After her bath, Bai Xifeng felt thoroughly rejuvenated, the lingering fatigue of the day washing away with the steam. Xiao Li moved forward, instinctively reaching out to help her dress, but Bai Xifeng gently waved her off. She was not wearing an elaborate ceremonial robe or a complicated court dress. She found she much preferred the efficiency of doing it herself.
Once dressed, she returned to the main room and sat at the wooden table. The dishes she had carried back from the restaurant were already laid out, filling the room with a savoury, mouth-watering aroma.
"Sit down, Xiao Li. I brought these specifically for you." Bai Xifeng said, gesturing to the empty chair when she noticed the girl remained standing in a corner.
Xiao Li hesitated before sitting. Bai Xifeng immediately began scooping generous portions into the girl's bowl. Though her own stomach was still relatively full, Bai Xifeng picked up her chopsticks and ate small bites alongside her. She knew Xiao Li's temperament well, if she did not eat, the girl would likely starve herself out of some misplaced sense of a servant's etiquette.
As they ate in the quiet of their courtyard, a dull roar of laughter and music drifted over from the distance.
"Is there some sort of celebration happening tonight?" Bai Xifeng asked, her eyes drifting toward the direction of the main manor.
"They are hosting a grand banquet tonight." Xiao Li explained, her voice dropping slightly.
"For what occasion?" Bai Xifeng asked.
"The third branch of the family has returned. Your uncle, Third Master Zihao, arrived home today after spending several days at his in-laws' residence." Xiao Li replied, watching her mistress's face closely for a reaction.
"Oh..." Bai Xifeng muttered, her expression remaining entirely flat. The news did not stir even a ripple of emotion in her heart.
"Young Miss... please, don't be sad," Xiao Li whispered, her eyes filled with pity.
"Sad? Why on earth would I be sad?" Bai Xifeng looked up, genuinely perplexed by the sudden change in mood.
"In the past... you always wanted to join them." Xiao Li uttered softly. "You used to stand by the gate and watch the lights, longing for them to invite you just once. But they never allowed it."
"Oh, that?" Bai Xifeng gave a dismissive wave of her hand, a dry chuckle escaping her lips. "I couldn't care less anymore. They can party until the sun comes up, for all it matters to me. Those people are no longer my concern."
She truly did not want to waste a single second of her life dwelling on people who viewed her as invisible. Her mind was already racing ahead to more important matters, specifically, the intricate theories of higher-tier alchemy.
"Finish up here. I'm retiring to my room for the night. Unless the house is burning down, do not disturb me." Bai Xifeng instructed as she stood up and disappeared behind her bedroom door.
Inside, Baishe shimmered into existence, manifesting as a small, sleek python with scales that caught the moonlight.
"I want to attempt third-grade alchemy tonight." Bai Xifeng declared, her eyes burning with determination.
"A bold step. Very well, I shall supervise your progress." Baishe hissed, nodding its small head.
The night became a blur of intense heat and silver light. Bai Xifeng pushed her spiritual energy to its limits, but the third-grade recipes were far more temperamental than the lower tiers. Time after time, the cauldron hissed with black smoke, and precious herbs were reduced to useless ash. She felt the sting of frustration, her eyes welling with tears at the sheer waste of resources. To her, every failed batch felt like watching bags of gold vanish into thin air.
But she refused to quit. Finally, as the first grey light of dawn touched the window, a fragrant, golden mist drifted from the cauldron.
"Baishe! Look! I finally did it!" Bai Xifeng cried out, her exhaustion momentarily replaced by pure adrenaline.
She scrambled toward the spirit, cradling the warm bottle. Inside were ten perfect, high-grade pills. Baishe stared at the yield, momentarily speechless. To produce a full set of ten third-grade pills in a single refinement was a feat that would make even veteran masters weep with envy.
"I'm... I'm going to sleep now." Bai Xifeng mumbled, her energy levels hitting zero.
She stumbled toward her bed and collapsed, falling into a deep, dreamless slumber before her head even hit the pillow.
Baishe sighed and transformed back into her earring.
A few hours later, a persistent knocking echoed through the room. Xiao Li was calling out to her, but Bai Xifeng remained dead to the world. Worried, Xiao Li eventually pushed the door open and stepped inside. She stopped dead in her tracks, her jaw dropping at the state of the chamber. The floor was littered with herb stems and ash, and a heavy bronze cauldron sat prominently in the corner.
'Did the Young Miss spend the night playing at cooking?' Xiao Li wondered, bewildered. Without a word of complaint, she set to work, quietly tidying the wreckage.
The soft sounds of cleaning eventually roused Bai Xifeng. She sat up, rubbing her bleary eyes, and saw Xiao Li stooped over the cauldron.
"Xiao Li?" Bai Xifeng croaked.
"Oh, you're awake, Young Miss! I've just finished cleaning up." Xiao Li said.
"I'm sorry... for making such a mess for you to deal with," Bai Xifeng said, her voice heavy with sleep.
"Huh? Why are you apologising for me doing my job?" Xiao Li asked, completely confused by the sentiment.
Xiao Li could not understand the origin of that apology. Bai Xifeng carried the soul of someone who had survived the harsh life of an orphanage, a place where, if you did not do it yourself, it did not get done. The concept of having someone else clean up her messes still felt alien to her.
"Never mind. I just stayed up far too late." Bai Xifeng said, yawning widely.
"I gathered as much. I could hear strange noises coming from in here until the sun started to rise." Xiao Li noted with a small smile.
"What's for breakfast?" Bai Xifeng asked, her stomach letting out a loud, demanding growl.
The spiritual exertion of alchemy had burned through every calorie she had.
"Just some fresh wontons and steamed dumplings." Xiao Li replied.
"Perfect. I'll go wash my face and meet you at the table." Bai Xifeng got up.
"Wait, Young Miss! Stay there, I'll bring the basin to you!" Xiao Li tried to stop Bai Xifeng.
"No need for that. I can get it myself, it's much faster that way. Go ahead and serve the food outside." Bai Xifeng called over her shoulder as she dashed out of the room.
Xiao Li watched her go, a sigh escaping her lips. Her mistress had changed so much. She was no longer the frail, spoiled girl of the past, but she was not quite like the other noble ladies either. She seemed... freer. Stronger.
While the change was startling, Xiao Li found herself smiling. Her Young Miss looked like someone who had finally cut the invisible strings of the Bai family. She was no longer waiting for their love to survive. She was building a life of her own.
***This novel is a contracted work with w e b n o v e l. c o m. If you do not read this novel on w e b n o v e l. c o m, that means it has been stolen. It breaks my heart when someone steals my hard work. Can you consider reading it on the original website for those who read my novel on another website besides w e b n o v e l .c o m, as your support to me? Thank you, from, your shameless author, ZerahNeko***