Full House Spring

Chapter 20 Taking advantage of every opportunity
Lu Wanqiao's reaction was the most direct. She looked at the old lady with burning eyes and exclaimed in amazement: "Grandma is so beautiful like this, even more beautiful than the painting of the ladies hanging in my father's study..."

Children's mouths are not deceiving. The old lady was very pleased. She stroked her granddaughter's fair face and said happily:
"Grandma is old, and our daughter Qiao is the prettiest. On the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, we two grandparents will wear velvet flowers to enter the palace to have a fresh and festive look. What do you think?"

The old lady's last sentence was to ask for Luo's opinion. Luo was not stupid. She knew that these dignitaries who could enter the palace for the banquet must have seen all kinds of good things.
If Wan Qiao had her hair covered with pearls and jade, she would not only lose her childish innocence but would also be looked down upon. If her dress was too plain and inconspicuous, this velvet flower headdress was just right. Luo inserted the butterfly next to her daughter's hair, which made her look very playful and cute.

She said happily: "The old lady is still thoughtful. My daughter-in-law doesn't have to worry about this matter anymore."

The old lady also thought it was good. She turned to look at Xia Li, her eyes no longer as careless as before.

"Since you like making these novel gadgets, just go ahead and make them. If you need anything, just ask your grandma for it."

Xia Li was naturally happy to be appreciated by her leader. She smiled and said, "Thank you for your grace, old lady. I will definitely not let you down."

Luo took a look at the old lady and saw the value of Xia Li, so she said, "Miss Xia Li sent so many velvet flowers, the old lady should reward her well."

The old lady held her chin and looked at Xia Li, and said in a calm tone: "Then Xia Li, tell me, what reward do you want?"

Madam Xie pursed her lips, a trace of worry flashed in her eyes. She was afraid that Xia Li would say something wrong. How could Xia Li be so unprepared? She said lazily:
"I just want to see the old lady happy from the bottom of my heart, not for any reward."

The old lady felt very relieved when she heard this. She looked at the box of velvet flowers again and said kindly, "I see you made a lot of velvet flowers. Have you thought about how to divide them?"

Xia Li said honestly: "I haven't thought too much about it, the old lady can make the decision."

The old lady was thoughtful and said thoughtfully, "I'll let the women in the mansion pick some, and give the rest to the maids in Leshou Hall. Do you think this is feasible?"

Xia Li nodded with sparkling eyes, "This is a very good way to deal with it. The old lady is kind and considerate to the servants. It is a blessing for us servants."

The old lady was used to hearing flattery, so she didn't react much. She said to Xia Li, "There is an empty side room next to Alan's house. You will live in that side room in the future."

Aunt Xie still had some status in the old lady's mind, and she was willing to make more plans for Aunt Xie. This arrangement was perfect for Xia Li, and she said with gratitude: "I will move in later."

The old lady said to Aunt Xie: "You two haven't seen each other for a long time. You can accompany her to the side room to take a look..."

Madam Xie nodded and agreed to lead Xia Li out. The two walked under the eaves of the corridor, away from the main room, and then Madam Xie spoke:

"The velvet flower you presented today is too eye-catching. Although it pleases the old lady, it will inevitably make the other maids look dim and easily make people jealous."

Xia Li's face was calm, and she no longer pretended to be obedient in front of the old lady. She said in a low voice: "People's hearts are hard to predict. If I don't show some ability, people will inevitably look down on me. I took a shortcut to get promoted this time, and I had no choice."

Aunt Xie is an experienced person, so how could she not understand these principles? She said in a calm voice: "Next time you make a big move, let me know in advance so that I won't be unable to react in time."

Xia Li raised the corners of his lips slightly, and said in a friendly tone: "Don't worry, I'm not the type who likes to show off. I won't show off unless it's necessary. Growing up safely is more important than anything else."

While the two were talking, they had already reached the door of the ear room. Madam Xie first unlocked the door with the key, then pushed it open and said, "This ear room is a bit off the beaten path, so the maids don't want to live here. In fact, the space here is slightly larger than the servants' room."

As soon as Xia Li stepped into the inner room, he smelled an unpleasant smell, but the lighting in the room was excellent. A ray of sunlight shone through the lattice window onto the bed. Xia Li was very satisfied.

She said to Aunt Xie, "This room is really nice. Although it is in a remote location, it is quiet. I always like to be alone. As long as I am closer to Grandma, it will be enough."

Madam Xie looked around and said calmly, "As long as you like it, are you planning to move in tonight, or wait a couple of days to ventilate the room and get rid of the odor? There's a new person moving into the room you originally lived in."

Xia Li asked with interest, "Who's the new guy? He seems to be quite good at taking advantage of opportunities."

Madam Xie said calmly, "I heard it was Madam Lu's sister-in-law. She didn't use my connections. I don't know the details. She got what she wanted."

Xia Li chuckled and said, "I'm just afraid that her sister-in-law is a restless person."

Madam Xie said indifferently: "She can't cause any trouble in this Leshou Hall, you don't have to take her seriously."

Xia Li nodded in agreement. Zhao Xiaohui couldn't get to her for the time being. Seeing Aunt Xie trying to bend down to clean the room, Xia Li hurriedly stopped her and said, "Grandma, you don't need to do this. I can do it myself."

Madam Xie said in a low voice, "Your wound has just healed, so you'd better not do these rough and tiring jobs. I can clean it up quickly by myself."

Xia Li refused to agree to anything. She took out a small box from her bag and handed it to Aunt Xie, saying with a smile:

"Grandma, these velvet flowers are made just for you. They are small, delicate and inconspicuous. You can wear them on weekdays. I'll clean them up. Go back to your room and try on the velvet flowers first."

Aunt Xie felt warm in her heart as she held the small box, but she said, "Why bother making it for me? There's no need for us to be polite to each other."

Xia Li turned around and said with a smile: "This is not a courtesy. How can others have less than their grandmothers? Please take it back to the house."

Aunt Xie knew what she was thinking. She held the box tightly with great care and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "I'll go back to my room first. You can have lunch at my place."

Xia Li nodded in agreement, and after Nanny Xie left, he immediately started cleaning. There was nothing else in the room except the furniture, so it was easy to clean up, and it was done in just an hour or so.

Nanny Xie also gave her a new quilt made this year. Her previous bedding was distributed by the mansion. It was fine to sleep on it when the weather was warm, but not so good when it was cold. The maids would buy new ones after receiving their monthly allowance.

The bed looked much warmer after it was covered with bedding. After Xia Li had lunch with Madam Xie, the velvet flowers in the old lady's box were distributed to the maids of the first and second ranks. When Qian Cao returned the box, there were still five flowers left in it.

She smiled lightly and said, "The old lady said that we can't be greedy. We have to leave some for your sisters who used to live with you. Do you think it's enough?"

Xia Li had a good impression of Qiancao. She said in a brisk voice:

"These are enough. If you like them, you can take them all and share them. I will make some more and send them over later." Qiancao put the box on the table in front of the lattice window and whispered:
"That's not necessary. This velvet flower is complicated to make, and you have to work so you don't have that much time to play with it. I think this room looks pretty good after tidying it up. I have some decorative ornaments. If you don't mind, you can take them and play with them."

Xia Li smiled and said softly, "Sister Qiancao still cares about me..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shi Mi standing there jokingly said:

"Oh~ It seems that we came at the wrong time. Since only your sister Qiancao cares about you, let's go home now."

Bai Shao, who came with her, also made a move to leave. Xia Li hurried forward to hold the two of them back and said in a soft voice:
"Don't be angry, sisters. I said the wrong thing and I deserve to be beaten! Sister Bai Shao and Sister Shi Mi love me too. This is your first time here, so come in and sit down."

Shi Mi was not a petty person, so how could she really be angry with her? The two of them walked in with smiles on their faces. Bai Shao put the things in her hand on the round table and said in a brisk voice:

"Your sister Shi Mi and I thought that since you had just decorated your place, you must be missing some things, so we each picked out a few things to send to you. Use what you can use, and keep what you can't and give it to other sisters later."

Shi Mi took her hand and said with a smile: "My hands are not as dexterous as yours, so I won't give you any embroidery. Please don't mind."

Xia Li said angrily, "My sisters treat me so kindly, I am so happy that I don't mind. I like everything you give me."

Bai Shao said in a cheerful tone: "Now that you are here, I can save a lot of trouble. You have to help me make clothes for the old lady in the future."

Xia Li had just been promoted and didn't understand many things. She said crisply:

"Grandma told me that starting from tomorrow I will stay in the tea room to serve tea. I'm afraid I can't do needlework for the time being."

Bai Shao raised her eyebrows and chuckled, "Madame Xie is too cautious. I have always been responsible for the old lady's clothes. I was too busy to handle it, so I assigned some work to Yin Zhu. Her embroidery skills are average and not very pleasing to the old lady. I have seen the headband you made for Madame Xie, and the old lady likes it very much. Don't even think of being lazy about this matter."

From her intimate tone, it was clear that she didn't treat Xia Li as an outsider. Xia Li knew Bai Shao's thoughts. She also wanted to have a place by the old lady's side with her embroidery skills, so she didn't refuse and said generously:
"If you are too busy, you can ask me to do it. The work in the tea room is easy, so I think it won't be a problem."

Qiancao listened to their conversation. As both of them were second-class maids, new maids had to start in the tea room. It was good enough that Xia Li did not rely on her relationship with Madam Xie to bypass them and serve the old lady.

The three of them all had errands to do and it was not appropriate for them to stay long. After Xia Li politely sent them out, she turned back to the house to look at the things the two had brought. They were all practical little items that could be used directly, saving her a lot of trouble.

After her bedroom was decorated and she estimated that Xiangru and others had finished their work, she took Ronghua to the servants' room.

The maids she met along the way all took the initiative to greet her. As expected, she still had the best reputation in front of the old lady. Xia Li knew her place and did not take advantage of it. Her attitude remained the same as usual.

She walked to the servants' room and was about to knock when she heard a shrill voice from inside.

"Fang Xiali has moved to the main room, so this bed should be given to me. Why are you still occupying it?"

Mai Dong in the room said in an unhappy tone: "This bedding belongs to Xia Li, and she hasn't packed her things yet, why are you in such a hurry?"

Zhao Xiaohui said unhappily, "I'm squeezed to the wall and have to sleep there. Why should I leave room for her? If you can't bear to leave her, why don't you go with her?"

Mai Dong said unhappily, "Whether I leave or not is my business. Anyway, don't even think about sleeping over here until Xia Li comes back to get his things."

Zhao Xiaohui has always been strong, and two nights is her limit. She would not give in at this moment no matter what. She reached out to take the bedding from the big bunk bed, but Maidong was stubborn and refused to let her go, and the two of them started to pull each other.

Man Qing said indifferently: "Mai Dong, I know you have a good relationship with Xia Li, but she is gone, so you should take the bedding away to make room for others. You can't bully the newcomer."

Zi Fu, who was watching the fun, agreed, "That's right. If this gets reported to the matron, you might even be punished."

Mai Dong was not good at arguing with others, she said aggrievedly:
"I'm not bullying Zhao Xiaohui on purpose. Xia Li doesn't like others touching her things, so she must come back to get them. Why are you in such a hurry? If it's crowded at night, why don't you just ask us to move in? Xiangru, please say something for me."

Xiangru said impatiently, "Those are the beddings distributed by the mansion. They are not very good. Maybe Xia Li no longer needs them or wants them. She is now a second-class maid. She has the merit of protecting her master and is taken care of by Madam Xie. She is no longer the same as before."

Mai Dong heard her say this and said in disbelief:
"It's fine if they do that, but why are you so sarcastic? Ask yourself if Xia Li is not good enough to you?"

There was silence in the room for a moment, and Xiangru sighed:

"Maidong, Xia Li is no longer the same as us. It's meaningless for you to keep some things. She doesn't need them."

Mai Dong said stubbornly: "Whether she needs it or not is her business. I am keeping it for her out of loyalty. How do you know who she is?"

At this moment, Xia Li pushed the door open with force, stood at the door with a smile on his face, and said loudly:
"I only came back half a day late, and I almost couldn't even keep my bedding. It's too fast for this person to be forgotten."

Mai Dong saw her eyes light up and said happily, "Xia Li, I knew you would come back. How are you? Are you feeling better?"

Xia Li smiled at her and said gently, "I'm fine. Please go to the side and wait for a while."

Mai Dong took the box she handed over and stood aside obediently. Xia Li looked at Zhao Xiao Hui and said nonchalantly, "Miss Zhao is arrogant at home, but why don't you know how to restrain yourself when you enter the mansion?"

Zhao Xiaohui's face changed slightly, and she said unhappily, "I don't know Miss Xia Li. Since you've moved to the main house, you should pack your things away quickly. You shouldn't occupy both houses."

Xia Li said indifferently, "I am not such a bad eater. I just didn't expect you to come so quickly. I will take the bedding away today. You can relax."

Zhao Xiaohui was so angry at her sarcasm that she had to endure it. Xia Li was in a strong position and had more face than her in front of the old lady. She couldn't get any advantage, so she said dryly, "Thank you for your understanding, Miss Xia Li."

Seeing that Zhao Xiaohui gave in, Xia Li stopped holding on to her and turned to look at Mai Dong.

(End of this chapter)