Chapter 30: The Heir is a Woman (30)
By the time she finished handling the affairs at the manor, the sun had long since set. If she rushed back now without stopping, she likely wouldn't make it into the city before nightfall.
"Let's stay the night," A-Zhen said, gazing at the horizon where a few lingering sunset clouds drifted above a dark, dense forest.
As darkness fell, the chirping of insects rose, adding a touch of liveliness to the night.
Holding a cup and sipping warm tea, A-Zhen felt no issue with drinking tea at night. After a busy day, this rare moment of leisure felt somewhat unfamiliar; she still preferred having things to do.
Once she stopped, it felt as though she lost the ability to think.
Ying Fang walked in from outside. Glancing at the white porcelain cup in A-Zhen's hand, her serious face faltered slightly. "Heir, it is already dark. Isn't it unwise to drink strong tea now?"
She snatched the cup from A-Zhen's hand and shook the teapot, her expression changing instantly. It was already half-empty. Did she not intend to sleep at all?
"It's fine. Go rest," A-Zhen said, making no move to take the cup back. Whether she drank it or not didn't matter; she wasn't particularly fond of tea. She was simply looking for something to do, and drinking tea counted.
Leaning back in her bamboo chair, she looked quite relaxed, her beautiful eyes meeting the angry Ying Fang. "Ying Fang, aren't you sleepy? You didn't sleep at all last night and have been busy all day. You should go rest. If you collapse from exhaustion, who will be left to handle things by my side?"
"I'm not sleepy yet," Ying Fang replied, placing the teapot and cup far out of reach before stepping closer. "It is late, and you should rest as well, Heir. Staying up late is never good. The entire Prince Ning's Mansion and all the young ladies rely on you. If you fall, who will protect us?"
A-Zhen wanted to say that she wouldn't collapse.
As long as she wished, she could easily endure until everyone was laid to rest in their graves. But since that sounded a bit macabre, she kept it to herself to avoid frightening her worrisome guard.
Sensing Ying Fang's sincerity, A-Zhen smiled and stood up. "Fine, I'll go rest. You should too."
When faced with those who showed her kindness and concern, she was always quite lenient. For trivial matters, she simply let them have their way.
Inside her room, A-Zhen closed her eyes, but her mind remained sharp.
She couldn't sleep; she simply could not sleep.
However, she had no intention of getting up. She just lay there quietly, appearing to be asleep on the surface.
She thought that she should have someone transplant some bamboo to her frequent haunts; perhaps then she could sleep a little. At least in the courtyard of Prince Ning's Mansion, her sleep was much better.
Chenghua Hall was also good for sleeping; she had managed a rare good night's sleep there last night.
【Xiao Qi, are you there? Let's chat.】
Hearing the sudden call, 997 rushed back, quite surprised that this two-faced host would take the initiative to seek him out for a chat.
【Host, I'm not sure what you wish to discuss?】
A-Zhen: 【You are so boring!】
Huh? 997 felt quite innocent. Was there something wrong with asking that? Since they were chatting, wasn't it normal to ask what to talk about?
【Have you signed any newbies?】 A-Zhen didn't care about 997's conversational skills and continued. She had known since the binding that 997 was a rather mature system. His words were always centered around tasks, unlike other systems that were more lively and playful. In reality, that was just his outward persona.
At this, 997 felt a spark of interest.
【I've contacted a few, but the results haven't been ideal. No matter what I say, they are unwilling to bind permanently. Host, if I don't use a few little tricks, I probably won't be able to sign any more newcomers...】
【Those who want to sign without a permanent bond have far too many demands, as if I am the one who desperately needs them.】
She felt a bit annoyed with the system.
He already had a permanently bound host who seemed to be a powerhouse; the tasks in the first world would definitely be completed perfectly. With a host like this, maintaining operations would be no problem at all, so he wasn't in any hurry.
To demand so much without having done anything—how delusional.
*Endure, endure. I am an old system; I must remain emotionally stable.*
【Host, please judge this fairly. Although I used a few little tricks when I signed with you, I truly haven't exploited you regarding your wages. I just want a host with a stable relationship to complete tasks with.】
A-Zhen found it amusing. 【That is true.】
Back then, she had seen that 997 truly had no ill intentions, and sensing a sense of fate between them, she had gone ahead with the binding.
【Host, whether you are a newbie or not, you are the best. Rest assured, I will keep a close eye on high-quality tasks. Once one appears, I will stake it out in advance and snatch it for you,】 997 promised. There were many tasks available for task-takers, but many wanted to be the first to attempt high-quality ones.
Even if a world involved special powers and offered greater benefits, regardless of success or failure, they were coveted by countless task-takers. Even if they failed, at most they would lose the wages for that world and suffer a slight deduction in performance points; as long as they didn't fail continuously, it wasn't a loss. Once successful, the rewards were immense.
It could be massive amounts of luck, various powers and skills, or even special items gifted by the small worlds.
A-Zhen accepted the kindness and even praised 997 a bit, making him feel slightly embarrassed.
【Even if I sign other new hosts in the future, I will allocate the good tasks to you first,】 997 said.
A-Zhen smiled. 【Deal.】
In truth, for her, it didn't matter if a task was "high-quality" or not; the difference was negligible. As long as she could visit different small worlds, that was all she truly wanted.
Just then, A-Zhen suddenly heard a knock at the door.
【Go attend to your business.】
【Alright.】 997 responded and vanished. Through their time together, he had grasped the temperament of this powerhouse host: do not disturb her when she is working unless something truly extraordinary happens. Otherwise, she would come to him.
It was... quite alright. She didn't cause the system any worry at all.
Suddenly, he felt that taking on newbies might not be so appealing after all.
"What is it?" A-Zhen asked as she pulled open the door. The words had barely left her lips when she realized something was wrong. There were several people at the door, and standing at the very front was a tall figure draped in a black cloak.
By the light from inside the room, A-Zhen saw the half-hidden face beneath the hood and a pair of eyes that seemed capable of setting everything ablaze in the night.
Seeing the person he had missed, Ye Ji's restless heart finally settled, yet it began to beat so rapidly he could hardly control it.
Ying Fang and Hou Rongfa stood to the side, stealing glances at each other in a silent, tacit understanding.
"I missed you," Ye Ji said in a low voice, his gaze fixed intently on A-Zhen without wavering for a second. "I couldn't sleep without you."
His tone even carried a hint of vulnerability.
Hou Rongfa's cheek twitched; he nearly fainted. Was this something he was allowed to hear? Was this something his Majesty was allowed to say? It was over, it was all over—His Majesty was deeply infatuated. What could he do? He was just a lowly head eunuch.
Ying Fang, on the other hand, was much more composed. It seemed the Heir had the upper hand on this one, so she could rest easy.
A-Zhen reached out to take Ye Ji's large hand, pulling him into the room before slamming the door shut with a *thud*.
Tonight, she would be able to sleep well after all.
(End of Chapter)