The noblewoman and nobleman invited Cinderella to their event, and she immediately agreed.
Of course, they were inviting “Cedric,” Cinderella’s male disguise.
The little bird and the big tree all cried out, urging Cinderella not to go.
The flower fairy warned, “Have you forgotten how they made things difficult for you at the last celebration?”
“They said the event is to raise money for an orphanage, so of course I have to go.”
“I have a bad feeling about their intentions.”
“Don’t overthink it.”
But their intentions were indeed bad. They suspected that Cedric might be a woman. Last time, due to the Duke’s interference, they hadn’t dared to press Cinderella any further. This time, they set up a trap specifically for her.
On the appointed day, Cinderella disguised herself as Cedric once more and arrived at the base of the mountain, where a gathering of nobles awaited.
The noblewoman said, “If you want us to donate to the orphanage, that’s easy. But you’ll have to perform a little talent first. Here is some thread. If you can weave it into a beautiful cloth, this bag of gold coins will be yours—enough to feed a thousand orphans breakfast for a whole year!”
A maid placed a bag of gold coins in front of Cinderella.
“Really?” Cinderella asked excitedly.
“Of course! This small amount of money is nothing to me. And with the prince, king, and queen all present, would I dare to go back on my word?”
They invited the prince’s entire family, intending to embarrass her publicly.
Cinderella selected her threads, matched the colors, and immediately began weaving the cloth.
This task was a breeze for her; her stepmother and stepsisters often forced her to weave.
Thinking of how the orphans would no longer have to worry about breakfast, she couldn’t help but smile, and she worked even faster.
Soon, she had completed a piece of cloth. When the nobles saw it, they were stunned by the beautiful color combination and the fineness of the craftsmanship.
The prince couldn’t resist leading a round of applause, and the others joined in, showing their admiration.
The noblewoman, with a sly smile, remarked, “Well done. But tell me, you’re a grown man, a man who can defeat an army—how is it that you know how to weave cloth? That’s women’s work!”
This was her true reason for asking Cinderella to weave.
Only then did Cinderella realize what was happening. The flower fairy wasn’t being overly cautious—she herself had been careless.
Fortunately, she was quick-witted. She replied, “To be honest, my family has been in the fabric business for generations. Not only can I weave, but so can my father, my grandfather, and my grandfather’s father. My father taught me from a young age so that I could someday inherit the family trade.”
The noblewoman’s smile faltered, uncertain whether to believe her or not.
The nobleman stepped in and said, “Next, use this cloth to make a garment. If you make it well, this bag of gold coins will be yours—enough to feed a thousand orphans lunch for an entire year.”
A servant placed another bag of gold coins in front of Cinderella.
Cinderella knew it was yet another trap, but the thought of the orphans having their lunches secured made her determined. She decided to get the lunch money first and deal with the rest later.
She began sewing swiftly, her needlework precise. This task was also easy for her since her stepmother and stepsisters frequently ordered her to make clothes for them.
Soon, she finished a beautiful garment, and once again, everyone gasped in amazement.
The nobleman, with a mocking smile, said, “Well done. But you’re a man, and yet you know how to make clothes? That’s women’s work! Surely your family doesn’t run a tailoring shop as well?”
“Of course not! It’s my uncle who runs a tailor shop, right next door to my house, so I picked up a few skills along the way,” she replied.
The crowd looked skeptical.
At this point, the queen joined in, saying, “I’d like to add to the fun. If you can bake a delicious cake, I’ll donate another bag of gold coins—enough to feed a thousand orphans dinner for a whole year!”
Cinderella hadn’t expected the queen to set a trap too, but the thought of ensuring dinner for the orphans made her roll up her sleeves and start baking immediately.
Before long, a fragrant cake was ready.
Just as the queen was about to speak, Cinderella preempted her: “The queen is surely about to ask how a grown man like me knows how to bake a cake, a skill considered women’s work. My family doesn’t run a bakery, right? I’ll answer: I simply love cake so much that I learned to bake it from a young age!”
The queen chuckled and said, “You clever one! But you’re wrong. What I wanted to say was: if only you were a woman! You’d be the perfect match for the prince—a warrior who can defeat an army, weave cloth, sew clothes, and bake cakes. But alas, you’re a man…”
The nobleman muttered, “Whether it’s a man or a woman is still uncertain…”
Clearly, he had more tricks up his sleeve.
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