I long to return home!

Shen Lian watched this scene quietly, feeling a lingering fear. He wondered what the so-called "healing spell" meant and regretted not asking Grandpa Zhang to use his magic to cure him.

Murong Shuang opened the bottle cap and sniffed it, becoming even more certain that the jade bottle in her hand was indeed the medicine to heal the wound. Her gaze fell on Shen Lian's blood-stained arm.

She pursed her lips shyly and said, "Um... Your Highness, please take off your clothes so Shuang'er can apply the medicine for you."

Upon hearing this, Shen Lian turned his face away, seemingly a little embarrassed, and coughed a few times, saying, "Actually, if you give me the medicine, I can apply it myself."

After hearing this, Murong Shuang stood there stunned, and the room fell into silence.

After a long while, Murong Shuang pouted, somewhat dissatisfied with the answer. She slowly walked behind Shen Lian, leaned down and whispered in his ear in a soft tone, "Is Master shy? I've even warmed the bed for you, what is there for you to be shy about?"

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Lian's ears turned bright red, and she quickly stood up to protest: "How can a young lady from a prestigious family be so frivolous and not care about her reputation?"

Murong Shuang didn't care. Instead, she smiled charmingly, which made Shen Lian's heart flutter and he almost lost control.

With such a stunningly beautiful young woman whispering sweet nothings in his ear and exuding charm before his eyes, who could resist her allure?

Before long, Shen Lian gave in, sat down in a chair, closed his eyes, and slowly took off half of his robe, revealing a blood-stained wound. His face was flushed, which reflected his feelings at that moment.

Murong Shuang took in his perfect figure, a hint of greed flashing between her brows. Her pretty face flushed a rosy hue as her slender fingertips glided across his muscular skin.

They stopped just before reaching the wound, gently sprinkled on the medicine, and finally bandaged it with a white cloth.

After finishing everything, Shen Lian was so engrossed in the activity that he only snapped out of it when Murong Shuang reminded him. After getting dressed, he looked at her with a somewhat evasive gaze and stammered, unsure of what to say.

After putting the medicine back in its place, Murong Shuang sat down beside him, her gaze darting away from Shen Lian. After a long while, she murmured, "I thank Your Highness for today's events."

"It's alright. Now that you're my maid, you can't just stand by and watch someone bully you," Shen Lian said.

Upon hearing this, Murong Shuang was overjoyed. She lowered her head shyly, seemingly hesitant, but still managed to say, "If Your Highness is so kind, may Shuang'er serve as your maid for a few more years?"

Shen Lian was taken aback. His first reaction upon looking directly at Murong Shuang was that he had misheard, thinking that she might have been a maid for a few less years. However, upon seeing her shy face, he realized that it was true.

Murong Shuang noticed and quickly explained, "Your Highness, please don't misunderstand. Shuang'er didn't mean anything by it. It's just... after this matter, I'm afraid I won't be able to repay the top-grade spirit stone I owe Your Highness..." She paused, twirling a strand of hair, "So... Shuang'er will repay it by becoming a maid first."

Good heavens, isn't this just a disguised form of selling myself to me? Shen Lian was taken aback, then suddenly remembered something, lightly patted his storage bag and took out a well-worn drum, shook it a few times to make a "clanging" sound, and then said, "No need for such trouble, just hand this to me."

When she saw the rattle drum, Murong Shuang was stunned. As memories flooded her mind, she immediately recognized it as the only toy her mother had ever bought for her when she was young. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she murmured, "So Aunt Liu still kept it."

But soon after, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her face filled with displeasure. Changing her previous demeanor, she looked at Shen Lian coldly, snorted, and left.

Shen Lian looked at it, somewhat puzzled by the contrast.

"Could it be that he was moved to tears?" he wondered.

"Forget it, so many days have passed in the blink of an eye. If I don't cultivate now, my body will be ruined."

...

Time flies, and the end of the year is just around the corner.

Besides Murong Han and her brother, who were present at the dinner table, a beautiful woman was sitting next to Murong Fu.

Murong Shuang looked at her indifferently, her eyes cold and devoid of any goodwill. She knew that the person in front of her was Murong Han's birth mother, Su Rong.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was tense; no one spoke. Murong Shuang glanced indifferently at the food, while Murong Qing, caught in a dilemma, dared not speak and could only swallow hard. Murong Han looked at Murong Shuang coldly, clearly resentful, but there was nothing he could do.

Su Rong looked at Murong Shuang with a sneer. From her current appearance, she looked like a virtuous wife and loving mother, but her heart was full of malice, which she did not express.

As the head of the family, Murong Fu was in an even more difficult position. On one side was his current lover and his beloved daughter who had been bullied and was seeking justice. On the other side was also his beloved daughter, but he felt more guilty.

After a long silence, he asked Murong Shuang, "Um... Shuang'er, why didn't you invite His Highness the Prince to dinner?"

“Father, Shen Lian is not family, and even if we ask him, he might not come back,” Murong Shuang replied calmly.

"Shuang'er, how could you speak His Highness's name so directly?" Murong Fu's face was displeased, but then he thought about the obvious relationship between Murong Shuang and Shen Lian, and swallowed back the words of reprimand that were about to come out.

Murong Han crossed his arms and snorted coldly.

Murong Qing was caught in a dilemma, fearing that things would spiral out of control again, just like yesterday.

At the dinner table, Su Rong smiled obsequiously, stood up, picked up a piece of plump fish and put it into Murong Shuang's bowl, saying with a smile, "Come, Shuang'er, try the fish that your mother personally had someone make for you."

Looking at the beautiful woman before her, whose appearance was completely different from her inner self, Murong Shuang met her coldly. She had previously heard from Murong Han that he planned to send her to be a bed warmer or a concubine of a noble young master.

"Shuang'er thanks Madam Su for her kindness, but Shuang'er has grown hands." The cold words reached everyone's ears, and under everyone's gaze, Murong Shuang picked up the fish from the bowl.

This was undoubtedly a provocation. Murong Fu was furious but dared not speak out, lest Bai Yu Zhenren personally intervene if trouble arose again.

No wonder she was born of a lowly woman; every daughter she gives birth to is a lowly person. If it weren't for the prince's support, I would have sold you into prostitution today.

Su Rong smiled apologetically, "Is it because the fish doesn't suit Shuang'er's taste? Mother... Second Mother will have the servants redo it right away."

"Madam Su, please don't misunderstand. For some reason, Shuang'er doesn't want to eat fish today," Murong Shuang retorted without any restraint.

Bitch!

Su Rong chuckled and asked, "Shuang'er, could you tell your second mother how you and His Highness the Prince met, and how far things have progressed? You are both still young and should focus on cultivation, and be moderate in your actions."

Upon hearing this, Murong Shuang glanced at him coldly, swallowed the food in her mouth, and said nonchalantly, "Where did Madam Su hear such rumors? Shuang'er and Shen Lian have no relationship whatsoever. We first met at Brother Kong's wedding banquet, and later Shuang'er guided him there."

"At this point, Shuang'er's relationship with him is merely a transaction; she will receive the corresponding spirit stones as payment when the time comes."

After speaking, she gently put down her chopsticks and bowl, and spoke again to the silent Murong Fu: "Father, Shuang'er has finished eating. I'm a little tired today, so I'll go and rest first." With that, she left without looking back.