Fate of Mist

(25) Unpack (Again)

I sighed. I had thought that Landon's house was big, but compared to his parents', his house is only half the size.

For the third time since I've arrived here, I looked at my room and started unpacking. There wasn't much stuff, only a few outfits and some jewelries. With the help of Xiao Lan and Xiao Qing, I folded my clothes and put them on a shelf in a wardrobe-like thing.

   When I arrive at hotels, I will unpack all my stuff and face plant onto the bed, but considering that these beds are a lot stiffer than modern beds, I kneeled onto the bed, put my outstretched hands on the bed and slowly slide down, until my face touches the blankets neatly stacked on the side. I call that a slow motion face plant.

   "Yeah, it's that girl. The prostitute. I don't understand why young lord will choose that girl over Miss Li..." a girl's voice passed my door.

"Hey! She is to be your future Young lady! Show some respect!" Xiao Lan's voice scolded.

   I raised my head from the pile of blanket, turned around, and sat up.

"Who are you to tell us what to do? We are the the Great Mistress's maid. You are only the low concubine's maid. We are ranks higher than you. There isn't even a place here for you to be talking."

"You..."

"Xiao Lan," I stopped her. It's dumb to keep arguing with them. All it does is waste my energy and my beautiful voice.

"Miss..." Xiao Lan frowned.

I motioned for her to come near. Even though she was still pouting, but she came. "Who are they?" I asked her.

"The Great Mistress's maids," Xiao Lan answered.

"Oh, so they're maids. Xiao Lan, should we lower ourselves to talk to arrogant maids who don't know their place?"

"But, Miss, I'm a maid too..."

"No, you're also my friend. You're not just a maid," I corrected her. I looked at Xiao Qing. "You too, Xiao Qing. Both of you are my friends."

Xiao Qing's expression looked weird. Like she's confused. "You're my friend. Don't put yourself so low. Xiao Qing?"

"Yes, Miss," Xiao Qing's expression was still weird.

"Eh! What did I say? Just call me Tea," I smiled. Even though I kind of like people calling me "Miss," but these are my friends here.

"Miss, that's not proper. I'll just call you 'Miss,'" Xiao Qing backed up a step.

That's stupid. Proper or improper. The only kind of improper are in the fraction world.

"It is proper. If we're friends, then we're equal. There's no talk of improperness," I rebuked.

"Miss..." Xiao Qing look pressured.

I'm not going to pressure her. I want it to be pressure-less between us anyway. I don't want my plan to backfire. "Fine, Xiao Qing, you can call me whatever you think fits, but you're always welcomed to call me Tea. Same goes for you, Xiao Lan. I'm not going to pressure you, but I prefer for you to call me Tea, though."

"Ok...but, Miss, in front of people, it is better to call you 'Miss,'" Xiao Lan said.

I sighed. Oh, these stupid rules.

"That's right," I said. No, it's not. Xiao Lan was smiling, so I had to be polite and smile back at her. "We're done unpacking, and I'm bored. Let's go find Landon and see what he's doing."