Sweet Tea

Side Story: Xue Ju Fang

"Young miss Ju Fang, I don't think w-we sh-should..." Ai Chun said nervously as she glanced around her.

"Shh...be quiet" Ju Fang said and quickly hid behind the pillar, "No one will ever know if you don't say a word about this" Ju Fang whispered and took a quick glance around the area before scurrying to hide behind the next pillar.

Ai Chun quickly followed along as her heart pounded in fear while she quickly hid from across.

Please, heaven help her. She might really die this time, "T-the Third Mistress will really be m-mad this time!" Ai Chun persuaded the second young miss again in whispers.

"Shush! If you don't tell mother then she'll never know" Ju Fang quickly whispered back and looked at Ai Chun as she tried to glare at her sternly. "And stop worrying, we'll have so much fun! Wait, I do look like a maid right?" Ju Fang asked and giggled happily as she thought of so many wonderful things they could do.

Ai Chun pursed her lip and nodded her head in hesitation. She does look like a maid, though with one look at the young miss's hand anyone would know that she had never worked in all her life!

"Gasp!" Ju Fang gasped.

Ai Chun panicked and she began to sweat in apprehension when she saw the young miss's gasp, d-did somebody see them sneaking around? "W-what, what is it?" Ai Chun asked nervously as her heart pounded even faster in trepidation.

Ju Fang beamed brightly, "I just had the most wondrous idea!"

Hearing the words coming out of the second young miss's mouth, Ai Chun froze in her spot. Oh no, oh no, this is even worse! Not her wondrous ideas!

"I need you to go over to Hao and tell him that Madam Lee wants him to inspect the crates that were just delivered at the back"

"N-now?" Ai Chun looked at the second young miss nervously and pleaded again, "A-are you sure young miss?" why does it have to be her...Ai Chun cried silently in her heart. She should've just begged the First Mistress to let her be with the first young miss instead!

"Yes, now. Go!" Ju Fang said in exasperation and smiled happily in anticipation.

Ai Chun slowly gets out from behind the pillar and unwillingly makes her way towards the two guards at the gate. She turned to look at the second young miss, about to open her mouth, begging once more.

"Go! Quick!" Ju Fang mouthed in whispers to Ai Chun cutting her off.

Ai Chun turned back slowly in defeat and picked up her pace. Ju Fang beamed happily as she watched Ai Chun walking faster.

Great! Ju Fang thought and looked around her to check the area. Just within seconds, the guard Hao quickly walked away from his post, leaving only the other guard there. Ju Fang grinned happily as she quickly ran towards Ai Chun.

"Ai Chun Madam Lee just told me that we need to get some more sweet potatoes" she said and stood purposely with her back facing the other guard.

"W-we do?" Ai Chun asked in shock as all her inner thoughts flew out from her mind. Oh no, what is the second young miss up to now?

Ju Fang quickly hooked her arms around Ai Chun's and smiled with a glare as she spoke through her teeth, "Of course! Look, I even got her pass," Ju Fang said as she whisked out a small wooden pass and waved it in front of the guard as her back was still facing him.

Please, please, heaven above help her, Ai Chun cried and prayed silently in her heart as she smiled nervously and nodded. She really hoped that all they would really do is just shop around as servants.

Please, nothing else, please nothing else.

"Shall we go now?" Ju Fang said and quickly dragged Ai Chun along with her, moving to the left instead of going straight.

Ai Chun nodded again, wait....how did the second young miss even have a pass from Madam Lee?

The guard watched the two maids make their way to the left, "Hold up a minute!" the guard called out.

Oh no! We're caught! Ai Chun squeezes her eyes closed as they both froze in their spot.

"W-what is it?" Ju Fang asked, still not turning to face the guard.

"If you both are getting sweet potatoes, should you not go to the market stalls? That way is going to take you longer"

"O-oh right! Thank you Niu!" Ju Fang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly dragged Ai Chun with her as they quickly followed as Niu had suggested.

Niu scratched his head and watched the two young girls quickly walk away. They seem a bit weird and does Ai Chun still occasionally do errands for Madam Lee? He thought she was tasked to be with the two young misses. Oh well, he shrugged. Not his business, his job is just to guard the gate, not to meddle with inner courts trifling.

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10 minutes later. At the market stalls.

"Of course, hahahaha, I'm a maid at the Xue's family"

Ai Chun slapped her cheeks and whimpered in regret as she watched the young miss telling people that she's a maid. What maid goes around to random strangers and tells them that they are a maid! Wah....Ai Chun's life.....the Third Mistress will most likely whip her when they get back....wah....

If people find out that the second young miss goes around saying she's a maid, she will become the laughingstock of the town, mayhaps even the whole province! And, no one will probably want to marry her anymore!

"You can't do that! That's cheating, I will not buy those spring onions for 3 coins. I could get myself a bun with that. If you get me 6 bundles, I will definitely pay you 3 coins"

Ai Chun quickly turned to look at the second young miss as she continued to barter with the stall lady. H-how? Do we even need spring onions? Ai Chun sighed in shame and shook her head.

Hah.....what has her life come into?

"Nope, not possi-" Ju Fang was about to continue bartering but somebody bumped into her, "Ouch!" Ju Fang fell down and felt her buttocks hitting the ground hard.

She quickly got up and patted the dirt off from her behind as she felt her butt getting sore, "watch where you're go-" she said and looked at the person in question but he was already a few feet away from her.

"Tsk, do you think you could get away without apologizing?" Ju Fang took off one of her shoes, "do not think that you would get away".

"Err...w-wait a moment" Ai Chun was about to stop the second young miss from what she was doing but twas too late. The shoe was already in the air. No! Too many people, second young miss!!!! Ai Chun cried inside.

The moment slowed down for Ai Chun as she turned to look at the second young miss and saw her smirk. Ai Chun turned back to look at the shoe as it made its way down, not knowing who the unfortunate target it's going to hit.

Khuyag felt something hit his head as he turned to look around in confusion. Upon seeing two girls gaping their mouths in shock, he picked up the shoe from the ground and made his way towards the girls as people passed by him.

"W-wait a moment, Khuyag"

Ignoring the call, he walked darkly towards the girls.

"Ahhh...A-Ai Chun w-we should go home" Ju Fang said quickly in fear as she saw the fearsome man make his way closer.

"Y-yeah" Ai Chun answered in a stammer.

Ju Fang bit her lower lip and quickly turned around, getting ready to run.

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The next part of this story will be updated Feb. 27th.

As always, thanks for your support!