Alice in Dreamland (梦境中的爱丽丝)

A Calling? Why Me!

Shen Luyu awoke the next day with a minor headache. It was nothing to rage about, nor would it inconvenience him in any way. Nevertheless, it was there, and he didn't know what to do about it.

Lately, that was the norm. He would wake up and have a subtle headache throughout the day. Though it'd be best compared to a pebble, it would soon turn into a pothole, something that would ruin his tires or, in this case, his mood.

Shen Luyu tried to make light of his situation. Today could be the day when he finally got used to them. It was doubtful, but still, a plausible outcome—the one he desired.

It was about two days after Shen Luyu had been invited to the Waning Lily Estate, and he had been avoiding the Sect Leader like the plague. He felt a gnawing discomfort whenever he thought about their last interaction. It seemed that the Sect Leader himself didn't mind too much about what had happened; otherwise, he would have reached out by now. Even so, Shen Luyu felt that his actions had been not only ill-mannered but also a misrepresentation of his character. He was not immature, just reserved, and his behavior was not an accurate portrayal of himself.

In truth, Shen Luyu had been preparing an apology. The thought surfaced in the back of his mind as he went about his chores in his room and the living quarters of the house. During this time, he encountered multiple other guests, each very different from the next. There were swordsmen with intricately detailed swords that hung gracefully off their belts, cheerful assistants who always wore big beautiful smiles and prepared porridge thrice a day with ample side dishes, and some kids, some older, some younger. One thing that made them all alike was the uniform theywere all adorned in. It matched Feng Lian's quite well, Shen Luyu hated to admit it but none of them, presumably disciples, wore it as good as he did.

After a particularly long day, Shen Luyu wanted some relief and found himself at the door to the bathing area. The hallway leading to the baths was adorned with intricate tapestries and lanterns that cast a warm glow. None of the baths were available, and just seeing the sign made Shen Luyu's brain short-circuit, causing him to almost fall face-first onto the floor. Fortunately, a young girl came out just in time to "save" him.

Shen Luyu tried his best not to take the Sect's generosity for granted, but in a world like this, it was hard not to let it sink into his skin, even if only for a moment. He stood upright and bowed to the girl before entering the bathing room.

"Wait," she said, glancing back and holding him by the shoulder. "I'll start it for you."

This young girl was undoubtedly an assistant of the house; her uniformed clothing made that clear. She had long honey-brown hair tied neatly in a braid, and her large golden eyes shone with a quiet determination. Her round cheeks gave her a youthful appearance, and her long eyelashes added to her expressive look. Even so, Shen Luyu didn't want to inconvenience her further. She had already cleaned the bath, so asking her to start it was a request he was uncomfortable making.

"It's fine. It shouldn't be too hard to start," Shen Luyu added. Nevertheless, the young girl persisted in her attempt at being helpful. She glided past Shen Luyu, a simple aroma of water lilies drifting along with her.

She started the bath twice as fast as Shen Luyu would have, so he couldn't help but praise and thank her. However, even if she had started the bath twice as slowly, he would have been endlessly grateful.

"Thank you...?" Shen Luyu paused, giving her time to respond with her name. The young girl tilted her head with a small look of bewilderment as if she was having trouble understanding the question. Shen Luyu couldn't help but reflect on how different his own world was from this one. The thought sent a small shudder down his back before he continued, "I meant your name. What is it?"