Trap in a Book

Chapter 4

"But, my lady, some of these jewels were from your parents," LiMei said.

"I know, but we need money to buy food, and my parents would also want me to stay alive and wouldn't mind me doing this," Xiaomei replied. LiMei didn't say anything and nodded her head.

"LiMei, if it is possible for you to sneak out of the palace and sell these to the pawn? If not, find someone who will do it for us and tell them we will pay them with money and do it secretly. Let no one know what you are doing," Xiaomei said. "Are you able to do this, LiMei?" Xiaomei asked again.

"Yes, Miss, don't worry," LiMei said and wrapped all the jewels in a cloth before leaving in secret. She hoped LiMei was safe, and no one wouldn't notice her as she was a small ordinary maid and wouldn't suspect her compared to her, with the label a schemish, foul woman.

As she was by herself, she started thinking about how to get back home in her time. She recalled how she got here by a paper cut. However, she's in the cold palace and was not able to get some paper. She tapped her chin, thinking more tensely. She hopes that LiMei was able to obtain money from the jewels. Maybe she could try sneaking out, if possible, to the market or bribing someone to get some items for her.

Time went by, and LiMei had not returned yet, as Xiaomei was getting tired of waiting and sitting in the house, so she left the house. Her stomach was growling, and she wanted to eat something, but there was no food anywhere until she noticed the trees in the small area. She hoped that some trees had fruits, but there was no luck as there were no fruits. Xiaomei took a sad deep breath and was about to head back until she spotted something up in the tree. The tree has green circle fruits. She had never seen this fruit before, and it didn't look like an apple. She bent down and picked up one of the fallen fruits off the ground. To her surprise, it wasn't a fruit but walnuts. She unpeeled the green layer until she reached the brown hard shell. She then collected more walnut shells until her arms were full. She entered the house again and set all the walnuts on the table. She then uses two walnuts to crush each other open and continues to do that throughout by separating the nuts and shells into two piles. Xiaomei put the shell into a piece of cloth and tied it up, so she could use it as firewood when it was cold.

She saved some walnuts for LiMei before eating her share. She wished that the walnuts were roasted, as they would taste better. Then she remembered the dirty pot by the side of the house. She went out and grabbed the dirty pot and saw how filthy it was. There was a big spider inside the pot. She bangs the pot on the ground to get the spider out before she washes the pot. It wasn't perfect, but it's something. She then set the pot aside and started making a bonfire out of sight. She cleared the area, so nothing would catch on fire and formed a circle with rocks before setting up twigs like a tent and banging two rocks to make a spark. Once the fire started, she grabbed all the walnuts and tossed them in the pot. She held the pot above the fire and occasionally shook the pot to mix the nuts around.

It took a while for her to roast them since she had to hold the pot high from the fire so it could still roast the nuts but not burn her.

Even after roasting, LiMei has not gotten back. Xiaomei started to worry as the sun was setting. She waited for LiMei by the gate, as there were no guards guarding them as they were completely forgotten, and she continued to look around, trying to spot LiMei.