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

Another moment of silence followed.

Then she heard him walking towards her, step by step.

"Did you...did you close your eyes?" she asked nervously.

"Close it." His voice was very close, coming from behind the screen.

Shen Nannan peeked half her head out from behind the screen and saw him standing there with his eyes closed.

"You promise you won't open your eyes?"

"Um."

She hesitated for a moment, then stepped out from behind the screen, her back to him.

"It's stuck on my shoulder," she whispered. "Could you pull it out for me?"

Ah Chao didn't speak. A hand reached out, fingertips touching her shoulder, cool and calloused.

His hand groped along her shoulder.

"Don't touch me like that!"

"I didn't touch you inappropriately."

"Then where are you touching?!"

"...Find the tape."

He "accidentally" touched her soft spot.

"You...you watch out!"

"This servant cannot see. Does Miss wish for this servant to open his eyes?"

"Don't open your eyes! Hurry up. Here..." She took his hand and placed it where it was stuck.

He took a deep breath and pulled his night clothes down even further.

The fabric of his night clothes was stretched very taut. He pulled on it once, but couldn't budge it, so he applied even more force.

"Ouch—" Shen Nannan gasped in pain, "Be gentle..."

"Mmm." His voice was a little hoarse. "Too tight."

Shen Nannan's face turned even redder.

Why does this sound so off?

He leaned down, close to her shoulder, his warm breath brushing against her bare skin, making her shiver with ticklishness.

"Miss, don't move." His voice was low and hoarse. "This servant will take his time."

His fingertips slowly slid down the edge of the fabric, peeling away the stuck fabric bit by bit from her shoulder.

The movements were very light and slow, like unwrapping a gift.

Shen Nannan bit her lip, not daring to make a sound.

She could feel his fingers occasionally touching her skin, each touch feeling like a fire burning inside her.

The last piece of fabric slipped from his fingertips, and the night clothes were finally removed, piling up at her feet.

"Alright." His voice was even hoarser. "Would you like to do it yourself, Miss, or..."

"I can do it myself!" She shoved him out. "Get out, get out!"

Ah Chao was pushed back two steps by her, then turned around and walked back outside the screen.

Shen Nannan leaned against the screen, panting heavily, her heart pounding as if it were about to jump out of her throat.

She took a deep breath, took off her night clothes completely, and put on his clothes.

The clothes are too big.

The sleeves were a bit too long, the neckline was so wide that you could see the collarbone, and the hem of the garment reached below the knees, making it look like a robe.

She came out from behind the screen.

Ah Chao stood by the window, his back to her. The moonlight fell on him, outlining his silhouette with a cold white edge.

"Okay," she said.

He turned around.

Under the moonlight, she stood there wearing his clothes. The dark fabric made her face appear even whiter, and the neckline was slightly open, revealing a patch of fair skin.

The clothes were too big, hanging loosely on her body, yet strangely... they looked good. So good that his breathing became heavier.

Her hair was loose, with a few stray strands sticking to the side of her face. Her cheeks and lips were red, as if she had just been bullied.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

"What are you looking at?" she glared at him, but her glare was coquettish and not very intimidating.

He looked at her, his gaze slowly moving down her face, past her exposed collarbone, past her slender waist accentuated by her belt, and past her exposed calves.

"It looks good," he said.

"What?"

"Miss looks good in my clothes," he paused, "."

Shen Nannan's face turned red again.

She looked down at herself—a large, dark robe, sleeves rolled up, standing barefoot on the ground, like a child who had stolen an adult's clothes.

What's so interesting about this?

"Don't give me that," she muttered, looking down to find her shoes.

Her shoes were behind the screen; she had kicked them into the corner when she took off her night clothes. She walked over barefoot to pick them up, the hem of her clothes dragging on the ground, almost tripping her.

Ah Chao reached out to support her, his fingers hooking around her waist.

The clothes were too big, so his hand touched her waist directly through the fabric, and he could feel the curves of her waist.

Shen Nannan steadied herself, pushed his hand away, bent down to pick up her shoes and put them on.

"Is this yard yours?" she asked suddenly, looking around.

Achao paused for a moment: "...Yes."

"You're just a guard, yet you own property in the capital," she looked up, squinting at him, "tell me, are you trying to emulate Qian Mingyuan and keep a mistress in a gilded cage?"

A-Chao looked at her.

Under the moonlight, she stood in his courtyard, wearing his clothes, tilting her head and smiling at him. Her eyes were bright, full of mischievousness.

He suddenly felt something hit his chest.

"I really want to."

Shen Nannan was stunned for a moment.

He looked up at her; her eyes were red and pitiful, like a wolf that had been starving for a long time, finally smelling meat but not daring to pounce.

"Miss." He took a step forward.

"Even a servant is a man."

Shen Nannan instinctively stepped back.

He placed one hand on her ear, pulling her into his arms, and looked down at her.

They were so close that she could see the bloodshot in his eyes and smell his cool, refreshing scent.

"I can't take it anymore."

Shen Nannan trembled and took another step back.

"You...don't..."

"Don't what?" He moved closer to her, his other hand caressing her waist, eager to try.

"Don't touch it? Or shouldn't you just hold back?"

Shen Nannan's face turned bright red. She reached out to push his chest, but couldn't budge him.

"Ah Chao!"

"Yes," he replied, his voice low and tinged with amusement. "Miss called my name so beautifully. Say it again."

He stared at her.

Those eyes were dark and deep, churning with something familiar—obsession, madness, and a suppressed, almost overflowing desire.

His hand slid down the wall, his fingertips touched her face, then slid down her cheek to her chin, gently lifting it to force her to look at him.

"The young lady is wearing servant's clothes."

His voice was terribly hoarse, "In the servant's room, being held by the servant..."

He paused, then gently stroked her chin with his thumb.

"This servant is thinking..."

He lowered his head, his nose touching hers, their breaths mingling, hot and moist.

"Wouldn't this count as keeping a mistress in a gilded cage?"

Shen Nannan opened her mouth, wanting to say "You're kidding me," but the words that came out were a soft, weak sentence:

"You, you stay away from me..."

"It's not far." He leaned forward again, his lips almost touching hers.

"Miss is too close to this servant."

"You're the one who's closer to me..."

"The young lady pushed the servant away."

She reached out to push him away, but as soon as her hand touched his chest, he grabbed it.

He pressed her hand to his chest, his heart pounding rapidly and erratically beneath his palm.

"Did you feel it, Miss?" His voice was so low it seemed to be squeezed out of his chest.

"How fast it jumps."

Shen Nannan's fingertips twitched slightly, but didn't retract; he was gripping her too tightly.

"It's calling your name, Miss," he said, his lips close to her ear, his voice seductive. "Can you hear it, Miss?"

Shen Nannan's legs went weak, and she couldn't say a word.

Ah Chao lowered his head and gently bit her earlobe.

It didn't hurt, but the itching made her feel weak all over.

"Miss," his voice was hoarse beyond words, "call me again."