[The names mentioned below, such as Ziya and Zoya, all refer to one person, Chen Zoe.]
To learn more about Ziya, Long Yuzhen went directly to Rui the next morning.
"Can I meet your maid, Zoya, for a moment?" Yuzhen's request put Rui in a difficult situation. Very few people knew about Ziya's real identity as Zoe.
"Z-Ziya… W-Why do you have to meet her? Did she do something wrong?" Rui anxiously asked.
"I want to apologize to her for yesterday's incident." Yuzhen had already planned out every answer that might be asked.
"There is no need for such formalities. She won't mind such simple matters seriously."
"But I do… Please senior, I want to apologize to her." Yuzhen couldn't back off from his decision, no matter how hard Rui tried to reject him indirectly.
"You can't meet her right now, even if I gave permission. She isn't here right now." Rui played his last card to protect his senior's reputation.
"She isn't here? Then where did she go?" Yuzhen inquired.
"She went to fetch some medical herbs from Liulian Lake side," Rui replied, selecting a location that was a bit farther from Longwei Peak in an attempt to dissuade Yuzhen. However, he never anticipated that Yuzhen would immediately head in that direction the moment he heard about it.
With no other options available, Rui hurriedly approached Chen Zoe to explain the situation. At that moment, Chen Zoe was calmly sipping his morning tea and gazing outside.
"Senior, there's an emergency..." Rui burst into the room, his voice filled with urgency.
"What's going on now?" Chen Zoe asked in a composed manner as he took another sip of his tea.
"Y-Yuzhen has gone to find Ziya at Liulian Lake," Rui replied, causing Chen Zoe to cough and almost spill his tea.
"Could you please start from the beginning and tell me exactly what happened?" Chen Zoe requested.
Rui began explaining the situation, and upon hearing everything, Zoe felt compelled to meet Yuzhen while in disguise. If Yuzhen didn't meet Ziya at Liulian Lake side, he would likely start searching for her, when in reality there was no such person exist.
This could lead to more people learning about Ziya, who bears a resemblance to the Chen Long family members. If someone discovered the truth, it could result in rumors that would be more serious than anything else.
Chen Zoe was lucky that he didn't give the ring back yet, to his uncle. So, he took it with him and headed toward Liulian Lake area, carrying a maid's outfit and a drawing of herb that given to him by Rui. The plan was to create a believable scenario as much as he can.
Using the shortcut, Chen Zoe was able to reach the place faster. He used his magical powers to sense the surroundings and realized that someone was nearby. So, he decided to use the ring to transform himself into a girl. And pretends to be searching for the herb drawn in the paper.
Soon, Yuzhen arrived at the location and saw Ziya there. He approached her with the intention of apologizing, but he didn't know how to start the conversation. He just stood there, gazing at her.
Ziya, who was actually Chen Zoe in disguise, noticed Yuzhen's hesitant look and wondered why he was staring at her like that.
'Why is he looking at me like this again? If you want to apologize, just do it quickly and leave.'
After a few moments of silence, Zoe decided to initiate the conversation. "You were looking at me for a while. Do you need my help with something?"
Yuzhen quickly came up with a different reason for being there and replied, "I lost my way. Could you take me with you... when you're done with your job? In return, I'll help you collect herbs."
Zoe was taken aback by the sudden change in Yuzhen's request. "Huh!"
"We already know each other, so can't you help me?" Yuzhen pleaded, looking like a lost puppy to Zoe.
Zoe sighed and gave him directions, saying, "Just walk straight, and you'll find your way outside."
"I already took that path, but still ended up here. Can't you show me a little mercy? After all, I'm your master's friend's one and only disciple. If you're still angry about yesterday's incident, I can apologize as much as you want. Please take me out of here," Long Yuzhen pleaded.
'Is he for real? Then don't blame me for what I will do with you,' [Chen Zoe]
"There's no need to go to that extent. After all, I'm just a maid, and you are a young master from some noble family. However, I can only take you out when my work is done here. But, as you can see, I haven't found the herb I need yet. So, if you lend me a hand, it would be a great help, especially for you. We can go home more quickly," Ziya explained as she handed the herb's drawing to Yuzhen.
Pretending to search, Ziya handed over the task to Yuzhen. After searching diligently, Yuzhen managed to find the herb in the right amount and gave it to Ziya. It had exhausted him, but there was a bright smile on Yuzhen's face.
Suddenly, the sunny atmosphere turned dark, and raindrops began to fall from the sky. Long Yuzhen intended to take shelter, but he stopped when he noticed Ziya standing there, fully embracing the rain. She seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the moment, and as he watched her, a feeling of happiness washed over Yuzhen.
Yuzhen had always hated the rain and the gloomy atmosphere it created. Many times, in the past, it had taken away his peace by spoiling his food and snatching his shelter. Even after achieving a good life, he couldn't bring himself to like the rain, as it was associated with unpleasant memories.
However, for the first time, he found himself liking the rain, all because of Ziya.