Let Me Scrub Your Back

In his drowsy state, Fang Zheng felt a cool, smooth hand rest on his shoulder.

He lazily shrugged his shoulder and mumbled. "Zhang Biao?"

He always bathed alone. Previously, Xiao Tao had offered several times to help scrub his body, but he had politely declined.

Having a woman attend to him while bathing felt unnatural!

In his early years, he had fantasized about such sensual scenes, but after enduring too many hard days, he had abandoned such extravagant thoughts.

Now, the only person who would enter the bathroom was probably Zhang Biao.

That guy would come directly to find him for matters. It couldn't possibly be anyone else. But why did this guy put his hand on my shoulder?

Zhang Biao?!

Hearing these two words, Luo Ningxin was thunderstruck!

Why would he think of Zhang Biao?

Could it be that Zhang Biao usually bathed with him?

Luo Ningxin's face alternated between green and white as she awkwardly removed her small hand from Fang Zheng's shoulder, not knowing what to do.

Fang Zheng, feeling the hand being removed, said impatiently. "If you have something to say, spit it out! If not, get out!"

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

Luo Ningxin's resentful voice sounded, and Fang Zheng immediately jolted.

When he turned around, he was stunned.

There stood Luo Ningxin like a young wife, full of resentment, her head slightly lowered, a pitiful sight to behold.

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

Fang Zheng looked her up and down.

Wow, where did this outfit come from? It must have been brought from the Hidden Fragrance Pavilion.

They didn't have such clothes at home, and Xiao Tao wouldn't have bought them for her.

"!!!"

This is no ordinary red bean! This is the red bean from Wang Wei's poem!

Fang Zheng coughed awkwardly a couple of times and turned his head away.

Pretending to be calm, he said. "Ah, it's Ningxin. What's the matter? Do you need something?"

"I came to serve the Young Master as he bathes.." Luo Ningxin kept her head half-lowered, not noticing Fang Zheng's gaze.

At this moment, her heart was racing uncontrollably.

Even when she was merely playing along in the past, she wasn't this nervous! What's wrong with me today!

Surely I can at least be a concubine!

"No need, you may leave."

"Huh?"

Luo Ningxin questioned her existence once again. Now she could be certain.

Fang Zheng truly wasn't a normal person!

Beauty right before him, dressed like this, and he tells me to leave?

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

At this point, Luo Ningxin certainly wasn't planning to give up. She brazenly placed the towel on Fang Zheng's shoulder.

"Let me scrub Young Master's back."

With that, she began scrubbing up and down.

Fang Zheng leaned back against the tub's edge, momentarily speechless, allowing her to scrub his shoulder.

What is she trying to do? Serve herself up?

She's trying to take a shortcut to a promotion!

Both harboring their own thoughts, they fell into silence.

Fang Zheng just lay there emptying his mind, while Luo Ningxin continued struggling with her shyness.

Being her first time washing someone, her movements were very awkward. She hadn't changed positions for a long time, with both the towel and his shoulder still dry.

Fang Zheng was already feeling some pain in his shoulder... helplessly, he splashed some water onto his shoulder.

Perhaps due to the large movement, much of the water splashed over his shoulder, pouring onto Luo Ningxin's head, one splash after another.

Several splashes drenched her head. Her hair was wet, and her bangs stuck to her forehead.....

He's crazy! Absolutely crazy!!

Luo Ningxin's face collapsed, and she couldn't help but add more force to her hand!

"Stop! Don't scrub anymore, or you'll break the skin!" Fang Zheng called out helplessly.

Why don't you change spots? Focusing on one spot and scrubbing furiously, are you here to scrub my back or to torture me?

Luo Ningxin came to her senses and clearly realized the problem.

She awkwardly released the towel in her hand, feeling extremely embarrassed.

Fang Zheng sighed. "Ningxin, is there something wrong? Or are you unhappy living here?"

"Just speak directly, no need to beat around the bush. Our Fang family doesn't go for those formalities!"

"No... I'm living very well here..."

To be fair, life in the Fang household was indeed quite luxurious.

With Xiao Bai not around, Xiao Tao only occasionally directed her to do some simple tasks.

Normally, she could go out to the streets, and no one controlled where she went.

If she went with Xiao Tao, she would receive many gifts in big and small packages.

The only downside was that she had never been given any money... for shopping, she used her own savings.....

Luo Ningxin began to grumble to herself. How can you expect me to speak up? Do you want me to say I'm not content being a servant?

Sleep with you to improve my status?

While hesitating, Fang Zheng spoke again. "I know you must feel it's beneath you to be a servant in the Fang household."

"You were previously a courtesan at the Hidden Fragrance Pavilion, and also King Wu's person. Now it's hard to accept such an identity."

"But once you entered the Fang household, you became a member of the Fang family."

"In the Fang household, there are only free people. You are nominally a servant, but you can come and go as you please."

"You are free to go to the streets, to any place to find someone you like, or even return to the Hidden Fragrance Pavilion to be a courtesan again."

"I won't interfere, and you don't need to compromise by doing things you're not good at."

Luo Ningxin was stunned...... her mind racing.

She hadn't expected Fang Zheng to say such things...

Suddenly, she gave a self-mocking smile.

Free person? Freedom was something she had never been close to.

She was merely a plaything, used when valuable, and discarded when not.

Now at the Fang household, she had become a servant, yet somehow a free person?

"Ningxin doesn't dare. Since I've come to the Fang household, I should serve the Young Master as a servant for life. Ningxin is willing to do so."

Fang Zheng turned to face Luo Ningxin directly. Seeing her pitiful appearance as she half-knelt on the ground, looking down from above, revealing everything.

Suppressing his iron-like will, he calmly said. "Don't think I'm joking."

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

"Free to love, free to live, I won't restrict you."

"You certainly don't need to rely on me for your entire life."

Luo Ningxin slowly raised her head, looking into Fang Zheng's eyes. Was he speaking from the heart?

If I could leave, where would I go?

Fang Zheng turned back to lean against the bathtub.

"Go rest. No need to debase yourself doing these things."

With beauty before him, it was impossible to say he wasn't moved.

But Fang Zheng disdained this. He was a man with principles.

Using power, status, and his position to play with women was absolutely not his style.

His level had already risen to who knows where!

"Why aren't you leaving yet? What are you waiting for?"

What am I waiting for? I don't know what I'm waiting for, perhaps just to hear you say such words again...

Luo Ningxin looked at Fang Zheng's back, her heart turning in a hundred ways, tears faintly appearing in her eyes as she murmured softly. "Were... the letters you wrote to me true?"

"Letters? What letters?"

"Nothing... thank you, Young Master. I'll go now."

"Go then. Take my clothes to cover yourself."

Luo Ningxin walked gracefully to the clothes rack, took down Fang Zheng's outer garment, rubbed it a couple of times in her hands, and then draped it over herself.

Before leaving, she looked back once more at the hazy figure, then quietly closed the door.

Hearing Luo Ningxin leave, Fang Zheng finally sighed in relief.

Which official could withstand such a test?!

Fatigue gradually surged up again... leaning against the tub edge, Fang Zheng slowly fell asleep....