"Miss Liang is pregnant and has given birth to a little heir for the Hall Master, traveled a thousand miles to Beiming Hall, and has to serve tea and water for the Hall Master daily. These tasks should have been the responsibilities of the future Madam of the Hall Master, yet they have fallen onto Miss Liang’s shoulders, naturally it’s exhausting. But, Miss Liang, rest assured, Beiming Hall is not ungrateful, and when the time comes, we will properly compensate Miss Liang economically. It’s said that Miss Liang’s family in China are merchants; at the very least, your father’s and brother’s business in China will be guaranteed in the future."

Liang Anya laughed angrily, "Is this Si Yuheng’s idea, or yours?"

Si Yuheng? Only this Asian girl dared to call the Hall Master like that.

The Hall Master even allowed her to call his Chinese name so directly.

Vivi fluttered her curled eyelashes, leaned forward, and whispered, "Does it make any difference whether it’s my idea or the Hall Master’s? All principals and elders with some status in Beiming Hall will not allow a common Asian girl who does nothing for the Hall Master to become his wife. What I’m saying to Miss Liang is out of kindness, just to remind Miss Liang in advance that you’re just like the other women with the Hall Master. Even if the Hall Master treats you well now, don’t have too many expectations; otherwise, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment in the future."

The woman’s voice was gentle and polite, yet utterly devoid of emotion, like ice particles scraping Liang Anya’s face.

Liang Anya clenched her palms.

She could show weakness in front of herself, but she wouldn’t bow her head to those who wanted to see her make a fool of herself.

She pulled herself together, forced a smile, "Did the other women move into the castle like I did? Did they get accompanied by him on their first night moving in because he was afraid Xiaoxiao and I wouldn’t get used to it?"

She really hated the feeling of competing with other women for favor.

But she couldn’t stand seeing Vivi flaunting in front of her.

"Oh, so the night the Hall Master returned was spent with you?" Vivi smiled slightly, "I went to see the Hall Master that night, then returned... Unexpectedly, the Hall Master was so energetic that he couldn’t resist... Men are like that, alas."

Liang Anya’s eyes froze momentarily.

What did Vivi mean by that? Was Si Yuheng with Vivi before coming to her room?

A man and a woman, after not seeing each other for a long time, staying in a room, what good could come of it?

Just imagining that the moment before he held her to sleep, he might have been entangled with Vivi made goosebumps crawl up her arms.

He even said he came to accompany her because he was afraid she and Xiaoxiao wouldn’t sleep well on their first night.

So then...

What did what happened just now in the Fencing Room mean?

Indeed, she was ultimately just a pet brought back by that arrogant man.

She shouldn’t hold any innocent thoughts.

As Vivi said, she’s really no different from his other mistresses; he would call her over for amusement whenever he was interested.

All of a sudden, she felt an urge to go back and scrub herself hard, scrub off a layer of skin.

Vivi watched the change in her expression, said nothing more, carried the tray, and brushed past her.

She walked to the end of the corridor, to the door of the Fencing Room, and called sweetly inside, "Hall Master."

A man’s consistently charming voice came from inside, "Come in."

Vivi turned her neck, gave Liang Anya a faintly provocative smile, then pushed the door open and went in.

...

Inside the Fencing Room, the handsome figure was bent with long legs, leaning against the large mirror, sitting on the wooden floor, cheeks tinged with suspicious blush, lips curved with an unspeakable gleam of satisfaction.

Vivi saw many crumpled white tissues next to him, clearly used, and couldn’t help but clench her fists.

She wasn’t a three-year-old; she certainly understood what these used tissues meant.

Seeing Liang Anya panting and running out just now, she had simply guessed.

Now, she was almost certain.

Just now, the Hall Master had been here with Liang Anya...

The Hall Master was so eager with that Asian woman, unable to restrain himself?

Couldn’t he wait even during daylight in the Fencing Room?

What was it about that Asian woman that was so enticing, to captivate the Hall Master this way?

Vivi steadied her mind, handed the drink and towel over, her tone as gentle as ever, seemingly able to squeeze out water, speaking with double entendre, "Oh dear, Miss Liang was just here? The Hall Master has worked so hard."

Si Yuheng saw the embarrassment and complexity on Vivi’s face and guessed her misunderstanding.

Those tissues were merely used to wipe milk stains from her and himself just now.

But he didn’t bother to explain—more importantly, he didn’t need to explain. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Whenever and wherever to enjoy any woman, he never needed to inform anyone.

His fingertips touched the towel, pulled it over. He tilted his neck back, wiped the sweat adhering to his taut muscles after exercising, and surveyed the woman in front of him, "Your father is the butler, is your aspiration also to be a butler? Vivi, you’ve been talking quite a lot today."

His tone was sharp, like a knife, cutting through the air, slicing straight across, making Vivi involuntarily shiver.

The man before her was very sharp-tongued, never hesitating to insult regardless of who the other party was, yet he had never used such a tone to admonish her.

Since she came of age, her father had been the second in command at Beiming Hall.

And what Si Yuheng just said was true; as Ryan’s only daughter, she was almost the lady butler of this castle.

Under Si Yuheng’s indulgence, there was nothing she couldn’t manage.

But now, she just tentatively asked a question, and the Hall Master actually blamed her for asking too much, saying she was verbose.

Aside from fear, there was also a chill climbing up her heart.

The Hall Master protected Liang Anya so fiercely, not allowing anyone to make a single remark.

Vivi tried hard to steady her mood, lifted her flawless face like a gem, feeling wronged, "Yes, I was being verbose, Hall Master."

He gulped down several mouthfuls of mineral water, but instead of softening because of Vivi’s apology, his voice grew even colder, "Moreover, don’t meddle in any matters regarding Liang Anya living in the castle. What I mean is, avoid contact with her in the future."

"Hall Master, have I offended Miss Liang in some way?" Vivi’s complexion changed, her tone panicked, like a delicate rose blown by the wind.

He glanced at her sideways, his gaze flickering.

A few days ago, he heard about what happened when Liang Anya was almost pounced upon by the King and Queen.

At that time, the two dogs were led by Vivi.

Of course, it could have been Vivi’s hand slipping, failing to hold onto the two dogs, but it didn’t exclude the possibility that Vivi deliberately let the dogs scare Liang Anya.

The King and Queen were trained wolfdogs, with no human instruction, they would never attack someone who posed no harm.

And Vivi watched the King and Queen grow up, naturally knowing the gestures to instruct wolfdogs to attack others.

Fortunately, Liang Anya had known the King and Queen early on, and the King remembered her, stopping the attack at the last moment.

Otherwise, given the wild nature of his two beloved dogs, he knew what would happen.

Liang Anya would likely be torn to pieces by the two wolfdogs!