Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

In a daze, Fang Zheng felt a cold, smooth hand on his shoulder.

He lazily shrugged his shoulder and muttered, "Zhang Biao?"

He always took baths alone. Xiao Tao had asked to help him scrub his back a few times, but he had politely refused.

He wasn't used to having a woman serve him while bathing!

He had fantasized about such a sensual scene in his early years, but after too many hard days, he had dismissed such extravagant ideas.

Now, the only person who could possibly barge into the bathroom was Zhang Biao.

That guy always came straight to him when he had something to say; it couldn't be anyone else. But why was he putting his hand on my shoulder?

Zhang Biao!?

Hearing these two words, Luo Ningxin was instantly thunderstruck!

Why would he think of Zhang Biao?

Did Zhang Biao usually accompany him while bathing?

Luo Ningxin's face turned pale, and she awkwardly removed her small hand from Fang Zheng's body, unsure of what to do.

Fang Zheng felt the hand being taken off his body and said impatiently, "Spit it out if you have something to say! Get out if you don't!"

"Young Master, it's me...."

Luo Ningxin's resentful voice sounded, and Fang Zheng instantly perked up.

Turning around, he was stunned.

He saw Luo Ningxin looking like a little daughter-in-law, resentful and melancholic, with her head half-lowered, in a pitiful and endearing pose.

Her hands were clasped over her chest, tightly clutching the towel, as if wanting to step forward but not daring to.

Fang Zheng lowered his head and sized her up.

Good heavens, where did this outfit come from? It must have been brought out from the Zangxiang Pavilion.

There were no such clothes at home, and Xiao Tao couldn't have bought them for her.

"!!!"

This wasn't just any ordinary red bean! This was the red bean from Wang Wei's poem!

Fang Zheng coughed awkwardly and looked away.

He pretended to be calm and said, "Ah, it's Ningxin. What's wrong? Is there something you need?"

"I came to serve Young Master with his bath..." Luo Ningxin also kept her head half-lowered, not noticing Fang Zheng's gaze.

However, her heart was racing uncontrollably at this moment.

She hadn't been this nervous even when she was acting in plays before! What's wrong with me today!

I can't possibly be unable to even be a concubine, can I!

"No need, you can leave."

"Ah?"

Luo Ningxin once again doubted her life. This time, she could finally be sure.

Fang Zheng was indeed not a normal person!

With such beauty before him, and me dressed like this, he was telling me to leave?

Could it be that he liked someone like Zhang Biao? No way!

Since things had come to this, Luo Ningxin certainly wasn't going to give up. She brazenly took the towel and pressed it to Fang Zheng's shoulder.

"I'll help Young Master scrub his back."

With that, she began to scrub, stroke by stroke.

Fang Zheng leaned back against the edge of the tub, speechless, letting her scrub his shoulder.

What was she trying to do? Was she actively delivering herself to his door?

Was she trying to take a shortcut to promotion in the workplace!

The two of them, each with their own thoughts, fell into silence.

Fang Zheng just lay there, emptying his mind, while Luo Ningxin kept trying to overcome her shyness.

Because it was her first time helping someone scrub, her movements were very clumsy. She didn't change the spot for a long time, and the towel was still dry, and so was his shoulder.

Fang Zheng already felt a slight stinging sensation on his shoulder... Helpless, he splashed a few handfuls of water on his shoulder.

Perhaps because the movement was too large, a lot of water went over his shoulder and splashed onto Luo Ningxin's head, handful after handful.

Several splashes of water poured down on her head. Her hair was wet, and her bangs were stuck to her forehead.....

Sick! He's sick!!

Luo Ningxin's face fell, and she couldn't help but add a bit of force to her hands!

"Stop! Stop scrubbing, or you'll break the skin!" Fang Zheng helplessly called out.

Why don't you change the spot! You're staring at one spot and scrubbing like crazy. Are you here to scrub my back or to torture me?

Luo Ningxin came back to her senses and obviously realized the problem.

She awkwardly released the towel in her hand, feeling a burst of embarrassment in her heart.

Fang Zheng sighed and said, "Ningxin, is there a problem? Or are you unhappy at home?"

"Speak directly if you have something to say. There's no need to beat around the bush. Our Fang family doesn't go in for that kind of thing!"

"No... I'm doing very well at home..."

In all fairness, life in the Fang family was still very comfortable.

With Xiao Bai gone, Xiao Tao only occasionally instructed her to do some simple tasks.

She could usually go out to the streets when she had nothing to do, and no one cared where she went.

If she was with Xiao Tao, she could receive a lot of gifts in large and small packages.

The only bad thing was that she had never been paid... She was using her savings for shopping.....

Luo Ningxin's heart began to murmur. How could she bring it up? Did she want me to say that I was unwilling to be a maid?

Sleep with you once to improve my status?

While she was hesitating, Fang Zheng spoke again, "I know, you must feel wronged to be a maid in the Fang residence."

"You used to be the courtesan of Zangxiang Pavilion, and you were Wu Wang's person. It's hard to accept this identity today."

"But since you entered the Fang residence, you are considered a person of the Fang residence."

"The Fang residence only has free people. You are nominally a maid, but you can come and go freely."

"You can go to the streets, go anywhere to find the person you like, or go back to Zangxiang Pavilion to be your courtesan again."

"I won't interfere, and you don't have to force yourself to do things you're not good at."

Luo Ningxin was stunned...... Her heart turned a hundred times.

She didn't expect Fang Zheng to say these words...

Suddenly, she laughed mockingly.

Free person? The word freedom has never been associated with me.

I'm just a plaything that is valuable and used, and sent out when it is worthless.

Now that I've come to the Fang residence and become a maid, I've become a free person?

"Ningxin doesn't dare. Since I've come to the Fang residence, I will be a slave and a servant to Young Master for the rest of my life. Ningxin is happy to do so."

Fang Zheng turned around and looked directly at Luo Ningxin, seeing her kneeling on the ground with a pitiful look, her spring scenery fully visible from above.

He suppressed his steel-like will and said calmly, "Don't think I'm joking."

"Since you've entered the Fang residence, your previous life has nothing to do with you. You can now choose your own life."

"Free love, free life, and I won't restrain you."

"Of course, you don't have to depend on me for the rest of your life either."

Luo Ningxin slowly raised her head and looked into Fang Zheng's eyes. Was he telling the truth?

If I can leave, where can I go?

Fang Zheng turned back and leaned against the bathtub.

"Go back and rest. There's no need to waste yourself doing these things."

It's impossible to be unmoved by such beauty.

But Fang Zheng disdained it. He was a person with principles.

Using power, using status, and using his identity to play with women was definitely not his style.

"Why haven't you left yet? What are you waiting for here?"

Waiting for what? I don't know what I'm waiting for, maybe I just want to hear you say such words again...

Luo Ningxin looked at Fang Zheng's back, her heart full of tenderness, tears glistening in her eyes, and whispered, "Are... the letters you wrote to me before real?"

"Letters? What letters?"

"It's nothing... Thank you, Young Master, then I'll leave."

"Go, take my clothes and put them on."

Luo Ningxin lightly walked to the clothes rack, took off Fang Zheng's coat, stroked it twice in her hands, and put it on.

Before going out, she looked back at the blurry figure and quietly closed the door.

Hearing Luo Ningxin leave, Fang Zheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Which cadre could accept such a test!

Weariness gradually surged up again... Leaning against the edge of the tub, Fang Zheng slowly fell asleep....