Tianyao decided not to hide it any longer. She whispered what had happened in the garden during the day when she met He Huaibi and was insinuated by Bixi.
She didn't dare to exaggerate and just told the truth. After that, she hung her head, waiting for He Ciyuan's verdict.
He Ciyuan didn't say a word for a long time after listening.
He reached out and pinched her small nose with neither too much nor too little force. "You're really a little vixen. Otherwise, why does trouble follow you wherever you go?"
His tone was hard to tell whether he was angry or not, but Tianyao felt relieved.
It was good that he wasn't angry.
She nuzzled against his palm flatteringly, like a docile cat. "This servant will stay in the yard from now on and won't go anywhere. Then I won't cause any trouble for the young master. Please don't kill me, young master."
[Alas, it's so hard to curry favor with others...]
He Ciyuan let out an indistinct sneer and said nothing more.
Tianyao finally felt at ease. As long as she could stay safely in He Ciyuan's yard, all the gossips outside didn't matter because she had someone to back her up.
However, things weren't as simple as she thought.
The next day, a new rumor spread in the mansion.
It was said that He Ciyuan disliked Tianyao because there were too many rumors about her and she was not chaste. He had grown tired of her and was looking for a clean and proper maid.
The rumor was so vivid that even Xiaocui rushed over to ask her.
"Sister Tianyao, what should we do? If the young master really doesn't want you..." Xiaocui was so anxious that she was about to cry.
Tianyao was also a bit uncertain, but she forced herself to look calm on the surface and comforted Xiaocui instead. "Who did you hear this nonsense from? I'm still fine, aren't I?"
Which sick person would pour out their own medicine? It was just a joke.
Although she said so, she wasn't confident. He Ciyuan's unpredictable temper was hard for anyone to figure out.
Before long, the rumor seemed to come true.
That afternoon, He Ciyuan really had a maid brought in. Her name was Fendai. She was pretty and delicate, with a pair of watery eyes that made people feel pity for her.
The looks of the servants in the yard towards Tianyao changed. There was more sympathy and schadenfreude in their eyes.
But Tianyao acted as if nothing had happened and went on with her business as usual.
If she didn't regard the other person as a man or a resource, there was no need to show that kind of coquettish attitude.
If someone could share the workload, she could stay in this place more comfortably and do her own things. Wasn't this a great thing?
Tianyao forced herself to suppress the joy in her heart. She carried the brewed tea and several plates of delicate pastries and walked towards the study.
As long as someone could share the workload, she wouldn't have to be so nervous all day long, worrying that someone would find fault with her or kill her.
[Don't be impatient. I must stay calm. What He Ciyuan hates most is women fighting for his favor. After all, he is very sensitive about his disability. The calmer I am, the more highly he will think of me. As long as I'm still useful, I won't be killed.]
Being needed was more important than being liked.
She recited the survival rules silently in her heart and put on a proper smile on her face.
But just as she reached the door of the study, she was stopped by Changfeng, He Ciyuan's servant.
"Miss Tianyao, the young master is dealing with important matters inside. Please wait outside for a while." Changfeng's expression was a bit strange.
Tianyao answered "Okay" and stood quietly under the corridor with the tray in her hand.
The doors and windows of the study were tightly closed, and it was well - soundproofed. But she still faintly heard some sounds.
It wasn't the sound of talking, but a kind of... a woman's suppressed and painful groan.
The sound was intermittent, as if she had her mouth covered, or she was in so much pain that she didn't even have the strength to cry out.
Tianyao's face turned deathly pale. Her hand holding the tray trembled, and the hot tea spilled out, making her shrink her fingertips in pain.
[Is he killing someone?]
[The rumor is true. He really does torture and kill his servants...]
[No, could it be something indecent?]
Yes, in broad daylight, even though He Ciyuan was disabled, he was still a normal man.
The more Tianyao thought about it, the more blank her mind became. She didn't think about it in a lewd way, but only thought of the rumors about He Ciyuan's cruelty.
Was the new maid, Fendai, just...
Tianyao didn't dare to think anymore. She only felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, and her blood was almost frozen.
She didn't know how long she had been standing there when the door of the study finally opened.
"Go in," Changfeng said.
Tianyao took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She walked in with the tray.
In the study, He Ciyuan was sitting behind the desk, leisurely flipping through a book, as if nothing had happened.
The room was very clean. There was no trace of blood, and even the figure of the maid named Fendai couldn't be seen. But there was a strange scent in the room, sweet with a strange pungency that made people dizzy.
After all, her sense of smell was better than ordinary people's, and she could always easily smell something wrong.
Tianyao gently placed the tea and pastries on the table. Her voice couldn't help but tremble a little. "Young master, please have some tea."
This subtle change in her was noticed by He Ciyuan.
He put down the book and looked up at her. His bottomless eyes were filled with a teasing scrutiny.
"Why? Why is your hand shaking?" He slowly spoke. His voice was deep and pleasant, but it made Tianyao's heart leap into her throat.
"This servant... has been standing for too long. My legs are a bit numb," she hurriedly made up an excuse.
He Ciyuan didn't say a word. He just stared at her, and the corner of his mouth slowly curled up into a half - smile.
Suddenly, he waved to her. "Come here."
Tianyao didn't dare to disobey. She shuffled over.
He pulled her into his arms and made her sit on his lap. One hand circled around her slender waist, and the other hand lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.
"Afraid of me?" His fingertips rubbed against her delicate skin, and his voice carried a hint of dangerous temptation.
"This servant... isn't afraid," Tianyao's eyelashes fluttered like a frightened butterfly's wings.
[I'm so scared! You're a merciless devil!]
[Even the law can't punish you...]
"Oh?" He Ciyuan let out a low laugh. The sound rang in her ear and gave her goosebumps all over.
He lowered his head and nuzzled against her neck, taking a deep breath, as if savoring a delicious delicacy.
"I still like the milky scent on you," he sighed contentedly. Then his tone suddenly turned cold. "Those others, their scents give me a headache."
Tianyao stiffened all over. Was he talking about the maid named Fendai?
"Young master..." She wanted to ask but didn't dare.
He Ciyuan seemed to see through her thoughts. He opened his mouth and gently bit her earlobe. He whispered in a voice only they could hear, "She, she was disobedient, so I sent her away."