Xueyue was caught off guard when an older woman suddenly bursted into the room she was in. Her eyes went wide at the beautiful woman standing in front of her.
Duchess Li had light touches of wrinkles throughout her face, but it was evident she was a beauty in her youth. Her eyes were soft and warm with motherly affection, and her long black hair was woven into a low bun.
"H-hello." Xueyue greeted the woman. Her voice was still hoarse and upon realizing that, Duchess Li immediately waved her hand towards the guard to fetch her some water.
The older guard bowed his head and excused himself to execute her command.
"My dear wife, what did I tell you about running?" Duke Li breathed out in between pants for air. He raised his head and was surprised to see Xueyue sitting on the bed.
Now that the girl had opened her eyes, Duke and Duchess Li saw the woman wasn't as similar to their daughter as they had thought.
While Minghua's eyes were tiny and monolid, Xueyue had large doe-like eyes that resembled a baby deer.
Xueyue fidgeted underneath the intense gaze of the people in front of her. She was confused on why she was here, instead of rotting away in a forest.
"W-who are you?" Xueyue softly asked the man and woman standing in front of her.
She noticed the expensive exterior of her room and the wealthy nightgowns the woman wore. Her eyes trailed to the man and she also saw an expensive sleeping robe.
Who were these people?
"You're residing within the Li Manor in Lanbei." Duke Li was the first to speak up. He saw how shaken his wife was and knew her tongue was caught in her throat.
"The Li Manor...?" Xueyue slowly repeated.
Her eyes grew wide when she finally registered his words. She realized the people standing in front of her was the rich and noble Duke and Duchess Li of Lanbei!
Xueyue immediately tried to climb out of bed in a low bow, but instead of elegantly standing up from her position, Xueyue's legs were caught in the blanket.
"Careful!" Duchess Li exclaimed. She rushed over to the fumbling girl who almost fell off the bed.
"Your right leg was heavily injured. It hasn't healed it." Duchess Li scolded the girl as she guided her back onto the bed.
"You don't have to bow to us." Duchess Li softly told the girl in front of her. She patiently waited for the girl to settle into a comfortable position on the bed.
The room fell into an awkward silence, until the older guard finally came back with a class of warm water. He passed it to Duchess Li with both hands, and she passed it to Xueyue who immediately thanked her for the cup of water.
Xueyue drank the water and felt her shoulders sag with relief when the water washed away the dryness of her throat. She was so thirty, she had drank the entire cup of water in one gulp.
"There, that should be better now." Duchess Li said with a small smile.
She helped Xueyue set the cup onto the polished wooden vanity besides the bed.
Duchess Li gently sad down on the edge of the bed and brushed away a few strands of Xueyue's bangs. Her side bangs were slightly messy and covering her eyes. When Duchess Li swept it away, it revealed the full glory of Xueyue's bright eyes.
Xueyue sat frozen on the bed. Her shoulders went stiff and her eyes grew wide. She had never been touched so gently. In the Bai Manor, there was not a single person who treated her with love and adoration. Most importantly, she had never experienced the loving touch of a mother.
Duchess Li noticed the rigid expression on Xueyue's face, and she immediately pulled her hands back. In an apologetic voice, she said, "Oh my, it seems I've frightened you. I apologize..."
Xueyue blinked at her words and quickly shook her head to clear up the misunderstanding. "No no, it's completely fine...I was just surprised, that's all." Now that Xueyue had finally quenched her thirty throat, it was no longer rough and hoarse. Instead, her true voice came out.
To Duchess Li who was so awestruck by the girl in front of her, Xueyue had a voice as sweet as honey and as soft as the gentle breeze of Spring.
"I didn't properly introduce myself..." Xueyue trailed off, unsure of what else to say.
Duchess Li blinked at her words and waited patiently for her to go on.
"My name is B-....it's Xueyue."
Xueyue purposely didn't include her surname. She wasn't sure if Duke and Duchess Li had heard about the royal decree that sentenced her to death.
Xueyue's hand was slightly shaking with anger when she suddenly remembered being falsely framed for murder. That Tianai had really dare cause the death of a woman and then blame it on me!
"Xueyue is a very lovely name." Duchess Li said with a smile.
But her smile hid the curiosity and confusion. She knew the name sounded a bit familiar, but where had she head it before?