Liu'er moved her lips. No matter how bold she was, she didn't dare to claim herself as the master's. So she reluctantly stood up and said, "Madam, you've misunderstood. It's just that I was a bit tired from moving things just now and wanted to take a rest..."
"It's all right. You can go now." Song Ruotang smiled gently, her tone kind.
Liu'er had nothing more to say and could only turn around and leave.
As soon as she stepped out of the door, her expression changed. She looked back and glared viciously at Song Ruotang sitting inside the room. But thinking of the purpose Du Lingxuan had sent her for, she swallowed her anger.
Liu'er deliberately walked slowly to the kitchen. She told the kitchen staff to prepare some simple food casually. After it was done, she followed the servant who was serving the food back.
Looking at the congee in front, an idea flashed through Liu'er's mind. She stepped forward and said to the maid carrying the congee, "The Third Madam doesn't like too many people around. I'll take this congee over. You can go back first."
The maid didn't suspect anything and handed the congee to Liu'er. Liu'er walked behind. Looking at the congee on the tray, she took out a small medicine packet from her clothes. Seeing that no one was looking in front, she secretly sprinkled the powder into it.
Song Ruotang waited for a long time before Liu'er came back. Liu'er smilingly brought the congee in front of her and said, "Third Madam, this congee was just made in the kitchen. Please have a taste."
Liu'er stood beside her, showing none of the impatience from before. It seemed that she was quite satisfied with this bowl of congee.
But Song Ruotang looked down at the congee in front of her and had no appetite at all. It was obviously a perfunctory dish. Without even thinking, she knew that Liu'er had told the kitchen to make it to take revenge on her.
"Third Madam, please drink it quickly. The congee will not taste good when it gets cold." Seeing that Song Ruotang didn't move for a long time, Liu'er pretended to be concerned and urged.
A flicker of light flashed in Song Ruotang's eyes. Liu'er was so eager for her to drink the congee. There must be something wrong with it.
"Bring that plate of vegetables over first. I like it." Song Ruotang told Liu'er.
Liu'er pursed her lips slightly but still did as she was told. However, Song Ruotang just ate some side dishes and refused to drink the congee. Liu'er was getting a bit anxious. Just as she was about to open her mouth to persuade again, footsteps sounded outside the door.
Liu'er looked out and saw Pei Zhiyan in a snow - white robe fluttering. There was a snow - white fox fur scarf around his collar. His long black hair danced in the wind, along with two jade belts. His already handsome appearance made him look like an immortal descending from the sky, making people unable to take their eyes off him.
The maid guarding the door curtsied. Pei Zhiyan nodded slightly and walked into the room. The moment he saw Song Ruotang, his cold face melted like the ice and snow in spring.
His originally cold eyes softened. It was as if light had been injected into them all of a sudden, making them radiant. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, showing a trace of a smile.
Liu'er blushed. She trotted forward to greet him and said softly, "Sir, you're back. You..."
Before she could finish her words, Pei Zhiyan had walked past her without even looking at her, leaving Liu'er standing there awkwardly with a frozen smile on her face.
"Have you not had your meal yet?" Pei Zhiyan walked over and sat down beside Song Ruotang. His tone was a bit surprised.
The mealtime in the Pei Mansion was fixed. Generally, someone would come to ask if they wanted to serve the meal on time. It was impossible to delay it until so late.
Song Ruotang nodded. "My elder sisters showed me around the mansion today, so it's a bit late."
Pei Zhiyan understood. But when he looked at the food on the table, which didn't even meet the standard of the breakfast in the Pei Mansion, he frowned instantly. "You're going to eat this?"
Song Ruotang blinked innocently and said in a puzzled tone, "Liu'er told the kitchen to prepare these. What's wrong with them?"
"Liu'er?" Pei Zhiyan frowned slightly. Liu'er, who was standing behind, quickly came over with a smile. She walked up to him shyly, curtsied and said, "Sir, my name is Liu'er. I'm the personal maid of the Third Madam."
Pei Zhiyan's eyebrows twitched. He stared at her with a scrutinizing look in his eyes. "You're the personal maid. Where's Xiaoxi?"
"Xiaoxi caused the First Madam to fall and get injured today. She couldn't even do the job of a cleaning maid well. The Madam has asked her to learn the rules from the nanny again. So the Second Madam sent me here to serve."
Pei Zhiyan turned his head to look at Song Ruotang. But Liu'er quickly spoke up to attract Pei Zhiyan's attention. "As the personal maid, Xiaoxi didn't manage her subordinates well. On such a cold day, she let someone be lazy and pour the water for the Third Madam's washing on the ground, which caused the First Madam to slip and get a cut. Such a careless person can't be trusted to take care of the Third Madam. So I'm here."
Liu'er rambled on for a long time. At the end, she even boasted about herself, her tone coquettish and shy.
She was waiting for Pei Zhiyan's praise. But after waiting for a while, Pei Zhiyan didn't say a word.
"Sir..." Just as Liu'er was about to say something else, Pei Zhiyan's gaze left the congee on the table. He raised his eyes, looking cold and imposing. Liu'er immediately shut up and felt a bit scared.
"So, according to what you said, Xiaoxi is careless, but you're careful in doing things?" Pei Zhiyan's voice was slow, but it made Liu'er shiver.
She took a few deep breaths. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Song Ruotang's calm face. She felt outshined and reluctantly bit her lip. Then she replied bravely, "Xiaoxi must have done a bad job to be transferred. I've been by the Second Madam's side for five years and in the mansion for three years. I'm indeed more experienced than other maids."
She showed off her experience, hoping to prove herself in front of Pei Zhiyan.
But unfortunately, Pei Zhiyan didn't buy it. His expression didn't even change. After listening to what she said, he just sneered and said, "Since you've been in the mansion for three years, you must know the rules here."
Liu'er didn't dare to speak. Pei Zhiyan changed the subject, his tone cold. "Is this the kind of food the mansion provides for the Madams?"
He pushed the bowl of congee in front of Liu'er. The movement was so big that the porcelain bowl vibrated several times, and some of the congee spilled out.
Liu'er trembled and immediately knelt down. Pei Zhiyan looked down at her from above, his tone calm and cold. "Or do you think that just because she's new to the mansion, you can look down on her?"
Liu'er's body couldn't stop shaking. She had been in the mansion for three years and had only seen Pei Zhiyan twice from afar while serving Du Lingxuan. No matter how fierce the rumors outside about Pei Zhiyan's heart - cold and selfless nature were, she had never really experienced it.
But today, she finally got a taste of it. The invisible pressure from Pei Zhiyan made her not even dare to breathe loudly. She kowtowed three times and then explained in a trembling voice, "I saw that the Madam had been walking for a long time today and had been in the sun. She might be a bit hot, so I told the kitchen to make congee."
She secretly looked up at Pei Zhiyan. Seeing that he didn't move, she continued, "This congee is very delicious. I watched the kitchen master cook it carefully. The aroma filled the whole room. It even made me keep swallowing my saliva..."
"So, it seems that you really like this congee?" Pei Zhiyan laughed softly, his tone full of playfulness.