The mont those words left Xi Wenzhe’s mouth, the entire courtyard fell into complete silence.
anwhile, Su Yueqing stood rooted to the spot.
Her face was completely blank.
Inside her mind, sothing exploded.
[WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?!]
The system imdiately answered.
[Host, based on my analysis, he appears to have invited you to his chamber.]
[I HEARD THAT PART!]
[Then why are you shouting?]
[I’M NOT SHOUTING!]
[You are.]
[I’M PANICKING!]
The system thoughtfully considered this.
[That seems accurate.]
Across the courtyard, Xi Yunchen imdiately rubbed his forehead.
"Finished."
Gu Xiang sighed.
"Completely finished."
Xi Yunhao looked toward his elder brother’s retreating figure.
For the first ti in years, he genuinely could not understand what Xi Wenzhe was thinking.
After all, wasn’t his relationship with Su Yueqing terrible?
Didn’t he hate her or sothing?
Then why had he suddenly announced such a thing in front of everyone?
anwhile, Su Yueqing finally found her voice.
"Wait!"
Xi Wenzhe’s footsteps paused.
Slowly, he turned his head.
His expression remained calm.
"Sothing else?"
Su Yueqing pointed at herself.
"You want to go where?"
Xi Wenzhe raised an eyebrow.
"My chamber."
The answer was simple.
Inside Su Yueqing’s mind, another explosion imdiately followed.
[NO.]
[ABSOLUTELY NOT.]
[OVER MY DEAD BODY.]
[DOES THIS MAN HAVE NO BOUNDARIES?]
[NO SENSE OF PERSONAL SPACE?]
[NO FEAR OF HEAVEN?]
The system quietly interrupted.
[Host, you are his wife.]
[STOP REMINDING .]
Xi Wenzhe watched her changing expressions with increasing amusent.
One mont she looked angry.
The next she looked horrified.
Then confused.
Then horrified again.
It was honestly difficult to tell what she was thinking if one ignored the fact that everyone in the Xi family could hear her thoughts.
Unfortunately for her, they could.
Which made the entire performance significantly more entertaining.
Su Yueqing took a deep breath.
Then another.
Finally, she forced herself to calm down.
"No."
The answer ca imdiately.
Xi Wenzhe looked at her.
"No?"
Su Yueqing nodded firmly.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I don’t want to."
A faint smile appeared in Xi Wenzhe’s eyes.
"You don’t want to?"
"Exactly."
Su Yueqing folded her arms.
"I am very comfortable in my own room."
"That is unfortunate."
His response was so calm that Su Yueqing nearly choked.
"What do you an unfortunate?"
Xi Wenzhe looked at her steadily.
"It ans your opinion does not change the arrangent."
Su Yueqing’s eyes widened.
[TYRANT.]
[ABSOLUTE TYRANT.]
[THIS IS HOW TYRANTS ARE BORN.]
The system sounded impressed.
[Host, your vocabulary becos more creative whenever you’re angry.]
[I’M GOING TO THROW SOTHING AT HIM.]
[Please don’t.]
[WHY NOT?]
[You will probably miss.]
Su Yueqing almost fainted from frustration.
Not far away, Xi Yunchen had already turned around because he was afraid he would laugh out loud.
His shoulders shook violently.
Gu Xiang looked no better.
Even Xi Yunhao had to lower his head to hide his expression.
anwhile, Li i remained silent.
However, her gaze unconsciously followed Xi Wenzhe.
A trace of worry appeared in her eyes.
The situation was becoming increasingly difficult to understand.
She had expected Xi Wenzhe to be angry after Su Yueqing openly called her his lover in front of everyone.
Yet not only had he ignored the accusation, he had calmly announced that Su Yueqing would accompany him tonight.
No matter how she looked at it, things were no longer developing according to her expectations.
Xi Wenzhe’s attention returned to Su Yueqing.
The young woman was still glaring at him as though she wanted to bite him.
For so reason, that thought nearly made him laugh.
’She’s becoming bolder every day.’
’A day ago she could barely look in the eye.’
’Now she’s arguing with in front of an entire courtyard full of servants.’
At that mont, the head maid finally recovered from her shock.
She quickly bowed.
"This servant understands."
Xi Wenzhe nodded once.
"Good."
Then he looked toward Su Yueqing one final ti.
"Do not be late."
The words sounded harmless.
Yet sohow they felt like a threat.
Su Yueqing imdiately pointed at him.
"You can’t just decide these things by yourself!"
Xi Wenzhe raised an eyebrow.
"I already did."
Then, before Su Yueqing could continue arguing, he turned around and resud walking away.
This ti he did not stop.
Xi Yunhao offered Su Yueqing an apologetic smile before following after his brother.
"Young Madam, please don’t be angry. Elder Brother is not usually like this."
"That doesn’t help!"
"It was worth a try."
Before he could say anything else, Xi Yunchen grabbed his arm and dragged him away.
"If you value your life, stop talking."
"But—"
"No."
The two brothers disappeared down the corridor together.
Gu Xiang followed behind them while trying very hard not to laugh.
Soon only the servants remained.
And at the center of the courtyard stood Su Yueqing.
Motionless and completely pale.
Inside her mind, only one thought remained.
[I’m dood.]
The system imdiately responded.
[Host.]
[What?]
[On the bright side, you still gained Villain Points today.]
There was a long pause.
.....
The atmosphere inside Xi Wenzhe’s study was completely different from the chaos that had unfolded in the courtyard earlier.
Xi Wenzhe sat behind his desk with a stack of docunts spread before him.
Although his eyes appeared focused on the report in his hands, his thoughts were not entirely on estate matters.
Every now and then, images from the courtyard resurfaced in his mind.
Su Yueqing’s expression after hearing she would accompany him to his chamber.
The disbelief.
The horror.
The look of betrayal.
For so reason, the mory was strangely amusing.
’She looked as though I had sentenced her to execution.’
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly before returning to normal.
At that mont, a knock sounded outside.
Dong Li entered after receiving permission.
The trusted guard imdiately noticed the relaxed atmosphere surrounding his master and almost found it unbelievable.
Since when had the Young Master been in such a good mood?
After bowing respectfully, he spoke.
"Young Master."
Xi Wenzhe set down the docunt in his hand.
"What is it?"
Dong Li hesitated briefly before answering.
"Li i is here."
The mont those words left his mouth, the faint amusent disappeared from Xi Wenzhe’s face.
His expression imdiately beca serious.
The change was so obvious that even Dong Li noticed it.
For a mont, silence filled the room.
Then Xi Wenzhe finally spoke.
"Let her enter."
Dong Li bowed.
"Yes, Young Master."
Without another word, he turned and left the study, closing the door quietly behind him.
Several monts later, the door opened again.
A familiar figure stepped inside.
Li i entered with her usual calm and graceful bearing.
She was dressed in the maid uniform assigned to Xi Wenzhe’s residence—a light yellow hanfu layered beneath a pale green outer robe, the colors soft and elegant rather than plain. The simple uniform could not conceal her natural beauty.
Her features were delicate and refined, with clear skin, gentle eyes, and neatly arranged hair secured with modest jade ornants suitable for a servant of higher standing. Unlike many of the younger maids who relied on costics and accessories to attract attention, Li i possessed a quiet attractiveness that appeared effortless.
Anyone seeing her for the first ti would likely mistake her for the daughter of a respectable family rather than a servant.
Years of serving within the Xi household had also given her a composed temperant that made her stand out from the others.
Unfortunately, at this mont, there was a trace of worry hidden beneath her usual calm expression.
After stepping into the room, she lowered herself into a respectful bow.
"This servant greets Young Master."
Xi Wenzhe studied her silently for a mont before speaking.
"You may rise."
Li i stood.
Neither of them spoke imdiately.
The atmosphere felt sowhat unfamiliar.
In the past, conversations between them had been easy.
Xi Wenzhe trusted her.
Li i understood him.
Neither needed to choose their words carefully.
Now, however, things had changed.
Ever since the fire incident, an invisible distance had appeared between them.
Neither had acknowledged it aloud.
Yet both could feel it.
Li i lowered her eyes.
"Young Master..."
Her voice was softer than usual.
"I ca because there is sothing I wish to explain."
Xi Wenzhe remained seated.
His gaze was calm, but not as warm as it once had been.
"What is it?"
Li i’s fingers tightened slightly within her sleeves as she stood quietly before the desk, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
She had rehearsed countless explanations before coming here. She had imagined every possible reaction from him.. anger, disappointnt, coldness, but now that she was actually standing in front of him, none of those prepared words seed sufficient.
The man seated before her was still the sa Xi Wenzhe she had known for years.
Yet sohow, he also felt like a stranger.
Finally, she lowered her head.
"Young Master, I know you are already aware of my misdeeds."
The mont the words left her mouth, Xi Wenzhe’s expression hardened slightly.
"Misdeeds?"
His voice was calm, but it carried a sharpness that imdiately made Li i’s heart tighten.
He placed the docunt in his hand aside and looked directly at her.
"No."
The single word made her nervous.
"What I am aware of are your cris."
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