READ WEBNOVEL 45 The Young Miss' Man Troubles.
At a certain prideful jade beauty's courtyard.
It was a depressing sight.
Mu Lin was sprawled on her luxurious, silk-draped bed, surrounded by an intricate low canopy.
Two maids patiently presented a untouched meal, which had been sitting there for nearly two hours, but Mu Lin paid no heed.
One of the maids, desperately trying to break through Mu Lin's reverie, implored, "Young Miss, please, you really need to eat."
Mu Lin, uninterested in the maid's plea, coughed and reached for a small ceramic cup and a jug. She poured a colorless liquid into the cup until it overflowed, then downed the entire concoction. It wasn't a Qi-strengthening elixir; it was pure alcohol, a means of drowning her sorrows.
Panting heavily, Mu Lin's alcohol-laden breath made the maids uncomfortable.
They could smell it even from where they stood.
Even so, they persisted.
Another maid begged, "Young Miss, please eat something. You haven't cultivated or eaten in days, and you look so pale."
Ignoring their pleas, Mu Lin refilled her cup from the now empty jug, only to discover it was dry.
She shook it to confirm.
The maid tried again, "Please, Young Mi…"
Mu Lin cut her off by angrily throwing the empty jug at them. The maids dodged the projectile, but it crashed to the ground, shattering into pieces.
"Get out of here! I don't want to see your faces!" Mu Lin shouted at them constantly repeating it with fervor. Collapsing onto her bed, she muttered in her drunken stupor, "Yang Wei, you son of a bitch!"
Concern etched the maids' faces, but they retreated, leaving Mu Lin in her despondent state with the untouched meal. As they left the room, a woman awaited them outside – Yun Feiyan, the Head Maid of the Mu family household.
Yun Feiyan is a captivating older woman, the head maid, who commands attention with her elegance. Her light brown hair is carefully styled in a sophisticated updo, framing a pair of piercing blue eyes that exude a stern yet alluring gaze. Adorned in a light blue cheongsam, the fabric gracefully clings to her body and accentuates her curves, emphasizing both her weighty breasts and generous backside.
Her mature beauty has attracted the looks of many men over the years.
The two maids, hands together, bowed and greeted, "Good day, Head Matron."
Yun Feiyan, her expression neither calm nor stern, asked, "What's the matter?" The woman's voice was bold and firm, yet it had a feminine elegance to it.
The two maids glanced up, their faces already revealing to the Head Maid that all wasn't well with Mu Lin.
"The Young Miss refuses to eat, and her mood, it only seems to have gotten worse," one of the maids spoke.
Yun Feiyan, folding her arms in a way that unintentionally pushed up her breasts, spoke, "Hmm, I can't seem to understand why she's acting like this. She even skipped her monthly prayers up in the Hēi Lóng Mountains."
The maids, unsure how to respond, chose silence, allowing the head maid to speak her mind.
Yun Feiyan, emerging from her contemplation, turned her gaze to them, "What do you both think is the cause for her sudden change in behavior?"
The maids, taken aback, exchanged puzzled glances and uttered a simultaneous, "Huh?" before refocusing on Yun Feiyan.
Yun Feiyan, sensing their confusion, elegantly raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's wrong? Didn't you hear my question?"
Their surprise stemmed not from the question itself but from her reliance on their opinion, a rarity.
One maid hesitantly inquired, "S... Sorry, Head Matron, B... But can we say something?"
Yun Feiyan assured them, "Yes, of course. That's the idea."
The other maid then spoke up.
"N-no, it's no that…"
"What do you mean? Speak up."
"Well, it's just that we're a little surprised that you're seeking our thoughts on the matter. You usually understand the Young Miss better better than us."
Yun Feiyan, with a puzzled expression, uttered,"Hm?" Although not offended by the implied "know-it-all" label, Yun Feiyan noticed their discomfort. She asked, "Do I really never seek your opinions?"
The maids, feeling they might have misspoken, bowed their heads, apologizing for any offense.
"Our apologies, Head Matron. Our words were messed up. Clearly, our opinions aren't worth a single coin compared to whatever solution y…"
Yun Feiyan halted them by holding out her hand, saying, "That's enough. I'm not a child to be offended by that."
Yun Feiyan shifted the conversation to what truly mattered – understanding and resolving the Young Miss's predicament.
"It'd be much simpler if the Young Miss would just spill it, but that seems unlikely. I tried talking to her about her sudden depression, but she shut me down. Now, I'm quite open to any suggestions…"
One of the maids hesitantly raised her hand, seeking Yun Feiyan's permission to speak. Despite seeming careful, it wasn't fear that drove them; rather, they were extra watchful. Yun Feiyan's manner of behavior is this mix of seriousness and occasional ease – that made it hard to pin down her triggers, so they stayed on their toes around her.
"H... Head Matron, may I?"
Granting permission, Yun Feiyan instructed, "Speak."
"Um, what if the cause of the Young Miss' troubles is… a man."
Upon hearing this, Yun Feiyan's focus shifted entirely. She turned directly to face the maid and demanded, "Elaborate." Her voice was plain, direct, and commanding.
The maid, feeling a pang of fear, trembled slightly, thinking she might have blundered.
EEEK! I shouldn't have opened my stupid mouth!
With a bead of cold sweat slowly rolling down her head, she explained what she meant.
"Maybe the Young Miss is dealing with some guy trouble – just like my seventh aunt."
"Seventh Aunt?" Yun Feiyan repeated with a soft voice.
"She went through a similar ordeal, spending all her fortune on one man, treating him like a king, and he ended up picking another woman with a higher social status. Well, in the end, she drowned herself in alcohol and refused to eat for almost a week."
As the maid spoke more, the initial nervousness melted away, replaced by a newfound ease.
"Hmm." Yun Feiyan thoughtfully rubbed her chin.
The maids calmly waited for her next words.
"Well, it's a possibility… but it's not like we have substantial proof or even the name of the man who stole her heart. If that's even possible."
"That's right," one maid said.
The other maid added, "Young Miss charms men, not the other way around."
Out of nowhere, Mu Lin shouted in her room, "YANG WEI, YOU BASTARD! I HOPE YOU CHOKE AND DIE!!"
All three of them stared at the door. Behind it, was the now screaming Mu Lin.
Yun Feiyan maintained her calm and said, "So, his name his Yang Wei..."
The two maids nodded very eagerly in unison.