Mind If I Take a Bath?
“Miss…” Yunzhi had just begun to speak, clutching a bundle in her arms, when the person across from her silenced the rest of her words with a glance.
“What did you call me?” The soft, delicate tone was characteristic of the gentle Wu dialect spoken by women from Jiangnan light, sweet, and charming.
Yunzhi corrected herself, somewhat awkwardly calling out, “Elder Sister.”
Only then did the other seem satisfied. “Don’t make that mistake again.”
Yunzhi watched as her mistress lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to peek outside, her fingers tightening around the bundle in her arms. She shifted restlessly, her bottom squirming uneasily on the cushion.
With every new glimpse of the scenery outside, Yunzhi’s heart constricted further, rising until it nearly choked her.
She held back as long as she could before whispering in a tiny voice, “Miss Elder Sister, please lower the curtain. Don’t let anyone see.”
Especially since their traveling companions were all men. Their covetous stares were brazen and undisguised, boldly lingering on her and her mistress, making Yunzhi uneasy.
The events of the day had been far too harrowing so much so that calling it a narrow escape from death wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Even now, Yunzhi hadn’t fully recovered. Just thinking about it made her tremble all over.
Logically, her mistress was a sheltered young lady who rarely stepped beyond the inner courtyards, yet when faced with danger, she had remained far calmer and more composed than Yunzhi, a mere maidservant.
Perhaps sensing the quiver in her voice, the young woman withdrew her hand, and the curtain fell back into place, blocking out the outside world.
Only when she could no longer see outside did Yunzhi exhale slightly in relief.
She looked up at the woman across from her and couldn’t help but ask in a hushed voice, “How are you not afraid at all?”
Yunzhi’s mistress was named Shen Su, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites in the capital. However, she had spent these years living in the family’s ancestral home. Now, with news of an arranged marriage in the capital, she was being brought back to wed.
Likely concerned that Shen Su would have no one to attend to her on the journey, they had purchased a maidservant to accompany her.
Yunzhi was that very maidservant, bought just days ago to serve Shen Su.
Given Shen Su’s delicate and alluring appearance, Yunzhi had expected her to be a spoiled, difficult-to-please young lady. But after today’s events, her impression of Shen Su had completely changed.
Her mistress was steady, bold, and level-headed in a crisis traits that had absolutely nothing to do with her soft, sweet, and charming looks. In fact, they were completely at odds!
Compared to Shen Su, Yunzhi felt more like the sheltered, inexperienced girl who had never seen hardship.
When bandits had ambushed them earlier, and one of the outlaws cleaved the coachman’s head with a single stroke, Yunzhi had frozen, mouth agape, forgetting even to blink. It was only when Shen Su’s warm, soft palm gently covered her eyes that she was spared the sight of such a gruesome scene.
Their journey from the ancestral home had been smooth until today.
The bandits had robbed them, slaughtering all the men in their party and sparing only her and her mistress, intending to take them back for their own pleasure.
Shen Su was breathtakingly beautiful, so the bandits planned to offer her to their leader. That left Yunzhi, the maidservant, as the next target—they had openly discussed “having their fun” with her first.
Yunzhi had trembled so violently she could barely breathe, nearly wetting herself in fear. It was only because Shen Su had held her firmly and negotiated with the bandits that she still had her innocence and her life. Without her mistress’s intervention, she might have lost both to those bloodstained blades.
Just as the bandits were forcing her and the young mistress toward the mountain stronghold, they passed through a narrow mountain path. Suddenly, the young mistress lifted the hem of her dress, kicked away the bandit beside her, and before anyone could react, grabbed her hand and leaped off the path, tumbling down the slope together.
Later, they were rescued by a passing caravan, the men now outside the carriage.
Though these men were their saviors, Yunzhi could never forget the way their gazes had lingered on her and the young mistress when they first saw them.
The young mistress’s clothes were torn, and her exposed fair skin seemed to burn under their stares, as if scorched by the blazing sun. No matter how she tried to cover herself, it was impossible to hide.
Yunzhi had feared they had escaped the wolves only to fall into the tiger’s den. Fortunately, the leader of the group was a dignified young gentleman. He removed his outer robe and draped it over the young mistress’s shoulders, offering them his carriage and promising to escort them safely out of the mountains to avoid further encounters with bandits.
Even so, Yunzhi’s impression of men was forever etched into her heart today disgusting and repulsiveso much so that she couldn’t even bring herself to look at their saviors outside the carriage.
Seeing Yunzhi trembling, Shen Su reached out and gently patted her knee. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here,” she said softly.
Her voice was as light as a feather, seemingly powerless, yet soothing to the soul.
Yunzhi nearly burst into tears. Recalling the day’s events, she choked out, “I was useless. I couldn’t protect you, and instead, you had to protect me.”
Shen Su smiled, sitting cross-legged on the cushion opposite Yunzhi. One hand rested casually on her knee while the other propped up her chin as she gazed at Yunzhi tenderly. “It’s not your fault. You did very well.”
Yunzhi looked at Shen Su with reddened eyes. “Young Mistress, you truly are a living bodhisattva, beautiful inside and out.”
Shen Su’s eyes curved into crescents at the praise, but she remained silent, smiling.
She was already stunning, but this faint smile left Yunzhi utterly entranced.
Shen Su had a pair of enchanting peach-blossom eyes. When she wasn’t smiling, they resembled spring blossoms, but when she smiled, they shimmered like rippling spring water stirred by the wind, sending waves of warmth deep into one’s heart, leaving them tingling and longing.
Her eyes were alluring, her nose delicate and upturned, and her lips as red as cherries, all perfectly arranged on her petite, oval face.
The carriage was stuffy, so Shen Su removed the borrowed outer robe, revealing skin as white as snow. Truly, she was the epitome of “jade-like beauty.”
Yunzhi’s gaze unconsciously trailed down Shen Su’s figure. Though they were both young women in their teens, Shen Su had blossomed exquisitely her full, towering peaks contrasted with the slender waist cinched by a pale pink sash, so delicate it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand.
Yunzhi glanced down at her own flat chest, where her stomach was plainly visible, and hugged her bundle tightly, sniffling as she averted her eyes, filled with envy and longing.
She was two years younger than Shen Su, only fourteen this year. She wondered if she could grow into such a figure in the next two years.
As the carriage rolled forward, Yunzhi voiced her worries. “How are we supposed to get to the capital…?”
Their carriage had been stolen by the bandits, the coachman and attendants killed, and they had no clothes, luggage, or money let alone travel funds.
Especially with the young mistress being so beautiful, if they had to walk to the capital, Yunzhi didn’t dare imagine it.
Shen Su blinked twice. “Isn’t there this carriage? We’ll hitch a ride with them to the capital.”
Yunzhi was stunned. “They’re going to the capital?”
Shen Su smiled, her gaze shifting to a food box in the carriage. “Look, pastries from Zhenxiu Pavilion in the capital. I used to eat them often as a child.”
So, this group must be heading to the capital.
“But… but will they be willing to take us along?” Yun Zhi hesitated. “Especially since you refuse to use the Shen family’s name. Instead of saying you’re the eldest daughter of the Shen household, you told them we’re sisters traveling to visit relatives.”
If they revealed their connection to the Shen family, the group might agree to take them to the capital out of respect for Minister Shen, earning themselves a favor in return.
But the young lady insisted they were ordinary sisters visiting relatives near the capital, making no mention of the Shen family or Minister Shen.
Two vulnerable women with no background or protection could easily be taken advantage of.
“They should… be willing.” Shen Su’s gaze lingered on the dark-colored summer robe for men beside the food box as she spoke, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting at the hem of her skirt.
She and Yun Zhi were currently in a dangerous situation. The safest way to hitch a ride to the capital was to attach themselves to the young master in the blue-green robe.
As for how to do that…
Shen Su lowered her lashes, pressing her red lips together, already prepared for the worst.
The carriage slowed to a stop, and Shen Su instinctively looked outside, though her view was blocked by the lowered curtain.
All she heard was a robust male voice calling out to them, “Ladies, it looks like rain is coming soon. Since we’re in the middle of nowhere, we’ll have to make do with this rundown temple for now. Please step out.”
Just hearing the man’s voice made Yun Zhi tremble, her eyes wide with panic as she looked at Shen Su.
Shen Su grabbed the dark-colored summer robe and draped it over herself, giving Yun Zhi a reassuring glance.
Yun Zhi was younger than her and relied on her for everything, she had to find a way to protect them both.
“This temple is way too shabby,” someone complained, glancing around. “Will it even keep the rain out?”
“If it doesn’t, there’s nothing we can do. There aren’t any houses around here, just this broken-down temple. It’s better to huddle inside than stand outside getting soaked.”
“Us rough men don’t mind, but the young master and those two ladies shouldn’t be caught in the rain,” someone said, glancing in Qin Yu’s direction.
Comparing Qin Yu to the ladies, what a bold move.
The bearded man chuckled and punched the speaker’s shoulder. “Careful, or the young master might hear you.”
The man who had spoken was in his early twenties, average-looking, of medium height and build, with his collar wide open, revealing most of his chest. He shrugged dismissively. “I’m just telling the truth. What’s he going to do if he hears?”
The man’s surname was Chen, and he was the third son in his family, so everyone called him Chen San.
Chen San’s father was Li Xuanliu’s right-hand man, so naturally, Chen San was also loyal to Li Xuanliu.
This trip with Qin Yu was supposedly for experience, but in reality, it was to assess Qin Yu’s capabilities and keep an eye on his every move.
Everyone knew Chen San was Li Xuanliu’s man, and he made no effort to hide it, showing no respect toward Qin Yu whatsoever.
Truth be told, Chen San favored Li Xuanliu’s other son, privately believing that Li Yunyu was the true young master.
Seeing Chen San’s attitude, the bearded man glanced at Qin Yu but simply grinned and said nothing more.
If the young master is weak and incompetent, lacking any ability or skill to command his subordinates, then he can’t blame them for not respecting him.
In business, what matters isn’t status, it’s capability.
“Hey, hey, look, look the lady’s coming out,” someone whispered urgently. “Straighten your collars, don’t offend the young miss.”
Chen San lazily adjusted his lapel while staring shamelessly at the carriage, his tongue flicking over an itchy back tooth as heat coiled in his gut.
This woman was downright alluring.
Shen Su, draped in men’s robes, looked especially delicate and slender, the kind of softness that made a man want to pull her into his arms and cherish her.
The embroidered slippers that slowly stepped onto the footstool might as well have been stepping on the hearts of every man watching, making their breaths heavy and their thoughts wild.
Especially those snow-white cloth shoes, now smeared with mud, just like Shen Su herself, tempting them to drag her into the filth and sink with her.
To watch purity tainted, to see innocence blackened, to witness a pampered young lady fall from grace, who wouldn’t be stirred by such a conquest?
Yun Zhi followed beside Shen Su, both furious and terrified under their gazes.
What was the difference between these men and bandits? The moment they saw a woman, their minds went straight to the gutter! As if their brains weren’t in their heads but between their legs.
That pathetic little thing, and they still dared to covet their young miss?
Ugh !
Yunzhi was timid, only daring to curse in her heart. When she actually met those stares, she lowered her head in fear.
Shen Su, however, smiled sweetly and nodded at the crowd, walking gracefully under their scrutiny until she stood calmly beside Qin Yu. “Young Master Qin.”
Qin Yu saw their gazes and intentions clearly.
She stood by her horse, adjusting the saddle, her peripheral vision catching the woman stepping down from the carriage.
Walking through the crowd was like a plump lamb strolling through a pack of wolves yet she stopped beside Qin Yu, oblivious to the danger, soft and vulnerable.
Turning to face Shen Su, Qin Yu regarded her delicious bait with satisfaction, her voice light. “If you need anything, miss, just let me know.”
Meeting Qin Yu’s handsome, striking features, Shen Su’s cheeks flushed pink.
As if deeply embarrassed, she lowered her voice shyly. “Would it be possible to take a bath?”