nquet for welcoming winds and dust, this was…the Hongmen Banquet!Her gaze fell silently on Wei Sishan's face. Her eyes were incredibly calm, and the previous fear was nowhere to be found in her depths...Seeing him eat the whole bowl of noodles with a frown, even finishing the broth, and then stealing a glance at her as if trying to hide his intentions, she thought he was being quite transparent.

Slowly getting up, Jian Tong picked up the bowls and chopsticks from the table.

"Tongtong, don't move around."

"I'm going to wash the dishes."

"Don't let Tongtong wash, I'll wash it." He said as he rushed to grab the dishes.

Jian Tong watched nervously from the side. Letting Shen Xiu Jin wash dishes really wasn't a good idea. But luckily, this time it didn't end in chaos. At least there wasn't water flooding everywhere or a complete mess.

She turned and went to the restroom. The warm water flowed from her head, washing over her again and again. A jumble of images flashed before her eyes.

When her grandfather was still alive, she clung to his portrait with confidence. Back then, she was young and vibrant. She always thought that if she tried hard enough, if she was good enough, even if Shen Xiujing didn't like her, he would like someone else.

The scene changed, and Xia Wei Ming's body lay before her - cold and lifeless. And the man, with eyes like sharpened blades, pierced through her without mercy.

This was the first time she knelt in her life, besides paying respects to ancestors. That rainy night, the sky was truly cold, the rain, truly chilling. Her heart, however, held anticipation.

Until...

Suddenly, she shivered and opened her eyes. The water from the showerhead streamed over her face, making her eyes feel a little sore.

He waved his hands haphazardly, wiping the water off his face, and then rushed through a quick shower. He walked out barefoot.

Clang!

A loud bang echoed through the living room, startling everyone.

"Tong Tong, Tong Tong, what's wrong with you!" The person’s voice arrived before they did, "Bang!" Before she could reply, the door was kicked open by a strange force.

Jane clutched her waist, stunned for a few seconds. Suddenly, her face flushed crimson, and she frantically searched around for something to cover her body, but there was nothing within reach.

He could only clench his fists, face flushed crimson, and roar at the person at the door in a fit of rage: "Who told you to come in!"

"I, I..."

The man was still dumbfounded, standing at the door, staring blankly at what was happening before his eyes.

"Get out of here!" Jane shouted angrily.

But the man looked at her with unwavering conviction, lecturing her earnestly:

"Tongtong clearly fell down, and Axiu saw it so he shouldn't leave Tongtong unattended. Yu Xing said this is called being brave and righteous."

Right now, Jian Tong has completely come to hate Bai Yu Xing. You, Bai Yu Xing, are even moonlighting as an enlightenment teacher

“Shen Xiujin, get out of here right now!” she said, her face flushing red. She hugged herself tightly and tried to curl up into a ball, glaring at the person at the door. If looks could kill, she would have slaughtered him a thousand times over by now.

That person shook their head firmly: “Ashu cannot do this.”

As he spoke, he walked towards Jian Tong.

Under Jian Tong's furious glare, the man had walked right up to her.

Suddenly, her body felt light. When she came to, the person had already hugged her tightly: "Tongtong, you mustn't catch a cold, Axiu will take you to the bedroom."

Her face turned pale then red, staring at this face, at this innocent and guileless expression. She wanted to scold, but the words wouldn't come.

On his face, which was incredibly handsome, she looked again and again, but couldn't see any other purpose. Such simplicity, just wanting to do good for her.

Under such a pure and honest expression, she forcefully swallowed the words in her mouth.

Not until he was tucked into the big bed in the bedroom did he grab the blanket and wrap her tightly, only his head peeking out. The sound of the hair dryer hummed softly: “Every time after a shower, Shen Er would do this for Axu, Shen Er said that sleeping with wet hair would give you a headache, and Axu also helped Tongtong dry her hair.”

This scene had happened before, she remembered this man once blowing her hair like this, she instinctively avoided it: "I don't need it."

Jian Tong said coldly.

The next moment, she was completely immobilized. The man sat behind her, holding her with his hands and feet. "Tong Tong, don't move," he said, "If you don't blow dry your hair, you can't sleep. You have to be a good child. Shen Er said that you need to blow dry your hair before bed. You mustn't be a bad child."

"Tongtong, why are you making a mess again"

"Oh, Tongtong, it'll be ready soon."

"Tongtong is the best."

It took a long time to dry my hair.

She had hair that reached her waist, and yet she was secretly competing with the person behind her. It was already a remarkable feat for that person to dry their hair smoothly.

For nearly ten minutes, she hid, his limbs entangled with hers. She wanted to scream, but the man ignored her, occasionally calling out a few words.

Gradually, throughout the process of having her hair styled, the person behind her kept muttering things like "What's TongTong this and what's TongTong that." Jian Tong felt a headache coming on again. In the end, she just buried her head and sighed silently.

She kept telling herself: Don't bully children. What does it mean to bully children

The hairdryer's sound died down, and she let out a sigh of relief, her chest heaving. This arduous process was finally over.

Then she said coldly, "Shen Xiujin, your hair is already blown dry. Can you let me go now"

Men are naturally stronger than women, and she was burning up with fever, her hands and feet were weak, and her whole body felt soft and limp.

To fight this person was simply a waste of energy. She had finally come to understand this and, in the end, she let him do as he pleased, drying her long hair for her.

He said coldly, "You should go back to the living room and sleep." His implication was, "Can you get out of here"

That man was truly a fool, unable to hear the hint of dismissal in her words. He shook his head earnestly: "No, no, Doctor said that TongTong has a high fever, the family should pay more attention and accompany her. If it's discovered too late, it will be very dangerous."

"I don't need anyone's company," she said softly, glancing at him. Even if she had to have someone with her, it could be anyone in the world, but it absolutely couldn't be him: "Otherwise, I'll send you back to where you belong tomorrow."

That person looked dazed, she wasn't sure if it was her mistake, but a flash of malice in those narrow, long phoenix eyes disappeared as quickly as it came. When she stared again, there was only disappointment and carefulness in his eyes, nothing else.

She lowered her eyes, thinking to herself... She was sick and delirious.

"Tongtong... even if you have to send Ashu away tomorrow, Ashu will stay by Tongtong's side tonight. Ashu promised the doctor grandpa that he would take good care of Tongtong tonight."

As he spoke, he suddenly got angry and jumped out of bed to put on his shoes and leave her bedroom.

Witnessing that departing figure, Jian Tong was left utterly perplexed by his actions.

Said he would stay by her side, but turned around and left

The palm of the hand, quietly on the sheets, grazed them.

A low, sarcastic glint flashed in his eyes.

Perhaps she didn't even realize it herself, the discontent brewing deep within her at this moment.

"Scammer." She whispered, her pale lips uttering the two words unconsciously... Then she put on her pajamas.

The bedroom door swung open suddenly. She looked up, and a handsome face was framed in the opening, holding a blanket in his hands as he came back inside.

Upon entering the bedroom once more, he silently tossed the blanket he was holding onto the floor beside her bed and began to organize it quietly.

"You...what are you doing" She looked even more puzzled and finally asked.

In the bedroom, the man grunted loudly enough to stir the blanket on the floor before crawling under it and lying down, deliberately turning his back to her.

"Who allowed you to sleep here" she hissed, her voice laced with annoyance.

He remained silent at first. She felt a surge of anger, her breath catching in her chest. Through gritted teeth, she ordered, "Shen Xiujin, get out and sleep."

The man remained silent, his back turned to her. He lay on the floor before her bed, his posture as steady as Mount Tai. Seeing this, anger flared in her eyes, and her displeasure grew even more pronounced:

"I said, you're not sleeping here, if you don't listen..."

She hadn't finished speaking.

The man suddenly crawled up from under the covers, twisting his head to shout at her loudly: "You can send me away tomorrow! I'm not afraid of you! Anyway, don't even think about kicking me out tonight!"

Nonsense!

He still dared to shout at her

Jian Tong's chest heaved. "What are you yelling at me for Is this your house" She finished speaking, and in an instant, she came to her senses. This was indeed his territory... But the guilt only lasted a fleeting moment. Looking at him, she thought to herself: Anyway, you don't remember.

"Tongtong wants to drive Axiu away, but Axiu is afraid that if Tongtong gets sick, no one will take care of her. Axiu promised the doctor grandpa, Tongtong won't listen to reason!"

He rushed toward her, shouting.

Jian Tong was stunned... Eight-year-old Shen Xiuqin, for the first time, yelled at her. He had always been affectionate and obedient to her, speaking softly and cautiously. Today, for the first time, he shouted at her.

She suddenly became silent. She glanced down at the person under the bed, a wave of fatigue washed over her, she didn't know if it was physical or mental.

She stayed silent, shrinking further into the covers. She neither spoke nor argued, nor did she ask him to leave. She lay down facing away from him as well.

A room was so quiet, it felt almost suffocating.

I don't know how long it had been, in the bedroom, only a dim bedside lamp was lit.

No one spoke, the sky grew darker, and people had already fallen asleep.

The bed suddenly sank, Jian Tong didn't have time to speak, her feet were enveloped by a warm embrace.

She suddenly opened her eyes, not a trace of sleepiness remaining.

Looking toward the foot of the bed, the man knelt there, his long and broad palms carefully holding her feet in his lap.

At this moment, a warm current surged through her, from the soles of her feet to the top of her head. Her heart fluttered and she felt flustered. She instinctively wanted to step back, but that person's hand was not only broad but also strong, as if sensing her resistance, he lifted his head and looked at her, smiling innocently and said:

"Tongtong, Axiu is helping you cover your feet."

She clamped her lips shut. "No," she said curtly, refusing him without a second thought.

But the man refused to let go, his palm gently warming her little feet: "Tongtong's feet are so cold. From now on, Axiu will warm your feet for you, okay"

"No..." Good...

"So, Tongtong shouldn't rush Xiu away tomorrow, okay" The voice was a soft plea. There was a hint of fear in those eyes, as if afraid of rejection. It hit her heart hard again. She gritted her teeth and made a firm decision:

"I don't need you to help me cover my feet. Tomorrow, I'll have Xi Chen come pick you up."

She didn't want to have any more entanglement with this person. It wasn't that she had forgotten everything, but she couldn't become another person just like that. Who in the world could say for sure

Then, the man stood there dumbfounded for a moment, his eyes filled with disappointment, and then he blushed. "Alright, Ashu will listen to Tongtong's words. Ashu will leave with Uncle Xichen tomorrow."

"So, let go. I don't need you to warm my feet for me."

But the man shook his head, holding her feet in both of his hands: "They're not warm yet." He meant that once they warmed up, he would let go.

This time, Jian Tong didn't argue with the man again.

Her feet, in those large palms, gradually warmed up.

Before she could say anything, the man had already let go of her foot with a foolish grin: "Warm, warm." He said innocently: "Tong Tong sleep. Tomorrow Doctor Grandpa will come and give Tong Tong an IV drip."

The bed suddenly creaked lightly, and the person had already rolled over and got out of bed. They then lifted the bedding under the floorboards and lay down inside.

This night, Jian Tong slept very well. In the past, because of cold feet, it was hard to fall asleep, but this time, he fell asleep quickly.

She had a dream, in which there was always a pair of hands warming her feet.

When I woke up, the foot of the bed was empty. I turned my head to look under the bed, and that person was hugging the quilt and curled up into a ball.

She shook her head again... This dream felt so real. It was all this person's fault for acting without thinking.

It's all this person's fault, they don't play by the rules.

When this person is awake, they are difficult to read.

This person is now unclear, but even more unreadable.

That simple, clean gaze couldn't fool anyone. It wasn't something you could fake.

People can disguise themselves, but their eyes are difficult to fake.

At nine o'clock, the man cooked noodles in boiling water again. This time, he didn't mistake sugar for salt. The noodles were salty, but he had used too little salt, making them almost tasteless.

At nine thirty, she finally met the doctor grandpa that the man had mentioned.

"It is you, Lord Wang."

Xi Chen's family doctor, Jian Tong, had called him "Wangye" since he was a child.

"Girl, you're awake," the grandfather said kindly, checking her body.

"Much better than yesterday. The girl has recovered well, it seems the little rascal took good care of her." Saying "little rascal", his eyes fell on Shen Xiujin beside him.

Jian Tong awkwardly turned her head away… He did do well, she couldn't deny that.

Even though she was reluctant to admit it.

Wang YeYe gave Jian Tong another IV drip. Jian Tong stopped Xi Chen: "Take him back."

Xi Chen refused: "Right now Yu Xing and Shen Er, along with a few others, are all far away in another country. And I'm already overwhelmed here. Where do you want me to put them"

When Shen Xiujin was away, things in the Shen household started to get chaotic again.

After all, I am only Shen Xiu's agent on the surface, not Shen Xiu himself. Handling matters for the Shen family has already left me with no free time to take care of another "child."

Xi Chen bit down heavily on the two characters "child," his peach blossom eyes narrowed with seriousness as he glared at Jian Tong. The implication was clear: you can't even tolerate a child

This is really, a case of wanting to frame someone.

Jian Tong's face was pale and green, the kind of expression that screamed "something is wrong," yet she responded with vague accusations, pretending not to understand. This wasn't her style.

"Just bear with it a little longer, when Yu Xing returns, we won't hand Xiu over to you. Who can guarantee that you won't abuse him"

Look, these flippant words are just like deliberately provoking Jian Tong. She was furious and her brain went haywire: "When the King helps me remove the needle later, you better scram."

"Rolling is too rude," Xi Chen chuckled, this time without a hint of anger. He put his hands in his pockets and said, "Alright, I'll be rolling out later. No need for you to rush me." As he spoke, a playful smile curved his lips.red of tenderness or longingThe old butler pursed his lips tightly… it was all that fox spirit, Jian Tong!It must be that fox spirit, Jian Tong, who has beguiled the master!Otherwise, otherwise... how...