In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

Xie Yige turned around and saw Zhixia standing at the door, followed by a maid in green carrying a copper basin.

The maid was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old, with a dignified and pretty appearance, and a gentle and calm demeanor in her eyes. She met Xie Yige's round, curious eyes and couldn't help but smile softly.

"Yes, it's good." Xie Yige nodded.

The maid in green put down the copper basin and gave her a standard curtsy, her movements as precise as if they had been measured with a ruler.

"Miss Xie, my name is Jingqiu. I am a first-class maid in the Cui household, and I will be serving you from now on."

"From the Cui family?" Xie Yige was taken aback. Weren't they not married yet?

Looking at her bewildered expression, Jingqiu's eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint: "Originally, you were to be matched with a first-class maid in the manor only after you and the eldest young master got married, but the eldest young master said that we can follow this rule now."

Xie Yige blushed from her ears all the way down to her neck, as if someone had splashed a cup of rouge on her, making her extremely shy.

This person is really...

"Thank you, young lady. Let me help you with your washing and dressing."

"it is good."

After Xie Yige finished dressing up, she heard Xie Dudu's loud shouting in her head, so she told Zhixia and Jingqiu to leave.

"Master, how could you do this! The system's secrets cannot be revealed to others!" Its voice was filled with fear. "Otherwise, I'll be instantly eliminated, waaaah—"

She burst into tears, and Xie Yige's mind was instantly flooded with tears. Her heart tightened.

"Dudu, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was wrong. I just saw him suffering so much, and I couldn't bear it, so..." Xie Yige felt very guilty and didn't know how to comfort him. "How are you now? Are you in any danger?"

"Master, Dudu is a system, it has no life." Dudu's voice sounded even more distressed.

"I'll be weak for a while, so you can't tell anyone anything more about me, or you'll really lose your cutest and most adorable Dudu baby."

"Okay, I won't do it again." Xie Yige nodded solemnly.

It was usually so lively and energetic, but now it had become so weak, and Xie Yige was very worried about how to help it.

Just then, Zhixia came in carrying a chubby pigeon that was still fluttering about, and handed her a note.

"Miss, Seventeenth Sister has sent a letter saying that the Miao girl wishes to meet you at noon today."

Xie Yige frowned slightly. Last time, based on the address provided by the Miao woman, she sent people to look for the so-called evidence she had left behind, but it had all been burned, leaving only ashes. It seemed that there was something seriously wrong with it.

"Tell Seventeenth Sister, I will keep my appointment on time."

After Xie Yige finished her meal, she boarded a carriage and set off for Shufangzhai.

The carriage passed through the bustling streets and alleys of Chang'an City, and then embarked on a quiet main road.

Upon arriving at Shufangzhai, Shiqi Niang welcomed her into a private room and personally served her hot tea.

"Did you come from Cui Langjun's Chaoyi Villa today, Master?" Her eyes held a hint of amusement.

"I...I'll just go take a look." Xie Yige couldn't help but feel guilty thinking about what happened last night.

Seventeen suddenly leaned close to her ear, "How's your study going with that booklet I gave you last time? Have you put it to good use yet?"

"Young Master Cui will definitely not be able to resist the temptation..." Xie Yige quickly covered her mouth, "Seventeenth Sister, please stop, it's so embarrassing."

The two chatted and joked around, and Seventeen reported to her on the recent accounts and the progress of writing her new book.

However, more than an hour passed, and the Miao woman still did not appear.

"Could that woman be playing tricks on our master?" Seventeen Sister asked, her brows furrowed in confusion. "She seemed very anxious when she came to make the appointment."

"No, she won't." Xie Yige put down her teacup and shook her head. "This matter concerns her people, she wouldn't use something like this to play tricks on me. She's probably too busy to deal with it."

She pondered for a moment, then looked at Seventeenth Sister: "Have someone keep an eye on her whereabouts, and let me know if there's any news. But be careful, don't let anyone find out. Her matter is probably quite troublesome."

"Yes, Master."

Meanwhile, in the palace.

After finishing his duties, Cui Yutang quickly walked towards the direction where the imperial carriages and horses were parked at the palace.

The graduates of this year's imperial examinations were quite pitiful. On their first day on duty, they encountered the Vice Minister of the Chancellery leading a group of old men arguing with Empress Wu. They were fighting fiercely over whether or not taxes and corvée labor should be reduced, and the scene was extremely intense, with spittle flying everywhere.

As Cui Yutang walked, he kept wiping himself with a handkerchief. Although he was far away, his disgust was palpable.

Baoyu had been waiting by the carriage for a long time. When she saw him coming, she quickly went to greet him.

"Is she still at Chaoyi Villa?" Cui Yutang asked.

"We received a letter from the estate that Miss Xie has left the villa and gone to Shufangzhai near the Imperial Academy."

Cui Yutang nodded, and without saying a word, he mounted his horse, turned it around, and galloped off towards Shufangzhai.

Upon arriving at the entrance of Shufangzhai, he dismounted and strode inside.

"Excuse me, Madam Steward, is Yige here?"

Seventeen looked up and saw Cui Yutang, who was wearing a dignified dark green official robe but looked travel-worn, clearly having rushed over.

Seventeen couldn't help but chuckle to herself; this man was already so clingy before even getting married.

"The master just left and is on his way back to the Zhou residence."

"Thank you." Before he finished speaking, Cui Yutang's figure quickly disappeared at the entrance of Shufangzhai, leaving Seventeen Sister dumbfounded.

What happened to the "aloof, noble, restrained, and polite" description? Is her writing inaccurate?

Cui Yutang chased after her all the way and finally caught up with Xie Yige's carriage just as she was about to reach the gate of the Zhou residence.

He rolled out of the car and quickly walked to the window, not touching the curtain for fear of startling her.

"Yi Ge." He lowered his voice.

Xie Yige's heart skipped a beat when she heard his voice.

She quickly lifted the carriage curtain and saw Cui Yutang in a dark green official robe, dignified and noble, with dark eyes and a hint of asceticism.

"Come up," she said softly.

Without a word, Cui Yutang boarded the carriage. As soon as the curtain was drawn, he pressed down on her and kissed her.

Xie Yige quickly covered her mouth. His lips landed on the back of her hand, and the skin he touched trembled, a tingling sensation spreading rapidly to her heart.

"This is my front door. What if my brother suddenly appears?" Xie Yige's heart was racing.

"Okay." He quickly sat up straight, noticing that she seemed a little uneasy, with a hint of vulnerability in her eyes that she had never seen before.

"Yige, you won't suddenly leave me and abandon me, will you?"

Xie Yige's heart stirred. She suddenly remembered the dream she had last night, so she sat down in his lap and pressed her face against his chest.

"Are you wondering why I can enter your dreams?"

Cui Yutang didn't speak, but he tightened his grip on her arm, his unease growing stronger.

"I can't tell you the reason right now, but I won't hurt you, and I won't leave you, do you believe me?" Xie Yige said carefully, thinking of Dudu's warning.

"I believe you, I believe you." Cui Yutang nodded quickly, hugged her even tighter, rested his chin on the top of her head, and closed his eyes.

He didn't need to know the reason. As long as she didn't leave him, that was enough.

Upon returning to the Prime Minister's residence, Cui Yutang hurriedly went to the library on the top floor, which was a restricted area for books.

Baoyu stood outside the door, looking quite puzzled—her master was acting strangely today.

He searched through the library for a long time, stirring up the dust on the bookshelves.

Finally, a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

Baoyu peeked out and saw that his master was holding several rather antique books.

The Chronicles of the Nine-Tailed Fox of Tushan.

The Strange Tales of the Fox Spirit.

The Complete Book of Fox Habits