Cherishing You As Always - Chapter 17

I quickly stepped forward in two or three strides and took most of her things down, placing them on my own shoulder. While doing so, I said, “Are you moving house or something? Or is it that you’re not used to staying at the academy and planning to run away?”

Panting heavily, Zihui dragged the rest of the stuff into the room and threw it onto the bed. She then rushed out to pour herself a full cup of water. While wiping away sweat, she said, “If I ran away, who would take care of you, little ancestor? I just brought over clothes and the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone you’ll need.”

As she spoke, she lifted the cup to her lips and drank it all in one go. Then she lightly wiped the corner of her mouth with her sleeve, walked further in, took out a small bundle, and placed it into my hands.

She finally said, “The academician just gave this to me and said it’s for you.”

I scratched my head in confusion and placed the bundle on the table. Why would he send me something? We’re not related, and we’ve only just met. How strange.

Thinking this, I opened the bundle. Inside was a set of new clothes. They looked very familiar weren’t these the robes the academy students wore?

I had been wondering when I’d receive them. I didn’t expect it to be so fast. “So it’s this, huh? Zihui, this is the academy’s official robe! Look, look!”

Excitedly, I pulled the garment over myself right away. I didn’t even care that I hadn’t put it on properly. I stood in front of Zihui, showing off. “See? How is it? Don’t I look scholarly?”

She had a smile in her eyes and her lips curved upward. Standing up, she tugged at my collar and scolded, “How many times have I told you not to wear clothes like this? Look at you still wearing another layer underneath, and you just threw this on top. Are you trying to get heatstroke?”

The bell outside rang again, and I suddenly remembered what Yin Yunchi had said earlier: “The teacher doesn’t like it when people are late.”

I grabbed Zihui’s hand in a panic and shouted, “Oh no! Oh no! Class has already started! I’m late, Zihui!”

She paused for a moment, then smiled calmly. “Don’t worry. The teacher told me earlier that since it’s your first day, you’re allowed to be a little late but only today. So it’s fine. Miss, come, I’ll help you change.”

Mountain air, mixed with fragmented sunlight, slowly streamed through the cracks in the door. Zihui walked over and gently closed the door. Then she came to my side and said, “Alright, Miss. Time to change.”

As she spoke, she stepped forward and gently began removing the academy robe I had just thrown on. She wasn’t as tall as me, so while helping me undress, her body practically pressed against mine. I was used to it, though after all, I’d been taken care of by Zihui for so long that no kind of physical contact felt awkward anymore.

She leaned close to my shoulder to undo the robe. Since I hadn’t properly arranged the clothes earlier, the fine buttons and the special fabric around the collar had tangled with my long hair. Zihui stood on tiptoe and carefully pulled my hair free from the fabric.

I had a clear view of her face fair skin with a rosy tint, lips naturally red without any makeup. Morning light slanted across her cheeks, revealing even the fine texture of her skin. I reached out and tugged at her cheek, joking, “You must’ve been a peach in your previous life.”

She batted my hand away with a mock scolding. “Oh stop. You’re not a deity. How would you know I was a peach in my past life? Then I could say you were a tree!”

I rubbed her head, laughing with a hint of playful doubt. “At least I’ve got some basis for saying you were a peach. You saying I was a tree? Show me the proof.”

She shoved me into a chair, making me sit obediently. Standing beside me, she fiddled with the place where my hair had stuck to the back of the robe. I couldn’t see her face, but I heard her say, “You must be crazy. How could the Master and Madam have raised such a silly daughter?”

I held onto the hem of her dress with one hand and raised a cup to my mouth with the other, casually saying, “Your face is the proof…”

Her warm hands immediately pulled away from my collar. I looked up and saw her touching her own face, puzzled. “My face? Isn’t it perfectly normal?”

I stood up, tapped her on the head, and brushed her cheek with one hand. “Because you’re cute your face is all pink, and in the sunlight, you have these soft, fine hairs. Aren’t peaches like that?”

Realizing what I meant, she broke into a laugh. “Oh, you! What a jokester…”

I patted her and winked, grinning as I ran my fingers through my hair. “I was complimenting you! How does it feel to be praised by me, huh? Quite the honor, right? Hahahaha!”

My unrestrained laughter echoed through the courtyard. Luckily, the dorms were already empty otherwise, the academician would’ve definitely scolded us for disturbing the peace so early in the morning.

She made me sit again. This time, I could see her face clearly. Calling her a peach wasn’t wrong her fair skin now had a rosy flush. She looked both adorable and beautiful made me want to take a bite out of her.

Finally, after dressing me properly, she softly instructed, “You go to class. I won’t follow. Attendants aren’t allowed in the hall during lectures. I heard you had some conflict with the students yesterday—acting like a spoiled little ancestor again. I know it was Master who sent you here to study, and you’re upset, but don’t take it out on those innocent scholars. If word gets back that you’re bullying the students or teachers, guess what will happen when your father hears about it?”

At once, my father’s terrifying, twisted face worse than the King of Hell’s flashed through my mind. A shiver ran down my spine and cold sweat broke out. Zihui immediately steadied me and added, “Remember what he looks like when he gets angry? You don’t want to be exiled three thousand miles again, do you? So, Miss, for your own good, don’t cause trouble again.”

Am I really that awful? I just don’t like studying.

As for the teacher, it’s not my fault I can’t stand the way he acts all virtuous when he’s full of schemes. And those classmates of mine why can’t they stop provoking me? No sense of tact whatsoever. It’s not entirely my fault if I hit them…

Pouting and looking distressed, I said to Zihui who seemed like she still had a whole list of things to nag about “Alright, alright, my dear sister, could you not go on and on? This is my first official day at the academy. Don’t shake my confidence before I even begin. You’ve known me for years don’t you know my temper by now?”

She tied my belt for me, then gently patted my hand and said worriedly, “Exactly because I know you so well that I have to remind you like this. This isn’t our hometown. Back there, no matter how much trouble you made, Master always had your back. But here, we don’t know anyone. If you offend the wrong person… Forget Master’s scolding when we return just getting out of this place in one piece might be a challenge.”