Waaah, I'm being forced into loving my yandere wife's brain.

"Miss Lin."

Shen Jin spoke, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, with a lazy huskiness, so gentle it was hard to tell if he was male or female, "Your father's letter said that your embroidery skills are excellent. Did you make this tassel around your waist yourself?"

Lin Zhiyao's palms were sweaty. She curtsied and said in a barely steady voice, "Your Majesty, it was I who struck you."

Shen Jin gave a soft hum, withdrew his gaze, propped his chin up with one hand, seemingly very tired, and closed his eyes again.

He kept his eyes closed, only slightly raising his chin, gesturing to the eunuch standing beside him: "What are you standing there for? Go and serve Miss Lin tea."

Shen Jin never got up from beginning to end.

Wearing a red robe and a golden python, with a jade hairpin and black hair, she sat in that dimly lit space, her feminine beauty almost eerie, yet an invisible pressure pressed down on the entire room, making even the air seem heavier.

This was different from what Lin Zhiyao had initially thought. She had assumed that since the Ninth Prince had uttered such words, he must be a lustful man, and that she would likely be taken advantage of as soon as she entered the sect.

"Miss Lin, be careful, it's hot."

Lin Zhiyao took the teacup, her fingertips trembling. She lowered her head, the tea reflecting her face; her almond-shaped eyes were watery, but her lips were pale.

But no matter how different Shen Jin, the Ninth Prince, was from her expectations...

Her purpose for coming here has not changed.

Lin Zhiyao recalled the words her father and brother had said when they handed her the poison.

"The powder is colorless and odorless, and it penetrates the skin immediately. Find an opportunity to apply it to the side of his neck or the rim of a teacup. After you succeed, you don't need to return to the mansion. Go straight to Donghua Gate. There... our former subordinates will meet you there. Yao Yao, from now on, you don't need to return to the capital."

Lin Zhiyao turned her gaze to the tea beside her.

She was still thinking about how to find an opportunity to poison him when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Shen Jin kept his eyes closed, not even lifting his eyelids, and spoke lazily.

The eunuch who had just led Lin Zhiyao in bowed as he entered the room. He quickly glanced at Lin Zhiyao before reporting to Shen Jin: "My lord, the fish feed is ready and has been brought into the mansion and placed by the lotus pond."

Shen Jin didn't even blink, only letting out a lazy "hmm" from his throat, "Go."

Then, as if remembering something, she raised her finger and tapped the shoulder of the little eunuch beside her.

"You go too, and watch them put things away properly, don't leave them in a mess."

"Yes, sir."

The two eunuchs bowed and withdrew, the black lacquered door closing behind them, and the room suddenly fell silent.

Despite receiving several orders, Shen Jin kept his eyes closed.

Lin Zhiyao, however, was drawn to the words "feeding fish".

Lin Zhiyao lowered her eyelashes and quickly glanced at Shen Jin, who was resting with his eyes closed. She remembered that her father had mentioned that Shen Jin kept a pond of fish in this yard and treasured them very much. Now it seemed that he really did have this habit.

Such a ruthless killer has such leisure and refined tastes.

But she didn't have time to think it over; the opportunity was right in front of her.

Lin Zhiyao took a light breath, slowly pulled the silver hairpin from her hair, pinched the hairpin between her fingertips, twisted it, and fine powder fell from the hollow part, all of it falling into the untouched tea cup beside her.

The powder dissolves instantly in water, leaving no color or residue.

Lin Zhiyao put the silver hairpin back into her hair bun, picked up the teacup, and moved naturally as if she were going to add water.

She walked to the small tea table in the corner of the room, picked up the copper kettle, shook it as if she was doing something, then picked up the teacup that had been spiked with ingredients and walked slowly to Shen Jin's side.

"Your Excellency," she said softly, with a hint of timidity, "I noticed you haven't had tea in a while, and I was afraid it had gone cold, so I specially refilled it with hot tea for you. If you don't mind, please allow me to serve you a sip."

Shen Jin did not answer.

Lin Zhiyao's heart tightened, but seeing that he did not stop her, she boldly bent down and gently placed the teacup on the square table next to him. The bottom of the teacup touched the wooden surface and made a very soft "tap".

One last step is needed.

He'll succeed as long as he drinks it!

Lin Zhiyao was overjoyed.

Just as she was about to straighten up and step back, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Lin Zhiyao turned her head as if she had been electrocuted, only to find that Shen Jin had opened his eyes at some point.

She was met with a pair of fox eyes that had been fully opened at some point.

Those eyes were deep and dark, their depths calm to the point of indifference, yet they held a hint of amusement, like a hunter watching a sparrow that thought it was well hidden.

Lin Zhiyao's throat was dry, her body was stiff and cold, and her blood felt like it was flowing backwards.

Have we been discovered?

"Miss Lin, why are you stepping back? If you're supposed to be serving someone, don't you know you should stand properly in front of them?"

Shen Jin spoke slowly, the smile on his lips ambiguous.

Then, he let go.

They seemed unaware of her subtle actions.

Lin Zhiyao was feeling uneasy, wondering if he had found out yet.

But she could only force a smile so that Shen Jin wouldn't notice the slightest mistake. Holding the tea, she half-squatted and served it to Shen Jin, "Your Highness, please have some tea."

The two were less than an arm's length apart.

We're closer now.

Lin Zhiyao only then realized it.

Compared to Shen Jin's imposing aura, what's most striking about him is actually his face.

Her skin was extremely fair, yet her lips were a deep red, as if she had just applied rouge.

He had a straight nose, slightly upturned eyes, and a pair of fox-like eyes that were half-closed as he looked down at her. His eyelashes were thick and long, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.

Shen Jin picked up the teacup.

His slender fingers gripped the rim of the cup, but instead of bringing it to his lips, he glanced at the tea first.

Lin Zhiyao suppressed the wild joy in her heart and tried her best to remain calm, only her almond-shaped eyes brightened slightly.

Shen Jin suddenly chuckled, very softly, like a viper flicking its tongue, then with a flick of his wrist, he handed the teacup to her.

"Miss Lin, it's so hot today, you've been serving me all day and you're not even thirsty?" Shen Jin's voice was slow and leisurely. "How about we have a drink together?"

Lin Zhiyao felt a chill run through her body, her pupils constricted sharply, and her smile froze on her lips.

"Your Majesty is too kind. My humble status makes me unworthy to share a cup of tea with you..."

"No one who follows me is unworthy of anything."

Shen Jin's fox-like eyes curved slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He moved the teacup forward an inch, the rim almost touching her lower lip.

Lin Zhiyao stared at the tea cup she had personally poisoned, her nails digging into her palms.

Looking up, she saw Shen Jin looking at her with a half-smile.

Did he already know?

But if you refuse to drink it now, wouldn't that clearly mean there's something wrong with the tea?

He might drink it, and who knows, he might drink more.

Lin Zhiyao suddenly felt her blood run cold, but then a sense of recklessness arose within her.

Anyway, I didn't plan to go back alive before I came. Dying by poison and leaving a whole corpse is better than falling into his hands and suffering torture. It might even be the best ending.