Before meeting A’Yuan, Wei Xun had never anticipated having children.
Even a wife, to him, was merely a tool for continuing the family line.
He would grant her dignity and the authority to manage the household, but love was the one thing he could not give.
Yet, with A’Yuan, Wei Xun always found himself softening. For someone of her background, life was already difficult—who else could she rely on but him?
While favoring a concubine over the wife was the root of family discord, his A’Yuan was so obedient and well-behaved. Naturally, she would not grow arrogant from his favor. As long as the wife was magnanimous enough to tolerate her, the household would remain peaceful.
Wei Xun had been exceptionally gifted since childhood, accustomed to controlling everything. Yet he did not know that the human heart could not be controlled.
In the flickering candlelight, the man tightened his grip around her waist, his dark eyes turbulent.
“A’Yuan, who am I?”
A’Yuan bit her lip, her voice trembling as if on the verge of tears.
“…Master… You are… the Young Master…”
Waves surged in the sea, nearly capsizing A’Yuan’s solitary boat.
“Hengzhi… A’Yuan, call me Hengzhi.”
Wei Hengzhi—Wei Xun’s courtesy name, reserved only for those close to him.
A’Yuan was dazed, but her remaining reason reminded her that she was not worthy.
Hengzhi was a name only the Young Master’s wife should call him. As a mere bedchamber attendant, she could not overstep her bounds.
She lowered her gaze slightly, hiding the pain in her eyes, and raised her arms, pleading softly.
“Young Master, please be gentle with A’Yuan…”
Wei Xun tried every means, yet he still could not hear his name from A’Yuan’s lips.
He looked down at the little bedchamber attendant nestled obediently in his arms, her voice hoarse from crying.
Though they were so close, Wei Xun always felt that A’Yuan was like the wind—if he were not careful, she would slip through his fingers.
A pang of pain struck his heart, and he lowered his head to kiss her lips.
…
When A’Yuan awoke the next day, the space beside her was already empty.
Wei Xun rarely stayed the night, so she had long grown accustomed to it.
A’Yuan hugged the blanket and sat up, her legs sore and weak, devoid of strength. Her throat was dry and hoarse from crying and pleading.
“Chun Tao, bring me a cup of water.”
Leaning against the headboard, her delicate face glowed with the flush of spring.
The green gauze curtain was drawn aside, and a steaming cup was handed to her. A’Yuan took it without even looking.
As the warm honeyed water flowed down her throat, her parched throat finally felt some relief.
“More?”
A man’s deep voice sounded above her. A’Yuan tightened her grip on the cup and looked up abruptly.
“…Young Master, why are you here? Where is Chun Tao?”
She had not expected Wei Xun to still be here at this hour. Shouldn’t he be busy with official duties?
Wei Xun did not answer her question, turning instead to pour her another cup of honeyed water.
A’Yuan was indeed extremely thirsty. Since Wei Xun did not speak, she could not press for an answer. It was better to drink more water to soothe her throat.
Her soft lips, moistened by the honeyed water, appeared even more rosy.
The man’s thumb pressed against them, smearing the excess moisture before slowly wiping it away.
After a long while, he finally withdrew his hand.
“Chun Tao is outside. Call her in later to attend to you. Now, help me change.”
With that, Wei Xun retrieved a robe from the nearby stand.
A’Yuan took it and immediately recognized it as the one she had made.
Yesterday, after being scolded by Wei Xun, she had hastily handed the robe to Chang Yuan, not daring to ask whether Wei Xun liked it.
Now, he had specifically brought it back and waited for her to wake up so he could wear it. A pang of bitterness washed over A’Yuan’s heart.
Why did he have to be so good? If he had been a little worse to her, she wouldn’t be feeling this miserable now.
“Yes.”
A’Yuan lowered her head meekly and responded, then stood up and draped an outer garment over herself, barefoot on the floor.
The icy chill seeped in, causing her to shiver involuntarily.
Wei Xun’s brows furrowed slightly as he reached out and lifted her up, guiding A’Yuan to step onto his feet.
“Master…” A’Yuan’s small hands clutched tightly at his lapel.
Wei Xun’s cool voice came from above her head, “Just wear it like this.”
A’Yuan never dared to disobey her master’s orders.
Bearing the shame, she struggled to help Wei Xun remove his outer robe and replace it with the new one she had made.
“Enough!”
The robe was only halfway on when Wei Xun pushed her away.
His method of tormenting A’Yuan ended up tormenting only himself.
“I’ll do it myself.”
Wei Xun moved her hands aside and swiftly put on the clothes himself.
He lowered his head and tugged at his lips, a sense of helplessness flickering in his heart.
When it came to A’Yuan, even his most prized self-control completely faltered.
Seeing the little concubine whose legs were so weak she could barely stand steady, Wei Xun’s expression softened.
“Go back to bed and sleep a bit more. Didn’t you cry and complain about being tired last night?”
“Master!”
A’Yuan tiptoed and reached out to cover the man’s lips, her charming almond-shaped eyes flashing with embarrassment and annoyance, giving her more vitality than the fragile state she had shown earlier.
“I didn’t…”
Wei Xun chuckled lightly, scooped her up horizontally, and placed her on the bed.
His tall nose tip brushed against her palm and finally landed a kiss.
“Yes, you didn’t. It was all me wronging A’Yuan.”
A’Yuan couldn’t resist such tenderness from him. Mist gathered in her eyes, and her heart filled with grievance.
“Master, don’t tease me.”
She would lose control and fall deeper.
But whenever she thought that such tenderness would belong to someone else in the future, her heart hardened.
Wei Xun didn’t understand the little concubine’s sorrow, thinking only that she was shy. He pinched the soft flesh on her cheek before standing up.
“Alright, sleep now. I’m leaving.”
A pile of official documents had accumulated at the government office, and he had indeed lingered too long today.
Wei Xun was extremely gentle when coaxing her, but he was also more decisive than anyone when withdrawing.
The opening and closing of the door brought a gust of cold wind, making A’Yuan’s mind even clearer. She was merely Wei Xun’s plaything; perhaps someday when Wei Xun grew tired of her, he would discard her without any attachment, just like this.
A’Yuan lowered her head, a trace of bitterness flickering in her eyes, yet somewhere in her heart grew even more resolute.