Chapter Fifty-Five: Stop Fooling Around

“Cold…” After drinking the medicine, the man shut his eyes and frowned, a faint moan slipping from his lips.

Cold? Then add more blankets!

Chu Bing glanced around and noticed that although the room was small, the wardrobe was quite spacious. She walked over, opened it, and began rummaging through. She dragged out two quilts and tossed them directly onto Lord Ren. She threw them on carelessly, so the quilts fell in a haphazard heap.

“Now you shouldn’t be cold anymore, right?” Chu Bing thought she had done a decent job and gave a silly grin.

Just as she turned to leave, Lord Ren suddenly opened his sharp eyes, raised a hand, and sent a gust of force that slammed the door shut. His voice was icy, “Where are you going?”

Chu Bing, “….”

Damn it, Chu Bing screamed inwardly. If she’d taken one more step, she’d have been squashed by the door! Was this man trying to kill her?

She took a deep breath, suppressed her irritation, and forced a patient smile as she turned her head. “Brother, now that I’ve looked after you, I need to take care of my own matters.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a gravitational pull, strong as a vortex, yanked Chu Bing straight back. Shocked, she instinctively reached out to grab the table beside her, but even the table was dragged along, sliding backward across the floor.

“Oh my god!” Chu Bing cried out, and the next moment, she tumbled straight into Lord Ren’s bed.

He pinned the girl in his arms, not allowing her to move. Ren Changfeng gave a mocking laugh and whispered coldly in her ear, “Behave yourself.”

His whole body was burning hot, and with his long arms and legs, he trapped her tightly. Chu Bing’s face turned scarlet as she struggled desperately, shouting in a low voice, “You—you pervert, let me go!”

Ren Changfeng thought the girl in his arms was like a little cat gently scratching him—more amusing than anything else. He paid her little heed, slowly closed his eyes, and savored the growing warmth in his chest.

“Don’t make a fuss.”

Eventually, her relentless wriggling became too much, and he snapped at her.

His voice was hoarse with a strange magnetism that made Chu Bing’s scalp tingle.

“Host, remember your mission. Should you develop any romantic entanglement with someone irrelevant to your task, the system has the right to execute you immediately!” The system’s cold voice nearly drove Chu Bing insane. She retorted, “Where the hell do you see a romantic entanglement? I’m being forcefully held against my will—are you blind?”

“How dare you speak to the system with such disrespect! Punishment!” The system thundered. As its words fell, Chu Bing was wracked with sharp, stinging currents all through her body.

“Ah!” she screamed.

But her pitiful cry was quickly muffled by Ren Changfeng’s hand, reduced to a helpless whimper.

Weak as a newborn chick, Chu Bing endured both the system’s electric punishment and Ren Changfeng’s unyielding grip—she was nearly in tears.

No, she really was crying; tears streamed down her cheeks.

In her heart she despaired, vowing that one day she would repay this humiliation in full.

Outside, the moon shone brightly. Exhausted from crying, Chu Bing fell asleep without realizing it. Worst of all, even in her dreams she saw herself strapped into an electric chair, arms and legs bound, suffering endless shocks.

Heavens, earth, someone save me!

When Chu Bing awoke the next morning, her nerves still trembled as if electrified. She turned her head weakly—Ren Changfeng was no longer on the bed.

She buried her face in the pillow, feeling as if she’d been trampled by a herd of horses, utterly drained and unable to move.

“Awake?”

A man’s voice rang out.

Chu Bing stiffly turned her head. The strikingly handsome and tall Lord Ren walked in from outside, wearing only a thin inner robe with his sleeves rolled up to the elbows. A sheen of sweat covered his brow—he looked full of energy, with no trace of yesterday’s weakness.

“You’re already recovered?” Chu Bing blinked in surprise.

What an enviable constitution!

Ren Changfeng’s gaze lingered on her flushed cheeks and the eyelids swollen from crying half the night. He instinctively replied gently. In truth, he misunderstood—he thought she’d wept out of embarrassment, lying next to him in the same bed.

If only Chu Bing knew what he was thinking, she’d have spat in his face. A single touch or embrace from a man was hardly enough to make her collapse in shame! If anyone was taking advantage, it was her—after all, Lord Ren was a good-looking man.

But she loathed being forced.

And the system’s punishment yesterday had been unbearable.

“Where are we?” Lord Ren sat nearby and asked.

Though her body still ached, Chu Bing had no choice but to sit up, feigning a timid demeanor. “This is the Third Young Master Li’s courtyard. He’s been away for a while, so no one comes here. I brought you here.”

“And who are you?” Ren Changfeng sat at the edge of the bed, his eyes utterly devoid of emotion as he assessed her, as if weighing her value in silver.

Chu Bing caught his gaze and instinctively recalled how he’d slaughtered men in the bamboo forest that day—a chill ran down her spine. She looked at him obediently, “My name is Hongxiu, a maidservant in the Li household.”

Ren Changfeng examined her. Noting her servant’s attire, his suspicion eased slightly.

“I’ll be staying here for a few days. You know what to do, don’t you?” Ren Changfeng’s tone was slow and deliberate.

Grinding her teeth, Chu Bing thought, So he’s threatening me to keep my mouth shut and serve him!

Though she was grumbling inside, she dared not refuse. “I won’t tell anyone you’re here.”

Her voice was soft, her gaze bright and clear, her demeanor utterly docile.

Some of the coldness faded from Ren Changfeng’s eyes, replaced by a subtle, unfamiliar warmth. “When I return, I’ll make sure you’re well rewarded.”

As if I care!

If not for his martial prowess and his grudge against the Li family, she’d never have bothered with him!

Her smile froze, and she stood rooted to the spot.

To Ren Changfeng, this only made her seem more bashful. He paused, then his voice softened. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”

“Then… could you give me the antidote?” Chu Bing gazed at him, hope flickering in her eyes.

Ren Changfeng shook his head. “As long as you don’t betray me, I’ll give you the antidote every month. I won’t let the poison take your life.”

Liar!

Chu Bing was furious, but could only swallow her resentment, forcing a smile while bitterness welled up inside her.

Ren Changfeng, however, had no inkling of her thoughts. Instead, he was thoroughly pleased with this clever and unexpectedly charming little maid.

Others feared and respected him, but she was different.

With a little maid like her at his side, the days were hardly dreary.

Ren Changfeng’s wounds had not yet healed, so he decided to remain hidden at the Li estate for some time. In his view, the most dangerous place was the safest. Li Yuxi would never imagine he was still within the household’s walls.

But since he stayed, Chu Bing naturally could not leave.

Every day, Chu Bing had to sneak food to him and was occasionally sent to spy on Li Yuxi’s movements.

Fortunately, Ren Changfeng seemed to trust her unconditionally. No matter how random her reports, he believed every word.

Chu Bing always made excuses that, as a mere maid, she couldn’t stay away from her duties too long, and Ren Changfeng never doubted her—he was sure she wouldn’t gamble with her life. He let her go without hesitation.

But every night, she had to return to this courtyard.

Chu Bing felt she was going mad from his torment.

The man had no sense of propriety between men and women, always finding ways to share the same bed with her!

If not for the antidote in his hand, Chu Bing felt she could have bashed his head in long ago!

The system gloated, “At least he’s good-looking. Think of it as having a free body pillow.”

Chu Bing sneered, “Weren’t you the one who said I mustn’t get involved with anyone unrelated to the mission? Aren’t you afraid I might actually fall for him one day?”

The system fell silent, feigning death.