Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 78 A Man with Two Faces (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Lu Jia and his group were lucky; the rain only started to drizzle after they entered the city gate.

He rushed into the house and saw smoke coming from the kitchen. Little Huang came running to greet him, but Qiu Niang and Xie Yi were not there.

She patted the rain powder off her arm and turned to walk into the main room, where she immediately saw Shen Qingzhou sitting at the small square table.

He Qu and Tang Yu stood to the side, keeping their eyes down and obediently calling out "Miss".

"You guys came back first after all!"

Lu Jia's face lit up with a smile as she happily pulled over a small stool and sat down opposite Shen Qingzhou.

Shen Qingzhou noticed the mud on her face and temples and handed her a handkerchief to wipe her face.

After waiting for her to clean up, he picked up the bowl and spoon on the table to serve her soup: "You've finished everything, there's no need to rush."

"If you don't run home when it's raining, you're a fool! Oh, and there's still food!"

After wiping her face, Lu Jia noticed a large pot of chicken soup and two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table. The aroma made her hungry. She wiped her hands on her clothes and took the bowl to drink.

I hadn't slept for two days and one night, and hadn't eaten for a day and one night. I was so hungry that I decided to put aside all the rules that were ingrained in my bones.

Shen Qingzhou couldn't help but say, "Eat slowly."

Then he placed a clean handkerchief in front of her.

He and Tang stared intently, their minds racing faster than a millstone.

This was the first time the two of them had ever seen their two "masters" eating at the same table.

Young Master Shen is usually very particular. He washes his hands three times before eating, and if possible, he even washes them with water infused with flower petals. People who don't like cleanliness shouldn't expect to sit at the same table with him.

Even when Lord Guo ate his meal with great relish, he complained.

Therefore, it is rumored among people in the capital that he rarely goes out for social events, and at least half of the reason is that the people he turns down are not very clean.

But now it seems that this young master's eyes and ears have completely failed him. And even his voice has become soft.

Ah!
This man has two faces.

Lu Jia took a couple of sips of soup, looked up and saw the two of them sitting there like wooden stakes, and said, "Why don't you sit down and eat too?"

He and Tang hurriedly replied, "Thank you, young lady, we've already eaten."

Lu Jia asked, "What did you eat?"

He Qu hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Steamed bun."

"How can that be? Come on, have some soup." Lu Jia pushed the chicken soup forward.

He and Tang refused to speak.

Lu Jia turned her head: "What's wrong with those two?"

Shen Qingzhou said, "I can't tolerate strong tonics. I get diarrhea as soon as I eat chicken soup."

They hadn't prepared anything for her for a whole day and night, leaving her so hungry, and they still had the nerve to drink chicken soup?

It's good enough that they don't deduct wages.

"'Weak'?" Lu Jia looked back and forth between the two tall and muscular men. "What a coincidence, both of you are so weak that you got diarrhea after drinking it?"

"Yes!" He Tang nodded, "We have to pull it!"

Lu Jia: ...

Shen Qingzhou added soup to her bowl: "Why are you so late?"

"Oh, Lord Guo, please keep me here to talk."

"Just you two?"

"Yes!"

Shen Qingzhou stroked the fan ribs: "What did you say?"

"Just chatting, huh?" Lu Jia looked up. "This Lord Guo is quite a nice person, not at all pretentious. Coming from a family of upright officials really makes a difference. He's a good official!"

Shen Qingzhou unfolded her fan. She gently waved it twice, then stopped.

Guo Yi is down-to-earth, but does he usually act that way?

He said, "Don't give such high praise to strangers so easily."

His fears were right; she was too trusting and easily taken advantage of. What would happen when he was gone?
Lu Jia said, "He helped me."

At this moment, all she could think about was inspirational quotes and Guo Yi. Recalling Guo Yi's decisiveness when he said "execute immediately," she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. She gestured and said, "Don't let his youth fool you, he has quite the spirit! As an imperial envoy, he must know who's behind Zhou Sheng, but he doesn't seem afraid at all."

Shen Qingzhou stared at her intently.

He Qu and Tang Yu exchanged a glance, their breathing involuntarily lowering.

Shen Qingzhou put down his fan: "I heard that Guo guy has a wife."

"So what? Does having a wife mean I can't comment?"

Shen Qingzhou turned his gaze to the door and said after a moment, "As far as I know, his wife was tricked into marrying him."

Oh?
I've never heard of that.

Lu Jia put down her chopsticks and said, "How did you lie? Tell me in detail." She didn't even know such gossip.

"How would I know?" Shen Qingzhou closed his fan. "Anyway, rumors say he's quite the smooth talker. Be careful not to fall for his tricks."

The rumors circulating in the martial arts world are still true!

Behind them, He Qu and Tang Yu, choked by saliva, coughed while leaning against the wall.

When it comes to lying, who the hell could be a better liar than him!
He's almost fooled himself!
……

Qiu Niang and the others were busy until the afternoon before returning. Lu Jia had just taken a bath, and then the family, along with Shen Qingzhou, He Qu, and Tang Yu, had a meal together.

Shen Qingzhou felt that the two of them had neglected their duty by not feeding Lu Jia for a day and a night, and that they did not deserve to be fed.

So they still didn't dare to sit down.

After Qiu Niang repeatedly persuaded her, Shen Qingzhou finally glanced at her and was able to sit down next to the stool.

With everything settled, Lu Jia prepared to return to her room to rest before heading back to the Hongtai to look for Liu Xiyu.

She lifted the covers and was about to lie down when she saw the pillow and stood up again.

She stood there for a moment, then reached out and rummaged through the bedding before turning and heading to Qiu Niang's room: "Did Mother make my bed?"

“Where would I find the time?” Qiu Niang had just sat down as well. “I haven’t had a moment to catch my breath since last night. Look at my bedding, it hasn’t even been touched.”

Lu Jia frowned: "Did Yi Ge'er go to my room?"

"He never did. Nor would he dare!"

Lu Jia frowned even more deeply.

"what happened?"

"My bed has been moved."

Qiu Niang thought for a moment, then stood up: "How could that be? Who would go to your room?"

Lu Jia couldn't think of anyone else. Since neither Qiu Niang nor Xie Yi were involved, and Qin Zhou and the others... shouldn't have any reason to do such a thing, then who else could it be?
"Could it be that you moved it yourself and forgot?"

“Impossible,” Lu Jia said firmly. Having lived in the Yan family for five years, under constant surveillance, she had long since developed a habit of being cautious about everything around her. Now, the appearance of her bed every morning was automatically imprinted in her mind.

Moreover, she clearly remembered that the shop's account book under the pillow was originally placed in a fixed direction, but now the direction was wrong.

"What could it be?" Qiu Niang asked, puzzled. "Could it be that thieves came because we were all away last night?"

Lu Jia hesitated for a moment, then said, "Perhaps."

Now that they're rich, and He Qu and the others went out last night, it's not impossible that a few petty thieves might take advantage of the situation.

Fortunately, there wasn't much money hidden at home; we can just have He Qu and the others keep a close eye on things from now on.

……

(End of this chapter)