Prince Li Mang was very satisfied with Lu Xia’s tact and discretion.

’It made sense,’ she thought, ’that this young Female Master had achieved so much at her age.’

The beauty cream developed by the No. 1 Institute was so remarkably effective. Surely this hair growth liquid wouldn’t disappoint her, either.

Although the hair growth liquid had yet to arrive, Prince Li Mang was already starting to feel expectant.

If this hair growth liquid truly solved her problem, she would be sure to grant the young Female Master, Lu Xia, the highest honors in the future.

Lu Xia didn’t know what Prince Li Mang was thinking, but if she did, she wouldn’t have been too surprised.

After the banquet, Lu Xia left the hall with Duke Leslie. On their way out, Duke Leslie made sure to invite Lu Xia to visit her home sometime. She had taken careful note of Prince Li Mang’s attitude toward Lu Xia earlier.

’She knew that with Lu Xia’s abilities, she was bound to earn Prince Li Mang’s favor. As a result, the Prince would think more highly of her, too.’

This meant that becoming good friends with Duke Lu Xia was imperative.

She was now quite thankful that she had taken the risk of sending Graces to be Lu Xia’s husband.

She never expected that Graces, this ’defective product’ she had once looked down on, would bring her such a pleasant surprise.

After parting with Duke Leslie in the parking lot, Lu Xia returned to her car. The old butler, who was waiting for her, handed over a thin blanket, followed by a thermos.

Lu Xia took them. ’Graces didn’t come, but the things he prepared ahead of time certainly came in handy,’ she thought.

The thermos was filled with warm ginger tea, cooled to the perfect temperature for drinking.

The weather had gotten colder recently, and formal gowns for banquets were usually thin. Worried she might catch a chill, he had specially prepared the ginger tea to warm her up.

Lu Xia didn’t understand how the man had gradually become so considerate.

Still, she quite enjoyed it.

After drinking the ginger tea, Lu Xia no longer felt so cold. She nestled into the soft seat and said to the old butler, "Prepare some hair growth liquid for tomorrow. Send it to Prince Li Mang."

Hearing this, the old butler’s heart skipped a beat. "Prince Li Mang has this kind of problem?"

That was certainly unexpected.

"She’s telling people it’s for a friend. Just pretend you don’t know anything, and don’t say much when you deliver it." After all, it was a sensitive issue that could damage Prince Li Mang’s status and image, so it was perfectly normal for her to be reticent about it.

When she returned home, Graces was the first to greet her, taking the blanket she was wrapped in. Seeing that he was still up so late, Lu Xia couldn’t help but ask, "Why are you still awake?"

"I was worried because you hadn’t come home yet, so I couldn’t sleep." Graces’s response was so direct that for a moment, Lu Xia was at a loss for words.

Fortunately, Graces seemed to be merely stating a fact, not demanding a reply. He asked her softly, "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat? I made some small wontons earlier. I can boil some for you if you’d like."

Lu Xia hadn’t been particularly hungry, but the offer tempted her. She nodded. "Alright, please make me some. I’ll go take a shower first."

"Of course." After watching Lu Xia head upstairs, Graces turned and met the old butler’s gaze. His expression didn’t change as he asked, "Would you care for a bowl?"

The old butler was silent for a moment. "If it’s not too much trouble. Thank you."

Graces nodded and headed for the kitchen.

The old butler watched him go, lost in thought. ’He felt more and more that Graces was different from the other male ’defective products’ he had seen before their Female Masters.’

’Every other ’defective product’ he had ever seen was cautious and timid before their Female Master. None were as bold and proactive as Graces.’

’Then again, Duke Lu Xia seemed to value Graces exceptionally highly. Perhaps that was what allowed him to act this way.’

By the time Lu Xia finished her shower and came down to the dining room, Graces had just finished boiling the wontons.

The steaming wontons were placed on the table, their fragrant aroma instantly whetting Lu Xia’s appetite. Though she hadn’t felt hungry before, she now felt famished.

After finishing the bowl of wontons, Lu Xia felt her fatigue melt away, replaced by a sense of pure comfort.

After a short walk in the courtyard to aid her digestion, Lu Xia returned to her room to find that Graces had changed the sheets.

For the past while, Graces had been sleeping here without fail, all to provide nourishment for the fetus in her womb.

Thanks to their efforts over this period, the fetus had stabilized, and the previous problems hadn’t recurred. The frequency of their ’interactions’ had decreased, though they still had to ’communicate’ about twice a week.

’So, Lu Xia felt it wasn’t really necessary for them to keep sleeping in the same bed.’

"My condition has stabilized now. You can go back to your own room to sleep. There’s no need to stay here and watch over me constantly."

Lu Xia said this thinking that one person sleeping alone was much more comfortable than two people sharing a bed, but to the man’s ears, it sounded like she was kicking him out.

Upon hearing this, Graces’s expression instantly fell. He lowered his head slightly, looking just like a puppy that had suddenly lost its owner’s affection. "Are you tired of me?" he asked.

Her heart gave a little jolt. "Why would you think that?"

’If she were tired of him, she wouldn’t even let him in her sight.’

"Then why are you trying to make me leave?" The man looked up, his gaze tentative and his tone laced with a careful fragility.

Lu Xia realized he had misunderstood. "I’m not trying to make you leave," she explained. "I was just thinking that sleeping here and taking care of me every day might be affecting your rest. I’m fine now. You really don’t have to do everything yourself. I don’t have that many rules here."

’Graces believed her on this point. In all the time he had been with Lu Xia, the young Female Master had never been coddled or demanding. She rarely asked others to do things she could do herself.’

’If, in the beginning, he had suspected that Lu Xia was just putting on an act to toy with him...’

’...after all this time, she was still the same as the day they first met. She had never changed.’

’A person might hide many things to deceive another, but over time, one’s true nature is bound to be revealed. And they were together day in and day out.’

’It was easy to see whether someone was being genuine.’

’Graces had long since recognized how different Lu Xia was from everyone else, and that was precisely why he didn’t want to let go.’

"I don’t want to leave. Can I please stay? If you feel I’m disturbing your rest, I can sleep on the floor." His voice grew even more pitiful.

Lu Xia had a nagging feeling that he was doing this on purpose, yet Graces’s expression looked so naturally subservient. It was as if they had been transported back to the night they first met, when he knelt before her in sheer robes, begging for her favor.

’He was going to be the death of her!’