Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I didn’t.

Having been given a second chance at life, I wouldn’t dare touch anything belonging to the Young Mistress again-including Qi Yu.

In my previous life, once Qi Yu discovered the truth, he was consumed by hatred. He believed I had deceived him by usurping the Young Mistress’s identity, causing the real lady to live a life of displacement and eventually fall into the depths of a brothel.

Every time the Young Mistress suffered a relapse of her illness, Qi Yu would come to the side courtyard to torment me. He claimed I owed it to her, as if hurting me could make her feel better-or perhaps, make him feel better.

Ultimately, he couldn’t take it anymore and ended my life with a cup of poisoned wine.

Those painful memories are like a maggot in my bones, seeping into the very marrow; they are unbearable to recall.

That was why, on the second day after our return to the capital, I begged the Young Mistress for my deed of sale.

I wanted to leave the capital and never return.

Grateful that I had saved her life, the Young Mistress deliberated for a long time before finally agreeing.

However, she made one request: I could only leave after she was married and had established a firm footing in the Marquis Manor.

I agreed. With my deed of sale in hand, my heart felt much more at ease.

From that day on, Qi Yu seemed to become busy, and the frequency of his visits to the Young Mistress decreased significantly.

Finding herself with nothing to do, the Young Mistress brewed some soup for the Heir and asked me to deliver it.

Seeing my hesitation, she pouted. “Tong Yue, I only have you now. Out of all the maids in this house, you’re the only one I trust.”

Aside from me, the maids around the Young Mistress were all sent by either the First Madam or the Old Madam. Every one of them was young, beautiful, and ambitious.

I remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

At the entrance of the study, I asked the page serving the Heir to pass word inside.

I recognized this boy; he was honest but had a loud voice. A moment later, I heard him shouting inside, “Heir, Miss Tong Yue is here to deliver chicken soup for you!”

My brow furrowed slightly.

Sure enough, the page soon came out scratching his head. “Miss Tong Yue, the Master says he’s busy. Please wait a moment.”

I lowered my head, looking submissive and obedient. “Very well.”

The soup crock wasn’t heavy, but holding it for a long time was another matter. Before long, my wrists began to ache, and sweat beaded on my forehead.

After about fifteen minutes, someone finally called for me to enter.

By the window, Qi Yu was pruning flower branches.

When he saw me, he tossed the shears aside and walked over with a sneer.

I hadn’t even set the crock on the table before he reached out, lifted the lid while I was still holding it, and stirred the contents idly with a spoon.

I bit my lip, about to speak, when a loud crash echoed. The crock hit the floor, soup splashing everywhere amidst a spray of porcelain shards.

He wiped his hands with a handkerchief, his smile cold and mocking.

“Did I not warn you? Do not covet things that do not belong to you.”

I took a step back, looking down at my finger which had been sliced by a shard, then at the mess on the floor. I closed my eyes.

After a long silence, I heard my own raspy voice.

“The Heir worries too much. This chicken soup… was sent by the Young Mistress.”

Qi Yu froze, his expression turning stiff instantly.

I ignored him, picking up the shards piece by piece. Once I had cleaned up, I prepared to leave.

I had just started to walk away when Qi Yu called out to me.

His expression shifted several times before he pulled a small jar of ointment from his sleeve and tossed it into my arms. His tone was clipped.

“Apply this yourself, lest people say the Marquis Manor treats you poorly.”