"..."
"..."
Liu Ruyan stared at their battered forms when they arrived. Chen Mei and Lan Yue returned her gaze, each of them carrying a different blend of guilt, exhaustion, and apprehension. The morning courtyard was quiet, only the occasional rustle of bamboo leaves or distant clatter of chores breaking the stillness. For a long moment, silence lingered like a heavy fog.
Lan Yue cleared her throat and, forcing herself into motion, set the wooden bucket of leftovers on the table. Her laugh came out awkward, strained.
"We brought the mistress' breakfast… haha."
The words sounded hollow even to her own ears. She could already see Zhao Lingxi's sharp, calculating gaze landing on the cold, congealed porridge and shriveled vegetables. The shiver running down her spine was involuntary. It wasn't their fault; the estate's kitchen staff were careless and unruly. Still… facing Zhao Lingxi's disapproval was enough to make even the boldest servant quake.
