Chapter 9: This Servant Is Terrified
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Ruan Yesheng stepped out of the shower gracefully, while Xi Mo remained seated at the table, assuming a dignified and upright posture, her gaze fixed on the bathroom door without blinking.
"You took so long to wash," Xi Mo coldly scanned Ruan Yesheng up and down.
The longer the time, the longer Ruan Yesheng had been in intimate contact with her own naked body inside the bathroom. After all, showering required undressing and involved even more difficult-to-mention private contact with her entire body.
With each passing minute, Xi Mo became more impatient, almost wanting to strangle her.
However, if she hurriedly washed herself, it would be unbearable for Xi Mo, who had a strong obsession with cleanliness. After all, she was usually very meticulous about her personal hygiene.
Caught in this dilemma, Xi Mo became so irritable that she almost wanted to commit suicide.
"I already said it's inconvenient to wash with my eyes closed," Ruan Yesheng changed into her pajamas and approached, a breeze following her, carrying a faint refreshing scent of bathing. She glanced at Xi Mo and said, "After all, it took me ten minutes just to bend down and pick up the shower gel."
Xi Mo: "..."
Ruan Yesheng pointed her right index finger at her left palm and spoke calmly and methodically, "If I take too long, you complain that I'm wasting time. If I wash too quickly, you complain that I haven't cleaned thoroughly. With such a picky lady, the servant doesn't know what to do."
Xi Mo sneered, "You don't know what to do? Let me give you a foot of red*, and then you'll know what to do."
* 一丈红 (Yizhanghong) a form of punishment for female prisoners which came from a novel "The Legend of Zhen Huan in the Harem", this is just a fictional punishment and there was no such penalty in the Qing Dynasty. The method of punishment is to take a two-inch thick and five-foot-long board and beat the female prisoner below the waist, regardless of the number of beatings, until the bones are broken and the blood is blurred. From a distance, it looks bright red. In modern times this is just an expression to say that the speaker will beat/punish/spank someone.
Ruan Yesheng looked at her, unsure if it was the steam from the bathroom that made her fair cheeks slightly flushed with a subtle hint of redness.
There was a sour undertone in her words, as if she was still trying to justify her actions when Xi Mo forcefully broke into her room earlier. "Anyway, I'm done with my tasks for today, so I can go to sleep. What about you? Aren't you going to take a bath? Or perhaps you're considering my previous suggestion for me to help you wash? After all, my body is familiar to me, and I'm quite skilled and professional."
Xi Mo ignored her and turned to leave. "I've finished everything that needed to be explained. Remember it well. I'm going back. Don't worry, when I'm bathing, my eyes will be even more tightly shut than yours."
Ruan Yesheng laughed from behind, "Well, you can appreciate it if you want. I think my figure is pretty good, a score of 95 out of 100. I give myself that."
Xi Mo's steps halted: "..."
She continued walking briskly, her impatience evident in her steps.
Suddenly, Ruan Yesheng called out to her, causing Xi Mo to coldly turn her head, "What?"
Ruan Yesheng smiled and said, "Nothing. Just be careful on your way back to the palace, Your Highness. Don't fall."
Xi Mo decisively ignored her, pushed open the door, and left.
The ward instantly quieted down again. Ruan Yesheng's smile vanished as she lay down on the hospital bed, gazing at the bright white ceiling above.
"Be careful," she murmured softly, closing her eyes.
Xi Mo returned and took the most mentally exhausting bath of her life. Her face wasn't hers, her hands weren't hers, her feet weren't hers, and even her... chest wasn't hers, let alone anything else.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
With her eyes closed, she repeatedly hypnotized herself to cope with the anxiety, fear, and frustration of losing control over her own body. Finally, after tormenting herself with all that needed to be tormented, when she lay on the bed, she felt like she had gone insane.
Amidst the unease and the mixed emotions of anxiety and agitation that came with losing control of her body, she gradually fell asleep and had a dream.
In the dream, she saw her own body right in front of her, familiar features of her own face. Yet, she could only watch helplessly as her body slowly moved away, almost disappearing from her sight.
She felt anxious in her heart, eager to switch back to her own body. Thus, she could only keep chasing after herself until they reached the beach.
The sun was setting, casting a reddish glow on the sea, while the beach was dyed in a romantic golden color.
She chased from behind as her own body, under the sunset on the beach, playfully ran ahead, pinching her delicate fingers and turning back with a radiant smile after three steps.
Ruan Yesheng, wearing Xi Mo's skin, ran barefoot on the sandy shore, laughing provocatively and seductively, "Hahaha, Xi Mo, come and chase me! If you want my body, come and chase me! Hahaha! Come after me!"
Under the setting sun, two figures ran, one after the other, their laughter tinkling like silver bells, resonating in the romantic sea and sky.
Xi Mo abruptly threw off the covers, trembling spasmodically as she sat up on the bed: "..."
Her forehead was covered in sweat, her face pale, trembling as if she had just recovered from a severe illness.
Luckily, it was just a dream.
The scene was too beautiful, blinding her eyes.
The crack between the curtains let in the morning light, and the footsteps of patients and nurses began to echo in the corridor outside.
Xi Mo sat on the bed for a while before getting up, wearing a tense expression. She slowly walked to the washstand to freshen up. When she looked up and saw Ruan Yesheng's face in the mirror, she almost snapped the toothbrush in her hand.
The ghost wouldn't go away!
Feng Tangtang left yesterday, and no relatives or friends had come to visit Ruan Yesheng. There were no caretakers either. Xi Mo had now fallen into this desolate pit, taking Ruan Yesheng's place. It was extremely lonely. She went downstairs to buy breakfast and waited for the nurse to come and give her an injection. During that time, she received a text message from Ruan Yesheng.
The message read: "May Your Highness be blessed and safe. The servant and Eunuch Lu have safely transferred to another hospital. Everything is going smoothly. Please don't worry, and there's no need to visit the ward, as the servant is no longer there."
Xi Mo coldly typed back: "Dispense with the formalities. If you don't listen to my instructions in the future, I'll break your legs."
"Breaking the servant's legs is the same as breaking Your Highness's legs. The servant is fearful."
Xi Mo couldn't be bothered to engage in useless chatter with her. "Stop sending me these pointless messages. I rarely used to send consecutive texts. Be careful not to let Lu Qingming notice. When does Lu Qingming plan to make the announcement?"
"Your company will make the announcement in a week. This week, let the online public opinion stir up a bit. There will be a press conference then."
It's not advisable to announce the public opinion too quickly without deepening its impact. On the other hand, delaying the response for too long may also lead to people's annoyance, especially if the accumulated anger from the fan base could jeopardize the company. Lu Qingming understands this well and has made a proper time arrangement.
Xi Mo has no objections to this and didn't reply to the message after knowing the news.
Leaning on the bed while receiving the infusion, half an hour later, Xi Mo received another message from Ruan Yesheng: "How does it feel to sleep in my body for the first time?"
Xi Mo really wanted to send a message telling her it felt so good that she could die, but instead, she chose to throw her phone aside and close her eyes to rest.
This sudden disaster has caused a subversive change in Xi Mo's body, but Ruan Yesheng's own body has no problems. She was discharged from the hospital after resting for three days.
Feng Tangtang brought a gift box sent by Ruan Yesheng to Xi Mo.
Accompanying Xi Mo back to Ruan Yesheng's home, Feng Tangtang was very excited: "Ruan Ruan, I didn't expect Sister Xi to give you a gift. Could it be that because of this incident, you two have become friends in adversity?"
She naively thought that Ruan Ruan finally hug Sister Xi's thighs*. There has been an important supporting role pending for the new drama she's preparing to take, and would Sister Xi recommend Ruan Ruan to the producers and directors?
*抱大腿 (bào dàtuǐ) implies relying on someone influential to gain advantages or benefits.
No one knows why Ruan Yesheng hasn't had any acting opportunities in recent years. She gained fame and became a shining new star after the success of "Sound of Steps". She had a promising future, but now she's reduced to only shooting print advertisements.
Rumors from a long time ago said that Ruan Yesheng was being frozen out, and no production team was willing to cast her, but no one can pinpoint who she offended back then.
Nowadays, public opinion has long dissipated, and only occasionally can some outdated and moldy news be dug up on the forums. Many people have already forgotten about Ruan Yesheng's existence.
Xi Mo opened the gift box and discovered two bank cards hidden at the bottom. She said lightly, "You're overthinking. She's just idle and looking for something to do."
Pausing for a moment, she raised her head and smiled faintly, "Tangtang , you won't go tell your new boss, Sister Xi, will you?"
Feng Tangtang chuckled while driving and said, "How could I? Since I started working as an assistant for Sister Xi, how many bad things have you said about her in front of me? When did I ever say anything?"
Xi Mo: "..."
Hehe, Ruan Yesheng, you're quite good.
"What bad things did I say about her before?" Xi Mo sat upright in the passenger seat and lightly ran her fingers through her hair.
"You forgot what you said yourself?"
Xi Mo looked ahead, sighed, and casually said, "Other than the memory lapses I have due to the recent fire incident, there are times when things I've said in the past come and go in my mind, but I can't recall them. The one you just mentioned, I really don't remember. The doctor says it's a normal phenomenon, and having reminders from people around me would be helpful for my recovery."
Feng Tangtang nodded earnestly, "I know, I know. It's a concussion, right?"
Xi Mo: "..."
Feng Tangtang thought for a moment and said, "You've said a lot about Sister Xi. The most common ones are 'thinks highly of herself and disregards others,' 'always has a blank expression like Changbai Mountain,' 'heartless and ruthless Queen Xi,' and oh, oh, also 'elegant, cold, and pure show-off!'"
Xi Mo: "..."
Xi Mo curved her lips, lightly clapped her hands, and pretended to have a sudden realization as she laughed with a spring-like smile, "Exactly, it's these few. Look, as soon as you reminded me, I immediately remembered. The doctor's instructions were indeed correct. Tangtang , you have to remind me more in the future. Isn't it true? She's really like that, heartless and ruthless, with a blank expression and still showing off."
Feng Tangtang sweetly nodded, as if pounding garlic, "Mm, mm."
Xi Mo: "..."
Are you trying to eat stir-fried squid?
While Feng Tangtang was driving, Xi Mo took out her phone and quickly sent a text message.
Ruan Yesheng was in Xi Mo's dedicated room on the 24th floor of the company, browsing the internet on her tablet. The screen displayed the various information of the bank cards she had checked.
The two spare bank cards that Xi Mo gave her, each containing over three million and four million respectively. Adding the two she placed in the gift box for Xi Mo, the total amounted to over ten million.
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
So now the concept of pocket money is in the millions, huh?
A message notification arrived, and Ruan Yesheng picked up her phone to see Xi Mo's text message.
It read: "Thinks highly of herself and disregards others, always has a blank expression like Changbai Mountain, heartless and ruthless Queen Xi, elegant, cold, and pure show-off?"
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
...Tangtang, you're really trying to kill me.
Ruan Yesheng quickly typed with her fingers flying, replying: "This servant is terrified."
