Arc 2: Part 24
Xiao Qingwan suddenly turned around.
There stood a guard she didn't recognize.
Staring at her, the guard paused, "Miss, why is it you?" He scratched his head embarrassedly, "I'm sorry for not recognizing you just now. I saw someone sneaking around and thought a thief had gotten in."
Xiao Qingwan forced a smile, "No matter, I'm here to visit my brother."
The guard nodded in approval, "Alright, Eldest Miss. Please proceed, I shall leave now."
Xiao Qingwan hurried on, but as she took a step, the guard bowed courteously with a broad smile, "Oh right, I almost forgot to thank you! Eldest Miss, the lamb soup you made was really good. My brothers and I appreciate it, Eldest Miss, you're such a kind person!"
"Heh, well, you're flattering me. Go along with your duties now."
With a dry laugh, Xiao Qingwan sent him off, her lips curling in discomfort.
Lamb soup—
Xiao Bai Zhu was indeed easy-going, having meals prepared for these servants, she didn't worry about Xiao Lingchen's discomfort.
Yet, she suddenly thought again, Xiao Bai Zhu put in lots of effort to enhance her reputation, and that was something worth appreciating.
Xiao Qingwan couldn't help but reveal a hint of a cold smile. Holding the food box, she entered the courtyard. She still wanted to enter the room next door, but as she was hesitating, another person came walking down the corridor.
Why was someone always bothering her!
Xiao Qingwan frowned in irritation. She glanced at the person and her heart skipped a beat with sweat forming in her palm.
It was Little Thirteen.
If Xiao Qingwan hated Xiao Lingchen the most, the second person she detested was Little Thirteen, this lapdog always by Xiao Lingchen's side.
He always looked down on her while Little Thirteen seemed to her of less importance, merely a subordinate. No matter how high his status, he was just a servant.
Why was he looking down on her?
She'd make him pay sooner or later!
Cursing fiercely in her heart, Xiao Qingwan saw Little Thirteen's figure getting closer and closer. She thought of changing her direction, pretending not to see him, and slipping away as soon as possible...
She was about to walk away when Little Thirteen's voice rang out cheerfully.
"Oh, Eldest Miss, you're here? The master is waiting for you in the back, you should go quickly!"
Xiao Qingwan was taken aback.
Why did his tone sound so familiar?
There was no hint of the previous disdain and contempt, but instead, eagerness and respect!
"Ah, such a heavy food box, why didn't the Eldest Miss find someone to help you carry it? Isn't it exhausting?" Little Thirteen prattled on, somewhat ingratiatingly approaching, "By the way, I wanted to ask you something..."
"What do you want?" Xiao Qingwan glared at him warily, stepping back to avoid him.
Little Thirteen paused, "What's wrong, Eldest Miss? Why are you acting so strange?"
Xiao Qingwan thought to herself that something wasn't right. She suppressed her disgust, put on a familiar attitude and reluctantly smiled, "What do you want me to do?"
Little Thirteen furrowed his eyebrows, always feeling that something was off about the girl in front of him. She seemed entirely different from when he had bumped into her at the entrance earlier.
He changed his original topic on the verge of speaking, "…Actually, I wanted to say, the lamb soup you made today was delicious. All my brothers liked it. Could you teach the method to the cook, so when it gets cold, everyone can drink it to warm up?"
Xiao Qingwan randomly agreed, excusing herself to see her brother, and hurriedly got him to leave.
Little Thirteen watched Xiao Qingwan's retreating figure from behind, his thick eyebrows furrowing deeply.
This... Something was not right.
However, he did not know that at this moment, Xiao Qingwan's heart was even more flustered.
Having her reputation spread and being respected by the servants in the mansion was good, but—
It was fame achieved because of her cooking skills.
If she wanted to maintain this status, she had to rely on Xiao Bai Zhu. She had to follow whatever Xiao Bai Zhu did obediently and absolutely could not reveal the truth.
Doing so would make it seem like Xiao Bai Zhu was the center of it all.
And she, wearing a face identical to Xiao Bai Zhu's, had become an existence similar to Xiao Bai Zhu's shadow!
No comments:
Post a Comment