Suddenly someone came around the corridor, saying in a light tone: “What are you two doing?”

It was naturally Tie Ci who emerged. She had seen the flash of cold light and, knowing something was wrong, instinctively spoke out.

Xiao Wen immediately fell silent.

Feiyu retracted the cold gleam from between his fingers, letting his hand fall and gently stroking the top of Xiao Wen’s head.

With just that one stroke, Xiao Wen’s entire body went limp, becoming a puddle of mud, unable even to crawl up. However, when she heard Feiyu laugh and say, “We sisters are just playing around,” she desperately suppressed her sobs, struggled to her feet, and said with lowered head while also laughing: “I just fell down, and Sister Feiyu was helping me up.”

Feiyu looked at her with satisfaction, deciding to temporarily restrain his killing intent.

Tie Ci stood there, looking at these two people. No matter how she looked, something seemed strange, but she knew she definitely wouldn’t be able to get anything out of them. So she vaguely nodded, watched Xiao Wen hurriedly take her leave, then turned to look at Feiyu. She was considering whether to take advantage of this moment when no one was around to explain to Feiyu about her disguising herself as a man, when she saw Feiyu looking somewhat dazed, suddenly asking: “Shiba, what do you hate most?”

Tie Ci was startled, thinking: I hate quite a lot of things. That commotion between you and Xiao Wen just now—though you’re both women, it looked rather ambiguous no matter how I looked at it, and I quite dislike that too.

But she definitely didn’t want to say that.

Before she could answer, Feiyu continued: “You must really hate being deceived, right?”

Tie Ci’s heart jumped, and she instinctively looked up at Feiyu. That beauty was immersed in darkness, with the distant lamp’s dim yellow light outlining her flowing sleeves, creating an air of mysterious obscurity.

She said: “Since you ask this way, you must also hate being deceived by others?”

Feiyu seemed to be spacing out, saying absent-mindedly: “Yes. Who doesn’t hate being deceived? Sometimes it may be unintentional, but using deception as a means of expression seems to change the nature of it, doesn’t it?”

Tie Ci felt increasingly guilty. The words that had been on the tip of her tongue suddenly shrank back. After a long moment, she forced a smile and said: “If it’s unintentional, it doesn’t really count as deception, does it?”

Feiyu said to herself: “If it were me, I’d be angry…”

Tie Ci fell silent. After a long moment, she said: “Ah, is that so?” She paused, her voice lowering: “Yes, yes it is.”

Both felt guilty in their hearts, each trying to understand from the other’s perspective, both coming to feel disheartened and wanting to retreat.

Both thought: Forget it, it doesn’t seem like the right time now.

Tie Ci thought about Feiyu’s large group of pursuers, each one excellent, all men. With her attitude of playing with the world, who knew what she really thought?

Feiyu, on the other hand, thought about how Ye Shiba was good to everyone. Earlier, he had seen from afar him talking with Gu Xiaoxiao, that hamster-like fellow who was completely different in front of him. The sense of understanding in their eyes, vast as mountains and rivers, made one feel superfluous just watching.

Better to wait until their feelings deepened, when there were no other distractions around, or find a moment when the other couldn’t help but feel pity before speaking—that would leave room for maneuvering.

The two looked at each other and each gave a hollow laugh.

…

That night at midnight, the orphanage in Dongming County was in great chaos.

For some unknown reason, many incidents suddenly occurred. First, a client who came by appointment at midnight tripped over a perfectly flat threshold and broke his leg, having to be carried back.

Then the food in the kitchen was unclean, and the cook and several helpers got severe diarrhea, but strangely, the wet nurses and children were all fine.

After that, the servants who went shopping fell from their cart—one broke his arm, another cracked his head.

Throughout the night, there was chaos with chickens flying and dogs jumping around, leaving Steward Zhang of the orphanage hoarse from being so busy.

On the wall, on the left side, Chi Xue shook a paper packet, whispering: “I only wanted to poison a few people so we could infiltrate, but how did several end up with broken legs and arms?”

On the wall, on the right side, Zhao San held his chin, puzzled: “We only wanted to break a few arms so we could fill in the gaps, but how did a batch end up with diarrhea?”

…

At daybreak, an exhausted Steward Zhang instructed someone to call for a people-broker to select and buy a few servants.

The servant who went to find the people-broker had his cart wheel’s mortise break on the road. While he was anxious, he met two beggars who offered help and fixed the cart in no time. The servant saw that these two were quite robust and had repair skills. Having a flash of inspiration, he learned they were refugees from the great flood in Ji Prefecture. Seeing their honest and diligent nature, he asked if they’d like to help at the orphanage. The two were overjoyed and nodded repeatedly.

But there still weren’t enough hands, so they also called for a people-broker, who brought several women. Steward Zhang personally examined them. Among them, one girl named Xinghua, though plain-looking, appeared clever and refreshing. Another called Meihua spoke little but had good cooking skills, so they were also kept.

The two new servants, Ah San and Ah Si, along with the two new helpers, Xinghua and Meihua, all stood in a row, each looking at the others with disdain before turning their heads away.

The servants did miscellaneous work, while the two women—one a cook, one a helper—were needed because of insufficient manpower. Especially in the nursery, with three wet nurses and seven or eight babies, they couldn’t handle all the various tasks and needed help.

The four were settled in the back quarters and came to help. They first went to the nursery, where the babies were crying in unison and the wet nurses were flustered. Meihua picked up a baby who had wet himself and changed his diaper.

Over there, Ah San and Ah Si were instructed to boil water. The large pot steamed as it heated water, supposedly for bathing the babies. Both found this strange—the orphanage’s treatment was too good, bathing children early in the morning. And they weren’t using a shared bathtub, but individual small basins placed in another room.

Steam rose from the stove, and Ah Si suddenly nudged Ah San’s arm.

They saw Steward Zhang enter that room with a large cloth bag, taking out sewn small pouches from it and placing them in the wooden bathing basins.

Each pouch had markings, obviously containing different things.

When the water boiled, they poured it into each basin. Steward Zhang personally supervised. Ah San pretended not to understand and went to throw out a pouch, saying: “Who threw a pouch in the basin?”

Steward Zhang quickly stopped him: “This is for medicinal baths for the children, to strengthen their bodies. Don’t touch it.”

Ah San complied, and they carried the basins to the nursery one by one. Steward Zhang and another deputy steward watched the whole way. Since the two didn’t even glance at the medicine pouches, the worried Steward Zhang felt relieved.

Inside the room, things were chaotic. Xinghua and Meihua were both helping. Ah San saw Meihua undressing a child, pinching little fingers and pulling sleeves outward with skillful, practiced movements. He couldn’t help laughing: “Who would have thought that you, a young lady, would be so clever at taking care of children.”

At these words, Meihua’s eyebrows shot up, and she gave him a sharp knock on the head, saying coldly: “I’d certainly be clever at taking care of a big child like you too.”

Ah San knew he’d misspoken. He rubbed his head sheepishly without getting angry, but nearby Ah Si slammed down his basin, not caring about the splashing water. He stepped forward, pulled Ah San back, and angrily said: “Where did this wild girl come from, daring to hit a man’s head?”

Meihua sneered: “What’s so special about a man’s head? Made of gold? Anyone who says such things probably has a pig’s brain themselves.”

Ah Si said: “Come out here!”

Meihua: “Why should I listen to you? If you’re capable, come in here!”

“Come out!”

“Come in!”

Ah San pulled Ah Si: “Brother, brother, don’t, don’t be like this. This is my fault, I spoke carelessly. We’re away from home—don’t hurt the harmony…”

Someone came over with a smile, first pulling away the fighting-cock-like Meihua and stuffing a candy in her mouth, then turning and smiling: “Please forgive us, brothers. My sister here has a fiery temper. This little woman apologizes to you brothers on her behalf.” She curtsied gracefully and stuffed a package of steaming hot pastries into Ah San’s hands.

She spoke with gentle words and sincere attitude. Ah Si, who grew stronger when faced with strength, had nothing to say when faced with such gentleness. He didn’t put on airs either, waving his hand and saying: “Ah San spoke wrongly, so verbal correction is fine. He had a head injury as a child—don’t hit his head or he’ll become even more stupid.”

Ah San laughed: “Brother, how can you insult me like that!” But he turned and stuffed the pastry piece with the most dates into Ah Si’s mouth.

Meihua stood in place, her expression unreadable, but her ears gradually turned red. Xinghua smiled as she looked at her.

After a long while, Meihua turned around and stiffly bowed to Ah San: “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have hit your head. My temper is too quick.”

Ah San’s mouth was stuffed with pastry and he couldn’t speak immediately. He frantically waved his hands, mumbling: “…No, no… it’s my fault…”

Xinghua burst out laughing. When Ah San looked up and saw her smiling with curved eyes, he was momentarily dazed.

Over there, Ah Si turned back, his expression much softer as he looked at Meihua, about to say something, when Meihua coldly glared at him, turned around to pick up a baby, and flung the wet diaper aside. It landed right at Ah Si’s feet.

Ah Si: “…”

A moment later, he kicked the diaper away and turned to leave.

Ah San smiled at Xinghua, then turned to chase after him: “Brother, brother, don’t be angry. Why are you angry again? Being angry makes you age…”

Ah Si’s voice came from afar: “Shut up!”

Xinghua stood there, slowly putting a piece of pastry in her mouth, saying thoughtfully: “Why do I feel like this scene is familiar?”

Meihua said coldly: “Of course—scoundrels are everywhere, all around us.”

Xinghua shook her head and smiled: “You…”

…

Bathing the babies in the nursery seemed to be a major project, because it wasn’t just a quick wash but soaking baths. Water had to be continuously supplied. When the babies finished their baths and were carried out with different scents, most smelled of medicine, but there were distinctions between different medicinal scents. Ah San knew some medical principles and whispered to Ah Si: “This one seems to have a deer bone grass scent… that one seems to have a black gold formula scent. The former could barely be said to strengthen muscles and bones, but the latter is something only people who are extraordinarily talented would use—it definitely shouldn’t be used on babies…”

Ah Si whispered back: “I snuck to the back earlier to look, thinking there would be a medicine room, but there wasn’t one at all. After asking around, I learned these medicine pouches might be delivered by cart every morning, only the day’s amount, twice a day with another delivery in the evening. So trying to steal a couple of pouches first won’t work. Better to have people outside make some similar medicine pouches to switch during soaking.”

The two decided, and Ah Si took advantage of when no one was paying attention to go to the courtyard wall and pass out information about the shape, fabric, material, and taste of those medicine pouches. Naturally, someone would arrange for replacements.

Here they were called again to help in the nursery. A row of babies needed to be lifted from the water and dressed. The steward urged them to hurry, saying they couldn’t catch cold. Ah San was more agile and had already started calling Xinghua “sister,” asking how to dress babies. Xinghua taught him carefully. One pulled a modest smile while earnestly watching, the other showed gentle compliance while demonstrating. They looked quite harmonious, except that Ah San’s person leaned forward while his body stretched far back, and Xinghua’s slender fingers handling the baby concealed at least several mechanisms.

Over there, Ah Si would never ask anyone for advice on such matters. He picked up a baby and began drying it, but he underestimated how slippery a baby’s tender skin could be. The baby slipped in his hands and was about to fall to the ground when suddenly a hand swept across and caught the baby’s bottom just in time. The baby was wet and truly slippery, even spinning around in that palm before facing Ah Si.

Ah Si breathed a sigh of relief and was about to thank her when he looked up and saw it was Meihua holding the baby’s bottom. She looked at him coldly, her hand supporting the baby’s bottom—it was a male infant, and her slender fingers were touching the baby’s little organ. Seeing him look over, she seemed to provocatively curve her fingers inward.

In that instant, Ah Si remembered how when he was young and bathed with his master, she would often threaten him in a childish voice: “Ah Si, if you don’t behave, I’ll crush your balls!”

So this little girl was threatening him the same way?

Ah Si’s face darkened. He flung his hand and cursed: “Shameless!” Then turned and left.

Meihua was baffled. She saw the child was about to fall and kindly helped him, yet this bastard dared to curse at her?

Getting angrier the more she thought about it, she kicked Ah Si’s bottom with her foot: “Pig!”

Ah Si was caught off guard by this kick and fell flat on his face with a thud.

The two who had been getting along harmoniously both turned to look at those two—one with eyebrows raised in anger, one seething with rage—and looked at each other in bewilderment.

Xinghua murmured: “I’m increasingly feeling like this scene is familiar…”

…