Chapter 50: Big Sister, You’ll Support Me, Right?

“Ugh, sister, just tell me already.”

Ni Wei sidled up and wrapped her arms around Rafina’s, shaking it insistently.

Flustered by Ni Wei’s antics, a faint blush crept across Rafina’s cheeks.

Realizing there was no way to dodge the question today, Rafina sighed and relented.

“What you’re referring to… must be the day I helped the Young Master tidy his bed, right?”

“Tidy his bed?”

Ni Wei tilted her little head.

‘That’s not quite what I wanted to hear…’

“Before, that task was always handled by Lady Florin. She was away during that period, so I thought I should take the initiative and go help the Young Master tidy his bed.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“Ugh!”

Ni Wei let go of Rafina’s arm, looking thoroughly disappointed, and flopped back onto her own bed.

“I thought for sure something must’ve happened between you two that night.”

“Ni Wei!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll stop.”

The room fell silent.

Just as Rafina was about to pull the covers over herself and sleep, Ni Wei’s voice rang out again.

“Sister.”

“What is it now?”

“The truth is… you like Young Master Xisi, don’t you?”

Her sister’s blunt question left Rafina at a loss for words.

‘Do I like him?’

He had not only healed her and her sister’s bodies but also given them a place to call home.

As time went on and they spent more time together, she found herself wanting to grow closer to him almost involuntarily.

Whenever he headed off to the Royal Capital, her heart felt hollow, and she’d spend every day hoping he’d return soon.

If none of that counted as liking him…

“I… I’m deeply grateful to Young Master Xisi.”

In the end, Rafina gave an answer even she couldn’t convince herself of.

“Just grateful?”

Ni Wei let out a soft snort.

“Are you sure about that, sister?”

“Mm…”

“Then that makes things a lot easier.”

Ni Wei suddenly sat up in bed, her tone turning dead serious.

“What makes things easier?”

Rafina stared at her sister, confusion written all over her face.

“Sister, you’re certain you don’t like him, right?”

“Ah… mm…”

Under her sister’s forceful questioning, Rafina reluctantly nodded.

“In that case, I can pursue him with peace of mind, without worrying about stealing the person you love.”

“Huh?”

Her sister’s words shot Rafina upright in bed, startled.

“You want to pursue… Young Master Xisi?”

“That’s right.”

Ni Wei nodded with certainty.

“I’ve already confirmed my own feelings.”

“But he’s…”

Rafina hesitated, searching for the right words.

“I know, sister. I know what you’re about to say.”

Ni Wei’s tone remained remarkably calm.

“You think our statuses are too far apart. He’s the Young Master of the Blackstone Family, and I’m just a little maid he took in at the mansion.

But since I’ve realized I truly love him, then at the very least, I have to convey these feelings to him.

As long as I’m honest with myself, whatever he chooses to do afterward, I can accept it.”

Listening to Ni Wei’s words, Rafina felt stunned.

For some reason, she felt like tonight’s Ni Wei seemed far more mature than her, the older sister.

“Sister, you’ll support me, right?”

“I… I will.”

Satisfied with Rafina’s answer, Ni Wei nodded contentedly.

“I’m going to sleep now. Good night, sister.”

“Mm… good night…”

Watching her sister lie down with her back turned to her, a swirl of complex emotions rose in Rafina’s chest.

‘Honest with herself…’

Suddenly, she found herself envying her sister, for being able to make such a bold and resolute choice.

***

The next day, Xisi had just finished handling his current affairs when something crossed his mind.

Last night, Li Nuo Er had come to rest in his room, apparently because the places she usually slept weren’t comfortable?

Come to think of it, where did that girl Li Nuo Er normally stay?

As a Shadow Guard who had followed him for years, Xisi realized he’d never once cared about her daily living arrangements.

“Li Nuo Er?”

“Young Master.”

Sure enough, the moment he softly called her name, the emotionless girl appeared before him.

So she must be living in the Duke’s Mansion, right?

“Could you take me to see your room?”

“The Young Master has finally started having such thoughts?”

Li Nuo Er’s face remained expressionless, but her hands moved to rest over her lower abdomen.

“Though today might not be convenient for me.”

“What’s inconvenient about it?”

“It’s just my body…”

“Stop, stop, stop!”

Realizing what Li Nuo Er was about to say, Xisi immediately cut her off.

“Wasn’t it you who said yesterday that the places you rest aren’t as comfortable as my room, which is why you kept coming to my bedroom? I wanted to see if I could solve the problem at the root, what were you thinking?!”

“Sigh…”

“?”

“If that’s the case, then please follow me, Young Master.”

***

Xisi followed Li Nuo Er through the corridor, down the stairs, and all the way to the basement of the Duke’s Mansion.

This area was normally used as a storage room.

After passing through another narrow passage, the two finally arrived before a hidden door that almost blended seamlessly into the wall.

Li Nuo Er pushed it open, and for the first time, Xisi saw her room.

The space wasn’t large, and it didn’t even have a window for ventilation.

In the corner lay a thin straw mat, covered in wrinkles.

“You… you usually live here, sleeping on this?”

“I’m used to it.”

Xisi looked around and let out a sigh.

“You haven’t been living in this place since you first came to the Duke’s Mansion, have you?”

“No, I haven’t.”

‘Good, that’s a relief.’

Xisi breathed a sigh of relief.

“Before, I would just find a spot in the courtyard to rest. I only moved here in the past couple of years.”

“What?”

‘Wait, really?’

“From today on, you’re not allowed to sleep here anymore.”

“Very well, Young Master Xisi.”

With that, Li Nuo Er directly picked up her mat and started heading out.

“Where are you going?”

“Moving back outside.”

“Hold on.”

The girl’s actions gave Xisi a throbbing headache.

“That’s not what I meant…”

Li Nuo Er stopped, tilting her head as she looked at Xisi.

“Alright, I’ll arrange a room for you shortly.”

“Young Master Xisi, that’s not appropriate.”

“What’s inappropriate about it?”

“A Shadow Guard can’t let their living conditions get too comfortable, otherwise it’s easy to become negligent in their duties…”

“Cut that out. If you can’t even guarantee yourself proper rest right now, how can I trust you with Shadow Guard work?”

Xisi cut off the emotionless girl’s words.

“Come on, follow me.”

With that, Xisi grabbed Li Nuo Er’s hand and led her up the stairs.

When the two returned to the first-floor hall of the Duke’s Mansion, they happened to run into Rafina, who was cleaning.

“Young Master Xisi, what are you…”

Rafina blinked, looking at Li Nuo Er behind Xisi.

“Miss Li Nuo Er? Lately you don’t seem to be around the mansion.”

Xisi suddenly remembered that from Rafina’s perspective, Li Nuo Er was still just like her, a newcomer brought back to work at the mansion by him.

“She was sent to the town on an assignment earlier. She’s moving back to stay here for a while. Help her get an empty room prepared.”

“Yes, Young Master Xisi.”