“Peachy, come on walk faster, he’s going to be there first, and we are going to be scolded,” LiQin hurried as she sprinted across the courtyard. “I can’t wait anymore, he will be arriving any moment now.” Without waiting for Xiao Tao, she rushed forward and only stopped when she reached the last corridor. She tried to smooth out her clothes and tried to walk gracefully towards the main gate, trying her best to breathe normally but she was too late.

Her efforts turned into waste as he was already standing there, waiting for her. “You are late,” he told her. She looked at his face and regretted her action immediately.

He was staring daggers at her. She opened her mouth and thought better, and closed them again. She wanted to explain but thought better of it and decided to stick to the rules and tried to bow and greet him but she did not even get the chance as he was already walking away briskly.

“Forgive the Master, Mistress. He had a very long and bad day at the office,” said Old Man Kang as he stopped behind the Master to talk to the Mistress.

From inside the house, the Master was already calling for the old man and he left quickly to attend to the Master’s needs.

“He sure is in a bad mood,” said the lady as Xiao Tao arrived shortly later. She was grabbing on to LiQin’s arm and wheezing right beside her. “Let's go in. We still haven't eaten yet,” said LiQin to Xiao Tao who was still holding onto her. “We can go slowly. Jeez, Peachy. You really have to work out more.”

Xiao Tao really wanted to disagree, but she was still too out of breath to argue, so she followed behind LiQin as they headed to the dining room.

When they arrived, LiQin only found the servants standing at the side as the food was laid on the table; steam was still rising from them, but ZhenYu was nowhere to be seen.

“It's strange that he would miss breakfast?” thought LiQin. “He never skipped them, not once.” She was curious about it and she turned towards YongKang, Old Man Kang's son. “Where is the Master?” she asked him.

“He went to the study upon coming back. He already informed us that he wouldn't be joining you for breakfast today,” answered YongKang.

LiQin nodded. “I would like to eat without all of you watching,” She dismissed him and everyone else. Everyone left her alone except for Xiao Tao, who LiQin insisted she stayed. When everyone left, she dragged Xiao Tao to sit with her and they ate breakfast together. She had never been happier, and it resulted in her increased appetite, and she had Xiao Tao refill her bowl thrice.

“It's annoying how they all stare at me when I eat,” she told Xiao Tao as they ate. “It makes me nervous. And I have to eat in small bites as well. But the worse of all is that I have to eat with that sullen face.”

Xia Tao laughed at her comment. “The Master does often look grumpy as if he was constipated.”

“Yes, that’s the word,” and they burst into tiny fits of laughter.

LiQin took the last stripe of carrot on the plate and ate it.

“I am satisfied,” said the girl finally.

“That took longer than I thought,” said Xiao Tao who was waiting for the Mistress to finish up so she could clean-up. She had already finished ages ago and was pilling up the plates and bowls.

“Now that I had my fill, let's go for a walk,” said LiQin.

“Where do you want to go? How about the garden? The flowers are beautiful. Let's go take a look.”Xiao Tao looked at LiQin. The Mistress had a mischievous look on her face.

“I was thinking about something else,” said LiQin.

“My answer is no,” replied Xiao Tao instantly. “No, Mistress. If we got caught, I would be in deep trouble.”

“But we did not get caught last time. Please,” pleaded LiQin.

“That was last time.”

“It might happen someday.”

“Someday, it might not be this time,” answered Xiao Tao It would be best to avoid it all together. If you never left, then you would never be caught, and I would never be punished.”

“I promise I would be back in no time. I wouldn't get you into trouble, please,” said LiQin as she held onto Xiao Tao's arm. “Pretty please,” she pleaded as she made puppy eyes at her, but Xiao Tao was still unconvinced.

So LiQin covered her mouth with her hand and pretended to cough. “I’m starting to get sick again, being in this stuffy house, wearing these stuffy clothes, and no one cares about me,” she said in a very dramatic way to make Xiao Tao pity her. Even though Xiao Tao knew that LiQin was acting, she just could not help herself. And she did care about her health, and it  made  her happy to go outside.

“Alright,” she finally agreed. “Let's go get a change of clothes.”

They went back to LiQin's room and from underneath her bed she took out a pack. She laid it out on the table and untied its knots, revealing what was hidden inside. They both looked at the clothes that LiQin had stolen.

“When did you get this?” exclaimed Xiao Tao who was surprised that the clothes on the table had belonged to her.

LiQin quickly shut Xiao Tao's mouth with her hand, “Shush. Madam Wong might be back to check up on me.”

Xiao Tao nodded and LiQin dropped her hand from her mouth and LiQin explained, “That day when I was passing the servant's quarters. I saw the neatly folded clothes on the table, and I knew that I would be needing those clothes eventually so...”

“So, you stole them!”

“Shush,” said LiQin. “I did not know that it was yours. Anyway, this is called borrowing. I am not stealing.”

Xiao Tao placed her hand on her the table and touched her forehead with the other, “No wonder after those clothes went missing. LiQin was treating me extra special. She knew that it was mine.” While she was figuring out all the snacks, she had given her, she sighed.

It was just in her nature to forgive her, “I must have owed her in my past life,” thought Xiao Tao.

“Never mind, just change. We do not have much time.”

“You are a saint,” said LiQin and she hugged Xiao Tao who was embarrassed by her gesture.