Atian’s face twitched. She pretended not to understand a word and replied meekly,
“Respectfully sending Hall Master off.”
With her back to Guan Fusha, Yanhong threw Atian a flirtatious wink, then slowly left the study.
Guan Fusha watched her retreating back, thoughtful.
“Atian, did something happen between you and Yanhong?”
The sudden question made Atian, who was arranging the dishes and chopsticks, pause mid-motion. She deliberately turned her back to Guan Fusha to avoid that probing gaze, then calmly continued her work.
“Between me and the Hall Master? Nothing happened at all between us. Protector, you’re overthinking it.”
She knew the Protector had been buried in sect affairs lately, and there were still no leads on the people trying to assassinate the Left Protector. She didn’t want to add to her worries.
“Really?”
“A maid like me wouldn’t dare lie to Protector.”
“…All right then.”
Guan Fusha didn’t believe her, but since Atian insisted on keeping her mouth shut, there was nothing she could do. Besides, although Yanhong loved to cause mischief, she wasn’t truly vicious. She shouldn’t do anything too out of line.
After dinner, Guan Fusha stayed in the study to deal with official matters.
About an hour later, she finished the last letter. She slumped back in her chair, exhaustion written clearly on her face.
Qiyong’s little tricks had been getting more and more frequent lately. If she didn’t know he had no intention of overstepping his position, she’d almost suspect he wanted to get rid of her and sit in the Sect Leader’s seat himself.
Guan Fusha stood and stretched lazily.
She left the study and, out of habit, walked toward the side courtyard. Only when the faint fragrance of peach blossoms drifted over did she suddenly recall the unpleasant parting they’d had that afternoon at the training grounds.
She wondered if Taohua was already asleep. Was she still hung up on what had happened earlier? If she went in now, would it make things awkward for her?
Guan Fusha’s steps halted at the gate of the side courtyard. Going in felt wrong, turning back felt wrong too.
She raised her head, looking up at the moon. Tonight the moonlight was unusually bright, just like that night.
She thought she would probably never forget how pitiful and fragile Taohua had looked, crying in her arms that night.
She looked down at her own empty palm, as if she could still feel the warmth Taohua had left there that night. For some reason, her heart suddenly felt just as empty.
“Senior Sister?”
Taohua had been about to close the window and go to sleep, but when she looked out she saw Guan Fusha standing there in a daze in the courtyard, lost in thought.
“Why are you just standing out there and not coming in?”
Guan Fusha started, and the heaviness in her chest suddenly loosened.
So Taohua hadn’t taken what happened this afternoon to heart at all.
She looked at Taohua standing by the window, dressed in nothing but a thin nightgown, staring blankly at her. Guan Fusha’s brows and eyes curved without her noticing.
“Mm. I’ll come in now.”
Taohua felt that Guan Fusha seemed a bit different tonight… and yet also the same as always. She asked casually,
“Senior Sister, how come you’re here so early tonight? Don’t you usually come really late?”
Guan Fusha took off her outer robe and sat on the bed, getting ready to sleep.
“I’m a bit tired today, so I wanted to rest early.”
Taohua kicked off her embroidered shoes and scrambled up onto the bed as well. As she turned her head and glanced at Guan Fusha, she suddenly recalled what had happened this afternoon at the training grounds.
Thinking about it… that expression she’d had this afternoon… Could it be that having to teach a hopeless waste like her was what made her feel especially tired today?
The more she thought about it, the more guilty Taohua felt.
As she straightened the quilt, she snuck peeks at Guan Fusha. Sure enough, she looked exhausted, massaging her neck from time to time. She really did seem worn out.
“Senior Sister…”
Taohua couldn’t quite get over it. She set down the quilt, moved behind Guan Fusha, and placed her hands on her shoulders.
“Let me massage your shoulders for you.”
Guan Fusha froze, and before she could react, Taohua had already started.
A soft warmth pressed against her shoulders. As Taohua kneaded carefully, the tense muscles slowly relaxed. The corners of Guan Fusha’s lips lifted on their own. She closed her eyes in comfort and let herself enjoy it.
Taohua leaned her head forward a little, sneaking a look at Guan Fusha’s content expression, and couldn’t help but snicker to herself.
Method for pleasing a big thigh, get.
On the other side.
After sending back Guan Fusha’s leftover dishes to the kitchen, Atian had just stepped out when she saw a maid walking toward her from not far away.
Atian narrowed her eyes. If she remembered correctly… that girl was from the Punishment Hall, wasn’t she?
Atian immediately turned around, ready to slip away as fast as she could.
The maid saw her movement and quickly called out,
“Miss Atian, please wait!”
“…?”
Forced to a halt, Atian slowly turned back with a polite smile.
“What is it? Did you need something from me?”
“It’s like this, Hall Master Yanhong asked me to invite you over to the Punishment Hall.”
The maid blinked her big eyes, clearly also curious why her own Hall Master wanted to see Atian.
Atian sighed inwardly. If it’s a blessing it’s not a curse, if it’s a curse you can’t dodge it… but if you can stall, stall.
“I understand. I’ll go over in a bit.”
“Um…”
The maid looked a little embarrassed.
“What is it?”
“Hall Master Yanhong told me to bring you over immediately…”
Atian understood at once. She didn’t want to make things hard for the girl, so she could only obediently agree.
“Let’s go.”
When she arrived at the Punishment Hall, Atian took a deep breath, then gently knocked on the inner room’s door.
“Hall Master, Atian has come to pay her respects.”
“Come in.”
Not long after, Yanhong’s sweet, lazy voice floated out.
Atian pushed the door open and entered. She saw Yanhong seated in the main seat, leisurely painting her nails with red dye.
“Hall Master.”
Atian stepped forward and gave her a respectful curtsey.
“Mm.”
Yanhong answered languidly.
“Atian finally came.”
Atian’s eye twitched slightly, but she didn’t reply.
Yanhong raised the hand she had only half finished, wiggled her fingers, and gave Atian a charming smile.
Atian immediately understood. She stepped up, supported Yanhong’s hand, picked up the small bottle on the table, and continued painting her nails for her.
Yanhong rested her other hand on the table, propped her beautiful chin on it, and watched Atian with smiling eyes, who knew what she was thinking.
In no time, Atian was done. She had served at Guan Fusha’s side since childhood; this kind of small task was nothing to her.
“Hall Master, it’s done.”
“Mm, let me see.”
Yanhong drew back her slender hand and examined it carefully, clearly very pleased.
“Beautifully done. Atian, your hands are quite skillful.”
Atian straightened up and gave a modest smile.
“Since Atian helped me paint such pretty nails, then about that favor from last time…”
Yanhong deliberately paused here, a teasing glint flashing in her eyes.
At those words, Atian’s expression lit up at once. She waited expectantly for the rest.
“…you help me with three things, and we’ll call it even.”
Yanhong gently blew on the still-drying polish as she finished the sentence.
Atian’s face immediately collapsed.
