For a reason that Shuang Xiang didn't understand, Cheng Bao suddenly pales and Shuang Xiang, with her rescinding migraine, unsteadily looks past the group to see who is in the courtyard.
Much to her surprise, An Shu has come back with a tray of food (honestly, Shuang Xiang would be drooling if she wasn't so busy drowning in a sea of headaches) and she can see the maidservant of the Seventh Miss bristling like a cat.
Or a tiger, seeing how the Fourth Miss's entourage abruptly became less intimidating and more hesitant than before.
Without waiting for a response, basically steamrolling past the group of five, An Shu marches up to Shuang Xiang, placing the tray down with an audible clank before taking her Miss's face into her hands.
Shuang Xiang startles at the closeness, gaping slightly at An Shu's caring gestures as she (SX) stares into her (AN's) distress face.
"Young Miss, are you alright? Where does it hurt?" An Shu questions rather determinedly, as if she is more than assured that the Fourth Miss and her groupies did, in fact, try to harm her in the past ten-fifteen minutes they have been here.
Shuang Xiang can't help but be a bit touched by An Shu's concern—and alternatively frightened by the dark emotion that flashes pass the maidservant's eyes.
An Shu, you're so beautiful and reliable, but please keep to one image!
Giving An Shu an awkward smile, Shuang Xiang grabs the other's hands and moves it away from her face. Squeezing the other's fingers, Shuang Xiang tries to soothe An Shu's bristling mood. "I am well, An Shu. Elder Sister and her companions are just here to talk business and did not harm this young miss."
An Shu, frankly, does not look as if she believes her. In fact, after peering into Shuang Xiang's pale face with an unconvinced expression, she turns toward the Fourth Miss and leisurely gives one of the coldest smiles that Shuang Xiang never thought a human being could ever give.
From the corner of her eyes, Shuang Xiang can see her visitors freezing as if they were targeted by a predator—which isn't too far from the truth really.
"Is what my Young Miss said correct, Fourth Miss?" An Shu icily inquired—ah, never mind. An Shu definitely said it like a threat—though Shuang Xiang doesn't know what An Shu can threaten them over. Isn't she just a normal maidservant?
Eyeing An Shu cautiously as the temperature gradually drops below sub-zero, Shuang Xiang can't help but feel sorry for her so-called Elder Sister. The Goddess really did nothing to her – if Shuang Xiang doesn't account the bruises that Cheng Bao seems to be guilty of.
"An Shu," Shuang Xiang calls out as she tries to pull the maidservant aside. Honestly, this is just too sad and one-sided to watch—at this rate, An Shu might just eat them alive. "An Shu, please do not jump to such conclusions. Elder Sister is really here to discuss some familial matters."
"T-That's right! I—" Cheng Bao stops in mid-speak as An Shu momentarily shoot an icy glance towards her, silencing the Fourth Miss easily.
What in the hell did An Shu do to get such a reaction from this arrogant and domineering child?
Shuang Xiang wisely did not ask out loud.
Shuang Xiang, "An Shu, I need to finish my business with Elder Sister, so..."
An Shu unwillingly steps aside, her eyes never leaving the frozen form of the Fourth Miss, and it takes all of Shuang Xiang's willpower not to sigh.
An Shu, you're so beautiful and reliable, but please do not make this any harder for me.
Standing up from her seat, Shuang Xiang tries to block as much of An Shu's path to Cheng Bao and her groupies, if only to prevent possible future bloodshed.
YOU ARE READING
The No-Good Seventh Miss Goes Traveling
AdventureOther than her name, there is nothing Chinese about Shuang Xiang. As a Chinese-American raised in America since a young age, and one of the core members of the International Mercenary group, Diehard, Shuang Xiang rarely has any connection with her C...
