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墨書 Inktalez
Half a year had passed in the blink of an eye. In the autumn of the following year, I carefully selected two large bags of fruits and vegetables and set off once again on my little donkey towards Rongguo Mansion to express my "gratitude."
To my surprise, as soon as I arrived at The Jia Manor, I received an unexpected delight. Old Lady Shi personally summoned me, saying she wanted to have a chat.
I was led to Old Lady Shi, who was seated on the kang, elegantly dressed and exuding an air of nobility. I quickly bowed and greeted her, babbling some rural sayings, which made Old Lady Shi laugh heartily.
"What an interesting Liu Laolao," Old Lady Shi said with a smile. "It's rare for us to get along so well; why not stay in the mansion for a couple of days?"
This was truly a stroke of luck, and I felt overjoyed in my heart while pretending to be flattered and repeatedly expressing my thanks.
With these two days at hand, I would have the opportunity to roam around The Jia Manor. Early the next morning, Old Lady Shi took me on a tour of Grand View Garden. After that, we headed to Qiu Shuang Zhai for a meal.
Qiu Shuang Zhai was elegantly furnished with fragrant sandalwood smoke wafting through the air. The dining utensils on the table were all fine porcelain, filled with delicacies from land and sea.
Before long, the daughters-in-law and young ladies of The Jia Manor arrived one after another, all dressed in luxurious attire, each possessing their own beauty. I recalled the descriptions from books, dazzled by the sights before me as I mentally matched each person with their identity.
At that moment, Wang Xifeng approached with a beaming smile and said, "Liu Laolao, please sit down. You must try our mansion's dishes today."
I hurriedly thanked her and looked up at Wang Xifeng, only to catch a glimmer of something unusual in her eyes. I suppressed my unease and quietly heightened my vigilance. This Feng Lazi had a sharp eye; I couldn't afford to falter at this critical moment.
During the meal, I excused myself to use the restroom and slipped away from everyone's sight. Then, pretending to be lost, I acted flustered while secretly trying to identify the path to Wang Xifeng's courtyard.
The Jia Manor was enormous, resembling a maze. The last time I came here, I was directly brought into Wang Xifeng's residence through the corner gate. However, figuring out how to get there from Grand View Garden required some searching.
After turning a few corners, I spotted a courtyard that looked very familiar; if I wasn't mistaken, this had to be Wang Xifeng's place. Just as I was about to sneak in quietly, someone suddenly called out behind me:
"Liu Laolao, what are you doing here?"
I was completely unprepared and startled, quickly turning around to find it was Ping'er. When I had come out, she was still serving at the banquet; how did she suddenly appear behind me? Had she been following me all along?
I hurriedly put on a panicked expression and stammered, "Oh dear, I'm getting old and forgetful. I meant to go to the restroom but somehow ended up here. Lady Ping, you must take me back; we can't let the old lady and the others worry."
Ping'er paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "Don't worry, Liu Laolao, I'll take you back right now."
I followed Ping'er back to the banquet. As soon as I sat down, I noticed Wang Xifeng's sharp gaze fixed on me. Our eyes met, and I felt a chill run down my spine, sensing a hint of danger.
I forced myself to remain calm and feigned a simple-minded demeanor, grinning as I said, "Thank you, Lady Ping, for bringing me back. I'm just an old fool who gets lost the moment I step outside."
Upon hearing this, Sister Feng's face broke into a smile. She picked up a bowl of pigeon eggs and placed it in front of me, saying, "Liu Laolao, you should try this; it's quite rare."
I picked up my chopsticks and examined one closely, pretending to be surprised as I exclaimed, "Oh my, these chickens are quite something! Their eggs are so small and delicate; how lovely! I'll have to try one."
At this remark, laughter erupted around the table once more. I continued to play the role of a simple country woman, enjoying my meal heartily while occasionally saying something crude to amuse everyone.
But my thoughts had already flown to Wang Xifeng's courtyard.
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