Quick Transmigration: The Control Group in Sweet Novels

Shen Hengzhi subtly raised his eyes and swept his gaze across her face.

The action was only for a moment, fleeting, but Xie paused for a moment. She picked up the soup bowl, took a sip without making a sound, and followed the hand that was serving the food.

The maid wore ordinary double hairpins, had a fair complexion, clear eyes, and wisps of hair at her temples that gently touched her cheeks, adding to her charming and lively appearance.

It was indeed exquisitely crafted.

But she knew her own son well. She knew Shen Hengzhi's temperament better than anyone. To him, whether someone was good-looking or not was no different from an ordinary wooden stake.

She had sent pretty maids to his courtyard before, but Shen Hengzhi had always returned them indifferently.

This time, not only did I not return it, but I also took a second look at it.

She looked away, set down her teacup with a normal demeanor, and said nothing more.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, and Cheng'an came in to report, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince's Palace has sent word that they invite you to the palace for a chat."

Shen Hengzhi composed himself and said, "I understand."

Having said that, he stood up, straightened his robes, and took his leave from Madam Xie.

Madam Xie watched her son leave, then dismissed everyone from the room. She glanced at her personal maid, then rose and went to the inner room. Picking up the cup of tea the maid had brought, she casually asked, "What's the name of the maidservant beside Hengzhi?"

The old woman thought for a moment, "A-Yang?"

"She used to be a cleaning boy in the front yard. I heard from Granny Liu that she was an honest and well-behaved girl, so she was transferred to the young master's place. Granny Li arranged for her to be moved to the main courtyard. She has been following the young master these past few days and she is quite well-behaved and learns things quickly."

Madam Xie stroked her teacup, then fell into deep thought upon hearing this. "Has it been her these past few days?"

"I don't know that, but the young master doesn't have many personal servants. Most of them are boys like Cheng'an who grew up with him." The old woman observed Xie's expression and, seeing that she didn't seem dissatisfied, continued, "The young master hasn't said anything wrong these past few days and has still allowed A-Yang into the inner room."

Madam Xie didn't speak, but lowered her head and took a sip of tea, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she was thinking about something.

The nanny asked, "Is there something wrong with this maid? Should we transfer her back?"

"No need." Madam Xie shook her head, her gaze falling on the osmanthus tree outside the window. She said in a light voice, "Granny Li has always had a good eye. Since Hengzhi hasn't said anything, let her stay."

The old woman replied "Yes" and didn't say anything more.

A few thoughts raced through Madam Xie's mind. Could it be that the child had finally come to his senses? He was used to hiding his feelings. Madam Xie shook her head and stopped thinking about it.

Anyway, the person has already been sent there. What's meant to happen will happen, and there's no point in forcing things that aren't meant to happen.

*

In the past few days, Qi Yang has also roughly figured out Shen Hengzhi's temperament.

He always wore a plain white shirt and was gentle and polite to people, but once you got to know him closely, you would find that he always gave people a faint sense of aloofness. But Shen Hengzhi was not difficult to serve and did not often criticize his servants. Qi Yang felt that as long as she did not do anything reckless like in the original book, this job was much easier than before.

That afternoon, Shen Hengzhi was studying in his study.

Qi Yang brought in a cup of tea, placed it gently on the desk, and then stepped aside, quietly waiting like a background character.

She would occasionally glance up and see the prince sitting upright behind a rosewood desk, his black hair tied up with a jade crown, his moon-white robe neatly pressed, and the sleeves embroidered with very faint dark cloud patterns, which were faintly visible in the soft light.

Shen Hengzhi possessed a refined and elegant demeanor, unlike the ostentatious manner of typical scions of noble families.

When he writes, he stands ramrod straight, his fingers holding the pen are long and clean, and his movements are unhurried.

Sitting there, he was like an elegant ink painting.

Qi Yang dared not look too long, for fear of offending the Crown Prince.

The study was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, the only sound the rustling of paper. Qi Yang stood for a while, then felt her legs getting sore. Not daring to move around, she stood still, half-closing her eyes to rest, and soon dozed off.

She really hasn't been sleeping well these past few days.

Being the prince's personal maid was no easy task. Every morning, she would get up to serve her master as he washed and dressed, and before dawn, she would have to boil water and prepare handkerchiefs. She could only return to her room when Shen Hengzhi went to rest in the evening.

After a while, I started to get some sleep deprivation.

Sleepiness washed over her, and her head began to droop little by little.

Her movements were very light and small, but then her entire furry head suddenly sank and then suddenly lifted up.

Shen Hengzhi turned a page of his book and caught a glimpse of this scene out of the corner of his eye.

He paused for a moment, slightly taken aback.

She bobbed her little head up and down, like a chick pecking at rice. The girl's face was drowsy and sleepy. It was afternoon, and the warm sunshine made people feel tired.

For some reason, Shen Hengzhi remained silent for a long time.

Qi Yang nodded again, her whole body leaning forward, almost losing her balance. Shen Hengzhi suddenly coughed lightly, the sound especially clear in the quiet study.

Qi Yang instantly regained her senses.

She looked toward the desk, where Shen Hengzhi was still looking down, writing something on the paper, seemingly unaware that she had been slacking off.

Qi Yang breathed a slight sigh of relief.

At this moment, Shen Hengzhi raised his eyes and met her slightly relieved expression. Qi Yang stood there blankly, hearing him say, "A Yang, come and grind the ink for me."

It turns out it was grinding ink.

Thank goodness.

Qi Yang stepped forward, took the water jug, poured it into the inkstone, and then picked up the ink stick with her small hands to grind it carefully, her movements gentle and delicate.

Seeing her holding her breath and concentrating, Shen Hengzhi put down the papers in his hand and suddenly asked, "Have you been to school?"

Qi Yang was taken aback, then shook her head. "No."

Shen Hengzhi nodded slightly and asked no more questions.

Qi Yang continued working with his hands, but his mind was filled with doubt.

Could it be that the male lead thinks she's uncultured?

Does being a maidservant to the male lead mean you can't be too uneducated?

Her mind was filled with countless thoughts, but she kept her head down and remained quiet and obedient, revealing nothing of her inner turmoil.

Shen Hengzhi suddenly stood up, walked to the side, took out a clean sheet of paper and spread it out. "Come here."

Qi Yang watched his movements, hesitated slightly before walking over.

Shen Hengzhi handed her the pen and said gently, "Take it."

Qi Yang took the pen, gripping it tightly, but her posture was wrong, and the pen was tilted.

Shen Hengzhi looked at her, said nothing, walked around behind her, and reached out to cover her small hand.

Qi Yang's entire body stiffened.

His hands were large, with distinct knuckles, and they completely enveloped her hands.

"This is the right way to hold it." Shen Hengzhi adjusted her grip on the pen, his deep voice coming from above her head, his breath brushing against her hair.

Qi Yang followed his adjustments woodenly, her expression blank.

This...this is way too close.

His chest was almost pressed against her back, his arms wrapped around her from both sides, almost enveloping her between the desk and his body, his breath falling on her earlobe, making her feel ticklish.

Qi Yang felt her hands trembling slightly.