The house on Wutong Lane didn’t have a bath tub, so Rong Rong had always bathed with a rinse.

Su Xin had brought rose oil and offered to massage it on her to soothe her muscles and invigorate her blood flow.

Just as Rong Rong was about to get up and follow Su Xin, the earlier departing Jade suddenly rushed in, “Miss Zhenzhen has arrived.”

Zhenzhen?

Rong Rong was surprised.

Why would Zhenzhen come at this hour? Could something have happened at the marquisate?

“Quickly, invite her in.”

Feicui responded and soon brought Zhenzhen back. Zhenzhen entered with a bundle in her arms, head lowered.

Seeing the bundle, Rong Rong immediately got up to greet her with joy, “You’ve redeemed yourself?”

Zhenzhen nodded.

“Wonderful,” Rong Rong was genuinely happy for Zhenzhen.

She took the bundle from her and grabbed her hand, saying, “From now on, this is your home. We are truly like sisters.”

“Rong Rong, can I really live here?”

“Of course,” Rong Rong replied. “I’ve already talked to Grandmother and Second Brother about it. My grandmother won’t mind having another granddaughter.”

“Lord Xie didn’t ask for my ransom money. The one hundred taels you gave me were just used to pay Second Brother Xie,” Zhenzhen said.

Rongrong grimaced, “At least he still has a bit of conscience!”

Zhenzhen knew she was speaking of Young Master Xie and gave a faint smile, glancing at the maids Liuli, Feicui, and Su Xin in the room.

She whispered, “Rongrong, I have something to tell you.”

Rongrong nodded, indicating for them to leave.

“Yes, Miss.” The three maids exited the room.

With only Zhenzhen and Rongrong left, Rongrong waited for a moment but Zhenzhen remained silent, so she asked, “Why did you come so late? Did the Young Master make things difficult for you?”

“I went to the Jingzhao Prefecture early this morning to handle the matter of my release.

The office was crowded and busy. I only got my turn when the official was about to leave for home. I was starving by the time I came out, so I had something to eat, which is why I’m late.”

Seeing the bloodshot eyes and tired look on Zhenzhen, Rongrong felt a pang of sympathy. “You should have come to me first with the release papers. I could have had Liuli arrange things. They have the Eastern Palace’s token, so the Jingzhao Prefecture wouldn’t dare delay.”

“I can’t keep troubling you with everything.”

“Have you been freed from your servant status?” Rongrong asked again.

“Yes,” Zhenzhen affirmed with a nod.

She had never imagined that someone bound by a death contract with the Marquis residence could ever be freed.

Rongrong felt a huge weight lift from her heart.

After a moment of thought, she sighed, “The young master was quite straightforward this time; didn’t he say anything?”

Zhenzhen shook her head, “He’s been heartbroken recently.”

“Heartbroken?” Rongrong was unconvinced, “You’ve waited so long for a promotion, and you’re the one who should be heartbroken.”

Zhenzhen bit her lip and remained silent.

Rongrong hadn’t thought much of it earlier, but seeing Zhenzhen now, she felt that there was something unnatural about her expression.

“Is there something else you want to say?”

At Rongrong’s question, Zhenzhen clasped her hands tightly and looked around anxiously, not daring to meet Rongrong’s gaze.

“What’s going on?” Rongrong pressed.

“I… I had a… encounter with the Prince…”

As soon as she heard these four words, Rongrong had a bad premonition but forced herself to listen further.

Zhenzhen stammered, “I… I spent the night with him… I… I gave myself to him.”

“Gave?”

“What did you give?” Rongrong’s heart almost leapt out of her chest.

Zhenzhen managed to say the hardest part, and after that, it became easier for her to continue.

“I gave him myself.”

“Ah, Zhenzhen, you! You!” Rongrong was truly exasperated and felt like shaking Zhenzhen, but she was also deeply concerned, stamping her foot in frustration, “You’ve already been freed, how could you still give yourself to him?”

“Because,” Zhenzhen began to cry as she spoke, seeing Rongrong so upset, “Rongrong, I know you’re doing this for my sake, but I really can’t let go of the Young Master. I… I couldn’t bear to see him like that.”

“I didn’t ask you to let him go; I just wanted you to leave the Marquis residence first. I didn’t ask you to abandon him. What’s so hard to bear? He’s a Marquis son; what’s there for you to feel sorry about?”

Zhenzhen knew Rongrong was only thinking of her, and hearing Rongrong’s words, she had no counterargument and just lowered her head, crying.

Seeing Zhenzhen like this, Rongrong’s frustration was redirected, unable to stay angry.

After a while, she asked, “What will you do now?”

Zhenzhen remained silent, her head bowed.

Rongrong sighed heavily and asked, “Are you… okay?”

Zhenzhen understood what Rongrong was asking.

She lowered her head and, in a faint voice, said, “The Young Master… he was very gentle.”

Seeing her blushing cheeks and shy demeanor, Rongrong sighed, “Does it hurt?”

Zhenzhen bit her lip, not daring to speak, her face flushed like a furnace.

“Speak!”

Zhenzhen hesitated a long while before finally saying, “My back is sore today, and… and it hurts a bit down there too.”

“If your back hurts, just lie on the bed,” Rongrong said gruffly.

Seeing Zhenzhen still standing, she pulled her arm and guided her to the bed.

Zhenzhen was utterly exhausted and finally lay down, feeling her whole body relax.

Rong Rong looked at her and sighed.

There was so much frustration inside her, she felt she couldn’t sigh it all out.

Seeing Zhenzhen turning in distress, biting her lip, she asked, “Rong Rong, do you look down on me?”

“Don’t be silly, why would I look down on you? I’m…” Rong Rong started to speak but was immediately troubled again, “I just don’t trust the Young Master.”

“Not possible. He said that as soon as he returns, he will come back to get me to the marquisate.”

“He said that to you?”

Zhenzhen nodded vigorously.

“And you believed him?”

Zhenzhen nodded again.

Rong Rong rolled her eyes in exasperation, “Where is he going? Why does he need you to wait?”

“The Young Master is sending the Third Miss back to her hometown. Before he returned, he received a decree ordering him to quickly go to Nan Zhao to quell the rebellion.”

“Nan Zhao?”

Zhenzhen nodded, “It’s said that the general sent by the court to quell the rebellion was poisoned by the local resident, and now the army has no commander. The Emperor ordered the Young Master to set off immediately. He only stayed at the marquisate for one night and left before dawn today.”

With a look of deep worry, Zhenzhen continued, “I heard from Xin Zhi that the people in Nan Zhao practice witchcraft and poison arts. This trip will be extremely dangerous for him.”

“So, you softened your heart?” Rong Rong said with a hint of irritation.

Zhenzhen, feeling embarrassed, lowered her head even further.

After a moment, she pulled Rong Rong’s hand and said, “Rong Rong, if the Crown Prince returns to the capital, could you speak to him and ask him to have the Young Master recalled to the capital?”

“I have no say in military matters,” Rong Rong replied. “And don’t worry too much. The Young Master has been on the battlefield before; he can take care of himself. But you…”

“What about me? I’m fine.”

Silly girl.

Rong Rong turned to the cupboard and took out a box of ointment. “Pull up your covers. I’ll take a look.”

“Look at what?” Zhenzhen asked in a bit of panic.

“You said it hurts, right? Let me apply some ointment. It will help ease the pain.”

“No need, Rong Rong. I… I’m too embarrassed.”

“Is it okay for him to touch you but not for me?”

“It’s not that, it’s just… it’s different,” Zhenzhen stammered, pulling the covers over her face.

“Anyway, you trust him more than you trust me!”

Rong Rong’s face was stern as she lifted the covers and began unbuttoning Zhenzhen’s dress.

“Sure enough, it’s swollen,” Rong Rong sighed and gently applied the ointment, her heart unable to stop resenting Xie Yuanchu. “He’s experienced, but you’re a novice. He’s only thinking about his own pleasure and doesn’t consider your feelings.”

“He was very gentle last night,” Zhenzhen said.

She could feel his tenderness, and besides, later she…

Hearing Zhenzhen defend Xie Yuanchu in detail, Rong Rong knew that arguing further was pointless.

She finished applying the ointment with a grudge.

Once she was done, Zhenzhen uncovered her face from under the blanket and said, “Rong Rong, you’re so kind to me.”

“Being kind to you is pointless if you don’t listen to me. As soon as someone else beckons you, you fall for it.”

Seeing Rong Rong’s expression, Zhenzhen laughed brightly, “Don’t always tease me. You’ve been in the Eastern Palace for so long; didn’t you have anything with the Crown Prince?”

“Of course not,” Rong Rong replied firmly.

Although she felt a bit guilty at Zhenzhen’s question, she had never taken the final step with Liu Zhen, so she remained adamant.

Zhenzhen’s eyes widened in surprise, “Really? Then… didn’t he ask you for it?”

After last night, Zhenzhen had a better understanding of such matters and was much bolder in conversation.

“Well, of course, he thought about it.”

“And you didn’t give in, so he can comply with you?” Zhenzhen pressed.

“I just dragged it out. One day at a time.”

Zhenzhen burst out laughing, “I thought you had some brilliant plan. Turns out you just procrastinate. Tonight you just laugh at me, but I see you’ll be…”

“I won’t! Be quiet. Don’t listen to me, and see how I deal with you!”

Saying this, Rong Rong jumped onto the couch and started wrestling with Zhenzhen.