Anning was stunned for just a moment, not believing what she had just heard.
Of all the reasons in the world, this woman had chosen to spend money on her because she reminded her of an animal? Just thinking about it made her head hurt.
Who the hell does something like that?
Like, just look at another human being and think, yes, this one reminds me of an animal and a tiger at that! I'll take her home?
She opened her mouth, ready to respond, but before she could say a single word, the door suddenly slid open.
Wanqing slipped her hand away from Anning's waist, stepping back to place a clear distance between them. As though nothing had just happened. Her expression returned to its usual calm indifference, the faint tension from earlier vanished like it never really existed.
Lanzhin stepped fully into the room, her gaze flickered briefly to Anning's face, quietly taking in the look of surprise she had on her face, but she said nothing about it.
Instead, she lowered her head slightly and said, "Young miss, your bath is ready."
Wanqing hummed softly in response, already thinking about something else.
"Lead her to the bathroom house." She said after a while, her tone casual. "She reeks."
Blood rushed up to Anning's face instantly but this time, she didn't argue. Because...she really did.
After everything that had happened so far, it was no surprise that she smelt so awful and she wasn't about to make a huge deal of it.
Lanzhin nodded once before turning towards Anning. "Come with me."
Anning glared one last time at Wanqing, her mouth parting slightly as if she had something to say, but in the end, she didn't and calmly turned away.
For now, she calmly followed Lanzhin out of the room.
Behind them, Wanqing remained where she was. Her gaze lazily drifted toward the window in front of her, catching the faint reflection of the girl who had just stepped out.
For a moment, her eyes softened. But just for a brief moment. That softness disappeared as quickly as it came.
ִֶָ𓂃˖˳·˖ ִֶָ ⋆🌷͙⋆ ִֶָ˖·˳˖𓂃 ִֶָ
The Gu residence was even more majestic on the inside. Anning walked behind Lanzhin, her gaze lowered, though she couldn't help stealing glances around her as they moved.
The corridors stretched endlessly, leading to other passages around them. Tall wooden pillars scattered around them, the floor beneath her feet were smooth and polished, it was nothing like the ceramic tiles Anning was used to. But it looked pretty nevertheless.
Many maids and a few servants walked past them, their heads bowed slightly. Some of them dared to look as they walked past.
Their gazes lingered on Anning for a second too long, they did poor jobs in hiding their disdain and curiosity towards her.
Some people just avoided her entirely, stepping aside as though she had some contagious disease. I mean, was being smelly a sin?
Anning thought when she noticed it but she still chose to ignore them.
The head maid, Lanzhin, kept a noticeable distance between them as they walked, not bothering to slow her pace or turning back to check if Anning was following.
To other people it might just be something the woman was used to, but to Anning...it felt awfully deliberate.
After a few seconds of walking, they stepped out into the backyard and the shift in scenery made Anning's breath hitch slightly.
Unlike the structure of the main residence that seemed elegant, the backyard looked peaceful and still majestic though.
A large wooden structure came to view as they moved further away from the house, it resembled a shed at first glance, but it looked far too well built to be something so simple. She noticed steam escaping slightly from the sides, disappearing after a few seconds.
A few steps before they could enter the shed, Lanzhin suddenly stopped walking and then, she turned around.
"What is your name?"
The question genuinely caught Anning off guard. She blinked once, her brows drawing together in confusion.
First, the Lady named wanqing and now her... what was it with these people suddenly asking about her name?
Still, she found herself answering. "Lin Anning."
She hesitated for a moment, why? Because she wanted to ask why it mattered, but she forced herself to remain quiet. For once, she decided to hold back.
"You may call me Lanzhin." Lanzhin replied, giving her a small nod.
Then she turned, pushed open the small wooden door and stepped inside the shed. Anning followed and the moment she entered, she felt nothing but warmth.
The interior of the boathouse was far larger than it seemed from the outside. Steam wafted slightly in the air, carrying the faint scent of herbs and something floral that Anning couldn't quite place.
Large wooden pools filled with warm water were arranged neatly across the room, their surface rippling gently as a few maids sat within them, quietly playing with the water.
Anning stopped walking for a moment, her cheeks tinting faintly. They... bath together?
The realization settled in slowly, as she finally remembered a few scenes she had only ever seen in historical dramas and animations.
So things like that, were real?
"Stop staring." Lanzhin said sharply, making Anning flinch.
Not dwelling on it any longer, she calmly followed Lanzhin into a small section tucked away at the side. It was partially covered, but still provided a bit of privacy compared to the open pools.
Inside were baskets neatly arranged in rows, some empty and the other filled with folded clothes.
"Take off your clothes and use the undergarments we have here," Lanzhin instructed the moment she faced her. "Once you're done, come out."
She paused briefly, her eyes trailing down Anning's body as she added casually,
"Or you could just step out naked, it's just women here. No one would mind."
Anning cringed at that thought, how could she say such a thing as though she was talking about the weather!
She couldn't even see herself doing such a thing.
The moment Lanzhin stepped out, closing the door behind her, Anning let out a long sigh.
"This place is so weird." She muttered under her breath as she moved toward the corner.
After locating what seemed like disposable undergarments, she began removing her clothes. But she took her time to carefully pull off her now stiff potato sack dress.
She threw the dress into the basket with a soft thud, and without that awful thing on, she felt oddly lighter.
The. Her eyes landed on something hung a few feet away from her. A mirror.
It looked almost unused, its surface slightly coated with dust but clear enough for her to see her reflection. Anning stepped closer without actually thinking.
And then, she froze.
Her eyes widened till they looked like small saucers as she stared at the person in the mirror.
Why say that, huh? Because that person wasn't her!
Gone was her usual thick, curly black hair she had gotten used to. In its place was something she never knew existed.
Ash coloured hair. They cascaded unevenly down her back, they were exactly straight or curly, just clumped together in a few places from dirt and probably years of neglect.
Then she stared at her eyes. They were green. A mossy shade of green that felt strange in a way she couldn't explain, and for her personality, this new look did not suit her.
"This can't be happening..." She whispered, lifting her fingers to touch her cheek as if to confirm what exactly she was seeing.
The skin beneath all that dirt was awfully smooth.
And just as her gaze trailed lower down her body, a loud scream left her mouth.
The sound left her mouth before she could stop it, her eyes widening even more as she took in the rest of her reflection. Her body was different.
She was shorter, her hips looked fuller and gosh, even her waist was still thin with all this.
But what caught her off guard...was her chest. Anning stared at it, struggling to process what she was seeing.
Before all this, she had been...small.
Like really, really small.
But now...
She bit on her lower lip, her hand lifting slowly before pressing lightly against it.
Fuck.
"S-so soft..."