A Promise and a Suspicion

The great villain hesitated slightly.

Seeing an opportunity, Yan Yi immediately added fuel to the fire and said softly,

“Your Excellency, you wouldn’t want to see me abandoned by everyone and left alone in the world, would you?”

These words seemed to pierce directly into his heart.

Wen Xiuran’s mother had died early.

His biological father treated him only as a blood bag for cultivation.

The attendant who had grown up with him since childhood betrayed him and nearly took his life.

Family affection had always been like a reflection in water—distant and unreachable.

If the villain still had a trace of kindness in him, he would not wish Yan Yi to become as lonely as he was.

After all, she was one of the very few people around him who treated him sincerely.

“Write the letter,” Wen Xiuran said, tapping the desk lightly with his finger.

Yan Yi was overjoyed.

She hurried to sit beside the desk and began writing quickly, filling two sheets of paper.

The contents of the letter were a mixture of truth and lies.

It was vivid and detailed, leaving no obvious flaws.

“Your Excellency, please take a look.

If there is nothing inappropriate, cast your spell on the letter so my cousin will give up the idea of visiting.”

She handed the letter to him.

But Wen Xiuran did not take it.

“I have no interest in prying into others’ private matters.”

Yan Yi choked slightly.

At such a crucial moment, the villain suddenly wanted to act like a noble gentleman.

The original novel had never mentioned such admirable virtues.

“It’s fine.”

She waved her hand, trying to persuade him.

“Your Excellency, it’s just ordinary greetings, nothing private.

If you want… I can read it aloud.”

With that, Yan Yi began reciting the letter dramatically.

First, she assured her cousin that she was safe and well.

There was no need to worry.

Then she emphasized that a certain region had recently been struck by a plague.

People were suffering terribly.

Soon she would travel with her master to treat patients in various places.

During that time she would have no fixed residence, making it inconvenient to receive visitors.

Once the situation stabilized, she would return home to visit relatives.

Wen Xiuran listened quietly.

But the more he heard, the more something felt wrong.

His brows slowly furrowed.

“You lie so easily,” he interrupted coldly.

“How does it feel when you lie?”

The study suddenly fell silent.

Yan Yi blinked in confusion.

She could not understand what tone he was taking now.

Hadn’t he agreed to help her stop her cousin from visiting?

Of course she needed to fabricate some details to convince him.

She asked cautiously,

“Your Excellency… is there something inappropriate?”

Wen Xiuran looked displeased.

“When you speak carelessly, have you thought about the people who truly suffer from plague?”

Yan Yi quickly stood and walked to him.

“Your Excellency, that part is actually true.

Earlier my master mentioned that a remote region in the mortal world is indeed suffering from an outbreak.”

“That still should not be used as your excuse,” Wen Xiuran replied.

“I’m not using their suffering for my own convenience.”

Yan Yi became anxious and spoke quickly.

“My master will soon travel there to treat the sick.

I want to go with him and help however I can.”

Wen Xiuran’s expression softened slightly.

His gaze examined her carefully.

“Is that truly the case?”

He rarely concerned himself with mortal affairs.

He had never even heard about the plague she mentioned.

“It’s absolutely true!”

Yan Yi nodded vigorously.

“If Your Excellency doesn’t believe me, you can ask my master yourself.”

Seeing her lowering her head with a wronged expression, Wen Xiuran raised an eyebrow.

“You seem quite aggrieved.”

Yan Yi looked up at him and muttered softly,

“Your Excellency doesn’t trust me.

Of course I feel sad.”

Something in his chest pricked like a needle.

Wen Xiuran concealed it and said calmly,

“This letter is filled with lies.

Have I wrongly accused you?”

“I had no other choice.”

Yan Yi lowered her head and spoke quietly.

Wen Xiuran fell into thought.

The mortal doctor lied without hesitation, smoothly and confidently.

Would she one day deceive him the same way?

Or had she been deceiving him from the beginning?

He remained silent.

Yan Yi grew nervous.

She did not want to lose this opportunity to gain his help against the novel’s male lead.

Reluctantly she compromised.

“If Your Excellency thinks the letter is inappropriate, I can revise it until you’re satisfied.”

These words pleased Wen Xiuran somewhat.

Although she lied easily, she was willing to compromise for his sake.

“No need to revise it.”

Wen Xiuran finally took the letter.

“Before you depart on that journey, inform me.”

“Of course!”

Yan Yi smiled brightly.

Then Wen Xiuran took a dagger from his waist.

He cut his fingertip with the blade and pressed a drop of blood onto the letter’s signature while quietly chanting a spell.

“Take it,” he said, returning the letter.

Yan Yi stared at the bright red fingerprint.

For a moment she suddenly thought of those old stories where daughters were sold with a blood seal.

If one day the villain discovered she had been deceiving him from the beginning, how would he react?

He stepped closer and lightly tapped her forehead with his finger, leaving a faint crimson mark between her brows.

Yan Yi suddenly felt uneasy.

For a moment… she had almost softened toward him.

But the villain was only a character in a book.

Once she returned to the real world, she would simply delete the reading app and move on with her life.

There were countless web novels in the world.

Sooner or later she would forget this villain entirely.

Thinking this, she suppressed the inappropriate thought.

She burned a talisman and sent the letter to the novel’s male lead.

“Your Excellency, thank you.”

She looked at him sincerely.

Wen Xiuran did not respond.

He studied her quietly for a moment before saying coldly,

“If you tell lies too often, eventually even you will believe them.

You should reflect on yourself.”

Yan Yi suddenly felt chilled.

She realized she had acted too hastily and revealed too much.

The villain had begun to suspect her.

Cold sweat formed on her back.

She searched desperately for an explanation.

But the facts were obvious.

He had personally witnessed how she deceived her own cousin and even persuaded him to become her accomplice.

Yan Yi had no defense.

She could only admit her mistake.

“Your Excellency, I was wrong.

I will change.

From now on I won’t lie to anyone again.”

“Remember what you said today,” Wen Xiuran replied before turning and leaving the study.

Yan Yi stared blankly at his departing figure.

Then she collapsed into a chair beside the desk as if all her strength had left her.

She had nearly ruined everything through carelessness.

Just one step away from losing everything she had achieved.

Not until evening did Yan Yi regain her spirits and continue her next plan.

She had once promised to make several sachets for the villain so he could wear a different one every day of the week.

Now she realized that when she made that promise, he had not questioned her words.

Perhaps he had already grown used to her rambling nonsense when frightened.

To please Wen Xiuran and clear his suspicion, Yan Yi spent the entire night making another sachet.

This time she increased the amount of calming incense inside.

After a sleepless night filled with worry, the sky was already bright when she finished.

Yan Yi crawled into bed with Xiao Li and fell asleep instantly.

Suddenly she was awakened by knocking at the door.

“Miss Yan, are you awake?”

Half-asleep, Yan Yi opened her eyes and slowly got out of bed to open the door.

“Qiong Jiu? Why are you here?”

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned.

Qiong Jiu smiled gently.

“Miss Yan, it’s almost noon.

You hadn’t gotten up, so I was worried.”

Yan Yi stepped aside to let her in.

“I went to sleep very late last night.

That’s why I couldn’t wake up this morning.”

Qiong Jiu looked concerned.

“Miss Yan, is something troubling you?”

Yan Yi smiled mysteriously.

She picked up the sachet she had made and showed it to her.

“I made this.”

Qiong Jiu examined it carefully and praised sincerely,

“Miss Yan, your hands are so skillful.

Is this… for His Excellency?”

Yan Yi nodded happily.

“Yes.

I promised to make seven sachets for him.”

Qiong Jiu returned the sachet and asked curiously,

“Why seven?

Is there a special meaning?”

Yan Yi raised an eyebrow.

“Not really.

But in my hometown we count seven days in a week.

He can wear a different sachet each day.”

“Oh—”

Qiong Jiu looked at her meaningfully.

“If His Excellency knew this, he would surely be very pleased.”

Yan Yi suddenly thought of something.

“Qiong Jiu, how are your sewing skills?”

Qiong Jiu looked embarrassed and shook her head.

“I grew up practicing martial arts.

But Lu Qin’s mother is the residence’s embroiderer.

If you want to learn, Lu Qin can introduce you.”

Yan Yi immediately had an idea.

If one sachet could please the villain so much,

then making him a robe by hand would surely move him even more.

“Alright, thank you, Qiong Jiu.”

Yan Yi placed the sachet back on the desk and casually asked,

“Where is Lu Qin today?”

“She’s off duty and left the residence,” Qiong Jiu replied.

Then she added,

“She’ll be on duty tomorrow.

I’ll ask her to come find you.”

Yan Yi thanked her again.

Then the two left the study together.

Yan Yi planned to deliver the new sachet to the villain immediately so he could experience the stronger calming incense.

At the courtyard gate Qiong Jiu pointed toward the kitchen.

“Miss Yan, I’ll arrange lunch first and send it to the study later.”

Yan Yi separated from her and walked alone toward the villain’s residence.

Since Wen Xiuran moved out of the study, this was her first time visiting his sleeping quarters.

Unlike before, Wen Feng was no longer guarding the door.

Yan Yi looked around.

The area was silent, with no one in sight.

The guards protecting the Demon Lord were surely hidden somewhere nearby.

She knocked lightly on the door.

There was no response.

Not giving up, she knocked again, louder this time.

“What are you doing here?”

A familiar voice sounded behind her.

Yan Yi turned around with a faint smile.

“Your Excellency, I brought you a sachet.”

She handed it to him.

“The first one.

Six more to go.”

Wen Xiuran glanced at the sachet in her palm and smiled slightly.

“When will the rest be finished?”

Yan Yi: “…”

Her smile stiffened instantly.

Was the villain planning to work her to death?

“Your Excellency, good craftsmanship takes time.

How about I make one each day and deliver it to you?”

She spoke cautiously while glancing at his waist.

The golden sachet she had given him earlier still hung there.

Wen Xiuran took the new sachet and casually attached it to his waist.

“Your Excellency, that old one—”

“I’m keeping it for use.”

Yan Yi pouted.

She had originally planned to reuse the pouch and simply refill it with incense.

“Why do you suddenly want to learn embroidery?”

Wen Xiuran asked, sounding unusually relaxed.

“Ah?”

The question caught her off guard.

“I… I just thought learning more skills would be useful.”

“Oh?”

Wen Xiuran did not hear the answer he wanted.

His expression sharpened slightly.

“Who are you planning to make clothes for?”