XH 42

 

Xiao Hua was speechless. Tian Chi does not know what to say. And the young male servant named Lau Ming was busy scrubbing the floor, pretending to be deaf.

 

Estimating from his force, Xiao Hua could see that a certain spot on the floor would be whiter than the rest.

 

The awkward moment was thankfully broken when Tian Zi let out a loud cough behind Eunuch Lau Liu.

 

“Sir Lau Liu, please do not say things in a way that’s open to other interpretations. You will shock these innocent young girls’ mind.”

 

Eunuch Lau Liu laughed. “Ah, forgive this old man for being uncultured.”

 

“Sir Lau Liu is far from uncultured,” Tian Zi swiftly replied with sweet words, living up to her name! “Plenty young maidens adore you because you are a gentleman, sir. You have saved us all when we are in trouble from time to time, just like a great hero.”

 

Eunuch Lau Liu’s smile grew brighter at the compliment. “Such a sweet talker,” he teased. “This old man nearly forgets the reason why I’m here. I have news to convey to everyone. The Third Prince is on his way back.”

 

Xiao Hua had just recovered from Eunuch Lau Liu’s words when he dropped another shocking thing on her again. The Third Prince’s back, so it was possible that the extra day promise will be revoked.

 

Xiao Hua: So when’s the deadline?!

 

Tian Chi stared at Xiao Hua with worry as the other girl’s eyes had lost its usual sparkle.

 

“Then I will prepare for master’s return.” Tian Zi hurried away.

 

“Xiao Hua, the prince will see if you have completed the task tomorrow morning.”

 

Tomorrow morning? Xiao Hua’s eyes flashed with protest, which could be seen by Eunuch Lau Liu.

 

“Xiao Hua considers that tomorrow morning is hours before the deadline?”

 

Xiao Hua nodded rigidly. Tomorrow was the third day! The Third Prince should look at the result the day after tomorrow instead!

 

“The prince had also told this older servant to pass on a message to Xiao Hua. ‘One day does not make much difference’.”

 

Xiao Hua wants to scream at the injustice! Does that mean the Third Prince had already expected her to fail in the first place?

 

She forced herself to calm down. “Sir Lau Liu, may I ask a question?”

 

“If this old man can answer, it would be an honor to impart some knowledge to the younger generation.”

 

“Sir Lau Liu is a cultivator and knows how to throw knives very well. Xiao Hua wants to ask…what if you are thirteen years old and a beginner cultivator. Would you be able to throw ten knives into the wooden board?”

 

“Then let this old one answer according to my experience. When I’m thirteen years old, I am already years pass the experience of throwing knives. I’ve started cultivating at the age of four and well versed in using sword, archery, and dagger before I reach ten years old. As for throwing knives … I only needed one day to master it.”

 

“One day?!” Xiao Hua gasped. Her head started to throb in pain.

 

“But what Xiao Hua wants to ask is whether if other children with the same circumstances as you would be able to achieve that aim or not. But Xiao Hua should not compare this old one with tough experience in life with you. Not even Tian Chi or Tian Zi can be used to compare to you. You all have different experience and circumstances.”

 

Her plan was seen through!

 

Xiao Hua indeed has a plan to use others to compare with herself to argue about her failure when the Third Prince returned. But Sir Lau Liu stated clearly that everyone was different, and should not be compared.

 

She had underestimated him when she should have known better after watching those Chinese historical drams centered about palace life! There was always evil, sly eunuch with powerful martial arts that always find ways to make the main character’s life miserable!

 

Lau Liu was in mid-fifties, judging from his appearance, and he was also a eunuch with strong martial arts if the respectful tone and behavior the others had shown to Lau Liu could be trusted. He often had a warm smile and friendly behavior but what might be underneath that facade chilled Xiao Hua’s heart.

 

“Yes, that’s what Xiao Hua wants to ask. Xiao Hua thanks Sir Lau Liu for answering my question and clarified it for me.”

 

Eunuch Lau Liu smiled. “But you had yet to ask me the main question.”

 

Xiao Hua gulped. She had planned to retreat, but since he already said it, then she will go ahead and ask. “Did the Third Prince wishes for my failure?”

 

Tian Chi stared at Eunuch Lau Liu expectantly. She and Tian Zi had bet that the true motive for their master to give Elder Sister Hua this task was to have her punished. But they were not sure why would the Third Prince do this much when he could just have ordered Xiao Hua to obey him?

 

Tian Zi had excitedly guessed that their master wants to hit Xiao Hua due to fetish and as a result of her bold guess, her beloved snacks taken away by Da An as a punishment for slandering their master.

 

Tian Chi wisely did not share her guesses, for it was not safe for Da An to hear. She was successfully corrupted by the ‘educational’ picture books that Tian Zi had spent all her pocket money to buy.

 

Eunuch Lau Liu slowly grinned, but it was not his usual warm smile, but one that provokes dread when one sees it. His smile promised something painful for an unlucky person. “You already know the answer to it.”

 

“I dare not claim I know the answer,” Xiao Hua denied quickly. It would be stupid to confirm things without making sure of it. Le XiaoTing’s tendency to clarify things such as confirming appointments or deadlines had more than once earned her a cold glare from her boss.

 

Yes, she could be annoying, but she had learned to thicken her face to ask things instead of ending up inside a pit if she does otherwise.

 

One would either be shy or prideful for not asking when facing a problem.

 

“Please enlighten me, Sir Lau Liu,” Xiao Hua insisted, thickening her face.

 

Xiao Hua: Her ass is on the line ahhhhh!

 

“The answer is… this old man does not know.” Eunuch Lau Liu laughed. “How can this servant know what our prince is thinking? This servant dares not to claim I know what the prince is thinking.”

 

Xiao Hua: I want to kill him!!!  (҂` ﾛ ´)︻デ═一 ＼(º □ º l|l)/

 

Xiao Hua breathes out angrily. “Thank you for your enlightenment, Sir Lau Liu.”

 

Eunuch Lau Liu waved her thanks away without shame. “This old man is happy to be of use. You will have enough time before our prince returns. I will pass on a word to the prince that you wish to meet with him.”

 

Xiao Hua was stunned as she watched Sir Lau Liu leave with Lau Ming. How did he know that she wanted to see the Third Prince? 

 

“Elder Sister Hua?” Tian Chi called questioningly. They were servants and must not question or argue with their master. But why did Eunuch Lau Liu not scold Xiao Hua for doing so?

 

“I wish to talk to the Third Prince when he gets back.”

 

Tian Chi looked conflicted but she did say anything to stop her. In fact, she was curious about how it would end. “Eat before the food gets cold. I will have the bath ready soon.”

 

Xiao Hua smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Sister Tian Chi.”

 

Da Bei had already taken his food box and disappeared somewhere to eat without an audience.

 

It took quite a long time for Xiao Hua to eat because her right wrist was still not healed to the extent of easily using a chopstick. In the end, she dumped her bowl of rice into the bowl filled with vegetable soup and used a spoon to eat.

 

All the while, Tian Chi was staring at the messy eater Xiao Hua with her eyes shone with pity...towards the food.

 

Tian Chi: How could Elder Sister Hua destroy the food that way?! (ಥ﹏ಥ)

 

Tian Chi, a foodie, could feel her heart in pain as she sees the way the food had been eaten. The only thing that stopped her from reprimanding Elder Sister Hua was due to the understanding of the difficulty in eating using her injured hand. If she knows Elder Sister Hua would do that, she would have fed her instead!

 

Once the food was finished, Tian Chi left with the empty plates and box, leaving Si Si to help Xiao Hua with her bath. Si Si knows that Xiao Hua does not like people helping her bath so she waited for her on the other side of the screen divider.

 

When Xiao Hua first saw her wooden bathtub after starting living in the Third Prince’s manor, she was relieved that it was shorter than the one from the hot spring. It was pretty embarrassing because she suspected it was An Jing that had arranged a shorter wooden tub just for her.

 

Xiao Hua happily sank into the bathtub and the warm water quickly worked its magic to soothe her sore and stiff muscles. She scrubbed her body lightly with a bar of soap, but sadly it does not produce many bubbles compared to the soap in her original world.

 

It would actually be fun to have bubble baths once in a while. Le XiaoTing often returned home late and would be too tired to indulge in something that would be time-consuming. Her free weekends were spent to accompany her mom.

 

“Lau Liu said you have something to say to this prince?”

 

Xiao Hua wondered if she had just imagined the Third Prince’s voice. But her eyes clearly saw the Third Prince leaning on the screen divider. His eyes were staring right at her, with an amused expression on his face.

 

With a frozen face, Xiao Hua slowly let herself slide into the tub, hiding inside the water while her mind was filled with screaming.

 

Why the heck is he here?! (⊙_⊙)