One Lifetime Is Never Enough

1.4 Flower

It should have taken two days of travel to reach the town of Ming, where Ji ChanFang and his family resided. However, as Meng-momo's party was only on an errand to pick up some new maids, they did not stop at the smaller villages along the way to freshen up properly at an inn. It was her intention to reach the residence as soon as possible and began training on the new girls. As far as she was concerned, there was no need to spoil maids or servants with proper accommodations when the masters were not present.

When night arrived, the guards chose a relatively open meadow by a small lake to rest. It was twenty more sleeps before the first official day of winter. Although the area was not as cold as the northern hills, the cold crisp air still seeped into the young bodies on the horse carriage. The meadow was dry and barren, the cold weather could no longer sustain any plant life until next spring.

After the guards set up the fire, the first person who moved was Mia. She jumped off the carriage nimbly, startling one of the guards who was about to assist the girls to get off. After all, the carriage was almost as tall as the girls' themselves. Although normal adults would not have any trouble to get on or dismount, the young girls looked too skinny and weak to perform any major movement.

As soon as Mia reached the ground and dusted some dirt off her knees, she turned her body and spread her arms wide, gesturing for her companions to jump into her arms. Xiao Hui must have instinctively put her full trust in her as she unreservedly jump off the carriage, reaching for Mia's arms. Unfortunately, Mia herself seemed to have forgotten that her current body was much smaller than used to be. Both girls finally collided with a loud thud, rolling on the ground with a grunt.

Meng-momo let out a soft chuckle to herself as she watched from the side.

The other girls took safer method and let the guards lifted them off the carriage.

After checking each other and making sure that there was no injury from the fall, Mia and Xiao Hui sat in front of the fire, letting the warmth enveloping their tiny bodies. Their oversize robes of rough fabrics had not protected them from the cold air, and thus the fire was a much welcomed comfort.

Meng-momo took three bowls of rice gruel that a male servant had just finished preparing. She handed them to the girls who were now warming themselves around the fire, one bowl to be shared for every pair. Meng-momo then sat an arm's length away from the little girl called Xiao Hua, still observing the latter with interest.

As much as her stomach protested in hunger, Mia passed the bowl she received to Xiao Hui, muttering softly, "Xiao Hui, eat."

Mia was sure she could not speak the same way as the people she had encountered so far in this world. Understanding them was fine, but speaking fluently was an entirely different issue. However as the language was about the same as the chinese she was familiar with in her past life, at least in short words, she could relay what she wanted to say. The girl called Xiao Hui was one of the few people showing her genuine concern ever since she had awoken in her current body, and Mia still had her adult mentality in her, wanting to protect and look after the weaker younger girl.

Well, at least her own soul was much older than the other girl's. Looking at the thin Xiao Hui, she was reminded of her own nephew, though the latter was much plumper, much chirpier, and much healthier.

She still could not make heads or tails of her current predicament.

Why was she here?

Yes, she did not believe in heaven or hell. She was more inclined to believe in the reincarnation theory. However, to have suddenly gained consciousness in a little girl's body? This was most probably not it.