The steward took a moment to process this, but quickly said: “The master favors Sixth Miss, always giving her special treatment. On the surface it looks like he’s doing her good, but behind the scenes, who knows how much jealousy it stirs up among the household — old and young alike. And Sixth Miss herself never had any sense about it either, just enduring everything meekly. Today was truly strange — she actually turned it down herself.”

The steward shook his head. “She really has learned to be clever.”

Yan Qing had her own reasons for declining the special privilege. Having been reborn, she only wanted to live out this Sixth Miss’s days in peace and quiet — whether that meant keeping to herself or finding her own contentment, it didn’t matter. A person who had died once already had long since let go of everything.

Dinner from the kitchen had not yet arrived when Axi, the master’s maidservant, came first.

Axi was the most capable and trusted maidservant of Master Yan. Every mistress in every courtyard had to show her some degree of respect — even Jing Zhi and Murong had to bow and greet her properly.

“There’s no need for that.” Axi waved off their salutes and greeted Yan Qing first with a bow. “Sixth Miss, the master had someone bring back a Western dress from Haicheng. It only just arrived, and he was eager to have it sent to you right away.”

Master Yan frequently traveled for business, and every time he returned, he would bring Yan Qing some rare and interesting things.

Western-style dress shops existed in Shun Cheng too, but Haicheng was far more cosmopolitan, with denser connections to foreign influence. In Xin Guo, Haicheng represented a kind of fashion — many socialites and noble ladies would go to great lengths to get their hands on the latest Haicheng Western designs.

“Please thank Father on my behalf.” Yan Qing smiled politely.

Axi then produced two elegantly packaged pastry boxes. “These are also Haicheng specialties — glutinous rice dumplings, yellow pine cakes, and red bean cakes. The master specifically asked that Sixth Miss enjoy them soon, as these pastries don’t keep long.”

“I can’t possibly eat all of this.” Yan Qing picked up one of the boxes and handed it to Axi. “Miss Axi, thank you for making the trip. If you don’t mind, please take this box of pastries as a small token.”

“This — how could I?” Axi was mildly startled. “The master brought these specifically for you, Miss.”

“Please accept them, Miss Axi.” Murong pressed the box into Axi’s hands. “This is also the young miss’s way of showing her appreciation.”

Finding no way to refuse further, Axi accepted the pastries, offering a stream of grateful words in return.

After Axi left, Yan Qing gave the other box of pastries to Murong, telling her to share them with Jing Zhi.

Murong had gradually grown accustomed to the change in Yan Qing. The meek, long-suffering Sixth Miss of before seemed to have vanished overnight, replaced by someone who appeared entirely reborn — as though her very soul had been renewed.

Though Axi was Master Yan’s trusted confidante, she had mostly looked down on this Sixth Miss who seemed to have no redeeming qualities. Polite on the surface, but inwardly full of contempt.

Yan Qing had naturally seen through this. A box of pastries meant nothing to her, but offering a gift through borrowed hands could win over a person’s heart.

Sixth Miss Yan had survived this long in the household on nothing but Master Yan’s favor. If the day came when he no longer cherished her — or lost the ability to protect her — given her current position, she would quickly become a sacrifice in the battles between the household’s various factions.

Before that day arrived, she had to lay her own escape route first.

“Miss, this Western dress is so beautiful.” Murong could tell just from the color that it was of superior quality.

“Open it and have a look.” Before coming to Xin Guo, Yan Qing had never been interested in fashion. Most of her time had been spent in surgical scrubs or a white lab coat, moving between crime scenes and bodies.

Other girls liked to spend their breaks shopping for clothes, but she had been endlessly catching up on sleep and studying. Thinking back on it now, her inability to dress herself up was probably one of the reasons Shen Liang had never shown any interest in her.

Murong shook out the dress from the box, and the smooth fabric cascaded down like a waterfall.

It was a pale blue fitted dress with a cinched waist, made of excellent flannel. The cuffs and hem were trimmed with lace lattice borders, and a playful bow was tied at the collar. Even by modern standards, it would have been considered beautiful.

Yet as Murong looked at it, her eyes were filled with deep worry.

—