Chapter 27: A Squeak

She glanced at Xiaoshunzi and the others, then at her own daughter, and finally looked once more at Bai Xi, speaking respectfully, “Young Mistress, you only need them to accompany you—catching butterflies or picking flowers is nothing, it’s what they ought to do. Why give them milk candy?”

“You should be ashamed!” This was directed at Xiaoshunzi and his companions. In this village, no matter the age, everyone expects something in return from the Young Mistress for any little task they do. If word got out, they wouldn’t even feel embarrassed.

Xiaoshunzi and the others exchanged glances, faces reddening in embarrassment. But half the candy had already been eaten; even if they spat it out, the Young Mistress wouldn’t want it.

Unlike them, Chen Rui, upon hearing this, immediately took out the milk candy she had tucked into her pocket earlier and respectfully handed it back to Bai Xi.

Bai Xi refused to take it, instead telling her to keep it.

“Young Mistress, you should take it and save it for a few days later,” Zhang Xiu, pleased with her daughter’s sense of propriety, urged from the side. She wasn’t indifferent to her daughter’s feelings, but her daughter was already grown, while the Young Mistress was only five, without parents to care for her. For them to take things from the Young Mistress was simply unforgivable.

Bai Xi rolled her eyes in silent exasperation, sighing inwardly—poverty, after all, was the root of it.

She pushed Chen Rui’s hand back, pouted, and grumbled, “Enough nonsense, it’s just a candy. When an elder gives, one should not refuse.”

Zhang Xiu’s lips moved as if to speak, but in the end she said nothing.

Chen Rui glanced at her mother; seeing no further objection, she slipped the candy back into her pocket and said, “I’ll hold onto it for now. If the Young Mistress wants it later, she can ask me.”

Xiaoshunzi, already feeling ashamed from the scolding, saw this and exchanged looks with the others. They all turned to Bai Xi, speaking sincerely and solemnly.

“We—we will definitely honor you properly from now on.”

Their voices were muffled by the candy in their mouths, but their young faces were earnest and serious.

Zhang Xiu gave a light snort. “Talk is cheap. If you don’t cause trouble for the Young Mistress, that’s good enough. Still, it’s nice that you’re thinking this way now; shows you’ve got some heart.”

She had no idea her words were truly prophetic—though that was a tale for another time.

“By the way, why did you come?” Bai Xi changed the subject. Usually, unless someone was scheduled to cook, deliver food, wash clothes, or tidy her house, few villagers visited her treehouse. The regular visitor was the village head, who came to convey the villagers’ greetings to her.

Earlier, Zhang Xiu had clearly rushed over, panting at the door.

Bai Xi’s question reminded Zhang Xiu why she was there.

“I came—oh, right, Young Mistress, is your cat all right?” Zhang Xiu’s face was anxious and irate. “Earlier I was busy, and only heard Xiao Rui mention bathing your cat. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but cats shouldn’t be bathed; it can make them sick or even kill them.”

With that, Zhang Xiu couldn’t help herself—she smacked Chen Rui on the head.

Xiaoshanzi, witnessing this, silently thanked his luck that he wasn’t the one who bathed the Young Mistress’s cat; otherwise, that slap would have landed on him.

Caught off guard, Chen Rui stumbled to the edge of Bai Xi’s wooden couch, bumping her head.

Zhang Xiu opened her mouth, wanting to help her daughter up, but with Xiaoshanzi and the others watching, she needed to maintain discipline—otherwise the boys would get too unruly. So her outstretched hand became a finger pointing at Chen Rui as she scolded.

“You silly girl! The Young Mistress may not know, but you should. How old are you now? Have you ever seen a cat in the village swimming or bathing in water? Only dogs like to splash in ponds!”

Chen Rui’s head throbbed from the bump, her eyes reddening, but the tears brimmed without falling.

Bai Xi reached out and gently touched her forehead; Chen Rui shook her head, offering a smile to show she was fine.

Her well-behaved and considerate manner only made Bai Xi angrier.

Her little admirer was her own, and it had been Bai Xi who had asked Chen Rui to bathe the cat. Even if Zhang Xiu was her mother, it was unacceptable.

“How grown are you? Can’t you speak properly? Why come in scolding and hitting? Who are you dissatisfied with?” Bai Xi’s eyes flashed, her voice rising, “Are you dissatisfied with me?”

Her sudden outburst startled Zhang Xiu, who quickly shook her head. “No, no, Young Mistress, I’m not—” Her hand, which had been pointing at Chen Rui, dropped limply, unsure where to place it.

Who would dare be displeased with the Young Mistress? Only someone tired of living.

Just then, someone arrived to bring Bai Xi her meal, only to hear her angry voice before even entering. Instinctively, she called out, “What’s wrong, Young Mistress? Who’s upset you?”

“Young Mistress, don’t be afraid. In Niuluo Village, anyone who dares disrespect you, just say the word—we won’t let them off.” As she spoke, her eyes swept the room with suspicion and a hint of severity.

“We didn’t, we didn’t—it wasn’t us…” Xiaoshunzi and his friends waved their hands frantically under her gaze.

Zhang Xiu, seeing Bai Xi so angry she had stood up, was anxious and hurried to pull the newcomer aside. “Auntie, I just scolded my daughter and made the Young Mistress upset. Please help me plead with her—I didn’t mean any disrespect.”

The newcomer was a distant relative of the village head, around fifty, with a naturally loud voice that grew even louder hearing Bai Xi was unhappy.

In the midst of Bai Xi’s anger, the little tiger cub who had been dozing from hunger and exhaustion suddenly sprang to life, bounding to Bai Xi’s feet and baring its teeth in threat at Zhang Xiu and the others.

How dare these humans disrespect my master!

I’ll bite them all!

Thus, the entire room’s attention was drawn to it.

“What—Young Mistress, what is that?” Chen Daguo squinted at the little tiger near Bai Xi’s feet, uncertain for a long moment.

Bai Xi’s face remained cold. She cast an annoyed look at Zhang Xiu and snorted, “That’s my cat.”

The little tiger turned to Bai Xi, letting out a plaintive whimper—Master, I’m not a cat.

Zhang Xiu eyed the little spirit tiger and cautiously asked, “Young Mistress, is your cat all right?”

“Can’t you see for yourself whether it’s fine or not?”

Hearing Bai Xi’s displeasure, Zhang Xiu looked to Chen Daguo for help—Auntie, the Young Mistress is truly angry, what should I do?

Meanwhile, Chen Rui, having stopped rubbing her forehead, furtively tugged Bai Xi’s pant leg, quietly pleading for her mother.

Young Mistress, I’m fine—please don’t be angry anymore!

(On the first day of 2021, wishing all you lovelies to always be beautiful, always be wealthy, always be happy, and always have your wishes come true…)