After becoming Master Naoya’s maid, I never saw Aunt Xijiang again.

I also placed the body of the cherry blossom in a flowerpot. As time passed, it became increasingly foul-smelling, and the maids who shared the same room discovered it and threw it away.

I couldn’t find it.

When I returned, there was another plant in the flowerpot, purple, unfamiliar to me.

The maids coaxed me, patting my head, praising my cuteness, gentle and obedient nature. They said I would surely become a little beauty and marry a good person, not mentioning where the black cat in the flowerpot had gone.

I held the flowerpot, silent.

The maids, chatting amongst themselves, shifted the topic away for some reason, chatting and laughing about other things, trembling with laughter.

The next day, Master Naoya somehow learned about the lost cherry blossom. He came to me with a smiling face, saying he knew where the cherry blossom was but required a small favor in return.

My eyes instantly lit up, paying no attention to the cost or propriety. I eagerly grabbed his arm and asked where the cherry blossom was.

He, surprisingly in a good mood, didn’t scold me. Instead, he leisurely took me to a place.

The place was dilapidated, overgrown with weeds, covered in spiderwebs, and the roof was broken. I felt a bit scared, hesitating to move forward, but Master Naoya said the cherry blossom was inside the dark house.

So, with courage, I entered.

The next moment, the door was tightly shut, and I heard the sound of it being locked. I was terrified, pounding on the door and crying in panic.

But Master Naoya paid no attention.

The louder I cried, the louder he laughed.

Just when I thought I might be trapped here forever, the door suddenly opened again. Master Naoya hurriedly entered, glimpsed at me crying on the floor, and sternly said, “Stop crying, or I’ll cut out your tongue.”

I instantly covered my mouth.

He pulled me up from the ground and took me into the lacquered wooden cabinet, as if it were an antique from the last century.

Before long, two more sets of footsteps could be heard from outside.

Master Naoya quietly opened a crack in the cabinet door to peek outside. I didn’t want to see, but since the cabinet was so small, I lifted my eyes and saw it. It was the head of the household and the second elder’s wife.

Initially, I didn’t recognize them.

Since coming to work in Master Naoya’s courtyard, I often saw them. The head of the household would frequently come to dine with Master Naoya, and the second elder’s wife liked to personally bring some gifts.

Over time, I got to know them.

They seemed very close, embracing each other. In no time, they undressed and lay on the bed.

It was only then that I noticed that despite the room looking rundown from the outside, there seemed to be little dust inside.

“Despicable woman.”

I heard Master Naoya grit his teeth and curse under his breath. He held the inner handle of the doorframe so tightly that it almost broke.

His sudden outburst was easily drowned out by the inexplicable shouting of the second elder’s wife. I was close to him and heard everything clearly. I dared not ask him if he was cursing the second elder’s wife or inquire about what the second elder’s wife and the head of the household were doing. Fearful and shrinking, I wanted to move a bit inside, away from Master Naoya.

However, as soon as I moved a bit, Master Naoya’s eyes, particularly prominent in the darkness, stared at me. Like that night, his pupils dilated with malice. He shouted at me, “You’re also a bitch.”

I was stunned, staring blankly at him.

He wasn’t satisfied, “bitch.”

Tears began to swirl in my eyes.
“Bitch.”

“Bitch.”

I couldn’t hold back any longer, turned away, and wanted to cry, but Master Naoya forcefully covered my mouth. “If you dare cry out loud, I’ll strangle you.”

As he spoke, his other hand indeed moved to my neck.

I dared not cry out loud, only tears uncontrollably streaming down. The view in front of me was completely obscured by the mist, making it difficult to see Master Naoya’s face. However, his voice was clear, each word distinct, “In the future, you’re not allowed to shout as loudly as her, completely clueless about any rules, a promiscuous woman.”

I didn’t understand, but I remembered his last words, “promiscuous woman.”

Because, while working for Aunt Xijiang, I often heard others’ foul language containing the term “promiscuous woman.” Although I didn’t understand exactly what they were cursing about, I knew it was a malicious expression.

That day, it wasn’t until dusk, after the head of the household and the second elder’s wife left, that we came out of the cabinet. Once outside, Master Naoya, full of hostility, was about to leave. Anxiously, I grabbed his sleeve and asked about the whereabouts of the apricot blossom.

But he pushed me away abruptly.

“Is your brain mush? I killed that stinking cat of yours a long time ago. Killed. Do you not understand? If you bother me again, I’ll slaughter you immediately.”

With this unpleasant remark, he left.

Leaving me standing there dumbfounded, not quite understanding the meaning of “killed.” I went to ask the maids who shared the room with me, but they evaded my questions and counter-questioned, “Has Naoko been working here since she was a child?”

Seeing me nod, they avoided answering directly, “But she never went to school.”

I nodded again.

They sighed, patting my head, “Killed means, well, Naoko will understand when she grows up a bit more.”

I didn’t understand their words, but looking at the flowerpot on the windowsill with planted purple flowers, I couldn’t bear to ignore it. Every morning, I watered it.

Until later, when the flowerpot was pierced by Master Naoya’s arrow, soil scattered all over my bedding, and that trembling purple flower rotted halfway, feeble and short-lived. No one dared to replant it. I saw it wither day by day, turning into a dry stem. After that, I never cared for anything again.

When Apricot Blossom couldn’t be found, the maids would still gather around to comfort me.

When the purple flower withered, the maids only looked at me with pitiful glances from a distance.

Because, after observing these days, everyone understood that Master Naoya disliked me. Employing me as a maid was only for the convenience of bullying me. Therefore, they automatically distanced themselves from me.

Master Naoya’s dislike for me became even more evident, and every day, I had an endless amount of work.

Before dawn, I had to clean the entire courtyard floor alone, pull out the grass that four people couldn’t finish in five days, and wash Master Naoya’s clothes, which were no longer handed over to the designated laundry staff but to me. The clothes of the maid sisters in the courtyard were also all entrusted to me to wash. I had to fetch water for watering the flowers and clean a pile of dishes.

If I didn’t complete the assigned tasks for the day, there would be no dinner.

Sometimes, when Master Naoya didn’t go to the martial arts practice ground, he would practice archery in the courtyard, and I had to hold an apple as a makeshift target.

At first, I would always cry, scared, exhausted, hungry, and cry.

Later, I didn’t cry much because, being too young and short, even if I exerted all my effort, I couldn’t finish so many tasks in one day. So, I was always hungry, hungry to the point of not having the strength to cry loudly. The constant growling from my stomach, day and night, sometimes reminded me of the sound of the little ball rolling on the clean wooden floor that night.

The maid sisters would always show sympathy, but no one dared to pity me.

Because once a sister secretly hid half a steamed bun by my pillow, only to be punished the next day to kneel with a wooden bucket filled with water under the scorching sun.

I was starving, my eyes seeing stars, as if a blazing fire was burning in my abdomen, consuming all my internal organs, leaving only two shriveled layers of skin clinging to my ribs. In the midst of winter, as today, when the other two noble families would come, and there was much work to be done, most of the maid sisters in the courtyard went to the front yard to help. Master Naoya also left early in the morning.

I had half-finished cleaning the floor, and I had no more strength to complete the rest. The lively atmosphere and the aroma of food from outside the courtyard constantly lured me.

So, I sneaked out.

There were so many people, all dressed in beautiful clothes.

I was wearing the Zen Temple maid’s attire, wandering aimlessly like a headless fly. The churning of my stomach made cold sweat break out on my forehead. At this moment, someone tugged at my arm.

“Be careful.”

A very gentle voice.

I looked up to see a young woman with a red-beaded hairpin in her updo. She wore a light purple kimono, her features gentle. For a moment, I felt a bit dazed, recalling Aunt Xijiang.

She easily pulled me back a step, avoiding the jostling crowd.

Seeing me, she smiled and said, “Is such a young girl needed to help out?”

I dared not speak.

But my stomach responded very actively.

“You’re hungry,” she laughed again, pulling my wrist and taking a few steps. Boldly, she handed me several pieces of fruit cake, “Hurry and eat.”

I wolfed down the food.

In no time, I finished all the fruit cakes.

“How long have you been hungry? Don’t the people at the Chan Family give you anything to eat? They’re too harsh on a child.” She was surprised, handing me a few pieces of rice cake that could fill my stomach.

Seeing me eat quickly, she was afraid I might choke, so she stopped giving me piece by piece and started feeding me one by one. Until someone called her from afar, she responded and stuffed the whole plate of rice cakes into my arms, patted my head, and was about to leave.

I panicked, hastily holding the plate of cakes with one hand and grabbing her sleeve with the other.

She stopped with a smile, bent down, and said to me, “Eat, don’t worry; no one will blame you. If someone asks where you got the food, just say it was given by Miss Wataru’s maid.”

I quickly shook my head, flustered and stuttering, “I want to go with you.”

She was taken aback, “Go with me?”

I nodded vigorously, tears that hadn’t fallen for a long time were about to burst, streaming down. “I don’t want to stay with Master Naoya and work. I want to find Aunt Xijiang, but they all say Aunt Xijiang has left the Zen Temple, don’t know where she went. Xinghua was also killed by Master Naoya. I’m the only one left, and I’m so scared.”

She was somewhat embarrassed but, seeing me crying, sighed helplessly, “For just a little maid, it shouldn’t be a big deal. I’ll ask Master Wataru for you; he doesn’t care about anything much and is easy to talk to.”

Seeing that I would no longer be Master Naoya’s maid, a gleam of light appeared in my eyes.

She held my hand and walked a bit forward. Arriving at the side of a tall and short pair, the older one was a middle-aged woman wearing a dark purple kimono. Seeing the young woman return just now, she looked somewhat disapproving, “Where did you go? Why did you come back so late?”

The young woman hurriedly apologized.

The middle-aged woman’s expression softened, and when she saw me behind the young woman, her expression paused, “Who is this?”

The young woman pushed me forward, not responding to the middle-aged woman’s question. Instead, she said to the silver-haired boy, “Master Wataru, this girl is very obedient and well-behaved, and she’s cute. Shall we take her back as a playmate for you?”

The person addressed as Master Wataru was wearing a light blue kimono, half a head taller than me. His eyes, the same color as the azure sky, didn’t move at all; he stared at the green bud on the branch covered in white snow.

The middle-aged woman spoke first, sternly reprimanding the young woman, “Don’t go too far.”

The young woman stuck out her tongue unapologetically.

“Master Wataru doesn’t have many playmates. Bringing her back to accompany him and relieve his boredom. Look carefully,” my forehead was lifted by the young woman, and my chin was pinched by her. I was forced to pout, my eyes widened unexpectedly by her unexpected move. By my ear, the young woman’s voice, filled with a teasing tone, “How adorable, she’ll surely grow up to be a little beauty. Such a well-behaved and pretty girl, how rare.”

The middle-aged woman stared at my face, a fleeting expression of surprise passing through, but she still said, “She’s so young; who knows if her features will be crooked when she grows up.”

My face was vigorously rubbed by the young woman, “Even if they are crooked, she’s much prettier than an ordinary little beauty.”

The middle-aged woman seemed persuaded and didn’t argue further.

Their gazes all turned to the young master, who would make the final decision. I, too, nervously looked at him. The two hands clasped together in front of me, my mind filled with shouts of approval, approval, take me away, take me away.

Until the end, he didn’t even glance at me.

But responded with an indifferent tone, “Whatever.”

The young woman was overjoyed, and I was so happy that my face was filled with excitement.

However, just as the young woman was about to take my wrist and follow Master Wataru and the middle-aged woman to leave the Zen Residen, my collar was suddenly grabbed and forcefully pulled.

The young woman failed to hold onto me.

I was pulled backward, falling into a cold embrace. When I looked up, it was Master Naoya’s face. After half a year, the bandage on his eyes had already been removed. At this moment, his golden eyes were staring at me intently, and the hand that pulled my collar turned into a grip on my nape.

He smirked, not really smiling, “Who do you dare to go with?”

I immediately trembled.

The plate of rice cakes, which had been held as a treasure in my arms, also fell to the ground, scattering everywhere.

I looked to Master Wataru for help, but my chin was forcefully pinched, turning my face back. After a long time, I heard the same indifferent voice, the same indifferent tone:

“Leave.”

They left without taking me.

The last thing I saw was the regretful expression of the young woman and the back of Master Wataru in a light blue kimono.

It was almost a nightmare for me for many years. Because after that day, I was locked in a small dark room, sharing it with a weak Level 4 curse that could only frighten people, hungry for three days.

Outside the room, there was a knock on the door, and I woke up from my dreams.

“Aichina, Master Naoya is coming back today. Hurry up.”

I got up from the hard bed, realizing that the sky was already dimly lit, and my cheeks, unexpectedly, had some moisture. I touched it and stared at the glistening fingertips, feeling a little stunned.

Did I dream about the past?

I didn’t have time to think too much. I got up from the bed, put on the standard deep brown kimono for the Zen Temple maids. After tying the apricot-yellow belt, I washed up briefly, pushed open the door, and went out.

I carried half a basin of clear water to the place where I fetched water, and laboriously placed it on the wooden corridor. I began to wipe the floor with a cloth.

I not only wiped it quickly but also very carefully.
Because of a previous incident, even after completing the work, I went without dinner due to some dust in the corners.

After an unknown amount of time, clean white split-toe socks suddenly appeared in front of me as I wiped the floor.

My movements halted.

Anticipating who it was, my shoulders uncontrollably trembled slightly. Soon after, I respectfully knelt down, “Master Naoya.”

The person in front of me squatted down.

My lowered gaze could only see his white wide hakama. He reached out, pinching my chin and lifting it. But I quickly lowered my eyes because making direct eye contact with the master was a disrespectful act.

My gaze focused on the black, oversized sleeve cuffs, and regardless of how he shook my face left and right, there was no emotional expression.

He sneered, and his icy hand patted my cheek, “What’s this? Half a month gone, and you still have that miserable look. Your chest hasn’t developed at all. I suggest you consider breast augmentation surgery in the future; otherwise, it’ll be challenging to attract men. If you can’t even get married, you’ll lose the last bit of value as a woman. Really, I’m genuinely concerned for you.”

“Yes.”

I lowered my brows and eyes, showing no hint of anger, grievance, or embarrassment.

Master Naoya seemed dissatisfied; he applied more pressure to the hand pinching my chin. I felt pain, my forehead slightly creased, and my eyes involuntarily welled up.

Only then was he satisfied, patting my cheek again before standing up and leaving.

I kept my head bowed.

Suddenly, a package of pastries wrapped in beige paper was stuffed into my arms. I then noticed that Master Naoya was accompanied by another person, a member of the “Bing” group, Master Sato, who was Master Naoya’s trusted aide.

Master Sato was about the same age as Master Naoya, a legitimate son of the Zen Temple’s affiliated family. He had been in the Zen Temple since he was ten, serving Master Naoya.

Seeing my bewildered expression, Master Sato pointed towards Master Naoya ahead and gestured for me to keep silent.

Seeing me nod, he smiled and quickly caught up with Master Naoya.

Only when their figures disappeared around the corner did I take out the pastries from my arms. I discovered that they were the sweets from the famous Kyoto pastry shop that a few maid sisters had talked about a few days ago.

I hugged the pastries back into my arms, a sweet smile appearing on my lips.