"Tianyao, you did a great job acting."
His voice was pitched very low, with a teasing hoarseness that clearly slipped into her ears.
Tianyao's body instantly stiffened.
He... He knew?
Before she could react, the man's warm lips suddenly closed around her cold earlobe and gently nibbled it with his teeth.
"Next time," he whispered against her ear, word by word, like the murmur of a devil, "remember to cry more convincingly."
After that day, Tianyao's life returned to a strange kind of calm, a calm she had never experienced before.
Tianyao had just recovered from a serious illness and was still a bit weak. With He Ciyuan's "gracious permission", she didn't have to do rough work but was only responsible for taking care of the few delicate orchids in his study.
One of the orchids, a black orchid, was said by Mo Chen to be a rare variety that only bloomed once every few years, and she just happened to catch this occasion.
She wasn't really interested in these things, but she had to put all her heart into taking care of them, for fear that any damage would bring trouble to her.
Tianyao was holding a small golden pruning shear, carefully trimming the withered leaves when suddenly a voice came from outside the door.
"Tianyao, Concubine Bixi is here to see you."
"Damn it, when will it end!"
Neither of them got along well with Tianyao. She thought Bixi's visit this time would surely bring no good days for her.
Before she could figure it out, Bixi walked in gracefully. The moment she saw Tianyao, a flash of jealousy crossed her eyes, which then turned into a gentle smile.
There was no need to make her own situation worse because of jealousy. Maintaining the status quo was already enough.
There were too many people in this mansion who wanted to deal with Tianyao.
"Tianyao, I know you've been frightened these days. There were also misunderstandings between us before. Seeing that you're better, I've come specially to bring you some tonics."
Her tone was affectionate, as if they were good sisters for many years. "We were good sisters before. I'm really happy that you've caught the eldest young master's eye. If you become a concubine one day, we can surely take care of each other."
Tianyao lowered her eyelashes and curtsied meekly. "Concubine, don't say such things. Our statuses are worlds apart now. I'm just a maid. You're being too kind."
Bixi's gaze fell on the golden pruning shear in her hand and the black orchid. Her smile deepened. "You're really living a better and better life. The eldest young master has entrusted you with his most precious things. He must trust you a great deal. But these flowers are precious. Don't accidentally ruin his beloved thing."
The veiled threat in her words was like a needle pricking.
[Is she warning me or testing me?]
Tianyao slowly raised her head and met Bixi's gaze. Her clear eyes, like washed by water, showed no emotion.
Just when Bixi thought she would meekly agree, Tianyao moved.
She steadily raised the hand holding the pruning shear and aimed it at the lush green orchid bud that He Ciyuan cherished like a treasure.
"Snip."
A crisp sound echoed.
The bud that carried countless expectations fell to the black soil, like a prematurely fallen star.
The air instantly froze.
The smile on Bixi's face froze, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.
Was she crazy? How dare she!
The next second, Tianyao seemed to just realize what she had done. The color drained from her face.
She let out a soft cry of "Ah", and the pruning shear clattered to the ground.
She quickly knelt down and fumbled to pick up the fallen bud. Her voice was filled with sobs. "I... I didn't mean to... Concubine, my hand slipped... What should I do..."
She cried like a pear blossom in the rain, her shoulders trembling like a frightened fawn. But her hands that were picking up the bud were calm without a single tremor.
[You always know how to threaten people. Now let you taste the consequence of being threatened!]
Looking at her "flawless" performance, Bixi felt a chill run from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.
This Tianyao was by no means an easy soft target!
She forced herself to suppress the shock in her heart and barely managed a smile. "Don't be afraid, sister. Maybe you're still weak after your illness. I... I'll go back first."
If she stayed any longer, something bad was bound to happen.
She almost fled in a hurry.
The door closed, and Tianyao's sobs stopped abruptly. She knelt on the ground and quietly looked at the bud she had cut off in her palm. A cold arc appeared on her lips, unnoticed by anyone.
[The bet is placed. Now it's up to him... to take it or not.]
As night fell deeper.
When He Ciyuan returned, he saw at a glance the black orchid by the window that had been brutally damaged. The bare flower stem was like a silent accusation.
He said nothing and didn't even glance at Tianyao who was kneeling beside. He directly wheeled his wheelchair behind the desk and began to handle official business.
Mo Chen followed behind him. Seeing the sorry state of the flower, he gasped and looked at Tianyao with full sympathy.
It was over. This girl was surely doomed.
Time ticked by. The oppressive silence was almost driving people crazy. Tianyao's knees went numb from kneeling, and fine cold sweat oozed from her forehead.
Finally, He Ciyuan put down the pen in his hand.
He wheeled his wheelchair and stopped in front of her. Looking down at her, his voice was calm without a single ripple. "Get up."
Tianyao trembled and didn't dare to move.
"Did you cut it yourself?"
Tianyao's mind went blank with a "buzz".
"Um..."
In this extreme fear, she instead gave birth to a kind of desperate courage.
Tianyao raised her head and looked at him with tear - filled eyes. She didn't say a word but slowly and stubbornly moved her knees towards him until she touched his cold wheelchair.
Then, she did an action that stunned Mo Chen.
She bent down and gently, dependently, pressed her cheek against He Ciyuan's knee covered with brocade.
It was a gesture of complete submission and trust, like a desperate young animal offering its most vulnerable neck without reservation to its master.
"Sir, I was just scared. Bixi and I have never gotten along well. I accidentally slipped my hand and..."
Actually, she did it on purpose. She originally wanted to frame the other person, but Bixi had run away faster than anyone.
The soft touch on his knee and the faint milky fragrance were like an electric current that instantly shot through his whole body.
His fingers hanging by his side suddenly curled up, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged. He fought back the impulse to stroke the top of her head.
After a long time, he suddenly let out a low laugh.
The laugh carried a bit of self - mockery, a bit of helplessness, and a bit of indulgence that even he himself didn't notice.
He pinched her small chin and forced her to raise her tear - streaked face. His fingertips rubbed hard against her smooth skin.
"You're really good at using your advantages."
His eyes were as deep as a prison, as if they were going to suck her soul in.
"Tell me," he leaned closer to her. His warm breath sprayed on her lips, full of deadly danger. "What do you want? Just say it."