CHAP 3

I sit up in my bed the next morning. My hair slightly messy, one eye open and I'm drooling a little. I rub my eye and and get out of bed.

"I'm still here..."

I mumble to myself and walk over to the small table at the corner of the room. I change into my basic, plain servant clothes and fix my hair before walking out the room yawning.

"Morning Yue Mei!"

That enthusiastic voice.

"Xiao Ling... Morning."

She giggles

"I take it you slept well?"

"Like a rock."

I smile slightly.

"That's good. Today we have to work extra hard so it's convenient that you had a good rest. We need all the energy we can get to prepare the hall for the feast tomorrow night!"

I sigh

"Oh yeah that."

She grabs my hand

"Oh come on don't you want to see young master Asahi Xia? Let's hurry and do everything so we can get the bath first."

My face lights up at the sound of bath.

"Okay."

We walk to the hall and servants have already started cleaning and preparing it.

"First we have to help with the cooking, then the decorating and finally the setting up."

I huff.

"We'll be here forever then. Guess that means no bath."

She pats my back.

"Oh come on! Have some spirit! There is two of us so we'll get it done in no time. We just need to work together!"

I sigh and nod before heading to the kitchen with her. Many have already started cooking

"Smells good."

She smiles.

"Of course, it has to taste and smell good after all we aren't just serving ordinary people"

I nod and get to work, rolling up me sleeves. I help chop up the meat and vegetables then I help fry the dumplings and clean the dishes. The. We move onto moving the table with the servant men and setting them up.By the time we both finish it is an hour before sunset.

"Few! We finally finished. Let's hurry to the bathing house now."

I nod and we run out and towards the bath house. Once we get there we undress and wrap a towel around ourselves before walking over to the huge hot bath and slide in. It's so warm and soothing and I melts all the pain in my body from working away.

"So good..."

Xiao Ling hums. And I nod in agreement. I've never been to a hot bath before. Sure I've had hot showers but not like this. This is like swimming in heaven.

"It's a shame we only get to bathe twice a week. It's like this is a reward or a luxury. I hate not cleaning myself everyday it makes me feel disgusting."

Xiao Ling chuckles and stretchs her arms.

"You're right about that. I wish we could do this everyday too that would be so convenient. But it is what it is for us servants."

I stare at the water for a moment.

"How can you have a crush on a guy in a much higher position than you. Doesn't it give you false hope?"

She frowns.

"Hey! You have a crush on a dude higher up than you too you know!"

She pouts. I pause and look up at her.

"What? When did I say I did?"

She huffs.

"Don't play dumb. Young master Asahi Xia remember?"

She whispers so no other girl hears.

"What? When did I say I liked him romanticly. I was just asking who he is."

She stares at me and I can tell she doesn't believe me.

"Don't lie to me I can see right through you. Nobody looks at someone like they have been sent down from the heavens and are only curious."

I sigh. That does sound ridiculous but I wasn't looking at him like that...was I?

"Whatever. It isn't like that."

She leans back.

"Whatever you say. I still think you like him."

I stare at the water again. I guess being young and naive can be okay sometimes. But I'd prefer not to risk getting to comfortable here. After all, this might just all be a trick or a dream that devil designed. I don't know what his younger self is like yet. But tomorrow night...I guess I'll find out.