Lan Yan opened her eyes to find Jun Xiao Yao napping by her bedside, drool still trickling from his lips. She pushed herself up and looked around, realizing she was back in her room.
She remembered being in the cellar, feeling colder and colder, and then someone seemed to have carried her out. She rubbed her head, thinking the person had been very gentle, but couldn't recall their face.
She looked at Jun Xiao Yao, gently shaking his shoulder and calling out, "Xiao Yao, wake up. It's cold sleeping here."
"Mhm, Sister Lan," Jun Xiao Yao lifted his head, rubbing his eyes with his hands. Upon seeing Lan Yan clearly, he threw himself into her embrace. "Wuwuwu, Sister Lan, you slept for a whole night."
She was so worried that Sister Lan would fall asleep and never wake up again, just like Mother and Father.
Lan Yan patted Jun Xiao Yao's head and comforted him, "Xiao Yao, I'm sorry for making you worry. Sister Lan is fine now, so please go rest, okay?"
It was also suffering for such a young child to stay with her.
"No, Sister Lan, I have a mission. You wait for me." Jun Xiao Yao patted his chest, happily ran towards the door, and shouted, "Aunt Hui, Sister Lan can eat now."
Lan Yan heard Jun Xiao Yao's voice from inside and couldn't help but smile; she was indeed hungry.
Soon, Hui Niang entered, leading Jun Xiao Yao, holding a food box in her hand. "It's good that you're awake, eat something quickly." She was relieved to see Lan Yan looking well.
Lan Yan nodded and smiled, "Sister Hui, thank you so much." She opened the food box and found a bowl of shrimp congee. She smiled and began to eat. "Sister Hui, you prepared it so well. This is exactly what I wanted to drink right now."
Hui Niang smiled faintly, "This wasn't prepared by me, it was ordered by the Factory Director." She then teased, "The Factory Director stayed by your side all night last night. After ordering this bowl of congee this morning, he left."
She felt that the Factory Director did care about Lan Yan.
Lan Yan's eyes suddenly lit up, and the congee in her hands seemed to become even more fragrant. "By the way, where did the Factory Director go?"
"He had important matters to attend to." Hui Niang took out a bowl of pickled vegetables and placed it by the bed. "Eat more, so you'll have the energy to stay with the Factory Director longer when he comes."
Lan Yan understood the implication in Hui Niang's words and smiled, "Okay." She ate faster, regaining the strength and spirit she had lost last night.
Meanwhile, Jun Ye Lan was in the front hall, tapping his fingers casually on the table beside him, his gaze chillingly fixed on the person kneeling before him.
Jin San Niang knelt obediently on the ground, her entire body stiffening. She muttered, "Please spare this old servant, Factory Director. This old servant truly doesn't know what wrong she has committed! This old servant is innocent."
"Innocent." Jun Ye Lan's eyes darkened, his voice laced with biting cold. "In my prison, there have never been innocent people. They were all like you at first, and later regretted not speaking up sooner."
Jin San Niang trembled all over, having heard of the East Factory's methods. She pressed her head to the ground, begging for mercy, "Factory Director, this old servant just lost her senses and did such a thing. This old servant was wrong!"
"Wrong!" Jun Ye Lan stopped tapping his hand and stared at Jin San Niang. "I told you, her matters were none of your business. Were you seeking personal revenge, or do you not put this Factory Director in your eyes!"
Jin San Niang trembled even more, stammering, "No. This old servant just didn't expect her body to be so weak; I only wanted to scare her."
How could she have known that Jun Ye Lan valued Lan Yan so much, a mere woman from the countryside?
Jun Ye Lan looked at Jin San Niang's appearance and suddenly sneered, "It seems the person behind you has given you many benefits, making you so bold. Even now, you dare to lie in front of this Factory Director."
"I have seen many criminals, and as for you, I don't even put you in my eyes." He shouted towards the door, "Song Cheng, lock her in the cellar for a day and a night, then throw her into the East Factory prison."
Song Cheng walked in and shouted, "Yes, Factory Director." He stepped forward and dragged Jin San Niang away.
Jin San Niang shouted fearfully, "Factory Director, this old servant is from the palace, you cannot treat this old servant like this." The next moment, Song Cheng gagged her mouth and threw her directly into the cold cellar.
Jun Ye Lan sat in the front hall, watching the snow still falling outside, and felt a hint of chill. He got up and walked towards Lan Yan's room. Just as he reached the door, he heard laughter from inside.
He couldn't help but stop, not moving further.
Hui Niang, carrying a brazier along the corridor, looked at the scene at the doorway in confusion and asked, "Why isn't the Factory Director going in?"
Jun Ye Lan shifted his gaze and said, "I was just passing by." He was about to leave when the door suddenly opened, and what met his eyes was Lan Yan's smile.
"Factory Director, you're here, why didn't you call me?" Lan Yan smiled. Seeing the snow on Jun Ye Lan's shoulders, she stood on her tiptoes and gently brushed it off.
Jun Ye Lan froze, looking at the person so close to him, a strange feeling surfacing in his heart. He reluctantly averted his gaze, and only after Lan Yan moved away from him did he say, "Thank you."
Lan Yan responded, "It's nothing. It's cold outside, come in." She had been playing cat's cradle with Jun Xiao Yao and prepared a stool, placing it beside Jun Ye Lan.
Seeing this, Hui Niang took Jun Xiao Yao and left, thoughtfully closing the door.
With no one else around, Jun Ye Lan sat opposite Lan Yan, gazing at her face, which looked much better now.
Lan Yan placed some pastries in Jun Ye Lan's hand and smiled, "Factory Director, I don't have anything good here, please have this. I made it before and didn't finish it."
"Right, you saved me last night, and I haven't thanked you yet." She got up and bowed slightly.
Jun Ye Lan reached out to help her up, then thought of his identity and retracted his hand. "It's fine, your pastries are a return gift." He looked at the white pastries before him, topped with syrup. He took a bite; they were a bit sweet.
He met Lan Yan's gaze and nodded, "Mhm, delicious."
"I have more here, Factory Director, take them back to eat." Lan Yan busied herself, stuffing the packed pastries into Jun Ye Lan's arms, and smiled, "They're all yours."
Jun Ye Lan suddenly felt amused and exasperated. He looked up at Lan Yan's bright eyes, wondering what kind of environment could raise such a unique person.
"You rest well these few days, no one will trouble you. After you've recovered, you can work anywhere in the manor."
Lan Yan smiled, "I still prefer the kitchen. Factory Director, I was sick this time, can you grant me one thing?" As she said this, she moved closer to Jun Ye Lan, intentionally or unintentionally.
Jun Ye Lan's ears turned slightly red. Looking at Lan Yan's enchanting smile, he felt that at this moment, no matter what she asked, he would agree.