Page 11 of DATE
Even before stepping inside, she had already seen several half-naked, even fully naked men and women draped in towels, laughing and walking in.
It felt so shameful, and she could hear the sounds of people laughing and chatting inside, with no one seeming to mind the mixed bathing.
But having lived for decades in modern civilization, it was impossible for her to simply set aside her moral discomfort and walk in.
Da Vinci, thinking she had some unspoken reason, comforted her briefly and then went inside himself.
Hedy stood there, and as the burlap curtain was lifted, she peeked inside.
There were many naked bodies moving around, with various genitalia quite visible, and a male doctor was cupping a small woman’s back.
She covered her mouth, standing there for a long time. A graceful young woman with her bathing supplies passed by and gave Hedy a curious look.
Miss Kiesler stood in silence for a while, then resolutely turned and walked away.
She would rather chop wood and start a fire herself than bathe with a bunch of strange men.
And she definitely didn’t want to see Leonardo da Vinci’s naked body—no matter how famous he was.
She returned to the workshop, holding her small basket. When she looked up, she saw a reasonably well-dressed middle-aged man standing there.
"Are you... looking for Mr. da Vinci?" Hedy thought he might be a client wanting a portrait, and with a slightly stiff Latin, she said, "He’s at the public bathhouse, he’ll be back later."
The man with the big beard looked her up and down for a moment, then asked, "And you are?"
"I’m his newly hired maid," Hedy explained. "If you’d like to leave your name and purpose, I’ll let him know when he returns."
The middle-aged man looked at her with a suspicious expression, not responding to her words.
Before Hedy could say anything else, a familiar voice called out from a distance.
"Father?"
Da Vinci had waited in the bathhouse for a while, but when he didn’t see the young maid following him in, he quickly finished his wash, dressed, and headed back.
Piero turned to look at his son, then motioned toward the maid.
"Explain?"
"It’s not what you think..." Da Vinci swiftly opened the door and gestured for him to enter the courtyard. "She’s just a maid."
The workshop wasn’t large, and even though Hedy was outside sweeping the leaves in the courtyard, she could hear many things quite clearly.
It seemed that old Da Vinci had some doubts about the situation and gave his son several pieces of advice. Then they began discussing an order.
The order appeared to be from some nobleman in the city, as old Da Vinci spoke with a tone of anxiety, using respectful language multiple times.
However, his son didn’t seem to care much, responding in a rather indifferent manner.
"That’s the church at Palazzo Vecchio!" Piero emphasized. "If you keep acting like you used to, you won’t get a penny!"
"Would you like a cup of citrus potion?" Da Vinci casually shook the glass.
"Keep track of time!" The older man was clearly not in the mood for small talk, looking quite worried. "I’ll come back in a few days to remind you!"
Once he left in a hurry, Da Vinci finished the sweet potion in his glass and began to tidy up the remaining paints.
Hedy brought over the dinner she had made, and with curiosity, she asked, "Is he your father?"
