On the streets of Huiyue City, a group of young girls were playfully running around, earning the ire of many who didn’t dare show it. The one in the front had short hair and wore a tight, monochrome suit that accentuated her figure. Her skin was a healthy tan and her gaze was aggressive, to say the least. She wore a set of gleaming earrings.
"Yin," said Huiyue Jie when he saw her messing around.
"Brother?" The cat-like girl started for a moment. She waved for her mates to wait while she went to him. "I didn't think a busy man like you who's earned Sovereign Xi's favor would have time to visit your sister."
"I need your help."
"Alright! Get straight to the point," Huiye Yin said.
"Do you know Huiye Shi?"
"Of course I do. She's one of my pals, a cute and obedient one at that. Have you come to fancy her? You’re Sovereign Xi's man now, so you can't possibly fall for someone normal like her, you know."
"Enough nonsense. I need you to tease her for me. Make her days miserable, but make sure not to seriously hurt her, alright?"
"Why?"
"Don't ask. If you do it well, I'll do what you asked me to last time."
"Why do you need me to do it? Can't you do it yourself?"
"Didn't you claim to be the queen of Huiyue City? You must have many more ways you can do it than me. It's your area of expertise, right?"
"I guess you understand me well after all!" Huiye Yin patted him on the shoulder and chuckled.
"You aren’t a child anymore, so stop acting like one. Don't go everywhere and make trouble," he said disapprovingly. Though, he was envious of how carefree she could afford to be.
"Sigh, here to lecture me again? If I had something between my legs, you wouldn't have been picked to join Xi Palace, got it?" she said, raising her brows.
"If you say so," Huiyuie Jie chuckled. If only they knew that joining Xi Palace wasn't the glorious affair they all thought it was. He waved and said, "Goodbye, Yin."
"Bye, Jie." She returned the wave and rejoined her friends.
"Hey, what’d your brother say?"
"He really has a refined aura. Sovereign Xi has a good eye for men."
Huiye Yin raised her hand and said, "Come, sisters! Let's mess with Huiye Shi a bit. I heard she got a man now and is forgetting her place."
"Would that be alright? She just lost her parents…."
"I've heard enough from you! Shut it!"
……
Someone was calling out from outside Shiyu Compound. Huiye Shi could tell who it was. A little dazed, she walked out and saw a group of young girls ahead at the courtyard. The one leading them all was a girl with short black hair. Huiye Shi unconsciously shirked away in fear. "Sister Yin, are you here for me?"
Among the many youths of the Huiyue Clan, Huiye Yin was famous for her boldness. She had a unique personality. While the arrogant bullies were usually male, she was different. Oftentimes, it was her and her goons that bullied others, earning her the nickname of queen. Back then, Huiye Shi had to follow her around. When Huiye Yin's actions got a little out of hand, she wouldn't take part.
Despite the strict rules of the clan, they were useless against Huiye Yin. Not only was she the daughter of the clan leader, she was also intelligent enough to not leave any evidence of her antics. If the clan leader himself spoiled her without chewing her out, then others wouldn't dare to snap at her either. It was often said that her obedient elder brother kept earning praises from others nonstop and leaving none for her, causing her to seek attention by causing trouble. It wasn't far from the truth; the perfect brother she had made all her efforts look like jokes in comparison.
"How can I help you, Sister Yin?" Huiye Shi asked the most terrifying person in Huiyue City.
Instead of answering her, she turned to the other girls and raised her hand. "Listen up! Tear off her clothes, cut all her hair, and scratch her face!"
"Yes!" They charged at her immediately.
"Huh?!" Huiye Shi thought she had misheard it. She had always been supportive and obedient! "Why?!"
Nobody listened to her and their rush didn't let her resist at all. Some tore at her clothes, others at her hair. Some pushed her down and carved out ugly patterns on her face. She felt the searing pain and her head getting lighter while her clothes were torn apart. Tossed into a corner, she huddled and sobbed. "Sister Yin, what’d I do wrong?"
Her clothes weren't a big deal, since they were all women. Her face would also heal up with some treatment. However, how long would it take for her hair to grow back? She was devastated when she felt her bald head.
"I'll tell you next time." Huiye Yin waved and laughed with the other girls.
"Next time?" Huiye Shi almost fainted.
At that moment, Feiling heard the commotion and came out. Seeing Huiye Shi had been bullied, she didn't hesitate to come forward and put a cloak on her. Seeing her shaved head, she snapped, "What's going on?"
Huiye Shi was still grieving her parents. How could they do something like that?
"Who’s this?" Huiye Yin asked, tilting her head as she looked at Feiling.
"She's just a servant," Huiye Shi said.
"A servant? Then you’ll get the same treatment package as your master, the triple deluxe. Girls, go!" Huiye Yin said with a cruel smile.
"Quick, run!" Huiye Shi urged. Even though she used to loathe Feiling for being a threat to her life, when Feiling had consoled her after her parents' death, her first reaction was to ask her to run for her own good.
"They've gone too far." Feiling bit her lip and pulled Huiye Shi with her as she ran. The girls chasing them suddenly slowed down. In almost an instant, Feiling flapped her three pairs of Celestial Wings and disappeared.
"Oh? So she can run that fast? Give chase!" Huiye Yin felt challenged. The girls kept pressing on with ugly curses croaking from their mouths, but Feiling disappeared in an instant.
