Full House Spring

Chapter 30 Attack
Xiangru felt an indescribable sense of pleasure when he saw Manqing being humiliated.

She didn't show it on her face, she sat up and said, "The sisters who serve the old lady are older than us, and they will be sent out to marry sooner or later. Then it will be your turn, so there is no need to be too anxious now."

Zi Fu couldn't help but sneered: "You are good at making sarcastic remarks. Why don't you give this place to my sister and wait a little longer?"

Maidong took a step forward and said unhappily, "This is what Xiangru earned with his own efforts. Why should he give it to others?"

Zhao Xiaohui's eyes were full of disdain, and she said in a slightly cold tone: "You have gained benefits, so just be happy about it. Don't pretend to be dignified and generous. If you ask me, you must be on guard against others. Who knows who will step on who to get to the top one day."

Xiangru's face changed slightly, and she subconsciously glanced at Xia Li. She still looked calm and composed. She noticed her gaze and raised her lips slightly, "When are you moving?"

Xia Li ignored Zhao Xiaohui's words and simply ignored her.

Xiangru turned her head, her hair falling down to cover her face. She whispered, "Move immediately to a quieter room. Have a good rest at night so that you can work tomorrow."

Xia Li naturally had no objection, but Maidong was a little depressed.

"Xia Li left, and you left too. What's the point of me being the only one left here?"

Although Elsholtzia sometimes dislikes Ophiopogon japonicus, she always treats her as a good sister.

"I might have a high fever at night, so you should sleep with me."

Maidong's eyes lit up when he heard this. They had been sleeping in the same bed since they were young, and Xiangru now lived in a separate room, so as long as she didn't mind sleeping together every day, it would be fine.

Xia Li didn't want to waste time, so he said calmly, "Then move your luggage over now, I'll help you."

After the high fever, Xiangru's hands and feet were weak, but she still threw off the quilt and got up to clean up without hesitation. Watching them busying themselves, Manqing turned a blind eye and went out first, and Zifu hurriedly followed her.

After they both left, Zhao Xiaohui would not stand there and make herself look bad, so she followed them out.

Manqing wanted to go home and ask her father for advice, so the two sisters went to ask for leave from the housekeeper and then left the house.

At this moment, Shopkeeper Wang was checking accounts in the room. His abacus made a crackling sound, and he sometimes frowned in thought and sometimes raised his lips. His wife Zhou was sitting beside him doing needlework. Seeing his expression, she asked curiously, "Boss, what are you thinking about?"

Shopkeeper Wang looked up at her and chuckled, "It's hard to explain. Just take good care of my son and take care of the household affairs."

Zhou rolled her eyes at him and said, "Why are you being so mysterious to me? You know my personality."

Shopkeeper Wang closed the account book, put his arm around his wife's shoulders, and said in a low voice:

"It's not that I don't trust you, but the fewer people who know about this, the better. It's useless for me to earn so much money for the old lady. I have to think about our son, right?"

Zhou cared the most about her youngest son. She whispered, "Do you think the old lady will really agree to free our son from slavery? What if she changes her mind..."

Shopkeeper Wang sneered, "The old lady won't do that. Our father entrusted everything to me before he left. I have so much money in her hands. How could she refuse such a request? The two girls are still in her hands."

Zhou nodded slightly and was about to speak when she heard a noise coming from outside.

"Dad, Mom? Where are you?"

The couple looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhou got up from the bed and put on her shoes while calling out, "We are in the room. What's going on?"

The two sisters walked into the house with unhappy faces. Zi Fu picked up the fruit on the table and took a bite. Man Qing said with an unpleasant expression, "Dad, didn't you say that the old lady agreed to leave the vacant second-class maid position to me? Why did she give Xiangru a promotion?"

Shopkeeper Wang frowned slightly, "It's just a vacancy for a second-class maid. There's no reason for the old lady to go back on her word. What happened in the mansion today?"

Zi Fu said quickly: "It was because the prince accidentally fell into the water, and Xiangru risked his life to jump into the water to save him..."

After she explained the whole story, Shopkeeper Wang fell into deep thought. Zhou was a well-behaved woman. Although she loved her youngest son, she also cared about her two daughters. She couldn't help but nag, "You two should work hard in the mansion. Even though your father is looking after you, he is not omnipotent."

If it were usual, Manqing would have had to argue a few times, but now she knows how to reflect. Now in Le Shou Tang, whether it is Fang Xiali or Zhao Xiaohui, they are both tough people. Even Xiangru knows how to climb up. If she still doesn't know how to improve herself, I'm afraid her father will be of no help.

She looked up at her father, stroking the corner of her clothes, and complained, "The old lady has never summoned us sisters. She doesn't seem to think that much of my father..."

Shopkeeper Wang had a serious expression, and his eyes were cold and stern. He said in a low voice, "Don't talk nonsense. You two sisters are young and just maids. Even if the old lady summons you, what can she say? I will go to the mansion to ask the old lady tomorrow."

Man Qing then smiled, and she said in a sweet voice, "Dad, I don't count on the vacancy this time. Next time something like this happens, no one can get past us two."

Zi Fu also nodded in agreement. Shopkeeper Wang said calmly, "I know what's going on. You two should try your best and stop wasting time all day."

Man Qing nodded obediently and agreed. She would not allow those who were not as good as her to bully her.

Manager Wang kept his word and went to the mansion to pay his respects to the old lady the next day. When he arrived, the old lady had just finished breakfast and was taking a walk in the garden.

Upon hearing that he came to pay his respects, he slowly returned to Leshou Hall. Although Manager Wang was only the old lady's companion, his strength should not be underestimated after two generations of management by his father and son. He could even get a cup of tea when he entered the mansion.

Hearing Qiancao calling for tea, Xiangru hurriedly prepared the teacups. She had not yet recovered and it was her first time on duty. If Xia Li had not given her guidance, she would have been punished today.

When she served the tea to Shopkeeper Wang, he took the teacup, frowned slightly, and looked at Cymbopogon citratus, expressing his doubts just right.

"I have never seen the tea-serving maid here, old lady. Is she newly promoted?"

The old lady glanced at Xiangru and said in a low voice, "Yes, this girl is loyal and reliable. I like her very much, so I promoted her."

Shopkeeper Wang immediately put down his teacup, stood up, and bowed, saying, "I am so ashamed. I sent those two useless maids to the old lady. They can neither serve her nor have any skills to show off. It would be better if I could take them out of the house so that they would not be an eyesore to you..."

Xiangru lowered her head and dared not look around. She felt that what Wang said was provocative. She should leave after serving tea and did not dare to listen any more. The old lady sat back in the armchair calmly. She was clearly smiling, but in an instant, she looked chillingly cold.

"Wang Huaiyang, do you have any objections to my arrangement? This Leshou Hall is a place where your daughter can come and go as she pleases?"

Shopkeeper Wang bent his back even more fiercely. He did not dare to look the old lady in the eye. Under tremendous pressure, he said in a trembling voice: "I dare not, but you promised at the beginning..."

The old lady's lips curved in contempt, and she spoke word by word:

"You should take what I give you respectfully. If I don't give it to you, don't even think about asking for it. A servant should do his duty."

Shopkeeper Wang's eyes flashed with a hint of viciousness, and he said in a hoarse voice: "I understand, but please consider our loyalty for two generations..."

Before he finished speaking, the old lady said mercilessly: "You two have made a lot of money outside under my name. You should not be too greedy."

Shopkeeper Wang had cold sweat on his forehead. He originally thought that the old lady was old and confused and that he was the only one he could rely on for matters outside. Even if he overstepped the line, she would turn a blind eye. But he didn't expect that she would make trouble today.

Shopkeeper Wang gritted his teeth and explained with trembling lips: "Master must have misunderstood. Since I took over the eight businesses, I have been working diligently and conscientiously, not daring to be negligent in the slightest. Moreover, because I am often away from home, my wife and children cannot be taken care of, which makes the two girls even more unbecoming..."

The old lady raised her chin slightly, the corners of her mouth inadvertently rising, with a hint of complacency and teasing in her eyes.

"Don't try to act like that at this moment. Why don't you take a look at the account book first?"

Nanny Xie brought the account book to Manager Wang at the right time. Wang Huaiyang looked confused. He had a feeling that it was not a good thing. He opened the account book tremblingly. His face turned pale before he finished reading a page. His knees went weak and he knelt down unconsciously.

The old lady's eyes were full of coldness, and she said solemnly: "All major business houses have always had two sets of account books. You are the big manager in public, but there are people supervising you in secret, so I know everything you have done."

Shopkeeper Wang could not hold on and almost fell down. Despair was revealed on his face, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Aren't you afraid, old lady, that your subordinates will reveal the fact that you give banknotes to that person every month?"

The old lady straightened up, raised her eyelids, and said with a half-smile, "I'm afraid that before you send the message out, you'll be beheaded. Aren't you most concerned about your youngest son? Has he been complaining of headaches these days?"

Shopkeeper Wang looked ashen. He resigned himself to his fate and said, "Master, spare my life! I will never do anything rash again. I only beg you to let me go..."

Shopkeeper Wang no longer had the same high spirits as before. The old lady gently turned the Buddhist beads in her hand and said calmly: "You continue to work hard for me and spit out what you don't deserve as soon as possible. After all, it won't harm your wife and children..."

Shopkeeper Wang nodded his head and agreed, unable to think of anything else...

Xiangru was restless after returning to the tea room. Xiali was sitting on a small stool by the door doing needlework. When she looked up to relax her eyes, she saw her worried look and asked curiously, "What's wrong with you? Did you get scolded for serving tea?"

Xiangru quickly shook her head. After all, she was young and had little experience. She looked worried and said:
"Just now, Shopkeeper Wang asked to see the old lady, and he mentioned me specifically. Is he resentful that I took the vacant position of the second-class maid to support his daughter?"

Xia Li frowned slightly and said calmly: "Even if he came to talk to the old lady about this, he might not get what he wanted."

Xiangru looked puzzled, and Xia Li chuckled, "Since the old lady has promoted you, how could she change her mind overnight? No matter how glorious Shopkeeper Wang is outside, he is still a servant who is half a head shorter than the old lady. If he really has that much influence, you wouldn't be standing here today."

Xiangru thought about it and felt that it made sense. She recalled the atmosphere in the inner room just now and said uncertainly: "I always feel that there is some discord between the old lady and Shopkeeper Wang. I can't tell what it is, but it just feels weird."

Xia Li didn't care too much. She sorted the embroidery threads in the basket and said calmly:

"Even if there is something wrong, it has nothing to do with us. Don't say anything and just do your job well."

Xiangru nodded hurriedly, a slight smile appeared on her lips, and she lowered her voice and said:
"I asked Qiao He to prepare the food for me. Let's have a midnight snack together after work tonight. It was so comfortable to talk and laugh together last time. This time, let's celebrate our promotion."

Xia Li thought that she would not be able to leave the house in the short term, so it was natural for her to make friends with the girls around her. She did not ask for sisterly love but only hoped to live in harmony. If she lived a life of intrigue all day long, it would be too tiring.

She said calmly, "Grandma has some lotus cakes that the old lady gave me, and I have a pot of milk. I'll go back and make some milk tea, and we'll drink it together tonight."

Xiangru's eyes sparkled, and she said happily, "I asked Qiaohe to prepare a copper pot. We can directly use the charcoal stove to cook in the pot. This is easy and convenient."

Xia Li's eyes lit up with smiles. She hadn't had this kind of food for a long time. She stood up and said, "I'll go back and prepare it. If you don't understand anything, go find Sister Qiancao. She's the kindest person."

Xiangru nodded gently in agreement, "Just go ahead and don't worry, I'll save you the trouble..."

Since Xia Li wanted to make milk tea, he must send some to the old lady and grandma so that they could have a taste. He decided to do this on the spur of the moment and did not have many ingredients on hand, so there were no other tricks in the milk tea.

When she made the milk tea, Aunt Xie happened to go back to the room to change clothes, so she gave it to her to taste. Aunt Xie picked up the teacup and took a sip, her eyes lit up. The taste was silky, sweet but not greasy, and the aroma of tea and milk blended perfectly together, leaving people with endless aftertaste.

"This tastes good. The old lady will definitely like it. You can eat it with tea."

Xia Li smiled and said, "I thought so too. I have prepared everything for you and put it in the pot to warm it up. If the old lady likes it, you can add something else to it next time. It doesn't matter if the ingredients are not complete this time."

Aunt Xie lowered her head and took another sip, then said in a gentle tone, "You can do whatever you want. I'm still here with the old lady. You don't have to be too afraid of the Wang sisters in the future."

Xia Li understood the elegant meaning of the music and immediately said:

"What kind of taboo has Shopkeeper Wang committed? He holds so much dowry money from the old lady, so he shouldn't be so careless."

Aunt Xie had a blank expression on her face and her eyes were as cold as ice. She said sarcastically:
"Wang Huaiyang was so proud of himself that he thought his master was old and useless, so he really let him fool around. He didn't know that I could see through his tricks at a glance. He dared to try to control his master. It was really ridiculous."

Xia Li restrained her expression slightly. The old lady was more cunning than she thought and could not be fooled easily. She hoped that she would not stand against her in the future.

　I'm shameless enough to ask for monthly tickets. If you have extra ones, please give me some...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)