C9 Trap

As soon as the person appeared, her mind immediately conjured up their name and identity. The maid, Qiushuang, who served her predecessor, was known for being lazy and sycophantic, always trying to curry favor with Bai Mengci. The hairpin in her hair was a gift from Bai Mengci, which is why Qiushuang never addressed her predecessor as "Third Miss," but always as "Third Lady."

"What time is it?" Bai Liyuv asked leisurely, unfazed by Qiushuang's attitude, now that she understood the maid's identity. She even wore a faint smile.

Qiushuang glanced at her impatiently. "It's a quarter past nine. You sure can sleep, not much better than a pig." The last part was muttered under her breath, but with only the two of them in the room, Bai Liyuv heard it loud and clear.

"Come here," Bai Liyuv said, sitting up straighter and beckoning with a cheerful wave.

Qiushuang, suspecting nothing, walked over with an increasingly annoyed expression, her tone sharp as she asked, "What do you want?"

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Bai Liyuv's smile vanished. She raised her hand and slapped Qiushuang hard enough to send her sprawling to the floor, stunned and staring in disbelief.

"You actually dared to hit me?"

She had barely finished speaking when Bai Liyuv slapped her again, this time with full force, leaving her seeing stars and her ears ringing incessantly.

Bai Liyuv didn't even glance at her. She got up from the bed, straightened her clothes, and sat on a low stool, looking down at her. Absentmindedly playing with her sleeve, she spoke slowly, "Why wouldn't I dare to hit you? If I remember correctly, Qiushuang, you were born and raised here. You should know the rules of this household. A servant who disrespects their betters is lucky if they only get a beating."

Qiushuang stared in disbelief, "And who do you think you are? Just the abandoned daughter of the lord! How are you any better than me? If the eldest miss didn't have a use for you, you'd have been dead long ago!"

"Are you comparing yourself to me?" Bai Liyuv's eyes narrowed slightly as she smiled, then ruthlessly kicked Qiushuang in the chest. She spoke deliberately, "Even if I'm not much, I'm still a legitimate member of this household. No matter how arrogant you are, you're just a lowly servant! Challenging me? You must have a death wish! If I beat you to death today, no one would say a word against me. But if your actions today get out, it won't just be a simple beating. This household has its reputation to uphold. If word gets out about a servant like you, it would be a disgrace to the lord. What do you think will happen to you then, hmm?"

The final note hung in the air, not too light, not too heavy, yet it felt like a dagger piercing Qiushuang's heart. Her already pale face drained of color, and she trembled, stubbornly biting her lip as she said, "I work for the young lady; she wouldn't just leave me to fend for myself!"

Bai Liyuv let out a derisive laugh. "Do you really think she's some kind of saint? Sure, she's the young lady of the manor, but you need to understand who truly holds power here. If the lord decides to pursue this, do you think she'd defy him for a maid who angered him? If you had that kind of influence, would you still be just a servant here?"