A quarter of an hour later, Pei Ke had already eaten more than half of the milk pudding in his bowl, and Shen Lingwei’s story had reached its most gripping part.
As she stood to leave, Pei Ke gently tugged at her sleeve.
Seeing that timid little hand, Shen Lingwei’s heart melted.
She softly covered his hand. “Second Young Master, Bear Big Brother also needs to return to his tree hollow to sleep. It’s getting dark in the forest. If he doesn’t rest, he won’t have the strength to chase Bald Qiang away tomorrow, right?”
Pei Ke refused, still wanting to hear more.
Shen Lingwei reached out and patted his head. “Be good, close your eyes. When morning comes, I’ll bring more stories and new pastries to see you, alright?”
After struggling for a long while, Pei Ke finally compromised. He even hooked pinkies with her before obediently closing his eyes.
By the time everything was done, nearly half an hour had passed.
Shen Lingwei tucked him in, then quietly picked up the empty bowl, preparing to return to her room.
But just as she turned around, she suddenly ran into something solid behind her.
More precisely, a wall of flesh.
Caught off guard, Shen Lingwei’s entire face slammed into Pei Jinzhi’s chest. Startled, she cried out, nearly dropping the bowl in her hand.
Her foot caught on the step, and her body tilted backward uncontrollably.
At that critical moment, a large hand like an iron clamp shot out, firmly supporting her. At the same time, his other hand precisely caught the bowl that was about to shatter.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Shen Lingwei only felt a blur before her eyes. When she looked again, Pei Jinzhi’s handsome face was magnified right before her. Her breath was filled with an unfamiliar yet overpowering masculine scent.
“M-Marquis?”
Her pupils widened, her voice trembling slightly.
Under the candlelight, the lines of Pei Jinzhi’s face seemed softer, and something stirred faintly in his deep eyes.
Shen Lingwei couldn’t understand what it was.
Her mind was blank. Her nose throbbed from the impact, and tears welled up instinctively, a mist forming at the corners of her eyes.
Pei Jinzhi was also looking at her.
From this angle, he could clearly see the rise and fall of her chest after being startled, as well as the section of her neck exposed—so pale it was dazzling.
The air carried the scent of milk, mixed with the faint, unique sweetness from her body.
His throat felt dry, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
“So steady in front of Ke’er, yet in front of me, you’re like this?”
His voice was hoarse beyond reason. As he spoke, his breath brushed against Shen Lingwei’s neck, making her skin burn hot.
Shen Lingwei quickly stepped back, retreating to a safer distance, her heart pounding as if it might burst out of her chest.
“This servant was careless and accidentally offended the Marquis. I ask for your forgiveness.”
The warmth in his palm disappeared. Pei Jinzhi lowered his hand into his sleeve, rubbing it lightly.
“How is Ke’er?”
Shen Lingwei answered properly, “He just had half a bowl of milk pudding and is now resting. He’s sleeping soundly.”
Pei Jinzhi nodded, his gaze lingering briefly on her pale neck before asking, “Is someone on night duty?”
“Yes, Marquis. Chen Shitou is guarding the outer room and can respond at any time.”
“He has just suffered greatly. In the coming days, take extra care with his meals.”
“Yes…”
Their conversation continued, sentence by sentence, all revolving around Pei Ke.
Shen Lingwei couldn’t help but think that although people in the residence said the Marquis was busy with official duties and rarely visited Jinghe Courtyard, seeming distant from the young masters, perhaps the rumors were not entirely true.
At least, the Marquis did care deeply about the Second Young Master.
After giving a few more gentle instructions, Pei Jinzhi turned and left Jinghe Courtyard.
Shen Lingwei didn’t linger either. After confirming that the Second Young Master was asleep, she soon returned to the servants’ quarters.
After Cook Liu and the others were sold off, the kitchen of Jinghe Courtyard was left empty.
The Old Madam, worried that Shen Lingwei would be overwhelmed, transferred a maid from the main kitchen to assist her—specifically to handle ingredient preparation. Shen Lingwei only needed to do the cooking.
The maid was named Yinxing. She had a round face and big eyes. Because she was too fond of eating, she had been disliked in the main kitchen. Hearing that Jinghe Courtyard needed help, she was sent over.
Early the next morning, Yinxing returned from delivering food, but the dishes on the tray were untouched.
Shen Lingwei was surprised. “The Second Young Master didn’t eat at all?”
Yinxing pouted. “No. I had just brought the food over when Nanny Zhang took him away.”
Shen Lingwei grew even more alarmed. “Taken away? Where to?”
Yinxing shrugged. “Not sure. But I heard Sister Cui’er mention something about Master Hu—seems like they’re going to perform an exorcism for the Second Young Master…”
Shen Lingwei’s mind buzzed.
Hu Wang? That charlatan?
How could she have forgotten about him? Just days ago, he had been spouting nonsense about the Second Young Master being possessed and lacking a soul.
But the Second Young Master had just suffered greatly yesterday—his body hadn’t recovered. How could he endure such torment?
Not to mention the so-called talisman water containing heavy metals that would harm a child’s digestion. And the Second Young Master was already extremely sensitive to sound and smell—the rituals would involve bells, incense smoke, and suffocating fumes…
Just imagining it made Shen Lingwei’s heart sink.
She untied her apron and immediately headed out.
“Hey, Lady Shen, where are you going?”
Shen Lingwei paused, then seemed to recall something. Turning back, she said seriously, “Yinxing, listen carefully. Leave the residence immediately and find Guard Chen. Tell him to pass a message to the Marquis—say… say the Second Young Master is in trouble and ask him to return at once.”
Yinxing froze. “But I don’t have a waist token—I can’t leave!”
Shen Lingwei bit her lip.
Right. She had forgotten—the Marquis’s residence had strict rules. Without a token, servants could not leave.
Her mind raced for a solution.
At that moment, her gaze fell on An’an playing nearby, and an idea formed.
“Yinxing, do this…”
…
At the same time, in the open space of the rear courtyard.
A ritual altar three feet high had been set up, covered with yellow cloth painted with Bagua patterns.
At each of the four corners stood black flags marked with twisted symbols in cinnabar, fluttering loudly in the wind.
On the altar were arranged an incense burner, a peachwood sword, a bowl of dark red “talisman water,” and several stacks of yellow talisman papers.
Gray smoke curled upward, and a pungent mixture of incense oil and burning candles filled the courtyard.
The Old Madam sat at the main seat with a few trusted servants, while Hu Wang, dressed in a black Daoist robe and wearing a ceremonial crown, stood beside the altar.
From afar, he truly looked somewhat like an immortal sage.
Just past noon, he glanced at the sky and cupped his hands toward the Old Madam.
“Old Madam, the auspicious hour has arrived. The Second Young Master may be brought to the altar.”