Tian Yao shivered in fright. She recognized that precious black orchid. It was sent by He Chengyu through someone some days ago in an attempt to curry favor with He Ciyuan.
Even more terrifying things were yet to come.
Two days later, a well - regarded maid beside Lady Hou was ordered to send some newly made autumn clothes to He Ciyuan. This maid must have had the ambition to rise in status. Without knowing her place, she accidentally touched his body.
With just that one touch, He Ciyuan's expression immediately turned cold. His look was so sinister that it seemed as if he would devour someone on the spot.
"Drag her out, give her twenty slaps on the face, and then ten big blows with the board."
Daring to beat even Lady Hou's maid was simply showing no respect at all.
The maid was so frightened that her beautiful face turned pale. She knelt on the ground, pleading desperately, but it was of no use. Soon, the sound of the board and her suppressed sobs came. Naturally, this incident became a hot topic for people to talk about.
Many people dared not even pass by He Ciyuan's courtyard for fear of getting bad luck and not wanting to invite trouble.
Tian Yao was also afraid.
What she was mainly afraid of was that He Ciyuan was unpredictable in his moods and actions. One could never tell what he was going to do next.
After that day, he never touched her again. He didn't even spare her a single glance.
On this day, Tian Yao carried a bowl of ginger mother tea and carefully entered the room.
However, He Ciyuan just said coldly, "Take it away."
Tian Yao bit her lip and didn't move. "This ginger tea was specially brewed by this slave for you. It can drive away the cold. You seem to be very afraid of the cold these days."
As soon as these words were said, the air in the room seemed to freeze.
He Ciyuan finally slowly turned his head. His deep, unfathomable eyes landed on her face, filled with scrutiny, exploration, and a hint of barely perceptible... killing intent.
"Who told you to meddle?"
[It's not because I'm afraid that if you die, my indenture will never expire and I'll end up as miserable as in the original book!]
[If it weren't for a stable place to stay, why would I waste my time on you?]
She took a deep breath and forced herself to suppress the anger in her heart. Meeting his gaze, her eyes were red - rimmed. "This slave is just worried about your health. I haven't slept well for several nights."
[Actually, I've slept soundly.] She couldn't help but want to laugh as she lied.
She lowered her eyes. Seeing that he didn't answer for a long time, her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "If you don't like it, this slave will just pour it away."
Saying that, she picked up the teacup and was about to turn around.
"Stop."
His voice was still cold, but it was less murderous.
Tian Yao stopped in her tracks, with her back to him. Her palms were sweating nervously.
"Put it down."
She obediently put the teacup back on the small table. Then she heard his deep voice ring out again, "Get out."
Tian Yao felt as if she had received amnesty and fled out of the room.
After she left, He Ciyuan's gaze landed on the still - steaming ginger tea. After a long time, he reached out his hand. His fingertips gently touched the warm cup wall and then quickly retracted, as if it were something scalding.
He didn't miss the smile on Tian Yao's lips.
This naughty girl was really good at lying.
As night fell, the cold grew stronger.
Tian Yao was guarding outside He Ciyuan's room. Listening to the suppressed, heavy breathing inside like that of a caged beast, her heart tightened into a knot.
She remembered a plot in the book.
The book mentioned that as the biggest villain in the whole book, He Ciyuan was poisoned by a strange cold poison. This poison was said to be refined from the cold essence of the snow - capped mountains in the far north. It was extremely vicious. Whenever it rained or the weather turned cold, the person poisoned would suffer an attack. Every limb and joint would feel as if they were in an ice cave, and the pain was unbearable. During the attack, the person's temperament would become extremely cruel and blood - thirsty.
The method to cure this poison was not detailed in the book. It only mentioned that "it needed a yang - extreme object as a guide and a pure - yuan body as a furnace to resolve it".
Tian Yao didn't know what a "yang - extreme object" was, let alone what a "pure - yuan body" was. But she knew that she couldn't just watch him suffer like this.
"You can't die. If you die, what will I do in the future?"
She took a deep breath and wanted to push the door open, but Mo Chen blocked her at the door of the inner room. "Don't go in and disturb him."
"Brother Mo Chen," Tian Yao looked up at him, her eyes full of anxiety and pleading. "I have a way to make the young master feel better."
Mo Chen's eyes were as cold and hard as iron. "Miss, be careful with your words. How could you understand the young master's illness?"
Just then, a muffled groan suppressed to the extreme came from the inner room, accompanied by the crisp sound of porcelain shattering.
Tian Yao's face turned pale. Without caring about anything else, she directly bypassed Mo Chen and rushed in.
The method that worked last time was good, so of course she had to try it again this time.
The inner room was in a complete mess.
He Ciyuan was half - reclined on the couch. His face was as pale as paper. The veins on his forehead bulged. His whole body was shaking uncontrollably. His inner robe was soaked with cold sweat and clung tightly to his body, outlining his strong and well - defined figure.
He gritted his teeth tightly. A trace of blood had oozed from the corner of his lips.
Hearing the noise, he suddenly raised his head. In his red eyes, there was pure, irrational killing desire.
"Get out!"
[I won't.] Tian Yao knew that he was not very rational at this time. Instead, she stepped closer to him.
"Master He," her voice was trembling, but extremely firm. "This slave is not afraid."
She walked to the edge of the couch. Under the shocked gazes of He Ciyuan and Mo Chen, she slowly knelt down and then stretched out her slightly trembling hands to hold his hand, which was as cold as a dead person's.
"This slave will warm your hand."
Her hands were very warm, like a small heater, soft and delicate.
The warmth seeped into his cold veins bit by bit through the back of his hand, like a clear spring quenching the crazy pain burning in his body.
He Ciyuan's body stiffened. A trace of redness faded from his eyes, and he regained a bit of clarity.
He looked down at the girl kneeling at his feet, wrapping his big hand with her own. She hung her head, and crystal tears hung on her long eyelashes. Her body was trembling slightly because of fear, but she didn't let go.
A strange, never - before - felt emotion quietly spread in the deepest part of his heart.
He didn't push her away.
Mo Chen was surprised that Tian Yao had such a skill.
Feeling that his body was not as cold as before, Tian Yao let out a sigh of relief. When their eyes met, they both saw a trace of confusion in each other's eyes.
"Aren't you... afraid of death?" He finally spoke. His voice was still hoarse, but no longer so terrifying.
Tian Yao shook her head. Tears finally fell uncontrollably, hitting the back of his hand one by one, scalding hot.
"I'm afraid. If you die, master, everyone will bully me..."
Tian Yao began to play the victim in every way. "You're just not good at expressing yourself, master. Tian Yao has really been taken care of here. If something happens to you, I'm afraid I'll be thrown out and not even have a single bone left..."
[This is the truth.]
These words were like a gentle key, gently unlocking the strongest and coldest lock in his heart.
He Ciyuan looked at her for a very long time before slowly uttering two words.
"Come here."