Eunuch Su, Eunuch Su!

“I’m making tofu pudding today, Ruyi, would you like it sweet or savory?” Inside Jing Alley, Huiming’s expression was gentle.

It was almost New Year's Eve, and five-year-old Ruyi was wearing a festive red coat with a lucky pattern. Her hair was tied in two small flower buds, adorned with a pair of delicate golden bells. She was white and tender, and her features bore a resemblance to Eunuch Su. Except for her cheeks, which were still thin, Huiming liked her from the bottom of her heart.

“Either is fine.” Ruyi sat quietly at the table, head lowered. When Huiming handed her the bowl of tofu pudding, she took it with both hands very politely. First, she softly said, “Thank you, Aunt,” and then she didn't touch it. Only when Huiming and Su Jin both started eating did she quietly pick up her own bowl.

Ruyi was a very well-behaved child, but well-behaved wasn't quite the right word. She was sensible and worry-free.

Although Ruyi was only five years old, perhaps because she had experienced a lot, she was particularly good at reading people's expressions. In front of Su Jin and Huiming, she would politely address them as “Uncle, Aunt,” and never caused any trouble. She did whatever she was told, ate whatever she was given, and lived wherever she was asked to. Apart from carefully expressing her gratitude, she never made any requests, let alone the crying and tantrums common among children.

She was clearly just a child, but she was already so cautious and careful, it was pitiful to see.

Huiming was soft-hearted, and seeing this, she felt that the child must have had a difficult life before, otherwise, she would not have grown into this way. She felt even more sorry for her.

As for Su Jin, he had the intention of raising Ruyi well, letting her marry and have children in the future, and passing on the Su family line. Naturally, he didn't want to see her so timid and cowardly.

But in any case, the personality developed from childhood was not so easy to change. Moreover, now that Su Jin and Huiming, one a fifth-rank chief eunuch and the other a female official in charge of palace affairs, were both busy from morning till night with a pile of errands, they could only see each other in a hurry in the morning and evening. Most of the time, they could only leave her in Jing Alley to be taken care of by the hired嬷嬷. Under such circumstances, a few words like “Don't be afraid,” “Uncle and Aunt will take good care of you,” naturally had little effect.

It was precisely because of this that after thinking about it for a few days, Huiming told Su Jin that she wanted to take Ruyi to Qiande Palace. Seeing more people around, she thought, would make her more open-minded.

Under normal circumstances, it was unheard of for palace servants to bring their children to work. However, the little emperor was different from ordinary emperors, and Huiming was even more important than ordinary female officials in front of the emperor. Moreover, with the New Year approaching, both the previous and current dynasties had sealed their official seals, and there was no serious business to attend to. It was not unreasonable to bring a child to pay respects to the emperor once or twice under the pretext of paying respects. After thinking about it, Su Jin agreed.

It was also for this reason that Huiming had instructed Ruyi to get up early today, get dressed, and be ready to enter the palace with her in a while.

Because Su Jin and Huiming had to get up early every day, they had developed the habit of eating breakfast very quickly. After settling Ruyi, they finished their meals in just a cup of tea.

Seeing this, although Ruyi had only eaten less than half of her small bowl of tofu pudding, she also put down her spoon and carefully wiped her mouth. Even though Huiming said “No hurry” and persuaded her a few more times, Ruyi just lowered her head and insisted that she was full. When Huiming tried to persuade her again, she became somewhat helpless, her fingers nervously intertwined.

Huiming exchanged a slightly helpless look with Su Jin and had no choice but to ask Liu An to take her out to wait for a while.

Watching Ruyi leave, Huiming turned back and said, “This child is too cautious.”

Su Jin nodded silently, his face also a little gloomy, but he couldn't say anything. He also seemed a little helpless.

It was true. For other trivial matters, Su Jin and Huiming could always find a solution after discussing with each other. But raising a child, especially one who was not their own, was really a delicate matter, making them helpless.

Huiming sighed and said, “You go ahead, I’ll ask them to make some snacks to take with us. She only had a couple of bites, how can she be full? It’s good to have some snacks to eat on the way.”

Su Jin responded and stood up, but he didn't leave in a hurry. Instead, he looked at Huiming first, his face apologetic: “I'm sorry to trouble you.”

Huiming smiled: “It's just a child, and such a well-behaved one, what trouble is there?”

Su Jin shook his head, took a step forward, and gently wiped a trace from the corner of her mouth, his voice slightly lowered: “You are also very busy serving in front of the Emperor. Otherwise, I would still find a place outside to send Ruyi to. If she were outside, she could also go out for a walk. It’s really inconvenient in the Imperial City.”

“Her mother just passed away, and we brought her here from a thousand miles away, but we’re going to leave her alone outside?” Huiming shook her head: “Moreover, Ruyi is like this now, she doesn’t seem to want to go out for a walk. If she really wants to go out for a walk, we can just find some reliable people to watch her. How can we just send her away!”

Although Huiming said so, she knew in her heart that Eunuch Su didn't want her to worry. But the more he was like this, the more she felt that she should take good care of Ruyi. Not to mention, after these few days of getting along, how could anyone not love such a well-behaved and pitiful little girl?

“Alright, don’t worry about Ruyi, just hurry up and go to work! Have you found out about the corruption case of the disaster relief funds? Be careful that the Empress might ask you about it!” Huiming briskly sent him away, paused, and added worriedly, “Oh right, don’t let Ruyi hear these words. She is already timid, and hearing this will only make her more uneasy. It wasn’t easy for her to warm up to us a little, don’t make things difficult!”

Seeing Huiming’s serious face, Su Jin’s heart softened. He felt that the two of them were like strict fathers and loving mothers at the moment, so warm that he couldn’t help but smile.

He nodded seriously, looked at Huiming, whose face was rosy, and couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her forehead.

Huiming was slightly startled by the sudden act of intimacy from Eunuch Su, who always pretended to be reserved and aloof in front of outsiders. After she came back to her senses, her face flushed slightly: “What are you doing, Ruyi is still outside!”

The kiss earlier was out of impulse, but now, looking at Huiming in front of him, Su Jin felt unsatisfied. He deliberately lowered his head slightly, raised his eyes, and blinked with a hint of pleading.

What Huiming couldn't resist the most was Eunuch Su’s pair of peach blossom eyes looking at her with such watery tenderness. Su Jin himself knew this very well. Sure enough, looking at Su Jin like this, even though Huiming knew he was doing it on purpose, her heart still skipped a beat. She reached out and held his chin, but instead of kissing his forehead, she suddenly stepped forward and kissed Su Jin’s soft lips.

This time, Su Jin was caught off guard. But after he came back to his senses, he didn't refuse. Instead, he closed his eyes slightly, wanting to deepen the kiss.

Seeing Su Jin close his eyes in front of her, Huiming’s eyes curved. She first gave him a few moments of tender caress, and then—

She bit him hard.

“Hiss—”

Su Jin gasped in pain. Huiming took the opportunity to retreat, smiled triumphantly at him, and immediately got up to open the door. As if nothing had happened, she smiled at the little eunuch waiting outside and said in a clear voice, “Take your time, Eunuch!”

No matter how indulgent he was in private, Eunuch Su would never show any disrespect to Huiming in front of others.

Sure enough, after Su Jin went out, he just gently pressed his lips with a handkerchief. Except for his lips, which were still a little strangely red, he looked abstinent and aloof, without a trace of his private tenderness.

“Then I’ll be going.” Su Jin lowered his eyes slightly, glanced at Huiming, and touched his flushed lips casually. His voice was gentle, but Huiming didn’t know if it was her guilty conscience, but she always felt that there was something deep in his tone: “As for this matter, wait until I come back from work and we’ll discuss it properly.”

After saying that, without waiting for Huiming to respond, he turned around and hurried away.

Huiming paused, watching Su Jin’s figure disappear around the corner, pressed her own lips, and couldn't help but smile.

Looking up at the time, it was indeed getting late. Huiming stopped delaying, urged the small kitchen to pack a portion of soft snacks, and then took Ruyi with her to Qiande Palace.

Because the little emperor didn't like crowds and didn't like to see strangers, the palace servants serving in Qiande Palace were all handpicked by Huiming one by one. She was familiar with each of them. But when she arrived outside Qiande Palace today, besides the familiar on-duty palace servants, she saw a few more who were not from Qiande Palace.

Looking at these somewhat familiar palace maids, Huiming first handed Ruyi to Liu An and asked her to take her to the tea room for some refreshments. Then she stepped forward, exchanged greetings with the leading palace maid, and said, “Is Empress here?”

That’s right, these palace maids were the ones serving by Empress Gu’s side.

When they first got married, Empress Gu had the intention of getting close to the little emperor for a few days. However, although the little emperor didn't say anything, he was very clear in his heart. To gain the little emperor’s trust, patience and sincerity were indispensable. However, Empress Gu was young, and just after her wedding, she had to follow the late Emperor Xuande to learn how to handle state affairs every day. How could she have the mood and time for this?

The little emperor sensed the purpose and utilitarianism behind the Empress’s closeness and was very resistant to her. Even with Huiming and Nanny Wang persuading him, he could only barely stay in the same room with her, let alone talk to her. Empress Gu tried a few times and simply gave up. She only instructed Huiming and Nanny Wang to take good care of the Emperor. Unless there was something important, she rarely appeared in Qiande Palace.

But what was she doing here today?

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ

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