As soon as the last bird passed by the turret of the Forbidden City, the scent of soap locust from the backyard of the Huanyi Bureau spread over the half-height blue brick wall. Tu Daye squatted on the cold stone slab, with unwashed soap scum still embedded in his fingernails. In front of him was a mountain of dirty clothes, and the vapor smelling of sweat and musty made his temples throb.
"Youngest Tu! Why are you dawdling? If the nobleman's uniform is delayed, watch your skin carefully!"
The sharp scolding was like a needle tempered with ice, which made Tu Dagoose tremble. He straightened up in a hurry, feeling pain from the old injury on his lower back - it was whipped with a cane by the steward three days ago because he was clumsy and rubbed a moon-white silk skirt on the stove dust.
"Come on, come on, Manager Liu." Tu Daye lowered his head and responded with a deliberately imitated cowardice in his voice.
No one knew that this "youngest boy Tu" who was beaten and scolded by everyone in the clothing bureau, was Tu Daye, a well-known sales manager of the hotel and catering department in the modern city three days ago. He remembered clearly that that day was the "Whole Goose Banquet" tasting event he was in charge of. As soon as he saw off the last wave of customers, he turned around and slipped on the water leaking from the refrigerator in the back kitchen. The back of his head hit the corner of the refrigerator. When he opened his eyes again, the sky was still the same, but it had changed to an unfamiliar appearance of gray tiles and cornices.
