The Little Bedmaid Just Wants to Get By - Chapter 4 Part 2
After dinner, Guan Yuan was keeping the birdcages in the courtyard when she saw Dou Zhao returning with a cold expression.
At this moment, Bi Xin, followed by four other second-class maids, rushed forward and knelt in front of Dou Zhao.
Bi Xin said, “Second Master, we’ve thought about it for a long time, and would like to request that Second Master allow us to run at night instead. We truly do not wish to tan in the sun.”
Dou Zhao pinched his fingers. If it was before, they would be dead for sure, but now…he took a deep breath, then signalled to Guan Hai beside him.
Guan Hai stepped forward and said, “Xiang Tao must receive punishment for plucking the lotus flowers. You may return to service after kneeling for seven days.”
Xiang Tao covered her face as she burst out in tears, while the expressions of the others changed.
Guan Hai said again, “As for the others, the Second Master has considered your petite frames and frail physiques. You don’t have to run for now, and you can decide your own meal portions. As long as you don’t intentionally provoke the Second Master, you may do as you please. The Second Master will try his best not to interfere.”
At first, the other four maids thought their appeal was fruitless. They did not expect such a favourable outcome, and were instantly overjoyed. They kowtowed in unison. “Thank you, Second Master, for your mercy. We will fulfil our duties and serve the Second Master well.”
You may do as you please? Try his best not to interfere?
Is this really something that the perversely finicky Second Master said?
Guan Yuan was so shocked that she dropped the birdcage in her hands. The resounding clatter was exceptionally ear-piercing in the silent courtyard.
Everybody in the courtyard turned their head to look at her.
Guan Yuan jumped in shock. Her apologetic smile was awkward as she clumsily picked up the birdcage. “Sorry, sorry, it was a slip of the hand, please continue.”
Yet the more flustered one was, the more likely one was to make mistakes. As she lifted the birdcage, she accidentally opened the door. A blue eyed, yellow-crested cockatoo shot out, screaming as it flapped its wings. “Second Master has a cruel heart! Second Master has a cruel heart! Second Master…”
Guan Yuan’s face turned green.
Goodness gracious, who taught it to say this? She could swear that she had never spoken to it since taking over the bird-keeping duties!
When it looked as if the darn cockatoo would escape, Guan Hai jumped up, deft as a hawk, and snatched it, holding it firmly in front of Dou Zhao.
The cursed cockatoo didn’t exercise any restraint, and dove madly towards Dou Zhao’s face. “Second Master has a cruel heart! Second Master has a cruel heart!”
Guan Yuan buried her face in her hands. It’s over. It’s over. She and this cockatoo were both dead for sure.
But after a long while, the blood-curdling scream of the cockatoo did not come as she expected. Instead, she heard Dou Zhao’s voice, in a tone that could not be considered severe. “Give me the cage.”
At this, Guan Yuan finally had the courage to peek through a crack in her fingers. She realised that the Second Master had walked up to her, and was reaching out for the birdcage.
He was very close. She could smell the faint tea scent emanating from him. His dynamic features looked as if they had been sculpted. His jaw was tight. An unknown expression flitted across his cherry-blossom shaped eyes.
Guan Yuan blinked. Why…does this…feel…strange?
Dou Zhao became impatient. “Are you deaf? Open the cage!”
Ah! That’s more normal!
But just now he clearly said to give him the cage.
Guan Yuan didn’t dare dally any further. Holding the birdcage firmly, she opened the door. Dou Zhao put the darned cockatoo in with his own hands, then glared at Guan Yuan. “If you’re smart, teach it to say something nice!”
Wha?
“Second…Second Master! I didn’t teach it to say that!” But he had already walked far away, and couldn’t hear her powerless protests. Even if he heard them, he definitely wouldn’t believe them.
Guan Yuan was full of despair. She raised a hand and smacked the birdcage. “This is all your fault! Darn bird!”
The cockatoo started shouting once again. “I hate you Second Master! I hate you Second Master!”
Guan Yuan felt like she was about to lose her mind. She hastily grabbed the birdcage and ran.
Ever since Guan Yuan was demoted to a third-class maid together with Mu Hui, she did not have to bother with the Second Master’s matters. On top of that, the other manual tasks in the courtyard were being handled by the lower-ranked maids and servants. The two of them only needed to take care of the birds. Every day, they would use the excuse of walking the birds to stroll around leisurely. When it got hot in the afternoon, they would again use the excuse that the birds couldn’t tolerate heat to rest under the cool shade of the banana trees.
Guan Yuan even found a cooling wooden couch to place under the trees, making it convenient to take an afternoon nap.
She also obediently taught the birds to say some auspicious words. All in all, her days were carefree, and the time passed quickly.
The only bad thing was that Xiang Xin and the others felt the need to deride her whenever they saw her, or find some reason to give her a scolding. They seemed to dislike her particularly and constantly came with reasons to find fault with her.
Guan Yuan avoided them as much as possible.
Very soon, a month had passed, and Chang Zhi court looked completely different. Before, it looked like a desolate icy cave, but now it was vibrant and full of life.
Looking at the lush courtyard, Mu Hui felt that it was unfair.
“When Wang Hui was here, weren’t we like this too? The courtyard was always lively and bursting with flowers. But after the incident two years ago, the Second Master became a completely different person, as if he decided to be an ascetic monk. Don’t even talk about flowers in the house, he didn’t even let us put out any decorations. He even made us dress up so plainly every day. Why did he suddenly get better now that there are new people?”