in spring

Chapter 51
Chunying changed her job, which caused quite a shock in Huanhuaxuan.

Among the little girls, some of them have been in the mansion for three or four years and are still sweeping the floor and sweeping the corridors. She has only been here for a few months, and she has changed to a lighter job early on. It is inevitable that some people feel unhappy.Some people also secretly said that she is just a helper in the small kitchen, washing vegetables and rinsing dishes, who can't do it?Manru is a second-class girl, and she is respectable in the third young master's house. No one can compare with her, but what is Chunying?

Chunying was quite depressed when she heard these gossips.Although she was only a helper in the small kitchen, without her advice, how could Aunt Li conjure up so many tricks?What's more, she is still a little girl, she hasn't been promoted or raised, but she just changed her job, and she is not much better than before in terms of hard work, tiredness and filth, so why are those girls jealous?

Seeing her pouted, Shi'er smiled and said, "What do you care about what other people say? Work hard, let them know what you are capable of, and see if they stop gossiping about you!" Xia He also nodded in agreement, and immediately He raised his greasy hand: "This red bean almond cake is really delicious, do you have any more?"

Chunying was touched at first, but when she heard the words, she felt embarrassed, so she could only reply: "No... I just made it for a trial. If you think it's delicious, next time I make it for the third young master to taste, I'll save some more for you."

Xia He jumped up happily, Shi'er gave her a funny look, and then said to Chunying: "Don't spoil her, she eats delicious food every day, and there are extra fresh pastries, how can you tell others not to be jealous? If there are any leftovers, you can share some with others, so as to silence their mouths."

Chunying understood, every time she made dim sum, she deliberately left three or five bowls, and left two bowls of soup for other little girls to taste. Within two days, those gossips were much less, at least everyone I think Chunying is quite good at life.

However, in order to consolidate her position in the small kitchen, Chunying still tried her best to help Aunt Li make all kinds of new dishes, and at the same time tried her best to steal lessons from Aunt Li.Aunt Li worked happily with her. On the one hand, she taught her many home-cooked dishes, on the other hand, she also enriched her own recipes, and at the same time, she was appreciated by her immediate boss, the third young master.

Originally, the third young master used to drink a bowl of Jianlian red date soup after getting up early, and then eat a few small snacks, which is considered breakfast.But now the weather is cold in winter, often before lunch time, his hands start to tremble, his body is also cold, and he feels uncomfortable writing and drawing, so he can only eat some hot tea and snacks to warm up his body, but at lunch time, But I lost my appetite.

After Chunying heard about this situation, she discussed it with Aunt Li. Every morning she got up early and cooked a pot of japonica rice porridge, and then added red dates, lotus seeds, longan, chestnuts and other things into it. The pastries were presented to the third young master together.After eating such a breakfast, the third young master did not tremble anymore, so he ordered the small kitchen to continue making this porridge.

Because she was worried that the third young master would get tired of eating, Chunying proposed to add other ingredients to the porridge, or cook another nourishing soup and mix it into the porridge to cook together.So Aunt Li brought out ginseng porridge and poria cocos porridge, while Chunying offered chicken soup porridge and ham and winter bamboo shoot porridge. However, he was not very interested in the porridge made by Chunying, so Chunying had to take it back to share with the little sisters, and made him some light porridge.

Li You ate to his heart's content every day, with a big appetite, and his face became more and more rosy.The old lady and his wife naturally noticed the changes in him. In addition, during this period of time, he made some soup and snacks from time to time. The two female elders have tasted it, but they don't eat it every day, so the effect is not as obvious as him.They were all very satisfied when they learned that the small kitchen had done the work, and specially rewarded them with a lot of things, even Manru, whose role in the small kitchen has been somewhat marginalized recently, and also confessed to the big kitchen that they would send fresh materials every day Go to Huanhuaxuan, they will give Huanhuaxuan whatever they want, don't neglect.

Aunt Li was full of ambition, and the wife personally raised her monthly money, the maids treated her more respectfully, and she felt that her waist was much straighter.And Chunying was also overjoyed to learn that her monthly silver had risen to five qian, and there was another reward, so she felt that although it was hard work to get up early every day to slander, it was of course a good thing to make a lot of money, so she hurriedly received the reward happily, and returned to his own room.

The rewards were quite rich, including a pair of plum blossom-shaped gold earrings, the style of which resembled modern stud earrings, which were commonly known as "lilacs"; a pair of silver five things of good workmanship; two purses, generally embroidered, but inside Each is filled with two silver locks, which weigh two or two; two pieces of good silk and satin material, one is silver-red, the other is ivory white, and there are faint patterns of bamboo leaves on it.

Chunying recognized that piece of white material. Mama Lu had this kind of underwear, which is the most precious on weekdays. I heard that she only wore it once on the day of her wedding, and kept it in the bottom of the box.She didn't expect that she could get a piece today, it's big enough to make a dress.Chunying thought about it, and then planned to put it away, and honor her mother when she returns home.

Looking up and seeing Shi'er and Xia He staring at the two pieces of clothing enviously, Chunying felt a little embarrassed.Over the past few days, thanks to the support and encouragement of the two little girls, she was able to go smoothly, but she had a plan for the clothes again... When she rolled her eyes, she had an idea.

The pair of silver tools, including tweezers, ear picks, toothpicks, tongue scrapers and a small knife, are all connected by silver chains and have loops that can be worn on the belt.Chunying took out this pair of silver and five things, and asked Shi'er and Xia He to choose one.Both Shi'er and Xia He were very pleasantly surprised. Silver and five things were nothing to them, but the exquisite workmanship of this pair is not unusual, and what is even more rare is Chunying's intentions.So Shi'er picked the ear, Xia He picked the knife, Chunying took the remaining three things, and everyone was happy.

After dinner, Chunying finished her kitchen work and went back to her room.The three little girls closed the doors and windows tightly, leaving only a slit on the back window. A brazier was lit in the room, and the three of them huddled on Shi'er's bed, showing each other the body they had collected.

Shi'er is envious of a hairpin that Chunying got from Qiuyu, Chunying is interested in Xia He's pair of silver rabbit earrings, Xia He's eyes are tightly attached to a gilt agate bracelet inlaid with Shi'er , the three of them took turns to get the things they liked in their hands for a while, and then returned them to the original owner. Then they talked about the origin of those jewelry in detail and shared their experiences with each other.

The oil lamp was turned off, and the heat from the brazier gradually dissipated, but the three of them were still sitting around the bed, wrapped in a quilt, reluctant to go back to their own bed to sleep.Chunying smiled and listened to Xia He and Shi'er talking about interesting things about their childhood, arguing with each other from time to time, as if returning to the days when they were chatting with their roommates when they were in college.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, all three of them were taken aback, Chunying put on a coat, jumped out of bed to open the door, and saw that it was Mei Xiang outside.

Mei Xiang clapped her hands, and said embarrassedly: "Chun'er, can you do me a favor now? I promised Haitang to make a skirt for her, but I just gave it to her in the afternoon, but just now I realized that I made a mistake with Lan. Xiang's dress has been delivered. You can go back for me, and bring back Lan Xiang's."

Chunying was stunned for a moment: "But it's already dawn, sister Haitang should have gone to sleep, right?"

"No, Master Hou went out to have a banquet today, and he hasn't come back yet. He will definitely not go to bed first in the main courtyard. Good sister, you can go for me, if Lan Xianger finds out tomorrow, she will definitely blame me " Mei Xiang had a pleading smile all over her face, Chunying couldn't refuse, so she had to agree.

Shi'er also put on his clothes and came over: "Shall I go with you? It's so late, won't you be afraid to walk alone at night?"

Chunying smiled and said: "I'm not afraid, I've walked that road several times." She has been delivering things for the third young master and a few big girls these days, and she is quite familiar with the roads in the mansion, and along the way They all have yards, of course she is not afraid.

Mei Xiang also said: "Shi'er, I have something to look for you. I want to make a pair of new shoes for the third young master. How about you help me with the soles of the shoes? He wants it tomorrow, and I can't do it alone."

Shi'er agreed, and Chunying took her back to her room and hurriedly dressed, and comforted Xia He, who was pouting, before going to Mei Xiang.Mei Xiang handed her a package of things, and when she was about to leave the hospital, she casually said: "By the way, just now the third young master explained that he wanted to make some incense and collected some bamboo leaves. When you come back, you can go to the garden Pick one and bring it back."

Chunying responded, but felt a little strange in her heart, it's freezing cold, and the bamboo leaves have turned yellow, what kind of incense do you use it for?

She carried a lantern along the way and walked along the avenue to the main courtyard. She arrived at the destination smoothly, and saw that the main courtyard was brightly lit.She casually found a little girl to express her intentions, and the little girl came to Haitang.She was a delicate and gentle girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old. When she saw Chunying, she smiled before saying anything: "It's hard for you to come here so late. What's the matter? the same."

Chunying smiled and said, "Sister Meixiang is worried that the original owner of the skirt will be angry." Haitang snorted, understood her meaning, and asked the little girl to go to her room to bring a small bundle: "Look, is it right?" This? Actually, I recognized it too. It’s a new dress, how could it be half-worn? I’m still wondering, maybe that girl Mei Xiang didn’t have the time to do the work for me, so she simply brought her own old clothes. Charged?"

Chunying put away the skirt with a dry smile, and was about to leave after being blessed, but Haitang stopped her: "Wait a little, I'm afraid someone will ask you to do something." Chunying looked at her suspiciously, only Seeing her enter the backyard, he pulled out a fourteen or fifteen-year-old strange girl in a short while. The latter's facial features were somewhat familiar, but he didn't know where he had seen her before.

The girl came up to greet her with a smile, and said, "You are sister Chun'er from Huanhuaxuan? My name is Hongdou, my surname is Li, and my mother works in your small kitchen." Chunying knew that this was Aunt Li's daughter, and hurriedly asked she said hello.

Hong Dou said: "My sister, Mung Dou, and I went out on business a few days ago. My mother didn't come to receive the reward. Now I am busy making soup for the eldest and young grandma every day, so I don't have time to go out. It happened that we made something for my mother." I want to trouble my younger sister to give it to her." After saying that, he took out a bundle.

Chunying accepted it without saying a word, chatted with her a few more words, and then left the main courtyard.Just as he was about to go back the way he came, he suddenly remembered Mei Xiang's instructions, so he turned onto the path leading to the garden.

The woman who guarded the garden gate asked her why she came, and let her in. She recalled the location of the bamboo forest in her memory, and while holding a lantern to illuminate it, she slowly touched it. After a while, she came to a bamboo forest. The wind blew the bamboo leaves rustling, stepping on the fallen leaves, every step of the way was accompanied by creaking sounds.Seeing that the bamboo leaves were all withered, she wanted to make incense, at least it should be a little green, right?So I searched all the way, wanting to find some bamboo leaves that haven't withered yet.

After searching for a while, she suddenly found the end of a bamboo leaf with several half-yellow and half-green leaves growing on the front end. She was overjoyed and hurried over, and was about to pick it up when something flashed past her eyes. , In the blink of an eye, a black shadow appeared less than one meter away from her.She was startled, and looked up with the lamp, only to see a pale face, and she screamed in fright.

(modified a bit...)
(End of this chapter)