HThat one particular word sounded hesitant and more stiff than she had expected. Lanzhin didn't react, she simply turned and headed towards the small room.
But the moment Lanzhin pushed the door open, Anning was about taking a step into the room when she heard the voices of a few other girls.
"Did you see those ugly scars on her body?" One of the maids whispered, not bothering to actually keep her voice low. "I bet she got them during her time as a slave."
Another scoffed and then replied, "I don't understand why the young miss brought home something so ugly and filthy."
Anning's lips twitched slightly. She didn't react immediately, allowing the silence to settle within her and then, she chuckled.
A low, cold chuckle slipped through her lips. That sound was enough to make both girls stiffen.
She stepped fully into the room, her now white hair clung lightly to her shoulders as her gaze settled on the two girl's, sharp and unyielding.
"You just called me ugly. Didn't you?" She asked, her voice sounding calm but still holding some sort of edge that made her sound far more dangerous than when she shouted.
She didn't give them a chance to respond as she took another step closer.
"And did I ask your 'young miss' to buy me?"
The maids instinctively stepped back, the confidence they had earlier disappeared under the weight of her gaze.
But Anning wasn't done.
"You should really watch your tongue or I swear, you won't even have one anymore." She continued, her voice dropping slightly with each word.
There was something in her eyes, something unfiltered and firm that made the threat feel real.
The two maids didn't know what to say at that point. Lanzhin stepped in soon after, her gaze flickering over them.
"That's enough, Anning." She said softly. "Return back to your duties."
The maids didn't hesitate this time. They literally ran out of the room, tails tucked between their legs.
Lanzhin turned to Anning, her lips parting slightly as if she was about to say something. But in the end, she said nothing.
Because she knew everything Anning said wasn't a lie. But still...that kind of attitude would only bring trouble for the young mistress.
Sooner or later.
Anning finished drying herself, and once she was done, Lanzhin picked up a folded set of clothes and handed it to her.
"Wear this and step out when you are done."
Anning cocked her head to the side but still ended up taking it.
"Thank you." She said,
Lanzhin merely glanced at her before stepping out, the door sliding shut behind her.
The moment she was alone, Anning wasted no time removing the disposable undergarments, tossing them aside as she reached for the clothes that had just been handed to her.
The moment she unfolded them, her brows furrowed together.
She hadn't been given something similar to her potato dress or something like the robe Wanqing had on. This one was something entirely different.
The fabric was smooth to touch and even smelt clean. As she stared down at the dress, the only thing she felt was confusion.
Who wouldn't be confused at this point? The slaves she had seen so far wore clothes that were faded, worn out or even something dull.
Then why?
'Why am I being given something like this?' She couldn't help but ask herself inwardly.
But simple minded Anning didn't want to overthink it.
Whatever strange situation she currently found herself in, she knew better than to reject something this... decent. Since she had been given the chance to wear clean, proper clothes, she would take it without questioning anyone. Refusing might even make her seem arrogant, and that was the last thing she needed.
She reached for the smaller pieces of clothing first, something she supposed was underwear.
The material was similar to a bra, but it was thin and slightly stretchy, almost too light to be of any use. As she finally slipped it over her head, she couldn't help but frown.
The flimsy material did little in holding anything in place, especially with how large her chest was now, and this inner wear barely even fit.
"Or...am I wearing it the wrong way?" She asked herself in confusion. But after several times of adjusting, she knew she had worn it the right way.
So, she quietly wore the other half of her underwear. She would've called them panties, but they didn't exactly look that way.
A few seconds later, she finally finished dressing. The two piece outfit she had been given fit her perfectly, even though the neckline of the top was low...she didn't mind it. It wasn't as extravagant as what wanqing had been wearing earlier, but it was far from what she had expected for someone in her position.
When she turned around, she came to stand right in front of the bronze mirror but then, she paused.
For a moment, she simply stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Cleaned up and now properly dressed, the girl staring back at her looked...plain. There was nothing particularly striking about the outfit itself.
It was in the color green, just like her eyes, but that color seemed to have been chosen to avoid drawing too much attention. Her current look reminded her of noodles without seasoning, lacking something bold enough to make her stand out.
Well, except for two things. Her eyes and her hair.
She had a blank look on her face as he reached up to touch the white strands that framed her face. Against the muted clothing, it stood out more than she liked.
"Flashy," she muttered.
She looked around the room for a moment until her eyes landed on a small wooden stick resting at the top of one of the baskets. She picked up the stick, gathered her hair and loosely twisted it before securing it in place with the stick. A few strands slipped free, but she left them.as they were.
After all, it didn't have to be perfect. When she looked at herself again, she nodded to herself. Except for her glittery green eyes, everything else seemed to be in place.
Her lips curved into a small, almost encouraging smile as she straightened her posture.
"Anning, Jiāyóu" she whispered under her breath, the word sounded unfamiliar as she never tried encouraging herself before.
Then she turned and stepped out of the small room, Lanzhin was already waiting for her outside.
Dressed neatly, looking composed as always and as Anning stepped out, her gaze shifted to her immediately.
Lanzhin's gaze left Anning's face as it slowly travelled down her body. She took in her appearance with a blank look on her face, and then, she gave a small approving nod.
Without another word, she clapped her hands once. The sharp sound cutting through the air.
"We are way behind time," she said firmly. "We need to get the young miss's dinner to her room immediately."
Anning blinked, caught off guard by the sudden clap but she still stepped forward to follow.
"But what does that have to do with me?" Anning asked, not stopping herself this time.
They had already begun walking out of the bathroom, the evening air felt cold against Anning's slightly damp skin as they moved.
Lanzhin stopped mid step and then turned her head to look at her.
The expression she had on her face made Anning freeze. It was the kind of look someone gave when they couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"You should stop acting so clueless," Lanzhin said flatly. "The young miss specifically instructed that you take care of everything concerning her. From her bath, to her food and to her attire."
Anning almost passed out the moment Lanzhin finished speaking, "Did you just say... everything?"