Defeat the system! Kiss my little monster!

Upon hearing this, Shen Yu looked at Wen Yu, who smiled and continued, "I'll detoxify you, and you help me leave Kunning Palace, how about that?"

This deal sounds pretty good.

Shen Yu soaked in the warm water, his gaze sliding inch by inch down Wen Yu's naked upper body until it was cut off by the waist-deep water.

“It is possible,” Shen Yu said slowly, “but how do I know you won’t lie to me?”

"With this body of mine, I can't even handle the palace maids and eunuchs in the outer hall, let alone fight you." Wen Yu loosened his grip on the phoenix hairpin and said bluntly, "If I'm lying to you, you can kill me anytime."

Shen Yu's thoughts raced. He had seen Wen Yu's hideous right face, and suddenly felt a throbbing deep within his heart.

"Okay." After a long while, Shen Yu finally made his decision.

The owner of the photography studio wasn't someone to be trifled with; who knew if he would actually release Shen Yu later? What Shen Yu needed was something he could truly hold in his own hands, like Wen Yu, who was still far from being a force to be reckoned with.

After hearing Shen Yu's reply, Wen Yu slowly withdrew the phoenix hairpin from his hand. His leg muscles spasmed, and he struggled to climb out of the bathtub.

When Shen Yu saw the restrained expression on his face, which was just like his own, he felt a little strange and uncomfortable.

"Your Majesty, shall I change your bathwater?" Shen Yu also stood up from the bathtub. His clothes were soaked through and water was dripping from his body.

"What kind of 'Your Majesty' are you calling yourself now?" Wen Yu paused, his expression changed, and he said coldly, "I'm not washing anymore."

Shen Yu smiled: "Then what should I call you?"

He recalled a TV series he had watched a long time ago, and asked cautiously, "Master?"

Wen Yu: "..."

"This doesn't sound as natural as the previous one," Shen Yu said honestly.

"Call me whatever you want, I don't think your name is anything special." Wen Yu turned his face away, seemingly annoyed for no reason, and said in an unfriendly tone, "I'm going to call you Cuihua."

Shen Yu: "..."

"Alright, Your Majesty." Shen Yu didn't mind. He touched his neck, where the skin pierced by the phoenix hairpin was still bleeding.

Shen Yu casually grabbed a handkerchief to wipe away the bloodstains, barely managing to stop the continuous bleeding from the wound.

Wen Yu stood beside him, leaning against the wall. Seeing that Shen Yu had finished tidying up and was about to leave, he immediately asked, "Where are you going?"

Shen Yu stopped in his tracks and said as usual, "Your Majesty, it's late. I need to change my clothes and go to bed."

Where will you sleep?

“A small bed in the inner sanctuary,” Shen Yu said, turning to look at Wen Yu.

Wen Yu stood naked in the corner, leaning against the wall with one hand. Even though he tried to appear calm, his legs were trembling slightly.

Shen Yu glanced at his lower body and asked hesitantly, "Your Majesty, can't you walk?"

Wen Yu didn't speak. His lips were pale, and he secretly clenched his curled fingers after feeling Shen Yu's gaze.

Shen Yu clicked his tongue. Wen Yu's unpredictable personality made it the hardest for her to tell the truth.

The mist that had gathered inside had long since dissipated as the water temperature dropped, and water droplets slid off Wen Yu's body, her skin feeling the chill seeping into the air.

Shen Yu didn't have time to waste. He picked up the new clothes next to him, took two steps forward, and walked up to Wen Yu.

"Hand over the hairpin." Shen Yu stretched out his right hand to Wen Yu.

His right palm was covered with a thin callus, unlike Wen Yu's thin and withered appearance, which had small chips and scars.

Wen Yu stared at Shen Yu for a few seconds, then placed the hairpin in her hand into his palm.

“Two,” Shen Yu said, his gaze shifting downwards, his tone ambiguous. “Your Majesty, even at a time like this, you’re still wary of me?”

Wen Yu's breathing became heavy. His fingers stiffened for a few seconds before he pulled out the small silver hairpin that was stuck in the back of his head and placed it in Shen Yu's hand.

"It's gone." Wen Yu said with a displeased expression.

Shen Yu found nothing else. He casually used a bath towel to wipe Wen Yu's body and then covered him with the new robe.

“Your Majesty, we’re in the same boat now, you don’t need to be so wary of me.” Shen Yu bent down and picked up Wen Yu, his tone softening as he said, “With you like this, I don’t even dare to close my eyes when I sleep in the inner palace at night.”

Wen Yu snorted coldly.

Shen Yu was always one to strike first. As an assassin, he was afraid to close his eyes at night when Wen Yu slept in the same space as him.

Shen Yu walked for a while before entering the center of the inner hall and placing Wen Yu on the bed. Wen Yu's legs were weak, and after getting into bed, he pulled the blankets over himself, frowned, and lay down in the corner.

“…Bring me my mask.” Wen Yu turned over and suddenly spoke.

Shen Yu was about to go to the cubicle to change into clean clothes when he heard this. He turned around and went to the spot where he had been before to pick up the golden mask from the ground.

This mask is quite heavy. It looks like pure gold on the surface, but it feels particularly heavy in your hand. Shen Yu ran his fingers over the surface of the mask; it was rough and had a grainy, hard feel, unlike the texture of gold.

Shen Yu weighed the mask in his hand, changed his clothes, and returned it to Wen Yu.

"Your Highness, do you still wear it to bed at night?" Shen Yu asked. "This thing is quite heavy."

Wen Yu had already put on the mask. He lowered his head and said, "I'm doing this for your own good."

Shen Yu: "?"

Wen Yu tapped the surface of his mask with his fingers, reminding him, "You know perfectly well what's inside this. You were scared when you first saw it, weren't you? Haha, if I walk past your bed again tonight..."

Shen Yu stood in front of him without saying a word.

Wen Yu chuckled twice, and when he saw that Shen Yu didn't react, the curve of his lips stiffened: "Aren't you scared?"

Shen Yu remained silent for a moment, then turned and walked outside the beaded curtain: "Your Majesty, go to sleep early, your mind is not clear."

Wen Yu: "..."

The red candles in the inner hall were extinguished in no time. Shen Yu made his bed and went to the window to observe the situation outside before going to sleep.

The maids and eunuchs were changed every two hours, and now a new batch of palace maids has arrived.

Shen Yu greeted the palace maids in the outer hall, indicating that the Empress was about to retire for the night, and instructed the palace maids near the entrance of the inner hall to move to a more distant place.

After finishing everything, Shen Yu returned to his bed. Behind a curtain of gold and jade beads, the inner part was pitch black. Shen Yu stood there for a few seconds, only vaguely seeing a bulge of shadow on the bed.

Shen Yu withdrew his gaze, took off his shoes and socks, and rolled over to lie down on his bed.

Wen Yu was still awake. He stood with his back to the outside, silently listening to the rustling sounds coming from inside the inner hall. Shen Yu was tidying up something, and the sounds gradually subsided after about a minute.

Wen Yu closed his eyes, rolled over and lay flat, and soon covered his face with his hands.