Charles Green thought for a moment, then said bluntly, “That means he admires you, or he’s thinking about those indecent things.”

“No, really, no.” Alice Bennett shook his head. “After he dumped me in their family’s other residence, he didn’t visit, didn’t ask, didn’t care—a whole three months. After a long time, probably because the steward at the other residence was so bothered, he finally moved in.”

Charlotte Green was puzzled: Bothered by the steward?

Alice Bennett was on the verge of laughing, then started coughing again.

“I lay in the other residence for half a month. Once I could get out of bed, of course I tried to escape… I hid in a big bin for kitchen scraps hoping to be carried out, or disguised myself as a servant to sneak out the side gate. Every midnight, I’d look for a place to climb over the wall… There were no masters living in that residence, just a courtyard full of servants whose only job was to watch me. The steward was so afraid I’d run, he watched me day and night, never leaving my side. Every night, he’d drag a chair to my bedside and sit there staring at me.”

Alice Bennett coughed twice, stifling a laugh: “So I asked that old steward…”

The young Alice Bennett lay quietly in bed, looking harmless and innocent.

Only the old steward knew what kind of troublemaker this was. For three months, Alice Bennett hadn’t stopped thinking about escaping for even a moment. The steward tried to reason with him: Young master, you’ve already been registered as a slave. Even if you get out, without travel documents, you can’t even leave the city. For the rest of your life, you can’t buy a house or land, wherever you go you’ll have to hide.

Alice Bennett thought to himself, Nonsense, I know the laws of this dynasty better than you.

The steward, worn out and out of patience, even tried to scare him: Young master, our young lord has your deed of sale. If you run, all he has to do is notify the authorities, and in less than a day they’ll catch you. Then, a runaway slave will be branded on the face by the government. You know what branding is, right?

Alice Bennett didn’t care at all, and said coldly, “I’m a man. If my face is ruined, so be it. At least no one will covet me anymore!”

The old steward was anxious: “Branding is for life! How can you not care about your own face…”

The young Alice Bennett was baffled: “I never cared about my face to begin with, steward!!! Look at the state I’m in! Still care about face?”

The old steward was so angry he could barely breathe.

The two argued all day. When night fell, the old steward thought Alice Bennett might finally settle down. He was just about to doze off in his chair when Alice Bennett suddenly started talking.

“Uncle Feng.” Alice Bennett was wide awake, staring at the canopy above his bed. “Let’s have a heart-to-heart.”

Steward Cooper: “……”

Steward Cooper cursed this troublemaker in his heart, forced himself to stay alert, and said stiffly, “About what?!”

The young Alice Bennett said calmly, “Let’s talk about your mother.”

Steward Cooper was stunned for a moment before realizing his own mother was being teased. He immediately exploded and tried to go after Alice Bennett.

“Calm down, calm down, why are you so worked up?” The young Alice Bennett hurriedly begged for mercy, “I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong… Please calm down! At your age, you really shouldn’t get so angry. Sit down! Sit down…”

Steward Cooper was so angry his beard curled. He turned his back and sat down, refusing to pay any more attention. After about half a stick of incense, just as he was about to doze off, Alice Bennett suddenly said, “Uncle Feng, do you have a wife?”

Steward Cooper looked murderous. “My wife is still alive.”

Alice Bennett nodded. “Are you and your wife harmonious?”

Steward Cooper was bewildered. In the middle of the night… why was he discussing his marriage with a half-grown kid?

Steward Cooper glared at Alice Bennett, “What’s there to say! What does this have to do with you, young master?”

Alice Bennett replied matter-of-factly, “Of course it does.”

Steward Cooper tried to keep his temper, “Then tell me, Young Master Zhong… what does it have to do with you?”

“In the middle of the night, just you and me,” Alice Bennett pointed at himself, then at Steward Cooper, “alone in a room. I worry you might betray your duty, and while I’m asleep, have your way with me.”

Steward Cooper completely lost it, jumped up and shouted, “I’m fifty-four! My grandson is about your age! Me and you… I, I, I…”

“Don’t, don’t, don’t get angry…” Alice Bennett was afraid he’d get too worked up and have a mishap, and quickly tried to calm him down. “I’m just saying it’s a possibility! Just a possibility… I’m afraid you’ll look at my sleeping face at night, lose control for a moment, and accidentally do something you’ll regret. You have a family, and I have to keep myself pure for your young lord. If something happened between us, it would ruin your relationship with your wife and cost you your job. I couldn’t bear that…”

Steward Cooper wasn’t having any of it. In a fit of rage, he cursed and swore to the heavens, his face turning purple.

“Calm down… I was wrong, it’s me spending so much time with you that I started having improper thoughts, not you, not you.” Alice Bennett quickly apologized. “I was judging a gentleman by a petty man’s heart. Please accept my apology.”

Alice Bennett got out of bed and personally poured Steward Cooper a cup of tea.

Steward Cooper drank it, and after a long while finally caught his breath.

Alice Bennett lay back down, and Steward Cooper sat down again.

Half an hour later, Steward Cooper was finally getting sleepy when Alice Bennett said again, “I’ve thought about it, my words just now were really out of line. Sorry, Steward Cooper, you’re a good man.”

Steward Cooper: “……”

The young Alice Bennett looked out the window and said softly, “Look, the moonlight is beautiful tonight.”

Steward Cooper got goosebumps all over.