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

Shen Nannan looked at his face, her heart pounding as if it would jump out of her throat.

The flush beneath the mask had spread to his neck, but his eyes remained clear, and his voice was steady, as if nothing had happened.

Is it stable?

The regent was always one to keep his emotions hidden.

In his past life, he was publicly attacked by his political enemies in the imperial court, but he remained calm and composed. Only when he got home did he pin her down on the bed and torment her until dawn.

The next day, news would come that his political enemies had been executed along with their entire families.

"Come with me."

She lowered her voice, grabbed his sleeve, and got up to leave.

"Second Aunt, I'm not feeling well, I'll go back now."

Tong smiled meaningfully, but dared not say anything more. Su Yue and Yun Jin were still there; she couldn't afford to offend them.

Ah Chao didn't move.

"Miss--"

"Shut up and keep up."

She pulled him along.

She pulled him around to the back of the tent, where an old peach tree stood in front, its branches drooping down to just cover the two of them.

Shen Nannan stopped and looked back at him.

Ah Chao stood in front of her, his eyes lowered, his mask covering most of his face, revealing only his chin and pursed thin lips.

His breathing was steady, he stood upright, and he looked no different from usual.

But she noticed that his hands, hanging at his sides, were clenched into fists.

"Are you crazy?" she whispered, her voice tight. "There's something in that drink, you know that, right?"

"This servant knows, it's an aphrodisiac..." Ah Chao's voice was unusually calm.

Shen Nannan was somewhat annoyed by his nonchalant attitude. "You...you knew that, yet you still drank it?!"

His lips curved slightly, very lightly, and then vanished in an instant.

"This servant knows what he's doing," he said, his voice still calm. "Don't be afraid, Miss."

Shen Nannan stared at him, wishing she could pry open his head to see what was inside.

What's the point?

What sense of propriety does he have?

In his past life, he was drugged and became delirious with fever. He then pinned her down on the bed and tormented her for three whole days. After three days, she couldn't even get out of bed.

He, on the other hand, went to court feeling refreshed and in good spirits.

Is it appropriate to tell her now?

She grabbed his hand tightly.

It's hot.

It was so hot that she recoiled from her fingertips and almost dropped it.

"You—" Her voice trembled.

Ah Chao pulled his hand back.

"Miss, I'm alright." He took a step back.

"A little breeze will do the trick."

After saying that, he turned and left.

He walked much faster than usual.

Shen Nannan stood there, watching his figure disappear into the depths of the peach grove. The moonlight stretched his shadow long, making him look unsteady.

She clenched her fists.

Is this person insane?

When that drug takes effect, it feels like your whole body is on fire. Even the strongest person can't withstand it. Yet, this young boy drank the whole cup.

"Miss Shen?"

Yun Jin's voice came from behind her, and she turned around abruptly.

Yun Jin had followed us here at some point, standing a few steps away, holding the rabbit that A Chao had abandoned in her arms.

The rabbit kicked its legs, looking unwilling.

"Where are your guards?" Yun Jin glanced behind her. "Weren't they just here a moment ago?"

Shen Nannan didn't answer, staring at him: "Yun Jin, who exactly are you?"

Yun Jin smiled and didn't reply, but instead lowered her head and rubbed the rabbit's ears.

The rabbit kicked its legs as he rubbed it.

"That guard," he suddenly spoke, his voice lower than before, "seems a little off."

"The way he looked..." He paused, "wasn't just like he was under the influence of that drug."

Su Yue followed at this moment, and was stunned when she heard this: "Which kind?"

Yun Jin whispered, "It's... the kind used for entertainment. But looking at that young master, I'm afraid it's more than just entertainment... I've seen it in brothels before. If you don't understand, you might be in mortal danger."

Shen Nannan's expression changed, and she turned and ran into the peach grove.

"Hey—" Su Yue called from behind, "Are you going alone? I'll go with you—"

"Need not!"

Su Yue wanted to chase after her, but Yun Jin grabbed her sleeve, "Miss, please don't go."

Yun Jin smiled and said, "It's their business, why should we meddle? Come on, they haven't eaten yet. The food at the second branch of the General's Mansion is really not good."

As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes, glancing in the direction Shen Nannan had left.

Several sleazy-looking figures followed her.

Deep in the peach grove, the moonlight grew dimmer and dimmer, and the petals were trampled all over the ground.

Shen Nannan ran breathlessly, lifting her skirt as she went.

She ran past one peach tree after another, and finally found him deep in the woods.

Ah Chao leaned against an old peach tree, his head tilted back, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

The mask had been removed at some point, revealing her entire face—a flush spread from her cheeks to her neck, her forehead was covered in sweat, and a few strands of hair clung to her face.

The moonlight shone on his face, making it both alluringly beautiful and fragile.

Hearing footsteps, he suddenly opened his eyes.

Those eyes were frighteningly red, with a burning, predatory heat deep within their pupils, like a wild beast locked in a cage.

Upon recognizing her, the fire within him was abruptly extinguished.

"Miss……"

His voice was so hoarse it was almost unrecognizable, as if it were being forced out of his throat.

"Don't come any closer."

Shen Nannan didn't listen to him.

She took a step forward.

Ah Chao's eyes darkened for a moment, but he quickly concealed it.

He was trembling all over, his hands were clenched into fists, and his nails dug into his palms.

Blood dripped down between his fingers, standing out starkly in the moonlight.

Just as Shen Nannan was about to get close to him,

As if he had suddenly changed his mind, Ah Chao turned his face to the side.

"Shen Nannan!"

He called her by her first name instead of "Miss".

The voice carried a final, lingering warning.

"I told you not to come any closer..."

"I won't."

She walked straight up to him, reached out, and took his bleeding hand in hers.

Achao was startled and tried to pull back, but she quickly gripped it even tighter.

"Don't move."

Her voice trembled, but her grip on her hand didn't loosen at all.

"If you move again, I'll call for help."

Ah Chao looked down at her.

Her eyes were red, her nose was red, and she bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes but stubbornly refusing to fall.

She held his hand tightly, stubbornly...

So innocent...

He tilted his head and stopped struggling.

"Miss……"

He let out a low cry, the hoarseness in his voice mostly gone, leaving only exhaustion and something indescribable.

Do you know what you're doing?

"Know."

She looked up at him.

"I...I'm touching you..."

Ah Chao's breathing became heavier as he stared at her.

Those eyes were frighteningly red, but what was inside them had changed from a wild beast to something else entirely.

"Miss... are you feeling sorry for your servant?"

He asked in a low voice, his voice filled with genuine doubt.

He reached out, wanting to touch her. He felt that everything in front of him seemed a little unreal.

Shen Nannan, however, was looking at the blood on his hands.

My palms were scratched with fingernails, leaving several bloody marks.

It's obvious that a great deal of effort was used.

She took a handkerchief and wrapped it around his neck, her movements clumsy, and it took her several turns to finish.

She felt depressed.

In his past life, Xiao Yunzhao was drugged, but he never had the heart to do it.

He pinned her down on the couch, tore off her clothes, and tormented her relentlessly, pinching her waist.

She cried all night until her voice was hoarse, but the man didn't stop for a moment.

But the Ah Chao in front of her, he told her to leave, and he was the one pinching himself...