Su Qing was very happy after Wang Li left.
It wasn't sunset yet, so he couldn't go to the dining hall for food.
Su Qing looked around the small courtyard. Grass grew only in a few corners and in the cracks between the green bricks.
The first thing Su Qing had to do was fill his stomach.
He had been starving for almost ten days.
If he didn't have the Vitality Body, Su Qing felt he would have already died.
Pluck grass. Synthesize.
[Synthesis Failed]
Synthesis Lv1 (132/200) [Synthesis Success Rate +1%]
Huh?
'It actually failed?'
Su Qing was baffled.
He then carefully picked up the grass he had just plucked and examined it.
[Common Grass (No special effects. May fill your stomach if you eat enough.)]
...
[Common Grass (No special effects. May fill your stomach if you eat enough.)]
...
[Dandelion Grass (Slightly heat-clearing and detoxifying. May fill your stomach if you eat enough.)]
...
'So there *is* a difference. I didn't even notice the Synthesizer's prompt just now, so I wasted the grass.'
'There's a patch of dandelions here. No wonder the synthesis failed.'
Su Qing synthesized again.
[Synthesis Successful: First Layer Grass Cake (...)]
Synthesis Lv1 (133/200) [Synthesis Success Rate +1%]
[Synthesis Successful: First Layer Dandelion Grass Cake (Effectively clears heat, detoxifies, and whitens skin. Has a powerful hunger-sating effect. One cake will keep an ordinary person full for an entire day.)]
'Heat-clearing and detoxifying?'
Su Qing thought about the Small Poison Pill he had synthesized earlier. He wondered if this grass cake could neutralize its poison.
Su Qing took a bite of the synthesized common grass cake to fill his stomach. He was starving.
'Thankfully, I have the Synthesizer and just managed to synthesize a Talent. It would be unbearable otherwise.'
After some thought, Su Qing decided not to go inside just yet.
'Even though there are many things I could synthesize in the room, it would be too easy to get caught.'
'I might as well see if I can trigger a mutation.'
'Unfortunately, there's nothing for me to synthesize right now.'
The sun set.
Su Qing happily ran to the dining hall. Wang Li might have said many things he didn't remember, but he definitely remembered where the dining hall was.
A group of cooks were at the dining hall.
Seeing Su Qing approach, one of the cooks barked, "The dining hall is off-limits! Are you here to get food for your master, or for yourself?"
"For myself." Su Qing lowered his head. He couldn't afford to provoke anyone right now.
"Go get it yourself, then. There are steamed buns over there. Take as many as you want!"
The cook pointed to a dozen large bamboo steamers in the courtyard outside the dining hall door.
Then he waved his hand impatiently. "Go on, get out of here! Servants aren't allowed inside!"
Su Qing nodded, then went over and took three steamed buns.
The steamed buns were actually unlimited. Su Qing was once again struck by the wealth of a great family.
He went back.
And rested.
A servant's life was little better than being in a cage.
After a while.
Su Qing got up with a sigh of resignation.
He then went to fetch water with a bucket.
Then boiled it.
...
...
As the night deepened.
With a feeling of resignation, Su Qing entered the room, carrying a bucket of water.
Inside the room was a large bathtub.
'As expected.'
Su Qing fumed internally. 'The life of a servant is awful.'
He poured the water.
...
He gathered the clothes.
Once again, Su Qing began the resigned wait for what was to come.
'Why do these young misses only pick one servant, and a male one at that?' Su Qing thought, annoyed.
'Is it for the family's prosperity?'
'But with a servant...'
AHEM. Su Qing quickly pushed aside those improper thoughts.
'Something that outrageous probably wouldn't happen.'
'If it did, the servant would surely be put to death.'
After a long time.
Wang Li returned.
Today, she had gone to see her sister Wang Yaping's servant. He was much better than hers—sturdier, at least.
However, he was difficult to control and had even tried to overstep his bounds!
Utterly audacious. And for that, he was castrated.
Wang Li, who had been there to see it, was also indignant. How could a servant be so ill-mannered and shameless!
"Miss, you're back?"
"I've already heated the bathwater."
Su Qing stood by the door. The courtyard had been lit with candles.
Providing plenty of light for the evening.
"Well done!"
Wang Li nodded with satisfaction. At least her servant had done what she asked.
Su Qing stepped aside, opened the door, and gestured for Wang Li to enter and bathe.
"I'll stand guard at the door for you, Miss."
Su Qing didn't dare to look up.
He kept his head lowered.
"No," Wang Li said firmly. "Wang Qi, come inside and attend to my bath."
"But—"
"Miss, men and women should not interact so freely. It is against propriety."
Su Qing quickly refused. He was fifteen, after all, and he didn't dare look, afraid of having a... physical reaction.
"Men and women should not interact so freely? It is against propriety?" Wang Li looked at Su Qing, her interest piqued.
"Have you read books?" Wang Li asked.
'I sound too educated,' Su Qing realized, and quickly added, "My family's elders mentioned it before. I've never studied."
"Oh, I see. And here I thought you had studied," Wang Li said, disappointed.
'She'd thought she'd stumbled upon a treasure. A literate slave, at least, was something to be happy about.'
"Never mind. Just guard the door."
Wang Li went inside and closed the door.
Su Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
'A moment ago, I was tempted to admit I could read to increase my value. But this world's writing, while still pictographic, is slightly different.'
'Claiming I could read would be a death sentence.'
'Survive first, then thrive.'
'I really want to get out of here,' Su Qing lamented to himself.
...
「The next day.」
Su Qing got up early in the morning, went to the dining hall to get food, and then fetched a basin of water.
He had just returned when he found that Wang Li was already awake, despite the early hour.
The sun wasn't even up yet!
'As expected, the children of the wealthy are also more diligent.'
"Wang Qi, come here and help me wash up."
"Go into my room and bring out a small box from the table."
Su Qing nodded. "Yes."
As soon as Su Qing entered, he saw the box.
[Box containing an aromatic ointment: (The aromatic ointment is a multi-purified product of mint, honeysuckle...)]
"???"
Su Qing was speechless. It was basically toothpaste!
'Judging by the description, it's toothpaste.'
Su Qing took the box outside and presented it to Wang Li with both hands.
"Here you are, Miss."
Wang Li glanced at Su Qing and nodded with satisfaction.
But seeing his lowered head, she was suddenly struck by a whim.
"Lift your head!" Wang Li commanded.
Su Qing had no choice but to raise his head and look at Wang Li.
For the sake of self-preservation, Su Qing didn't dare to let his eyes wander, keeping his gaze fixed directly on her nose.
Her skin was fair and smooth, a delicate, porcelain-like pink.
'In my past life, I might have snuck a few glances at such a beauty. Now, I don't even dare to look.'
Wang Li, however, saw Su Qing's bright eyes.
Though it was still before dawn, the candles would not be extinguished until sunrise.
Though Su Qing's skin was dark, his eyes were incomparably bright, clear, and full of spirit.
It was a look Wang Li had never seen in the eyes of the many adults she knew.
Wang Li felt an unfamiliar stirring in her heart.
"Get the silk cloth and wash my face."
Wang Li said before heading back into the room.
Su Qing followed her in with the basin of water.
Wang Li opened the wooden box of aromatic ointment, dabbed a bit onto her fingertip, and applied it to her teeth before looking at Su Qing.
At that exact moment, Su Qing brought over a cup of water.
...