A Lady’s Frustration and a Ballroom Encounter

“So… how much longer will this take…?”

Four days cooped up indoors. For someone who used to roam around all day, every day, it was enough to drive them mad. But in her current state, any movement below the waist would… *ugh*. Bai Qiao instinctively curled further into a ball, clutching the blanket tightly to her chest. She grumbled under her breath, likely lamenting her female body while Bai Chen, despite their similar circumstances, retained his male form. ‘This is so unfair…’

“Please don’t fret, Miss. At a time like this, it’s important to remain calm.”

‘Calm? Calm your *sister*! Go find a man and tell him to try this! See who can stay calm then!’

“Usually, it only takes seven days. It’ll be over before you know it.”

‘Seven days?! A whole week… A month has four weeks, and a quarter of that time will be spent in bed… Bai Qiao felt as though she was about to ascend to a higher plane of existence, finally understanding the true greatness of women.’

Sensing Bai Qiao’s discomfort, the maid kindly offered a word of reassurance:

“It’s alright, you’ll get used to it.”

‘…’ Bai Qiao was speechless. Was she supposed to praise the maid’s exquisite talent for comforting people? ‘This kind of comfort… it just makes me… want to die! Argh! Get used to what? I won’t get used to it! I’ll never get used to something like this in my entire life!’

“Never mind. You may leave.”

Realizing the maid’s presence would only exasperate her further, Bai Qiao waved a hand, dismissing her.

“Oh, right. If Miss feels better, there’s a ball the day after tomorrow. I wonder if you’ll be able to attend…”

“A ball?”

“Yes, everyone is expected to attend. Tomorrow, we’ll have someone bring your ball gown for you to try on. Does that sound suitable?”

Before Bai Qiao could even voice her inability to dance, the maid had already retreated. Bai Qiao’s mouth hung open, but no words emerged. ‘So… what kind of development is this, seriously?!’

Everything was meticulously arranged. The very next morning, someone delivered the ball gown. Bai Qiao picked up a corner of the multi-colored dress with a hint of disdain. It was impossible to tell how many layers it had, but it looked incredibly heavy: gauze, lace trim, a bubble skirt, and a purple overlay. ‘My premonition wasn’t wrong. It’s truly my own taste…’ Holding the garment, Bai Qiao absolutely loathed her own aesthetic choices.

‘Forget it, forget it.’ Bai Qiao tossed the dress aside. ‘I’ll deal with it tomorrow…’

Yet… when Bai Qiao finally opened her eyes, it was already mid-afternoon the following day. ‘Indeed, sloth exists everywhere, regardless of location…’

“Knock, knock, knock! Miss, it’s time to change!”

‘…’ Bai Qiao felt an overwhelming urge to chop the maid into pieces. In the end, however, she clenched her hand, then slowly released it, striving to keep her voice calm:

“I understand.”

After procrastinating for a good while, and with the maid persistently knocking from outside for an extended period, Bai Qiao was finally startled when the maid announced she was coming in. The memory of ‘that guy’ helping her change… *change*… was still vivid. ‘Absolutely not again.’

She quickly got out of bed, picked up the dress, and then… ‘Hmm, ah… ugh… So, how exactly does one wear this thing?’

‘Uh, there’s an opening here…’ Bai Qiao poked her head through it. ‘Huh? It’s too small, my head won’t fit through… Is this not it?’

****

And so, the maid ultimately entered. Seeing Bai Qiao with her head trapped within the dress, one hand awkwardly protruding from the neckline, she couldn’t help but laugh. Hearing the sound, Bai Qiao frantically tried to pull her head out, only to find herself entangled in the numerous layers of fabric.

The maid couldn’t resist stepping forward to help Bai Qiao get properly dressed. Finally, she asked with a puzzled expression:

“Miss, why do you know absolutely nothing about women’s things? If you weren’t so incredibly beautiful, I really would have mistaken you for a young man…”

Bai Qiao offered no reply, or perhaps she simply filtered out the maid’s words. She glanced around, then walked over to a mirror.

‘…!’ Was that truly her in the mirror? Long, silky hair cascaded down to her knees, her skin impossibly fair, yet perfectly complementing the dress’s colors. Her petite figure, paired with the opulent and intricate gown, made her resemble a porcelain doll, a true loli. Yet, her inherent aura wasn’t that of a loli; it was an indescribable charm that made even Bai Qiao herself feel a flutter in her heart. Struggling to suppress the thought, she caught a glimpse of the maid’s flushed face in the corner of the mirror.

‘What’s going on? Is this yuri? Hmph… How could that be? Sure enough, a man’s thoughts are always a bit off…’ After a moment of self-mockery, Bai Qiao turned and headed out the door. ‘But… it’s really strange, why is she still staring at me?! Argh! I’m not going to think about it, not going to think about it…’

The ball was held in the grandest palace of the White King’s estate. Golden lamplight bathed the already opulent hall, making it appear even more magnificent. Even though Bai Qiao had once been a wealthy second-generation heir, she couldn’t help but feel a touch of hurried awkwardness here.

Fortunately, Bai Qiao, with her strong adaptability, quickly recovered. The ball began. It had to be said that Bai Qiao’s appearance was indeed captivating. Thus, almost immediately, people approached her, seeking to invite her to dance. However… Bai Qiao did not accept. She claimed she was waiting for Bai Chen, but in truth, it was because she didn’t know how to dance. ‘Dancing with others… that would be too embarrassing.’

Bai Chen seemed to notice Bai Qiao’s discomfort and made to walk towards her, but his sleeve was tugged. He turned back involuntarily:

“Huayu? Is something the matter?”

“Chen… may we share a dance?”

“But…” Bai Chen glanced awkwardly in Bai Qiao’s direction.

“Elder Brother King said that if A’Chen wishes to cooperate, he would consider it carefully…”

‘…’ “Of course, I would be delighted to dance with you.”

Bai Qiao scanned the entire ballroom for a long time, finally spotting… the most dazzling pair on the south side. Bai Chen, the host of the ball, exuded an air of elegant confidence and imperious pride in every movement. The owner of the hand he held, even from a distance, possessed an aura of cool detachment—noble, haughty. Everything about them was no less striking than Bai Chen himself. ‘It truly is… a match made in heaven.’

Bai Qiao watched them for a long time, feeling as though she had lost all awareness of her surroundings, until Qing called out to her from beside her, barely snapping her back to reality.

Qing glanced at the two figures across the room, a faint smile playing on his lips. He bowed respectfully, extending his hand:

“Miss Bai Qiao, may I have this dance?”

Bai Qiao gazed darkly at the pair across the hall, convinced that the hollow feeling in her heart earlier must have been a trick of her mind. “Very well…”

Bai Chen had felt as though he was being watched, and he couldn’t help but look towards Bai Qiao. He saw Bai Qiao place her hand in Qing’s palm. He watched them, hands clasped, glide into the dance floor. Seeing this… Bai Chen’s body trembled involuntarily.