After breakfast, the old steward Lin thoughtfully handed over a handkerchief.
Zinara had been covering her mouth with the back of her left hand. When she saw the silk handkerchief in front of her, she reached out with her right hand to take it and softly said, "Thank you, Uncle Lin."
The old steward looked at her kindly, but as he raised his head again, his expression changed. He gave an order toward the door. "Come in."
Immediately, a young servant boy entered. He looked very young, probably still a teenager.
Without needing Uncle Lin to say more, he quickly began clearing the table.
The moment Zinara saw the boy enter, she froze mid-motion while wiping her mouth. She looked at the doorway, then turned to look at the boy, then at the doorway again, then the boy. She repeated this a few times.
When Uncle Lin came in earlier, the door had not been closed. Zinara was sitting directly facing it, so when did someone start standing outside?
Zinara: "…"
She was nearsighted, yes, with over two hundred degrees of myopia, and couldn't see clearly a hundred meters away. But the door was right there. How could she not have noticed someone standing so close?
Zinara suddenly thought of those novels where big households always trained hidden guards or assassins. She had already time-traveled, so nothing seemed impossible anymore.
This world really wasn't simple.
The more she thought, the more alarmed she felt. Without realizing it, she bit down on the handkerchief in her mouth.
Zinara looked at how neatly the boy wiped the table. She thought about it and still felt something was off. An assassin being sent to wipe her table? That made no sense.
Besides, the boy looked clean and thin. If he had any special trait, maybe his good looks counted?
After tidying up, the boy turned around and left with the tray. He didn't say a single word the entire time. Everything he did was swift and clean.
"What is the young master looking at?" Uncle Lin's voice came from beside her.
Only then did Zinara notice she had nearly chewed up the handkerchief. She looked at Uncle Lin apologetically. "I'm sorry. Should I wash it and return it to you?"
Uncle Lin calmly said, "No need. Once it's used, it's meant to be thrown away."
His words left Zinara at a loss for how to respond. She looked down at the handkerchief in her hand. It was obviously high-quality silk, soft and smooth to the touch. So they really used silk as napkins here?
Once again, Zinara was shocked by the gap between rich and poor in this world. Just like the books had said.
The wealthy feast while meat rots in their homes. She was the one nearly frozen to death by the roadside.
Zinara had always liked traditional items. She held the handkerchief tightly, torn inside.
What should she do? She liked it.
The handkerchief suited her taste so well.
She was poor. She didn't want to throw it away.
Uncle Lin watched as she stared at the used handkerchief with a look of deep emotion.
Uncle Lin: "…"
What's going on with this child again?
Uncle Lin: "Young master?"
Zinara snapped back to reality and saw that Uncle Lin still seemed to want to say something. She got up.
Uncle Lin refused to sit while talking to her, as a matter of courtesy. But she felt that if she stayed seated while speaking with an elder, it would be disrespectful.
Since he wouldn't sit, then she would stand and speak. It wasn't difficult.
Besides, he might be the one who saved her life.
Zinara stood across from Uncle Lin. Then she clasped her hands together in a gesture she'd seen in dramas and gave three deep bows. She didn't know the proper etiquette of this world, but this was the only way she could think of to show her respect.
She hoped he could understand her sincerity.
After bowing, she stood up straight and lowered her hands. Then, mimicking the ancient way of speaking, she carefully said, "My name is Zinara. I was stranded on the street last night, not knowing where to go. Thanks to your help, I didn't freeze to death outside. I will never forget this kindness."
Zinara had just finished her passionate speech, but she didn't notice that ever since she started bowing, Elder Lin's expression had started to turn strange. After she finished speaking, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he said, "That may be true, but young lady…"
Zinara said, "Elder Lin, just call me Zinara."
Elder Lin took a deep breath and asked, "Young Lady Zinara, why did you suddenly bow to me like that? And why did you call me 'teacher'?"
After he spoke, he frowned, then moved the back of his hand from in front of him to behind his back, as if deep in thought.
Zinara: "…" Huh?
If you don't know something, don't pretend you do. She had only wanted to thank him with one sentence.
How was she supposed to know that this kind of bowing meant taking someone as a teacher in this world?
If there's a misunderstanding, it must be explained. If not now, then when?
Zinara said, "Elder Lin, I…"
Elder Lin said, "Let me think."
Zinara said, "I didn't mean…"
Elder Lin said, "Let me consider it more."
Zinara said, "I really didn't…"
Elder Lin raised his voice, "I told you to let me consider it carefully. Do you think taking in a disciple is something easy? A child like you shouldn't be so rude."
Al… alright.
Zinara nodded weakly, "…Okay."
Actually, sometimes misunderstandings don't need to be explained, right?
Although she didn't clear it up, with her small arms and legs, Zinara didn't think he would really take her as a disciple.
"By the way, what you said earlier was wrong."
Elder Lin continued, "The one who saved you was my young master. If you want to express gratitude, it should be toward him."
Zinara stared blankly at him, still unwilling to give up the idea of becoming his disciple. But could becoming Elder Lin's last disciple be that easy? Elder Lin added, "You passed out at the front gate last night. My young master happened to be returning home and saw you, so he brought you inside. Do you have any other questions?"
Zinara said, "Yes."
Elder Lin said, "Ask."
Zinara sincerely asked, "My young master… um, your young master, is he good-looking?"
When Zinara heard that she had been picked up by a noble young man, her heart skipped a beat. Then she got confused by Elder Lin constantly referring to "my young master."
Elder Lin: "…"
Such an obedient child, how could she suddenly say something so improper?
There were many handsome men in the world, but his young master was beyond comparison.
"The appearance of my young master belongs in the heavens. It's rare to find such looks in the human world." When Elder Lin said this, there was a rare hint of pride in his usually serious voice.
This was a tactic of retreating to advance, warning Zinara indirectly of the gap between her and his young master, so she wouldn't get ideas.
After all, he had raised this young master with great care. Although his master was already twenty and still unmarried, he was the only heir, and the family line couldn't be broken.
Since she hadn't seen him in person, Zinara couldn't picture just how handsome he really was. She just thought that he must be someone so good-looking she'd fall for him at first sight. After all, in the story, it said she would fall in love with the nobleman who took her in and stay single for him forever.
She had stumbled through the night, only to land right into the storyline.
Zinara: "…"
Another step closer to dying alone.