Chapter 3

After that day, Pei Su often came to my stall to eat pancakes.

He came in the morning, and also in the evening.

He came on sunny days, and on rainy days too.

He was a refined and proper scholar. Every time he came, he brought five copper coins, each one polished spotlessly clean.

After so many visits, I had figured out his taste.

He liked pancakes with half lean, half fat meat, sprinkled with scallions, no chili, the dough rolled a bit thinner, baked until slightly crispy and golden.

Whenever he ate a particularly delicious pancake, his eyes would narrow in delight, showing a look of pure happiness, like a little puppy.

I felt deeply gratified, and then wrote down Pei Su’s preferences in a secret letter to my lord.

Two days later, my lord replied, the words forceful and bold, the calligraphy like dragons and phoenixes flying.

“Useless. Waste paper again and I’ll kill you.”

My lord was always fierce with me.

Pei Su was different.

Pei Su was always gentle.

During idle chats, he would occasionally ask questions about me.

For example, why someone as young as me was running a stall alone, and where my parents had gone.

I replied indifferently, “My parents? They died long ago.”

A trace of pain appeared in his eyes, heavy and silent, and he said no more.

Actually, I didn’t care.

I was an orphan from the time of war, and since childhood I never knew what my parents looked like.

The Third Prince, Bai Liwen, bought me. At first, he intended for me to be a Concubine, but when he discovered my innate strength and excellent bones, he switched me to become a Shadow Guard.

I was thrown into the so-called Iron Blood Camp, struggling between life and death for several years.

Many in the camp died, but I survived.

Survived, yes, but my lord still seemed to dislike me.

He said, “If you weren’t still somewhat useful, I’d have thrown you into the pond to feed the fish long ago.”

My eyes lit up, “Fish for lunch? Grass carp or carp?”

My lord took a deep breath, “Get out.”