Chapter 21: Water Dungeon
Wanqing let out a soft, almost amused chuckle, her fingers loosened around Anning’s wrist, though it wasn’t enough for her to escape. Her gaze remained fixed on Anning the whole time, she didn’t even blink... making Anning feel as though she was being peeled apart layer by layer.
"Do you really think this is a joke?" Wanqing asked, sounding almost lazy, as if this whole situation bored her. "Do you even know what you are to me?"
Anning didn’t respond immediately, her chest rose and fell as she tried to steady herself. The grip on her wrist wasn’t too tight, but with how Wanqing grabbed her wrist earlier, it might end up leaving markings.
"You are a slave, tiger " Wanqing continued, her time dropping slightly as she emphasized on the word ’Slave’. "Throw that defiance of yours out of this room or you’ll pay for it."
As wanqing spoke, she didn’t look angry or even irritated, but somehow that made it all worse.
Anning just stared at Wanqing, feeling irritation bubbling up her chest. She twisted her wrist, trying to pull free, but Wanqing didn’t even budge, she didn’t even flinch despite how effortless it looked.
"Let go of me. I’m not getting punished for something I didn’t do!" Anning snapped, her voice rising despite herself.
Wanqing scoffed softly, the sound barely audible, before she suddenly released Anning’s wrist and showed her away.
She didn’t use that much strength, but it was enough to send Anning stumbling a step backward, her balance faltering before she finally steadied herself. Her eyes widened slightly, more in surprise than pain, as she looked back at Wanqing.
"I gave you a simple order," Wanqing said, stepping forward again, the distance between them closing again. "Keep your eyes down and don’t speak unless you’re spoken to."
She raised her hand to touch her black hair, and then added, "What was that nonsense you pulled with my father? Trying to seduce him?"
For a moment, Anning simply stared at her, her mind going blank entirely.
"...What?!"
The word slipped out before she could stop herself, her shock was so genuine it seemed to overpower her anger at that point. Seduce him? That old man? Did she even know how to seduce anyone in the first place?
Her mouth fell open slightly, then she closed it again as she struggled to process what she had just heard. She gently massaged her now aching wrist, raising it to eye level as her eyes fell on the faint marks left behind by Wanqing’s fingers.
"I didn’t try to seduce anyone," she said finally, her voice lower now but no less firm. "You do know you could have stopped that from happening, right? But you chose not to. You just sat there, sipping tea like none of it concerned you."
Wanqing didn’t reply instantly. Instead, she took another step forward and another, until there was barely any space left between them. She lifted her hand, fingers brushing against Anning’s chin before gripping it lightly and tilting her head upward.
Even with the indifferent look she had on her face, her actions still sent an unexpected shiver down Anning’s spine.
"You talk too much," Wanqing murmured.
She glided her thumb over Anning’s lower lip, her gaze dropped slightly, lingering there for a minute longer than necessary.
Anning held her breath, though she tried to hide it. She should have pushed her away. She should’ve at least given her a slap or two, but her body wasn’t even responding.
Her eyes moved to Wanqing’s left eye, then her right, before finally dropping to her lips. Her heart began pounding in a way that told her it had nothing to do with fear.
This was ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.
Wanqing was arrogant, cold and insufferable...but she was also—
Anning shook her head, deciding not to think about it, she squeezed her eyes shut and then, she waited.
For what? She wasn’t entirely sure. A few seconds went by with her standing like that, but nothing happened.
The silence in the room stretched, awkward and suffocating. Then, she slowly but cautiously cracked one eye open just enough to peak and she immediately wished she hadn’t.
Because Wanqing was no longer in front of her. She had taken several steps backwards, creating a noticeable distance between them and the door behind her now stood open.
Three tall men clad in armour stood in the hallway, their brooding gazes fixed right on her and their presence just made the room feel more stuffy.
"Young miss. You called for us?" One of them said, though his eyes briefly flickered toward Anning.
Anning froze, finally realizing how she was standing. Her body was still in the same position, head tilted upward, her lips parted slightly just enough to make it painfully obvious that she was expecting something.
She bit on her lower lips, cheeks turning pink as she realized Wanqing had just played her.
Wanqing’s gaze shifted to her, her eyes falling on her pink cheeks for a moment before she turned back to the armored men.
"Take her to the water dungeon," Wanqing said.
The words came out of her mouth causally, almost carelessly.
"Pardon me?" The armored man blurted out, clearly caught off guard.
Wanqing tilted her head slightly, one brow lifting in mild amusement. "You are definitely excused."
The man stiffened instantly, bowing his head. "Forgive my manners, my lady."
Anning’s embarrassment vanished as quickly as it came, now replaced by something sharper.
"Water dungeon?" She repeated under her breath, her brows drawing together in confusion.
She didn’t know what that was, but the name alone was enough to make her feel uneasy. Her gaze darted around the room, searching for any possible escape, not concerning herself with the fact that this might be a bit reckless.
The windows were shut tight, the door now blocked by armed men, and the space now felt entirely like a trap.
"Take her to the water dungeon," she repeated. "And so not let her out until she behaves like what she truly is. A slave."
