Free Web NovelChapter 35: Chapter 35 Washing Up
Xue Yao instinctively took two steps backwards until the back of her legs bumped against the wall. Her eyelids twitched as she stared at the two wolf women closing in on her. For a brief moment, an extremely dangerous thought surfaced in her mind.
’Should I take out the Chicken Drumstick and beat the living daylights out of these two arrogant wolves?’
The more she thought about it, the more tempted she became. She could already picture herself smashing the black-haired maid first before giving the brown-haired maid another solid whack. By the time the two of them recovered, she would have finished bathing by herself with her dignity completely intact.
’No...’ Xue Yao closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ’Bear with it, Bai Xue Yao. You’ve endured prison for three days already. Don’t ruin everything now. Tonight is the night I deliver the mighty blow I’ve been preparing for. If I start beating wolf maids now, all my hard work will go to waste.’
She slowly opened her eyes again. The urge to fight had finally subsided, though the grievance on her face had only grown stronger.
"...Fine." She pointed a warning finger at the two maids. "But if either of you pulls my hair, don’t blame me if I lose control."
The black-haired maid glanced at the tangled mess sitting on top of Xue Yao’s head before replying indifferently, "It’s already a mess."
Xue Yao’s mouth fell open. "What kind of answer is that?"
The brown-haired maid ignored her completely. "Stop talking and get in."
"I can wash myself."
"No." The black-haired maid looked at her as though she had just heard the biggest joke of the day. "Not here."
Before Xue Yao could argue again, the two maids grabbed her by the arms and marched her straight toward the stone pool.
"Wait... wait! I have legs! I can walk by myself!"
Neither of them paid her any attention. A short while later...
"Oww!"
Xue Yao immediately covered her head before glaring at the black-haired maid. "You pulled my hair!"
"It’s tangled." She replied coldly, her eyes not bothering to hide the satisfaction in them.
"Then untangle it gently!" Xue Yao shouted. Every stroke of the comb down her hair sent jolts of pain through her head.
Even the other maid washing her body was scrubbing so hard that she thought her skin might peel off.
"I am." The maid replied, before pulling harder again.
"You call this gentle?!" Xue Yao’s burned. Her fingers clenched the edge of the bath tightly. Her body hurts so much that she was becoming extremely impatient and frustrated with her bottled emotions.
The black-haired maid remained expressionless as she continued combing through the hopeless bird’s nest perched on Xue Yao’s head. Every knot she loosened was accompanied by another miserable cry, while the brown-haired maid silently scrubbed away the layers of soot covering Xue Yao’s arms, neck and face before lifting a bucket of warm water and pouring it over her head.
Dark water immediately flowed into the stone pool.
The brown-haired maid picked up another bucket and poured it over Xue Yao again.
More black water flowed out. Then another bucket. Then another.
The once clear water gradually turned murky until even the black-haired maid frowned slightly. "...Just how dirty were you?"
Xue Yao coughed awkwardly and looked away. "I’ve... had a difficult few days."
It was really difficult, especially escaping from those strange looking wolves and the giant turtle dragon. Xue Yao closed her eyes, as she remembered how long she had come.
Neither maid responded. They simply continued washing her until the last traces of soot, dried blood and rabbit grease finally disappeared. Just as the brown-haired maid reached for another cloth, the black-haired maid suddenly stopped.
The brown-haired maid looked over. "What?"
"...Her face." She replied.
She frowned before dipping the cloth back into the warm water. "There’s still dirt?" The black-haired maid didn’t answer. Instead, she continued staring at Xue Yao’s face. Feeling puzzled, the brown-haired maid leaned closer and gently wiped away the final streak of soot clinging stubbornly to Xue Yao’s cheek.
The bathhouse became deathly quiet. So quiet that the water dripping from Xue Yao’s hair became louder and louder.
Xue Yao frowned when neither of them moved. "What is it?" she asked, looking from one maid to the other.
Still... neither of them answered.
The two wolf maids simply stared at her face as if they were awestruck.
Without the layers of soot concealing her features, the young woman before them looked like an entirely different person. Her skin was as white as freshly fallen snow, her almond-shaped brown eyes seemed to shimmer beneath long lashes, while her naturally rosy lips, and delicate features were so perfectly balanced that they appeared almost unreal. Her long black hair cascaded down her back like silk, making her already flawless complexion stand out even more.
For the first time in years, the black-haired maid was speechless, while the brown-haired maid unconsciously tightened her grip around the damp cloth.
’How...’
That single word echoed inside both their minds.
In the beast world the Fox Clan had always been acknowledged as the most beautiful race in the Beast Realm. While the Peacock Clan carried themselves with unmatched elegance.
Yet...Sitting before them now was a human girl whose beauty quietly eclipsed them both.
The brown-haired maid’s breathing unconsciously slowed, while the black-haired maid stared for several breaths before finally looking away.
Neither of them wanted to admit it, but none of them could deny it. A trace of jealousy quietly spread through their hearts.
’Why... Why should a mere human look like this?’ They were baffled.
The brown-haired maid had served within the Alpha’s residence for years. Like countless unmated females in the White Moon Wolf Clan, she had admired him from afar, never daring to entertain thoughts beyond her station. Yet, looking at the breathtaking human before her, an uncomfortable bitterness quietly rose inside her chest. Tonight, this human would be the one standing before the Alpha, while she could only remain a servant at the door.
Even the black-haired maid felt an inexplicable tightness in her chest. She had looked down on this filthy human from the moment they met, yet after washing away the dirt, she found herself unwilling to look away any longer.
Xue Yao looked from one maid to the other before raising a hand to touch her own face.
"...What? Do I have something on my face?" She asked with pure confusion.
The brown-haired maid cleared her throat, which made the other maid snap out of her thoughts.
The black-haired maid’s expression became colder than before. "...Nothing."
The brown-haired maid lowered her eyes, picked up the clothes from the wooden bench and handed them to Xue Yao.
"Get dressed."
