Breakfast had just been served when Bai Yue came back to her courtyard. Just like the day before, only the food she liked was present on the table and a delicious scent filled the room, tingling one's nose and stomach. Sitting down, Bai Yue patted the empty seat next to her and called out, "Liu'er, come eat with me."
Her voice was neither too loud nor too low but for a certain little maid's stomach, it sounded as if the gods had suddenly spoken, their voice thundering all the way back from the Nine Heavens. The brush she had been writing with fell out of her grip and hit the desk with a thud. Not even blinking, Liu'er quickly jumped to her feet and wiped her ink-stained hands on her dress.
She slid her head in the doorway and gawked at the food, her nose almost twitching at the mouth-watering scent. Steaming white rice sprinkled with walnuts and spring onions, and an orange-colored soup. Oh, was that some egg rolls? There were even some peanuts and steamed buns. One sniff told her they were filled with chicken. How many times had she eaten meat in her life? Once? Twice? Certainly no more than thrice!
"The food won't eat itself, you know," Bai Yue commented with a small smile, already rinsing her hands in a big bowl of lukewarm water. "Which is good or I fear the monster in your belly would not stop growling."
"Young miss, don't tease me," Liu'er responded in a small voice with a bashful expression on her face and a blush creeping over her cheeks. "I'm so hungry but I didn't dare to step out of the study. How long will Madam be angry with me?"
"A few days," Bai Yue shrugged as she handed the water bowl to the girl, immediately spotting the ink and the dark rings under the usually clean fingernails. "Don't worry too much about it. As long as you stay here, nothing bad will happen to you. Besides, Mother is bound to be happy at one point or another in the future."
"Because of Concubine Xi?"
Her eyebrows raised, she answered with a question, "You heard about it? As expected, the news spreads very fast here."
"The servants who brought the food were speaking about it. Is it true then? Conbubin Xi slept with another man and cheated on Count Zhong?"
Rumors were truly a terrible thing that could destroy someone's reputation with just a few words. With just a few words, the smallest flower could become a dragon in people's minds. In Concubine Xi's case, the result was even more terrible as she was now known as an unfaithful woman. Even if not true, Bai Yue was sure her father's jaw was currently hurting a lot from all the clenching he did in order to suppress his anger. Not only his concubine's reputation was destroyed and his beloved second son was revealed to have the emotional intelligence of a rice grain, but Count Zhong himself now had to wear a very big green hat on his head. And green had never been his color.
Bai Yue flicked her maid's forehead. "Did you forget she spent the night kneeling outside? Where would she find the time to lie with a man? You can listen to rumors but don't take them seriously. Father did find Concubine Xi in the arms of a man in her bedroom but she was ill and unconscious and the man was only a servant. Not someone that woman would consider to be her lover."
Unfortunately for Concubine Xi, her good son Bai Chen seemed to want that manservant as a stepfather.
"That servant is really gutsy," Liu'er gasped with her eyes almost bulging out of her skull.
"Oh no, he's really not. You should have seen him shaking like a leaf. He was truly pitiful. Second brother was the one who ordered him to carry Concubine Xi. You see, he didn't trust women for such an important task."
"But..." the girl's voice trailed off and Bai Yue offered her an amused smile.
"I know. Just treat this as a play to watch. These people would do the same if something bad happens to you."
Although ugly, those words were nevertheless very true. Actors might have a very low status in society but it didn't change the fact that people from noble families were secretly all very good at acting. What else could you expect from people who had to deal with so many power-hungry relatives and half-siblings with birth mothers competing for their husband's favors?
The Bai family had always been keen on keeping up pretenses. Especially the one where they all pretended to like each other. Therefore, it came as no surprise that evening meals were usually taken together, food delicacies, sword-like words, and fake smiles blending in together with ease. Even before being reborn, Bai Yue never cared much about her other relatives except for her elder brother Bai Rui and never participated in conversations. Instead, she would eat quietly, her back straight, looking composed like a perfect doll.
Eating with Liu'er was a completely different experience and she found herself engaging in conversations and giggling more than once. As for Liu'er, it didn't take long for her timid front to disappear in front of all the food.
"Alright, alright, you win!" Bai Yue laughed out loud with a hand in front of her mouth to save Liu'er from the disgusting fate of being hit by chewed rice coated with a layer of saliva. "I'll never compete with you again. You eat too fast!"
"It's young miss who is too slow."
Bai Yue's smile grew wider. "Just admit it. You have a gift for eating."
She rubbed her bulging stomach and almost gasped out at the sight of her empty plate. How did she end up eating so much? "Urgh, I am so full I could roll over to my bed."
"Do you need my help, young miss?" Liu'er asked, licking her fingers clean without any care for her appearance.
Hearing that, Bai Yue looked at the girl's thin arm. "Although tempting, I doubt you could ever manage to carry me."
"No, I mean helping you roll over."
"... I am not sure how I am supposed to take this but thank you... I guess."
"You are very much welcome, young miss."
***
After the table was cleared, Bai Yue stretched her arms up before resting her elbow on the now empty wooden surface, one side of her face leaning against the palm of her hand. Her eyes fell on the girl who was looking out the door at the courtyard bathed in the morning sunlight.
She pondered for a while and asked, "Liu'er? Do you like it here?"
"Uh?" Liu'er snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Bai Yue. "What do you mean, young miss?"
Bai Yue waved her free hand around. "This place, this manor, your status, don't you sometimes wish to be free?"
"No?" Liu'er's brows scrunched up together and she tilted her head aside in confusion. "I have a roof over my head and food to fill my belly. What else could I possibly want?"
The answer somewhat disappointed Bai Yue but she didn't show it and suppressed the need to sigh. Forget it, she still had a bit more time and if the girl wanted to stay here, so be it. It wasn't her decision to take, anyway.
Moreover, there were still other matters she needed to concern herself with.
"Forget it. Can you just tell me how servants go out? Do you need to show your face or something to pass through the door?"