Chapter Eleven: Masterclass in Acting

Pei Zhouwu finally asked the question.

Whose maid was she, exactly? Liu Fuying had long considered how to fabricate the answer.

The main issue was the clothing she’d been wearing when he saved her the first time—clearly expensive. Covering that up convincingly wouldn’t be easy.

Claiming to be married wouldn’t work either.

Even if it somehow succeeded in the end, the process would be ten times harder and messier.

Claiming to be a young noble lady was no good either.

Eventually, he’d never accept that a noble daughter would throw away her life of luxury to stay by his side and suffer in this place. He’d reject her outright.

So she’d settled on something pitiful. No parents. No ties. No baggage.

The key was believability.

In the capital, the maids of noble families often lived more comfortably than the daughters of ordinary households. They had no reason to run away and suffer like this.

“I… I’m…”

Her hesitation only deepened Pei Zhouwu’s suspicion.

“What’s wrong? Why can’t you say it?”

Liu Fuying stammered, her face troubled as though she didn’t know how to speak.

“It’s not that I can’t… I’m just afraid you’ll laugh at me, Your Grace.”

“Laugh at what?”

Pei Zhouwu looked at her directly, tone serious: “I’ve fallen this far—am I a joke to you? Do you find me ridiculous?”

“No. I’d never think that.”

The meaning was clear. He wouldn’t laugh at her either.

Pei Zhouwu’s curiosity had been pushed to its peak. If she didn’t answer soon, he really might get angry. She kept her head down, but couldn’t hide the delight blooming in her chest.

“I was… a maid in the household of the late Prince Qi.”

Hearing that, Pei Zhouwu’s brow furrowed tightly.

He knew Prince Qi.

“I served in the residence of the Dowager Princess, Prince Qi’s mother. She was a kind lady, never once scolded or beat her maids.”

That explanation softened Pei Zhouwu’s expression.

It was true. The Dowager Princess was known for her devotion to ritual and religion—she visited the temple every month to burn incense and pray. That was common knowledge in the capital.

“But…” Liu Fuying hesitated again.

“But what? Go on.”

“But Prince Qi… he was a lustful man. I believe Your Grace has heard the rumors. He wanted… to take me as a concubine.”

At that, Pei Zhouwu’s newly smoothed brows instantly tensed again.

“I refused. He’s already fifty. The Dowager Princess even asked me herself, and when she learned I was unwilling, she didn’t force me. She’s a good person, didn’t want to burden her soul with such a sin, so she kept Prince Qi at bay.”

“And then?”

“Then, with no other option, he said he’d adopt me as a goddaughter. But that was just a cover. He kept finding excuses to get close. If it weren’t for his mother still being alive… he would’ve already…”

By now, the story was clear.

No wonder she had worn such fine clothes but claimed to be a maid. No wonder her rough hands didn’t match her polished appearance.

“My parents died long ago. My greedy uncle nearly sold me to a brothel. I was struggling on the streets when the Dowager Princess saw me returning from a temple visit. She took pity and brought me to the Prince’s estate. Right now, she can still protect me somewhat, but she’s old. Her health is declining fast. If something happens to her…”

If something happened, she’d fall into Prince Qi’s clutches.

Pei Zhouwu listened in silence, though his mind was far from calm.

By the sound of it, her life was just as hard as his—if not harder.

Everyone carried their own pain. He didn’t know how to comfort her, so he only asked, “When you went back last time, did the Dowager Princess suspect anything?”

“No.”

Liu Fuying leaned against the window. The sunlight streamed down her back in golden layers, and when she suddenly smiled, the sight was dazzling.

How could she still smile?

Pei Zhouwu let out a faint sigh. Maybe she smiled just to ease the heavy mood—so he wouldn’t worry. Pretending she didn’t mind.

“The young heir in the estate wanted a rabbit. I told them I was going into the mountains to catch one. I’ve done that before—rabbits, pheasants, I’m good at it. As for being soaked, I claimed I slipped and fell into a forest pond. No one questioned it.”

“You’re very thorough.” Pei Zhouwu commented softly.

He couldn’t quite name the emotion. Only felt a tightness in his chest.

She was already struggling, yet still willing to risk herself to come see him…

“What about this time? What excuse will you use?” he asked.

“No need to worry about that, I’ve already got it planned out. Oh, wait, Your Grace—just a moment.”

Mid-sentence, she suddenly left the window.

Then she dashed outside, no explanation given.

She ran around the bamboo grove and headed toward where they’d come from. When she returned, she was carrying a bulging cloth bundle.

The weather was hot, and the short run had made her sweat.

Her hair was already damp from before, and now it was sticky with sweat too—but none of it dimmed her brightness.

She returned beaming and untied the bundle on the table.

“I noticed you’ve gotten thinner, so I brought you some food. The most important thing is taking care of yourself. As long as the green hills remain, there’s hope.”

She pulled out item after item, and Pei Zhouwu sighed again.

At first, he understood that saying—“as long as the green hills remain.” So for the first few months, he really had taken care of himself. The meals were poor, even tampered with, but he ate every last bite.

Sometimes he caught a dying eagle, or a snake, or an injured bird. He cooked those too.

But after being shut away for so long, self-doubt crept in.

“The roast chicken and duck need to be eaten soon—it’s hot and they’ll spoil fast. The smoked cured meat can last longer. And the fruit, don’t forget to eat those too. And these pastries—I made them myself.”

She picked up a delicate pink and white pastry and held it out to him with a smile.

“I tried it—it tastes good. Do you want some?”

Her eyes were full of expectation, but Pei Zhouwu only looked grave.

“It’s fine,” she said with a sheepish laugh, placing the pastry back. “If you’re not hungry now, you can eat it later. It won’t spoil right away.”

Pei Zhouwu stared at her face, not saying a word—but Liu Fuying understood his meaning clearly.

He didn’t want her going to such lengths for him.

“Um… I’ll help tidy up the room then.”

She raked a hand through her hair, feigning awkwardness as she turned around. Even though Pei Zhouwu had told her before not to do these things for him, she still needed a way to ease the mood.

She had to admit—her acting was flawless.

So deep into the role that even she almost forgot it was a performance.

On the washstand sat a sharp stone knife, likely used for shaving. When she saw it, her heart gave a little lurch.

He still bothered to groom himself?

What did that mean?

It meant that deep down, he hadn’t given up on life. He still wanted to leave this place—something was just holding him back.

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Pei Zhouwu reaching toward her from behind.

When she finally did, she startled—and in her flinch, the knife in her hand accidentally cut his.

The wound split open at the base of his left thumb, and blood immediately began to flow.

Her mind raced—and just like that, a plan formed.