【I Didn’t Wash My Hair Yesterday】
Su Zhenzhen was a perennial single who was only good at talking a big game. Looking at the peerless beauty before her, bathed in a soft glow, her mind went completely blank.
Mu Dan’s gaze toward her once again carried that peculiar intensity.
He suddenly released his grip.
Su Zhenzhen’s face fell with disappointment.
Even though Mu Dan was a little eunuch and lacked "the equipment," he was just so handsome!
-
Su Zhenzhen was still in a daze when she returned to the servants' quarters.
She reached up to touch her cheek. It felt as if the little eunuch’s two fingers were still pinching her flesh—cold yet fragrant.
Maybe she shouldn't wash her face today?
Ah, no, that would make her seem like a total creep.
"Sister!" Wang Yin leaned toward her with an excited expression.
"What is it?" Su Zhenzhen was still floating on cloud nine.
"The list for Chuxiu Palace is out. You’ve been chosen!"
Huh?
Su Zhenzhen had been assigned to the side of the rumored "Second Greatest Beauty of Jinling."
This beauty was named Song Lizhen. Although she was merely the daughter of a minor fifth-rank civil official, she possessed a face that could put flowers to shame and make the moon hide behind clouds.
"Sister, this Lady Song..." Wang Yin’s expression suddenly turned troubled, and she leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Have you heard the stories about her?"
"What stories?"
"The story of her and that young General Zhou."
Oh, she knew.
If Su Zhenzhen remembered correctly, this beauty had been schemed into the palace.
Originally, her name wasn't on the selection list.
She was the sweetheart of Zhou Changfeng, the right-hand man of the male lead, Shen Yanci.
In order to win over this powerful subordinate and lay the foundation for a future coup, Shen Yanci had deliberately maneuvered to get this beauty into the palace. He planned to wait until Zhou Changfeng came to him, the "virtuous minister," to beg for help, at which point Shen Yanci would step in and arrange for Song Lizhen’s escape.
Only then would Shen Yanci truly tame that wild stallion and ensure Zhou Changfeng would serve him with unwavering loyalty.
Su Zhenzhen guessed that because she hadn't died the last time, Shen Yanci’s people were preparing to put her to use—for instance, by helping Song Lizhen escape the imperial palace.
-
Su Zhenzhen moved house.
Before leaving, she spent an entire night waiting at the Little South Palace, but Mu Dan never showed up.
Where did that beautiful youth go instead of coming home for the night?
Wang Yin hadn't been assigned to Chuxiu Palace. She said she had spent some silver to get a better placement; when she spoke, her eyes were sparkling.
Su Zhenzhen thought that it must truly be a wonderful place.
The beauties had only recently entered the palace and had not yet been formally titled. For now, they were referred to as candidates.
They resided in Chuxiu Palace.
Su Zhenzhen took her meager belongings and headed there.
Song Lizhen had entered the palace alone without bringing a personal maid. Compared to the daughters of the high nobility, she appeared somewhat destitute and embarrassed.
In truth, Song Lizhen’s life in the Song family had been difficult. Though she was the legitimate daughter, her mother had died early. Her father had married a stepmother who bore him a son and a daughter, leaving Song Lizhen with no place to call her own.
A year ago, for the sake of his own career, her father had forcibly broken off her engagement to the Zhou family behind her back, tearing the childhood sweethearts apart.
To earn the right to marry Song Lizhen, Zhou Changfeng had volunteered for the border wars, hoping to achieve military merit so he could bypass parental orders and matchmaker's words to claim her. The two had made a pact to marry once he returned with honors. Little did he know that as soon as he left, Song Lizhen’s father would force her into the palace.
Inside the room, Song Lizhen was dressed in plain, simple clothes, devoid of jewelry. She sat there quietly, forming a stark contrast to the lively scenes outside.
Su Zhenzhen carried her small bundle inside and surveyed the layout. Simple tables and chairs; two rooms in total—an inner bedroom and an outer sitting room—and one beauty who looked like she’d stepped out of a painting.
She truly was the legendary Second Beauty of Jinling: slender eyebrows, almond eyes, an oval face, and a willow-like grace. It was said she was also a talented scholar in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
If that tyrant saw her, he’d likely be unwilling to give her up, wouldn't he? Though he was a psychopath, he was still a man—no, wait, a boy. She heard the tyrant was only seventeen, which in modern times would make him a high schooler.
The inner room was for Song Lizhen. As her personal maid, Su Zhenzhen would stay in the room for night watch, but she usually stayed in the Chuxiu Palace servants' quarters.
Though it was still the servants' quarters, the conditions were much better than her previous residence. The communal barracks had been upgraded to a two-person room.
When Su Zhenzhen entered, another maid was already inside.
Hello, work buddy.
The two spoke for a while, unpacked their things, and then went to find their respective mistresses.
"Miss," Su Zhenzhen stepped forward and called out softly.
Song Lizhen snapped out of her daze and nodded at her.
"This servant is named Su Zhenzhen."
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Su Zhenzhen had become quite accustomed to calling herself "this servant," and she could drop into a kneel faster than any actual ancient person.
"Mhm," Song Lizhen nodded, continuing to fiddle with the jade pendant in her hand while lost in thought.
If Su Zhenzhen remembered correctly, this was the heirloom jade pendant given to her by her lover, Zhou Changfeng. In a moment, Matron Liu would come looking for trouble and smash it.
Matron Liu was the female official in charge of Chuxiu Palace. She was difficult to deal with and incredibly greedy.
Though Song Lizhen had a gentle temperament, she had her limits.
In the original story, she argued with Matron Liu immediately.
Matron Liu was already sour because Song Lizhen hadn't offered any "respects" (bribes), so she had no patience for her. Seizing the excuse of her talking back, she punished her severely, and her personal maid was dragged into the punishment as well.
The novel recorded that Song Lizhen was given a hundred strokes of the cane, and so was her maid.
A hundred strokes!
Su Zhenzhen stepped forward, her face full of wonder. "Miss, this jade pendant is so beautiful! May I see it?"
Song Lizhen hadn't expected this new maid to be so familiar. Being of a gentle nature and poor at refusing others, she simply cautioned, "Be careful with it."
Su Zhenzhen reached out, took it, and examined it closely.
A short while later, Matron Liu, the manager of Chuxiu Palace, arrived.
She started by flattering the ladies from prominent families, reaping rewards, before turning toward those from ordinary backgrounds.
These women understood the rules here. Regardless of the amount, they all offered some form of benefit.
The Matron beamed when she received good items, but her face soured the moment she was given something of little value.
When it was Song Lizhen’s turn, because she had no desire to enter the palace and her family had provided no guidance on the necessity of gifts, she had prepared nothing.
Su Zhenzhen handed a jade pendant back to Song Lizhen.
As soon as Matron Liu entered and saw the pendant in Song Lizhen's hand, she assumed it was a bribe intended for her and reached out to snatch it.
Song Lizhen’s face filled with alarm. "Matron, this pendant..."
Standing behind Song Lizhen, Su Zhenzhen gave her a light tug.
Don't say it, don't say it.
Song Lizhen turned to look at her, pausing.
Matron Liu looked at the pendant in her hand. The quality was mediocre, and her expression immediately mirrored it. "What about this pendant?"
Song Lizhen shook her head.
Seeing this, Matron Liu pocketed the pendant and walked away with a look of utter disdain.
Once she was gone, Su Zhenzhen handed the real jade pendant back to Song Lizhen.
“I noticed a jade pendant in your jewelry box earlier and thought they were a pair, so I took the liberty of picking it up to look. I didn't realize I had grabbed the wrong one when I returned it to you, Miss.”
“It’s good that you grabbed the wrong one, it’s for the best.” Song Lizhen pressed the pendant to her heart, her face full of relief.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted outside. It turned out that rewards from the Empress Dowager had arrived.
There weren't many candidates selected to enter the palace this time—only about a dozen—and the Empress Dowager had bestowed gifts upon every one of them, though the items varied.
Song Lizhen received over a dozen bolts of silk and satin, along with various pearl hairpins and jade rings. Her haul was significantly larger than that of any other candidate.
Gaining the Empress Dowager’s favor should have been a blessing, but Song Lizhen did not look happy at all.
This was because she had never wanted to be chosen in the first place.
The Empress Dowager’s gesture made it crystal clear that she had her eye on her.
Su Zhenzhen watched as Song Lizhen’s face turned deathly pale.
Poor thing.
-
Soon enough, Su Zhenzhen felt that she was the one who was truly pitiful.
Because Song Lizhen was heartbroken, she cried every single day.
Su Zhenzhen comforted her once, twice, three times... after a hundred times, she reached a state of Zen-like indifference.
A beauty was still a beauty when she cried, and it was actually quite pleasant to look at.
Su Zhenzhen inquired, “You’re not going to eat this, are you?”
Song Lizhen’s meals were clearly receiving special attention from the Empress Dowager. While others were served one vegetable dish, one soup, and one meat dish, she had three vegetable dishes, one soup, and two meat dishes.
As a maid, Su Zhenzhen only received one vegetable dish and a bowl of rice each day.
Song Lizhen: ...
The beauty had a small appetite and could never finish much.
Su Zhenzhen picked up the untouched plate of cherry pork and dumped it into her own bowl.
Song Lizhen: ...
Since they had moved to the Chuxiu Palace, Su Zhenzhen found that it was no longer on her way to the South Palace.
Song Lizhen was an easy mistress to serve; there was essentially nothing for Su Zhenzhen to handle. However, because the management of Chuxiu Palace was so strict, it was difficult for Su Zhenzhen to find an opportunity to go out and look for the little eunuch.
Her pickled green apricots were ready, sealed in a small clay jar. Su Zhenzhen took a bite herself and felt they were a bit too sweet. Had she added too much sugar? Oh, it turned out her heart was just sweet from thinking about that beautiful youth.
Matron Liu came every day to teach the candidates palace etiquette. Once finished, the ladies had to return to their rooms to copy "The Precepts for Women," followed by free time. Song Lizhen cried at first, but when she saw that no one was comforting her anymore, she stopped. Instead, she began working on her embroidery.
Her skill was exquisite. Even someone like Su Zhenzhen, who knew nothing of embroidery, could see her profound talent. She could easily sell her work for a high price and buy herself a government post.
-
At night, Su Zhenzhen stayed in the servants' quarters.
Her "work buddy" next to her was already fast asleep.
Su Zhenzhen reached out and nudged her. “Wake up, it’s time for the night watch.”
Inside Chuxiu Palace, the maids were scheduled for rotating night shifts.
Su Zhenzhen had the first half of the night, and the second half happened to fall to her work buddy.
The work buddy nodded dizzily as she stood up, threw on her clothes, grabbed a lantern, and headed out.
Su Zhenzhen, cold and exhausted, quickly burrowed into the bedding and fell fast asleep.
The next day, Su Zhenzhen woke up and opened her eyes to see her work buddy sitting on the edge of the bed with her eyes wide open.
Gah!
“What are you doing?”
“Sis... Sister... I, I saw a ghost.”
Su Zhenzhen: ...
Rumors of a haunting in Chuxiu Palace began to spread.
It wasn't just her work buddy who had seen it; over the following days, other maids on the night shift saw it too.
“You saw it too?”
“Yes, I saw it. A woman in white, with disheveled hair, standing on the wall and dancing...”
Lighting in ancient times wasn't as bright as in the modern world, and combined with the heavy weight of feudal superstition—where many things had yet to be explained by science—the belief in ghosts and gods was even firmer.
“Sister, did you see it?” Her poor work buddy asked, her eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep, still unable to shake the terror of that night.
Su Zhenzhen shook her head. “No.”
In truth, she knew exactly what was going on.
The person dancing was Song Lizhen. In order to avoid being selected, she was intentionally acting out the scene of dancing in the middle of the night. Her intention wasn't to scare people with ghost stories, but to feign madness.
A madwoman would certainly not be chosen for the harem.
Sure enough, a day later, all the maids knew that the person dancing on the wall at midnight was Song Lizhen.
“It wasn't me. I was sleeping all night, Matron,” Song Lizhen said softly, shaking her head in response to Matron Liu’s questioning.
Matron Liu’s gaze toward her became tinged with a hint of dread.
Naturally, this matter had to be reported to the Empress Dowager.
-
Wang Ji received the news from Chuxiu Palace and bowed as he entered the Xuanji Treasure Hall.
Incense was being burned and elixirs were being refined within the hall. Several maids stood before a massive cauldron, while a few young Taoist priests stood in front of them, cutting their arms to draw blood.
Wang Ji was accustomed to this. He walked through the main hall toward the inner chambers. Inside the bedroom, Empress Dowager Gu was worshipping the Three Pure Ones’ divine tablets. Clouds and dragon banners hung on either side alongside banners of light. The walls of the hall were painted with scenes of immortals paying homage and Taoist myths.
Beside her stood a middle-aged man in yellow Taoist robes with a long beard, possessing the air of a transcendent immortal.
“Your Majesty.”
Wang Ji spoke softly.
Empress Dowager Gu sat cross-legged on a rush mat. Though her hair was a shock of silver-white, her face appeared young.
“News has come from Chuxiu Palace saying that Lady Song has gone mad.”
Empress Dowager Gu calmly flicked her horsetail whisk. “She didn't go mad earlier or later, but chooses this exact moment to lose her mind. Such a petty trick. Go and handle it.”
“Yes.”
Wang Ji withdrew.
As he passed through the main hall, one of the maids having her blood drawn suddenly went limp and collapsed.
The young Taoist priest, unbothered, raised his hand to summon two small eunuchs to carry the maid away.
-
Song Lizhen appeared to be sitting quietly, but in reality, her entire body was trembling with nerves.
Su Zhenzhen poured her a bowl of hot milk tea.
She had made this herself. The meals sent to Song Lizhen at Chuxiu Palace were far better than everyone else's, but since Song Lizhen didn't care for fine food, it all went to Su Zhenzhen.
If you indulge in pleasure while you're young, you're truly living the good life.
With a fresh bowl of milk every day, Su Zhenzhen would add a bit of green tea and a dash of honey, creating a simple milk tea.
Song Lizhen had never tasted such a thing before. After the first sip, her furrowed brows instinctively relaxed, and before she knew it, she had finished the entire bowl.
As expected, no girl could resist milk tea.
The Empress Dowager’s people arrived shortly after.
It was an elderly eunuch whose skin was wrinkled like old tree bark. He stood at the doorway like a gnarled stump, his gaze sweeping up and down over Song Lizhen.
Song Lizhen was young, after all; her eyes darted away, not daring to meet his gaze.
The old eunuch gave a cold laugh, entered the room, and bowed with a stiff back. “Greetings, Lady Song. I am the head eunuch serving Her Majesty the Empress Dowager. My surname is Wang.”
Song Lizhen hurriedly rose to return the greeting. “Eunuch Wang.”
Although Wang Ji was a servant, he was the Empress Dowager’s man. Who would dare not show him respect? Matron Liu, standing behind Wang Ji, was smiling so hard her face seemed ready to crack. Her fawning expression was the perfect embodiment of the phrase "toadying to superiors and bullying subordinates."
“Matron Liu, is this how you have been looking after Lady Song?”
Suddenly called out by name, Matron Liu was stunned for a moment before she hurriedly tried to talk her way out of it. "This servant loves Lady Song the most. How could I ever mistreat her?"
Lady Song had spent several consecutive nights dancing and had barely eaten anything; she had grown noticeably thinner.
Wang Ji, however, couldn't care less about Matron Liu. He directly ordered men to drag her into the courtyard to be given fifty strokes of the cane. Matron Liu shrieked for her parents until her voice finally faded out; she had likely fainted.
Soon after, two young eunuchs came over and dragged Matron Liu away.
Although Matron Liu was a female official of the Palace of Elegant Culture, in the face of true power, her fate was decided by a single sentence from someone else.
"Drag her to the Department of Punishment." Eunuch Wang didn't give so much as a glance to Matron Liu, whose flesh had been flayed open by the beating.
Su Zhenzhen’s eyelids twitched subconsciously.
The Department of Punishment was a place that devoured people. Once anyone went in, coming back out was harder than reaching the heavens. Matron Liu was completely finished.
Lady Song’s face turned even paler.
Su Zhenzhen could see it clearly: Matron Liu was being used as an example to warn the others—killing the chicken to scare the monkey.
Wang Ji stepped forward with a smile on his face. "Lady Song, this old servant has witnessed your skills. I advise you to behave yourself. If you won't think of yourself, you should at least think of that ill-fated fiancé of yours."
Lady Song shook so violently she looked as if she might faint at any moment.
Wang Ji was using Zhou Changfeng to threaten her.
Lady Song surrendered.
-
This was Su Zhenzhen’s eighth day at the Palace of Elegant Culture. Yesterday, Matron Liu had been dragged to the Department of Punishment on Eunuch Wang's orders.
Today, a new matron arrived, surnamed Wu.
Matron Wu had a face that never smiled and was exceptionally stern. She managed the Palace of Elegant Culture with even more rigor. Upon taking office, she called in the head maids of every lady for a lecture.
On Lady Song’s side, there was only Su Zhenzhen as a personal maid.
It wasn't that the Internal Affairs Office hadn't tried to assign her new ones, but rather that Lady Song didn't want them.
Su Zhenzhen stood in Matron Wu’s room, head lowered as she listened to the instructions.
As a female official of the palace, Matron Wu had her own room. Though it wasn't large, it had the benefit of being a private space, and there was a charcoal brazier inside for warmth.
It was so warm.
Su Zhenzhen inconspicuously leaned a bit closer to the brazier.
Matron Wu took a sip of tea before speaking slowly. "Do you know what you are supposed to do?"
Do what?
Su Zhenzhen’s brain was stalling, feeling all warm and fuzzy from the heat of the charcoal.
"Has the higher-up not told you yet?"
Su Zhenzhen snapped awake instantly.
Tyrant! Your palace is leaking like a sieve!
"The date is set for three days from now. At that time, take Lady Song out for a walk toward the pond in the Imperial Garden. Once you push her in, someone will be there to meet her."
Su Zhenzhen nodded obediently and then turned to leave.
-
Lady Song had grown completely quiet, as if she had accepted her fate.
While she sat in the room embroidering, Su Zhenzhen sat outside dazing off.
Ah Zhen, your good days are coming.
An old eunuch suddenly walked past the entrance of the Palace of Elegant Culture.
Isn't that the 'Cerebral Thrombosis' guy? He wasn't sent off to the Labor Camp? He just seemed to be walking with a bit of a limp.
It looked like he had survived a hundred strokes of the cane.
When the old eunuch saw her, he looked her up and down.
"Hmph."
The old eunuch let out an ambiguous sound and then limped away.
It looked like he was just passing by, but that wasn't the case.
Su Zhenzhen pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up.
She remembered.
In the original novel, the mole maid who helped Lady Song fake her death was eventually silenced by Shen Yanci’s orders because he feared the Empress Dowager would investigate.
This was clearly a cannon fodder position; she was destined to die.
That damned old eunuch! This was clearly his way of getting revenge on her!
-
Su Zhenzhen sat down to have dinner with Lady Song, her expression looking like she was attending a funeral.
Even though she was in a terrible mood, she didn't forget to ask, "My Lady, you aren't going to eat this roasted duck leg, are you?"
Lady Song: "...No."
According to the original plot, Lady Song was unaware of the plan until she was transported out of the palace and saw Zhou Changfeng; only then did she learn the truth.
Actually, whether Lady Song knew the truth didn't matter to Su Zhenzhen. What mattered was that she had been pushed into this position by that dead old eunuch. If she didn't die this time, as long as the old eunuch lived, he would find another way to get her killed next time.
Su Zhenzhen asked Lady Song for permission to go out for a while.
Lady Song didn't make things difficult for her and nodded in agreement.
Su Zhenzhen bowed. "Thank you, Miss. May everything go as you wish and may your heart's desires be fulfilled."
Lady Song gave a bitter smile and shook her head.
How could there be any more "everything as you wish" or "heart's desires fulfilled" in her life?
Su Zhenzhen went to the Small South Palace and squatted there to wait. She waited for an hour, until the moon climbed to the treetops, before she finally saw that familiar figure.
"I thought you wouldn't come."
After all, she hadn't managed to wait for him last time.
Su Zhenzhen was still feeling listless. She looked up at the young eunuch who walked toward her, her eyes turning red. "I'm going to die..."
Lu Hexu: ...
The young eunuch looked at her with a cold face.
Su Zhenzhen reached out to grab his sleeve, but Lu Hexu predicted the move and dodged.
Su Zhenzhen cried even harder.
"Why are you going to die again?" The young eunuch’s tone was none too pleasant.
He wasn't even dead yet! Was that poison of hers even working? He’d been sleeping better lately!
That day, he had overlept and didn't see her when he came by.
He had come every day since, but the mole was never there.
She finally showed up today, only to be in this "life or death" state again.
Su Zhenzhen couldn't talk about the plot, she couldn't mention Shen Yanci, and she certainly couldn't mention her identity as a mole. Doing so would bring a fatal disaster upon Mu Dan.
"I had a dream. I dreamed that the Lady Song I serve jumped into the river to commit suicide. I was held responsible for negligence and couldn't survive either."
Although Su Zhenzhen framed it as a dream, that was exactly how the subsequent plot developed.
Lady Song would jump into the river to fake her death. The people in the palace would search for three days and nights before pulling out a bloated corpse.
That was a fake body prepared in advance by Shen Yanci.
After leaving the palace, Lady Song would change her name and become Zhou Changfeng’s wife. Because of this, Zhou Changfeng would become utterly devoted to Shen Yanci.
As for her, she would be secretly silenced.
Then, Shen Yanci would spread rumors in Jinling, saying that Lady Song had committed suicide because she was forcibly taken into the palace by the tyrant.
Even though these were just folk rumors that didn't reach the palace, the tyrant’s already precarious reputation would become even more dangerous.
"Who is Lady Song?"
Oh, she hadn't told the young eunuch about her experiences over the past few days.
"I accidentally offended an old eunuch, and he had me transferred to the Palace of Elegant Culture. Lady Song is one of the new candidates who just entered the palace..."
People really do need to vent sometimes.
After Su Zhenzhen finished speaking, she felt much better physically and mentally.
But she still felt very fragile. If only a beautiful youth could give her a hug at a time like this.
Well, she should say a proper goodbye.
If a hug wasn't possible, leaning on him would do.
Su Zhenzhen carefully tilted her head toward him.
Before she could get close to the beautiful youth, she was unceremoniously pushed away by his hand.
Su Zhenzhen: ...
[Another day of close physical contact.]
[Luckily I didn't lean on him; I didn't wash my hair yesterday.]
Lu Hexu: ...
"Su Zhenzhen?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted in from outside.
Su Zhenzhen paused and looked toward the source of the sound. Not far away, she saw Song Lizhen walking toward her, carrying a lantern.
"I saw that you hadn't returned for a long time and worried that something had happened to you, so I came looking. I didn't expect to stumble upon..." Song Lizhen’s gaze fell upon the young eunuch standing beside Su Zhenzhen. She offered a gentle smile and waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I know how difficult life is for all of you. Having someone by your side to offer companionship is a good thing."
At this, a flicker of loneliness crossed Song Lizhen’s eyes.
However, she quickly composed herself. "Next time you want to come out, you can tell me directly. I can even... keep watch for you."
Su Zhenzhen was speechless.
Was this the legendary "kind-hearted beauty" who, unable to find her own happiness, hoped that everyone else could find theirs?
"I am Song Lizhen," she said, revealing her identity to put the young eunuch at ease. But as she drew closer and met his eyes, she froze instinctively.
As the daughter of a low-ranking official of the fifth rank, Song Lizhen had never seen the Emperor. Consequently, she did not recognize Lu Hexu. She simply thought this little eunuch was exceptionally handsome, though far too thin. His expression was brooding and his gaze was cold—so cold it made one feel quite uneasy.
While it was common for palace maids and eunuchs to form "companion" relationships, it was a crime punishable by the Department of Punishment if discovered.
To earn their trust, Song Lizhen shared her own secret. "I didn't actually enter the palace of my own free will. You may have heard rumors about me."
Song Lizhen stood there with a desolate expression, looking at the "couple" before her who seemed to share such a harmonious atmosphere. "I envy you both."
With that, Song Lizhen turned and left, quietly taking up a position at the entrance of the South Palace to stand guard for them.
Su Zhenzhen thought to herself, "Are you for real, Zhen?"
Lu Hexu turned his head and saw Su Zhenzhen’s swollen, red eyes and her flushed nose.
An inexplicable irritation flared within him.
"Then let her be with her man. Who is he?" the young eunuch’s impatient voice sounded beside her.
Actually, the entire city of Jinling knew the story. This Lady Song was quite famous, and everyone had believed she and General Zhou were a match made in heaven. It was a pity that fate had played such a cruel trick on them.
"I think his name is Zhou Changfeng," Su Zhenzhen said. She looked up at the young eunuch. "You talk as if it’s actually possible." She gave a self-deprecating smile. "I know you're just trying to comfort me."
Lu Hexu stared at her red, rabbit-like eyes, his irritation growing.
"Wasn't it just a dream?"
Su Zhenzhen lowered her head and murmured to herself, "Mhm, it was just a dream."
Having said that, she lapsed back into her distracted, listless state.
"Where is today's medicine?"
"I forgot."
Lu Hexu was silent. For a secret agent to be so half-hearted and ready to give up—could she actually accomplish anything?
