Initially, Su Baiyue thought the red bean cake she found was just a fluke. But when she noticed a variety of pastries mysteriously appearing on the stone table every time she visited the small garden, she began to suspect this was not mere chance, but a premeditated act of feeding.

Most people would be terrified and paranoid in such a situation. However, Su Baiyue was not like most people; she was extraordinary.

As a pseudo-fairy who relied on these little pastries to sustain herself daily, Su Baiyue felt she could eat them without changing her expression or heartbeat, even if they were laced with poison.

While Su Baiyue delighted in her daily escapes to the garden, the Princess of Weinan was frantic with urgency.

The Weinan Royal Mansion had come to the imperial city for the marriage affairs of Mistress Ling Yun. But the recent rumors about Mistress Ling Yun violently whipping a poor horse servant at the riding grounds had smeared her reputation, labeling her as arrogant and overbearing, and significantly reduced the number of suitors coming to the Weinan Royal Mansion.

At the princess’s indication, Mistress Ling Yun reluctantly had her maid deliver a bottle of medicine to Lu Gan.

Yet, the princess thought it insufficient and insisted that Mistress Ling Yun personally take the mansion’s physician to examine Lu Gan. For this reputation-cleansing show, the princess even spent a fortune to invite the noble ladies of the imperial city to visit the Weinan Royal Mansion.

Mistress Ling Yun, who always valued her public image, was well understood by her mother, the princess. Therefore, the princess did not make a show of whitewashing Mistress Ling Yun’s image but subtly guided some gossip-prone ladies towards the side hall where the horse servant was kept.

Lu Gan dressed in his cleanest clothes, sat on a carved lacquer chair, his eyebrows lowered, next to a butler who incessantly prattled and eyed others disdainfully.

“Be careful, you can’t afford to pay if you dirty it,” the butler said with a face full of disgust.

Lu Gan, always silent, his face mostly hidden by his black hair, revealed only his fair and exquisite jawline, his lips thin, exuding an air of melancholy.

Noise came from the side hall, and as Lu Gan looked up, his breath slightly quickening, he saw a richly dressed noblewoman approaching, draped in gold and silver, nothing like the ice-cold, ethereally pure Mistress Ling Yun who haunted his dreams crying and bending over.

“Pay respects to the mistress,” the butler quickly moved forward to greet the Mistress entering the side hall.

Mistress Yang Shi of Xingyuan scanned Lu Gan sitting on the carved chair, her lips curling slightly as she unabashedly glanced beneath him.

Sitting there, Lu Gan appeared frail and helpless, but Mistress Yang Shi clearly remembered the solid bulk she had seen before.

It was uncertain whether the sight was as good as its function.

Mistress Yang Shi, the daughter of the King of Xingyuan, was from a neighboring state across the river from Weinan, though their relations were strained, particularly between her and Mistress Ling Yun, which was akin to fire and water.

Their styles were also worlds apart.

Mistress Ling Yun of Weinan Royal Mansion disliked being touched and valued cleanliness immensely. In contrast, Mistress Yang Shi of Xingyuan Royal Mansion favored robust, strong men, and despite being unmarried, she kept numerous male pets. Recently, she had taken a fancy to the little horse servant from Weinan Royal Mansion at the horse field, coveting him intensely, and had come specifically today to claim him.

“He is a bit thin, but a few days of feeding will fix that,” Mistress Yang Shi, her nails painted in rouge, lightly lifted Lu Gan’s chin.

Lu Gan maintained a passively submissive demeanor, not even moving his eyes.

Mistress Yang Shi was pleased with Lu Gan’s compliance. As she was about to lift the hair covering his face, a cold voice suddenly came from behind.

“Let go.”

Mistress Yang Shi’s expression changed, and she turned around abruptly, only to see Mistress Ling Yun standing there in plain white.

“Oh, it’s Mistress Ling Yun. Perfect timing. Since your Weinan Royal Mansion doesn’t care for this little horse servant, why not give him to me?”

Su Baiyue clearly remembered that this plot twist occurred after Mistress Yang Shi had accidentally seen the horse servant’s true face, leading to the scandalous attempt to abduct a commoner’s male. At this moment, it was supposed to be the novel’s beloved pure white lotus female lead who would come to the hero’s rescue, not her, the cannon fodder first love under the moonlight.

But there was no choice; the female lead was nowhere to be found, and if Su Baiyue did not step in, Lu Gan would end up in Mistress Yang Shi’s hands as just another man beneath others, unable to dominate the world or reach the pinnacle of life.

“This is my possession.” Su Baiyue, without wearing a veil, revealed a face far more delicately cold and lofty than Mistress Yang Shi’s. She slightly tilted her white jade-like chin, her lips moving lightly, her pearly white teeth touching her bright red tongue tip, making Lu Gan think of certain things, his Adam’s apple bobbing uncontrollably.

Su Baiyue’s voice was not loud, but it rang clear and resonant.

Mistress Yang Shi’s expression darkened further, and she sneered, “What? Does the icy pure Mistress Ling Yun also want a man now?”

Lu Gan tensed up on the carved lacquer chair, unsure whether out of fear or nervousness.

Su Baiyue felt she was not yet so deranged as to desire men, but now she had to toughen up and address this issue quickly to prevent Mistress Yang Shi from causing her further trouble.

After all, Mistress Ling Yun and Mistress Yang Shi were arch-enemies, frequently clashing over various issues.

“I indeed want him, what about it?”

Mistress Yang Shi suddenly laughed, “Nothing at all.” After speaking, she turned her head to look at the Princess of Weinan and several ladies who had gathered at the entrance of the side hall, bowed gracefully, and said, “Thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness. I must be going now.”

Su Baiyue appeared slightly startled, then slowly turned around to see the Princess of Weinan leading a group of noble ladies who had appeared unknowingly at the front hall entrance, staring at her with faces pale as if the sky were falling.

For some reason, Su Baiyue felt inexplicably guilty.

Yet, she maintained her cool and noble persona, secretly relieved that Mistress Yang Shi had not seen Lu Gan’s face, or she might not have let him go so easily today.

Ah, they say that beauty is a disaster, but little do they know that a handsome man can be a great calamity too!

The calamitous Lu Gan sat gloomily on the carved lacquer chair, his slender back hunched over, his jaw still bearing the marks of Mistress Yang Shi’s nails, his appearance somewhat pitiable.

Indeed, the current male lead was pitiful, not well-fed or clothed and subjected to harassment by those above him.

“Ling’er, what are you doing!” the Princess of Weinan bit back her anger and forced a dignified smile under the curious gazes of the ladies, “Weren’t you supposed to bring the physician to examine this little horse servant? Why are you quarreling with Mistress Yang Shi again?”

The Princess of Weinan avoided mentioning Mistress Yang Shi’s audacious words and subtly hinted at Su Baiyue not to cause trouble.

The ladies following behind, although eager to gossip, still showed the Princess of Weinan some respect under the old granny’s deliberate guidance.

Once the front hall was cleared, the Princess of Weinan immediately became anxious, “Ling’er, you’re being foolish! How could you say such things? Do you realize how this will affect your reputation in the imperial city? Now that Mistress Yang Shi has something on you, how will you recover from this in the future?”

Su Baiyue was unconcerned about her reputation; what mattered was securing a stable path for the male lead to reach the peak of life.

“Come over for the examination.” Su Baiyue gestured to the trembling physician standing at the entrance of the front hall.

The physician, carrying a medicine chest, came in to examine Lu Gan.

The Princess of Weinan looked disappointed, but she couldn’t afford to linger here and chat idly with Su Baiyue. She needed to keep an eye on those gossip-loving ladies outside and prevent them from spreading rumors.

“Hurry back,” the princess admonished Su Baiyue, giving a stern look to the compliant Lu Gan, then rushed off.

Just then, the physician finished examining Lu Gan, indicating nothing serious was wrong, just a bit of weakness that could be remedied with some care given his young age.

Su Baiyue nodded, her cool eyes sweeping over Lu Gan without a trace before turning to leave, only to hear the young man behind her call out, “Mistress.”

It was the first time Su Baiyue had heard Lu Gan’s voice, fine and hoarse, magnetic and pleasing to the ear, a voice that could “impregnate one’s ears.”

Su Baiyue turned around proudly to face Lu Gan, her expression unreadable.

Lu Gan, with his head bowed, nervously stepped forward, his face turning red, “I.. I am just…”

“The words just now were a joke,” Su Baiyue interrupted Lu Gan, waving her sleeve without taking a cloud with her.

Lu Gan stood rooted to the spot, staring as Su Baiyue walked away, looking just like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world. Her elegant steps, the faintly shrouded silhouette, and her flowing black hair tugged at the strings of his heart, leaving it numb and tingling.

“Hah, look at yourself—some mangy mud-covered mutt daring to dream of swan meat,” sneered the butler as he stepped forward, his face full of disdain. “Go clean the stables! If they’re not spotless, don’t even think about eating!”

Lu Gan clenched his fists tightly, his thick black hair falling over his face, completely hiding it. His dark eyes were as deep as a bottomless abyss.

Why… why did she not want him again?

…

The rumors in the imperial city were growing increasingly wild. Originally, the marriage between Mistress Ling Yun and the Crown Prince had seemed like a sure thing. But now, these whispers had reached the Empress’s ears, and the engagement had been temporarily put on hold.

“Rest assured, Mistress. I’ll convince my mother to welcome you as the Crown Princess,” the Crown Prince said firmly from behind a screen.

Today was the sixteenth birthday celebration of Mistress Yang Shi, hosted by the Xingyuan Royal Mansion. It was a grand event, with invitations extended to all the most prominent families and nobles of the imperial city. As the face of the Weinan Royal Mansion, Su Baiyue naturally had to attend. However, she hadn’t expected to be cornered by the Crown Prince in a small garden pavilion.

The pavilion was draped on all sides with white curtains, with a silk screen dividing the middle. Through the sheer fabric, one could faintly see the silhouette of a beautiful figure.

Su Baiyue felt her head begin to ache.

Honestly, she could have feigned illness and skipped this event. After all, she was supposed to be a frail and delicate woman. However, for some inexplicable reason, the pastries in the small garden had suddenly stopped appearing. Su Baiyue’s stomach, which had only just started to adapt to a higher standard of treats, had been forced back into deprivation.

Unable to bear it any longer, she decided to come to the Xingyuan Royal Mansion, hoping to freeload some food. But to her dismay, even the dishes prepared by their famous chef couldn’t match the flavors of the snacks from her little garden.

What was the point of having all the wealth in the world if she still had to go hungry? Su Baiyue thought that this Mistress Ling Yun must be an utter fool.

“Mistress, something terrible has happened! Mistress Yang Shi has taken one of our horse servants from the Weinan Royal Mansion and said she wants to bring him back as a male pet!” A maid’s panicked voice rang out from outside.

The moment Su Baiyue heard the words “horse servant,” her expression changed instantly. She quickly grabbed her veiled hat, lifted her skirt, and rushed out of the pavilion.

Seeing the beauty leave in a hurry, the Crown Prince could only follow her in a daze.

Even though the Empress wasn’t particularly fond of Su Baiyue, the Crown Prince was infatuated with her and refused to let go. After all, the illustrious Mistress of the Weinan Royal Mansion was surely a perfect match for him. If he could just persuade his mother a little more, she would eventually agree.

Meanwhile, by the time Su Baiyue arrived, her little horse servant had already been stripped of his upper garments and was clutching his loose-fitting pants desperately to keep them from falling. His hair, though hacked into an unkempt mess, still left his flawless youthful face fully visible.

His brows and eyes were like a painting, exquisitely pure and radiant, resembling a hidden gemstone yet to be polished but already glowing brilliantly.

The boy’s fair, slender figure was simultaneously delicate yet toned. His broad shoulders and narrow waist, glistening white, held a youthful charm, while faint scars from old wounds etched onto his skin added a certain raw allure. It was enough to stir up anyone’s blood.

Not just women—even the men standing nearby couldn’t help but secretly marvel.

Mistress Yang Shi was outright entranced. None of the male pets she kept at her side could compare to this little horse servant—not even to one of his fingers! She regretted ever letting him go so easily before!