Tang Huan kept holding onto Xie Yier, and though she was actually just forcing herself to touch her, there wasn’t the slightest hint of reluctance in her expression.
Hmph! You want to arrange my life? You aren’t qualified enough!
Whenever their eyes met, sparks seemed to fly between them.
Meanwhile, Aier’s scalp tingled, wave after wave of numbness assaulting her.
I’m doomed… This time, I’m definitely doomed.
Wen Er’s mind was in turmoil, and in her head, she was already composing her own eulogy.
“Is that so? You said she’s your girlfriend? Why don’t you admit it yourself?” Xie Yier raised the corner of her lips, her words as sinister as a demon’s.
Wen Er’s gaze flashed across Xie Yier’s face, full of confusion.
She saw the other woman clearly smiling, but the tone of her voice sounded as if it came straight from the underworld, sending a shiver down Wen Er’s spine.
“I’m not…” Wen Er hurried to explain, but before she could finish, Tang Huan reached out and covered her mouth with her hand.
With a firm push of her palm, Tang Huan pressed harder, then leaned in close and whispered in Wen Er’s ear, “Don’t say anything. Just play along and help me finish this scene… I’ll give you 50 Silver Coins! If you dare betray me, I’ll… I’ll tell everyone we’ve already done everything together!”
Wen Er mumbled incredulously, “You’re threatening me?”
Forget 50 Silver Coins—even for 5 Gold Coins, Aier wouldn’t do this!
Tang Huan shot Wen Er a pleading smile and mouthed, “Please!”
But to everyone present, this scene looked exactly like a pair of secret lovers in the midst of a lovers’ quarrel.
At that moment, Xie Yier suddenly stood up. As she walked past Aier, she paused for half a second.
But that half second made Aier feel as though an eternity had passed.
She kept her head down, not daring to look at Xie Yier, only feeling her own days were numbered.
Oh crows, oh crows, why is my life so hard…
The old Earl hurried after Xie Yier. “Duke, please, don’t be angry, I’ll see you out.”
Everyone else in the private room exchanged glances, the atmosphere so tense it could drip water.
Especially the Johansson family, who had come at Lady Xie Yier’s invitation—their faces looked terrible, as if they’d become the butt of a joke.
Wen Er didn’t linger long, shooting Tang Huan a look before turning and walking out.
Tang Huan stood there, watching Aier rush out in a panic, then looked at her father’s ashen face and the Johansson family’s awkward expressions. Only then did her forced bravado finally deflate.
Wen Er quickly descended the stairs and left the pastry shop.
Tang Huan… she’s really going to be the death of me this time…
She had no idea how Master would deal with her now.
Wen Er slowly walked outside, and soon saw the elegantly designed Carriage parked out front—Xie Yier’s personal ride.
Was Master waiting for her?
Wen Er pursed her lips, nervously clutching the hem of her dress.
If it’s fate, it’s fate. If it’s trouble, there’s no escaping it.
She slowly approached the Carriage.
“Come in.”
Xie Yier’s cool voice called out.
She sat with her back straight, posture elegant, her long, slender hand resting on the window frame. Her exquisite face revealed not a trace of emotion.
Wen Er could feel the cold, oppressive air inside the Carriage.
She timidly climbed inside and tentatively spoke, “Master…”
“You don’t need to say anything. I already know the reason. It was that little Tang Huan who tricked you over, wasn’t it?”
Xie Yier was perfectly aware, even if she didn’t have any spies by Wen Er’s side, she could more or less deduce why Aier had come here.
Wen Er hurriedly shook her head. “No… Lady Tang said there was a Potion Workshop here hiring part-timers. I wanted to challenge myself, so I came to check it out. I didn’t expect…”
Wen Er refused to say she only came for money, using the excuse of wanting to improve herself.
“Ridiculous! You actually believed that wild girl’s words? If you want to find a job at a Potion Workshop, you can just tell me!”
Xie Yier’s tone was a bit harsh.
She was in charge of all the banking and Potion Workshops in the capital. If Aier wanted a job, she only needed to say the word.
Wen Er shrank back. “Because… Master, you’ve been very busy lately, and I didn’t want to bother you with my troubles…”
This was the best excuse Wen Er could think of for saving herself.
She could vaguely sense that Xie Yier wasn’t actually all that angry, especially after her earnest explanation, which seemed to melt away much of Xie Yier’s icy pressure.
The truth was just that. Xie Yier knew Aier would never betray her—the only thing that upset her was how naive Wen Er could be.
Too easy to trick.
But she couldn’t entirely blame Aier. She never expected Tang Huan would use Aier as a counterattack against her.
When Aier applied for leave, she should’ve asked more questions.
“When Tang Huan said you were her girlfriend, why didn’t you deny it?”
“I… I was dumbfounded, she spoke so fast… I didn’t have time to react…”
Looking at Aier’s flustered and frantic explanation, the last bit of Xie Yier’s annoyance was curiously replaced by a sense of helpless indulgence.
Who let her love Wen Er?
Just this single word, love, was already enough to dissolve her anger.
Yet, even so, Xie Yier still felt a lingering irritation.
If she couldn’t vent it with words, then she’d have to resolve it with Wen Er’s body.
Xie Yier’s lips curled in a subtle smile, as though she had come up with a particularly wicked idea.
Not only would she teach this silly girl a proper lesson, but she could also enjoy herself in the process.
“Let’s go home. We’ll talk after we get home.”
Xie Yier said flatly.
Master… is she forgiving me?
Wen Er thought she saw the corners of Xie Yier’s mouth lift in a smile. Maybe she wasn’t that angry after all?
Huh? This time I escaped unscathed?
My Master really is so understanding*”… <.
However, in reality, Wen Er’s optimism came far too soon.
Once they returned to the Iron Tang Residence, Aier was immediately “arranged” properly.
With the concerted effort of a group of maidservants, Wen Er was stripped bare, tied up in colorful ribbons, and thrown onto the bed where she was properly “educated”.
Everything was crystal clear.
“Eh… Huh? Master, what is…?”
Wen Er’s voice was timid, her hands tied behind her back, wrists fastened in an elaborate butterfly knot, her eyes tightly blindfolded by a silk scarf so she couldn’t see anything.
Deprived of her sight, her heart was filled with uneasy excitement.
“Little dummy, even if you didn’t betray me this time, your foolishness really upset me.”
Xie Yier’s footsteps echoed back and forth in the room, circling Wen Er’s ears.
She spoke while checking Wen Er’s Secret Speech Crystal, and to her satisfaction, all of Wen Er’s chat logs were still within her pre-set monitoring range, and whether it was daily conversations or private chats, Xie Yier was always number one!
Even Wen Er’s daily complaints about Tang Huan were thoroughly amusing to her.
The Third Lady of the Teliweis Family really was obedient.
But even so, Xie Yier still had to make sure Aier remembered this lesson well!
If a fool’s memory doesn’t work, then she’d have to engrave this lesson onto her body.
Xie Yier used her own Secret Speech Crystal to initiate a call with Aier’s Secret Speech Crystal…
Wen Er’s Secret Speech Crystal kept vibrating non-stop.
“Master… huh? What did you just put in—wait, no, don’t! 1 1”
“My dear, bear with it. This is to help you remember. Next time you chat with other girls, you must remember what happens today. Don’t go foolishly running after them again.”
“Yes—”