After flirting with the aloof prince, the concubine ran away pregnant.

June 12th arrived in the blink of an eye, and there were only three days left until the night of the full moon.

In the afternoon, when the sun was at its strongest, Afu was serving him in the study.

Xie Xun had been reading official documents all morning, his brow slightly furrowed. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest. Afu then stood behind him and gently massaged his temples with her fingers.

These past few days, she and Tao Yao have been seeing each other almost constantly in Shi'an Courtyard, and the atmosphere between them is tense. However, in front of Xie Xun, they are both incredibly submissive.

Afu was too lazy to argue. If Xie Xun used the snacks and soups that Tao Yao brought, she would quietly take away the ones she had made herself, without saying a word.

Xie Xun seemed to have gotten used to her silence and didn't ask any more questions, but every afternoon without fail, he would ask her to come and serve him with his writing materials.

The study was filled with the faint scent of pine, mingled with the fragrance of gardenias drifting in from the window, which eased some of the summer heat. Afu's fingertips traced circles with a light touch, and Xie Xun's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

She looked at his profile, so close to hers. His long eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyes, and his usual cold and dignified demeanor had faded, revealing a rare gentleness.

"Young Master." Changsong's voice came from outside the door, and then the curtain was lifted, and Granny Wen walked in with a gold-lacquered tray and a kind smile on her face.

Afu paused in her actions, silently withdrew her hand, and stood aside with her head down.

"Why is Granny here?" Xie Xun opened his eyes, sat up straight, and spoke with respect for his elders.

"This old servant has prepared bird's nest and lotus seed soup for the young master, it's good for clearing heat and reducing internal fire." Granny Wen placed the sweet white porcelain bowl on the desk, but her eyes glanced at Afu.

She quickly looked away, sighed, and showed a mixture of heartache and embarrassment on her face.

"This old servant has come today to ask the young master for a favor," said Granny Wen, slightly bending her knees as she spoke.

Xie Xun immediately said, "What are you doing, Granny? Just say what you have to say."

Granny Wen straightened up, her face full of worry: "It's all because of Yao'er. The other day, in order to make that snow crystal cake for you, she insisted on pounding the glutinous rice flour over and over again, saying that this way the skin would be chewy enough."

Now, my wrists are red and swollen, and the pain keeps me up at night.

We consulted Doctor Lu, who only said it was due to overwork and that I needed to massage myself with medicated oil every day to improve blood circulation.

As she spoke, she touched the corner of her eye with a handkerchief, her voice trembling slightly: "This old servant is getting old and doesn't know how to use her hands properly. The female physician in the manor is not here. After thinking it over, I realized that among everyone in the manor, only Miss Afu's hands are the most skillful. She can even soothe your headache, Your Highness."

Granny Wen turned to Afu, a humble smile plastered on her face: "So this old servant has swallowed her pride and come to beg the young master, and also to beg Miss Afu, could you trouble yourself to go to Luoqi Garden for half an hour each evening for the next few days to massage Yao'er's wrists? This old servant knows that this is really unfair to Miss, but..."

Afu lowered her eyes, her heart sinking deeper and deeper.

What a clever tactic of feigning retreat to advance! Granny Wen has lowered her stance so much and spoken so earnestly that if Xie Xun were to refuse, it would seem as if he were heartless.

Afu subconsciously looked up at Xie Xun.

Xie Xun's gaze fell on the bowl of bird's nest soup on the table, and he remained silent for a moment. He didn't look at Afu, as if she were just a decoration in the study.

The next moment, she heard Xie Xun's clear voice.

"In that case, we shall do as you say, Granny." His voice was devoid of emotion, as if he were agreeing to something utterly mundane. "Ah Fu, these next few days, go to Luo Qi Yuan after dinner."

She suddenly found it somewhat ridiculous; what was she expecting?

I hope Xie Xun will defy Granny Wen for the sake of her, his concubine?

He finally looked at her, but his gaze left no room for negotiation.

In that instant, Tao Yao's words, "You're nothing but a toy," echoed clearly in my ears again.

In Xie Xun's mind, she, as a concubine, was no different from any other maidservant he could order around at will.

He could teach her to write on a whim, or he could send her to be tormented by others just because of a word from Granny Wen.

The budding, romantic thoughts that Afu dared not delve into were completely wiped away by this bucket of cold water, leaving only a pile of cold ashes.

She lowered her head, bent her knees, and spoke in a completely calm voice.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Granny Wen's face immediately lit up with a relieved and grateful smile: "Thank you, Young Master, thank you, Miss Afu. Don't worry, Miss, I will make sure you don't work in vain."

Afu didn't reply, but simply took a step back, disappearing back into the shadows of the corner.

Granny Wen chatted with Xie Xun for a few more minutes, and after watching him eat half a bowl of bird's nest soup, she took her leave with satisfaction, carrying the lacquer tray.

The study returned to silence.

Afu stood still, motionless, like a soulless wooden sculpture.

"Come here." Xie Xun's voice broke the silence.

Afu stepped forward.

"Grind the ink."

"Yes."

She walked to the desk, picked up the ink stick, and slowly drew circles in the inkstone. Her movements were steady, her eyes were lowered, and her expression was unreadable.

Xie Xun looked at her slender wrists and suddenly asked, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

Afu continued what she was doing and replied in a low voice, "This servant wouldn't dare."

"If you don't dare, then you're pregnant." Xie Xun's tone carried a hint of inquiry. "Do you feel wronged?"

Afu stopped grinding ink, raised her head, and met his gaze.

She forced a faint smile, saying, "It is my honor to share Miss Taoyao's burdens. How can you say I'm wronged?"

Xie Xun gave her a deep look, then didn't press the matter further. He picked up his brush again, dipped it in the ink she had just ground, and said calmly, "It's enough that you know your place."

After saying that, he lowered his head and focused on the official documents in front of him, not giving Afu another glance.

Afu lowered her eyes and continued grinding ink. The faint fragrance of ink lingered in her nostrils, but her heart felt a little heavy.

Stepping out of the study, the wind in the corridor carried a wave of heat, yet it made her feel chilly as it blew against her face.

She stopped at the corner of the covered walkway, leaning against a vermilion pillar, trying to let the pent-up frustration in her chest dissipate.

Little did they know that Xie Xun had summoned his personal guards to his study.

"Changbai".

A very brief response rang out, the voice hoarse and low: "Here."

Xie Xun's voice was icy: "Starting tonight, go to Luo Qi Yuan with Afu."

"Keep a close watch on Tao Yao and A Fu's every move," Xie Xun paused, "and report back immediately if anything seems amiss."

The man named Changbai responded with a "Yes," and then fell silent, as if a shadow had vanished into the air.