Bai Youwei set down her teacup and rose with a smile. “Miaoxue, it’s been a long time.”

Fu Miaoxue didn’t recognize her. She looked Bai Youwei up and down with a furrowed brow.

At that, Bai Youwei felt a quiet sinking sensation.

Just as Du Lai had said — Fu Miaoxue had completely immersed herself in the dreamscape. She didn’t recognize Bai Youwei anymore.

Bai Youwei brought out the invitation card again and held it out to Fu Miaoxue.

“Have you forgotten? You’re the one who invited me to visit,” she said, keeping the smile on her face.

Fu Miaoxue blinked very slowly, fixing her gaze on the invitation card. “Now that you mention it… I think I do remember. You’re Bai Youwei — you’re my friend… Right, that’s right. You’re my friend.”

Once she’d accepted that premise, Fu Miaoxue’s manner relaxed considerably. She laughed: “How funny — so I really do have a friend. Ha ha ha ha!”

Bai Youwei’s smile twitched slightly at the corner. “…Yes. I find it rather funny too.”

“How did we meet?” Fu Miaoxue asked, lively and curious. “How long have we known each other? Why haven’t I invited you before?”

The middle-aged woman beside her stepped in at just the right moment: “Young miss, it’s nearly time for lunch. Why not invite Miss Bai to stay and dine with you? You can talk as you eat.”

Bai Youwei took a sideways glance at the woman.

She appeared to be around forty, but her face was actually quite young for her age — pale, clear skin, well-maintained, with only fine lines at the outer corners of her eyes. Her manner of dress, however, was very severe: her hair pulled up high and tightly behind her head, wearing a dark, high-collared dress that fell to the floor — the very image of a rigid and humorless figure.

Du Lai had mentioned that in this manor, aside from Fu Miaoxue, there was also a private tutor named Joanna. He’d also said not to worry about the other servants.

So this woman must be Fu Miaoxue’s tutor — Joanna.

“What’s the rush?” Fu Miaoxue said. “I’m not hungry yet. We can eat in a little while.”

Joanna’s brow creased slightly. “A proper young lady maintains a sound daily routine. Pushing your meal back now will disrupt your afternoon rest and your evening lessons. Moreover, when food cools and must be reheated, nutritional value is inevitably lost. The servants’ scheduled duties will be thrown off as well. You should go to the dining room on time.”

Fu Miaoxue’s expression darkened further.

She bit her lip, dropped her head, and strode off toward the dining room. “Yes, yes, stop nagging.”

“Young miss, please watch your language!” Joanna’s expression went cold, and she reprimanded her sternly. “Have you forgotten all the etiquette I’ve taught you?!”

Fu Miaoxue wasn’t listening at all. She raised her voice in irritation: “I said I get it!”

Joanna restrained herself and said: “Very well. Please accompany your guest to the dining room.”

Fu Miaoxue ignored her and stormed off ahead, muttering under her breath.

Apparently not wanting to receive another lecture, she was cursing in the Shanghai dialect — every word of it completely beyond Joanna’s comprehension. Joanna stared after Fu Miaoxue’s retreating back with a deeply troubled expression, practically writing “dissatisfied” across her forehead in visible letters.

Bai Youwei glanced at the two of them and fell into step behind Fu Miaoxue.

—

In the dining room, Bai Youwei witnessed firsthand the full extent of Fu Miaoxue’s frustration.

From the moment she picked up her utensils, Joanna was unrelenting — guiding Fu Miaoxue’s posture and manner without pause.

In Bai Youwei’s eyes, Fu Miaoxue’s table manners were already excellent. But Joanna’s standard was far more exacting.

Down to the placement of each piece of silverware, down to the exact angle of each finger — every imperfection was noted and corrected.

Bai Youwei could see that Fu Miaoxue was trying with enormous effort to hold herself together — and that she was right at the edge of losing it entirely.

Finally, after Joanna reminded her for what must have been the dozenth time that her soup spoon must not clink against the bottom of the bowl, Fu Miaoxue slammed the spoon down into the bowl with a crash!

Creamy white soup splattered outward. Fu Miaoxue shouted in fury:

“This is absolutely disgusting!!! Who made this soup?! It’s fit for livestock — only an animal would eat something like this!!!”

The words came out, and then she raised her arm and swept everything in front of her — cups, plates, dishes — off the table!!!

Everything shattered across the floor!