Qi Yue soon discovered why this young man was so agreeable about wanting the flowers and plants.

“These don’t look good anymore. Change them again,” Chang Yuncheng said, standing under the eaves and speaking to Qi Yue who was about to go out.

He was pointing at the flowers and plants that Qiu Xiang was directing the young maids to carry out.

Qiu Xiang’s face couldn’t hide a hint of smugness, but when Qi Yue looked over, she still timidly lowered her head.

In front of a courtyard full of maids and servants, Qi Yue felt she still couldn’t make this leader lose face, so she obediently took people to make another selection herself.

Then this scene played out again.

“Chang Yuncheng, enough is enough. Don’t play this game—it’s too childish,” Qi Yue said, standing in the main hall and watching Chang Yuncheng in the side room “pruning” the flowers and plants with his treasured sword.

He wore only a plain azure robe, not even tied with a belt, hanging loosely on his body, revealing his well-built chest with his movements.

“My room, I’ll arrange it however I want,” he said, casually throwing the treasured sword in his hand to the ground and striding toward her.

He brushed past Qi Yue heading toward the bedroom.

“Also, what did you call me?” He turned back to look at her, his eyes dark as he asked.

Modern habit was to call each other by name. Qi Yue forced out a smile.

“Lord,” she bowed with a skin-deep, insincere smile.

Chang Yuncheng’s lips curved in a mocking smile as he withdrew his gaze.

“Lord, let’s have a proper talk…” Qi Yue followed him, stepping into Chang Yuncheng’s room. As soon as she entered, she saw Chang Yuncheng removing his outer robe.

Before Qi Yue’s eyes appeared the man’s half-naked torso—bronze-colored skin, solid muscles, broad shoulders and narrow waist…

Her words involuntarily stopped as she froze in place.

Then Chang Yuncheng’s hand moved to his belt, and with just one pull, the loose pants began to fall.

“You pervert!” Although Qi Yue was older, she still couldn’t accept such close-range human artistry for the moment. Frightened, she quickly turned around and shouted angrily, “There are still people in the room! What are you taking off!”

“My room—who told you to come in?” came Chang Yuncheng’s leisurely voice from behind.

“Your room is also my room. Why can’t I come in?” Qi Yue said indignantly.

“Then suit yourself. What are you making such a fuss about?” Chang Yuncheng said indifferently.

Testing me? Sister, what haven’t I seen? Still afraid of looking at a man’s naked body! What naked body haven’t I seen! Not to mention being a doctor—even if I weren’t a doctor, what couldn’t I search for online!

“Fine,” Qi Yue laughed mockingly and turned around.

Chang Yuncheng clearly hadn’t expected her to really dare, and his expression immediately changed.

“You…” He had just opened his mouth to scold when he saw that this little wretch who had turned around had her eyes closed. After a moment of surprise, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Scared you,” Qi Yue said with some pride, eyes still closed, then carefully and slightly half-opened her eyes. She didn’t see any sight that would give her styes—the man’s pants were properly tied around his waist.

“Is playing this game interesting?” Qi Yue opened her eyes wide and glared at him.

Chang Yuncheng’s face showed amusement.

“Empty bluster,” he said.

When he smiled, his originally angular and somewhat cold hard features softened, taking on a somewhat sunny and bright quality. A handsome man’s smiling face always made people feel pleasant, so Qi Yue smiled along with him.

Seeing the woman before him break into a smile, Chang Yuncheng froze, his expression suddenly turning somber, his heart even more shocked.

What was he doing? He was actually smiling at this woman?

This woman had actually made him laugh?

Qi Yue didn’t notice.

“Lord, let’s have a proper talk…” She still planned to coexist peacefully, taking advantage of this young man’s good mood.

“Get out,” Chang Yuncheng said coldly, interrupting her words.

Only then did Qi Yue see that the man before her had returned to that expression of owing debts without paying them back, even worse than before. If previously it was like owing debts without paying them back, now it felt like owing debts without paying them back while also killing one’s own father.

“Hey, you…” Qi Yue was about to speak again in confusion.

“Get out. You wouldn’t want me to throw you out, would you?” Chang Yuncheng interrupted her, speaking coldly.

This attitude would be unbearable even for someone with a good temper, let alone Qi Yue, whose temper wasn’t particularly good.

“Are you mentally ill?” Qi Yue shouted with a dark expression. “What’s with all this startling and joy and anger? If you’re unhappy about something, say it!”

Before her words finished, Chang Yuncheng indeed strode forward, grabbed her shoulder with one hand, and pushed her out without ceremony.

How could Qi Yue withstand his strength? She staggered as she was shoved out, crashing into the flower stand newly placed in the corner.

The sound of flower pots shattering and the stand falling to the ground alarmed the maids outside.

Qiu Xiang was the first to rush in, followed closely by A’Ru and Que Zhi.

They looked at the scattered flower pot soil, wooden blocks, and frame on the ground, then at Qi Yue who had managed to steady herself against the partition wall without falling.

“Young Madam…” A’Ru hurried forward to help her.

“I accidentally bumped into it,” Qi Yue said with a smile, patting her clothes with her hands. “Que Zhi, have someone clean this up.”

Que Zhi responded and hurried to call people.

Qiu Xiang looked at Qi Yue somewhat appraisingly. When Qi Yue looked at her, she quickly averted her gaze and bent down to help with the wooden frame.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t emerge from the inner room, which remained silent.

Qi Yue smiled at A’Ru.

“Let’s go,” she said, not needing A’Ru’s support and walking out slowly by herself.

Que Zhi led two or three young maids carrying brooms and other tools as they filed in.

A’Ru followed Qi Yue into the room, looking at her carefully and worriedly.

“I’m fine. I won’t stoop to the level of that lunatic. What kind of person haven’t I seen? My former patients and their families came in all varieties,” Qi Yue said, sipping her tea and smiling at her.

A’Ru looked at her and realized the basket of comforting words she had prepared was useless. She breathed a sigh of relief.

“Young Madam, don’t be sad… The Lord just has a bad temper, but he’s actually quite good…” she said.

Before she finished speaking, Qi Yue set her teacup down heavily on the table.

“That brat, losing his temper with me—you just wait, I’ll remember this,” she said with a snort.

A’Ru sighed helplessly. She knew it…

“Young Madam, don’t say that. Between you and the Lord, harmony should be valued…” she said hurriedly.

Qi Yue smiled at her with pursed lips.

“Of course, we need harmony. He’s my husband after all. I can’t possibly fight him with a knife, can I? That would be asking for a divorce letter,” she said with a smile, patting A’Ru’s shoulder with her fan. “Don’t worry, I’m not that foolish to do something that would make enemies happy and loved ones sad.”

This kid is giving me this sour face because he wants to drive me away, right? Well, I won’t leave. I’ll stay right here, happy and cheerful, and slap his face swollen.

That evening at dinner, Qi Yue still appeared in the dining room with a bright smile.

“Lord,” she respectfully bowed in greeting.

After a beating, she’s finally behaving properly. She never had such manners before, thought Qiu Xiang, who was standing by.

Chang Yuncheng didn’t even glance at Qi Yue, looking completely unsurprised.

“Lord, counting the days, I should go out tomorrow,” Qi Yue said indifferently, sitting down herself while watching the servants serve dishes and smiling.

Chang Yuncheng’s chopsticks paused slightly.

Counting the days, she should go out. He calculated in his mind, remembering he seemed to have heard about removing stitches or something…

“What? Do you have something that prevents you from going?” He looked up at Qi Yue, his lips showing undisguised mockery.

One trick, and she really planned to have him completely under her thumb?

“Something? What thing?” Qi Yue looked up at him, appearing confused. “Does the Lord have any instructions?”

Playing dumb? Chang Yuncheng sneered.

“However, even if the Lord has instructions, you’ll have to wait. I must go out tomorrow. Since I’ve taken on this matter, I need to see it through to the end,” Qi Yue said with a smile, speaking before Chang Yuncheng could.

This woman was still so arrogant, daring to speak to the Lord like this. Lord, quickly smash her with the rice bowl… Qiu Xiang screamed internally.

But to her disappointment, the Lord only raised his bowl to his mouth and said nothing more. After finishing his soup, he put down the bowl and left.

Qiu Xiang hurried to follow, glancing back as she reached the door.

“This porridge is well-made. I’ll have another bowl,” Qi Yue said.

Although Qi Yue remained as calm as if nothing had happened, too many people were watching the Lord’s courtyard. Plus, those who enjoyed seeing the Young Madam’s misfortune still constituted the majority in the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion, so news of Qi Yue’s collision with the flower pot in the Lord’s room quickly spread throughout.

“…The Young Madam was scolded by the Lord and got so scared she crashed into the flower pot…”

“…The Young Madam was trying to seduce the Lord and crashed into the flower pot…”

“…The Young Madam was hit by the Lord with a flower pot…”

“…The Young Madam was hit by the Lord with a flower pot so hard she vomited blood…”

A’Hao and Liu’er watched Qi Yue’s carriage leave through the gate before turning back. However, they didn’t return to the Lord’s courtyard. When Qi Yue wasn’t in the Lord’s courtyard, A’Hao would also withdraw. Though she appeared fine now, Qi Yue still required her to rest more. Following the Young Madam’s words was A’Hao’s only faith.

Liu’er naturally followed A’Hao’s lead.

When the two turned a corner, they happened to meet several maids gathered together. These maids were enthusiastically discussing these rumors and hadn’t noticed A’Hao and Liu’er behind them.

Following the maids was an old man swaying and half-asleep.

“…Vomited blood? Can she still live?” one maid expressed doubt about this rumor.

“Why couldn’t she live?” another maid snorted, lowering her voice. “…Vomiting blood isn’t that serious…”

The old man couldn’t stand listening to these young maids’ ignorance any longer.

“Vomiting blood isn’t serious? Vomiting blood means the five organs and six bowels are damaged. What does organ damage mean? In severe cases, one can’t survive,” he said with a snort, very impatient with these ignorant little maids’ chatter. “That maid in your house last time died because of internal organ injury. She didn’t even vomit blood then, just nausea and vomiting. Don’t underestimate this vomiting business.”

The old physician’s words made the young maids somewhat panicked.

“Ah, Doctor, the Third Miss’s maid you’re going to see this time also seems to vomit after eating. Could it be…” the maids chattered.

“Hey, that’s not right,” one maid thought of something. “We haven’t had any maids die here.”

Only then did everyone react and come to their senses.

“Right, we haven’t. Doctor, you must be mistaken,” they asked the old man.

“How could I be mistaken? A maid who was sentenced to caning—I was called in late at night, and she was already dying…” The old man didn’t like people questioning his memory and said with a snort, shaking his head and sighing. “So young, what a pity…”

Before he finished speaking, he heard someone cough behind him and call out “Doctor.”

The old man instinctively turned around and saw two fifteen or sixteen-year-old maids. He often moved among the servants of the Marquis Dingxi’s mansion and knew the hierarchy, recognizing from their dress that they were second-class maids. One of them looked lovely and charming, smiling at him cheerfully.

“Doctor, I died so miserably!” This maid suddenly stuck out her tongue, stepped forward abruptly, and said to him in a drawn-out low voice while shaking her head.

This sudden statement in broad daylight startled the old man.

Was this maid crazy? He couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed. Seeing the maid’s face clearly, he suddenly cried out and stumbled backward several steps.

The young maids, who had been about to bow and greet A’Hao and Liu’er, hadn’t noticed what A’Hao had said. Suddenly knocked into by the old man, they became confused.

A’Hao laughed heartily.

“Which girl is sick? Better get a different doctor. This one…” she shook her head, “this one isn’t very good…”

After saying this, she waved her hand with a laugh and walked away.

“Doctor, what are you doing?” The young maids all felt embarrassed and scolded the old man.

“Ghost… ghost…” the old man said tremblingly, looking at A’Hao walking away, his face terrified.

“What ghost? That’s Miss A’Hao from the Young Madam’s service,” the young maids said even more impatiently. It seemed this doctor was really no good, actually having delusions.

The old man stared, and in the sunlight, the maid walking ahead cast a clear shadow on the ground, swaying long and short with her movement…

She was really alive…

The old man opened his mouth wide, staring fixedly at the walking maid. Her figure was light, her steps leisurely, and she would occasionally turn her head to chat and laugh with the maid beside her. Her smile was vivid, her expression lively.

“Impossible, impossible,” he just kept murmuring, “Impossible!”

Although it was night that day, he clearly remembered that poor maid’s appearance. Perhaps because she was too young, perhaps because of the mansion’s dirty methods toward servants, or perhaps because of the genuine anxiety and care shown by the roomful of people he had rarely seen in his years of practicing medicine in this mansion—he clearly remembered that maid who had one foot in the gates of hell that night.

“Sister A’Hao, what are you doing?” Liu’er asked in confusion.

A’Hao shook her head and laughed.

“When this doctor first examined me, the first thing he said was that I was going to die. It scared me so much I fainted right then…” she said with some indignation. “If not for…”

Her words stopped abruptly.

“If not for what?” Liu’er was still waiting to hear and asked hurriedly.

“If not for my good fortune, I really would have been scared to death by him,” A’Hao said with a laugh. “This time I’m scaring him back.”

Liu’er laughed after hearing this, but when she looked back, she saw that old man A’Hao had scared staring wide-eyed and running toward them.

“Oh my, that old man is chasing us,” she said hurriedly, grabbing A’Hao’s arm to hide.

A’Hao looked back. The old physician had already rushed in front of her and reached out to grab her other arm.

“You… how did you not die? How did you not die?” he shouted loudly, his expression agitated. “Who saved you? Who cured you?”