Chapter 15: A Dangerous Proposition

The sun hung low in the sky, casting golden hues across the Bai estate as Bai Yue carefully prepared a batch of medicinal powder in the herbal storeroom. The rhythmic grinding of the pestle against the stone mortar should have been comforting, yet unease coiled tightly in her chest. The whispers about her past, the lurking threats around the estate, and, most of all, Li Weishan's suffocating presence—it was all becoming too much.

She exhaled slowly, pushing the thoughts aside. Focus on the task at hand.

Just as she was about to finish, the door creaked open, and Ah-Liang slipped inside, his face pale and anxious.

"Miss Bai Yue," he whispered, glancing over his shoulder. "Someone's looking for you."

Bai Yue frowned, wiping her hands on a cloth. "Who?"

Ah-Liang swallowed hard. "It's… the first mistress. She's waiting in the side pavilion."

Bai Yue stiffened. The first mistress rarely summoned her, and when she did, it was never for anything good. Nodding, she set the pestle down and straightened her robes. "Lead the way."

The side pavilion was a grand yet eerily quiet space, the intricate carvings of phoenixes and peonies adorning the wooden pillars adding to the suffocating formality of the place. Bai Yue stepped inside cautiously, her eyes falling on the first mistress, Bai Jiaying, who sat regally on a cushioned seat, her expression as sharp as ever.

"I greet the first mistress," Bai Yue said with a respectful bow.

Jiaying's gaze swept over her with calculated coldness. "Sit."

Bai Yue complied, lowering herself onto the opposite cushion, maintaining a composed demeanor despite the tension thickening the air.

The first mistress took a delicate sip of tea before speaking. "I've been hearing… interesting things about you, Bai Yue."

Bai Yue's heart thumped against her ribs, but she kept her face impassive. "I only do my duties, first mistress."

Jiaying's lips curled in a slight smirk. "Oh? And does that include attracting the attention of certain… influential individuals?"

Bai Yue felt her pulse quicken. She means Weishan.

"I am unaware of what you mean, mistress," she replied carefully.

Jiaying leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. "Do not play coy with me, child. That man—Li Weishan. He isn't someone to be trifled with. His interest in you is… concerning."

Bai Yue kept her gaze lowered. "I have no control over his actions."

The first mistress studied her for a long moment before setting her teacup down with a soft clink. "Regardless, you will not bring trouble to this household, Bai Yue. Your position here is already tenuous."

Bai Yue felt the weight of the threat beneath her words, but before she could respond, Jiaying continued, "I have a proposition for you."

Bai Yue's fingers twitched in her lap. "What kind of proposition?"

Jiaying's expression hardened. "There's an upcoming banquet in the capital. A chance to improve our family's standing. You will accompany Bai Rong and serve as her assistant."

Bai Yue's stomach twisted. "Me?"

Jiaying nodded. "Yes. You may be of little value to this household, but your knowledge of herbs and your… recent connections could prove useful."

Bai Yue understood immediately. Jiaying wanted to use her—to watch, to listen, and perhaps to entertain the nobles who might take an interest in her unusual abilities.

For a fleeting moment, she considered refusing, but she knew better. "I understand, first mistress."

Jiaying's lips curved into a satisfied smile. "Good. Do not disappoint me."

As Bai Yue stepped out of the pavilion, her thoughts were a tangled mess. The banquet would be dangerous—an unfamiliar environment filled with influential figures and hidden agendas. But it also presented an opportunity.

Before she could dwell too much on it, a familiar voice cut through the evening air.

"You seem troubled."

Bai Yue froze, turning to see Weishan leaning casually against a nearby pillar, watching her with those ever-perceptive eyes.

She sighed in exasperation. "Must you always appear when I least expect it?"

He smiled, pushing off the pillar to close the distance between them. "It's a talent."

Bai Yue shook her head. "If you're here to offer more unsolicited advice, I'm not in the mood."

Weishan's gaze darkened, a glint of something dangerous flickering beneath his calm exterior. "Actually, I came to warn you."

Her expression turned wary. "Warn me?"

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming as always. "The banquet. You shouldn't go."

Bai Yue stiffened. "You know about that?"

His jaw clenched. "I know a lot of things, Bai Yue. The banquet is more than just a social gathering. It's a battlefield in disguise."

She lifted her chin defiantly. "I can handle myself."

Weishan's eyes flashed with something she couldn't quite name—frustration, perhaps even anger. "You think you're prepared, but you're walking into something far bigger than you realize."

Bai Yue crossed her arms. "Then tell me what I should realize."

His lips pressed into a thin line before he spoke, his voice lower this time. "There are people in the capital who wouldn't think twice about using you—your skills, your heritage, everything. And once they sink their claws into you, there's no escaping them."

Bai Yue swallowed, feeling the weight of his words. "And what about you, Weishan?" she asked quietly. "Are you one of those people?"

For a brief moment, something softened in his expression, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. "No," he murmured. "But I'm the only one standing between you and them."

The intensity in his voice sent a shiver down her spine. His protectiveness was overwhelming, suffocating even, but a part of her couldn't ignore the way it made her feel… safer.

She took a step back, putting distance between them. "I appreciate your concern, but I have to do this."

Weishan's jaw clenched. "Then I'll be there."

Bai Yue frowned. "You can't—"

"I can," he interrupted smoothly, his smirk returning. "And I will."

Before she could protest, he reached out, his fingers brushing against hers briefly, his touch both possessive and reassuring.

"You can try to push me away all you want," he murmured, "but you'll always find me close."

With that, he turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Bai Yue standing alone, her heart pounding in her chest.

She pressed a hand to her wrist where his touch still lingered, letting out a long breath.

This banquet was going to be far more complicated than she anticipated.

The banquet loomed ahead, filled with both promise and peril. And no matter how much Bai Yue tried to focus on her own plans, she couldn't escape the presence of the man who had, for better or worse, decided that she was his to protect.