Under the Bamboo Parasol

"Madam, are you awake yet?" The voice of a young maidservant asked shyly.

The girl was just outside the door, carrying a golden basin filled with water. She had a painfully shy expression on her face. As if she did not know what she should do. Coupled in the maidservant's dress, she looked precisely like a new worker on her first day of work.

Since Feng Yun had left, no one really knew how to take care of Madam Lin, and there were no other maidservants who had any experience in doing it, all the servants had no idea what to do. Thus, this girl was chosen to serve Madam Lin when she awoke.

"Uh…" Madam Lin slightly moaned as she groggily tightened herself in her thick quilt. "I'm up." She said as she rubbed her eyelids.

"I'll be coming in madam." The girl said as she pushed open the doors, to see the figure of Madam Lin, wrapped in the thick blankets, just like a cocooned silkworm.

She had no choice but to set the basin to the side and wait until Madam Lin fully woke up.

"You're Ru An, am I right?" Madam Lin, who was in the bed suddenly spoke. Her eyes were cleared as she looked upon the girl's features.

"Madam is right, this servant is Ru An." The girl said in a gentle voice, her head bowed slightly. She was quite surprised that Madam actually remembered her name. She was only one of many servants within the manor. She was sure there were even some servants who didn't know her, yet madam knew her name.

"Help me get ready." Madam Lin said as she pushed the heavy quilts off her body, and sat upon the bed.

"Yes." The girl bowed as she brought the golden basin to the table next to Madam Lin. After dipping a towel into it, she wrung the water from it in an awkward manner.

As Madam Lin watched Ru An's actions, a hint of playfulness flashed in her eyes.

"Are you expecting me to wash my hands in the golden basin?" She asked Ru An, who was trying to predict if Madam Lin would say if the towel was too wet or too dry. But what she heard was unexpected.

Ru An looked at the golden basin, as thoughts swirled endlessly in her mind.

How could she have been so, to actually pick the golden basin for madam? There was the copper basin, the wooden basin, the jade basin. Out of everything, she actually picked gold.

How could she have forgotten that the golden basin was used as a symbolic way of people of the jianghu to retire and live a secluded life, away from all worldly matters. Washing their hands clean of everything they've done in their old way of life and starting anew.

What would madam think? Would she feel that everyone thinks that she is useless, forcing her to retire?

Thinking about this, Ru An quickly kneeled down and said "Madam, this servant didn't mean it this way. I will quickly change the basin."

"No need. Since you have already brought it in, how can I not use it?" Madam Lin asked as she placed her jade-like hands into the golden basin, her fingers moving around the lukewarm water, creating a slight disturbance in the water, small bubbles arose. She wet the towel and patted her face.

Her refreshed eyes looked toward Ru An, and she said: "Help me get ready."

Ru An was slightly startled as she stood up. She couldn't help but feel that Madam Lin's mood was as playful as said, she could be gentle at times, but she could easily change in the blink of an eye.

She quickly got Madam Lin's clothes, which had already been chosen previously by Feng Yun before she left, and helped her get dressed. The robe was a lighter shade of emerald green. The fabric, neither thick nor thin, but was enough to keep in warmth in and the cold out. There were no embroideries on the dress, but there was a decorative lining of embroidered thread around the sleeves and neckline that gave it an exquisite feeling.

After getting dressed, and having her hair done by Ru An, in a similar fashion that Feng Yun would have done, yet she still that Ru An's skill was missing a notch when compared to Feng Yun, she could only lightly sigh.

Though this girl's skills were good, she just couldn't be compared to Feng Yun.

After getting dressed, she asked: "Is the carriage ready."

"Yes madam, it is just outside." Ru An answered with her head slightly bowed out of habit.

"Let us go then."

"Should this servant come as well?" Ru An asked shyly. Her duties did not usually apply to her following Madam Lin out of the manor.

"You are my maidservant, are you not?" Madam Lin turned to her.

"Yes." Ru An answered.

"Good." Madam Lin said she turned around and took a glance at the basin before she turned towards the door.