Yu Sui returned to her bedroom and found the flowers in the courtyard blooming beautifully. Clusters of white jasmine, delicate and fragrant, nestled among emerald-green leaves, each bloom small and lovely.
The leaves that had fallen all over the ground after the wind picked up last night had also been swept away by morning.
The familiar scent and layout made Yu Sui feel as though she had never left.
She turned to the Mute Woman following behind her and asked, "Do you clean every day?"
The Mute Woman replied with a gesture, "Yes."
Yu Sui walked to the flowerbeds and bent to breathe in their fragrance. She reached out and plucked a few sprigs to take inside, but saw that a vase on the table already held a fresh arrangement.
So she casually set the flowers beside the vase and headed into the inner room. The Mute Woman followed in understanding. Seeing that she was going to change, she opened the wardrobe and drew the curtain closed, listening as the girl muttered, "I've been soaking in the sea for days. I feel like I smell like salted fish. Smell me?"
She tugged at her sleeve and held it up to the Mute Woman's nose, as casually as could be. The Mute Woman sniffed, then shook her head to indicate that she smelled perfectly clean.
"Really?" Yu Sui didn't believe her.
The Mute Woman picked out two outfits and showed them to her. Yu Sui pointed to the one on the left. "I want this one."
The Mute Woman said, "It's too small."
Yu Sui stared at her in disbelief. "Are you saying I've gotten fat?"
The Mute Woman held the clothes against her shoulder to compare, but didn't answer.
"Impossible!" Yu Sui said. "I work myself ragged at Taiyi every