"Shit," she muttered.

Not hesitating to curl her right hand into a tight fist and then swung as hard as she could. Her fists connected with the person’s jaw, producing a loud shriek that echoed through the room.

The white faced figure stumbled backward, muttering a few words that sounded like curses to Anning. Although she couldn’t quite catch anything.

She stared down at her fist with a frown. She had expected it to meet something solid. Instead, it felt strangely soft, like punching a cloud.

Anning shook her hand, a small groan escaping her lips as she ran her fingers through her silver hair.

"I find it incredibly rude to sneak into someone’s room without letting them know." She said, her voice sharp with leftover adrenaline.

"Considering how you look, I might pardon you. Why? You might wonder. Well that is because you are either mentally deranged or possessed."

The white faced person snorted, running her jaw with one hand while placing the other hand on her hip.

"As much as I’d love to be possessed. I find you quite rude." She tilted her head, eyes narrowed. "Why would you just barge into a room without knocking? You should leave, before I find a guard to throw you out."

Anning crossed her arms, feeling slightly irritated. "This is my room. Why should I leave? Besides, I’d like to see which guard would have the audacity to touch me after everything that happened today."

The girl paused, uncertainty flickering across her pale features. "Did you just say this is your room?"

Anning squinted in the dimly lit room, still on edge. "Yes," she responded, confused.

The girl chuckled softly, the sound surprisingly airy. "Well, this changes things."

She moved to the corner of the room, her footsteps barely sounding. She struck a match and lit a lantern on. Warm light gradually filled the small space.

Anning blinked several times, letting her eyes adjust. The girl quickly wiped off the thick white substance with a clean cloth, revealing her smooth skin and features Anning was very familiar with.

Anning squinted her eyes at her. The girl only stared ack at her.

"It is you." They both said, at the exact same moment.

Anning stomach dropped. Her new roommate just had to be that clumsy girl from the kitchen... the one Lanzhin had spoken so highly of, calling her capable and vicious.

’But vicious? Really?’

This fluffy looking girl having that dramatic flair, she could actually even believe it. But her being vicious was rare.

A-mei, Anning’s roommate, crossed the short distance between them and gently took Anning’s hand in hers. Her hand felt surprisingly warm.

"Are you okay? Earlier, I was there when the guard knocked you out cold."

Anning frowned, slowly pulled her hand back. The revelation hit her with a mix of surprise and annoyance.

"If you saw him, why didn’t you stop him?" Anning said, her words coming out sharper than she had intended, the disbelief in her tone was hard to miss.

A-mei let go of Anning’s hand and crossed her arms over her chest, her expression shifting from that of concern to defensiveness.

"Don’t speak to me like that. It wasn’t in my place to interfere. I’m just a servant here, and so are you. Stepping between a guard and his prey could have gotten me in serious trouble. Or even force." A-mei explained.

Anning rubbed her temples, the headache from earlier returning with a doll throb. She had not expected her roommate to be this girl.

The same one that thought it was wise to keep Wanqing waiting. She glanced around the room for a moment, taking in the two simple beds, a small shared table, two windows on each side of the room that allowed moonlight seep into the room.

It wasn’t much, but at least she would be able to sleep comfortably.

"Sorry for hitting you," Anning said after a moment, sincerity creeping into her voice. "And for being rude too. I have had a really long day. I thought you were some intruder or...I don’t know, an assassin?"

A-mei waved it off with a small smile, though she was still rubbing her jaw slightly.

"It’s okay. I probably looked terrifying with that face mask on. It’s a beauty remedy I learnt as a child... It makes the skin moist and plump after a busy day. I was waiting for my new roommate to show up before I head to bed." She ran her tongue over her lips, studying Anning with open curiosity. "You are the one Lanzhin mentioned. The silver haired slave."

Anning let out a small laugh, walked to the unoccupied bed and sank down onto the edge.

"Yeah, that’s me. Lin Anning. Though I’m starting to really hate the word, ’slave’."

Her thoughts unknowingly drifted back to Wanqing’s pale face and her trembling body. How emotionless she had sounded after she asked that question.

A-mei sat across from her on her own bed, the lantern casting a soft light between them.

"I’ve heard about you in bits and pieces. How you always make people angry with your vulgar words or how you threaten the maids. You really do know how to stir things up around here." said A-mei as she nodded to herself.

Anning leaned back slightly, staring up at the ceiling as she replied.

"It’s not as if I do it intentionally. It just... happens. You for one seem different from the others. Not so quick to sneer or call me a slave like it’s my name" Anning replied, glancing at A-mei.

A-mei shrugged, a thoughtful look crossing her face.

"Most people here have their roles and merely stick to them. I do my work, keep my head down, and try to stay out of the big conflicts. But you, you don’t seem to like remaining unnoticed." She smiled faintly. "That could be the reason young Miss Wanqing keeps you around. Or why the others just want you gone."

"That is their loss. I’m staying here for as long as I want and how I behave doesn’t concern anyone."