Wearing their most beautiful dresses and with their most exquisite makeup, the girls who came to the banquet originally wanted to make a good impression on the prince, but in the end they didn't even get to see the prince's face. They complained in hushed tones, their faces full of regret and disappointment, and one by one they left the hall reluctantly, looking back every few steps.
However, everyone perked up again after hearing that His Highness would be holding another banquet and choosing a fiancée from among the girls attending.
They left the palace one by one, beaming with joy.
The next day, Xia Linyin got up very early and ran to the bottom of Cinderella's building. Looking at the tightly closed window of the top attic, she called out softly, "Cinderella—"
"Cinderella—"
The window opened, and Cinderella peeked out, looking down at the prince below who wanted to call out but dared not.
Xia Linyin cupped her hands around her mouth and asked, "Cinderella, why didn't you go to the banquet?"
She was met with a bucket of dirty water.
Xia Linyin shook her trouser legs, which had been splashed with a few drops of dirty water. Luckily, she dodged quickly, or she would have been drenched in the water.
However, her servants were not so lucky; they were doused with a bucket of dirty water.
Realizing what had happened, the servant wiped the dirty water from his face and cursed, "How outrageous! Your Highness, this is absolutely outrageous! How dare she be so disrespectful to Your Highness! How dare she throw dirty water at Your Highness! Hanging! She must be hanged!"
"Your Highness, we should send men immediately to arrest her and hang her! Let her know the consequences of such disrespect towards Your Highness!"
"You really like hanging?" Xia Linyin glanced at the servant and asked quietly.
The attendant shivered inexplicably, and immediately shook his head vigorously, "No, Your Highness! I'm just angry that she dared to be so disrespectful to you!"
"Alright, wipe yourself clean." Xia Linyin pulled out a handkerchief from her chest and handed it to him, then walked towards Cinderella's house.
Cinderella's stepmother, Lady Tamani, is a woman of great poise and maturity. She has a cool and elegant appearance, her hair is neatly pulled back, and her dark blue velvet fitted dress accentuates her curvaceous figure, making her both beautiful and alluring.
Judging from her appearance alone, one would never imagine that such a noble and aloof woman would be a vicious stepmother who abuses and bullies her stepdaughter.
"Your Highness, are you here to see my two daughters? They are changing in their room and will be downstairs shortly," Lady Termane said respectfully to Charlene.
Her expression was calm, but her heart was already pounding with excitement. Could it be that her two foolish daughters had been lucky enough to catch the prince's eye at last night's banquet?
No matter which daughter it is, as long as one of them marries a prince and becomes a princess, the mother will also rise to the top.
"Does Mrs. Termani only have these two daughters?" Charlene asked slowly, twirling the jade thumb ring on her hand with a slight smile on her face.
Mrs. Termany's face stiffened. Just as she was considering how to answer the question, Xia Linyin's calm yet slightly tense voice rang out again, "Last night's banquet invited all the unmarried girls in the city, but I heard that some girls were unable to attend. And that girl happens to be Mrs. Termany's stepdaughter. I wonder if Mrs. Termany could explain why your stepdaughter was unable to attend the banquet?"
Lady Tremella was surprised that the prince would make a special trip because Cinderella hadn't attended the banquet. Cinderella hadn't gone because she'd kept her at home peeling potatoes. Of course, she couldn't tell the prince that.
“Your Highness, yes, I have a stepdaughter, but she is ill and therefore unable to attend Your Highness’s banquet. I hope Your Highness can forgive my poor daughter.”
Xia Linyin raised an eyebrow. "What illness?"
Mrs. Termane gave an answer that Charlene hadn't expected: "Misogyny."
“My stepdaughter has androphobia. She hates and fears all men who come near her and is unable to have normal contact with any man.”
"Misogynism?" Xia Linyin, who had always thought she was being disliked, suddenly realized that Cinderella's attitude towards her was actually quite tolerant.
As a man, she recklessly tried to seduce Cinderella, a girl with superhuman strength and aversion to men. It was fortunate that she was only rejected by Cinderella and not killed.
Only then did she realize how much inner turmoil Cinderella endured each time she went to see her, struggling to accept her male identity while simultaneously developing feelings for her.
Cinderella must have been very conflicted.
After leaving Cinderella's house, Xia Linyin felt she should approach Xiao Li under a different identity.
then--
Two days later, a new resident moved into the street not far from Cinderella's house—Miss Agatha, a young and beautiful woman who didn't like to go out.
“Cinderella, Miss Agatha has taken a liking to your craftsmanship. Go to Miss Agatha’s place these next few days and help her make new clothes,” said Mrs. Tremenny, holding a velvet bag full of gold coins.
Unexpectedly, her stepdaughter's sewing skills were appreciated by others, who were willing to spend so many gold coins to hire her to make clothes.
“Yes, Mother.” Cinderella obediently replied and followed the servants sent by Miss Agatha to Agatha’s residence.
The servants led Cinderella to the living room and left. As Cinderella looked around the living room, a graceful figure slowly descended the spiral staircase from the second floor.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
