"What, are you feeling sorry for me now?"

"In your dreams!" Li Luru snorted coldly. "I just pity you, that’s all!"

"Pity me?" Ye Haoxuan grabbed her arm and yanked her a bit closer. "Li Luru, sounds to me like you’re itching to go home and get married again, huh?"

The moment this was mentioned, Li Luru’s face turned green.

But she still tried to flatter him. "Master Ye, can we switch to threatening me with something else? Using the same thing over and over is getting boring."

"Tch..." Ye Haoxuan let her go, but after thinking for a bit, he said, "This prince happens to be short of a bed‑warming maid. Didn’t you say you pity me? Well? How about you take the job?"

"Pfft!" Li Luru took two steps back. "Who’s pitying you? I can’t wait to..."

"Can’t wait to what?" Ye Haoxuan’s gaze turned dangerous, as if the moment she said it, he’d toss her straight into the river.

"N‑nothing." Li Luru hurriedly waved her hands. "It’s late, this lowly one will go back now. If the prince wants someone to warm his bed, it doesn’t have to be a maid. Dabai in the little garden would do just fine."

With that, she took off like the wind.

Only when she got back to her own room did she pat her chest. "That Ye Haoxuan is really..."

Not far away, poor Dabai in the little garden had his head almost buried in his knees, cursing inwardly at how Miss Li could say something like that!

Ye Haoxuan watched that rapidly retreating back, his eyes dark and deep.

The next day, the weather was clear and bright, with a gentle breeze.

Li Luru finally remembered that she was, after all, a maid, which meant she ought to do some maid‑like things.

"Knock knock..." She knocked a few times. Ye Haoxuan didn’t seem to be in the room. She pushed at the door, and it swung open.

Entering the room, she saw the clothes he’d changed out of last night still tossed to the side, so she went over to gather them up to take them to be washed, muttering as she worked, "Never seen a prince go out without bringing anyone to wait on him."

"You, right now, immediately, put down this prince’s clothes!" A voice suddenly came from behind, scaring her half to death.

"Weren’t you out?" Li Luru turned her head only to see him standing there naked, with nothing but a big towel around his waist, his long hair loose around his ears, still dripping water. "Oh my!"

Even though she’d attended him in the bath before, running into this scene in broad daylight still made her cheeks flush red.

"Y‑you, what’s wrong with you, taking a bath so early in the morning?"

The moment this was brought up, Ye Haoxuan’s expression darkened.

Why was he taking a bath? All because he’d had a very nice dream last night!

His gaze swept over Li Luru once, and yes, the dream he’d had last night was about Li Luru—and not just that, it was a wedding‑night dream of him and Li Luru.

It annoyed him to no end. He’d always prided himself on being a gentleman, yet he’d actually dreamt something so ridiculous, and with such a silly maid at that. Unbelievable...

He’d finally managed to drive those messy thoughts out of his head, and then this silly maid barged in—holding his clothes no less.

"This prince will bathe whenever he wants. What business is it of yours? Put down this prince’s clothes, now. It’s not like this prince is short of silver, but I’m not about to waste it like you do—every time you wash them, the clothes are practically ruined."