The path grew quiet as the pair walked further and further away from where Shen Yiyi stood, her fingers clenching as her nails dug deeper and deeper into her palms leaving red visible marks from the sheer strength, she used to hold herself back.
She took a deep breath and calmed down reminding herself this wasn't the place to show any reaction what if someone saw and relayed it to her cousin she couldn't take that risk. So, with one last look at the path where the two disappeared she turned away without looking back
"Composed, I have to stay composed." she told herself plastering a kind smile on her face before she started her walk home Li Mei, her personal hand maid who had bowed her head hurriedly followed her trying to catch up.
The second branch's residence wasn't far from the main household — but not too close to ensure privacy for both the first and second branches making them independent yet not completely separate from each other. She covered the distance quickly seemingly not bothered by what happened, but her personal hand maid knew better that believe her facade because she knew the calmer she was now the bigger the storm would be when she finally acted.
"Miss, please calm down" Li Wei tried to calm her down but she didn't seem to notice her. And increased her pace not bothering to look or acknowledge anyone she passed.
Reaching her courtyard the smile, she had been holding in place since she walked in finally fell replaced by a gloomy and haughty feeling as she walked through the front hall the familiar walls closing around her. Her pace moved faster and faster her mood like a ticking timebomb ready to erupt at any time.
"Miss—" Li Mei's voice came from behind her, urgent, trying to get ahead of whatever was coming. "Miss, please—"
Shen Yiyi didn't bother stopping seeing no other option Li Mei stepped forward standing right in front of her miss trying to stop her, but she didn't get to say a word before her body was pushed aside having moved too quickly, she wasn't really balanced so when she was pushed aside, she couldn't keep herself still.
And before she could react, she stumbled. Her elbow moving on instinct to protect herself hit the edge of the stone path first a burning sensation spreading upward from her elbow along her forearm as her hand scraped along the edges of the stones on contact and without looking too closely one could also see that some small stones had quietly embedded themselves into her broken skin.
But she didn't make a sound
Li Shi who had been waiting in the courtyard since her sister left with their miss saw it all happen and rushed forward to helped Li Mei straighten herself — her eyes immediately darted to the red patch spreading from elbow to forearm, then slowly went over the small pieces of stone still visible in the wound even at this angle and finally to her sister's face. Li Mei hissed quietly through her gritted teeth while insisting that she was perfectly fine.
"Sister—"
"I'm alright." Li Mei's voice was steady through gritted teeth. She looked at the courtyard entrance where their young miss had disappeared. Then back at the younger maid. "Go. Find the Madam. Tell her to come to the young miss's courtyard." A breath. "Now go, quickly."
The younger maid looked at the wound then at Li Mei's face. Tears threatening to fall at anytime
"Go," Li Mei said again, gently. "I'll be fine."
She then turned and followed her young miss into the courtyard. Li Shi watched her sister's back disappear into the corridor. Tears already sliding down her cheek she wiped them away then turned back running to the madam's courtyard as fast as she could.