By the time Liu'er came back, Bai Yue was already halfway through her book, her thin fingers turning page after page as her eyes quickly scanned the content of the book.
When the little girl rushed into the room with a flustered expression all but plastered on her face, a small, amused smile appeared on Bai Yue's lips.
"You are back?"
Liu'er didn't have the opportunity to answer. She had barely opened her mouth that the three maids who brought the dishes earlier entered the room, obviously displeased.
One of them harshly pushed on Liu'er's back, forcing her to bow.
"Fifth young miss, forgive this stupid girl. She forgot to clear the table and offended fifth young miss. She will be punished later."
Bai Yue's smile disappeared in a blink and she furrowed her brow in a deep frown. Closing the book, her voice was cold when she spoke, causing the people in the room to break into a sweat.
"No need for this. I was the one who ordered her to leave me alone. Could it be that I, this fifth young miss, have reached the point where even servants can disobey me?"
The three burly maids fell down to their knees.
"Young miss, please forgive! This servant didn't mean this and merely misunderstood Liu'er girl."
Bai Yue didn't respond and silently stood up, placing carefully the book on the table next to the chair. She then walked to the servants and still without uttering a single sound, helped Liu'er to stand straight.
Her eyes darted around the girl's face, carefully looking for red spots.
Liu'er couldn't help shuddering under her young miss' heavy stare. Her young mistress usually had a very good temperament and this was the first time she saw her being angry.
And to think the main cause was her, Liu'er, a mere servant whose life was in Madam Fu's hands.
"Are you hurt?" Bai Yue inquired in a calm voice when she didn't see anything on the girl's face.
Liu'er quickly shook her head and hid her hands inside her sleeves. Just a slap with a stick on her fingers, this couldn't be considered being hurt, right?
Unfortunately, Bai Yue noticed her movements and grasped her wrists, anger rising inside her and her gaze darkening. Although the skin didn't split open and no blood had been drawn, bruises were already visible.
She glanced down at the three maids who were still kneeling on the floor. Still dare to ask her to forgive them?!
The burly women were sweating heavily, their minds all unable to understand how this was still the fifth young miss of the Bai family. One has to know that before her illness, the fifth young miss was nothing but an obedient and pretty vase, always silent and never showing her anger, even when the fourth young miss Bai Hua bothered her.
"Y-young miss, please..."
Bai Yue sneered, disgust flashing in her eyes. Next to her, Liu'er started, her eyes widening. Was this still her young miss?
"Leave. This small courtyard of mine can't afford such a dramatic performance. You better find another spectator."
In the State of Zhou, actors only ranked slightly above prostitutes. Even a slave enjoyed a higher status. This time, being compared to an actor, Liu'er was afraid the three maids' hearts were bleeding out of anger and shame.
Still, Liu'er had a hard time suppressing the desire to cheer her young miss!
Bai Yue's voice sounded again before the three servants could take a step out of the bedroom. "Also, no need for you three to ever come back here. I am sure there are many other servants willing to bring my meals."
Alright, this was a lie. After all, most people did believe Bai Yue was either possessed by a ghost or crazy. Few people still dared to come into contact with her.
Once the three maids left, Bai Yue forced Liu'er into a chair, placing the bruised hands on the table. Then, she retrieved a white porcelain pot from her dressing table and sat across from the girl.
Just the sight of these two bruised hands was enough to make her grit her teeth until they ached. Did the little girl already forget about her promise of taking care of her body? Moreover, that silly girl even tried to hide the bruises from her!
"Young miss, are you still angry?" Liu'er dared to ask when the sullen look on her young miss' face didn't disappear.
Hearing the slight hesitation in the maid's voice, Bai Yue's heart softened. Forget it, she would just treat it as a child misbehaving.
"Do you understand what you did wrong?"
Liu'er nodded solemnly. She did. Truly. How could she even have done this? Even an inexperienced servant knew better!
"I shouldn't have forgotten to clear the table."
Bai Yue let out a deep sigh and poked the girl's forehead. "Silly girl, what table? I am talking about your hands. How can this be called taking care of your body? You must be in so much pain right now, yet you didn't say anything."
Liu'er was stunned and didn't know how to react for a long time. Hurt? She was a servant. Which part of her body hadn't been bruised before? This time, she only received a slap on her hands. It really was her good fortune!
If young miss hadn't been her mistress, Liu'er couldn't have escaped a much worse punishment.
Seeing the girl in a daze, Bai Yue smiled helplessly and pulled the lid off the porcelain pot. Inside it was a pale green ointment. The texture was smooth and slightly cold. It gave off the fresh scent of stinging nettles.
Liu'er broke out of her thought at the cold and appeasing feeling on her skin.
"Young miss, what is it?"
Bai Yue closed the pot and started bandaging Liu'er's hands. "A gift from Elder brother."
Bai Rui was rarely home but he never forgot to bring her gifts every time he came back. Although she had yet to see him since her return to life, she still remembered every single thing he ever gave her.
Liu'er tried to retrieve her hands. "Young miss, using this, how can it be right?"
"How can it be wrong?" Bai Yue responded without letting go of the girl's hand. "I already used it and an ointment is made to be used on such occasion, isn't it?"
"Won't first young master be angry upon learning that young miss used this on a servant?"
Bai Yue looked up and met a pair of clear but confused brown eyes before Liu'er looked away.
"Have you ever seen my brother?"
"No. I only entered Bai manor four months ago."
Bai Rui had been away from home for more than five months already. In fact, the ointment was his last gift to her before she married into the palace in her previous life.
Bai Yue's hands became a little unsteady. Unexpectedly, she was already missing time.
"Elder brother is very kind," she said after a while.
"Does he treat young miss well?"
Bai Yue briefly looked at the book next to Liu'er's hands. The title was 'Women's rites', yet the content of the book was all about war tactics.
"Yes, he really treats me well."