Chapter 3 - Wake Up Call (1/2)
”Jiejie, jiejie.”
”Jiejie~, jiejie~, wake up!” Xiao Ting was currently in Lei Xing's room trying to get her to wake up and was getting no response.
”Jiejie, jiejie wake up...it's almost noon, let's go out to have fun, aren't you bored? you haven't gone anywhere in the past few weeks...” Xiao Ting was now shaking Lei Xing's arm, Lei Xing frowned.
...Shit!...since this is a new life, couldn't they have skipped out on the annoying younger sibling who disturbs my peace?... -_-)'
”Fine, I'm awake! What do you want?” Lei Xing sat up and shrugged Xiao Ting's hands off and leaned back on the headboard and looked at Xiao Ting with irritation.
”Ah...I just...I wanted to go out to have some fun with jiejie...since you'll be entering the palace tomorrow for the concubine selection...we won't get a chance to in the future....”
”Don't worry there'll definitely be a chance in the future.” Lei Xing said as she started to snuggle back into bed. Xiao Ting reached out and grabbed Lei Xing's arm to stop her.
”Jiejie you'll definitely be...”
”Definitely be sure to fail.” Lei Xing cut her off and then sighed and continued patting Xiao Ting's head, ”now you go get some sleep okay? we'll go play tomorrow”...then she brushed off her hands and snuggled back into bed, covering herself with the blanket and smiling blissfully.
”but jiejie you are entering the palace tomorrow...” Xiao Ting said dejectedly.
”Then we'll go the day after...” Lei Xing said dismissively.
”...but...but you'll be living in the palace, I don't think you will be allowed to come out to play....”
”I told you I have an assured failure, so don't worry I'll be back tomorrow...” Lei Xing said groggily.
”...but even then, the competition is a week long, so you'll have to stay in the palace for at least a week...”
”What?!” Lei Xing said in a shocked voice as she sat up and looked at Xiao Ting with a confused expression, ”Since when?”
”Ah, didn't I tell you?” Xiao Ting looked at Lei Xing mirroring her confused expression.
”No! You didn't... I'm sure I would have remembered...I'm not ready...I didn't prepare anything.” Lei Xing said as she quickly got up from the bed and walked towards the door, stopped then massaged her forehead with a hand. Then called out, ”Ah Jin.”
Ah Jin, Lei Xing's personal maid, a young girl with a cute two bun hairstyle which made her look even younger opened the doors and walked in, ”Miss, you're awake.”
”Oh, ready a bath please, we're going out.”
”Okay, would you like to eat lunch first?”
”No, I don't think I can eat right now...just the bath, hurry please....” Ah Jin nodded and quickly left the room, Lei Xing walked over to the table, poured some water and threw her head back to drink it, then poured another, and another, then she put her elbows on the table and used her hands to massage her forehead. Xiao Ting was confused as she watched her sister behaving weirdly, she walked up to her and sat across the table from her.
”Jiejie, I thought we weren't interested in being a concubine, what do you have to prepare for?” Xiao Ting asked confused.
”for survival.” Lei Xing replied in a tired low voice.
”Survival? from what?” Xiao Ting looked at Lei Xing wide-eyed.
Lei Xing looked at Xiao Ting's innocent face, ”The naive cannot understand.”
Xiao Ting raised her eyebrows, she was even more confused, Lei Xing sighed, stretched her arms up as she yawned and said, ”Don't worry about it, either way, it'd be nice to go out and see what the world has to offer.”
”You're going out?!” Xiao Ting asked with a big smile.
”Yes to your obvious delight.” Lei Xing said with a small smile.
”Great! I'll go get everything ready...Jiejie should just get dressed and come out.”
”Oh.”
Xiao Ting beamed another smile at Lei Xing and skipped out of the room. Lei Xing leaned back in her seat, with one arm on the table with her fingers drumming lightly on it, she was in deep in her thoughts, debating her incoming battle.
***
Right now, Xiao Ting was dragging Lei XIng through many boutique stalls and shops. They had taken a carriage from the residence to the shopping district and were currently roaming from stall to shop, with Ah Jin and Ah Cai, Xiao Ting's personal maid, and a couple of guards following behind.
”Is this your idea of fun?” Lei Xing said tired of running around, she was never someone who enjoyed shopping, especially pointless shopping like this, where you run into every store in sight without a purpose in mind other than ”checking it out”.
”Jieijie you are not having fun? You used to enjoy this...”
”Let's just say I have achieved enlightenment, this is tiring, you go through every item in the store and you don't even buy anything, where is the fun in that? Aren't you tired?”
”...but it's fun seeing the new things...” Xiao Ting said gloomily.
”Okay, whatever, to each their own.” Lei Xing said rolling her eyes
”Jiejie, you said you need to prepare something, don't you need to buy anything? Where do you want to go? I'll accompany you!” Xiao Ting said as she grabbed Lei Xing's hand and smiling brightly.
”Oh, a pharmacy.”
”Pharmacy?”
”Yes, I haven't seen any so far....” Lei Xing said looking around at the shops.
”What do you need to buy? Are you unwell? Xiao Ting asked worriedly.