Wang Zhou had to deliver the package once every month. Over the past year, whenever this time came, his face would light up with an irrepressible smile.

But today, Rong Ting’s piercing gaze had unsettled him deeply, filling his heart with unease and planting a trace of irritation on his face.

As he walked toward the bustling downtown area, his mind churned with thoughts. Once he returned, he was determined to test the waters—to see if Rong Ting had already discovered his embezzlement.

If Rong Ting had indeed found out—

A glint of malice flickered in Wang Zhou’s eyes. If that were the case, perhaps it would be best to simply get rid of him.

After all, what was Rong Ting now but a cripple with two useless legs, barely clinging to life?

Half-dead already, his existence was hardly different from being truly dead.

Lost in thought, Wang Zhou failed to notice someone approaching from the opposite direction.

Their shoulders collided with a heavy thud, jolting Wang Zhou’s right shoulder sharply backward. He stumbled to regain his balance and burst into a tirade. “Watch where you’re going!”

The person he had bumped into was a short man wearing a black felt hat. The man kept his head low, bowing repeatedly in apology.

Wang Zhou impatiently shoved the man aside. “Get out of my way, you unlucky fool! I’m in a good mood today, so I won’t bother with someone as blind as you. Now scram!”

The man in the black felt hat quickly stepped away. When he reached the corner, however, he paused, a sly smile curling at his lips.

He removed his hat, retrieved a pouch from inside his robe, and handed it to the person in front of him. “Miss, here’s what you asked for.”

Jiang Rao took the pouch, opened it, and revealed the silver inside.

The man in the hat explained, “I overheard him talking, he said all sixteen taels of his monthly pay were spent on medicine. Sixteen taels—what kind of medicine costs that much? Obviously, he’s been pocketing the money for himself! Outrageous. As you instructed, I replaced the silver with stones.”

Jiang Rao counted the coins in the pouch.

Exactly sixteen taels.

Now it made sense. Why would a young master of a once-prominent Jinling family fall to such a state—unable to treat his illness, with not even a single piece of coal to warm his home?

The thought that all the money meant for his treatment and medicine over the past year had been stolen by Wang Zhou, this vile servant, leaving his leg injuries so severe that even medicine was useless, ignited a flush of anger on Jiang Rao’s delicate face. “I’ll find a way to return this money to its rightful owner. As for Wang Zhou, keep tailing him,” she instructed firmly.

The man in the felt hat, Jiang Ping, had been an orphan who once begged and stole on the streets. At the age of six, Jiang Rao’s father had taken him in and given him a name and a place in the Jiang household.

Thanks to his childhood spent surviving on the streets, Jiang Ping was far more alert and resourceful than the average servant.

He readily agreed, changed his outfit, and continued tailing Wang Zhou. With a cheerful grin, he waited eagerly to see the man’s reaction when he tried to spend stones as silver.

…….

Struck by sudden fortune, Wang Zhou naturally indulged himself with the finest food, clothes, and entertainment.

Before night fell, and while the gambling dens were still warming up, Wang Zhou swaggered into the most upscale restaurant in town. He boldly requested the best private dining room.

The restaurant owner, who had been surprised the first time he saw Wang Zhou dining there a year ago, now regarded him as a regular. Recognizing him instantly, the owner personally came over to inquire. “What would you like to order today, sir?”

“Stir-fried pigeon with coriander, stuffed scallops, mushroom soup with bird’s nest, drunken shrimp, honey-glazed ham, and the famous Hong Mansion rice dumplings. And bring me a fine jar of Lanling wine,” Wang Zhou declared with a wave of his hand.

Each of these dishes was a specialty of the restaurant, known for their high quality and equally high prices. The owner quickly calculated the bill in his head and couldn’t help but beam with delight.

Beaming, he added, “Allow me to gift you a serving of simmered quail eggs, slow-cooked to tender perfection.”

A feast fit for royalty quickly erased all thoughts of killing Rong Ting from Wang Zhou’s mind. After his indulgent meal and copious wine, he reached for the pouch hanging at his side to pay, only to frown in puzzlement.

Something about the weight of the pouch felt… off.

Still tipsy from all the wine, Wang Zhou didn’t give it much thought. When the waiter came over to collect payment, he reached into the pouch, pulled out a random piece, and tossed it to him.

The waiter stared at the object in his hand, blinking in confusion. After double-checking, he looked up and asked. “Sir, this… this is a stone. What do you mean by this?”

Wang Zhou, growing impatient, snapped. “What stone? That’s silver! If it’s not enough, take more from the pouch!”

With that, he flung the entire pouch at the waiter. The impact knocked the pouch to the ground, and the spilled open, sending a cascade of small stones scattering across the floor.

The waiter’s expression shifted immediately.

The commotion caught the attention of the restaurant owner, who came over to investigate.

“Boss! This fraud is trying to pay with stones! He ate our food and refuses to pay!” the waiter shouted indignantly.

The once-generous restaurant owner quickly pieced together what had happened, and his demeanor turned cold.

There was only one fate for freeloaders in his establishment—

“Throw this shameless scoundrel out and give him a beating!”

…

A Small House in the Western District

The firewood in the stove was nearly burned out, Rong Ting shifted his gaze to the pile of wood stacked in the courtyard.

Ever since he had fallen ill and fainted a while ago, bundles of firewood had been delivered to his door daily.

He had a good idea of who the sender was.

Yet, he had never used any of that firewood.

Even though gathering wood on his own was no easy task in his current state, he refused to rely too heavily on others.

Rong Ting reached for the coarse burlap sack left behind by Wang Zhou.

The medicine in the sack was useless to him—it could only serve as kindling.

One by one, he placed the dry branches into the stove. When his fingers reached the bottom of the sack, they suddenly brushed against something cool and slippery.

At the bottom of the sack lay a small green snake, curled up and hibernating.

Rong Ting lowered his gaze and studied it for a moment, then his fingers coiled around the snake, pinching firmly at its vital point. With a swift motion, the snake went limp in his grasp, lifeless.

As if handling lifeless branches, Rong Ting tossed the freshly killed snake into the flames and silently watched as the fire devoured it.

The bright firelight flickered in his profoundly dark eyes, the crackling flames filling the room with their harsh song.

After burning the snake, Rong Ting steadied himself against the wall and stood up.

The medicine’s effects were minimal at best.

Yet for Rong Ting, as long as it gave his legs even a trace of strength, he endured the searing pain to stand.

Even though his legs trembled violently, and every step took the effort and time of ten, he pushed forward.

Rong Ting ventured outside to gather more firewood.

But as he stepped out, he heard footsteps approaching from a distance.

He quickly hid.

Jiang Rao and Ming Shao walked one after the other, their footsteps crunching softly and unevenly in the snow.

Ming Shao followed behind Jiang Rao and asked. “Miss, how do you plan to return the money to that young master later?”

Jiang Rao thought for a moment, her face clouding with hesitation. “If I give it to him directly and he gets curious about how I found out, what should I say?”

“Didn’t you say Jiang Ping overheard it while staying nearby and listening by the wall?”

Jiang Rao shook her head.

“I can’t say that outright. If he misunderstands and thinks Jiang Ping was sent by me to spy on him, it could lead to trouble.”

Given the boy’s sensitive and suspicious nature, she felt such a misunderstanding was highly likely.

“What if you simply tell him that Jiang Ping was left here to protect him?” Ming Shao suggested.

Jiang Rao’s lips twitched slightly. “I doubt he’d believe it.”

In fact, he almost certainly wouldn’t.

In the dreams she’d had of their past, back when she had served as his maid, he hadn’t believed a single word she said.

Even when she wanted to step out to buy something, he would suspect she was trying to escape.

The more she reassured him that she wouldn’t run, the more he insisted on keeping her by his side at all times to feel secure.

Thinking back to those bleak, sunless days made Jiang Rao’s heart tremble uncontrollably. “We’ll figure out another way—just deliver it to him without saying anything.”

Ming Shao still felt it was a shame. She muttered quietly, “Miss, you’re doing a good deed for him, yet not letting him know… I can’t help but feel like you’re the one losing out here.”

Jiang Rao hooked a finger around her ear, pretending not to hear.

Seeing that her mistress had made up her mind, Ming Shao stopped trying to persuade her and offered a suggestion instead. “What if we knock on the door, leave the money, and slip away before he comes out?”

Jiang Rao glanced at the padlocked door. “It seems he’s already gone out.”

“This…” Ming Shao trailed off, unable to think of another plan.

Jiang Rao turned her gaze to the low outer wall of the small house. Lifting the hem of her dress, she hopped lightly, gauging the height difference between herself and the wall.

Her actions startled Ming Shao, who grabbed her sleeve in alarm. “Miss, you’re a proper lady from a noble family! Climbing walls is unbecoming—it’s simply not appropriate!”

Jiang Rao turned her gaze back.

Her dark and beautiful eyes shifting to measure the height difference between Ming Shao and the outer wall, sweeping back and forth between her maid and the obstacle.

“…” Ming Shao’s face turned ashen, her voice trembling as she stammered. “Miss…I-I’m afraid of heights.”

Jiang Rao sighed softly. “Then I suppose it’s better for me to risk being unladylike.”

“I’ll wear my cloak and hood. This place is secluded, and hardly anyone passes by. I’m just tossing a pouch of money over the wall—it’s unlikely anyone will recognize me.”

She stepped onto a stone, her slender arms gripping the top of the wall. Though it took some effort, the wall wasn’t very tall. With a bit of a stretch on her tiptoes, she managed to peer into the courtyard.

Spotting the large pile of firewood stacked high in the yard, Jiang Rao pouted in dissatisfaction. “What’s this? He hasn’t burned any of the wood I sent? Not even a single piece?”

Below her, Ming Shao was practically beside herself with worry, watching Jiang Rao precariously balanced on the stone while leisurely looking around. Her head spun with anxiety, and she called out. “Miss, please be careful! Just toss the pouch and come down quickly!”

Jiang Rao nodded, aiming carefully for a clear visible spot in the courtyard.

She tossed the pouch which landed with a sharp clink as the silver ingots inside knocked against one another before hitting the ground with a crisp sound.

The pouch landed squarely in the middle of the courtyard.

Satisfied, Jiang Rao clapped her hands. But before she could enjoy her success, Ming Shao’s urgent cry came from behind her. “Miss, don’t let go!”

It was too late.

Jiang Rao’s hands had already slipped from the wall, and her body was falling backward.

During the brief descent, only one thought filled Jiang Rao’s mind: I should’ve worn more layers today.

Fortunately, as she fell, Ming Shao managed to catch her, and they both tumbled into the snow together. The stone she had been standing on wasn’t very high, so it didn’t hurt much—though it did leave her with a mouthful of snow.

Spitting out the snow with a series of puffs, Jiang Rao slowly lifted her face from the cold ground. She rubbed her eyes as she turned to check on Ming Shao.

But Ming Shao’s voice came from above her. “Miss, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?”

Wait…

If Ming Shao was speaking from above, then the person beneath her was…

Jiang Rao’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. She tilted her head back, her gaze slowly moving upward, inch by inch—past his chest, throat, chin, and then his eyes…

It was Rong Ting.

Her body was awkwardly sprawled across his chest, the two of them positioned like a “X,” with their heart and chest areas pressed closely together. The rhythmic beating of their hearts seemed to echo through their bodies, as if they could hear each other’s heartbeats through the contact.

The heartbeats mingled, so intertwined that it was hard to tell whose was whose.

=^_^=