Chapter 3
Edward Quan ·
05
I stopped delivering meals for a while and pushed all the work onto my roommate, Chunju.
She wondered why I had suddenly become so generous.
I waved a hand and said I had not been well lately. She should go ahead.
The steward came to find me and quietly drew me aside.
“Miss A-Li, was it you that night?”
My heart lurched.
“No. Of course not.”
He looked deeply regretful.
“I'd already recommended you to Old Madam. You were always paying for the chance to deliver Second Young Master's meals. I thought you admired him, so I saved this golden opportunity for you. Who knew someone else would get there first?”
I understood at once. The sweet soup had been drugged.
He thought I liked Xie Hui and wanted to make me his bedchamber maid.
Heaven was my witness: all I had meant to do was get close to Xie Hui and teach him a lesson.
I had added laxatives to his meals five times, peach-blossom powder four times, and jumping powder three times. I had meant to make a public spectacle of him.
After all that scheming, every last bit had landed on me instead.
Besides, my goal was to become his sister-in-law.
Today Chunju had a stomachache, so meal delivery fell to me again.
Half a month had passed. I reckoned Xie Hui had most likely forgotten all about the incident.
Reassured, I carried his meal toward Bamboo Courtyard, having added a generous helping of itching powder.
I set it down and turned to leave. Suddenly, he called me back.
“Wait. What's your name?”
After more than three months of meal deliveries, he had asked my name ten times and never remembered it.
This time I lowered my head and answered properly.
“A-Li, Second Young Master.”
Xie Hui told me to look up.
His gaze rested on my face. He studied it for a long time, then suddenly asked, “Where were you that night, half a month ago?”
The unexpected question made my heart jump.
“I was unwell, Second Young Master. A chill and a fever. I was asleep in my room. Auntie Li can vouch for me.”
“Really?”
I nodded furiously.
“Yes. Really.”
Thinking I had fooled him, I was preparing to retreat when he stopped me again.
“Did you think that having a witness meant I couldn't find you?”
“Pardon?”
Xie Hui rose and advanced, step by step, until he had cornered me against the desk.
He caught my chin and forced my face up. A finger touched the red mole on my neck, his voice cold as ice.
“You tore off a strip of cloth to cover your face that night. But you didn't cover this.”
I clapped a hand over it.
Damn him. Why did his eyes have to be so sharp?
He had actually woken once during the night.
Afraid he would see my face, I had torn a strip from his clothes, covered my face, then knocked him out again.
Who knew the mole on my neck would give me away so completely?
I managed a dry smile.
“I don't understand what you're talking about, Second Young Master…”
His expression was icy.
“You don't understand? Then I'll take my time teaching you.”
06
He summoned the steward and had me transferred to his side as a personal maid.
I panicked.
Who wanted to be his personal maid?
Xie Yuan was coming home tomorrow. I had the silver ready to buy a place beside him.
Xie Hui looked at me and earnestly explained the law.
“You sexually assaulted an imperial official while he was unconscious. Under the law, I can send you to prison, then have you taken to the execution ground and beheaded.”
Was it… really that serious?
“But I was wronged too! If you hadn't told me to drink that sweet soup, I wouldn't have lost my senses. When it comes down to it, shouldn't you take responsibility too?”
His expression faltered. He seemed to hesitate. After a long time, he said, “I understand.”
Understand what?
By that afternoon, the news had spread through the entire Xie household.
I had been promoted to bedchamber attendant.
What a splendid promotion.
Who wanted to be his bedchamber attendant?
The maids eagerly moved my belongings into his courtyard.
I sat on a chair, so angry I did not want to say a word.
When Xie Hui returned from work and pushed open the door, he paused at the sight of me. His expression softened a little.
He set his official hat on the desk and rubbed between his brows, looking exhausted. Then he said, “Come here. Help me undress.”
Hah!
He thought rather highly of himself.
Already simmering with anger, I did not bother to reply. I got up, walked over, and stripped off his clothes.
Outer robe, middle robe, underrobe—not a single layer survived. I had them off in an instant.
Just as my hand reached for his waistband, Xie Hui clutched his trousers and stepped back, his ears scarlet.
“I meant my outer robe! Who told you to take everything off?”
I let my hands drop, my face expressionless.
“Forgive me, Second Young Master. I used to tend the kitchen fire. I'm too strong to control my hands, and a little hard of hearing. Please bear with me.”
He snatched a robe from the stand and hurriedly put it on.
Once dressed, he coughed and pretended to be composed.
“You don't want to be my bedchamber attendant?”
Who would?