Chen Ze's threat had hit Du Yue where it hurt most. Actually, even if Chen Ze hadn't made any threats, she wouldn't have considered taking her own life.
The more she suffered, the more she craved freedom. She longed to leave this city and never return.
In a daze, she went back to the villa and fell on the bed, falling unconscious.
She didn't know whether the maid had a sudden change of heart or if she had fainted so deeply, but when she came to, it was already night - time.
As soon as Du Yue woke up, her body, which was already on the verge of breaking down, made her feel like vomiting, and she was weak all over with a fever. She lifted the quilt and got out of bed, rummaging through the drawers constantly for medicine. In the end, she only managed to find two painkillers.
Without checking whether they were expired or not, Du Yue dry - swallowed them. At that moment, there was a sound at the door. Zhao Xue, holding a large basin of clothes, threw them in front of Du Yue without hesitation.
"Woke up, did you? I thought you were dead. If you've woken up, hurry up and wash these clothes. Do you really think you can eat here for free?"
Looking at the mountain of clothes, Du Yue only felt dizzy and disoriented. "Isn't there a washing machine?"
Zhao Xue glared with wide - open eyes: "Those are for the masters to use. How could the clothes of us servants be washed in the washing machine? Hurry up! If you don't finish washing before nine o'clock, you can forget about eating!"
Du Yue was extremely hungry. Hearing that she had to wash the clothes before nine o'clock, she didn't say anything more and carried the clothes downstairs.
Du Yue went to the bathroom and had just filled half a basin with hot water when a maid hurried over and kicked over the basin with one foot.
"Who told you to use hot water?"
They had long been unhappy with Du Yue. Plus, Zhao Xue had formed cliques, so they were not polite to Du Yue at all. "Go and wash them at the outdoor pool. Don't come here. It stinks here! I still need to disinfect this place!"
The maid grumbled, and Du Yue silently carried the clothes outside again. But as soon as she went out, she shrank from the cold.
Although it hadn't snowed, it was the depth of winter, and she was thinly clad, clearly unable to withstand the cold.
Just as she wanted to turn back, the door was closed, and she was left outside. After being stunned for two seconds, she still decided to wash the clothes.
Fortunately, it was well water, which was relatively warm in winter. But after washing a large basin of clothes, within half an hour, the water had already turned cold, and putting one's hand in was no different from putting one's hand into a pile of ice cubes.
Du Yue's fingers visibly swelled up. Every time her fingers moved in the water, it felt like they were being cut by countless blades.
She was extremely glad that she had found two painkillers when she got up, which helped alleviate some of the pain; otherwise, it would have been very hard for her to persevere.
Later, her hands and body lost sensation altogether. Du Yue brought the washed clothes back to the hall, where Zhao Xue and a few maids were still cracking sunflower seeds.
Du Yue put down the basin, "I've finished washing... Can I have something to eat now?"
Zhao Xue looked disdainful: "Washing clothes is too slow. It's been such a long time, and the food has long been eaten up!"
"Eaten up?" Du Yue was stunned, her tone was slow, but there was an unprecedented trace of anger mixed in: "Didn't you say that if I finished washing before nine o'clock, I could eat?"
"Yes."
"Then why didn't you keep your word?"
Zhao Xue's sneering smile added a touch of sarcasm: "What do you think you are? Am I supposed to keep my word with you? If you feel unhappy, you can tell Master Chen, can't you?"
Du Yue paused, and Zhao Xue laughed again, exposing her: "You don't dare because you're afraid that if you tell Chen Ze, he will make you go without food for three days and three nights. Du Yue, you tell me, aren't you pitiful?"
Du Yue stood stiffly in place, all her anger and grievances welled up. But, what of it?