Chapter 281: Chapter 263, The Complicated Imperial Family_1
After dinner, Dong Yuanyao took Daohua back to her own courtyard.
By then, the maids had prepared all the washing necessities and a change of clothes.
“We’re about the same size, so later you can wear my clothes. Don’t worry, all of them are newly made.”
Daohua smiled, “I wouldn’t mind at all.”
Dong Yuanyao huffed with pretend annoyance, but her face was smiling. She liked Yan Yiyi’s straightforwardness. Since she had already accepted Yan Yiyi as a sister, of course she wouldn’t want formalities between them.
She had entertained many young ladies from other families, but they were all either overly restrained or affectedly coy. Every time she dealt with them, she ended up exhausted.
The way Yan Yiyi was, so direct and open, suited her just fine.
“Miss, the bathwater is ready, you can change and take a bath now.”
Dong Yuanyao glanced at the bathing chamber and then her eyes gleamed with mischief. She smiled at Daohua and raised an eyebrow, “Together?”
Daohua let out a ‘heh’: “Why not, if we wash together, it saves the maids running back and forth.”
Watching Daohua head into the bathing chamber without a second thought made Dong Yuanyao pause in her tracks.
Could she say she was only joking?
She had never bathed with someone before!
This Yan Yiyi, how could she be so unembarrassed?
Daohua looked back into the bathing chamber, saw that the maids had prepared two tubs, and felt reassured. She turned to see Dong Yuanyao standing still, crossed her arms, and teased with a chuckle, “What’s the matter, getting cold feet?”
Dong Yuanyao’s face stiffened. She loved to play and tease, but taking off her clothes in front of someone else made her uncomfortable. She wanted to back out, but seeing Yan Yiyi’s challenging gaze, she blurted out impulsively, “Who’s scared?”
Daohua laughed, “Then hurry up.” With that, she walked into the bathing chamber.
Wang Manman immediately followed her inside and as she passed Dong Yuanyao, she bowed her head and covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
The Dong family’s Miss must be stumped now, right?
Her Miss was not one to play by conventional rules.
The bathing chamber was spacious. After entering, Daohua had Wang Manman move a clothes rack between the two tubs. She looked over the clothes prepared by the Dong family’s maids, then began to undress.
Wang Manman arranged all the washing items and placed her own personal clothes neatly before quickly stepping out of the bathing chamber, taking the Dong family’s maids with her.
By the time Wang Manman and the others came out, Dong Yuanyao was still hesitating: “Why did you all come out?”
Wang Manman chuckled, “Miss Dong, my Miss never needs someone to attend her while she’s bathing.”
Dong Yuanyao lingered for a moment, but finally plucked up the courage and approached the bathing chamber: “Yiyi, I’m coming in.”
Daohua, already soaked in the tub, immediately responded, “Come on in. If you don’t, I’ll be done bathing.”
It was only then that Dong Yuanyao stepped into the chamber and saw the clothes rack placed between the tubs, which made her smile.
She had almost really believed that Yan Yiyi had no sense of shame at all, but it turned out she was just all talk.
She then summoned a maid to help her change.
Daohua was playing with the water and said, “I tried your soap beans; they’re not bad. However, I have a special body wash for bathing at my place. When I get back home, I’ll send some over to you. It’s more moisturizing.”
Dong Yuanyao nodded repeatedly, “Oh, yes please! The rouge and face powder you sent me before are much better than what is sold outside. How did you think to dabble in these things?”
Daohua replied casually, “If there’s a need, naturally you find a way to solve it.”
Dong Yuanyao, “You’re really clever.”
Daohua just smiled without saying anything.
It wasn’t that she was clever; she had simply borrowed the wisdom of modern people. In the modern era, these things were not extraordinary.
By now, Dong Yuanyao too had submerged herself in the tub and sent away the attending maids: “This is really comfortable!” she exclaimed with a smile. “It’s good you all are here, otherwise I definitely wouldn’t have been able to avoid punishment today. Didn’t you see my mother still giving me dagger looks at dinner?”
Daohua, “But once we leave, won’t your mother punish you anyway? You can’t escape it.”
Dong Yuanyao boasted proudly, “My grandmother will protect me. At most, my mother will make a big fuss but punish me lightly, nothing serious.”
Upon hearing this, Daohua immediately voiced her doubts, “Why did the old Madam come here from Beijing by herself? Wouldn’t your grandfather and uncle stop her? Aren’t they worried something might happen on the road?”