"Su Yingying! Stop!"
This roar came from Feng Shaocheng.
"I didn't..." Su Yingying's face was pale as she weakly explained.
"You didn't what!" Feng Shaocheng, abandoning his usual gentle and refined demeanor, quickly helped Song Qingchao up from the ground.
"Are you injured?"
He was still rather gentle towards Song Qingchao.
Song Qingchao kept her head down, but her voice was full of grievance.
"I'm not."
In her heart, she disdained Feng Shaocheng's hypocritical act.
But then, she thought, even the most obedient dog would bite when cornered, let alone this not-so-obedient Feng Shaocheng?
She wasn't intentionally picking a fight with Su Yingying, but the emotions were already there, so she went with the flow.
After all, these were things this woman had already done in her previous life.
What she was doing now was merely a superficial imitation.
"I'll send you back. I've already found a better physician for you," Feng Shaocheng continued his solicitousness.
Song Qingchao softly replied with an "En," her gaze drifting to Su Yingying's clenched fists, then a smile curved her lips.
Neither woman explicitly stated what had happened, they only kept repeating "I didn't."
Feng Shaocheng didn't care what had truly transpired.
In his eyes, as long as Song Qingchao was well, everything else was secondary.
If Song Qingchao were to lose even a single strand of hair, he would fly into a rage.
No one was allowed to lay a hand on Song Qingchao!
Song Qingchao was his!
Feng Shaocheng gazed possessively at the panting Song Qingchao, then draped his large cloak over her.
Seeing that she didn't refuse his kindness this time,
his possessive gaze intensified.
He couldn't recall when it began,
but Song Qingchao's image had become indelible in his mind.
In the past, he had only seen her as a stepping stone for his advancement.
But when her family fell into ruin, instead of feeling relieved, he became even more concerned for her safety.
The collapsed half of her house served as a constant reminder; it had been so close, so close to having her in his grasp!
Her smiles, her laughter, her everything – they were meant only for him.
The thought sent Feng Shaocheng's blood boiling.
He wished he could whisk her away right now, to fuse her into his very bones and blood! To make her submit only to him!
Even if she desired the stars in the sky, he would pluck them for her!
He wanted to craft a cage of fine gold for Song Qingchao, an impenetrable fortress, with only him possessing the key.
She would wait for his every offering within the cage he built for her, docile and obedient.
Her heart and eyes filled with love for him.
Her world would contain only him.
Feng Shaocheng couldn't quite place why,
but he felt as though he had experienced this kind of life before.
However, repeated failures had only intensified his possessiveness over Song Qingchao.
He wondered if there was some method he could employ...
"Shaocheng?"
A light, delicate voice pulled Feng Shaocheng from his reverie.
"What is it?"
He truly enjoyed playing the role of a "refined gentleman"; over time, he had almost forgotten his true nature.
"It's so cold. Yingying will catch a chill like this."
"It's fine," Feng Shaocheng said dismissively. "You don't need to make excuses for her. I saw everything that happened. Such a servant who disrespects her superiors must be taught a firm lesson."
Though his tone was gentle, his words sent a shiver down Song Qingchao's spine.
She turned her head to look at Su Yingying, feeling a pang of pity.
Having cast aside her status as the daughter of the richest man, she now toiled as a servant, yet could not earn even a shred of favor.
However, Song Qingchao didn't sympathize with her too much.
After all, she herself hadn't fared much better in her previous life, and given that Su Yingying had poisoned her younger brother, there was an unending feud between them.
"Hey."
But Song Qingchao stopped Feng Shaocheng from issuing a punishment and gently placated him, "She's just a maid. Shaocheng, there's no need to be so angry. Besides, it was my fault for not making my intentions clear beforehand."
"How can this be your fault?" Feng Shaocheng reminded Song Qingchao in a low voice, "With me, you are the mistress."
"There is a distinction between master and servant," was the last thing Feng Shaocheng said to Song Qingchao.
But Song Qingchao had a different strategy in mind.
"We are old acquaintances, after all," Song Qingchao insisted stubbornly, "And, I rather like the pastries Yingying makes."
Although Feng Shaocheng disagreed, he coaxed Song Qingchao to turn back.
"If you don't agree, I won't leave."
Song Qingchao feigned a delicate and artless petulance, wearing down Feng Shaocheng until he had no choice but to agree.
As she left, she even winked at Su Yingying, who was grinding her teeth.
The unspoken message was, "I saved you, so you must remember to repay my kindness."
After everyone had left, Su Yingying, seething with rage, smashed the mallet in her hand onto the ground.
The mallet bounced twice before hitting Su Yingying's foot.
Enraged, Su Yingying clutched her foot and was on the verge of tears.
Before she could recover,
a group of matrons bustled into the courtyard.
They all pushed against her frail shoulders, ordering her to wash clothes, and that she wouldn't be allowed to eat unless she washed the bowls.
"Young Master said I can help in the kitchen now."
The one watching her crossed her arms, her face etched with disdain. "Yes, but Young Master also said you must finish these tasks first. Don't say useless things, and don't try any tricks. We aren't those lustful old men; don't try to fob us off with your seductive tactics!"
Su Yingying, furious, "slapped" the clothes back into the basin and was about to rise in defiance.
But how could she possibly contend with these burly women?
When the Young Master went out on campaign, he mostly brought capable servants.
She had only been able to come along after begging Feng Shaocheng profusely.
The thought made Su Yingying even more enraged.
She hadn't even planned to act directly, yet she had been defeated by Song Qingchao twice!
This person was even more cunning than she was.
The more she thought about it, the more indignant she felt, and the force with which she scrubbed the clothes grew stronger.
The matron beside her watched as if observing a spectacle, wishing she had a handful of melon seeds to snack on!
"Don't think of any tricks."
Another scoffed, "Your appearance is quite good, and your looks are passable. Yet, you, a mere nobody, dare to covet our Young Master. I wonder where you cracked your head."
"Appearance?" The leading madam interjected, "With Miss Song around, how could the Young Master's eyes possibly fall upon anyone else?"
The others nodded in agreement.
"You speak the absolute truth."
"Miss Song is truly the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Don't you think, even I, a woman, am smitten by her? Let alone the Young Master?"
Someone chuckled, "Young Master is truly blessed."
As they spoke and laughed, they didn't forget to pile more dirty clothes near Su Yingying.
If her hands hadn't started cracking, these matrons would have found many more ways to torment her.
Su Yingying, unable to bear it any longer, retorted a few times, but in the end, she was slapped.
"Use that date-sized brain of yours to think before you speak."
Su Yingying clutched her face, stammering endlessly, "You, you, you..."
"What 'you'! Get back to work!"