Eunuch Su, Eunuch Su!

“You work hard serving the Emperor, there’s really no need to trouble yourself.”

Eunuch Su's face was calm, and it was impossible to tell if he was being serious. Hui Ming, however, insisted, “I’ve already been under your care for a long time, and these past few days, I've troubled you again for Wang Momo. I have nothing valuable to offer, only this short jacket to express my gratitude. Please don't refuse me.”

Fortunately, Eunuch Su seemed to see her sincerity. Although he said those words, he nodded and took a few steps forward. Taking off his hood and cloak, he immediately tried on the garment she brought.

Seeing Eunuch Su accept it, Hui Ming felt relieved. Because it was a short jacket worn close to the body, she had deliberately added a few more buttons for a better fit. Seeing Eunuch Su struggling to fasten the small buttons one by one, she naturally stepped forward and helped him button them up carefully.

Not expecting Hui Ming to suddenly approach, Su Jin's movements stiffened. Although his fingers were still moving sluggishly, he couldn't get a button through the small loop after fiddling for a long time. Fortunately, Hui Ming was looking down, buttoning from the bottom up, so she didn't notice.

Su Jin blinked hard and lowered his eyes slightly. The petite girl was standing in front of him, buttoning his jacket with her head down. They were only an arm's length apart. Although separated by thick layers of clothing, her slender fingers felt as if they were directly brushing against his chest. Each touch was light and fleeting, like a dragonfly skimming the water, yet the ripples they left behind spread in circles, burning and itching, refusing to fade. His heart pounded like a drum, so loud that he was worried she might hear it.

That was why, when Hui Ming looked up again, she saw Eunuch Su's lips tightly pursed, and his expression seemed particularly serious, though she couldn't be sure if she was mistaken.

Hui Ming was startled. "What's wrong? Doesn't it fit?"

Only when Hui Ming moved away from his chest did Su Jin take an inconspicuous step back. His heart, which had been pounding like a drum due to her closeness, gradually calmed down.

Seeing the worry on Hui Ming's face, Su Jin lowered his head and coughed lightly, his voice a bit hoarse. "No, it's very comfortable."

Hui Ming looked at him carefully and felt that Eunuch Su's words were sincere. Although a little puzzled, she was relieved and explained, "I made it a bit tighter, thinking that when it gets colder, you can wear it under your robe without it feeling bulky. If you find it uncomfortable, I can loosen it up a bit."

"No, no need." Su Jin felt the warmth spreading from the jacket throughout his body. A surge of heat rose in his chest. After a long moment, he managed to say in a forced, calm voice, "Such thoughtfulness, I've troubled you."

Unaware of his inner turmoil, Hui Ming simply smiled and said, "Not at all. You saved Wang Momo's life. I only made a short jacket, and even used the mink fur you gifted me. It's really nothing compared to your kindness."

The mention of Wang Momo was like a bucket of cold water thrown on Su Jin, pulling him out of his confused state. He gently stroked the Ruyi knot at his waist and asked calmly, "How is Wang Momo?"

"I went to see her today, and she's much better. She's old, so it'll just take time for her to recover fully."

"I heard from the physician that it was because the treatment was delayed." Su Jin walked to the table, set down his teacup, and turned his back to Hui Ming as he slowly refilled the teapot. "I haven't heard you mention it before. When did you become sworn sisters with Wang Momo? If you had discovered it earlier, it wouldn't have gotten so serious."

Hui Ming's voice held a hint of panic when this was brought up. "It's been… a while…"

Impossible. Su Jin's hand didn't stop as he poured the water, but his mind was as clear as a mirror. He had been secretly observing Hui Ming's every move for the past five years. Even if he had been negligent, with Hui Ming's personality, if she had truly sworn sisterhood with Wang Momo, she wouldn't have been so careless as to only discover her illness when it was life-threatening.

Su Jin turned around, slightly raising his head to look at her flustered expression. Although he knew she was lying, he couldn't bear to see her struggle. He simply skipped the topic of sworn sisterhood and handed her the cup of hot water he had just poured. "It's getting late. Tea can be stimulating at night. Just have some hot water to warm yourself."

Although it wasn't a big deal, lying to Eunuch Su still made Hui Ming feel uneasy and ashamed. She quickly got up and took the cup with both hands, using the act of drinking to hide her guilt.

Hui Ming remained silent, and Eunuch Su sat quietly beside her without speaking. The room fell into silence. After a while, Hui Ming couldn't bear the awkwardness any longer and took the initiative to speak. "His Majesty is resting in Consort Xian's palace tonight. Will you be going to Wanxi Palace to attend to him later?"

Eunuch Su shook his head. "Since I have been assigned this task, His Majesty has instructed me not to follow him all the time and to focus on the late Empress's memorial ceremony. It's getting late, so I won't go tonight. I will attend to him again tomorrow morning."

Hui Ming lowered her head again. "Such an important matter entrusted to you, it seems His Majesty truly trusts your abilities…"

Eunuch Su paused at her words, his voice dropping a few decibels as he humbly replied, "Not at all."

Sensing Eunuch Su's reluctance to elaborate, Hui Ming knew she should stop prying. However, she couldn't help but think about her encounter with Nanny Xu two days ago. Helpless, she hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and asking, "It's strange, though. It seems like something the palace consorts would be more adept at handling. Why did His Majesty specifically choose you?"

After she finished speaking, Hui Ming saw Eunuch Su look up at her. He didn't say a word, and his face was hidden in the dim light. However, his peach blossom eyes were exceptionally bright, as if seeing right through her.

Hui Ming's heart skipped a beat. Nanny Xu's words echoed in her mind: "This matter concerns the late Empress. The reason is not something just anyone can be told." She couldn't help but feel a pang of nervousness. Eunuch Su's silence and gaze seemed to confirm those words – "just anyone."

Indeed, who was she to ask so many questions?

"I'm being nosy, please forgive me." With this thought, Hui Ming quickly spoke, her face flushed with embarrassment. If not for her years of experience masking her emotions, she wouldn't even be able to utter this explanation.

Just as Hui Ming was considering whether she should excuse herself, Eunuch Su seemed to have sensed her awkwardness and shook his head. "Not at all, it's not something that can't be mentioned. It's just some old matters, and I'm afraid you'll find it boring."

"How could that be? I'm just afraid I've been foolish and asked something I shouldn't have…" Hui Ming's tightly clenched hands relaxed. Before she could feel happy about Eunuch Su's willingness to speak, another thought popped into her mind. Nanny Xu had also said, "If Su Jin doesn't treat you as an outsider, he will naturally be willing to tell you."

So… did Eunuch Su's willingness to tell her now mean he didn't treat her as an outsider?

No, that's not it. Hui Ming shook her head again. To her, if there was anything worse than being threatened and living in fear, it was the awkwardness of cautiously guarding her heart, only to be told by the other party that they never had any intentions towards her. It was all just her own wishful thinking.

Even now, Hui Ming still felt embarrassed and ashamed when she thought about the explanation Eunuch Su had specifically asked Yuan Bao to give her when he sent her away in her past life. That lesson was enough, enough to stop her from overthinking. She tried to come up with another explanation. Perhaps Eunuch Su was just gentle and didn't want to refuse her question?

However, the current Hui Ming was no longer the naive and ignorant Song Hui Ming. Even though she had given herself this explanation, another thought still lingered in her mind: With Eunuch Su's status and position, was it really worth it to be so kind to her based on a brief encounter five years ago?

With her mind in turmoil, Hui Ming didn't even register the meaning of Eunuch Su's words at first. It was only after she came back to her senses that she realized the weight of his words:

"The late Empress's surname was also Su. Before my family was convicted, before I… entered the palace as a servant, I had the honor of meeting Empress Qi Sheng Chun in private. It was a transgression on my part, but I dared to call her 'aunt.' His Majesty ordered me to preside over the memorial ceremony simply because of this blood tie."

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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