In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the window into the bedroom.
Ni Wei lay in bed, habitually curling up, waiting for the familiar pain that came every morning upon waking.
Huh?
Ni Wei slowly opened her eyes.
‘Wait… it doesn’t hurt?’
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d woken up so comfortably.
As her consciousness gradually cleared, Ni Wei began to recall what happened last night.
She remembered that Evil Young Master His Blackstone’s palm pressing against her back, slowly infusing dark element into her body—a tingling, numbing sensation spreading from her lower back to her limbs…
“…”
Ni Wei yanked the covers over her head, her face burning bright red.
‘I can’t think about it anymore!’
‘That weird feeling has nothing to do with me!’
After stewing under the blanket for a while, Ni Wei slowly pulled it down, revealing her still-flushed face.
She stared at the ceiling and blinked.
‘But… it really doesn’t hurt anymore.’
‘No, no, wait.’
Ni Wei suddenly realized that her memories from last night only went as far as His Blackstone telling her to take off her outer clothes, saying he needed to treat her body.
And because His Blackstone’s massage technique was so comfortable, she had fallen asleep quickly.
‘So… am I still lying in his bed right now?!’
“Ni Wei, time to get up.”
Just as Ni Wei was about to spring out of bed, the door to the room was gently pushed open.
“I heard from Miss Florin this morning that you can start working today. How are you feeling?”
Rafina quickly walked over to her sister, leaned down, and studied her face.
“Sister…”
“Mmm-hmm, your complexion looks much better.”
Rafina nodded in satisfaction.
“Young Master His Blackstone’s treatment plan really is effective, isn’t it?”
“Really?”
Ni Wei couldn’t quite believe it and reached up to touch her own face.
“But that… Young Master His Blackstone said my condition is quite special. If I want to fully recover, I might need a few more treatments.”
“Then you’d better be careful from now on.”
Rafina pinched Ni Wei’s little nose.
“Don’t fall asleep in Young Master His Blackstone’s room again, okay? That would be so rude.”
“I!”
“Luckily, Young Master His Blackstone didn’t mind. He even personally carried you back last night.”
“He carried me back?”
The thought of what she had been wearing last night made Ni Wei’s face flush again.
“Yeah, Young Master His Blackstone said you were sleeping soundly, so he wrapped you up in the blanket and carried you over.”
As she spoke, Rafina suddenly remembered something and quickly added,
“Oh, right, Miss Florin also brought your dress back this morning.”
“Stop talking, sister!”
***
At the Duke’s Mansion dining room.
His Blackstone sat at the head of the table, holding a cup of hot tea.
From the unconsciously lifted corners of his mouth, it was clear he was in a good mood today.
Last night’s treatment, though limited by his own magic reserves, hadn’t allowed him to expel all the stagnant dark element from Ni Wei’s body at once.
But as long as he cleared it a few more times, he could eventually heal her completely.
On Feng Aotian’s side, there had been no movement for now.
“Young Master His Blackstone, good morning.”
Rafina walked into the dining room carrying a tray, her light golden hair gently swaying behind her.
The black-and-white maid uniform made her figure look especially graceful, every movement full of gentleness and care.
“Morning.”
His Blackstone nodded at Rafina.
“What about Ni Wei? Is she feeling any discomfort?”
“No, her complexion is much better today, all thanks to Young Master His Blackstone…”
Just then, Ni Wei also entered the dining room and sat down in the seat next to Rafina.
“Oh, you’re up.”
His Blackstone casually greeted her.
“How are you feeling?”
“Fine.”
Ni Wei lowered her head and drank her soup, clearly not wanting to talk to His Blackstone.
“Ni Wei, you need to be polite to Young Master His Blackstone…”
Rafina tugged at her sister’s sleeve anxiously, whispering a reminder.
His Blackstone just smiled, unconcerned.
“It’s fine. Judging by how she looked last night, I thought she might not even be able to get out of bed today.”
“You!”
Ni Wei jerked her head up and glared at him, about to explode, but then she saw His Blackstone raise an eyebrow at her.
After taking a few deep breaths, Ni Wei finally spoke again.
“Thank you for your concern, Young Master His Blackstone. I’m feeling much better now. May I ask what work I should do today?”
“Well…”
His Blackstone thought for a moment.
“Since you haven’t fully recovered yet, just do a simple cleaning of my study today.”
“Oh, got it.”
Seeing Ni Wei’s reaction, His Blackstone nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Rafina.
“Rafina, can you go over today’s schedule with me?”
“Of course, Young Master His Blackstone…”
Rafina stepped forward immediately and began reporting on the day’s arrangements, her voice soft and earnest.
As she spoke, she tilted her head slightly, causing her light golden hair to slide down her shoulder, framing her warm smile.
His Blackstone listened and nodded.
He didn’t notice that Ni Wei, sitting across from him, was staring at him.
More precisely, she was watching the interaction between him and her sister.
Rafina’s eyes sparkled with light when she looked at His Blackstone.
Whenever His Blackstone casually smiled back at her, Rafina would blush and lower her head, but the smile on her lips just couldn’t be suppressed.
Ni Wei unconsciously tightened her grip on her spoon.
She couldn’t quite describe what she felt.
Her sister had never looked at anyone like that before.
All her life, Ni Wei had been the most important person in her sister’s heart.
All of her sister’s gentleness and strength had been for her alone.
But now…
“Ni Wei? What’s wrong?”
Rafina noticed her sister had stopped moving.
“It’s nothing.”
Ni Wei lowered her head and continued drinking her porridge.
“The soup is a bit hot.”
“Be careful, drink slowly.”
Rafina gently reminded her, then turned back to continue talking with His Blackstone.
Ni Wei squeezed the spoon even tighter.
‘This Evil Young Master really is annoying!’
That afternoon, just as His Blackstone arrived at the study, he saw Ni Wei standing by the bookshelf with a stack of books, placing them back one by one.
“Good afternoon, Young Master His Blackstone.”
“Oh? Now that your sister isn’t here, are you sure you want to keep up that act?”
“Hey.”
After a brief silence, Ni Wei spoke again.
“You… do you really want nothing in return?”
Her voice was very soft, her tone less forceful than before.
“You not only healed me, you’ve been so good to my sister, let us stay in such a nice room, had such expensive clothes made for us…
What exactly do you want from us?”
His Blackstone looked seriously at the young girl in front of him.
“What do you think?”
“I think there’s no such thing as a free lunch. You can’t be doing all this for nothing.”
“Mm, you’re right.”
Hearing His Blackstone’s words, Ni Wei froze on the spot.
‘Wait, you just admitted it that easily?!’