Water Mirrored Moon - 水鏡月

Part II - Cosmetics Goddess: 22. First Lesson

As promised, her Master arrived in the late morning after she had tidied up in the mixing room for the day. Cui Xi actually found it a little disconcerting that his timing was so accurate and wondered if he'd been secretly monitoring her. A person of his means likely had a number of hidden guards and it wasn't too unusual to have them follow people around. She brushed the thought away as it didn't really matter in the end and she went to receive him with a sweet smile.

"Tu'er*!!" he smiled in return. "Are you glad to see me?" he asked mischievously, his eyes bright.

She puffed a bit of air out of her nose, trying not to laugh.

"Master," she greeted. "I don't know...should I be?" she asked, putting on an innocent expression.

"Hah! Stinky disciple! How can you say such a thing to your Master?" he frowned, patting her on the back. "I missed you," he said, his smile returning.

She had stiffened a little when he had touched her, but then relaxed. He was entirely non-threatening today. Also, he really was too pretty to resist. In comparison to that other crazy person, she could consider him a harmless odd ball. A week after the encounter with the Seventh Prince, her pride still stung over the incident.

"Tu'er...you're thinner..." her Master admonished, frowning with concern.

He reached for her mask, but she dodged skilfully. He sighed but gave no other sign that he would take it from her. He grabbed her hand instead.

"Please," she said, and then led him into the covered pavilion area that her courtyard shared with the pleasure house where the dancers normally did their practice. It was a little breezy today and the water of the pond below rippled. Occasionally, the surface was disturbed by large koi lazily flicking their fins.

Xiao Yu entered a moment later and quietly put out tea and cups at a low table and then went to sit in a corner, while Xiao Hei slunk in, sabre stuffed into his belt. He looked somber, but perhaps a little bit more sulky than usual. He was also still brooding over the incident from the previous week.

Stopping in the center of the pavilion, Cui Xi turned and cocked her head at her Master.

"I didn't expect you to come so early. Are you going to teach me to dance, Master?" she asked.

He nodded. His light eyes seemed to laugh.

"Yes. I also brought you a few gifts since I've accepted you as my disciple."

Her eyes lit up craftily. Gifts are good! At least this would not be an entirely useless arrangement! Besides, after last week's fiasco, she needed something to distract her. Her mood immediately began to improve.

"Alright! Tu'er will go change into dancing clothes," she lightly slipped out of his grasp and ran out of the courtyard.

Her Master sat himself down at the low table and folded his arms across his chest wondering what she was doing. He didn't have to wait too longer before she had run back dressed in a flowing dress instead of the work clothes she had worn from her mixing earlier in the day.