After the Lantern Festival, Charles Bolton began to pursue Lily. Although Lily’s love for Emily Thompson had just been extinguished, she truly had no interest in this second-rate family member she was already tired of seeing. Emily Thompson then taught Charles Bolton a trick: he should go to the mountains every day to pick plums and give them to Lily, then suddenly stop after ten days. Just as Lily was beginning to savor a man’s tenderness, she would suddenly lose it, leaving her feeling a sense of loss, and a thread of longing would unexpectedly become entwined with Charles Bolton.

“I understand. Tomorrow I’ll speak to Madam and ask her to betroth Lily to you!” Emily Thompson suddenly felt a bit of pity for Charles Bolton. If a man has neither money nor status, how can he possibly win the heart of a woman like Lily?

“Master, I will surely repay your kindness in the future!” Charles Bolton said gratefully. He also knew that Madam favored Emily Thompson and felt guilty toward him, so if Emily Thompson spoke up, perhaps this matter could really be settled.

But Emily Thompson thought to himself, “Judging by his expression, he’s not pretending. The time has come.” He patted Charles Bolton on the shoulder and said sincerely, “Acai, do you really like Lily? You’d better think it through. Can you handle her temperament?”

Charles Bolton lowered his head in silence. After a while, pain flashed in his eyes. Lily’s passion was hard for him to bear, but he truly liked her. As for her past or future, he could only endure it in silence. As the saying goes, ‘A poor couple has many sorrows’—what else could he do?

“You, come here! I have something to say to you.”

The pain and humiliation from the Lantern Festival night had not faded from Emily Thompson’s memory with time. On the contrary, it had slowly settled, brewing and thickening in his heart. Once the seed of hatred had taken root, he was determined to let it break through the soil and grow into a towering tree.

Like a wolf seeking revenge, he waited and searched for an opportunity with unchanging patience. Now that the opportunity had come and the plan was ready, he still needed the cooperation of other interested parties to strike their common enemy more ruthlessly and accurately. Thus, Emily Thompson thought of the second steward, Luke Bolton. “Fishing like Jiang Taigong—those who wish to bite will bite.” To make Luke Bolton come to him of his own accord, Emily Thompson set his sights on Charles Bolton.

Emily Thompson brought Charles Bolton into the room and closed the door before solemnly saying, “I have a way for you to become the second steward. Are you willing?”

Charles Bolton was stunned. He was the confidant of the second steward, Luke Bolton. To take Luke Bolton’s job—how could he do that? But Emily Thompson just smiled and said, “When Luke Bolton becomes the chief steward, what’s wrong with you becoming the second steward?”

Only then did Charles Bolton realize that Emily Thompson intended to target Frank Bolton. He had wondered why, after suffering such a loss, Emily Thompson had seemed to let it go. He was about to admire his magnanimity, but it turned out Emily Thompson was not going to let them off after all.

“If you follow my plan, I guarantee you’ll get the position of second steward.” With that, he whispered a few words in Charles Bolton’s ear. Charles Bolton was shocked. “Young Master Thompson, will this really work? If it’s found out that I was the one who told, I—I—” He lowered his head and said softly, “I’m afraid I can’t do it!”

Emily Thompson’s face darkened and he shouted, “A real man—if you don’t even have this much courage, how will you ever accomplish anything great? With your attitude, do you think you can keep Lily’s heart? Go! Go! I won’t speak to Madam for you either, so I won’t have to pity you in the future!”

“I—” The veins on Charles Bolton’s forehead bulged as he roared, “Don’t insult me! I’ll do it!”

……

The next day, rumors began to spread in the Zhang household, saying that Frank Bolton and his cousin—the second madam—had been betrothed since childhood, but she had married the master for wealth and status, abandoning Frank Bolton. A few days later, the gossip grew even wilder, claiming that Frank Bolton remained unmarried because he couldn’t forget his old love, and that someone had seen Frank Bolton sneak into the second madam’s room on the night of the Lantern Festival, staying there for two hours before coming out, and that his clothes were on backwards. The stories were so vivid, it was as if people had witnessed it themselves.

Eventually, the rumors reached Frank Bolton’s ears. He flew into a rage and investigated for several days, but couldn’t find the source. When even the madam’s maids began to tease him, he started to panic and hurried to the master to explain, but Master Zhang only gave a cold smile and said nothing. Frank Bolton became even more frightened, not knowing what to do. Fortunately, a few days later, the rumors died down and he finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

That night, a shadow flashed past Emily Thompson’s window, followed by a gentle knock at the door.

“The door’s not locked, come in!” The shadow slipped inside, turned around, and locked the door. Emily Thompson said calmly, “Second steward, I’ve been waiting for you.”

“How did you know it was me?” The lamp was lit, and in the dim yellow light, Luke Bolton’s round, plump face appeared.

“I thought you’d come yesterday, but I ended up waiting an extra day.”

“I happened to be busy yesterday.” Luke Bolton’s eyes suddenly fixed on Emily Thompson, coldly asking, “So, those rumors were really your doing?”

“There’s no need to ask,” Emily Thompson smiled. “If Charles Bolton hadn’t told you, would you have found me?”

“How did you know Charles Bolton would tell me?” Luke Bolton looked astonished.

“Of course. He wants to be second steward—how could he do it without your support? Come, have a seat. I’m uncomfortable with you standing there.”

Luke Bolton pulled up a chair and sat down, staring at Emily Thompson’s faint smile. He was deeply shocked. This man, in order to take revenge on Frank Bolton, had used Lily as bait to make Charles Bolton work for him, but his real purpose in using Charles Bolton was to lure himself here. Such deep scheming—this was the first time he had encountered it.

“How can you promise Charles Bolton the position of second steward? Is that really possible?”