Without another word, Gu Wanqing stepped out of the room sliding the door shut behind her.
For a few seconds, Anning remained where she was, her knees pressed into the hard floor, her back remained straight as she glared at the now closed door. Before she could even think of anything else, her legs finally gave out beneath her.
She dropped to the floor with a soft thud, managing to steady herself before her face would become one with the ground. She let out a long sigh, as she remained like that for just a brief moment.
At this point, she didn't know what to feel.
Anger?
Humiliation?
Or even the audacity that came from everything happening since she opened her eyes in this strange place.
"Fucking kill me," she muttered under her breath, pushing herself up slowly.
Her legs shook slightly as she stood, a dull ache settling deep into her knees. She looked around the room, her gaze landing on the neatly arranged space Wanqing had left behind.
Why would I sleep here...with her?
She frowned, out of everyone she had come across in this place. She didn't particularly like this woman.
Anning clicked her tongue softly, tugging the wooden stick from earlier out of her, allowing it to fall over her shoulder in uneven waves.
She didn't want to sleep here, she didn't even want to be here but as much as she hates to admit it, she didn't have a choice.
Her shoulders slumped slightly before she straightened again forcing herself to move.
If she was going to be stuck here, the least she could do was at least make herself useful.
So, she soon started with the one thing Wanqing ordered her to do. Cleaning.
It wasn't anything too complicated, she just folded the bedding properly, smoothened any creases with her hand and adjusted the low table back in place.
A few items a bit out of place on the shelves in the corner were put back in black, then she wiped the surface of the furniture without thinking too much about it.
She worked as fast as she could and also made sure not to make a single noise while doing so.
Not because she wanted to do it well, but because she just wanted a good night's rest.
The soft sound of the door being open made her pause. She turned and watched as a girl dressed in pink stepped in.
She didn't look at Anning at first, heading straight for the tray Wanqing had used earlier.
Without a word, she gathered the small plates onto the tray. Anning watched her from where she stood, a blank look fixed on her face.
The maid finished quickly and then backed away from the low table. In her other hand now was a smaller tray, one that she extended toward Anning without hesitation.
"Have this."
Anning blinked but still reached out to accept it. She was about muttering a word in appreciation, but the maid didn't seem to need it.
"You are to return the dishes to the kitchen by dawn," she said flatly. "And, don't get used to this kind of treatment."
Then she turned and walked out of the room, swaying her hips like she had just said something worth listening to.
Anning stood there, the tray still in her hands. She threw her head back, staring at the ceiling in disbelief.
"What the fuck!"
But sadly, the words slipped out too late. Her brows drew together as she looked down at the tray, completely gobsmacked.
Who said she even wanted this special treatment?
She almost laughed at her own thoughts this treatment wasn't even special. This was torture!
If anything, she would rather have a full meal and sleep alone...even if she had to sleep in the hallway, it would be better than this.
Shaking her head, she sat down on the floor with an open window right above her head. The night breeze that came through that window was exactly what she needed.
She lifted the small lid covering the bowl and then, she froze.
"Is this some sort of joke?" She muttered under her breath.
Inside was a small portion of rice and something green poured right on top of it. It didn't look particularly appetizing, the color alone threw her off.
"What is this? Green puke?"
After all the rubbish the maid did, this was what she got?
Anning let out a cold scoff, but her stomach betrayed her almost immediately with a soft rumble.
She stared at the food for a second longer before sighing in defeat.
Like she even had a choice.
She picked up the small ceramic spoon, scooped a bit of rice into her mouth and chewed.
"Well, well...not bad?"
It didn't taste as gross as she had expected. It was just plain but still edible.
She took another bite, this time taking a sip of the green puke. It tasted slightly bitter but now enough to make her stop eating.
She continued eating and ended up finishing everything in the tray without leaving a single grain of rice behind. She took a small sip of water leaning back against the wall.
She had literally just survived the first day. Her first day being dead, but seriously, how do people survive on this?
There was no way this amount of food could keep someone full. Then again, maybe it was due to her rank... as a slave.
The mere thought was unpleasant but hard to ignore.
Before she could think about anything else, the door slid open again and Anning instantly snapped her eyes open.
Wanqing stepped into the room and at first glance, nothing seemed to be wrong.
The elegance around her still remained, she looked calm and collected even as closed the door behind her.
But something was definitely wrong. Anning squinted slightly as she stood up from the floor.
She noticed the small cut on Wanqing's face, just along the side. It was slightly covered by her hair, but noticeable against her flawless skin.
And the robe she had in looked like it had been sliced into two. Not torn or wrinkled.
It had been cut cleanly. Anning cocked her head to the side, confusion swirling through her mossy green eyes.
'What the hell happened to her?' she wondered inwardly.
Before she could even stop herself, she was already closing the distance between herself and Wanqing.
"You—" She began, her voice softer than usual as she stared at the cut. "Are you okay?"
As those words left Anning's mouth, she couldn't help but frown. Why did she sound so...weird?
Wanqing stared into her eyes. Those dark obsidian eyes fixed solely on Anning and it made her squirm.
For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Wanqing ran a hand through her thick hair, her lips stretching into something that couldn't be classified as a smile.
"Don't look at me like this." She said, her voice low and cold. Definitely cold.
"I don't want your pity...tiger."
Whatever worry Anning felt earlier disappeared instantly at her words. She just stood rooted in spot, staring right at Wanqing.
Then she let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"Wow!"
She shook her head slightly, almost amused with herself.
Anning, can you be any more pathetic? Look at the person you were even worried about.
She placed her hand on either side of her hips and then said, "Are you even worthy of my pity, dear mistress—"
SMACK!
The sound of skin meeting skin echoed through the room as Wanqing struck her right across the face.