Chapter 11: Masterful Acting

Pei Zhouwu finally asked about this.

As for whose maid she was, Liu Fuying had also pondered for a long time how to fabricate the story.

The main issue was that when he first rescued her, she was already wearing expensive clothing. This point was not easy to smoothly explain away.

Of course, saying she was already married wouldn’t do.

Even if it could work out in the end, the process would be even more difficult and troublesome.

Claiming to be a young lady from some family wasn’t good either.

She had to think about the future. If she wanted Pei Zhouwu to accept a noble young lady abandoning her family and giving up a life of luxury to stay here and endure hardship with him, he would certainly not agree.

So it was better to make it sound pitiful—having no parents and no attachments would be best.

Most importantly, it had to be believable.

Many maids from the wealthy and noble families in Shangjing City lived more respectably than ordinary young ladies. Without a compelling reason, they wouldn’t leave the mansion to suffer.

“I… I am…”

Her hesitation deepened Pei Zhouwu’s suspicion.

“What’s wrong? Why can’t you say?”

Liu Fuying stammered, wearing an awkward expression as if unsure how to begin.

“It’s not that I can’t say, but I’m afraid Marquis Pei will laugh at me if I do.”

“What laughter?”

Pei Zhouwu looked directly at her, speaking earnestly, “Is my current state not laughable? Do you find me ridiculous?”

“No, I don’t think that way.”

By the same logic, Pei Zhouwu wouldn’t laugh at her either.

Pei Zhouwu’s curiosity about her had been piqued to the extreme. If she didn’t speak now, he might truly get angry. She lowered her brows but couldn’t suppress the joy in her heart.

“I am… from Old Prince Qi’s household.”

Upon hearing this, Pei Zhouwu furrowed his brows tightly.

He knew of Old Prince Qi.

“I served in the Old Consort Dowager’s quarters—the prince’s mother. The Old Consort Dowager is a kind and gentle person; she never scolds or hits us servants.”

Hearing this, Pei Zhouwu’s expression suddenly relaxed.

That was right. The Old Consort Dowager of the Qi family was devout in Taoism, entering Mingguan Temple every month to burn incense and pray for blessings. This was relatively well-known in Shangjing City.

“But…” Liu Fuying hesitated again.

“But what? Tell me.”

“But Old Prince Qi is a lecherous man. I’m sure Marquis Pei has heard of this. He wanted… wanted to take me as his concubine.”

As she finished speaking, Pei Zhouwu’s brows, which had just relaxed, suddenly tightened again.

“But I wasn’t willing. He’s already fifty years old. The Old Consort Dowager also asked me and, knowing I was unwilling, didn’t force me. She is a good person and has been restraining Prince Qi, fearing she would commit a grave sin.”

“And then?”

“Then, Prince Qi had no choice but to use a delaying tactic, saying he would adopt me as his goddaughter. But he repeatedly used this pretext to get close to me. If not for his consideration for the Old Consort Dowager, he would have already…”

By this point, the matter was clear.

Pei Zhouwu thought to himself, no wonder. No wonder she wore luxurious clothes yet claimed to be a maid. No wonder the calluses on her hands clashed so starkly with her elegant appearance.

“My parents died, and my greedy uncle almost sold me into a brothel. While we were struggling on the street, I encountered the Old Consort Dowager returning to the city after burning incense. Seeing me pitiful, she took me into the Prince’s Mansion. Now, the Old Consort Dowager can still protect me to some extent, but she is old after all, and her health seems to be deteriorating. If one day…”

If one day the Old Consort Dowager passed away, she would surely fall into the clutches of that devil.

Pei Zhouwu listened quietly, but his emotions were anything but calm.

From this perspective, her life was just as difficult as his, if not more so.

Everyone has their own hardships, and Pei Zhouwu didn’t know how to console her. He only asked, “After you returned last time, did the Old Consort Dowager manage to catch you in any mistakes?”

“No.”

Liu Fuying leaned against the window, the sunlight from outside slanting onto her back, casting layers of bright, vivid light. Combined with her sudden smile, she appeared exceptionally radiant.

It was hard to understand how she could still manage to smile.

Pei Zhouwu sighed softly. Perhaps she was afraid that her earlier words were too heavy and might affect him, so she forced a smile to comfort him, pretending she didn’t care.

“The Young Prince in the mansion kept clamoring to raise rabbits. That day, I lied and said I went out to look for wild rabbits. After all, I’ve always been skilled at catching wild rabbits and pheasants in the mountains—I’m quite familiar with it. As for getting soaked, I claimed I accidentally slipped and fell into a pond in the woods. No one suspected a thing.”

“You covered it up quite thoroughly,” Pei Zhouwu murmured softly.

He couldn’t quite describe the emotion he felt, only that his heart ached with a faint bitterness.

Despite her own hardships, she still insisted on taking risks to come see him…

“And this time? What excuse do you plan to use this time?” he asked.

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already planned it out. Oh, right, Lord Guojiu, wait a moment…”

Mid-sentence, she suddenly stepped away from the window.

Then she ran out the door, her purpose unclear.

She circled around the bamboo grove and ran back to where she had been earlier. When she reappeared, she was carrying a bundle in her hand, bulging as if filled with many things.

It was hot outside, and even a short run made her sweat.

Partly because she was already half-soaked, the water in her hair mingled with sweat, yet no amount of dampness could overshadow the brightness on her face.

She entered the room with a smile, untied the bundle, and placed it on the table.

“I noticed you’ve grown a bit thin, so I brought you some food. The most important thing for you is to take care of your health. As long as you’re alive, there’s always hope.”

She took out the items one by one, making Pei Zhouwu sigh again.

At first, he too understood the principle of preserving one’s health.

During the first few months, he had indeed taken good care of himself. Though the meals delivered to him were often reduced, he ate every last bite.

Sometimes, when a mountain eagle fell or a dying bird or even a snake appeared, he would roast them.

But after being isolated for so long, it was hard not to doubt oneself.

“The roasted chicken and duck should be eaten as soon as possible. It’s hot now, and they won’t keep long. The cured meats can last a bit longer. And remember to eat these fruits, as well as these pastries—I made them myself.”

She placed a pink-and-white pastry in her palm, smiling as she looked at him.

“I’ve tried them. They taste good. Would you like to try one?”

Her face was full of anticipation, but Pei Zhouwu’s expression remained grave.

“It’s fine,” she said with a forced smile, putting the pastry back. “If you’re not hungry now, you can eat it later. It won’t spoil anytime soon.”

Pei Zhouwu’s gaze remained fixed on her face. Though he didn’t say a word, Liu Fuying understood his meaning.

He didn’t want her to go to such trouble for him.

“Well… let me help you tidy up the room.”

She scratched her head, seemingly awkward as she turned away. Even though Pei Zhouwu had earlier told her not to do these things for him, she now only wanted to ease the tension by finding something to do.

It had to be said, her performance was exceptionally skillful.

In the midst of it all, she almost failed to realize she was putting on an act.

On the washstand lay a sharp stone knife, seemingly used for shaving. At the sight of it, her heart couldn’t help but tremble.

He still cared about grooming himself—what did that mean?

It meant that deep down, he still wanted to leave, but for some reason, he couldn’t.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Pei Zhouwu’s hand reaching out from behind.

When she finally noticed, startled, she accidentally cut his hand with the stone knife.

The wound was on the webbing between his left thumb and forefinger, and blood immediately began to flow.

Her mind worked quickly, and soon a plan began to form.