Sage raised his head in surprise, “Hey Tim, you know to say ‘nature’. Your language has improved.”
Tim stopped talking. His lips pursed tightly into a line, and his azure blue eyes were fixated at Sage. As
his stare deepened, Sage fell a chill down her spine. She lowered her head silently, not daring to joke
around any longer. The atmosphere went silent all the way. Too silent. Even until they returned to the
Meadow Castle, Tim remained indifferent of Sage. He got out of the car by himself. Sage also got out
of the car in silence. She walked behind Tim with her head hanging low. The maids saw her returning
to the castle and wanted to say hello to her, but they were stopped by her eyes and gestures. They
went away in good spirits but were sent back in disappointment. The maids were clueless of what had
happened. Judging by Mr. Shelby’s face, they dared not ask any more questions. They stepped back
silently and worried about the young lady in secret. Could it be that the lady got into trouble outside?
After going upstairs, Sage wanted to turn towards her own room with her head still hanging low, but
Tim said without looking back, as if he had eyes on the back of his head, “Come to my study.”
Sage silently closed her eyes and bit her lips. She turned around and followed him. As soon as they
entered the study, Tim took off his suit jacket and laid down the calligraphy set in front of Sage.
He pressed Sage’s shoulder and made her sit down on the chair. He said, “Write it.” “Huh?”
Sage did not know what did he mean, “Write what?” Tim lit a cigarette. The chilly smoke lingered in
front of his indifferent face, accompanied by his slightly lower voice, “Self-critique.” Sage went
speechless as soon as she heard “self-critique”. Her brain started throbbing with pain.
“Tim,” she called out weakly. “Didn’t you say that I don’t need to write it any longer?” “I realized that I
was being too kind to you.”
Tim’s unfazed gaze was fixed on her, and his tone showed no sign of sympathy at all, “If you don’t write
it, you won’t remember your mistake. And you’ll repeat your own mistake.” “Tim…” Sage’s pleading
voice came again. Time was very adamant, “A self-critique of three thousand words. If you protest one
more word, I will increase it to another one thousand.”
Sage stood up, “Don’t…”
“Four thousand words.”
Sage was anxious, “But, Tim…”
“Six thousand words.”
Sage sat down abruptly and felt the urge to die right there. She dared not bargain any longer. She
dared not sprout another word of protest. She could only accept this outcome.
Sage laid out the calligraphy paper and picked up the pen. She wanted to cry so badly. Speaking of
which, writing the self-critique with a ballpoint pen was slow enough, but now it was even slower with a
fountain pen! Six thousand words! The rest of the siblings were used to this punishment by Tim as well
since they were very young. It was truly horrific!
Wearing such a dress and sitting there, writing calligraphy, Sage could not put into words how
contradictory it felt. She felt very wronged. Sage looked at Tim with pleading eyes, but Tim was just
sitting there on the sofa, reading a book. He seemed very focused, not looking at her at all.
After she finally wrote a thousand words, Sage could no longer take it. She took out a piece of
calligraphy paper and wrote a few words with the fountain pen. She held it in front of Tim.
Tim still ignored her and kept his head low. Sage was about to go crazy. ‘Where did he inherit such
arrogant temperament?’ she thought. She tentatively stretched out a finger and lightly poked on Tim’s
shoulder. Tim raised his eyes lazily, and Sage quickly lifted the paper. Written in black and white, was a
line of words. ‘I want to change my clothes!’
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