Chapter 008
Chapter 8: He Has Mind Reading, This Buddha’s Chosen Isn’t Proper
The bluestone under her knees was cold and hard, and after kneeling for a long time, her legs were numb.
Sweat beaded on Xiao Man’s forehead.
The Old Madam almost never punished people, yet today she kept Xiao Man kneeling. [Did she find out something?]
[Impossible.]
[It was only a ridiculous dream. Who would believe it? Lin Qing Xuan asking for me to serve must be a coincidence.]
From above came the Old Madam’s calm voice: “Stop kneeling.”
She added in an even tone: “The Eldest Grandson Young Master is coming. Go brew him a cup of tea yourself.”
Propping her hands on the floor, Xiao Man took a long time to stand. Needles of pain stabbed her numb legs.
With her head lowered, she shuffled into the tea room.
Lin Qing Xuan arrived soon after.
He still wore plain monk’s robes. When he stepped through the gate, even the sunlight seemed to quiet a little.
Carrying a tea tray, Xiao Man kept her gaze lowered and her mind steady. She did not dare look at him.
The Old Madam accepted a hand warmer from a maid and warmed her fingers slowly as she said: “Xiao Man says she doesn’t want to go to your courtyard. Her indenture deed has less than a year left. The girl wants to leave the household and honor her only aunt.”
She turned her eyes toward him and spoke as if making a casual offer: “If not, Grandmother can pick you another quick and clever one.”
Xiao Man’s fingers loosened. The teacup almost slipped from the tray.
Inside, joy burst like fireworks. [Pick another one! Yes, pick another one! Pick some peerless beauty so he falls into a sweet fog and forgets a nameless weed like me.]
A sharp gaze nailed her in place.
Xiao Man stiffened. When she looked up, she crashed into Lin Qing Xuan’s dark eyes.
They locked onto her, as if they could see through skin and bone and read every cheer and secret in her heart.
He seemed angry.
She set the cup down hard on the table beside his hand and said flatly: “Eldest Grandson Young Master, your tea.” Drops splashed out, scalding the tabletop.
She turned to flee.
An iron grip clamped around her wrist.
Lin Qing Xuan spoke quietly, yet it cracked in her ear like thunder: “Choosing beauties is useless.”
This voice was exactly the same as the man who tangled with her in that dream.
The worst part was this: [How did he know what I was thinking!]
“Eldest Grandson Young Master!” Xiao Man cried, struggling hard.
His hand did not budge.
They ended up pulling at each other right in front of the Old Madam.
Xiao Man’s mind went blank. With a heavy thud, she dropped to her knees and said quickly: “I brought the wrong tea. Please punish me.”
Sitting upright, the Old Madam watched with cool eyes.
The girl’s fear and rejection did not look fake.
The Old Madam spoke at last: “Xiao Man, tell the Eldest Grandson Young Master yourself: do you want to leave the manor, or go to his courtyard to serve him?”
Xiao Man steeled herself and met Lin Qing Xuan’s eyes as she said: “I want to leave the manor.”
The Old Madam sighed lightly and said in a gentle voice: “Only, your indenture deed hasn’t reached its end yet.”
[Old fox.]
She had seen her eldest grandson take interest in a woman and was secretly pleased. At last there was some hope for heirs. Yet this girl looked like she had seen a ghost and was trying with all her strength to avoid her noble grandson.
The Old Madam cleared her throat twice to break the stalemate: “Qing Xuan, let go for now. I must discuss this with your Mother. After all, your Mother runs the Heir Apparent Manor.”
Xiao Man’s heart dropped to the bottom. [Even the Heir Consort must know? I’m not getting out of this.]
Lin Qing Xuan’s hand still gripped her wrist like a cold brand of iron.
Her last bit of luck shattered.
[Go see the Heir Consort, and lay out my shameful thoughts and that outrageous dream to the strict Household Matriarch? I would rather die.]
He inclined his head and answered at last: “Grandmother is right.”
He released her.
Heat left the spot he had held, and a ring of red marks remained.
He stepped back. The hem of his plain robe brushed the cold floor without a sound as he said calmly: “This should be decided by Mother.”
He agreed. Just like that.
Xiao Man felt all her strength drain away. If she were not already kneeling, she would have collapsed.
Lin Qing Xuan turned and walked toward the door.
Each step felt like a footstep on her heart.
When he drew even with her, he stopped.
His shadow fell over her.
She did not dare raise her head and could only see the clean edge of his robe.
A very low voice brushed the shell of her ear: “I’ll wait for you.”
It was not the dreamy whisper of entanglement, but a sure promise quenched in ice.
He left.
He took the sunlight with him, and with it Xiao Man’s last breath of hope.
The room went terribly quiet. Only the faint scrape of the Old Madam’s nail along the copper shell of the hand warmer could be heard.
The Old Madam spoke without hurry: “Get up.”
Xiao Man braced her hands on the floor and tried several times. Her knees no longer felt like her own, and she could not make them work.
Cold sweat slid down her temple and dripped on the bluestone, spreading a dark patch.
The Old Madam said, each word slow and heavy, like small hammers tapping Xiao Man’s nerves: “The Heir Consort values rules most of all. If you act this rude in front of her, it will be more than just kneeling.”
Xiao Man’s body shook.
This was a naked warning.