Chapter 2: Secret in the Castle

In the afternoon, Shen Qianshu was by herself learning French in the living room downstairs. She heard the doorbell ring and walked barefooted on the carpet to the second level. Not a sound could be heard throughout the castle. Ye Ling had an eccentric temper. Sometimes, it was somewhat sweet and light; sometimes, he was silent; and sometimes, he was easily irritable. His temper was unpredictable and uncertain.

Butler Luther had left to Athens and would be away for three months, leaving only her and Ye Ling in the castle.

Ye Ling had recurring headaches.

Every afternoon, she would give him a massage.

Ye Ling sat by the window, his appearance like a perfectly carved statue. A storm was brewing… Shen Qianshu had taken care of him for over a month now and knew his temper well—he was starting to show symptoms again. She did not know exactly what illness Ye Ling had.

She only knew of Ye Ling’s frequent headaches, and they were very serious ones.

Ye Ling rested his head on Shen Qianshu’s lap, his eyes slightly closed as she massaged him gently. With clean and delicate fingers, she rubbed his temple with an even pressure that was neither too hard, nor too soft. Ye Ling’s brows were constantly furrowed, as though he was frustrated.

With his eyes shut, he was much more pleasing to the eyes than with his usual icy expressions. Shen Qianshu was able to look closely at his curled eyelashes—fine and dense, they were extremely beautiful. Shen Qianshu felt that all this time, she was only able to bear with him because of this face of his.

This face, it is simply too captivating!

She massaged Ye Ling for an hour and a half. Her arms had become so tired and sore they felt like they were no longer hers, but she did not dare to relax. If she were to relax even slightly, Ye Ling would always notice, and his temper would go out of control.

She could sense Ye Ling’s pain and his incredible self-restraint.

She simply could not understand, with such an unbearable headache, why was he not admitted to the hospital?

Why was the entire castle empty, completely devoid of any people, with only Ye Ling and her?

Butler Luther told her that he was the one who usually looked after Ye Ling. However, as he needed to go to Athens for three months, he had to seek a chaperon to look after Ye Ling’s daily needs. But in ten days, he had already changed all twenty of them. The fact that she could even endure this for over a month… to Luther and Ye Ling, it was definitely a miracle.

The only reason Shen Qianshu was able to endure his strange behavior—his temperamental nature and his ability to always make things difficult for her—was all purely because of the salary and his appearance.

Just massaging him like this for two hours straight without any complaint, was already something that would be unbearable for many others.

On Ye Ling’s forehead, beads of sweat surfaced.

He was in a lot of pain.

Although she did not understand why, Shen Qianshu was soft-hearted and could not help but feel distressed. He was in such pain, yet he endured it all silently and had never made a single sound. Her massaging would only soothe his pain slightly, but it was not capable of treating his headache. With her fair and warm palm, Shen Qianshu gently wiped off his sweat.

Ye Ling suddenly opened his eyes. His amber pupils were deep as he gave her a penetrating stare. Her cheeks flushed instantly. The tension in the air was so thick you could cut through it with a knife. She was incredibly nervous and the sweat on her palms seemed to generate power like a battery, transmitting current from her palms straight to her heart.

This action, it’s too intimate…

In the silent castle, there was only the sound of the breeze… and the thunder-like pounding from a palpitating heart.

Ye Ling shut his eyes again.

“Go on!”

Shen Qianshu slowly let out a sigh of relief. The feeling Ye Ling gave off was intimidating in all that he did—his words, his actions and gestures, and even the expression in his eyes when he gazed at you—all these would make one frightened and nervous. He loves silence , she recalled Butler Luther’s reminder, and it’s rare for him to speak .

Unconsciously, Ye Ling fell asleep.

Ye Ling’s nap did not last long. Shen Qianshu’s lap was numb from him resting on it, and her two arms were sore beyond words.

“I want to leave the house for a while,” Ye Ling said calmly, “pick me a set of clothes.”

Shen Qianshu was astonished. From as far back as she could remember, this was the first time Ye Ling had ever left the house. Whenever she arrived at the castle, Ye Ling was always around; when she left, Ye Ling would still be around. Although she was surprised, she made no comment and helped prepare a set of clothing for him.