When Liu Yiyi heard Long Ming’s voice, she lay on the ground and cried out loud, “Brother Long Ming, this maid went against me. I only reprimanded her a little and said that she didn’t clean the place properly before she threw me to the ground.”


  “Brother Long Ming, I heard that the servants in the palace have all been trained. She was brought in by Sister Long Mei but is lawless. She bullied me when you were not around…”


  Xiao Ying interrupted Liu Yiyi’s accusation with a hoarse voice. She looked at the expressionless Long Ming. “I was doing well in the kitchen. Miss Liu found trouble with me for no reason and punished me by coming here to sweep the floor. She even spat out melon seeds on purpose.”


  “No, I dropped them when she threw me down. Aiyo, Brother Long Ming, my back is about to fall apart. Granny will be very sad when she finds out about this.”


  At the mention of the old lady, Long Ming’s cold expression changed slightly as he looked at Xiao Ying with sharp eyes. “Lock her in the detention room.”


  Mo Tian, who was behind Long Ming, nodded. “Yes.”


  After Mo Tian took Xiao Ying away, Liu Yiyi endured the pain in her body and stood up. Staring at Long Ming, who was walking toward the study, she chased after him. “Brother Long Ming, the granny asked the servants to make a lot of delicious food. She wants to eat with you. Will you come down later?”


  Liu Yiyi looked at Long Ming expectantly.

  Long Ming looked at Liu Yiyi’s clear eyes and a dazed look appeared in his cold eyes. That woman revealed a pair of deer-like eyes on purpose when she was seducing him, making people let down their guard.

  “Brother Long Ming, will you come down?” If Long Ming’s aura wasn’t so strong, Liu Yiyi would have tugged on his sleeve.

  Long Ming hummed coldly.

  Liu Yiyi exclaimed excitedly.

  Xiao Ying, who had just reached the first floor, froze slightly when she heard Liu Yiyi’s excited voice.

  Mo Tian turned back to look at Xiao Ying and said in a low voice, “Miss Ying.”


  Xiao Ying was stunned. She widened her eyes and looked at Mo Tian. “I tried to disguise myself but you can tell that it’s me?”


  “No, Miss Long told me. She’ll be at Mei Pavilion for the next two days and asked me to take good care of you.”


  Xiao Ying’s heart warmed. “Mei’er is too considerate.”


  …


  Mo Tian brought Xiao Ying to the detention room. Before Mo Tian left, he said to Xiao Ying, “Miss Ying, I’ll bring food and a blanket over later. I’ll let you out tomorrow morning.”


  Xiao Ying nodded. “Okay.”


  After Mo Tian left, Xiao Ying leaned against the wall.

  Thinking of Long Ming’s cold attitude and the passing of time, she really did not have much confidence anymore.

  …


  After dinner, Long Ming chatted with the old lady for a while.

  The old lady held Long Ming’s hand, her eyes filled with love. “Ah Ming, after you were taken away, you were the person I was most concerned about. I’m old now and don’t know how many years I can live. You’re not young anymore. It’s time for you have to form a family.”


  Form a family?

  A pretty face flashed past Long Ming’s mind.

  Why would he think of her?

  He would never marry her!

  Long Ming pursed his thin lips tightly and said in a deep and cold voice, “Granny, I’m busy with work now and don’t have time for a relationship.”


  It was not that he had no time for love, but the pain in his heart had not healed.

  When Liu Yiyi, who was sitting beside the old lady, heard Long Ming’s words, her eyes darkened.

  After Long Ming went upstairs, Liu Yiyi pulled the old lady’s hand and pouted. “Granny, I heard that Brother Long Ming is very good at equestrian. I wonder if he has time to teach me how to ride a horse this weekend.”


  The old lady looked at Liu Yiyi and knew what she was thinking. She comforted her, “Yiyi, if you want to marry into a good family, I can ask Ah Ming for help. However, he is the King of the country and his wife will be the future Princess Consort. Her background must match his.”


  When Liu Yiyi heard the granny’s words, her tears fell immediately. “Do you think that I’m not worthy of Brother Long Ming? Although I don’t have a good background, I have you!”


  The granny could not stand seeing Liu Yiyi cry. She pulled Liu Yiyi into her arms and patted her back. “It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but you saw Ah Ming’s attitude.”


  “Granny, I’m not asking Brother Long Ming to marry me immediately. I just want to him to cultivate his feelings for me. Granny, please help me!”


  “Alright, I’ll ask him tomorrow if he’s free this weekend.”


  Liu Yiyi kissed the granny’s cheek happily. “Thank you, Granny.”


  …


  Long Ming was so busy that he only came out of the study in the morning. After taking a bath, he lay on the bed.

  He was exhausted, but could not fall asleep.

  Lying on the bed and looking at the bright moonlight outside, he felt like something was missing.

  He thought of that fair and cute little girl in the hospital, Number 21 who had come to the palace with the Duke’s wife to look for him, and the extra pillow beside him…


  Had he really forgiven that woman?

  How was that possible?

  She had betrayed, used him and had even lied to him. He had struggled in the swamp, his body sinking deeper and deeper. He felt like he was going to die right then and there.

  How could he forget such a deep and bloody feeling? How could he continue to like that woman and even let her give birth to his child?

  He closed his eyes, not letting himself think about those things.

  The more he thought about it, the more miserable he felt.

  He did not know when he had fallen asleep.

  He did not sleep well and kept dreaming.

  In his dream, he was hugging a woman who was covered in blood. He could not see her face clearly and only heard her say, “Long Ming, can you promise me one thing?”


  “As long as you live well, I’ll promise you anything.”


  “Let’s forget about each other, okay?”


  “Long Ming, promise me…”


  “As long as you live well, I’ll promise you anything.”


  His heart immediately ached terribly, as if a stinging whip had whipped his heart ruthlessly.

  Who would do such a terrible thing?

  Who had made him forget her?

  Long Ming opened his eyes and sat up from the bed. He touched the corner of his eyes and there was a cold tear there.

  Leaning against the head of the bed, Long Ming lit a cigar and narrowed his deep eyes as he puffed out smoke.

  After smoking a cigar, he picked up his phone and called Mo Tian.

  “Come to my study.”


  …


  Mo Tian let Xiao Ying out early in the morning.

  Worried that the makeup on her face would fade away, Xiao Ying asked Mo Tian, “You can’t tell, right?”


  Mo Tian looked at Xiao Ying, who had painted herself with a dark foundation. He could not help but smile. “Miss Ying, if Miss Long didn’t tell me, I really wouldn’t have recognized you like this.”


  “That’s good.” Xiao Ying went to the servant’s room to change her clothes, wash up and put on her makeup before heading to the kitchen.

  She made several dishes that Long Ming liked and put them on the dining table.

  Liu Yiyi helped the old lady over and frowned unhappily when she saw that Xiao Ying had been let out of the detention room. “Why are you here? Who let you work in the kitchen?”