"You little bastard, your mother is just a lowly foot-washing maid. I gave you a bite to eat, and you should be grateful. I let you bark at me! Beat him up!"

Several young men from wealthy families surrounded him and beat him up.

A person who looked like a girl of about eleven or twelve was hiding behind a large tree and peeking in. "Tongzi, is this the target you were talking about? If I succeed, will you give me the elixir to save my sister?"

System: "Yes, as long as his blackened value is cleared, you will receive the elixir reward!"

The girl nodded and shouted in a shrill voice: "Master, why are you here!"

"The Master is here! Run! If you get caught, you're doomed!"

The third prince left quickly with his younger brothers.

The girl took the opportunity to run over and grabbed Zhou Yunshen's hand. He tried to pull it back cautiously, but the girl held on tightly: "Shh, don't waste time! Come with me before they come back!"

Zhou Yunshen looked at her soft face and felt inexplicably familiar. He let her grab him and run to a remote corner.

She skillfully drew water from the well, dipped a small handkerchief in the water, wrung it out, and gently wiped the dirt off his face.

Just as Zhou Yunshen was about to avoid her, she held his face and forced him to look directly at her.

"You've become a tabby cat! Don't you want me to tidy you up?"

"Don't mind your own business!"

Zhou Yunshen shook off her hand. Seeing him about to stand up, she became anxious: "Master System, what if he wants to leave? I finally saw him. What if he runs away? Where can I find him?"

System: "You are so stupid! Why are you crying? Have you forgotten what I told you? Your relationship in your previous life was predestined. He loved you so much that he will soften his heart if you cry!"

She panicked: "But I can't cry!"

System: "Pinch your thighs! Pinch hard and you'll start crying."

She nodded and secretly pinched her soft flesh.

This trick really works!

She stared at Zhou Yunshen with tears in her eyes. He looked frightened and anxious: "What's wrong with you? Don't cry, people will misunderstand if they see you!"

"I saved you and even gave you water to wash your face. Not only did you not thank me, but you also yelled at me..."

Her voice was soft, and Zhou Yunshen suddenly felt a pang of pain in his heart.

Listening to her words, it seemed as if I was really an unforgivable person.

She covered her face and cried, and Zhou Yunshen became more frightened.

"Don't cry! I'll wash it, can't I wash it?"

"Really? You're not lying to me?"

"A gentleman's word is as good as gold. Although I am not a gentleman, I will not lie to you."

"Okay, I won't cry anymore!"

She lowered her hand and stuck out her tongue at him with a smile.

Zhou Yunshen was stunned. Seeing her playful smile, he knew he had been deceived, but for some reason, he couldn't get angry.

She wiped his face with a handkerchief and said, "You said you wouldn't lie to me, so don't lie to me!"

"You're such a nag! What's your name?"

"Jiang Shuyue, doesn't it sound nice? It's the name my mother gave me."

Zhou Yunshen silently recited her name in his heart. The "Yue" in her name was just like her. When she smiled, her eyebrows and eyes were curved, like a little moon.

For some unknown reason, he did not resist and let Jiang Shuyue wipe his face.

She pulled a small box of ointment from her pocket and applied it to him.

"This is a gift from my aunt. I used to apply a little after being punished. It's very effective in reducing swelling and relieving pain! I only have a small amount, so I can only apply a little to you. I need the rest."

The system slapped its forehead furiously: "Host, can you be more generous? You want to capture him, how can you be so stingy?"

Jiang Shuyue pouted and touched his arm again despite the pain.

If she wiped it any further, her heart would really bleed.

She put away the small medicine jar, took out a steamed bun from her bosom, broke off half and handed it to Zhou Yunshen: "I secretly saved it this morning and couldn't bear to eat it. Let's have half each!"

Zhou Yunshen held half a cold steamed bun and didn't eat it for a long time.

Jiang Shuyue ate with relish, even nudging him closer: "The white flour buns in the palace are so delicious! Why don't you eat any? Don't you think they taste bad when they're cold?"

"It's okay. If we choke, we can just drink well water and swallow it. Good children should not waste food!"

Zhou Yunshen looked at her silly look and reluctantly opened his mouth and took a bite.

It wasn't as bad as he thought.

"By the way, why did the Third Prince bully you? Is it because you are prettier than him?"

Zhou Yunshen snorted coldly.

His biological mother was the queen's foot-washing maid. Because of her beauty, she was favored by the emperor, who gave birth to him after having an affair with her.

But my mother is too soft-hearted. She stays in the palace without fighting or competing. She has no status or background, but she is still a noble lady.

Although he had enough food and clothing, his brothers and sisters would often take the opportunity to bully him.

This was already an unspoken rule in the palace, but she didn't know about it? Could it be a new maid?

Zhou Yunshen asked, "What about you? Why are you helping me?"

"Um……"

She couldn't say it was a task assigned by the system.

She blinked her eyes, leaned close to his face and smiled, "Because... you are beautiful!"