Chapter 2 You'll Serve Me Tonight
The blade hummed and vibrated, and Dai Li's nerves vibrated like a taut bowstring.
The curtain separating the inner and outer rooms was broken, allowing free passage between them. However, she was standing by the window on the other side, so she was not exposed to the man's view from the outside.
The other party could come in at any time, so Dai Li didn't have time to think and immediately switched to the role of a servant: "Please forgive me, Your Excellency. I am not a bad person. I was ordered by the Lord to tidy up the bedroom. I missed the appointed time and that's why I'm delayed until now. There are still some things that are not perfect in the room. I hope Your Excellency will wait a moment."
Dai Li didn't see that the man outside slowly raised his long eyebrows when she uttered her first sentence.
Her voice was beautiful, a very special and natural gentle voice, like warm water or a spring breeze. Although it was a little dry due to nervousness, it was still quite captivating.
Qin Shaozong walked into the inner room without saying a word.
It was midday, and the sun was blazing outside the window. The young woman in a short dress and long skirt had her back to him. Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on her almost naked arms, which shone with a creamy white hue, dazzling to the eye.
She was resting her hands on the windowsill with her elbows slightly bent, as if she was about to climb out of the window.
Just as Dai Li was about to jump onto the window, a strong sense of danger swept over her like a tsunami, overwhelming her already tense nerves and making her feel inexplicably terrified.
The next instant, a large, bony hand reached out from behind and grabbed Dai Li's upper arm.
The man's strength was not light; as he opened and closed his fingers, the woman's plump skin bulged slightly between his fingers.
Dai Li's pupils suddenly contracted, and the string that had been taut in her mind snapped, leaving her frozen in place.
The other person's rough palm was very hot, as if it were wrapped in a ball of blazing fire, which made her tremble involuntarily and burned away most of the rationality in her mind.
We've been discovered...
When people are extremely afraid, they sometimes find it difficult to make a sound. Dai Li felt as if a handful of straw was stuffed in her throat, and she could not utter any rebuttal. Even every breath was painful.
"Where do you want to go?" The deep male voice was devoid of emotion.
Dai Li stood still, without answering, and the large hand gripping her arm did not loosen its grip.
Before receiving a response, Qin Shaozong turned the person around.
Their skirts swayed, and their eyes met briefly across an arm's length. Both were momentarily stunned, one terrified, the other utterly amazed.
Dai Li herself is 1.68 meters tall, which is not short for a woman, but the man in front of her is almost a head taller than her, at least 1.88 meters or more.
The man wore a black robe, his hair was tied up high with a crown, he had a high nose and deep-set eyes, and there was a small break at the end of his long left eyebrow, making him look more ferocious than ordinary people.
There were faint traces of time etched at the corners of his eyes, clearly indicating that he had long passed the impetuous age of twenty. However, the years had not left any signs of decline on him or in his eyes. Instead, they had given him a deep-sea-like majesty and unpredictability. When his light brown, amber-like pupils were fixed on a certain spot, he looked like a tiger waiting for its chance to strike.
The imposing height made Dai Li's heart skip a beat; the other person was like a towering tower, its shadow engulfing her.
She recognized the man's voice; just now, someone outside had been fawningly calling out "My Lord," and then it was him speaking to that person.
She unexpectedly ran into the leader of the opposing team. How is she going to get away with this?
In Qin Shaozong's eyes, this strangely dressed woman was truly unexpected. She had a pair of very striking peach blossom eyes, with pupils as black as ink and whites as white as fresh snow. The lines on her upper eyelids were very obvious, forming a deep, light pink crease.
Modern women's short-sleeved tops generally have a waist-cinching design, and Dai Li's top is no exception. The lapel forms a small V, revealing a small section of her crescent-shaped collarbone.
The fitted short dress clearly outlined her graceful figure, with full and beautiful curves, perfectly proportioned. Her skirt was half wet, and occasionally a drop or two of water would gather at the hem and quietly drip down onto the shoes she wore, which were only connected by a few dark green straps and leather.
The woman's toenails were painted with nail polish, so vibrant they resembled red plum blossoms blooming on snow. Perhaps sensing his gaze, her snow-white feet shrank back, attempting to hide in the shadows of her skirt.
These few moments seemed to be stretched into frames, and all the surrounding sounds seemed to be isolated.
The man in front of her looked her up and down. Dai Li felt that his gaze was strange, yet extremely aggressive, as if it had turned into a knife, and she was the meat being sliced open layer by layer on the table.
His hand was still gripping her upper arm, with considerable force, rough and hot, its presence undeniable. This burly man, clearly a military general, could probably snap her neck with one hand.
Dai Li dared not move, frozen like a stone statue.
How can I explain myself for appearing in the guest's room dressed in "strange clothes," especially dirty ones?
If she were arrested and interrogated as an assassin, how would she explain her origins?
Zhouzhou is still waiting for her; she can't die.
Before Dai Li could come up with a solution, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her hair as the handkerchief she had clipped to her hair with a bobby pin was ripped off.
Qin Shaozong initially assumed that she covered her face with a handkerchief because she knew his exceptionally beautiful peach blossom eyes and was trying to conceal them. Therefore, before she pulled off the handkerchief, he had little expectation, only curiosity.
The result was quite unexpected.
With her delicate nose and naturally red lips, her stunning features against her fair and smooth skin resembled a richly colored masterpiece painting. Unlike the naive young women in their teens and twenties, she was a peony in full bloom, mature and beautiful, yet with a touch of her usual languor. The peony's elegance and the dewy beauty of jade were nothing compared to her.
However, Bai Rong had a flaw, and Qin Shaozong suddenly raised his hand.
Dai Li instinctively leaned back, her back quickly hitting the windowsill, with nowhere to retreat. Behind her was the cold, hard windowsill, and in front of her was a tall, imposing man; she was trapped in this small, confined space, held captive by him.
When the other man's hand reached across her neck, Dai Li flinched, but unlike what she had imagined—a broken neck—the man's calloused thumb brushed across her upper jaw, wiping the mud off her dirty face.
After washing away the dirt and blemishes, a cinnabar mole was found between the eyebrows of the young woman.
If she was once stunningly beautiful, like a peony in a golden palace, then that crimson beauty mark made the golden palace seem even more imposing, adding a touch of aloofness that could only be admired from afar.
Qin Shaozong slowly narrowed his eyes.
The rubbing on her forehead felt slightly heavy, and Dai Li couldn't help but get goosebumps on the back of her neck. His hands were very warm, but she felt as if she were in an ice cellar.
Looking into the man's eyes, which were brimming with desire, Dai Li saw something that wasn't unfamiliar, and it made her suddenly realize—
At first, she misunderstood.
Perhaps it was the contempt this era held for women, or perhaps it was his confidence in his own abilities, but he placed her in a different position than a deadly assassin or a spies who stole secrets.
The look he gave just now was less a scrutiny of the enemy by his own side and more a man's gaze upon a woman.
Dai Li had never been stared at so intensely, as if she wanted to devour her whole.
Back in school, the boys, though passionate, were quite innocent. If she noticed, they'd be too embarrassed to keep staring at her. Later, at work, because of my workplace, the men were all highly educated and polite; even their admiration was subtle and to the point.
Qin Shaozong gently lifted a few stray strands of her hair and tucked them behind her ear, intentionally or unintentionally brushing against her rounded earlobe. "Did you just roll around in the pool?"
Dai Li found it difficult to describe the emotional changes that had occurred in those few moments. It was as if a ray of bright light had suddenly appeared after dark clouds had pressed down on the city, or as if an island had risen out of thin air beneath her feet after a tsunami had submerged her, lifting her away from the abyss.
She came up with a plan, a clever strategy that would allow her to escape from a desperate situation and get away unscathed for the time being.
Dai Li lowered her eyes, avoiding looking into those imposing brown eyes: "The news of the distinguished guest's arrival has spread far and wide, and everyone wants to serve him, which is why there was a slight friction today. I had no choice but to defile Your Excellency's residence, please forgive me."
Qin Shaozong was much taller than Dai Li. The woman in front of him lowered her head and looked down. Her dark hair slid slightly to the side as she moved, revealing a bit of her fair neck.
Incredibly smooth and controllable.
Qin Shaozong did not withdraw his hand. Instead, following Dai Li's lowered head, he moved his large hand from her ear to the back of her neck, as if measuring her, or as if gently stroking her as if comforting a small animal: "Since you don't get along with them, you don't need to go back in the future."
Dai Li trembled uncontrollably. This time it wasn't an act; the large hand on the back of her neck was extremely aggressive, as if a heavy shackle was placed around her neck. If she hadn't been looking down, the panic on her face would have been unmistakable.
Dai Li secretly pinched her palm, adjusted her expression, and timidly raised her head, saying uncertainly, "But I just overheard Your Majesty saying that you are not used to having someone serving you."
As soon as she finished speaking, Dai Li heard a soft laugh. She didn't know whether it was laughing at her for asking a question she already knew the answer to, or at her for being truly foolish.
“There are always exceptions; it all depends on whether it’s worth making an exception for.” Qin Shaozong withdrew his hand, rubbing his thumb and forefinger together, the delicate, warm touch still lingering on his fingers: “What is your name, young lady?”
“Fengchun,” Dai Li casually said.
Slaves have no household registration; their names and surnames are given by their masters, and she was certain he wouldn't doubt it.
Qin Shaozong's gaze swept down again, and the man's long eyebrows twitched slightly. "Fengchun, the one who obtains it will be blessed with spring, it's a good name. Go to the main house and wait there, I'll serve you later."
They were both adults, especially in this kind of situation, and Dai Li knew very well what kind of "serving" the other party meant.
"Thank you for your appreciation. I will do my best to satisfy you tonight." The beauty smiled, her warm smile seemingly brightening the entire room. However, her joy did not last long before she said, "My clothes are dirty. I hope you will allow me to go back and change. I will come back to serve you after I have dressed properly."
“Okay.” He agreed.
Dai Li heard the sound of a boulder falling from her heart. She smiled without hiding it, her eyes curving into a beautiful arc, as radiant as spring blossoms. That hint of aloofness melted away, leaving only dazzling brilliance.
Qin Shaozong glanced at her.
Having received permission, Dai Li hurried outside. As she passed by him, the delicate fragrance of freesias wafted through the air, refreshing and delightful.
The woman's wet skirt swayed gently, and a drop of water fell softly onto the man's black boot as she walked, spreading into a barely noticeable spot.
Just as Dai Li stepped out of the inner room with great joy, the man behind her suddenly spoke: "Stop."
Dai Li froze, her heart, which had just settled back into her stomach, instantly leaped into her throat again, and her palms became sweaty.
Did he discover she was lying? Or did he change his mind? Or did she inadvertently give herself away somewhere...?
A note from the author:
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Update time tentatively scheduled for: 9:00 AM [Good morning]
I saw a lot of familiar faces! So happy, love you all! [heart emoji]
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