Xi Wang's Past

Lan Zhan offers Xi Wang to stay for the night at his place as she followed into his workroom to claim her rewards.

He wasn't lying after all. He is the son of Lan Heng, the Chancellor of Shu Kingdom.

She suddenly wants to dig a hole on the ground and hide after recalling her behavior. "I don't want to be a bother, though..."

He looks up from his desk and grins at her pitiful expression, "You can stay in the guest room."

---

"This is the guest room," the servant opens the door for Xi Wang. "I'll bring your meal shortly."

"Thank you." Xi Wang walked in and looked around, "Hmph. It's not much different from my place. Just a tinyyyy bit... bigger."

After a short while, the servant came back with Xi Wang's dinner and mention, before exiting, "If you need anything else, please call me."

Alongside eating, she went over to the desk near the window, "Let's do some calculations...Auntie's medicine ingredients..." Xi Wang was so focused on counting that she didn't hear Lan Zhan walked in, "I see you have trust issues."

She swiftly conceals her paper, "When did you get in???" Lan Zhan leans forward on the table curious to what she was doing, "Well, this is my place. I can come and go whenever I want." Xi Wang gave him a blank stare, "I didn't know this was your true nature. You. Two. Face."

"... Two-face? Oho...This is somewhat refreshing."

Was not expecting that reaction as it was supposed to be an insult. Xi Wang folded her paper and gave Lan Zhan her full attention, "Do you have any business with me? Sir Lan Zhan."

"No. I was just taking a walk and figured I should check on you."

"How thoughtful." a woman voice spoke.

They both turn to the door. "Mother." Mother? Xi Wang thought to herself she looks young. "Eh... Greeting Mrs. Lan. I'm Yang Xi Wang."

She stares at Xi Wang's mask for a moment and when a motherly view stated, "Who could have thought my son finally brought a girl home after being gone so long?"

"Uh... I think there's a misunderstanding-" Xi Wang tries to explain to her.

His mother goes up and slaps her son back, "My son all grow up."

Before she could speak more, Lan Zhan drags his mother out, "Xi Wang is tired. Let leave."

"And they left..." Xi Wang said in relief.

The next morning, Xi Wang got up bright early even before the morning birds did. "Leaving without saying goodbye doesn't feel right." She glances over at the desk and took a sheet of paper. "Now it just needs to dry." Leaving the pen on top hold the paper from blowing away.

---Hours later---

"Did Xi Wang wake up yet?" Lan Zhan asked while getting dress.

"When I went to the room no one was there." the servant reply.

"She already left?" He snarls.

"Y-Yes. But she left a letter behind for you." Placing it on his table.

"You can leave now." He unfolded the letter, "What... What is this?" He holds it upright, on the light, backward. "It's nothing but chicken scratch."

Meanwhile, Xi Wang cheerfully enters Yang's family household. "I'm back!" Xi Wang announced excitedly.

"MISS XI WANG!!" Her maids cry her name with an urgent tone. "Huei Min has been taking Miss Bi Yu's residence!"

"What!?"

---

Xi Wang hastens to Bi Yu's residence and saw Huei Min laying on the ground, heavily beaten. Unable to restrain her emotion, she lashes out, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!!" Her maids hurry to help Huei Min up.

"Oh, little sister, you are back." Bi Yu responded as she sips her tea. "I'm just helping you teach your servant a lesson." Xi Wang clenched a fist and scoff, "What?"

"I went to visit little sister the other day to ask what color outfit match well with me but unfortunately you weren't in your room."

"And what right do you have to take my people?" Xi Wang tries to keep her cools.

"Please. My little Xi Wang, of course, I have reasons that pest dares to interfere when I was teaching a newbie." She said as she went and grab Huei Min's chin, "You have to show them who's the boss." Looking down at her.

Xi Wang took a deep breath, "Yang. Bi. Yu."

"Well-! What color looks best?" Bi Yu instructs her maid to take out the clothes, "This pink or this sky blue cloth? I still couldn't decide these past four days." sounding so dreadful.

Xi Wang was in disbelief and rage, "Such light colors don't suit you." and turn to her maids, "Girls, take Huei Min back to her room."

"Yes, milady."

"And if that's all. I'll be taking my leave as well, Older. Sister."

Bi Yu snigger as Xi Wang walks out, "Remove that nauseous carpet."

--Back at Xi Wang's residence---

"Here are the ingredients for Madam Zhao's medicine. Go prepare it." handing the directions over to her maids and turn to Huei Min sorrowfully, "Look at you." The wounds were bleeding through her clothing and the palest in her face shows that she wasn't given any water or food.

Huei Min struggles to sit up, "I'm okay..." Xi Wang glared at her. Huei Min shut her mouth and lay back down, "...sorry."

Xi Wang examines wounds through her thin clothing and recalls the past. Madam Yang had gone crazy after her second child's death. Yang Kun lin order his men to find a replacement and found a young girl alone near a bridge and took her in. Madam Yang would beat the young girl when she doesn't acknowledge being call, Xi Wang and behaves like her dead child.

Xi Wang was able to endure the misery thank to Huei Min and Madam Zhao who sided by her side since she arrived at the household. She treats the people who work for her as her family.

'I should be the one apologizing. ' and sighed, "It's a good thing I decide to buy some ointment while buying Auntie medicine." Ai Lee, also one of Xi Wang's close maids brought the ointment over and applies it to her back and legs.

"Ayo, look at what we have here? Who want some spareribs?" Her close maid sighed at her joke, "...Miss Xi Wang."

She bit her lip, and said, "Don't you ever do that again...You could have..." trying to hold back her emotions.

Huei Min turns to Xi Wang, "But..."

"Do you hear me?" Xi Wang said strictly.

"Yes."

"And you?" looking at Ai Lee.

"Yes."

"Now... bring the newbie in." Xi Wang stared at her for a while and finally broke the silence, "Huei Min will be taking days off. For the time being, you will work her shift too."

"Y-YES!"