As Ember stood before the grand entrance of the Li family's mansion, puff fluttered beside her, softly flapping its wings. "Do you think they would have noticed that Li Yue hasn't come home yet?" She asked raising an eyebrow, her voice curious.
Puff shrugged its wings, its feathers rustling gently against the air, "Maybe, if they still love her, they should."
A sly smirk danced on Ember's lips and she stepped forward, pushing open the creaky front gate, her eyes gleaming sharply in the moonlight, like an evil queen rising from the depths of underworld.
Once inside, her gaze swept across the the lavish living room, filled with luxurious and delicate furniture, yet no person was in sight. Her lips twitched into a weary, knowing smile "Heh! I knew it" she snickered.
It was 9 pm, but no one had noticed that she hadn't come home yet. In fact, no one had even bothered to wait up for her. The Li family, it seemed, couldn't care less.
She turned towards the stairs, and just as she placed her foot on the first step, a frail, worried voice pierced the silence.
"Miss Yue!?"
Her gaze shifted back to the source of the voice. An elderly woman, dressed in simple yet immaculate attire, stood before her. The woman's wrinkled face and her sunken eyes were a mix of fatigue and worry.
Ember raised an eyebrow, and turned to Puff, beckoning it to provide an explanation. Puff swiftly comprehended the meaning behind her action and a holographic screen flashed before her eyes, displaying a brief yet informative profile on the old woman.
"She's Madame Wang, the head maid of the Li family," Puff explained. "Apparently, she has been exceptionally kind to Li Yue."
Madame Wang's eyes, though weary, sparkled with a deep affection as she approached her. "Why have you returned home, Miss Yue?" she asked gently, "I thought you were going to stay with your friend for a while?"
Ember's gaze met hers, and a small smile played on her lips. "I-" she began, her voice trailing off as she contemplated how to respond. But then, she suddenly caught onto something and asked, "Auntie Wang, who told you that I was going to stay at my friend's?"
Madame Wang's eyebrows furrowed, "Didn't you tell Miss Shui to inform us?" she asked, confusion etched on her face.
Ember's composure faltered. She was taken aback by Madame Wang's response, and for a moment, she was speechless.
After a few seconds, she hummed softly. "Ah, it slipped my mind," she said, scratching her head. "Yeah, I texted her about it, but unfortunately, my friend has something urgent to deal with, so the plan was cancelled." She quickly made up an excuse.
"Why are you still up, Auntie Wang?" she asked, attempting to change the subject and avoid further inquiries.
Madame Wang smiled awkwardly, "I forgot that you weren't home today," she admitted, feeling somewhat embarrassed, "and was coming to give you some milk as usual."
Ember instinctively glanced at the glass of milk in her hand. Her face lit up, and she stepped forward, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "Thanks, Auntie Wang. You're the best!"
Madame Wang chuckled, "Oh, You little scamp!" she said, "Get back to your room and get some sleep." Her tone loving and playful, as she advised.
Ember nodded obediently and turned around, but suddenly she stopped in her tracks. "Is there something to eat?" she asked, looking back at Madame Wang, who just smiled in response. "Do you want me to bring you some snacks?" she offered.
Ember's face broke into a happy grin. "That'd be great!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands together.
With that, Madame Wang nodded and headed off to prepare the snacks, while Ember made her way to Li Yue's room. Once inside, she quickly finished her milk, made a beeline to the bathroom for a shower, and then changed into some cozy nightwear.
As soon as she stepped out, she saw a tray of snacks on her bedside table. The milk glass was gone, replaced by Li Yue's favorite treats. Her eyes welled up, as the body's true feelings resurfaced.
"Did Li Yue ask Zhao Shui to tell them that she wasn't coming home tonight?" She asked out of nowhere, her tone serious.
"I've no idea about that," Puff replied, "but if that's the case, then It'd make sense that nobody came looking for her. Turns out they thought she was staying with her friend." It shrugged.
Ember gave it a hard, cold stare before uttering, "Useless."
"Did you say something?" Puff asked, but she didn't respond anymore.
~~~~~
The next morning, Ember walked out of her room at around 10 am, looking sleepy and disheveled. The maids were rushing around the hallway, and it seemed like something big was happening.
She stopped a maid who was passing by and asked, "Hey, what's going on here? Why is everyone in a hurry?" Her eyes glancing at the servants.
"Young Miss, everyone's busy preparing for the banquet tonight." The maid replied in a slightly disrespectful tone.
Ember's eyes narrowed a little, as she sensed the maid's reluctance to engage with her. However, she chose to ignore it and pressed on. "What kind of banquet?" she asked.
The maid's expression turned somewhat irritated, but she still replied, "It's for Second Young Master's birthday." Her response was curt, and she seemed eager to be on her way.
Ember stared at her for a few seconds, then turned around and went back to her room, closing the door behind her.
"Puff!" She called out while walking towards the closet, "How old is he?"
Puff flew behind her, "You mean Li Xiang? He is turning 18 this year."
Ember nodded to herself, then began to rummage through her closet. She picked out a crop top and a pair of distressed short pants, perfect for a casual yet stylish look. With her outfit in hand, she went to get changed and headed to the living room.
~~~~~
As she entered the living room, she saw Xiao Mian, Li Yue's mom, giving instructions to the maids, who were arranging flowers and decorating the house for the banquet.
Beside her stood Zhao Shui, fidgeting with her fingers as she asked, "Mom, is Young Master Fu really coming tonight?" Her eyes shone with excitement, and her face was flushed pink, giving her the perfect appearance of a shy and demure girl.
Li Yue, who had been watching the scene unfold, chuckled to herself and walked past the pair on purpose, without even greeting them.