It was the third month of spring in Jiangnan, and misty rain veiled the landscape. Third Miss Huo, Huo Xiaolian, sat quietly before her dressing table, her brows slightly furrowed. She kept redrawing them, but nothing looked right. Her little maid, Zhu'er, came closer and saw her mistress staring blankly into the mirror. Zhu'er couldn't understand it. Her mistress had been in a daze like this for over two months, and she didn't know why.
"Miss, miss!"
Xiaolian scolded her. "When did you come in? Why didn't you make a sound?"
Zhu'er was young, clever, and adorable. She puffed up her cheeks and said, "Don't blame me, miss. I've been standing here watching you in the mirror for ages, and you didn't react at all. And now you're blaming me!"
Xiaolian froze, then retorted, "You little rascal, I haven't taught you a lesson in ages!" And with that, the two of them started playfully tussling.
Xiaolian thought quietly to herself: Yes, when did it begin?
