweetness.

Pei Dingxuan pushed the teacup towards her, "Back in the manor, you were the one who poured tea for me. Now it's the other way around. Would you like to try some?"

Liu Wenying did not hesitate and picked up her teacup.

The tea soup is initially sweet, followed by a slight bitterness, and finally a strange aftertaste, like a floral or fruity fragrance, hard to describe.

She drank a small portion of the teacup, put it down, and was about to speak when she felt a wave of dizziness.

"My lord, this tea..."

She grabbed the coffee table for support, her body went limp, and her vision began to blur.

Pei Dingxuan's figure swayed in the light and shadow, gradually turning into overlapping phantoms.

The furnishings in the study began to spin, forming a vortex that enveloped her.

Finally, what catches the eye is Pei Dingxuan's deep, ocean-like eyes.

Pei Dingxuan caught her limp body and gently carried her to a soft couch nearby.

The autumn sunlight shone on her sleeping face, her long eyelashes casting a faint shadow under her eyes, and a drop of tea still clung to the corner of her lips.

Pei Dingxuan reached out and gently wiped away the tea stain with his fingertips.

"sorry."

"I just wanted to try... what if there were no Pei family, no Zeyu, no Yaojun, and no external disturbances..."

"Is there any love between us? Will there be a future?"

A sudden autumn wind rose outside the window, rustling the shadows of the trees like a sigh, or perhaps a silent answer.

……

Liu Wenying suddenly opened her eyes, her consciousness gradually returning.

What comes into view is a gauze curtain hanging down from the carved bed frame, layer upon layer like the mist in the mountains at dawn.

Hey, this isn't her bed.

Her mind was still a mess. She remembered that after finishing her night shift, she had just entered the house when everything went black.

This isn't a hospital, is it? Where is she?

Liu Wenying sat up abruptly. She looked around; the room was large and elegantly furnished.

A rosewood desk stood by the window, complete with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, as well as a celadon vase with a few half-open chrysanthemums in it.

A towering cabinet stood against the east wall, displaying various kinds of porcelain.

This is clearly an exquisite boudoir from ancient times.

Liu Wenying pinched herself; it hurt. It wasn't a dream.

"I...time-traveled?!"

…………