He deliberately paused for a moment, feeling the stiffness of the delicate body in his arms. "They also said... they were going to reward you to the second elder brother, but the eldest brother cut in. Tell me, what's this all about? The eldest brother is such a cripple with a violent temper. What good could come of you following him?"
Tian Yao's heart sank little by little.
She knew that the old lady and the marquis's wife had ill intentions, but she never expected them to scheme like this.
Sure enough, these people had no conscience. Everything they did was actually a calculation to achieve their own ends.
Coming to such a place was truly tiring and disgusting.
But if she couldn't find a way to deal with it, she would have to stay here forever, without even a chance to escape. This was probably the pain of being a human.
People seemed to have no independent thoughts and existed only to satisfy others' selfish desires. They could be easily discarded after being used up.
They regarded her as an object, to be thrown away after use, and they even had the next owner in mind.
"Sister, listen to me," He Cheng Yu's hand began to wander around her waist inappropriately. "I truly feel sorry for you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have taken such a big risk to come and find you. Look at your figure and this little face. You should be held in someone's palm. How could you be a pawn?"
"As long as you follow me, I guarantee you a life of glory and wealth. None of the women in my courtyard can compare to you. As long as you nod, you'll be respected."
He didn't even mention making her his legitimate wife or anything else. Instead, it seemed like a deliberate act.
Every word was sickeningly cloying.
What did he take her for? A beautiful dress that could be snatched from his elder brother? A trophy that could make him look more prestigious?
A wave of humiliation and nausea welled up in her heart. Tian Yao couldn't hold back anymore and struggled violently, a suppressed sob escaping from her throat.
"Ugh... Get away!"
This soft sob was especially clear in the silent night.
"Who's there?!"
A cold male voice came from not far away, accompanied by brisk footsteps.
He Cheng Yu's face changed. He recognized that it was Mo Chen, who served He Ci Yuan.
No matter how unruly he was, he knew he couldn't be caught red - handed on He Ci Yuan's territory.
He spat, unwillingly pinched Tian Yao hard on the waist, and whispered a warning, "You wait for me, brat!"
After saying that, he let go of her and scurried away into the deeper darkness like a rat.
Tian Yao collapsed to the ground in fright.
Mo Chen took a few quick steps forward. When he saw it was Tian Yao, his brows furrowed imperceptibly. "What happened?"
Tian Yao curled up into a ball, trembling all over, and her mind was in a complete mess.
What could she say? That she had been molested by the third young master?
He Cheng Yu was the legitimate son and the apple of the marquis's wife's eye. If she, a powerless maid, went to complain, her end would be a hundred times worse than it was now.
The marquis's wife would surely tear her to pieces!
She bit her lip, holding back her tears, picked up the extinguished lantern on the ground, and stood up shakily. "N... nothing. A wild cat just jumped out and scared me."
Mo Chen looked at her silently. In the night, his silhouette was like an emotionless stone statue.
He didn't say anything, just said, "I'll take you back."
Tian Yao didn't dare to refuse and followed him with her head down. They didn't exchange a single word along the way.
When they reached the door of her small hut, Mo Chen stopped. "Go to bed early."
After saying that, he turned around and left. With a few leaps, he disappeared into the night as if he had never been there.
Mo Chen reported everything in detail.
"It's quite interesting." He Ci Yuan didn't turn around. His voice was calm and unruffled.
"By the time this subordinate arrived, the third young master had just left. Tian Yao... only said that she had been startled by a wild cat and didn't dare to admit the truth." Mo Chen reported what had happened just now in detail.
This was also in line with her character because He Ci Yuan really had a cleanliness fetish.
He Ci Yuan's hand that was holding the chess piece paused.
A wild cat?
He let out a sneer. This girl wasn't stupid. She knew what to say and what not to say.
If she had shouted and made a big deal out of it tonight, or come to him crying and complaining, he would have looked down on her a bit more.
Such a woman was good for nothing but causing trouble.
"She's smarter than I thought," He Ci Yuan said lightly. "Since she likes to handle things on her own, let's see how well she can do it."
"What does the master mean?"
"Send someone to keep an eye on her, but don't interfere." He Ci Yuan dropped the chess piece on the chessboard with a "snap". "There's no room for useless people in the marquis's mansion."
Tian Yao was very afraid of death, but she also showed great ability when it came to survival.
Let's see how sharp these cat's claws really were.
After that night, He Cheng Yu was quiet for a few days.
Tian Yao was on tenterhooks every day, afraid of running into him again. But the marquis's mansion was only so big. There was no way to avoid him.
One day, the old lady sent someone to tell her to go and pick out some fashionable items for making undergarments.
She summoned up her courage and went to the Pine and Crane Hall. As soon as she entered, she saw He Cheng Yu sitting below the old lady, smiling obsequiously and trying to amuse her.
When he saw Tian Yao come in, He Cheng Yu's gaze immediately became like a poisoned hook, nailing straight onto her.
That look was too blatant, full of undisguised desire and possessiveness, making her feel extremely uncomfortable, as if she had thorns on her back.
"Paying respects to the old lady. Paying respects to the third young master," Tian Yao curtsied and lowered her head, not daring to look at him.
"Okay, get up," the old lady said in a good mood, pointing to a stack of papers on the table beside her. "The flower patterns are all here. Pick out some you like, ones that suit his status. He's very picky, so you'll have to put in more effort. If they're not suitable, bring them back and exchange them."
"Yes, this maid understands."
Tian Yao replied and shuffled over to the table in small steps, lowering her head and carefully selecting.
But He Cheng Yu picked up his teacup and strolled over slowly. Standing beside her, a smell of wine mixed with perfume wafted over.
"The eldest brother really has good taste," he chuckled, his words full of innuendo. "Such a delicate girl. No wonder the eldest brother treasures her so much."
Tian Yao tightened her grip on the flower patterns and pretended not to hear.
The old lady was talking to the marquis's wife beside her and didn't notice this side.
Just as Tian Yao picked up a flower pattern of a Chinese flowering crabapple, He Cheng Yu suddenly reached out his hand and, with lightning speed, quickly stroked the back of her hand!
That slippery touch was like a cold snake crawling across her skin, making Tian Yao feel nauseous.
"Ah!" She let out a cry of surprise. Her hand trembled, and all the flower patterns on the table "clattered" and fell to the ground, scattered everywhere.
The commotion here finally caught the old lady's attention.
She turned her head and saw Tian Yao kneeling on the ground, her face as white as a sheet, picking up the things, while He Cheng Yu was standing beside her, looking innocent.
The old lady was a very shrewd person. With just one glance, she guessed most of what had happened.
She coughed heavily.
"Ahem!"
This cough was not directed at Tian Yao, but at He Cheng Yu.
The warning in it was self - evident.