Tian Kangtai maintained his approachable demeanor, a polite yet distant smile gracing his face. "Whatever Young Master Su sees is what it is."
Su Yang frowned, his heart unsettled.
"Does the young master dote on him? When did he meet the young master, and how did they meet?"
Tian Kangtai busied himself, speaking as he worked. "If Young Master Su wants to know these things, why not ask the young master directly?"
Su Yang replied impatiently, "If the young master were willing to tell me these things, why would I need to ask you?"
Tian Kangtai chuckled and politely refused. "Since the young master is unwilling to tell you these things, how can I speak to you behind his back?"
Su Yang pressed, "I'm just asking, to understand the situation. I won't do anything, nor will I tell anyone else. Just tell me quietly, and I'll forget it once I've heard it."
Tian Kangtai replied, "Young Master Su, if you ask me, I don't know either. Even if I wanted to tell you secretly, I wouldn't know where to begin. As you can see, I'm just a steward now, responsible for managing some miscellaneous affairs in the manor. Only Aunt He knows the young master's daily routine best. If you truly want to know, why not ask Aunt He?"
Tian Kangtai's lips were sealed tight, unwilling to reveal a single useful word. This was the most basic quality of a trusted confidant.
Su Yang said with considerable annoyance, "That person surnamed Yi is not a good person. He deliberately stays by the young master's side. Who knows what unspeakable intentions he has? As the young master's confidants, you are disregarding the young master's safety!"
Tian Kangtai looked at Su Yang and smiled.
When it came to ulterior motives and unspeakable intentions, when had his young master ever lost?
If anyone should be worried, it should be the people around Young Master Yi.
"..."
Knowing he could get nothing from Tian Kangtai, Su Yang left with a grim expression.
The people in the manor were tight-lipped and refused to tell him anything. What about the people outside? He didn't believe there wasn't anyone who knew. Su Yang planned to investigate from the outside.
~
In the study.
"Alright, everything is fine..."
"Just do as you see fit. You don't need to ask my permission for such matters in the future; just handle them as you see fit. I have no doubts about your capabilities. Your will is my will..."
Xie Jiang gave He Zhifei's abilities high praise.
Despite receiving such trust and affection from Xie Jiang, He Zhifei didn't feel much joy.
It was hardly a cause for happiness when the boss wanted to shirk responsibility and push all the work onto him.
He Zhifei lowered his gaze and tentatively asked, "...But if I handle this, I'll have to return to Lanyong."
Xie Jiang leaned back in her chair. "What are you going back to Lanyong for? You are my right-hand man, and I can't do without you for a single day. Wherever I am, you are. Let Xie Taihong and Su Yang go back; you stay in the capital with me."
A light instantly flickered in He Zhifei's lowered eyes.
After a moment, he replied, "Okay."
Xie Jiang stretched and glanced out the window, noticing it was getting late. "Let's stop here for now. We'll discuss the rest tomorrow."
He Zhifei nodded, about to tidy up.
Xie Jiang said, "Don't bother tidying up. It's inconvenient to be running back and forth. Just stay here."
Xie Jiang stood up and offered him her seat, then moved to the soft couch by the window to lie down. Aunt He brought over freshly squeezed fruit juice. Xie Jiang took a sip and sighed contentedly.
It was wonderful to have someone else doing the work.
She was experiencing the joy of an emperor.
It wasn't the first time He Zhifei had worked in Xie Jiang's place, so he accepted it naturally.
As he worked methodically, he heard her comfortable sigh and couldn't help but look up.
He saw her reclining there lazily, holding half a cup of fruit juice, her eyes squinted as she gazed out the window, radiating contentment.
Looking at her, who was perpetually surrounded by endless documents, He Zhifei suddenly felt that it wasn't so bad to have a heavier burden on his shoulders. He couldn't bear to see her trapped in endless trivialities all day.
When He Zhifei was with Aunt He and the maids, gossiping about trivial matters, he would occasionally remember that she was a girl.
During breaks from his work, He Zhifei would occasionally look up. From his angle, he could only see the back of her head as she leaned against the windowsill, looking somewhat melancholic about something.
Realizing he was spacing out again, He Zhifei quickly lowered his head. It wasn't that his self-control was poor; she was simply too distracting.
He Zhifei focused on the documents.
He Zhifei no longer heard what Aunt He and Xie Jiang were chatting about.
Until...
"There was all this happening that night? You really don't remember what you did to Young Master Yi? Well, if you feel like coaxing him, then coax him. You're idle anyway..."
As words about a certain person entered his ears, He Zhifei found it impossible to ignore.
Xie Jiang happily accepted Aunt He's suggestion, got up from the couch, tidied her clothes, and left with excitement.
Looking at the porcelain cup left forgotten on the windowsill, sitting there all alone, He Zhifei felt the vast study was empty.
~
Upon hearing that Xie Jiang had arrived, Steward Zhang hurried over, putting on a smiling face to welcome her.
Steward Zhang had practiced in front of the mirror for a long time, fearing that excessive flattery might displease the devil.
Previously, Steward Zhang wished that the devil named Xie would die sooner.
Now, he had resigned himself to his fate.
He had no choice but to resign himself.
Before, Yuan Liu, Shan Bai, Wen Feng, and Gu Song took turns on duty by the master's side. But now?
Shan Bai and Gu Song still had duties, and were considered valued by the master. How long had it been since Yuan Liu last served him personally?
Now, the only one who stayed by the master's side all day was Wen Feng.
Why?
Because Wen Feng was perceptive.
Wen Feng treated the devil Xie like his own ancestor.
Steward Zhang wanted to continue working for a few more years and didn't want to follow Yuan Liu's path so quickly.
Xie Jiang was about to instruct Steward Zhang to send someone to the Imperial Palace's Shangyi Pavilion to tell Yi Yangen to finish his work early and return home, when she learned that Yi Yangen was already at the manor.
"So early today?"
"He returned to the manor half an hour ago."
"Oh?" Xie Jiang looked at Steward Zhang in surprise. "Is something wrong with him?"
"Uh... nothing is wrong, or something is wrong? This old servant can't say for sure..." Steward Zhang said obsequiously, "Young Master Xie, why don't you go and see? Whether something is wrong or not, it's up to Young Master Xie to decide."
Steward Zhang was exceptionally fawning in front of Xie Jiang.
Xie Jiang raised an eyebrow playfully. Steward Zhang's words had a hidden meaning.
Steward Zhang wore a standard smile on his face.
As Xie Jiang walked inside, she asked, "Where is he?"
Steward Zhang replied, "The master is in the study."
"The study again? Doesn't your master have any other hobbies?" Xie Jiang asked, noting it was the same hobby as He Zhifei's.
"Yes."
"What hobbies?" Why hadn't she noticed them?
Steward Zhang said, "The master's hobby is you."
"..."
Xie Jiang stopped abruptly, turning to look at Steward Zhang with an expression of being overly stuffed. "Steward Zhang, you've really improved."
Steward Zhang displayed a standard eight-tooth smile.
Xie Jiang headed straight for Yi Yangen's study. She intended to push the door open directly, but upon seeing the open window beside it, she turned and walked towards it.
She quietly poked half her head out to observe. Seeing Yi Yangen sitting at his desk, reading intently, he seemed completely unaware of her approach.
Xie Jiang waved her hand back at Steward Zhang. Steward Zhang, understanding the signal, discreetly vanished on the spot. Xie Jiang leaped through the window like a cat.