Li Wei didn't notice much of the food. It was warm, soft, and full of flavor.
It felt like he was just chewing through his thoughts with every bite. He did everything he could to stay calm, sit up straight, and act like he belonged at that table, in that room, across from her.
But the truth was that this still felt like a dream. A dream that was strange and almost unreal.
Miss Mei kept looking at him now and then, quietly watching how he held his chopsticks and how his eyes kept dropping to the table as if he didn't know what to do next. She could see that he was anxious. But instead of laughing or making fun of him, she just smiled. It was kind. Like she saw something
She put her chopsticks down carefully and rested her cheek on her palm while leaning on her elbow. She said in a calm voice, "You know, you don't have to be perfect around me." "Just be yourself."
Li Wei stopped eating for a moment. He slowly raised his head to look her in the eye. Then he swallowed slowly and carefully. "I guess... He said softly, "I just don't want to make you look bad, Miss."
"Embarrass me?" she said again, sounding almost amused. "You helped me out of a carriage this morning, walked with me through town, and now you're having lunch next to me." I think you're doing great.
He smiled a little, like he hadn't done it in a while. "Still, this isn't normal for me. I mean, thethe cuisine, the setting, and even these garments. However, primarily... It's you. You are unique. You are significant. Miss Mei cocked her head.
"And you don't believe that you are?"
Even though lunch ended quietly, a soft, indefinable feeling persisted between them. Miss Mei dabbed at her lips with a napkin, rose elegantly, and they both walked back to the carriage without a word. It was a quiet, but not uncomfortable, ride back to the Estate. More considerate than anything else Li Wei got down first when they got there and then turned to assist her. For a moment, their gazes locked.
Only a moment. However, they exchanged something once more. Unspoken fresh .He returned to his room and changed out of the formal attire into his typical, worn one.
He was already thinking about his mother.
It bothered him that he hadn't seen her in days.
He didn't want to break any rules, even though things with Miss Mei had loosened up, and she was still recuperating.
He therefore approached the Senior Maid and respectfully requested permission to leave for a bit.
Fortunately, she consented. The sky was soft with early afternoon light as he walked through the town.
His attention was drawn to something on the community notice board as he got closer to the main square. His name.
There, in the "Mail Received" section. He came to a halt. A letter? He arrived at the post office a short while later.
He was given a sealed envelope by the elderly postman a little crumpled around the edges. He flipped it over. It came from Ying. His younger sister. There he opened it.
The words slammed into his chest like a stone.
She was having trouble. She had been mistreated by the Zhi family she worked for. Getting up before the sun comes up, cleaning nonstop, feeding pigs, and hardly eating. Her age was sixteen.
Only sixteen. He folded the letter with shaking hands. He fought back the tears, but his eyes burned. In his chest, anger stirred softly.
He wasted no time.
He immediately went to see his mother at the clinic. She appeared slightly more resilient than before. She breathed steadily. He sat with the caregiver for a while after giving her some coins.
They spoke softly, and he grinned as though nothing was wrong. However, he made no reference to the letter.
He was unable to. Not right now. Not when she was working so hard to get better. Why put more strain on her heart? On the inside, though, he vowed to himself. He would get Ying out of there. whatever it took.
Li Wei went back to the Estate as the sun started to set and the sky turned golden. His mind was racing, but his body was exhausted. He lay on his bed and gazed up at the ceiling. Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, he would go. He returned to the Senior Maid later that night and requested leave.
For a single day only. He pledged to compensate for it by working twice as hard;shifts if necessary. She said she would discuss it with Miss Mei after giving a slow nod.
He went back to his room and waited. He sat up at every noise in the corridor. Finally, there was a knock.
He pulled the door open. The senior maid stood there. "No," Miss Mei said. We have not accepted your request. Tomorrow, you will remain at the Estate. That's the end of it.
After a moment of inaction, Li Wei nodded slightly. His voice was steady as he said, "Thank you." Gently, he shut the door, took a seat again, and gazed at the desk on the other side of the room.
Something had been tied around his chest, making it feel constricted. He muttered to himself, quietly
"But why would she say no?" he whispered to himself. he pondered; Nobody responded a question to himself Just quiet.
"But why her ?"