Chapter 11 – A Wolfish Woman (1)

“Madam rushed to the city for the sole purpose of saving the person who was poisoned by the Miao worm. However, she became so besotted with the man’s appearance that she ended up threatening to save him on the condition that he sleeps with her.” Having finished that, Zhao Xi drank the glass of water, and left the cup by the bedside. She then took a fleeting glance at the flower pot under the bed.

At its unused state, she deduced Shen Fei wasn’t fond of the flower pot. It seems he was particular about hygiene and cleanliness, as he would rather hold his urge to pee than to resort to using the flower pot. Nevertheless, it was his own folly.

“To save his life, he had no choice but to go against his wishes, and spend a night with my master. Alas, the moment the man was cured of the poison, he immediately turned against their bargain, restraining her,” she said.

Zhao Xi placed the flower pot back to where it used to be. She replanted the flowers on the free soil. If he had no use of it, might as well continue making it as a decoration.

“In order to protect me, Madam gave me some money and told me to find a mountain I can temporarily live—probably more for hiding than living. We shortly parted ways, with her leaving and telling me she would seek for me the moment she’s a free woman.”

Her master’s promise echoed in her mind. After divulging this, Zhao Xi felt a sense of impatience; she couldn’t keep still. Her hands started arranging the books haphazardly stocked under the bed.

“At the start, she did visit me once and I thought she was here to bring me away. In the end, she came to tell me that she was in love with another person.”

The person her madam had fallen for was none other than the Prince Regent. “Wen Zhu, Madam called him Wen Zhu.”

More specifically, Shen Wen Zhu.

“Such a coincidence that both of you share the same family name,” Zhao Xi said, an indecipherable look in her eyes as she stared at him.

Amidst the piercing gaze, Shen Fei’s expressionless remained, revealing nothing.

His eyes held irises as black as the inky darkness of the deepest part of oceans, mysterious were they as they were unfathomable. They gazed silently out of the windows, perhaps avoiding her gaze, perhaps in a different place. And it was so, for at the back of his mind, he could recall some vague memories.

Three years ago, he had visited his Ninth Brother’s house for an event and had met a lady. There, a lady so beautiful, graceful, blessed with a slender waist like a curving willow besotted all the attention of the men in vicinity. Yet particularly, he could vividly remember her bold gaze, seizing his profile from head to toe without the least bit of shame or fear of the bystanders ridicule.

“Well, let’s not talk about her anymore,” Zhao Xi said. Shen Fei remained mute.

She moved the items that she bought into the room, and gingerly placed them on a bench in the corner. A warm blanket laid on top of the pile and she used it to wrap around Shen Fei. Then she carried him up.

Yesterday, Shen Fei was but a stranger to her, therefore, she always informed him beforehand what she was about to do. Especially events that violated his privacy, such as the chore of wiping his body. Perhaps having gotten used to him, Zhao Xi carried him to the side without warning this time.

Due to the abruptness, Shen Fei was shocked, and the book in his hand dropped to the ground with an audible thud. But he was able to regain his bearings quickly, lifting his arm and leaning against Zhao Xi’s shoulder instinctively. The girl merely smiled knowingly, before gently sitting him down onto the bench.

His luxurious robes were still being dried in the sun, so she couldn’t help him wear his clothes before she left. The moment he was placed onto the bench, part of the blanket fell aside, revealing his long legs.

Zhao Xi tugged on the blanket and covered his legs up. She then carefully tucked every edge and corner of the blanket under his legs. After which, she took two other blankets out and laid them onto the bed.

As the blankets were new, they should in fact be left out in the sun for a day before using. However, a day of waiting meant another day of discomfort for him. Zhao Xi decided to use them immediately; she would take them out to sun tomorrow instead.

Zhao Xi pat the blankets to rid them of dust . The store owner had hung the blankets out in the open, under the glaze of the sun, but they were also exposed to the dust kicked up by the horse carriages that ran across the streets. When she deduced the material was void of dirt, she covered the bed with the blanket, smoothing out the creases as she did so.

After completing the task, she stood again by Shen Fei’s side. The man had only just noticed that she was back by his side before he was lifted up once again, this time being carried back to bed.

This time, when Zhao Xi checked Shen Fei’s clothes, they were finally dry. She collected them and began the intricate task of sewing the torn parts. She then folded the clothes, leaving behind a set of undergarments, and kept the others into the wardrobe. The undergarments consisted of a top and a bottom. Since Shen Fei couldn’t wear them on his own, Zhao Xi lifted the blanket covering him, and helped him wear the bottom, and then the top.