Chapter 18: Sincerity — Desperately Longing for This Absurd Warmth

Tang Lin’er came to Shen Xingwan’s courtyard, only to find it empty—Shen Xingwan was nowhere to be seen.

After the young maid guarding the entrance went inside to report and returned, she offered an apologetic curtsey.

“Miss caught a chill last night and has come down with a cold. She just took her medicine and is currently resting. The young lady said that since you’re pregnant, she worries you might catch her illness. Once she feels better in a few days, she’ll personally come visit you.”

Upon hearing this, Tang Lin’er instinctively covered her nose with her handkerchief and took two steps back while protectively holding her belly.

Seeing the young maid look up at her in surprise, she gave an awkward smile, put down her handkerchief, and put on a concerned expression.

“The weather’s still unpredictable, warming during the day but chilly at night. Sister should take good care of herself. Since she’s resting, I won’t disturb her. I’ll come visit again in a few days.”

“Yes, respectfully sending Miss Tang off.”

The young maid was respectful and well-mannered. Tang Lin’er nodded. Although she turned to leave, she couldn’t help but look back at the courtyard every few steps.

As luck would have it, just as she was about to turn the corner into the corridor, she caught a glimpse from afar of Feiyun carrying a food box out of the rear courtyard and heading straight into Shen Xingwan’s room.

Tang Lin’er raised her eyebrows slightly and gave a disdainful smile—suspicious indeed.

She turned her gaze slightly, and her eyes fell on Ruyi. Ruyi immediately leaned in to listen to her command.

Tang Lin’er lowered her voice. “Go find out exactly what kind of tricks are being hidden in that rear courtyard.”

Ruyi accepted the order and, after some thought, decided to start with the kitchen maid.

She sent a spy to keep an eye on the cook and discovered that for several days in a row, the woman had been carefully simmering bone broth and pairing it with soft, easy-to-digest meals, which she then secretly sent into Shen Xingwan’s courtyard.

Ruyi immediately reported her findings to Tang Lin’er.

Tang Lin’er lounged on a couch, casually holding an embroidery needle, half-heartedly stitching a pair of tiger-head shoes. Upon hearing the report, her eyes shifted, and she asked Ruyi, “What do you think?”

“The meals for the young ladies are usually served by portion on set tables. Servants and maids eat communal meals in the back kitchen. For her to go through all this trouble to deliver individual meals… and ones that are soft and bland like meals for the sick…”

Ruyi paused in thought, then looked at Tang Lin’er. “I’m afraid there’s someone hidden in the back courtyard.”

Tang Lin’er rolled her eyes and gave her a fierce kick. “You think I need you to tell me that? I could figure that out with my toes. What I want is for you to find out who that person is!”

Ruyi staggered from the kick and tumbled to the floor. Grimacing in pain, she didn’t dare cry out. She quickly knelt upright and clutched Tang Lin’er’s leg, pleading, “Miss, be careful of your leg. Don’t strain yourself or harm the baby.”

Tang Lin’er kicked her away. “Go investigate now!”

“Yes, this servant will go at once.”

Ruyi clutched her aching waist and withdrew from Tang Lin’er’s room with a pained expression.

As soon as she stepped out, she straightened up, forced herself to stand tall despite the pain, and headed to the kitchen.

She was Tang Lin’er’s most favored personal maid. The servants in the kitchen all rushed up to greet her warmly when they saw her.

She smiled and nodded to each of them in turn, then instructed the cook, “Miss Tang has no appetite today and wants something sour. Make some sour jujube cakes for her.”

“Aye, of course,” the cook responded, still remembering to be thoughtful. “Miss, you should go back and rest. I’ll send it over to you once it’s done.”

“No need.” Ruyi smirked, playing with her fingernails. “No one else is allowed to handle Miss Tang’s food anymore. I’ll wait here and take it back myself once it’s ready.”

“Ah, alright, alright.”

The cook quickly agreed and went to wash the sour jujubes.

Ruyi wandered around the kitchen twice and then went to the small courtyard behind where the vegetables were stored. She leaned on the door frame and waved at a little girl squatting in the yard playing with mud.

“Little Bell.” She smiled with curved eyes and called gently, “Come here. Aunty’s got candy for you.”

Little Bell turned around in surprise. She dropped her mud and ran over cheerfully, stretching out her little hands, palms up, her big eyes sparkling. “Candy!”

Ruyi subtly stepped back to avoid her dirty hands brushing against her skirt. From her sleeve, she took out a small piece of candy and dropped it into the little girl’s palm.

Little Bell happily sniffed the candy at her nose, then tucked it into her chest like a treasure.

Ruyi raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you love candy the most? Why aren’t you eating it?”

Little Bell looked down and peered into the kitchen. She muttered, “Mama’s hands hurt. Mama eats candy, eats candy, then they won’t hurt.”

Ruyi reached out and grabbed Little Bell by her collar, lifting her back into the courtyard. She crouched down and asked, “Aunty has lots more candy. Do you want more?”

Little Bell looked at her in confusion and shook her head. “Can’t be greedy. Aunty eats.”

Ruyi patted her head. “Aunty can’t eat all of it. You’re the best girl. How about this—if you answer a few questions, I’ll reward you with more candy, okay?”

“Okay!”

Ruyi’s eyes gleamed slightly. “Your mama takes you everywhere. Tell aunty, have you gone to Miss Shen’s place in the past few days?”

Little Bell nodded. “I did.”

“Good girl. Now, one more question. Was there any stranger in Miss Shen’s courtyard?”

Ruyi fixed her gaze on Little Bell and coaxed gently, “For example, a strange man… or an aunty you’ve never seen before? Anyone like that?”

Little Bell furrowed her brows and thought for a moment. “There’s a big brother.”

“Big brother?!”

Ruyi immediately raised her voice and widened her eyes, grabbing Little Bell’s collar. “What big brother? Where is he? What does he look like…”

“Scared… waaah—!” Little Bell screamed and burst into tears from the fright, her feet dangling in the air.

“Little Bell?!” The cook heard the commotion and rushed out, dropping her spatula in a panic.

Ruyi quickly put Little Bell down, smoothed her collar, and stuffed a handful of candy into her arms, laughing awkwardly. “I was just teasing her. This little rascal can’t take a joke.”

The cook hurried over and scooped Little Bell into her arms. “Little Bell’s just a child. Please don’t hold it against her, miss. I apologize on her behalf.”

“Oh, come now. Would I stoop to arguing with a child?” Ruyi dusted off her hands and turned to leave. “Alright, I have things to do. I’ll be off. You all get back to work.”

“Ah, miss, the sour jujube cakes will be ready soon. Please take them to Miss Tang with you.”

Ruyi had no interest in humoring her anymore. She waved her hand. “No need. I just remembered—our miss is allergic to sour jujubes. You all eat it yourselves.”

“……”

Ruyi rushed back to Tang Lin’er’s room as if riding on wind and fire wheels. She closed the door and leaned in close to Tang Lin’er, whispering that Shen Xingwan was hiding a little boy in her backyard.

Tang Lin’er immediately dropped the tiger-head shoes she was holding and stood up, spinning around excitedly.

She suddenly stopped, looked at Ruyi, and asked, her voice trembling with excitement, “Ruyi, do you think he could be the missing Fourteenth Prince, Wei Zihui?”

“Nine times out of ten, it’s him!” Ruyi leaned in closer. “I heard the Third Prince is frantic trying to track him down. The day the Fourteenth Prince disappeared, wasn’t that the same day Miss Shen entered the palace? Most likely, she brought him out then.”

Tang Lin’er slowly sat down, her eyes suddenly lighting up. “I heard the Fourteenth Prince fell into the water in the palace that day and then vanished, his fate unknown. Now that Zilin has become Crown Prince, I can’t help but think—this must have been his doing.”

She slowly looked up and asked Ruyi, “Do you think Zilin wants him dead… or alive?”

“Of course dead. If the Fourteenth Prince returns and exposes the truth, it’ll definitely harm the Crown Prince’s standing.”

“If I can help him solve this thorny problem…”

Ruyi gave her a thumbs-up. “That would be a huge merit. His Highness would surely look at you with new eyes.”

Tang Lin’er thought for a moment, then went to a cabinet and pulled out a small paper packet, stuffing it into Ruyi’s hands. She bent down and whispered instructions in detail.

—

By the next evening, Little Bell had slipped once again into Shen Xingwan’s backyard.

Wei Zihui was already feeling much better and was sitting beneath the covered corridor outside his room for some fresh air. When he saw the little girl crawling in again, he didn’t make a sound and quietly watched as she ran up to him with a small paper packet.

He knew she was the daughter of the cook who delivered soup. Over the past few days, she often snuck in, always bringing him little treats.

He wasn’t a glutton and didn’t lack for food—Miss Shen treated him very well. But still, he looked forward to seeing her, looked forward to what little snack she might bring today.

Sometimes it was half a piece of cake, sometimes a cold boiled egg, and sometimes even just a sugar cube with a bit of dirt on it.

No one had ever given him anything so sincerely before. Not even once.

Only this clueless little girl gave to him so purely, with no purpose—just simple warmth.

He longed for that faint, almost absurd warmth far too much.

So much that he couldn’t bear to let her stubby little legs climb the high threshold. That’s why he walked out of the room, waiting in the corridor to greet her.

“Brother, eat,” she said, standing there and holding up the paper packet with both hands.

“Thank you,” he said.

He was just about to take it when the little girl looked at his hand, still wrapped in gauze. She suddenly remembered something and cried out, “Hurty hand!” Then she opened the packet herself, grabbed a piece of puffed rice candy, and stretched up on her tiptoes to feed him.

Wei Zihui paused mid-reach, suddenly sensing something was off.

This little girl was poor and barely had snacks for herself. Everything she brought him these past days had been saved from her own meals. So how could she have such a big packet of rice candy today?

While he hesitated for just a few seconds, the little girl’s short legs gave out beneath her. She stumbled backward and dropped the candy.

Her lips trembled as she bent down to pick it up.

Wei Zihui suddenly shot up and ran down the steps, pulling her back.

“Don’t touch it!”

The little girl immediately burst into tears, her loud sobbing drawing the attention of Feiyun and Shen Xingwan in the front courtyard.

Shen Xingwan rushed over in a hurry and frowned. “What’s going on?”

Wei Zihui’s childish face was cold and stern, with none of the innocence of a child. He glanced at Shen Xingwan and gestured with his eyes toward the rice candy not far away.

A few birds had fluttered down beside it, pecking at the candy in excitement. But after only a few bites, they all flapped their wings and collapsed, lying motionless.

Feiyun rushed over in horror and grabbed at Little Bell’s arm. “Little Bell, what happened? Where did you get this rice candy?!”

“Don’t scare her.”

Wei Zihui stepped in front of Little Bell to shield her and said calmly, “She doesn’t understand anything. Don’t blame her. What’s important is finding out who used her.”