“Deven, please allow these two to stay in the village for a night!”
Village Chief Deven blinked for a moment as he looked at the sudden shout from Bianca.
I was also taken aback.
‘Cedric and I staying together… in this village?’
It was indeed an unexpected schedule, but I thought this might be an opportunity.
It could be a chance to gain favor with the villagers.
‘Anyway, Cedric and I will have different cabins, so why not.’
I nodded slowly and then opened my mouth to Deven, ignoring Bianca who was hugging my skirt.
“I’m fine with that. I want to stay here for a while and help with the village work.”
“…”
“Of course… if Deven Village Chief and the villagers allow me to stay here.”
Then, Bianca, embracing my skirt, looked up and continued.
“Hehe, then I want to stay here with you two!”
Seeing the child smiling brightly, Deven Village Chief couldn’t hide his awkwardness.
Ignoring me, he looked only at Bianca and spoke again.
“Your Grace and Lady, everyone in the village will surely approve of you staying here. You’re always appreciated and welcome. But, Lady…”
“Yes?”
“Would His Grace accept that proposal? The suggestion that you stay here with Lady Bianca. It’s unlikely…”
Deven Village Chief’s mouth, which was speaking naturally, suddenly closed for a moment.
Rebecca, who would have been disgusted in the past, Cedric, and the sight of him just witnessed. Between those large gaps, he seemed momentarily confused.
Moreover, Cedric’s following words added fuel to Deven Village Chief’s confusion.
“I’m fine with it.”
“Yes…?”
“I said it’s fine. So, you don’t have to worry about it if it’s because of me.”
Deven Village Chief blinked his eyes as if he couldn’t believe it.
“But, Your Grace… It must be very uncomfortable for you to stay here with the young lady…”
Trying to continue speaking, Deven Village Chief was momentarily silenced when he looked at me.
Cedric and Bianca were just excuses, but he seemed uneasy about the fact that I was staying in this village.
However, once again, words that would soothe Deven Village Chief’s inner turmoil continued to be heard.
“No, it’s fine. I love it here!”
“Lady…”
“Isn’t it my lifelong wish to spend time with my family outside the family mansion? You know it, right, Chief Steward?”
Looking at Deven Village Chief with a pitiful expression, Bianca stretched out her lower lip.
“Butler Grandpa knows too… I’ve only had you two as family since I was born. Every time I saw friends traveling with their families, how envious I was…”
Bianca’s transparent pupils, saying such things, seemed to be on the verge of tears.
At that moment, the stern gaze of the villagers simultaneously poured towards Deven Village Chief.
‘Bianca Lady’s wish! Why aren’t you accepting it right away, Chief Steward!
“Bianca Lady’s wish! Why aren’t you accepting it right away, Chief Steward!”
Those stern gazes seemed to convey exactly that.
However, the one who showed discomfort at Bianca’s trembling was none other than Village Chief Deven.
In front of the young Lady, he seemed at a loss, and eventually, he let out a long sigh, nodding his head.
Finally, Deven Village Chief’s gaze turned towards me.
“This is fate… There’s no choice.”
Although his eyes still held skepticism when looking at me, he sighed as if he had given up halfway.
“For now, let’s treat you well.”
“…”
“Both of you, come to my cabin for a while.”
After the Duke and Duchess headed to the chief’s cabin.
Bianca made a mischievous expression, and Mina had a somewhat ominous look.
The two of them, exchanging glances from a distance, quietly approached each other.
Then, as if exchanging secretly obtained information like undercover agents, they began to whisper quietly.
“I didn’t plan to stay here, but it seems to be working out even better, Your Grace.”
“Mina, do you think the same? I’m so excited!”
“Me too. Let’s definitely help the two of them! To do that…”
Mina, who was about to finish her sentence, glanced at Chief Deven.
Smiling mischievously, Mina approached Chief Deven, who was smiling awkwardly, while glancing around.
“Deven, I have a favor to ask. It’s not a big deal.”
Looking at Mina cautiously, Chief Deven eventually gave in and subtly leaned his ear as if giving up.
Then, with a triumphant smile, Mina whispered to Chief Deven.
“Since this is something Lady Bianca really wishes for, you must do it as I requested. Understand?”
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Inside Chief Deven’s cabin.
As soon as the door closed, I turned to Cedric and frowned.
“Cedric, when did you start following me?”
Cedric, who was soothing his thick eyebrows with a gloomy expression, slowly opened his mouth after a while.
“…Since you left the mansion in the carriage heading to the Dark Mansion.”
He had been behind me from the beginning.
It was when he pressed the acupressure point and raised his eyebrows, looking at me.
‘I have no intention of seeing you off nicely. There’s no more respect now that you’re leaving.’
That’s what Cedric said, and in his eyes, I felt an inexplicable urgency.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
