The next morning before dawn, Lin Wanrong was still in a deep sleep when he heard a woman calling outside the door, "Lin San, wake up."
Lin Wanrong drowsily opened his eyes, recognizing the voice as Miss Xiao's. Perplexed, he wondered why this young lady was up so early. Wasn't she afraid of getting dark circles under her eyes?
"Lin San, get up quickly, we are leaving," Miss Xiao's voice came from outside again. Lin Wanrong had no choice but to reluctantly put on his clothes and walk over to open the door. Looking up, he saw the starlight shimmering in the sky, with the Morning Star shining brightly. There was still more than an hour before daybreak.
Miss Xiao was already dressed warmly, wearing a long cloak. Her delicate face had a hint of redness from the cold wind. She stood outside the door, glancing at him, and said, "I knew you would still be sleeping. Hurry up, we are leaving." Lin Wanrong yawned, saying, "Miss, it's still early. Is there a need to be in such a hurry?"
Xiao Yuruo snorted, "We are heading to Hangzhou, a journey of several hundred miles. If we don't start early, how can we make it? You're lazy, making so many excuses. Next time, I'll find a drum and beat it next to your ear to see if you can still be lazy."
Lin Wanrong thought, "Here it comes, she's finding reasons to lecture me." He smirked, quickly washed his face with cold water, grabbed a few more pieces of clothing, and then left with Miss Xiao.
Seeing Lin Wanrong's efficient movements, Xiao Yuruo's complexion improved slightly. She said, "You better not do this in the future; I shouldn't have to come and wake you up." Lin Wanrong thought, "It's better if you don't come; I can sleep until dawn."
At the door, Lin Wanrong felt a bit ashamed when he saw Madam Xiao and Xiao Yuqian waiting. They had been there for a while. As he approached, the Second Miss welcomed him with a sweet smile, warming Lin Wanrong's heart.
Thinking he was probably the laziest servant in this era, Lin Wanrong chuckled. He greeted, "Madam, Second Miss, good morning."
Madam nodded and smiled, "Lin San, did you sleep well last night? If we didn't set off early today, we wouldn't have had to wake you up so early."
Madam's words were warm, but Lin Wanrong knew it was just a way to gain favor. After all, speaking pleasing words cost nothing.
"Thank you for your concern, Madam. I had a good night's sleep," Lin Wanrong replied with feigned gratitude.
Madam nodded and smiled again, "Yuruo is a young lady, not convenient to travel alone. On the way to Hangzhou, you need to take good care of her."
"Of course, with Miss Yuruo's wise leadership, the journey will undoubtedly be smooth and safe. Have a smooth and safe trip," Lin Wanrong casually said.
The Second Miss, with a smile on her face, seemed like she wanted to say something but hesitated due to the presence of her mother and sister.
Seeing that everyone was ready, the Second Miss said to Madam, "Mother, you and Yuqian go back and rest. We will set off now." Xiao Yusuang quickly stepped forward, held her sister's hand, and said, "Sister, be careful on the way."
Xiao Yuruo nodded and turned to look at Lin Wanrong, softly saying, "Lin San, you, be careful."
"Thank you, Second Miss," Lin Wanrong approached a few steps, intending to grab the Second Miss's small hand. However, the elder Miss blocked him and said, "Lin San, are all your belongings ready?" Seeing a sly look on the elder Miss's face, Lin Wanrong felt annoyed. "You deliberately ruined my plan; someday, I will ruin yours."
"Oh, everything is ready. By the way, Second Miss, is the Huajing you're reading now interesting? There's a famous temple called Lingyin Temple by West Lake in Hangzhou. I heard it's a great place. How about I find you a couple of high-quality Buddhist scriptures with illustrations from there?" The Second Miss covered her mouth and chuckled. Lin Wanrong thought, "This girl is intentionally picking a fight with me. I'll get back at you one day."
Seeing that the preparations were almost complete, the elder Miss said to Madam, "Mother, Yuqian, you can go back and rest. We will be back in a few days." Madam nodded, but the Second Miss seemed a bit emotional. Waving her hand towards the carriage, she faintly saw Lin Wanrong smiling and waving at her. Her eyes turned slightly red, feeling both shy and sentimental. She buried her face in her mother's arms, and tears filled her eyes.
Lin Wanrong mounted the black horse. Besides him, there were servants and a maid accompanying the Miss. The other two servants were familiar faces, one smart and the other honest, named Si De and Xiao Feng.
Due to the supply issue with flower petals, the perfume workshop could only produce around five hundred bottles per month. Xiao Feng had some free time as a steward, while Si De was one of the men who helped set up the soap workshop. These two servants were chosen personally by the Second Miss, thinking that Lin Wanrong was somewhat familiar with them. They were efficient and reliable, and Lin Wanrong took them along.
Xiao Yuruo saw them mounting their horses and said from behind the curtain, "Lin San, from now on, you'll be in charge, so take care of them. Don't cause any trouble and return safely. Mother has high expectations for you."
This girl was quite cunning, deliberately letting Lin Wanrong take responsibility for the two, emphasizing his sense of duty. This was indeed a clever move.
Lin Wanrong smiled and said, "Xiao brothers, Si De, you two, follow me well. Don't get lost."
"Yes, Third Brother," they both said respectfully. Lin Wanrong was now a senior servant, their superior, and had an excellent status in the Xiao family. Even the housekeeper Wang would address him as Third Brother.
This rascal still has some dignity. Seeing that everyone was ready, the Second Miss said to Madam, "Mother, you and Yuqian go back and rest. It won't take long for us to return." Madam nodded, and the Second Miss pulled Lin Wanrong's hand and said, "Sister, you should rest. Lin San, take care of yourself and don't cause any trouble. Come back soon." As she said the last words, her voice became almost inaudible.
Madam was standing far away and couldn't hear, but the Second Miss and Lin Wanrong were close. Seeing Lin San smiling, the Second Miss hummed softly, "Alright, let's set off."
After she turned around to get on the carriage, the Second Miss took the opportunity to throw a small paper ball to Lin Wanrong. He quickly caught it. The Second Miss, with a sly look, glanced at him and swiftly stepped back.
Lin Wanrong, without a trace, stuffed the paper ball into his sleeve.
Mounting the black horse, Lin Wanrong turned back to look at the mansion. Madam, Xiao Yuqian, and Xiao Yusuang were standing there. Xiao Yusuang was wiping away tears, and Xiao Yuqian looked at him with a gentle smile. Lin Wanrong felt a warmth in his heart. He raised his hand and said, "Goodbye, Second Miss. We will be back soon."
Xiao Yuruo waved her hand, and the curtain of the carriage was lifted. The Second Miss poked her head out, looked at Lin Wanrong, and smiled, "Lin San, you better come back alive. I'm waiting for you." Lin Wanrong chuckled, thinking, "With such a tender and affectionate goodbye, it seems like you're really worried about me."
However, the next moment, the Second Miss's expression changed. She sneered, "But if you dare to make me worry, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your life."
Lin Wanrong was speechless. "This girl is so unpredictable. Is she being nice or threatening me?" He shook his head with a smile, turned around, and led the way towards the west.
As they left the city, Lin Wanrong felt the morning breeze gently blowing on his face. He looked up at the sky and sighed. "Hangzhou, here we come."