Suddenly, from the corners of the Mistress’s eyes, she saw a carriage moving towards the house. It looked fairly familiar.

Madam Wong also saw the carriage and she inched out from the window to have a better view and almost tumbled out from the window.

The young mistress’s quick reflexes saved the old woman as she was able to hold onto her sash just before she fell out. “It’s dangerous leaning out like that,” scolded Mistress Zhen when she pulled her back into the room.

However, the moment her feet landed back firmly onto the floor, Madam Wong said, “The Master of the house is coming home. I just saw his carriage past through the bamboo forest.”

Her deathly escape had already been forgotten and gone from her mind. “Quickly, we must get ready to meet him. Or else he will get mad at you again,” she continued as she placed her attention on the Mistress. “Sit at the dressing table quickly.”

The Master had three strict rules that the Mistress must follow; every time he came home, she must greet him. They must have every meal together and that she must never enter his room or his study unless she is being called for.

“You haven’t even brushed your hair yet,” said Madam Wong as she looked into the mirror which was reflecting the Mistress’s lovely features in it. Madam Wong gathered all of Mistress’s locks and took the wooden comb on the table and began furiously combing her hair, trying to untangle any knots that had formed during the night.

It was hurting her scalp and Mistress Zhen stopped Madam Wong and took over the comb. “I can do it myself,” said Mistress Zhen and she began combing her hair slowly and carefully, untangling any knots that had formed during the night before and from Madam Wong’s rough handling.

“We do not have time. The Master is coming home,” said Madam Wong anxiously.

“It will be done in no time. Just relax.”

But Madam Wong was restless, and she can’t keep calm. She went towards the drawer again and was searching for another set of clothes. But they weren’t any flamboyant or exquisite clothes. They were only simple and plain which had little patterns on them. “You are a cloth merchant’s daughter, but your clothes are all of inferior quality,” thought Madam Wong. “It’s entirely your stepmother’s fault; that wicked woman always scheming against my miss. If I had known, I should have stolen some of her daughter's clothes.”

“Nanny, the ones on the table are good enough,” said Mistress Zhen. “Do not search anymore. I am not meeting a very important person anyway,” said Mistress Zhen casually. In truth, she doesn't even want to meet him.

Madam Wong closed the drawer as she can't seem to find anything suitable. When she looked at the girl, she has already tied her hair up in a simple hairstyle which Madam Wong thought was too plain. “Let me add more flavour to it,” said Madam Wong as she got closer to the Mistress.

“But this is comfortable.”

“No, it is too simple,” insisted Madam Wong.

Seeing that she had no way out of it, Mistress Zhen let her redo her hair. But to put on a more elegant hairstyle she needed help, but the mistress's personal maid hadn’t arrived yet.

And then suddenly, the door opened with a bang, a girl who was puffing and huffing was standing in front of the doorway.

“Xiao Tao,” they both cried out, although in Mistress Zhen’s case she was glad to see the girl who was her only friend in the whole household while Madam Wong was angry at her. “You are late again Xiao Tao,” said Madam Wong trying to hide her anger in front of the Mistress while holding onto some of the lady's hair in her hand.

“Sorry, Madam Wong. I am really sorry. I…will try…to wake up…early next time,” said Xiao Tao whose breath hasn’t returned to normal yet. She did it again, waking up late, and being tardy again.

“Never mind that, come quickly,” said Mistress Zhen. “Help nanny, comb my hair.”

Xiao Tao came over and helped Madam Wong. She held those strands of hair in place as Madam Wong comb and inserted pins to the mistress's hair to style them.

“Put in the pearl flowers hairpins as well,” added Mistress Zhen.

Xiao Tao was puzzled. “There aren’t any pearl hairpins, my lady.”

“There should be. I had a pair of beautiful pearl hairpins given to me by my mother.”

“There aren’t any, Mistress Zhen.”

“Did you misplace them? There are very important to me,” said Mistress Zhen anxiously.

“No there aren't any hairpins, miss,” said Xiao Tao pleadingly.

Sensing the rise of an argument Madam Wong interceded, “You don’t have any pearl accessories. Your mother didn’t give you any either.”

“Oh. Sorry Xiao Tao,” apologized the Mistress.

“It's okay,” said Xiao Tao.

Later when the hair was done, Madam Wong rushed Mistress Zhen into wearing the clothes on the table. She took a one-piece garment called Quju Shenyi, an outer robe with a long sleeve, from the table and held them up so that the Mistress can wear it quickly. One by one Mistress Zhen placed her hands along the sleeves. After that, Madam Wong wrapped it around her slender body.

“Nanny, help me with the sash, it's hard to tie it up properly,” said Mistress Zhen to Madam Wong as she had a hard time fumbling with the sash.

Madam Wong walked closer to her and help position it around her, but it was hard for her as well. Her old hands are not as it used to be, and she lost against it as well. Xiao Tao came over instinctively and with her agile hands, using a piece of string tied them securely into place with three knots securing the sash beneath.

“You are always pretty good with the tying knots,” complimented Mistress Zhen as she inspected herself. Xiao Tao looked pleased that the Mistress was glad about her work and was smiling by herself, the argument they had before was quickly forgotten but Madam Wong looked at the lady and felt dissatisfied, “She seem more like a commoner than a daughter in law of the city lord. I need to ask permission from the master to buy more clothes for the lady,” thought Madam Wong.

“Thanks,” said Mistress Zhen as she poured her a cup of water from the teapot and handed it to Xiao Tao who took it gladly as she was very thirsty from all the running.

The maid gulped down the water; it only invited more anger from Madam Wong.

She knew what Madam Wong was thinking, “A maid should act like a maid. She is our master, and we are here to serve her.” But during these three months she had become fast friends with the Mistress. She was unlike what she had thought at first, she was straightforward, easy to talk to unlike the time when she had first arrived. Although there were times that she would accuse her of something, but it was due to her illness before, so she understood.

“Hurry, the both of you,” said Madam Wong rushing them out of the room. “You are going to be late.”

“I won’t,” said Mistress Zhen as she gathered all her skirt in her hand and ran, “Come on,” she called back to Xiao Tao.

“Be careful,” called out Madam Wong who was half angry, half amused by her. “She never would have run like that, no matter, how rush she was,” thought Madam Wong as she saw Xiao Tao chasing after her and they disappeared around the corner. She closed the door behind her and followed them.