The Little Meatball had bound her to him, making it impossible for her and the man not to be tightly connected.

Alright, as long as the venting is done.

Her capriciousness had its limits.

Now, it’s time to stop.

She had been out for almost two hours; if she didn’t go back, she might really be discovered by him again.

"Thank you, Fei Han."

Fei Han had a smile in his eyes: "If you ever need anything, just come find me here." He paused for a moment, then joked, "But still, don’t mention me to anyone in the Beiming Hall."

"Of course." She nodded, she wouldn’t cause him trouble.

If their first meeting was merely him saving her life, then this time, she would count him as a friend.

She walked back to the castle along the same path.

Watching the Asian girl’s shrinking silhouette, Fei Han stood by the door. The warmth and kindness in his eyes faded quickly like an ebb tide, replaced by endless irony and coldness.

Si Yuheng, can you see it now? Your woman is starting to treat me like a trusted friend.

Do you know how many times I wished to wrap my hands around this little beauty’s fair and slender neck, watching her scream under me until she breathed her last...

That way, you could taste my agony...

But that’s no fun.

You care about this woman more than I imagined. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Then perhaps you deserve to enjoy something a bit more painful.

Being betrayed by someone you like might be harder than watching the one you love die.

——————

Liang Anya returned to the castle when it wasn’t completely dark yet.

Fortunately, the dinner party on the first floor hadn’t ended. There were too many guests today, and the servants were too busy to notice that she had left and come back.

She went in through the back door and sneaked upstairs.

As soon as she entered the room, Beth rushed over, pulled her, and whispered: "Miss Liang, I went upstairs to see if you had delivered the cake and found out you argued with the Hall Master again... The Hall Master has gone downstairs to entertain guests. His subordinate said you had also been sent back to your room by him early, but you didn’t return, where did you go?"

"Nowhere, I just took a walk in the garden outside the castle. You didn’t tell them I hadn’t returned to my room, did you?"

"No, I didn’t dare ask anything more, afraid you’d again..." Beth took a breath: "...sneak out like last time. Miss Liang, did you really sneak out into the forest again?"

Liang Anya flatly denied: "Of course not. Even if I wanted to, could I get out? They probably increased the personnel on duty nearby."

Beth was still a bit suspicious: "But the garden in the back, how could you spend so much time there?"

"You know how big this castle is."

Beth relaxed a bit and grabbed her hand: "No matter what, Miss Liang, do not sneak out of the Hall Master’s designated area like last time..."

Liang Anya’s fingers were accidentally touched by Beth, and a sharp pain made her quickly withdraw!

Beth then noticed her nails had been clipped, unevenly at that, and two spots had been clipped too deep, revealing the skin underneath. She was startled: "Miss Liang, what’s this wound about?"

She bit her lip: "Si Yuheng did it."

Beth gasped in shock: "Why... why would the Hall Master do this for no reason?"

"It’s not without reason... I, I accidentally... angered him."

"Angered him?" Beth was dumbfounded, not understanding; Miss Liang angered the Hall Master many times, but he never got rough with her like this!

"Yeah, I slapped him."

"Oh my god, you—you slapped the Hall Master?" Beth screamed.

Liang Anya frowned: "There’s no need to act like it’s the end of the world..."

To Beth, it was much like the end of the world: "You slapped the Hall Master, and so he clipped your nails? In that case, the Hall Master is really too tolerant of you!"

Liang Anya replied irritably: "He clipped my nails until they’re bald; is that tolerance? Beth, are you feverish?"

"Of course! If it were someone else, they would have been fed to the dogs already!"

Liang Anya was speechless.

Beth couldn’t ask more questions: "I’ll go get some ointment for Miss Liang."

"Alright." Liang Anya worried Beth might ask more questions, so she hurriedly sent her away.

...

Beth went downstairs, heading straight for the storage room to get the ointment.

As she passed the banquet hall, Si Yuheng noticed her hurried figure and furrowed his brow, snapped his fingers.

His subordinate followed his gaze, then quickly walked over.

Beth took the ointment and left the storage room, just about to go upstairs when she had only walked a few steps down the hallway, and a trusted aide of the Hall Master approached her, frowning: "Beth, what did you take from the storage room?"

Beth hesitated and then said: "Ointment."

"Is Miss Liang hurt? What’s going on?"

Beth felt a bit of injustice for Liang Anya. Though she didn’t dare confront Si Yuheng directly, she had no qualms about snapping back at one of his subordinates.

She pursed her lips and pouted:

"Ask the Hall Master, then you’ll know."

"Is Miss Liang alright?"

"Alright? Have your nails pulled off, you say is it alright? It hurts so much she’s almost rolling around on the bed!" Beth exaggerated on purpose, her small frame bumping against the subordinate lightly, snorting, and heading upstairs.

...

When Beth entered the room, Liang Anya was in the bathroom running water, preparing for a bath.

She took off her clothes and secretly stuffed them into the laundry bin.

Having gone to the forest, she was sweaty, and there was some smell of grass and mud; better not to let Beth find out as it would be hard to explain.

Knowing Fei Han was better kept secret from fewer people.

She had just taken off her outer clothes when she heard Beth return, and called: "Just leave the ointment outside; I’ll apply it later myself. You should take care of Xiaoxiao."

"You don’t need my help?"

"No need."

"Alright." Beth replied, placing the ointment on the coffee table and headed to the adjacent nursery.

The water was almost ready, Liang Anya crouched by the tub, put her hand under to test the temperature.

As her fingertips touched the water surface, she hissed and quickly withdrew them!

It wasn’t that the water was too hot, but the small wounds around her nails stung when they touched the water, making it unbearable.

The door softly thumped; someone walked in on the carpet into the bedroom.

Just in time... she didn’t even turn her head, helplessly: "Beth, today I might need you to help me wash up... my hand can’t touch water; it’s hurting."

But the footsteps approaching were not light at all, clearly not Beth.

"Knowing pain is a good thing, just afraid you don’t know it."

The man’s icy and somewhat mocking voice drifted over.

She stood up in a rush, turned around, only to see Si Yuheng barging in without a greeting!

Since she was about to bathe, she had taken off her outside clothes and tossed them into the laundry bin, wearing only a bra and panties now, suddenly she was startled.