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

Shen Nannan looked up; his face was expressionless, without a single flaw.

"Miss," he said calmly, "it'll get cold soon and upset your stomach."

Shen Nannan was stunned for a moment.

Is this... a reminder to her?

In her previous life at the Regent's Palace, Xiao Yunzhao never cared whether she ate or drank.

If she doesn't eat, try feeding her in a different way, until she can't even cry anymore.

She suddenly felt like laughing.

"Did Qiuyu ask you to deliver this?"

"Yes."

Where is she?

"I'm busy in the kitchen, I can't leave."

Shen Nannan stared at him, and he lowered his eyes.

Deceiving.

Even if Qiu Yu is busy to death, she will personally deliver it; she would never allow a servant who has just entered the courtyard to enter her room alone.

"I understand." She picked up the bird's nest soup and took a sip.

It's warm, just right.

A-Chao took a step back and said, "This servant takes his leave."

"etc."

He paused and turned his face to the side.

Shen Nannan leaned back on the soft couch, tilting her head to look at him: "Can you read?"

"I know some."

Shen Nannan sneered inwardly.

Do you recognize some?

In her past life, she had seen him annotate official documents, and his calligraphy was even more beautiful than that of the scholars in the Hanlin Academy.

"Then come here," she said, pointing to a spot in the ledger, "and help me look at this entry."

Ah Chao looked up and glanced at her.

His gaze was indifferent, so indifferent that it seemed devoid of any emotion.

But Shen Nannan felt that he was looking her up and down.

"What, you don't want to?"

"This servant wouldn't dare." His gaze swept across her face and landed on the pile of account books.

"It's just that I'm of lowly status and I'm afraid I'll offend your eyes, Miss."

Shen Nannan almost burst out laughing.

Lowly status?

You're going to be the regent, someone who won't even glance at the entire court kneeling before you, and now you're telling me you're of lowly status?

"Just come here when I tell you to." She said sternly, "Stop talking nonsense."

Ah Chao was silent for a moment.

Then he walked over.

Bend over.

The distance is too close.

His cool, refreshing aura enveloped the area, mixed with a faint scent of soap and a barely perceptible medicinal smell.

Shen Nannan's back stiffened for a moment, but she didn't flinch.

But his breath was right next to her ear, warm, each breath brushing against her hair.

Her fingers tightened around the ledger.

A-Chao glanced at the account book.

Then, he suddenly reached out and pointed to one of the lines: "This was added incorrectly."

Shen Nannan leaned over to take a look.

Sure enough! She had been calculating for a long time but couldn't get it right. This person could tell where the problem was just by looking at her.

She looked up at him.

He happened to be looking down at that moment.

Eyes facing each other.

Too close

In the candlelight, her face was reflected in his pupils, small and blurry, as if seen through a layer of mist.

Ah Chao first looked away, "This servant has spoken out of turn."

"Don't talk too much."

Shen Nannan looked away, closed the ledger, and rubbed her temples. "You've been a great help."

Ah Chao took a step back and resumed his respectful demeanor.

Shen Nannan leaned against the soft couch, looking at him.

The candlelight enveloped him in a warm, yellow halo, but standing there, he was like an unyielding lump of ink, completely out of place in the cozy room.

She suddenly remembered her past life.

Back then, he often stood in front of her like this, looking down at her with undisguised possessiveness in his eyes.

But now—

He kept his eyes down, not daring to look at her even once.

The person who used to pin her down on the couch and force her to call him "Ah Zhao" was now standing obediently three steps away, waiting for her to speak.

A strange feeling suddenly welled up in Shen Nannan's heart.

It's not fear.

It wasn't scheming.

It's... curiosity.

She wanted to see how this person gradually transformed into the madman from her past life.

"Ah Chao," she suddenly said.

He looked up.

"You must have suffered a lot in the past, right?"

Ah Chao's eyes flickered slightly.

He did not answer.

Shen Nannan looked at him; the candlelight cast a faint shadow on his face, and there was no expression on his young face.

In her past life, she had never asked these questions. Back then, she was afraid of him and avoided him too much to ask about his past.

But now—

She suddenly wanted to ask a question.

"Why is Miss asking this?" Ah Chao asked in a flat voice.

Shen Nannan paused for a moment, then casually made up an excuse: "Just asking. You're my servant, I need to know what you used to do."

Ah Chao glanced at her.

That glance was very light, but Shen Nannan felt as if she was being watched by something.

"I used to," he said slowly, "work in the stables, in shops, and beg on the streets."

He spoke calmly, as if he were talking about someone else's affairs.

"I've been hit. I've been insulted. I've been chased like a dog."

Shen Nannan felt a sudden pang in her heart as she listened.

It wasn't acted.

It's really painful.

She recalled what those people had said during the day—"lowly slave," "ignorant of rank," "crush a few of his fingers."

How many times had he heard these words in his past life?

She bit her lower lip, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say.

"Miss," Ah Chao suddenly spoke up, "the bird's nest is getting cold."

She looked up at him.

He stood there, his face still the same.

But suddenly she felt that this person wasn't so scary after all.

"Ah Chao".

"exist."

"From now on," she paused.

"With me, you don't have to kneel down all the time."

Ah Chao looked up.

The candlelight flickered in his eyes.

"What does Miss mean is..."

"It means," Shen Nannan put down her bowl, leaned back on the soft couch, and tilted her head to look at him.

"You are my servant. As long as you do your job well, I will not let anyone bully you."

She added:

"I will protect my own people."

These words were spoken arrogantly, carrying the domineering nature typical of the eldest daughter of the Shen family.

He lowered his eyes.

"Yes."

His voice was lower than before, "This servant has remembered."

Shen Nannan yawned.

Sleepiness washed over me in waves, and my eyelids felt as heavy as lead.

She leaned against the soft couch, vaguely remembering that she still had account books to read, but she couldn't lift her hand anymore.

"You...you can go down now," she mumbled, then closed her eyes.

Ah Chao didn't move.

He stood there,

I watched her for a long time.

The candlelight flickered, casting soft shadows on her face.

She was sleeping soundly, her breathing was long and even, and her chest rose and fell slightly.

She was completely different from the arrogant and domineering young lady she was during the day.

He turned around, blew out the two candles, leaving only the one in the corner.

As I walked to the door, I looked back.

Her foot was still sticking out of the soft couch, and the stocking on her bare foot was worn through.

He lowered his eyes and closed the door.

A night breeze blew by, and the lanterns under the eaves swayed.

He stood at the doorway, looking at the pitch-black night, and suddenly raised his hand.

A faint, lingering sweet fragrance seemed to remain on my fingertips.

He looked down at his hands.

Then he clenched his fist and tucked it into his sleeve.

Moonlight filtered through the window screen.

Beside the bed, a pair of embroidered shoes lay neatly arranged.

Clean and spotless, without a speck of dust.