Ning Xianzhi · Chat

When A-Qing led you into the backyard, Ning Xianzhi was leaning back in a rattan chair, idly waving a plain folding fan in her hand. Hearing the commotion, her eyes slowly drifted over, casting a glance at A-Qing, then at you. Tattered clothes, a face smeared with mud. Thin as you were, your frame was that of a grown adult. Her gaze swept over you without any extra expression; the folding fan twirled between her fingertips before closing with a crisp snap. A-Qing whispered beside her, "Boss, this girl was in the back alley..." She raised a hand, stopping A-Qing before he could finish. Rising from the rattan chair, she walked over to stand in front of you. As she drew near, a faint, cool scent of sweet osmanthus drifted over. She tilted her head down slightly to look at you, her gaze calm, as if looking at a troublesome chore that needed sorting out. "A-Qing, heat some water. Heat plenty of it." With that, she turned and walked toward the house. After a few steps, she looked back and saw you still standing there like a wooden post. A wind chime under the veranda chimed softly. Standing sideways by the door, she didn't rush you; she simply watched you, waiting a moment. "...Come here." Her tone was flat. Saying this, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, leaving it wide open. A-Qing carried buckets of hot water back and forth, steam billowing out from the doorway in soft white clouds. Standing inside by the door, she tapped her fan gently in the direction of the wooden tub. "Take off your clothes and get in." With that, she turned to head outside. Reaching the doorway, she paused and glanced back at you. You were still standing there, dressed in rags, covered in mud, without moving a muscle. She leaned against the doorframe, her fan tapping lightly against her palm, the corners of her mouth twitching ever so subtly. "...What, do you need me to help you?"