An unfamiliar ceiling.

When Zhan Xinjia woke up, her throat felt dry and hoarse, as if she had a slipper stuck in it, and she felt like she could spew out Samadhi Fire.

She touched her neck, coughed a few times, and stared weakly at the light green sachet hanging on the bed curtains.

The bulging sachet, adorned with tassels, releases a light and refreshing herbal scent that fills the room.

This is a very simple house.

A large rosewood bookshelf served as a screen, separating the interior from the exterior. Several paintings and calligraphic works, some elegant calligraphy, others lifelike depictions of flowers and plants, hung on the walls. The room contained no expensive furnishings, yet it exuded a clear and tranquil sense of comfort.

Outside the window, sunlight streamed through the bamboo blinds hanging in front of the lattice window.

The golden threads were cut into thin strips by the woven bamboo strips, illuminating a corner of the bed.

Zhan Xinjia struggled to sit up, only to realize that she was wearing only a middle garment and trousers, while her outer robe was hanging on a rack to the side, seemingly already washed clean.

She took off her outer robe, hugged it to her chest, and smelled it. It had a warmth like that of sunshine and a faint scent of soapberry.

After putting on her outer clothes and tying her skirt, Zhan Xinjia casually stepped into the embroidered shoes neatly placed beside the bed and pushed open the door.

The courtyard is spacious and well-lit.

Birds chirped, and occasionally the wind murmured.

Several pots of well-maintained Crane Orchids hang under the eaves, and a lush Chinese Pear Tree grows in the corner of the courtyard. When the wind blows gently, the delicate, pale petals twirl and fall gracefully.

Further away, several rows of green bamboo were planted.

In the center of the small courtyard stood a huge red lacquered wooden table, covered with a dark blue satin cloth with subtle patterns.

The scrolls tied with red silk were neatly stacked to one side, while a sheet of Xuan paper was spread out in the center, with an inkstone and a brush holder on the side.

The young man, with his sleeves rolled up and wrists suspended, was writing something with his head bowed and eyes lowered.

Perhaps he heard a creaking sound as the door opened, for he paused slightly and looked up.

The little girl he had picked up two days ago was leaning against a pillar by the corridor, gazing at him from afar.

She had long, soft, dark hair that reached her waist, and wore a cross-collared, light blue cotton dress with a section of her snow-white undergarment showing at the neckline. Over this, she wore a long, wide-sleeved, light blue outer garment.

The oversized coat made her look even thinner and more delicate, as if she were about to be blown away by the wind.

The girl's face was still pale, and she looked sickly.

Her dark pupils, reflecting the warm afternoon light, were as clear as black jade, while her long, slender eyelashes trembled gently.

The slender leaves of the orchid were blown to one side by the breeze, swaying gently above her head in the sunlight.

If Zhan Xinjia were mute, this would be an extremely serene and beautiful scene.

pity……

"Damn! My throat's burning. Is there any water? Let me have a sip first."

"..."

Before the young man could respond, Zhan Xinjia accurately located the water vat in the corner of the courtyard.

She rolled up her sleeves and simply cupped her hands to drink a few mouthfuls, finally catching her breath before letting out a long sigh.

"Ugh... That was close, I almost turned into a water buffalo from thirst."

"..."

The young man's expression was solemn. He put down his pen and stared at her without saying a word.

Under such "burning" gaze, Zhan Xinjia suspiciously touched his handsome face.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a waterspout before?"

The young man's gaze fell on the water vat, his face showing difficulty, and he began to explain with difficulty.

"...That water vat is used to wash brushes and ink on a daily basis."

I have no reason to be saddened by the letter.

It's no big deal. She's been drinking water mixed with sand for sixteen years, so what's a little ink? At worst, we'll just poison her.

Wiping the water from his lips, Zhan Xinjia strode over to the table with an air of familiarity, casually pulled out a blank sheet from the neat stack of Xuan paper, and quickly wiped his hands.

With just a casual glance, I happened to catch a glimpse of the signature on the paper next to me.

Her eyes darted around with ill intent.

After all, she had run away from home, and given her poor character and low manners since childhood, she had no friends over the years. In the vast capital city, she had nowhere to go.

Knowing that she was almost fully recovered, this handsome young man would definitely try to get rid of her. After all, they were not related and should not be too close, so saving her life was already a matter of conscience.

But Zhan Xinjia was not about to let go of such a handsome and easy-to-bully young man.

Her mother once said that opportunities are only for shameless people!

She turned around, blinked, and her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

Against that deceptively innocent white face, she, a seasoned veteran, managed to feign a naive and innocent air.

After all, he is a descendant of Emperor Ruyan, and has received some indescribable personal instruction...

Before the young man could react, the girl suddenly stepped forward, grabbed the corner of his sleeve, and shook it playfully.

With her eyes crinkled into crescents, her lips red and teeth white, she spoke in a sweet, natural tone.

"My husband, I'm hungry."

"?"

The young man swayed, his pupils contracting.

He took a deep breath, incredulous and utterly astonished, and took a step back. Like a cat with its fur standing on end, he instinctively pulled his sleeve away with the fastest speed he could muster to keep his distance from her.

Under the expectant gaze of the young girl, the young man remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.

However, his voice was trembling involuntarily.

"What...what did you call me?"

"Aren't we a loving young couple? The first person I saw when I woke up was you! Judging by your age, you can't possibly be my father, right? Besides, we don't look alike at all, so we can't possibly be siblings. Therefore, you must be my lover! Ah, could it be that we are the legendary illicit lovers?"

Seeing the young man's increasingly pale face, Zhan Xinjia smiled and held up a finger to her chest, adding to the moment.

"Oh right, I think I've lost my memory. But I remember you, my husband, your name is Shen Suqing, right?!"

The name I saw on the paper must be this young man's name.

Shen Suqing was stunned by Zhan Xinjia's bandit logic, and he felt lost and helpless, trying to explain something.

But no matter what, this little girl was just making a bunch of nonsense and pretending to be stupid.

He even considered picking up a broom and kicking her out, but as soon as he raised his voice even slightly, her eyebrows drooped, her eyes welled up with tears, her eyes turned red, and she pouted, looking pitiful and aggrieved as if she was about to cry at any moment.

She looked so pitiful and frail that Shen Suqing, who had been well-versed in Confucian classics since childhood and disdained bullying the weak, simply couldn't bring himself to do it.

When he came to his senses again, the little girl was already sitting with him at the kitchen table in the side yard, her cheeks bulging as she ate the three dishes and soup he had just prepared.

She eats very well, she eats seriously and is not picky about food. Just watching her chew rice gives you a feeling that it tastes delicious.

Under the light, the girl's profile appeared radiant and soft, with her eyelashes curled, thick, and long.

Shen Suqing sat there without touching a single bite of food. After hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke slowly.

"...Have you never eaten in your life?"

"ah?"

Zhan Xinjia blinked innocently, her mouth full of chopsticks.

"Husband, have you changed your mind? You used to call me Ah Zhi, but now you always say 'you, you' as if we don't know each other. It breaks my heart."

Shen Suqing: "..."

They weren't even close to each other to begin with, were they?

As darkness fell, it wouldn't be safe for a young girl to go out at night. Even though Shen Suqing was reluctant, he had no choice but to take her in for another night.

He frowned, pondering whether to take the girl to the yamen the next day, or ask his colleagues to look through the recent missing persons reports in the capital to see if anyone had come forward to claim her.

As my thoughts drifted away, her enlarged face suddenly loomed close in front of me.

She rested her chin on her hand, her almond-shaped eyes, which were not exactly alluring but rather cute, curved into crescents, and her voice was incredibly sweet.

"Husband, why aren't you saying anything? Are you thinking about me?"

"How can you not touch me? What kind of behavior is this! You, you must not call me husband."

The young man's ears turned slightly red, and his fingers, resting on his knees, clenched and unclenched nervously. He turned to the side uncomfortably and subtly moved his chair back a little.

Whether she has genuine amnesia or is faking it, we can't just let her keep shouting like that, since men and women shouldn't be allowed to touch each other.

Seeing his weak, helpless, and easily bullied appearance, Zhan Xinjia secretly chuckled lewdly.

She rested her chin on her hands and tilted her head to smile.

"So what should I call you, Lord Shen?"

She had seen the piles of scrolls and documents on his desk before, along with the seals and red silk ribbons tied with jade, in her own father's study; they were supposedly for official business.

It seems this young man holds a minor official position despite his young age, though it's unclear what kind of position he holds.