Hearing Dick's words, Mia finally began to relax, feeling the faint chill brought by the early northern cold. "This breeze feels so nice!" she said.
Dick shook his head, thinking she was beyond saving. "That's because you were working so hard just now." Toiling to the point of sweating in such cold weather, of course the chilly wind would feel refreshing to her.
"Really?" Mia replied nonchalantly.
"Mia, stop dodging the question. I'm asking if you're feeling okay!" That day, when Mia had suddenly collapsed in the snow while running, it nearly scared him to death. If the others in the group hadn't come looking for them after they failed to return, he wasn't sure he could've brought her back—he'd gotten lost that day.
Back with the group, an old woman with some knowledge of medicine fed Mia some herbal broth, which helped her regain consciousness. Dick had wanted the Ivan family's doctor, who was part of the dowry entourage, to check on Mia, but the doctor coldly stated his job was only to tend to the young lady, not anyone else. Dick was so furious he nearly beat the man on the spot.
If the others hadn't held him back, he might have done it. This incident only deepened his disdain for those who abused their power. What angered him even more was that Miss Anna Ivan, fully aware of the situation, did nothing to intervene, saying nothing and taking no action. Dick wasn't afraid of her hearing his complaints. Though he'd still be a servant, he was no longer part of the Ivan household. He was one of the servants specifically chosen by the Moore family as part of the dowry, making him a Moore family servant now. While he'd still be a servant in the Moore household, at least Anna could no longer openly beat or bully them. Disciplining servants was no longer her concern. Though he might still face punishment or humiliation in the future, as long as it wasn't at Anna's hands, he felt much more at ease.
"Dick, I've told you a million times, I'm fine. Stop worrying. Honestly, you're the one worrying me. If you'd actually hit Dr. Bob that day, you'd have been severely punished or even kicked out. Then I'd be the one feeling guilty!" Mia had been shocked when she woke up and heard about it, terrified that Miss Anna might banish Dick in a fit of anger.
"I just can't stand her attitude! So self-righteous, acting all high and mighty," Dick said, trembling with anger at the thought. But fearing Mia would worry, he could only vent his frustration with a few grumbles.
"Forget it, Dick. We're just lowly servants. Our fate is in the hands of our masters. We should be grateful they even let us stand here alive," Mia said.
"Mia…" Dick's voice carried a hint of frustration.
"What?" Mia glanced at him while moving items, taking a moment to catch her breath.
"Is this really all there is to our lives? Being slaves, living under someone else's roof, scraping by? We're only nineteen!" Like Mia, Dick had been destined to be a servant from birth, his parents also serving the Ivan family. But he wasn't content to live like this forever.
"You know, Dick?" Mia said with a smile.
"What?" Dick asked, puzzled.
Mia leaned in close and whispered in his ear, "I've thought about running away."
"Impossible!" Dick stared at Mia in disbelief. He never imagined that the quiet, reserved Mia would say something so earth-shattering. It was something he hadn't even dared to think about, yet here she was, confiding in him.
"But I changed my mind later. I didn't want to run away anymore because I've finally come to the place I've always dreamed of!" Mia gazed into the distance, her eyes sparkling.
Dick's mouth opened and closed several times, unable to form words. Finally, he switched tracks. "Why would you want to come to a place so cold it could freeze you to death?" What he really wanted to ask was why she, who had never been here before, felt such a deep longing for this place—strong enough to make her consider escaping the Ivan family. Mia's ancestors had never set foot here, had they?
"I don't know," Mia replied. "But I feel like this is where I was meant to be. I had to come back."
Her words sounded so mystical that Dick swallowed hard before saying, "Mia, were you a northerner in a past life or something? How else could you feel this way? A few days ago, you seemed so familiar with this place… It's possible."
"Hmm…" Mia thought carefully but couldn't find a clear answer. She could only agree, "Maybe."
"If that's the case, you've gotten your wish," Dick said.
"Really?" Mia smiled, her gaze drifting to some distant point. She had thought coming here would unravel the mysteries of her past, but now that she was here, her questions only grew deeper…
Late into the night, in the quiet stillness, Mia tossed and turned, unable to sleep. As her thoughts wandered, the melodious sound of a flute pierced the air.
Before she realized it, Mia found herself standing outside on the open ground. In the silent expanse, only the haunting flute music echoed. Since she couldn't sleep anyway, she decided to follow the sound and find its source.
Soon, she discovered the flute player.
Whether by coincidence or some other force, the moment Mia saw him, she couldn't take another step forward.
Under the serene moonlight, the unmelted snow reflected a soft glow. A man in white robes sat cross-legged on a raised rock, playing a flute with rapt devotion. The gentle light accentuated his ethereal, refined features. But what truly stunned Mia was his snow-white hair, cascading down to his shoulders, unbound and swaying in the breeze as if alive, shimmering faintly in the quiet, cold night.
Mia was awestruck, feeling as if she had stumbled into paradise. Afraid of disturbing him, she stood silently, captivated by the beautiful melody. Just then, the flute's song abruptly stopped. Mia realized she had been noticed, and she looked at the flute player with unease as his gaze turned toward her.
But when she saw his eyes—their color—she couldn't help but cry out, "It's you! It's really you!"
The white-robed man, who had been approaching her with a gentle smile, froze in surprise at her words.
"It was you I saw from the carriage that day!" Mia's voice trembled with excitement, almost out of tune.