"I'm just browsing casually. There's nothing I don't understand, and nothing I want to ask." Jiang Yue still maintained a high level of psychological defense against Zhou Ji, constantly wary of letting this person know more.

I don't want him to see into my heart.

Zhou Ji has always been a shrewd, refined scoundrel in her eyes. She can easily see through him by observing the smallest details, especially his weaknesses.

Zhou Ji didn't press the matter; she said if it wasn't true, then it was true.

He casually mentioned, whether as a test or a sudden impulse after accidentally catching a glimpse of the name, "You like Jiang Guo?"

Even if Jiang Yue wanted to deny lying to him, she couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Hmm." Princess Mo felt the question was a little offensive; her expression held a hint of arrogance she herself wasn't aware of. She asked, somewhat displeased, "Can't I like it?"

Zhou Ji denied it: "There's nothing that's not allowed."

Jiang Yue's interest was piqued. Since Zhou Ji was the male lead, the original author might give him more advantages, allowing him to know more than she, the unfortunate female supporting character.

She felt her question was roundabout and not very obvious: "Do you know the cunning regent Zhou Fuwei?"

He paused noticeably when he mentioned the phrase "cunning and shrewd".

I was going to say he was infamous, but Zhou Fuwei's reputation is actually quite good even in unofficial histories.

There are many scholars who admire him.

They conducted a special study on his life.

Zhou Ji lowered his eyelids, gave a casual "hmm," and replied calmly, "I've heard of it."

Jiang Yue didn't believe that someone like Zhou Fuwei would commit suicide, even though she had seen this passage in unofficial historical documents and vaguely remembered seeing a man in front of her tombstone, expressionless, cutting his wrists and bleeding profusely. She still didn't quite believe it.

Do you also think he committed suicide?

The man paused for a few seconds, then softly asked, "Why not?"

Jiang Yue could find many reasons to refute this, such as that he was already a powerful regent at that time, and the emperor on the dragon throne was just a figurehead to him.

Why would someone as power-hungry as him commit suicide after he had already settled accounts with his enemies?

Within the dynasty, there were no more rivals.

He was no different from an emperor who believed in himself and was the only one who mattered.

"Why would someone who lived such a glamorous life commit suicide?"

"Because it's very painful." The man lowered his eyes, and the sunlight falling through the glass window landed on the tip of his pale nose, making his face look even paler. He said in a very calm tone, "When you can't bear the pain anymore, it's normal to choose to commit suicide."

Jiang Yue still didn't quite understand what he was saying.

What is there for Zhou Fuwei to suffer about? He holds immense power and can manipulate events at court.

Jiang Yue glanced at him curiously: "How do you know? These are just outsiders' guesses."

Zhou Ji didn't explain. How did he know? He could sense it.

That man was probably in great pain. Although his face was expressionless, he had been numbed by the burning pain in his heart day and night, to the point that he had become accustomed to it.

Jiang Yue felt that she couldn't get any useful information from Zhou Ji.

It seems the male protagonist doesn't know any more than the others.

Jiang Yue had spent enough time at the library today, and she was getting hungry, so she had to go home for dinner.

Zhou Ji followed behind her, neither getting too close nor too far away, but maintaining a distance that she couldn't easily break free from. He said, "I drove, I'll give you a ride."

Jiang Yue did not refuse.

When he offers to cook for her, treat him like a "little cook"; when he offers to take her home, just treat him like a groom.

Once she arrived home safely, Jiang Yue thanked him and went inside without looking back.

A few days later, the Zhou family's driver took Zhou Zhengchu to Jiang Yue's residence. Every weekend, the young master would go to stay with his wife for two days.

The little boy's backpack was full of snacks.

The back seat of the carriage was filled with his toys.

Jiang Yue's living room was gradually filled with her child's toys. Toys could be seen everywhere. He was like a hamster trying to fill its nest, and he liked to bury his things here little by little.

Jiang Yue is still not very good at taking care of children and doesn't know what he likes to eat.

When I'm not working, I stay home and play with my kids.

The boy was very well-behaved, but before going to sleep at night, he would always blink his dark, wet eyes at her.

Sometimes it's asking for a goodnight kiss.

Sometimes it's about requesting a fairy tale.

Jiang Yue wasn't good at telling fairy tales, so she gradually got used to giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek before going to bed at night.

Sunday arrived.

When the housekeeper and driver came to pick him up, the boy waved to them, "I'll go back tomorrow."

You can go directly to school on Monday morning.

That way I can stay here one more night.

When the following Friday arrived, the child discovered that the toy his mother had bought the previous weekend wasn't for him, and he became noticeably quiet.

Jiang Yue gave the model airplane she bought to the neighbor's child.

She was unaware that the boy was so upset about this that he buried himself under the covers and refused to come out.

She felt that Zhou Zhengchu had no shortage of toys; the living room and bedroom were filled with his toys.

When she found him hiding, he was already crying his eyes out.

Jiang Yue wiped away his tears and asked patiently, "What's wrong?"

The boy obediently let her wipe his face; his nose and eyes were red, and he kept a straight face and refused to speak.

Did someone bully you?

The handsome boy shook his head. After a while, his mother picked him up, wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and smelled the familiar and sweet fragrance.

Hot tears splattered on her neck, and she heard him ask in a muffled voice, "Why did you give the toy away?"

"Am I not your favorite child?"

Two sentences, broken and halting.

Naïve and innocent.

Jiang Yue almost forgot about the model airplane she had casually bought. "You want one too?"

She said, "You already have so much."

Several boxes couldn't be filled with his toys.

The boy felt even more aggrieved upon hearing this, and said, "My mother didn't give me any."

Jiang Yue was silent for a moment, then patted his head and said, "I know."

That night, Zhou Zhengchu received a gift from his mother: an Ultraman figure was quietly placed on his bedside table.

Plants that lack love.

It seems like I'm slowly being nourished by love.

Tender green leaves gradually sprouted.

Zhou Zhengchu was precocious and didn't have much interest in toys, but that morning he brought the Ultraman he received to kindergarten.

It was placed neatly on its own small table.

He earnestly told others that this was a small gift from his mother, and that he would receive many more in the future.