After being reborn, I became the apple of my enemy's eye.

As she walked out of the courtyard toward the assigned room, she deliberately slowed her pace.

Counting the time.

Just around the corner, Zheng Jihua returned home. The first thing he did upon his return was to check on Yan Yun.

He's been very busy lately, with too many things to do and time is tight. He was worried that Yan Yun might already be asleep and he wouldn't be able to see her, so he quickened his pace.

Looking at Yan Yun's courtyard.

"Miss."

With a startled cry from the maid.

Caught off guard, Zheng Jihua bumped right into Lu Lan, who was heading back to her room.

"grown ups."

Zheng Jihua looked at the person he had bumped into and was somewhat mistaken; he thought it was Ning'er.

Is that Ning'er?

Upon hearing Zheng Jihua's voice, Lu Lan recalled seeing Zheng Jihua in Changgu City, and a blush crept up the back of her neck.

"I am Lu Lan."

Then, with the lantern brought over by the servants, it became clear that the person on the ground was not Yan Yun.

Zheng Jihua, however, seemed to have long forgotten about Lu Lan.

"It's Lan'er."

He walked up to Lu Lan, reached out to help her up, and noticed that her maid was still carrying food. He asked, "Haven't you eaten yet?"

Lu Lan didn't speak herself, but the maid beside her reported, "Because Miss Zheng returned too late and didn't eat, our young lady brought the food over to eat together, but Miss Zheng didn't eat."

Zheng Jihua understood what the maid had said.

He praised Lu Lan, "You're very thoughtful."

Lu Lan lowered her head and said in a soft voice, "This is what I should do."

Seeing that she was dressed in thin clothes, while he himself had been feeling hot all the way back, Zheng Jihua took off his cloak and draped it over Lu Lan.

Lu Lan's expression changed instantly, and her cheeks flushed crimson as she lowered her head.

Zheng Jihua didn't mean anything by it; he assumed she was going back to the General's Mansion, which was why he sent it.

He added a few more words of advice: "Now that it's getting chilly at night, you young girls need to dress warmly. I'll have someone take you there."

He left a few words and ended the conversation, then walked towards Yan Yun's courtyard.

I remember Lu Lan's maid saying that Yan Yun hadn't eaten anything.

"Have the cook prepare some things and send them to the young lady's courtyard."

"It's all prepared. Would you like to use it with Miss, sir?"

"Send it here."

He was already eager to see Yan Yun.

The surroundings were growing darker.

Zheng Jihua didn't notice that even after he left, the gaze behind him continued to follow him.

We arrived outside the room.

Zheng Jihua felt much calmer just standing outside the door; he had noticed that there were no candles when he entered the courtyard earlier.

That's why I didn't push the door open rashly.

The maidservant guarding the door said that the young lady had already rested.

The servant behind him asked, "Sir, shall we wake the young lady?"

Zheng Jihua raised his hand: "Keep your voice down."

He stood outside the door and looked around. He remembered that Lu Lan had mentioned that Yan Yun hadn't eaten much, and he had been thinking about it. He tried to push the door open, but found that he couldn't.

It must have been tied from the inside.

Ning'er is now a young woman, so I really can't just go in like that.

The planned birthday is fast approaching.

Ning'er will definitely like the birthday gift I prepared.

Zheng Jihua looked at the maid beside her and said, "Come outside the courtyard."

The maid followed Zheng Jihua to the outside of the courtyard.

Zheng Jihua asked his concubine if she had been preparing daily meals for Yan Yun recently.

The maid answered truthfully.

Every day, the madam would send breakfast over on time. Since the nanny had instructed them that it was prepared by the madam, they would first deliver it to the young lady's room. However, Yan Yun never ate it and only ate what the cook prepared.

Zheng Jihua also hoped that Yan Yun and his concubine could get closer, but now it seems that things are completely different from what he thought.

"You all stay and protect the young lady well."

Zheng Jihua dismissed the maids and returned to her study.

I didn't expect that.

The maidservant beside the concubine was already waiting for him on his way to the study.

"grown ups."

Zheng Jihua turned around and saw the old woman standing there. Her face darkened. "Why are you here?"

The old woman immediately handed the things she brought to Zheng Jihua, saying, "Madam said that the master hasn't been to her place recently, so she must be in his study. That's why she sent me to bring some medicine to warm him up. Please take care of yourself, sir."

"Go back now. I'll go see her after these few days are over."

Zheng Jihua did not intend to visit the concubine just because she brought him the herbal medicine.

Upon hearing this, the nanny understood that she wouldn't be going to the concubine's room today.

The old woman bent down, wondering why the master seemed to be growing increasingly indifferent to the madam.

He watched Zheng Jihua as he was about to enter the study.

The old woman felt a sense of crisis. She lowered her head so that Zheng Jihua could not see the expression on her face. She whispered to Zheng Jihua, "Madam has not been feeling well lately. If it is convenient for you, sir, please go and see her."

Zheng Jihua glanced at her briefly before stopping.

"If the lady is unwell, you, as her servant, should take even better care of her."

The old woman knew inwardly that something was wrong, and immediately lowered her head to apologize, saying, "It was my fault for being so talkative."

A sinister glint flashed across Zheng Jihua's face.

"It's good that you're being nosy. Go back now. Your master's affairs are none of your business."

The old woman sensed the impatience in his words and immediately nodded and turned to leave.

Zheng Jihua stood behind her, watching her departing figure, before heading into the study.

Meanwhile, in the concubine's courtyard.

She stood anxiously outside the door, and when she saw the old woman enter the courtyard, she immediately went over to her.

Her face had initially held a hint of anticipation, but after looking behind the nanny, she couldn't find the person she was waiting for.

His face fell immediately.

"grown ups?"

The old woman whispered, "Madam, let's wait until we go inside before we talk."

The concubine followed the old woman into the room, looking distracted.

Before the old nanny could even sit down, the concubine stood to the side, looking at her with worry, and poured out her heart, "You've seen it too, the master hasn't returned to my room for days. Tell me, does the master have another woman outside?"

The old woman thought about it for a moment.

The household is currently preparing for the young lady's birthday, and the master is the one who cares about her the most, so it's impossible for him to be out there flirting with other women at this time.

What the old woman couldn't understand was that normal men have emotions and desires, and Zheng Jihua was no exception. If he wasn't spending time with his wife, then someone must be having an affair.

After this thought came to mind, the nanny felt that she had not made a mistake, but she did not tell the concubine her true thoughts.

Because the concubine is so absent-minded, I can't add to her distress. She's only been separated from the master for a few days, and she's already like this.

The old woman changed the subject, asking about other things, "Have you been taking those medicines I told you about long-term?"

The concubine became even more worried when she brought up the matter. She looked at the old woman and said, "Yes, but the master won't come near me? Could it be that I smell bad?"

The old woman leaned closer to smell it, but only detected a fresh floral scent; there was no other fragrance.

There's nothing wrong with my health.

Did I do something wrong?

"Madam, have you thought about whether there's anything else lately that has upset the master?"

Little did the concubine know that all her thoughts were on Zheng Jihua, and as she pondered this, tears began to stream down her face.

"What should I do if my master is really seduced by those shameless sluts outside?"

The concubine's concerns stemmed from the nanny's worries. After all, the concubine had attained her position through such means, and naturally, she feared that others might imitate her and steal these things.

The old woman took out a handkerchief and wiped away the concubine's tears.

"Madam, don't think about these things."

Although this was how the nanny tried to comfort the concubine, she was gradually swayed.

The weeping concubine had no manners whatsoever of a lady.

The old woman placed the handkerchief in the concubine's hand.

"Since Madam is worried, then Madam should make preparations as soon as possible. You had a cousin who is now in the capital. He used to work in another government office, but unfortunately he offended that big shot and is now homeless. What do you think about taking advantage of Ning'er's birthday to mention to the magistrate that he should come to the mansion and work for us?"

The concubine disagreed somewhat.

"The adults don't like me getting involved in these things."

The old woman said, "It's just one more person to help us, Madam. There are no people of our kind in this courtyard."

The concubine, who was indecisive and had Zheng Jihua as her master, agreed when she heard the nanny say that.

The nanny reminded her.

"You must bring this up when the adults are in a good mood."

After the old woman finished speaking, she looked at the concubine. After all, the concubine was her own daughter, so she didn't have to beat around the bush like she did with others.

She bluntly told the concubine, "A woman's beauty fades quickly. You've been with the master for over ten years, but unfortunately, you've only given birth to one daughter. There's no guarantee that younger, less desirable women won't try to take your place. And if those women give birth to a son to inherit the family business..."

The concubine was even more frightened upon hearing this, especially given the master's increasingly cold attitude towards her.

“Mammy!!”

The old woman whispered in the concubine's ear, "You shouldn't focus all your attention on the adults anymore. You should take better care of yourself and the child."

The concubine looked at the old nanny, her eyes filled with conflict.

She said several times that Zheng Ning'er was not like her own child at all, and how could she possibly be good to her?