A Maid Dressed As A Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Role (Transmigration) - Chapter 38.2

At the Chen manor, Prime Minister Chen had gone to court. Madame Chen, hearing that Chao Mu had arrived, brought some pastries she had made herself to greet her. She was a beautiful, gentle woman. When Chen Yue stood next to her, Chao Mu instantly knew why Chen Yue was so pretty. It was because Madame Chen was so beautiful. The kind of beautiful that you couldn’t look away from!

Knowing that the two young ladies were close, Madame Chen didn’t stay long. At noon, Chao Mu and Chen Yue ate lunch alone in the small courtyard.

“Spinach,” Chao Mu said, holding her bowl.

Chen Yue took her chopsticks. “You like spinach? I’ll get you some.”

Chao Mu shook her head. “I don’t like it.”

Chen Yue then put her chopsticks back.

You thought Chao Mu would be satisfied, but the little countess wrinkled her nose, looked up at her, and said slowly, “But A’Zhi would put it in my bowl for me.”

Chen Yue was confused. “Huh?” She asked, “Didn’t you say you don’t like it?”

Chao Mu put a piece of spinach in her bowl herself and nodded. “Yes, I don’t like it, but A’Zhi would still put it in my bowl.”

“…Are you really a master and servant?” Chen Yue was bewildered. She and Zhu Zhu had a good relationship, but Chen Yue felt that their relationship was different from the one between A’Zhi and Chao Mu. She just couldn’t put her finger on what the difference was. In any case, Zhu Zhu wouldn’t put something she knew Chen Yue hated in her bowl and Chen Yue wouldn’t talk about Zhu Zhu non-stop after being apart from her for just a moment.

Chen Yue deliberately pushed the plate of spinach toward Chao Mu. “Eat some more.”

Chao Mu recoiled. “I don’t want to.”

Chen Yue used her trump card, her eyes curving into a smile. “A’Zhi says you should.”

Chao Mu looked at her coolly and then said, “I’m not listening.”

Chen Yue was at a loss. In the end, most of the spinach ended up in Chen Yue’s stomach.

Chao Mu stayed at the Chen manor all day, from early in the morning until evening. Chen Yue looked at the sky and saw that it was getting dark, feeling reluctant to let her go. “Why don’t you stay? I’ll set off some fireworks for you tonight. I bought a bunch of them last time and haven’t had a chance to show you.”

“I’m tired,” Chao Mu said, her voice sounding listless. “I don’t want to watch.”

Chen Yue saw the exhaustion on Chao Mu’s face and reached out to pat her head. “Then go back. You’ll get to see the A’Zhi you’ve been missing so much.”

Chao Mu just lowered her eyes and tied the strings of her cloak without responding.

“But I already bought the fireworks,” Chen Yue said. She thought for a moment and her eyes lit up as she said to Zhu Zhu, “Give Mu Mu some to take with her.”

Zhu Zhu was shocked. She grabbed Chen Yue’s arm and whispered, “Miss, that’s not how you give a return gift.” When guests brought gifts, the hosts would give them something in return so that they would not leave empty-handed, which would ensure a good relationship for future visits. But this was the first time Zhu Zhu had heard of using fireworks as a return gift! They were from the Prime Minister’s residence, not a fireworks shop.

“This is a return gift?” Chen Yue realized. “Then just taking a little isn’t appropriate. It’ll make me look stingy.” She was very generous with Chao Mu, so she made a decision. “Let’s give them all to Mu Mu. She can take a whole cart of them to the Qi manor!”

Zhu Zhu’s words had fallen on deaf ears.

Thankfully, Chao Mu didn’t care about these things. If Chen Yue gave them to her, she would take them. The carriage led the way, with a cart full of fireworks and firecrackers following behind.

Chao Mu sat in the carriage, her body swaying slightly with the movement of the carriage, as if she was adrift without any strength. Chen Yue said she would get to see A’Zhi when she got back… Chao Mu lowered her head and bent her fingers, pursing her slightly cold lips. But A’Zhi had probably already left.

Even though Chao Mu had decided to give A’Zhi her freedom, she was still heartbroken. The thought of going back to a manor without A’Zhi made her feel as if a large hand was gripping her heart, squeezing her and making it difficult to breathe. No matter how much Chao Mu didn’t want to go back, the carriage still stopped at the back of the Qi manor.

“Countess, we’ve arrived,” Cui Cui called out softly from outside. After two calls without a response, Cui Cui suspected that Chao Mu had fallen asleep from the constant swaying of the carriage. Cui Cui gently knocked on the carriage door. “Countess, it’s time to get off.”

Chao Mu didn’t want to. “No.”

Just then, Chen Cheng came over. He had heard that the countess had a cart full of firecrackers brought back from the Chen manor and had rushed over to see what was going on. It was getting dark, and lanterns were being lit. If a spark caught, it could be a disaster.

When Chao Mu heard Chen Cheng’s voice, she immediately lifted the curtain and looked out. She bit her lip, holding the curtain, and with a glimmer of hope, she asked him softly, “Did A’Zhi leave today?”

Chen Cheng nodded. “Yes, she went out.” He had gone out with her. Since Madame Zhou’s cloth shop had closed down and the new year was approaching, the servants in the manor needed new clothes. A’Zhi had taken advantage of her free time today and had gone to half of the capital with him to choose a new shop to work with.

She went out… Chao Mu’s long, thick eyelashes fluttered and slowly fell. The light in her eyes dimmed, and she let go of the curtain. She sat in the carriage, not wanting to get out anymore. A’Zhi was gone. A’Zhi was really gone. That wicked sparrow!

Chao Mu leaned her head against the carriage wall, not wanting to get out at all.

“What’s going on?” 

A’Zhi walked over, wondering why a group of people were standing around the carriage. Cui Cui was relieved to see her anchor and whispered a “complaint” to her. “I don’t know what’s wrong with the countess, but she won’t get out of the carriage.”

A’Zhi looked at the two tightly closed doors of the carriage, a smile in her eyes. She pretended to be serious, put her hands in front of her, and walked to the carriage. She said, “Why did the countess get so temperamental after a trip out? She won’t even get out of the carriage when she’s back at the manor?” “Or have you been playing all day and still haven’t had enough fun? You don’t want to come home even though it’s dark?”

The moment her voice rang out, Chao Mu’s ears perked up inside the carriage, and her dewy, apricot-shaped eyes lit up. Her back straightened, and her breathing became unconsciously shallow.

Cui Cui opened the carriage door, revealing A’Zhi standing outside.

“A’Zhi.”

 A’Zhi was still in the same light green winter clothes, exactly as she had been that morning. She stood out against the pure white of the courtyard under the dim light. A’Zhi reached out to the little countess. “It’s time to get off.”

Chao Mu’s eyes curved into a smile, her dimples deep as she called out softly, “A’Zhi!”

She got out of the carriage in a hurry, and her toe caught on the hem of her cloak. She stumbled forward. Cui Cui was so scared she tried to reach out to help, but A’Zhi was faster. A’Zhi took a large step forward and opened her arms. Chao Mu fell directly into her embrace.

A’Zhi’s hands were on the little sweetheart’s back as she let out a sigh of relief. Her heart was pounding. She couldn’t help but say softly, “Countess, why are you so clumsy? You almost fell.”

Chao Mu wrapped her arms around A’Zhi’s neck, her voice soft and sweet. She spoke slowly and honestly nodded. “Mm, that’s why I can’t live without A’Zhi.”

I knew this little sweetheart was wicked! She’s taking advantage of my soft heart and getting bolder and bolder! A’Zhi looked at her from the corner of her eye.

“Countess, are you okay? Did you hurt your knee?” Cui Cui came forward to help.

Chao Mu shook her head and stood up from A’Zhi’s arms. She put her hands on A’Zhi and Cui Cui’s hands to get off the carriage. She let go of Cui Cui but held on to A’Zhi’s hand, her eyes unable to stop looking at A’Zhi.

A’Zhi let Chao Mu stare at her and instructed Chen Cheng, “Keep an eye on that cart of things. Don’t let it catch fire.” She then told Cui Cui, “Go prepare hot water and ginger soup for the countess. Her hands are ice-cold.” A’Zhi herself supported Chao Mu as they walked toward the Xiangyang courtyard. “Watch your step. It’s dark and the ground is slippery.” It had snowed all day and only cleared up in the afternoon. Even if the servants had swept the cobblestone paths, it was inevitable that some snow would melt. Now that it was dark, the water would freeze easily.

As soon as A’Zhi gave the orders, everyone immediately did as they were told. Chao Mu was also well-behaved. She held A’Zhi’s hand with one hand and the hem of her cloak with the other. “Okay, I’ll listen to A’Zhi.”

Back in the room, A’Zhi took off Chao Mu’s cloak, shook it, and hung it up. “Why did the countess come back so late?” A’Zhi said, “I thought you were going to stay the night at the Chen manor. I was even thinking of going to ask them myself.”

If Chao Mu had known A’Zhi was at the manor, she wouldn’t have even stayed for lunch, let alone the night. Chao Mu rested her hands on her knees, her eyes following A’Zhi. She complained to A’Zhi, “I didn’t stay. Chen Yue made me eat spinach.”

“Oh?” A’Zhi turned around and handed the hand warmer to Chao Mu. “Did the countess eat it?”

“No,” Chao Mu said, taking credit. “I don’t eat anything other people give me. Only what A’Zhi gives me.”

A’Zhi’s face was serious, but the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. Something between the master and servant seemed to have changed. A’Zhi turned to look at the brazier, afraid that Chao Mu would be cold.

“A’Zhi,” Chao Mu said like a little tail, moving wherever A’Zhi moved.

A’Zhi turned to look at her. “Yes?”

Chao Mu’s eyes were bright, and her dimples were intoxicating as she said sweetly, “A’Zhi!”

Here we go again.

A’Zhi sighed softly. “Yes.”

Chao Mu called out, “A’Zhi!”

A’Zhi couldn’t help but smile. “I’m here.”

The ginger soup was brought over, and Chao Mu reluctantly took a sip. Her face wrinkled up. “It’s spicy.” As soon as she said it, A’Zhi lowered her head, peeled something, and held it to her mouth. Chao Mu took it and her eyes lit up. It was a hard orange-flavored candy, a familiar sweet and sour taste.

A’Zhi said, “This time, I bought it.” She continued, “I went out with Chen Cheng today to find a new tailor shop and bought some candy along the way.”

“The one you’re eating costs three copper coins,” A’Zhi said with a smile, the candlelight flickering in her eyes. “You’re the smartest, Countess. How long do you think my personal money can buy you candy?”

For several lifetimes. It could buy her several lifetimes’ worth of candy.

Chao Mu didn’t have any more questions. Her face was full of sweetness. “A’Zhi, give a piece to Chen Yue.” She said, “Thank her for playing with me today. It’s a thank-you gift.”

A’Zhi looked at her. “Are you sure this is a thank-you gift?”

“It’s not too little. I only get three a day,” Chao Mu said. She called for Chen Cheng and had him deliver it.

And so, in the Chen manor, the sleepy Chen Yue received a single candy. One… candy.

Chen Cheng relayed the original message. “‘A’Zhi bought this for me. Here’s one for you.’ That’s what the countess said.”

Chen Yue was filled with a million questions as she stared at the candy in her hand. They had made up, so why did Chao Mu have to send her a single candy?

Just as she was about to fall asleep, Chen Yue threw her blanket off and sat up. Was Mu Mu showing off something to her? Was she showing off that she had A’Zhi?