With legs weak, the sickly stable boy became a mad regent.

Shen Nannan woke up before dawn.

I wasn't woken up by noise, but by a gaze fixed on me.

She opened her eyes and saw Ah Chao sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at her. The moonlight had faded, and a sliver of gray-white light peeked through the sky, blurring his silhouette.

"How long have you been staring at me?" she asked in a husky voice.

"Not long ago," he paused, "just woke up."

Shen Nannan stared at the dark circles under his eyes, disbelieving.

The color was darker than yesterday, as if the person hadn't slept all night.

"You didn't sleep last night?"

"Going to sleep."

"fraud."

He didn't refute her, but simply reached out and tucked the stray hairs that had fallen across her face behind her ear, his fingertips brushing against her cheek, feeling cool.

"I'm going to the palace today," he said.

"Um."

"Have you brought everything?"

"I brought everything."

"Where's the jade pendant?"

Shen Nannan took the jade pendant out from under her pillow and waved it in front of him: "I keep it with me, close to my body."

Ah Chao looked at the jade pendant, reached out and stuffed it into her collar, pressing it against her chest.

His fingers touched her skin, and they both paused for a moment.

"It's safe now." He withdrew his hand, his voice a little hoarse. "Don't lose it."

Shen Nannan's ears turned red. She pulled the blanket up to cover half of her face, leaving only her eyes visible as she looked at him.

"Ah Chao".

"Um."

Why are you more nervous than me today?

He didn't say anything, but reached out and pulled her out of the blanket, helped her sit up, and took the clothes from the bedside table, helping her put them on one by one.

She dressed very slowly, tying each strap carefully.

Shen Nannan sat on the edge of the bed, letting him do as he pleased. Watching him carefully fasten the straps with his eyes down, her heart suddenly softened.

"Ah Chao".

"Um."

Have you ever dressed someone else before?

His fingers paused for a moment.

"no."

"Then how come your technique is so skilled?"

He looked up at her, his eyes dark and deep: "I've practiced it in my head countless times."

Shen Nannan's face flushed again, and she pushed him away, saying, "What's going on in your head?"

"Miss," he said, in a serious tone, "they're all ladies."

She was rendered speechless by his words, so she simply shut up and let him continue dressing.

After she put on her outer garment, he picked up a comb and combed her hair.

I combed my hair more slowly than usual today, combing each strand many times, as if I were stalling for time.

"Ah Chao".

"Um."

"If you keep combing, I'll be late."

He didn't speak, but his movements didn't quicken. Shen Nannan looked at him in the bronze mirror; his eyes were downcast, his eyelashes casting a shadow on his face, and his jaw was taut.

"Are you afraid something will happen to me?" she asked.

"I'm not afraid."

"Then why are you making that face?"

He didn't answer, but gathered the last strand of hair and inserted the peach blossom hairpin. Then he took something out of his pocket and put it in her hand.

Shen Nannan looked down and saw that it was a small milk candy wrapped in oil paper.

"Eat when you're hungry," he said.

She clutched the candy, and suddenly her nose stung with tears.

"Ah Chao".

"Um."

"You're just afraid something will happen to me."

He didn't say anything, but simply reached out and pulled her up from the chair, into his arms, and hugged her tightly, so tightly that she couldn't breathe.

"Miss." His voice was muffled.

"Um."

"There's a man in the palace named Zhao Quan, a eunuch who serves the Emperor. If you need anything, go find him."

Shen Nannan was taken aback: "How do you know someone from the Imperial Court?"

He didn't answer, but continued, "Don't go to the Imperial Garden alone. Don't be alone with the Crown Prince. Don't drink wine offered by others. Don't..."

"Ah Chao," she interrupted him, "just how many people have you planted in the palace?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "...It's enough."

Shen Nannan stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly smiled. The smile held a hint of helplessness, and a touch of heartache.

"You're just a guard, yet you're reaching out to the prime minister."

"Not long enough," he said. "It can't protect the young lady."

Shen Nannan's nose tingled again, and she stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the chin.

"That's enough," she said. "You can protect her."

He lowered his head and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Miss."

"Um."

Come back soon.

"Um."

She stepped out of his arms, walked to the door, and suddenly turned back.

"Ah Chao".

"Um."

"I'll dance for you when I get back."

She turned and left. Ah Chao stood inside the house, watching her figure disappear through the courtyard gate. Sunlight streamed in through the doorway, stretching her shadow long and thin, then gradually shortening until it vanished completely.

He stood there, motionless for a long time.

In Shen Yin's boudoir, Lin Wan'er was applying powder to her face in front of a bronze mirror.

The bloodstains hadn't fully healed, and even layers of powder couldn't cover them. She stared at her face in the mirror, her eyes filled with hatred.

"Sister Wan'er." Shen Yin emerged from behind the screen, wearing a newly made peach-pink dress that made her fair complexion glow. "Do I look good in this?"

Lin Wan'er turned her head, looked her up and down, and smiled: "Beautiful. His Highness the Crown Prince will definitely like it."

Shen Yin blushed, lowered her head, and twisted her handkerchief with her fingers.

"Sister Wan'er, do you think... His Highness the Crown Prince will really marry me?"

"Of course he will." Lin Wan'er walked over and took her hand. "He came in person to propose; how could it be fake?"

Shen Yin bit her lip, took out a small paper packet from her sleeve, and handed it to Lin Wan'er.

"What is this?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince sent it here," Shen Yin said in a low voice.

"His Highness told me to find a chance to put it in her teacup. She also said..." Her voice trailed off, "and that if it worked out, she would make me her concubine."

Lin Wan'er stood up, walked over to her, took the paper package, and sniffed it. It didn't smell much, but she knew in her heart that what was inside wasn't anything good.

"Sister Yin'er." She sat down next to Shen Yin, took her hand, and said, "Listen to me."

Shen Yin looked up at her.

"You can't put this away."

Shen Yin was taken aback: "Why?"

"Think about it," Lin Wan'er lowered her voice, "His Highness the Crown Prince asked you to release her, but if something goes wrong, who will take responsibility? You. His Highness the Crown Prince won't admit it. If something happens to Shen Nannan, and the investigation comes to light, you'll be the first one to be implicated."

Shen Yin's face turned pale.

"Then... what should we do?"

Lin Wan'er looked at her, a flicker of something in her eyes. She curved her lips into a smile and stuffed the paper package into her sleeve.

"I'll put it there," she said. "You pretend you don't know anything."

Shen Yin was stunned: "Sister Wan'er, you—"

"I'm already like this anyway," Lin Wan'er smiled, a smile tinged with sadness. "I have a scar on my face, so I can't get married. But things can't get much worse. You're different; you're going to be the Crown Prince's concubine."

Shen Yin's eyes reddened, and she grasped her hand: "Sister Wan'er, you are so good to me."

Lin Wan'er patted the back of her hand and smiled gently.

"Of course. We're sisters, we don't need to talk about these things."

She turned to face the bronze mirror and carefully placed the hairpin in her hair. In the mirror, a smile still lingered on her lips, but her eyes were cold, as cold as ice.

Shen Nannan, you wait.