Chapter 31: Gathering
"I wasn’t lying. I’m clearly not afraid of you." Anning said, letting out a small scoff as she pulled her gaze away from Wanqing.
Wanqing, on the other hand, couldn’t help but chuckle softly under her breath. She had merely been teasing her dear slave, but seeing how flustered she was, only made her feel better.
She ran her tongue over her lower lip then said, "If you aren’t afraid of me, then look me in the eyes for ten seconds."
Anning couldn’t believe what she was hearing at that moment, she knew Wanqing was a bit...unhinged. But she had no idea it had gone this far.
Still, she was a slave and Wanqing was without a doubt her master. ’Fuck it’, she thought, taking in a deep breath and turning her head towards Wanqing.
The second their eyes met, she immediately came to understand why looking away had been easier before and why looking now suddenly seemed like a punishment.
Wanqing’s eyes might seem like they were just black, but if you looked closely, you could literally see white dots floating around. The first thing that entered her mind was the word ’pretty’ and it irritated her greatly.
Why?
Because out of all the things she could have thought of, why that?
No, forget what she just said. Wanqing’s eyes were dark, almost empty. Looking into them felt a little like staring into an ocean at night.
But she knew deep down that the more she looked, the more she felt herself getting drawn in without even realizing it. How could someone like her have such eyes?
Anning swallowed hard, brushing a few strands of her out of her face as she straightened. Fine. Ten seconds and that was it.
In her head, she instantly started counting, not because she wanted to obey Wanqing but because staring listlessly into her mistress’ eyes felt strangely awkward and if she counted, she wouldn’t look away accidentally due to the pressure and end up embarrassing herself.
As the seconds went by, the carriage slowly began to move and that made Anning feel a small sense of victory slowly blooming in her chest.
She was doing well. She hadn’t trembled even for a moment, she wasn’t speaking so that saved her from stuttering.
She couldn’t help but wonder if Han Luo exaggerated things. Maybe she truly wasn’t afraid of Wanqing after all. Five whole seconds had already passed, Anning’s heart raced against her ribcage as she stared directly into those dark eyes.
’Any moment from now’ she whispered inwardly.
Across from her, Wanqing adjusted slightly. She was now leaning back fully against her seat but her expression didn’t change much, except from the subtle satisfaction hidden in her eyes.
She definitely enjoyed seeing Anning squirm around although she tried not to show it, Anning still noticed.
Just as she counted nine in her head, the image of that maid laying in her own pool of blood flashed through her head. Anning’s brows furrowed instantly and then, she pressed her eyes closed without much thought.
When she opened her eyes again, Wanqing had already turned her head away. Her gaze was fixed on the things moving past them as if she suddenly found the scenery to be more interesting.
After a few moments of silence, she suddenly said, "I’m glad you are scared of me, Tiger. That’s how it should be."
"Wow, you’re really obsessed with yourself." Anning muttered before she could stop herself.
Wanqing didn’t turn around despite that, she just continued speaking, keeping her voice steady but almost casual. "I could put a hole through your chest if I wanted. Being my slave doesn’t give you the privilege to disobey or speak to me however you please"
Anning stared at her without saying a single word. She could vividly remember Wanqing saying those words before, but she had no idea when or why.
And somehow, hearing it now felt completely different. Back then, it had been said as a threat.
But now... She wasn’t so sure.
The carriage continued moving in silence. Anning couldn’t see herself forcing any conversation in such an environment. She just remained still, hands Intertwined on her lap as she watched the scenery go from being quiet and beautiful to something louder and more crowded.
Around them, she could see a few stalls and some people hanging around. The streets looked cleaner and more developed than the place she had been taken to, to get sold. She stared out the window with nothing but curiosity wondering how people here actually lived their lives.
"Young miss, we’ll be arriving at the Yun family house in a few minutes"
Anning could see Han Luo riding his horse as he spoke to Wanqing through the window. As he finished speaking, he glanced at her. But Anning wasn’t in the mood for anything and calmly looked away.
"I see. You’ll be heading into the gathering with me, prepare yourself." Wanqing said softly.
Han Luo gave her a small nod, glancing briefly at Anning that still wasn’t looking at him before riding his horse forward.
"Tiger, I need you to listen to me and listen to me well," Wanqing said suddenly, sitting up straight and turning to face Anning.
Anning could sense the seriousness in her tone, she couldn’t help but wonder why. But she still kept her gaze focused on Wanqing.
"The gathering we’re heading to is one being hosted by the young master of the Yun family. Once we get there, I’m going to need you to keep your mouth shut and lower your head at all times. If you go around insulting people you aren’t meant to, I’d let them do what they want with you." Wanqing paused.
"You only answer to me and no one else, if anyone asks. You’re my maid, understand?!"
Anning flinched at her words, then nodded. "Why can’t I just stay in the carriage while you head to you little... gathering?"
Wanqing let out a small scoff, running a hand through her hair. "I want you to see how slaves are truly treated here. Maybe then, you’d finally get your act straight."
