Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C367. A Night's Dream.

Chapter 367: A Night's Dream

Early the next morning, as she did every day, Ying Chun lifted the curtain to check in on her young mistress. But the moment she caught sight of those red, swollen eyes, she froze in alarm. Without hesitation, she leaned in, her voice sharp with concern: “What’s happened to your eyes? Are you feeling unwell? Is something else bothering you? Bao Xia! Bao Xia! Go fetch Physician Chu… wait, no, get Miss Shao Yao, now!”

Bao Xia, just stepping in with a basin of water, heard the commotion. She quickly set the basin aside and rushed over, concern etched on her face. One glance at her mistress and she spun around, ready to dash out the door. But before she could take a step, Hua Zhi’s calm voice cut through the air: “It’s nothing. I had a dream, woke up early, that’s all. Go and get my clothes ready.”

Her tone left no room for argument. As she spoke, Hua Zhi pulled back the quilt and got out of bed, moving with a composure that belied the restless hours she’d spent awake. In truth, she hadn’t simply woken up early—she’d been up for quite a while. But now, after shedding so many tears, it was as though the weight she’d been carrying had finally eased, leaving her oddly lightheaded, as if her body was catching up to the calm her mind was pretending to feel.

"Miss, are you sure you're alright?"

"If I were really unwell, would I pretend to be fine? It's nothing. If you're still worried, have Shao Yao check on me today. By the way, is the room ready? That child will be coming over today."

"It's ready." Ying Chun gave Bao Xia a glance to stop her from saying anything more. Bao Xia pursed her lips and went to get the clothes.

After helping the eldest miss dress, Bao Xia trailed behind her to assist with her morning wash, while Ying Chun stayed behind to tidy up the bed. As she fluffed the pillows, her hand stilled mid-motion. A flicker of hesitation crossed her face as she cast a glance at the eldest miss. Turning back to the task, she ran her fingers across the pillow's surface, slowly and deliberately.

It was damp.

The eldest miss had always preferred soft, specially made pillows over the rigid jade ones. Yet now, here it was—half the pillow wet, the fabric clinging faintly with moisture.

Had the eldest miss been crying?

A sharp ache rose in Ying Chun’s chest. Her nose twitched, and a knot formed in her throat that begged to spill over. She swallowed it back hard, rubbing her nose briskly to shake off the emotion. She had no business crying when her duty was to serve. Pulling herself together, she resumed smoothing out the bedding as if nothing had happened.

Once the eldest miss had left for the front courtyard, Ying Chun slipped back into the room. Without a word, she swapped out the damp pillow for a fresh one, her movements careful and purposeful. Later, she quietly shared her discovery with the other maids. A flurry of concerned whispers followed as they exchanged uncertain looks, all of them trying to piece together what could have caused their mistress such distress.

Finally, Nian Qiu broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper. “Let’s not pry. If the eldest miss wanted us to know, she’d tell us. She’s always been like that.”

Ying Chun sighed, her expression conflicted as she gave her cheeks a light slap to shake herself free of the lingering gloom. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” she murmured, before switching topics briskly. “Nian Qiu, take the ledger to the miss. If she’s good with it, we can close the books for last month.”

“Got it,” Nian Qiu replied, straightening her back and grabbing the ledger with practiced ease. She glanced at Ying Chun once before heading off, leaving the faint air of unease behind them.