29 A Cunning, Idiot Young Miss 5 (1/2)
”Fourth Sister, Fourth Sister! Open the door, ah!”
The excited cry of a young maiden drilled into An Fei's ears, causing the girl to quiver in Xiao Wen's arms. Just as the maidservant finished consoling the annoyed Fourth Young Miss of Wei and strode towards the locking mechanism of the door, the doors burst open from the outside, a person brusquely intruding into the study.
”Fifth Young Miss!” Xiao Wen rapidly blocked the path of the intruder. ”Fifth Young Miss, you must remember the Master's decree!”
”Just tell Father later!” Wei Yan Yue retorted, pushing the maid aside. She then rushed towards the center of the study, her target being the seated girl leaning against the drawing table.
”Fourth Sister, you must play with Yan Yue, ah!”
Ignoring An Fei's clear expression of distaste, the young maiden bounced around as she circled the seated girl, occasionally jabbing at her arm for any reaction. Noticing her obvious discomfort, the maidservant quickly intervened, forcibly separating Wei Yan Yue and holding her at bay.
”Fifth Young Miss!” Xiao Wen shouted in anger, her fingers curled into tight fists. ”If the Young Miss dares to enact such cruelty to the Fourth Young Miss again, this maidservant shall display no respect!”
”You're already shouting at me, what more disrespect can you display?” Wei Yan Yue pouted as she fiercely retorted. ”I just want to play with Fourth Sister, what's wrong with that?”
”But the Fourth Young Miss doesn't wish to play with the Fifth Young Miss,” the maidservant helpfully pointed out. ”The Fifth Young Miss' entry just now nearly caused the Fourth Young Miss to choke on her medicine, what explanation shall this servant give when interrogated by the Master?”
”This… Hmph!”
Wei Yan Yue huffed, locating an adjacent chair before sitting down in pampered anger. Having been freed from her plight, Xiao Wen resumed the duties of a proper maidservant, adjusting An Fei's sitting posture into a more comfortable position.
Resting her head against the drawing table's smooth surface, An Fei directed a deep questioning gaze towards Wei Yan Yue, electing not to utter a single word even if the young maiden was to assault her again.
”Why is the Fifth Young Miss here?” having obtained a brief moment of respite, the maidservant asked in a curious tone.
”This servant doesn't see the Third Young Miss anywhere, does the Fifth Young Miss have any knowledge of her whereabouts?”
”Third Sister? Third Sister's attending a poetry meeting with the other young misses of Jiang'an.” Wei Yan Yue replied, before her gaze snapped back towards An Fei.
”Instead of worrying over that, Fourth Sister, let's play, ah!”
...play?
Without waiting for anyone to respond, Wei Yan Yue jumped from her chair, heading towards the row of bookshelves at the far end of the table. Watching the girl rummage through the shelves, pulling a book or scroll out from its respective location before slotting it back in disappointment, neither An Fei nor Xiao Wen knew how to react.
Soon enough, however, Wei Yan Yue's jubilant cry resounded through the study, alerting the two other occupants in the room.
”I found it, I found it!”
”…found? What does the Master have that's so important to the Fifth Miss?”
The maidservant repeated with an odd expression in a soft mutter. Xiao Wen soon raised her head to ask the gleeful Wei Yan Yue with a befuddled look.
”Fifth Young Miss, what exactly did you find amongst the Master's book collection?”
”The fifth volume of Mencius' Treatise of the Nature of the Mortal Mind!” Wei Yan Yue proudly exclaimed, waving the book in her hands in an energetic manner. Somehow, the maidservant could feel the beginnings of a headache from that single statement.
…she wasn't wrong.
Having acquired her treasure, Wei Yan Yue delicately tidied up the mess in the study, even going to the extent of not requesting Xiao Wen for assistance. The contrast between the prudent, conscientious girl and the Fifth Young Miss that remained in her memories was too harsh, and thus Xiao Wen couldn't help but direct anxious glances towards the bustling Wei Yan Yue.
Remaining in a lazy posture, An Fei eagerly observed the young maiden's every action, an expression of curiosity on her adorable countenance.