Chapter 3

It was already dark by the time we returned to the Laundry Bureau.

Tears spilled down Dongju’s face at the sight of me.

“It’s all my fault. You were hurt because of me.”

I wanted to comfort her, but I did not even have the strength to lift my hand.

My back throbbed, and my legs shook beneath me. I could bear it no longer. My eyes rolled back, and I fainted.

When I woke again, it was deep into the night.

The first thing I saw was Qin Zhao’s face looming over mine.

He seemed not to have slept at all. His face was haggard, his eyes faintly bloodshot.

They lit up when he saw me wake. He seized my hand.

“How do you feel? Does it still hurt? Are you any better? Do you want some water?”

The questions came one after another.

I said nothing. I merely watched him in silence.

Even now, he thought I knew nothing.

He thought I had neither heard nor seen what he had done in Weiyang Palace.

“You have no idea how frantic I was when I heard you had been beaten. I wished I could have taken every stroke for you. And yesterday, when I put medicine on your wounds—Ah Li, I regret it so much… I hate that I couldn’t help you.”

As he spoke, he nearly began to cry. He buried his cheek in my palm, his body trembling slightly.

【Did I hear that wrong? Did the male lead just say he regrets it? The supporting girl offended our darling female lead, so of course she got beaten. What’s there to regret? And why does he sound so sincere?】

【Maybe seeing her wounds made him feel bad. Oh, don’t overthink it. After all this time, even a dog would have inspired some affection.】

I watched him silently for a moment, then withdrew my hand.

“I’m tired. I want to be alone for a while. You should go.”

Reluctance crossed Qin Zhao’s face, but at last he nodded.

“I left all the medicine by your bed. Remember to take it. I brought you some food too, so have a little if you get hungry. Get some rest. I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

Only after he left did Dongju limp out of the corner, smiling as she spoke.

“That sweetheart of yours is a good man. He stayed beside you for most of the night. You should have seen the way he looked at you—his heart was breaking. I think you’ve truly found yourself an ideal husband this time.”

I smiled too, though the smile never reached my eyes.

He was the one who had ordered the beating. Who was this performance supposed to fool?

It took nearly half a month for my injuries to heal.

Perhaps Qin Zhao had arranged something, because no one made trouble for me or rushed me back to work.

He came every day, sometimes staying an hour, sometimes only fifteen minutes. Each time he brought something meant to restore my health.

But once my wounds healed, I had to leave this place.

“What? You’re going to Weiyang Palace?”

Dongju was shocked when she heard.

I nodded.

The day I left Weiyang Palace, Consort Rong had seen my face.

She had studied it for a long time. Then, as if some thought had occurred to her, an odd smile appeared on her lips, and she immediately ordered me to serve at Weiyang Palace.

Before I left, I heard her tell a trusted maid,

“That girl looks so much like me. She’ll be very useful.”

I did not know what use she had in mind, but I had no choice.

“What about your sweetheart? Does he know?”

After a moment, I shook my head.

“If he asks, just tell him you don’t know.”