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

"Ah Chao," she called him.

"Um."

"Don't hide it from me anymore."

He looked at her.

"There are some things you won't tell me, and I won't ask." She paused, her voice softening.

"But tell me before you do anything. Don't make me guess."

He stared at her for a long time, so long that she thought he wouldn't answer.

"Okay," he said. Just one word, as light as a breeze.

Suddenly, Shen Run's voice came from outside the tent, distant and furious.

"Qiu Tong, don't stop me! Where's that kid? I'm going to beat him to death today—he's clinging to my sister and won't let go? Who gave him the guts!"

Then came Qiu Tong's voice, even louder.

"Stop right there! Nannan just woke up, what are you doing? They were trying to save her!"

"Even if I save her, I can't hold on to her and refuse to let go! She's my sister!"

"What's wrong with your sister? Can't your sister be held? Who held you when you were little?"

"How can that be the same!"

The two of them were arguing and getting closer and closer.

Shen Nannan couldn't help but laugh as she listened.

She nudged Ah Chao: "Hurry up and leave, or my brother will cause trouble again when he gets here."

Ah Chao stood up, looked down at her, then suddenly leaned down, whispered in her ear, and said...

"Miss, you haven't answered my question yet."

Shen Nannan was taken aback: "What's the problem?"

He stepped back a little, looked into her eyes, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly, a smile that held something indescribable.

"The 'Ah Chao' that Miss called—is it a servant, or someone else?"

Shen Nannan was thinking that if she didn't give him a satisfactory answer today, this little wolf wouldn't budge.

Suddenly the tent flap was lifted, and Shen Run rushed over.

Seeing Ah Chao standing so close to his younger sister, he rushed over and grabbed him by the collar: "You—!"

Ah Chao kept his eyes down and didn't move.

Qiu Tong grabbed Shen Run's arm from behind: "Shen Run! Let go of me!"

"I won't let go! This kid—"

"Is it loose or not?"

"Don't loosen it!"

Without saying a word, Qiu Tong slapped him on the back of the head.

Shen Run winced in pain, his grip loosened, and A Chao took a step back, straightened his collar, bowed to Shen Run, and turned to leave.

Shen Run clutched the back of his head, jumping up and down in anger: "Qiu Tong! You're siding with an outsider!"

Qiu Tong rolled her eyes: "Why are you helping outsiders? They're Nannan's people."

Shen Run was stunned: "What girl's person? No, I have to go find him!"

After saying that, he ran off in a flurry.

Qiu Tong ignored him and sat down next to Shen Nannan.

Shen Nannan sat on the bed, hugging the blanket, laughing until tears streamed down her face.

Qiu Tong looked at her and laughed, "Alright, stop laughing. I'll deal with that idiot of your brother later."

She sat down on the edge of the bed and lowered her voice: "Darling, I have something to tell you."

Shen Nannan stopped smiling: "What's wrong?"

"Lin Wan'er".

Qiu Tong frowned.

"When the Crown Prince's tent caught fire, I saw her sneak out from the back, acting suspiciously, I don't know what she was doing."

Shen Nannan's heart tightened: "Did you see where she went?"

"Head north, deep in the peach grove," Qiu Tong said in a low voice.

"I sent someone to check, and that direction... is where Vice Minister Qian's camp is located."

Vice Minister Qian. Qian Mingyuan, Vice Minister of Revenue.

The civil official who protected Lin Wan'er when her family was raided in her previous life?

So it was him?

Shen Nannan gripped the corner of the blanket tightly.

The Vice Minister of Revenue was originally a man of the Crown Prince.

They've kept it hidden for so long, and they've kept it quite well hidden.

She remembered the head that Xiao Yunzhao had given her in her previous life.

In this life, she will take it herself!

"Nannan?" Qiu Tong noticed her expression was off and waved her hand in front of her face. "What are you thinking about?"

Shen Nannan snapped out of her daze, loosened the blanket, and smiled, "It's nothing. Sister Qiu Tong, please keep an eye on her for me. Write down who she contacts and what she does."

Qiu Tong glanced at her, didn't ask any further questions, and nodded: "Okay, don't worry. Your cousin doesn't look like a good person at all."

Outside the tent, Shen Run was still shouting, clearly unable to find A Chao.

"Qiu Tong! Come out here! What right do you have to hit me!"

Qiu Tong rolled her eyes, stood up and walked out: "They're here, they're calling back the soul."

She lifted the curtain and went out, and the tent became quiet again.

Shen Nannan leaned against the pillow, staring at the top of the tent.

It was already broad daylight, and sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the tent, illuminating the entire tent. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Lin Wan'er, Qian Mingyuan, the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Su, and Fu Tailong.

This game is getting bigger and bigger.

The curtain was lifted again, and A-Chao walked in, carrying a basin of hot water.

He placed the basin beside the tatami mat, dampened a cloth with water, and handed it to her.

Shen Nannan took the cloth and wiped her face.

"Why are you back again?"

"Miss Qiu said that I should stay with her." He looked at Shen Nannan's face, flushed from the hot water.

"Miss just woke up; I'm afraid she'll faint again."

Shen Nannan wanted to say that she wouldn't faint, but seeing the dark circles under his eyes, she swallowed the words back.

She moved further into the tatami mat and patted the spot next to her.

"Sit here."

Ah Chao looked at the spot where she took the picture and didn't move.

"Sit down when I tell you to."

She glared at him.

"Standing here is an eyesore."

He sat down on the edge of the tatami mat, his back ramrod straight, but he only sat on one-third of the mat, as if he were ready to stand up at any moment.

Shen Nannan couldn't help but laugh when she saw his expression.

"Why are you sitting so upright? I'm not going to eat you."

He didn't say anything, but just turned his head to look at her.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, falling on her face and illuminating her arched eyebrows.

A smile still lingered on her lips, her rosy cheeks like a ripe peach.

He suddenly felt his throat was a little dry, and reached out to take the cloth from her hand.

Gently wipe her face.

Inch by inch, it was as if they were tracing her outline.

The cloth lingered on her lips.

There, where I just kissed him, there are traces of his love.

I can't bear to wipe it...

"Miss," he called to her.

"Um?"

"This servant will not hold it against you."

"Hmm? What's there to fuss about?"

"From now on, Miss, you can only call me 'this servant' in your dreams."

Shen Nannan looked at him, and her heart started racing again.

She nudged him.

That's enough!

He took her hand that was pushing him away, kissed it, and looked up at her; her eyes were dark and deep.

"I'm unhappy that Miss has called someone else."

What would happen if you were unhappy?

He stared at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, a smile tinged with madness.

"I would want to kill someone."

Shen Nannan's heart skipped a beat.

He lowered his head, buried his face in the crook of her neck, his nose brushing against her neck, and took a deep breath.

His voice was muffled, with a hint of grievance at the end.

"So, Miss, please don't call anyone else. This servant can't stand it."

Shen Nannan felt ticklish and weak from his rubbing. She wanted to push him away but couldn't bear to. In the end, she could only reach out and hug his head, running her fingers through his hair and gently rubbing it.

"Don't call anyone else."

She said it in a soft voice.

"I'll call you."

He gave a muffled reply from the crook of her neck, "Then call me."

"Ah Chao".

"Say it again."

"Ah Chao".

"Say it again."

"Ah Chao, Ah Chao, Ah Chao, Ah Chao..."