in spring

Chapter 144
Chunying didn't expect that Qiuyu would still have time to mention this to Tanxiang before leaving, so she hurriedly said, "It's nothing, it's just that my sister heard some news from home and asked me to send some newly made shoes and socks back."

"So that's how it is." Yulan smiled, "The Wanxiang Hall is actually not busy, there is some free time, it's just that Jinxiu has returned to the old house of Huo's family, and now you and Linglong are taking care of the housekeeping, where can I find it? Most likely it’s going to fail.”

Chunying knew in her heart, but Qiuyu said so, there should be hope, so she smiled casually and said nothing.

Yulan glanced at her, then smiled and said, "If you don't mind, how about switching shifts with me? To tell you the truth, I want to go home tonight, but it's my shift, I really don't know What should I do. If you take this class for me, and when it's your turn in the future, my sister will take it for you, how about it?"

Chunying looked at her in surprise: "What's the difference? I'm working in the house!"

Yulan twitched her lips: "Could it be that you still can't trust me? It's just cleaning the house, and there are other people around, how dare I do something wrong? I used to do this in my wife's yard, and I never made a mistake! "

Chunying still felt that something was wrong, she just kept shaking her head: "No way, let Miss Biao and Linglong know, they will definitely be angry!"

"They won't know." Yulan took her hand, "I just heard that in the future Princess Jing will take the young son back to her natal family, and then the aunt and Miss Biao will definitely go to the old lady's courtyard. I won't be back for two hours. Aunt Qing and Linglong will follow, you take this opportunity to go home, you will have enough for a meal! Come back early, who knows? You were also alone in the upper room that day In a daze, it would be better..."

"No, no!" Chun Ying stood up, frowning tightly.The Huo family never easily allowed a girl from the Hou's mansion to enter the upper room. If she let Yulan in, Linglong could eat her without Miss Biao speaking!
Yulan hurriedly threw out another bait: "Please! It's just tonight! I'm really anxious to go back! My sister promises you, as long as you help this time, I will give it to you whenever you want to go home. Substitute, how about it?! As long as there are people working, how can the superior care whether you are in the courtyard? Even if you are not, just find an excuse to procrastinate, and no one will be suspicious! Chun'er..."

Chunying was shaken for a moment. If she could find a replacement at any time, she would be able to have free time... But after thinking about it, she shook her head: "No! My sister wants to go out tonight, I I'll just work for you, anyway, I'm going to be the cousin's shoes, and it doesn't take much effort to look at the tea stove by the way. But if the boss doesn't say anything, I really can't let you into the main room."

Yulan bit her lips, and suddenly smiled brightly: "Well, my sister won't force others. In fact, I think you are the best person, so I want to ask you for help... Hey, eat snacks! You see, put all the snacks It's getting cold, eat quickly!" Still warmly persuading Chunying to eat more.

While biting the chicken oil roll, Chunying secretly looked at Yulan.It wasn't that she was careless, but that Yulan seemed to be too keen on entering the main house to clean, and she didn't know if there was any purpose.This was originally my errand, in the absence of my aunt and cousin, if something is lost in the house, wouldn't it be my fault?Chunying secretly made up her mind that no matter what, she could not agree to Yulan.

But Yulan never made a similar request again, and she didn't ask for leave that night.Chun Ying passed by the tea room, saw her sitting by the tea stove in a daze, and asked why she didn't go home, she just smiled and said that it would be over if she gave up her mind, and she behaved normally afterwards.Only then did Chunying feel relieved.

On the second day, Aunt Qing went to find Chunying and complained a bit: "You silly boy, why didn't you tell me if you want to go home? You still have to ask your sister to come to Sandalwood , then let Sandalwood talk to me? It’s a big circle! Didn’t I say, just come to me if you have anything?”

Chunying patted her head in embarrassment, and apologized softly.In fact, she didn't really regard Aunt Qing as a close elder in her heart, but a friend who was familiar with her mother but hadn't seen her for many years, just like her mother's high school classmates in modern times, who treats her well and she treats her well. It's convenient to be close to each other, but if the other party tells her to treat herself like a family member, she will never take it seriously.

Aunt Qing gave her a few glances, and sighed: "Forget it, I knew that you two sisters still have a relationship with me. It's fine if you are young, but why is your sister like this? I will decide the matter of asking for leave. Tomorrow Early in the morning, you clean the house first, and then go back, the wife and the lady are going to spend half a day in the old lady's yard, you don't need you, but you must come back before Shen Shi ([-]:[-] p.m. to [-]:[-] p.m.). Remember that ?”

Chunying nodded happily: "I will never be late!" Aunt Qing smiled, and took a bag: "These are some old clothes of mine, and I won't be able to wear them anymore. , just give it to your mother. Give me your voice along the way."

Chunying took the bundle, and saw that the clothes inside were pea green, royal blue, maroon, etc., which were more colorful, and it was indeed inconvenient for Aunt Qing to wear them, so she thanked her mother repeatedly.Back in the room, I packed a few things to take home, remembering Qiuyu's words, I asked Linglong for an errand to deliver things to the old lady, and went to find my sister.

When we got there, we met the old lady first.She asked about her aunt's diet and daily life, and Chunying answered them one by one, and she was also a little happy: "It's good if I can eat. I saw her yesterday, and she really felt much more energetic. Since she loves rice soup, why not?" Open your mouth? Tell the kitchen to do it! Qingyu and Tanxiang only need to serve their master well, and leave the food to the servants. Daughter-in-law——” the wife An Shi who was sitting by the side hurriedly got up and listened: “In "" "You turn around and tell the kitchen to make rice soup. When my aunt wants to eat it, I will prepare it and bring it up immediately. If anyone dares to be negligent, I will peel his skin!" Anshi was in a hurry to respond , then hurried to arrange.

The old lady asked about Miss Biao's daily life again, and Chunying answered them one by one, and she nodded with satisfaction: "Serve with all your heart! Liuli, give her a big reward."

Before Chunying was happy, a girl brought a mat and spread it in front of Chunying.Chunying blinked, remembering the "manners" taught by Linglong, knowing that she had to kowtow to thank her, although she felt awkward, she obediently kowtowed, saying "Thank you, old lady", before she took the reward and left the room.Qiuyu had been waiting outside impatiently, she was overjoyed when she saw her, and hurriedly dragged her back to her room.

After closing the door, Qiuyu hurriedly asked: "Is it okay to go home?" Chunying nodded, and she immediately breathed a sigh of relief: "Although Sandalwood has guaranteed the ticket, it is not at ease in the end, but it is better now." She dug out a bundle, picked out a small blue cloth bag from it, and dumped out a pile of gold and silver lockets and jewelry, including rings, bracelets, gold flowers, hairpins, and some bits and pieces of pearls gems and such.

When Chunying took a look, she recognized some of them as what Qiuyu was used to wearing, and hurriedly asked, "Is this something my sister saved up? Don't you need to take so much back? Does my sister keep a few?"

Qiuyu said: "I still have more, I don't need so much. I found out that Dad's new job has a clue, and the family is in need of money to pay for it. This year, because the family spent less money, I didn't send money home. , I saved up and bought some jewellery, including [-]% of the rewards from the masters. You take it back and tell your parents to let them feel at ease. You can take out the jewellery, but don’t sell it cheap. "She picked up a pearl ring: "For example, this is not an ordinary bead. It was originally used by the Qing Dynasty royal family in the north. What is it called Dongzhu? There is no imprint on it, and it is not something taboo, but if you sell it for a few taels of silver as ordinary beads, you will suffer a big loss!"

Chunying felt a sense of interlacing time and space again, she hurriedly shook her head, and said: "Although there is no mark on it, if it is really rewarded by Princess Jing, my sister asked Dad to take it, and it would be embarrassing if someone asked me later. ? Sister should keep this kind of thing, there are dozens of taels of silver here, and if I add some at home, it will be enough, right?"

After thinking for a while, Qiuyu still put away some precious jewels, packed the rest and handed them to her sister, and dug out some new pairs of shoes.

The door opened suddenly, and Wenyu walked in, followed by two unfamiliar girls.They closed the door behind them as soon as they entered, and went to shut the window.Qiuyu hurriedly asked: "What's the matter?" Looking at one of the girls who was unfamiliar, "Why did Mo'er come?"

The girl named Mo'er pursed her lips and smiled, but said nothing, another girl said: "A man from outside came in to greet the old lady, and the girls were told to avoid her. She had nowhere to go, so she went with Sister Wenyu and me. We're back together."

Qiuyu was a little surprised: "Which family's young master? Mo'er, where is your master?"

Mo'er said in a soft voice: "The eldest young mistress went to the back hall to avoid it. I was waiting in the corridor and couldn't enter the house, so I had to ask sister Wenyu for help." She quietly took a look at Chunying, and Chunying rushed She smiled, and she pursed her lips and smiled as a response.

Wenyu said hello to Chunying, and then sat down on the bedside: "It's not the young master of my family, I reckon, it's probably a new doorman recruited by the master outside, the old lady heard that he was an old acquaintance, so she called him Come talk." She frowned and called another girl: "Cai Que Er! What are you doing?!"

Cai Que'er was holding up a crack in the window and looking out secretly. Hearing this, she turned her head and smiled and said, "I won't let others see, my good sister, just let me take a look. Don't you want to know, the old lady specially called What does the person who came here look like?"

This made everyone in the room curious.Chunying's heart moved, a thought came to her, she bit her lip, and leaned closer: "Has he come in? Let me see too?" Qiuyu frowned and tugged at her sleeve.

"Wait...he's here!" Cai Que'er took a favorable position and refused to let go, "Huh? He looks pretty decent, just like the drama said, a good-looking man! Mo'er, come and see !"

Mo'er pursed her lips and smiled, poked her head for a look as she said, then quickly retracted and nodded.Wenyu poked Cai Que'er's forehead in an angry and funny manner, and cursed: "You have a thick skin, don't spoil Mo'er! Do you think everyone looks like you? You have no shame or skin!"

Cai Que'er pouted: "I don't believe that my sister doesn't want to know! I heard that this person lives in the mansion, so it's good for us to recognize his appearance, so as not to recognize his young master as a servant , Let others laugh at us for our lack of eyesight!"

Wenyu and Qiuyu were both moved by these words, they peeked at each other one by one, turned their heads back, and didn't speak.Chunying was impatient, she quickly stretched her head over to have a look, and it was exactly as she guessed, it was Zhou Nian!

Zhou Nian was dressed in green clothes and a square scarf on his head, standing in the courtyard, looking down at the ground without looking sideways.A woman was waiting by the side, and after a while, another woman came out from the room and lifted the curtain and shouted: "The old lady let you in." He just bowed, straightened his clothes, and then went into the room Walk.The two women followed quickly.

Chunying was trying to get a better look, Cai Que'er pushed her aside: "You've been watching for so long, it's time to change me! Oh! Why did he leave? Did he go into the house?"

"Yes, he went in." Chunying took a deep breath, turned around and came back, seeing Qiuyu looking at her thoughtfully, a little uncomfortable: "Sister, what am I doing?"

Qiuyu smiled: "It's nothing, I just... think of a person..." After a pause, she changed her tone: "I have heard of this person before, and he is not a young master. I heard that he is the son of an old acquaintance of Lord Hou. The old acquaintance committed a crime, and both husband and wife died. Only this son was confiscated into the government as a slave. Master Hou missed his old relationship and spent many years inquiring before he found out where he was. He got it back to the capital, and now he is working in our mansion."

Cai Que'er hurriedly asked: "Then he is also a slave like us? But he is an official slave... Isn't it worse than our family having children?"

Chunying hurriedly said: "It's meaningless to compare like this. After all, he is the son of an old friend of Lord Hou. I don't think Lord Hou will let him do servant work. If you look down on him, it will do no good."

Cai Que'er gave her a blank look: "I'm just talking casually, who cares about you?" After saying that, she snorted coldly, walked to the other side of the bed and sat down, turning her head away.

Qiuyu's face darkened, and she said to Chunying with a smile: "While this master has entered the house, you should go quickly, otherwise you don't know when you can go out, the aunt and Miss Biao are probably still waiting for you to go serve."

Chunying would prefer to stay and wait for Zhou Nian, but Qiuyu said so, she couldn't stay any longer, so she hurriedly picked up her bag, said hello to Wenyu and Mo'er, and then left.

The yard outside was quiet, no one could be seen, but there were faint whispers coming from behind every window, Chunying held back her smile, hurriedly lowered her head and stepped out of the yard, and when she reached the corner, she was suddenly dragged away Behind the bushes by the roadside, I was shocked and was about to call out, but my mouth was tightly covered, and a familiar voice came from my ear: "Don't call out, it's me!"

She calmed down, broke away and saw that it was the third young master.

(End of this chapter)