Ouyang Yue's lips curled into a smile. Seeing the tense expressions on their faces, she said nonchalantly, "Father, this way please..."
"You should go." Ouyang Zhide shook his head with amusement.
As the two walked away, Aunt Ming, Aunt Hong, Ouyang Hua, and Ouyang Rou looked extremely grim. Just then, Ouyang Yue's clear voice rang out: "Father, tell me about the interesting things at the border. I want to hear you talk about that the most. Then I'll give you a gift in return."
"Oh, what is the gift?" Ouyang Zhide asked with great interest.
Ouyang Yue shook her head: "No, I can't tell you now. You have to tell me something interesting that I'm satisfied with..."
As the two walked further away, Aunt Ming, Aunt Hong, Ouyang Hua, and Ouyang Rou, having overheard their conversation, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Judging from Ouyang Yue's words, she clearly wouldn't reveal what had happened in the manor before; at least the money hadn't been wasted. However, thinking about all the humiliations they had suffered recently—a loss of both wealth and power—they felt a surge of resentment, a feeling they couldn't quite express. Aunt Ming and Aunt Hong exchanged a cold glance, then looked away and returned to their respective courtyards.
Ning Shi led Rui Yuhuan deeper into the western part of the inner courtyard. The further they went, the darker Rui Yuhuan's face grew. She could easily sense that the place was becoming increasingly deserted, and it was quite a distance from Ouyang Zhide's residence. Several times she considered refusing, but the words stuck in her throat. She remembered that she was currently living under someone else's roof. If she were to be picky and incur the displeasure of the people in the mansion, she might be kicked out. In this capital city full of high-ranking officials and nobles, how could she make a name for herself without a powerful backer? Therefore, she had to endure it for now. If she could please Old Ning Shi today, there would be other ways later. There was no need to rush. Besides, she had met everyone in the General's Mansion, and none of them were particularly powerful. She had a way to live here peacefully and become the mistress of the house!
Finally, when they reached a secluded spot further back from the main courtyard, Ning stopped. Rui Yuhuan nearly vomited blood upon seeing it. Just as Ning had described, this place was indeed shaded by green willows. In reality, it was just a very quiet path lined with two rows of willow trees, with a small courtyard nestled between them. In her eyes, it was a neglected place. Not only was it far from the front courtyard, but she would have to walk a long way to get to Anhe Hall. Even the scenery itself was uninteresting to her. The only thing it had, just as Ning had said, was tranquility. The tranquility made her snort and gasp, quite angry.
Ning smiled and said, "Miss Rui, you are still very weak. At this time, patients should not be disturbed. I think this place is just right for you to recuperate. Do you like it?"
Rui Yuhuan cursed inwardly, "What's there to like? This place is empty, and it's probably even more dilapidated than I imagined. How could such a place be fit for me to live in?" But on the surface, she had to put on a smile and say, "This place is just right. Thank you for your kindness, Madam. I thank you."
"Since Miss Rui likes it, I'll have the servants tidy it up right away. It'll be ready to move in soon. Please wait a moment." As soon as Madam Ning finished speaking, Lin Mama immediately ran off and returned with some servants to clean. Madam Ning then said she had to go to the main kitchen to keep an eye on things and couldn't stay any longer, leaving Rui Yuhuan standing there, sulking. About half an hour later, Rui Yuhuan's legs were so weak from standing that the servants finally finished tidying up. Rui Yuhuan, along with two maids, Cai Die, Dou Ya, and several servants carrying luggage, arrived at Green Willow Courtyard.
Seeing the furnishings, Rui Yuhuan's face turned pale with anger. The furnishings were very simple, and the vases were of average quality. Compared to Anhe Hall, it was like heaven and earth. Seeing that Rui Yuhuan was about to lose her temper, Cai Die immediately dismissed the servants from the General's Mansion.
Rui Yuhuan grabbed a cup and was about to smash it on the ground when Fen Die immediately stopped her: "Miss, you mustn't! This is the General's Mansion. If people find out, it won't do you any good."
Rui Yu sat down angrily, gritting her teeth inwardly: "This time I really lost everything. I spent a lot of money preparing gifts and came up with this story. It was all going to be a success, but Ouyang Yue ruined it. It's really hateful!"
Cai Die stood behind, gently patting Rui Yuhuan's back: "Miss, Ouyang Yue is the eldest daughter of the General's Mansion, with a good background, and General Ouyang dotes on her very much, don't you know? Originally, you wanted to find a fault with her, and then not hold it against her so that the General would praise you for being magnanimous, so that we could carry out our plan. Now you've seen it too, General Ouyang dotes on the Third Miss even more than you imagined. What happened at Anhe Hall can't happen anymore, otherwise General Ouyang will misunderstand you, which would be bad, and it would be a loss."
Rui Yuhuan thought about it and agreed: "Then what should we do? I've used up so much of my family's wealth. In this general's mansion, I'm just an orphan, and I'm already a step below the proper masters. If I don't give more money as a reward, who will respect me? Then it will be even harder for me to win people's hearts in the future."
Cai Die fell silent for a moment, then said, "I think it would be better to start with this Third Miss. Although she ruined Miss's plans, she is favored by the General and is the legitimate daughter. I've sent people to inquire beforehand; the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate daughters in the capital is clear, and they live in different courtyards. I heard that the Third Miss lives in Mingyue Pavilion, while the other two are Huacai Courtyard and Rouyu Courtyard. The land area and monthly allowances are different. Why don't you try to win over this Third Miss first? Did you see how she treated the people in the household when she gave that jade ointment to Old Madam Ning? It was clearly an extremely valuable item, something that people would beg for, yet she didn't even blink. She seems like a spendthrift."
Rui Yuhuan sneered: "That's right. I've tried to get information out of Ouyang Yue from Ouyang Zhide many times. She seems to be a bit dim-witted. Otherwise, I wouldn't have thought of targeting her in the first place. Let's just do it this way for now."
On the other side, after Ouyang Yue escorted Ouyang Zhide back to his courtyard, the two agreed to have lunch at Ouyang Yue's residence the next day. She then took Chuncao and Dongxue back to Mingyue Pavilion.
Qiu Yue stood outside the courtyard waiting. As soon as she saw the three of them return, she went to greet them. When she saw Ouyang Yue's face, she was surprised: "Miss, why is your face so red?"
"Stop talking, Qiuyue, quickly tell them to fetch some cold water to apply to the young lady's face." Chuncao also frowned. She had seen everything at Anhetang and was holding a grudge.
"Miss, please wait a moment, I'll go right away." After saying that, she immediately went to prepare.
Ouyang Yue led Chuncao and Dongxue into the inner room. Chuncao looked indignant: "Miss, look at that Miss Rui, what kind of person is she? She's just a pretentious person, so annoying!"
At this moment, Qiuyue brought in a bowl of cold water: "Who is Miss Rui? I've never heard of such a person in the manor." As she spoke, she picked up a towel, soaked it, and then applied it to Ouyang Yue's face. The cool sensation immediately made Ouyang Yue squint her eyes and let out a comfortable hum, "Miss, does it still hurt?"
Ouyang Yue's lips curled up slightly: "What's this little thing? I used to..." Ouyang seemed to be recalling the past, but suddenly stopped. In the past, she had been through fire and water, and had experienced everything. This slap was nothing to her, as long as it achieved her goal. But she couldn't tell them these things. "It's nothing, don't worry."
"Qiuyue, you have no idea how despicable this Miss Rui is! Humph! She's just relying on the fact that her father is the general's savior. She's an orphan, what's so great about her? How dare she disrespect our young lady. Before, at Anhe Hall..." Chuncao angrily recounted what happened at Anhe Hall. Qiuyue's face darkened as she listened. To her, the young lady was like a second parent. If it weren't for the young lady's intervention, she would be working as a prostitute now, with thousands of men sleeping with her. She would rather die than live such a life. Therefore, she could understand Chuncao's anger.
"This Miss Rui is far too arrogant."
Chuncao nodded repeatedly. The two complained angrily for a while, then Chuncao suddenly turned her head and said, "Miss, that jade ointment was a gift from Master. There's only one bottle. Back then, even the Old Madam and Madam wanted it but couldn't get it. This thing is priceless. How could you give it to the Old Madam? Look, the Old Madam even punished you by making you go to the Buddhist hall because of Rui Yuhuan. What's the use of being so good to her? She still punished you whenever she wanted!"
Chuncao was very confused, but Ouyang Yue remained calm: "Look at your young lady."
Spring grass, autumn moon, and winter snow—three pairs of eyes looked over. Ouyang Yue asked, "Did you see anything?"
Chuncao sighed, "Miss has been wronged."
Qiu Yue frowned: "Your face is still a little red."
Dongxue nodded: "Yeah, that was pretty ruthless!"
...
Ouyang Yue was speechless, but then she realized that her words had been misleading: "Look at my face, it's so smooth and delicate, do I need that kind of thing?"
Chuncao disagreed: "Miss, who wouldn't want something good? Besides, only the ladies of the palace are qualified to use that Bihua Cream. It makes you even more beautiful, Miss. It's a waste for the old lady." Ouyang Yue chuckled. In fact, Chuncao used to be extremely composed, and she would never have said such a thing. However, since Ouyang Yue's rebirth, she had always treated Chuncao with kindness and trust, which had unconsciously brought them closer. Chuncao, who had kept her grievances to herself before, now dared to speak them out.
“That’s right. My grandmother is so old, and I’m so young. Whether I use this or not, I’m still young. But she might not have many years left to use it if she doesn’t use it now,” Ouyang Yue said nonchalantly.
Chuncao chuckled, and Qiuyue and even Dongxue curled their lips. Didn't this mean that Old Ning didn't have many years left to live? If they didn't use her now, they wouldn't have the chance later. Compared to their young lady's sharp tongue, they were far inferior. This immediately improved their mood, and their previous gloom vanished.
"Since this jade ointment has already been brought out, taking it back would only give others an excuse to criticize me. It's better to give it to Grandmother; no one can find fault with me then. Besides, isn't it better to make her happy now and have less trouble for me? In this world, anything that can be made can be bought, but some things cannot be bought, like people's hearts. This time, Rui Yuhuan's attempt to scheme against me was a miscalculation, and she should reap what she sows. A box of something useless to me can make her suffer a loss; it's worth it!" Ouyang Yue's face turned cold, and a chilling smile curved her lips. She was never one to suffer a loss; anyone who tried to make her suffer would be repaid a hundredfold!
Spring Grass and Autumn Moon nodded in agreement, while Winter Snow looked at Ouyang Yue, her eyes flickering slightly.
"By the way, Chuncao, have you prepared the things I asked you to prepare? I've arranged for Father to come to Mingyue Pavilion for lunch tomorrow."
Chuncao smiled and said, "Miss, you can rest assured to leave this matter to me. I have prepared everything."
"Okay, I'm a little tired too. I'll lie down for a bit. Wake me up when it's almost dinner time."
"yes!"
In Rouyu Courtyard, as soon as Ouyang Rou returned, Cao'er immediately welcomed her into the house, then mysteriously took out a letter from her bosom: "Miss, there is a letter for you."
Ouyang Rou opened it with a puzzled look, her expression turning somewhat strange: "It's Hong Yicheng! What does he want me to go out for!"
"Go, burn the letter. I need to think about it." After handing the letter to Cao'er, Ouyang Rou sat in silence. Her father had just returned today, and it was probably about winning him over. Humph, what did Hong Yicheng take her for? A pawn to be used at will? He would never help her again without getting anything in return. Absolutely not.
But after thinking it over, she realized she still needed to see Hong Yicheng. Hong Yicheng was currently the only person she could connect with who could help her climb higher; if she didn't seize this opportunity, it would block several of her paths. Of course, if she had the chance, she should also get to know Lin Baiyu better. Judging from Lin Baiyu's resentment towards the General's Mansion, he probably still had some feelings for her. She needed to win over both of them first, and then choose the better one later. Therefore, she still had to go to Hong Yicheng's invitation.
"Cao'er, decorate for me, I'm leaving the manor."
Cao'er was taken aback: "Miss, the general has just returned to the manor. If we go out and are discovered, it might be difficult to handle."
“Call Xiang’er here, just like before. The arrangements at the gatehouse in the backyard are all set. Since Father has just returned, everyone has been sent back to rest. Dinner will be at Anhe Hall, so there won’t be many people coming and going in between. Tell Xiang’er to be vigilant so nothing goes wrong. You should get ready to leave the manor with me.” Ouyang Rou frowned and thought for a moment before saying this.
Cao'er nodded: "This servant will go and do it right away!"
A short while later, an ordinary gray-roofed carriage drove out of the back gate of the General's Mansion and arrived at the intersection of Qunying Street, a low-end residential area in the capital, and Juyuan Street, a low-end commercial street. This was a notorious place in the capital, famous because it was the favorite haunt of men who loved drinking and merrymaking—the red-light district. This was also the place where Ouyang Rou and Hong Yicheng had secretly met before. It was a place where they could remain unnoticed, because no one would imagine that the illegitimate daughter of the General's Mansion, a descendant of a prestigious family, would meet and have an affair with one of the three most famous talents in the capital here!
After entering the red-light district, the carriage drove into a dark alley and stopped at an ordinary-looking alley. After knocking on the door a few times, a woman who looked like a courtesan came to open it. Ouyang Rou then opened the curtain and only showed her face. The courtesan didn't say much and let Ouyang Rou in.
After entering the courtyard, Ouyang Rou, wearing a veil, was helped by Cao'er and walked for a while before entering a fragrant room that was clearly for guests to enjoy themselves.
As soon as she entered, a dark figure loomed over her and pulled her into his arms. His warm breath swept over her, and Ouyang Rou felt a shiver run through her body. The figure's lips were already close, but Ouyang Rou reached out and blocked his mouth.
Hong Yicheng was taken aback. In the past, Ouyang Rou had never refused him whenever he wanted: "Rou'er, what's wrong? Don't you miss me?"
Ouyang Rou's expression was somewhat cold: "Young Master Hong, you don't come here without a reason. I think we should talk business. We're not that close, are we?"
Hong Yicheng sneered inwardly. These were all women he had slept with, yet they were still pretending to be innocent. On the surface, however, he smiled smugly and said, "Rou'er, are you still angry? I was forced into this situation back then. You should know that."
Ouyang Rou didn't want to dwell on this, since she had to get back before dinner: "What did you want to talk to me about today? I need to get back early, so just say what you have to say."
Although Hong Yicheng's expression was not good, he still said, "The old man of the Ning family's birthday banquet is coming soon. The General's Mansion will be coming to the mansion to offer their birthday wishes. I need you to find an opportunity to bring Ouyang Yue to see me alone!"
Ouyang Rou's expression changed. Based on her understanding of Hong Yicheng, this private meeting must be with Ouyang Yue...
"you!"
☆、050, scheming and malicious, close surveillance!
Ouyang Rou's chest trembled with anger, her lips pressed tightly together, and she looked at Hong Yicheng with unspeakable resentment. She roared angrily, "Impossible!"
Although it was Ouyang Rou who seduced Hong Yicheng, leading to their affair, Hong Yicheng himself was no saint. To outsiders, he appeared to be a highly talented and refined gentleman, but only those who knew him, like Ouyang Rou, knew that he was a complete lecher. Otherwise, how could Ouyang Rou have seduced him? Ouyang Rou certainly had her own motives, but Hong Yicheng was simply going along with it. The two of them had discussed and agreed to annul their engagement with Ouyang Yue and marry Ouyang Rou instead.
In the matter of annulling the engagement, it took two to tango; both played crucial roles. Furthermore, Hong Yicheng's attempt to kill Ouyang Yue to silence her was a calculated move based on Hong Yicheng's character, demonstrating that he wasn't exactly a paragon of virtue. If Ouyang Rou had any other choice, she wouldn't have resorted to this tactic. But now that she had given herself to Hong Yicheng, it was one thing for him to disown her in the palace for the sake of his reputation, but now he wanted her to intervene and rekindle Hong Yicheng and Ouyang Yue's past relationship—wasn't that utterly ridiculous?
Ouyang Rou was so angry she felt dizzy and almost collapsed!
Hong Yicheng's face darkened, then, as if remembering something, his eyes flashed, and with a swift movement, he pulled Ouyang Rou into his arms. Ouyang Rou, still angry, tried to push him away, but Hong Yicheng wasn't upset. Instead, he took Ouyang Rou's hand and kissed it hard, the sound echoing loudly in the room. Cao'er, who had followed him in, immediately blushed. Hong Yicheng happened to see this and couldn't help but give a flirtatious laugh. Cao'er blushed even more and, unable to contain herself, turned and opened the door to stand guard outside.
Ouyang Rou, however, was furious and started pulling at Hong Yicheng. Seeing Hong Yicheng's actions, she became even angrier: "So, Hong Yicheng, what do you take me for? Something you can summon and dismiss at will? You said you wanted to marry me, did you even come to the General's Mansion to propose? You said you didn't like Ouyang Yue and wanted to break off the engagement, and I cooperated with you. But what about you? Now you actually want me to bring her to see you alone. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. Aren't you just trying to take this opportunity to have an affair with Ouyang Yue, so that Ouyang Yue will be yours, and the General's Mansion will have no choice but to accept it? You think I'll do that? You're dreaming!" Ouyang Rou trembled with anger, her voice extremely sharp, piercing Hong Yicheng's eardrums.
A flash of annoyance crossed Hong Yicheng's eyes. Ouyang Rou's guess was correct; earlier at Xiangmanlou, Ouyang Yue had shown him no respect whatsoever, which infuriated Hong Yicheng. However, continuing his relationship with Ouyang Yue would be extremely disadvantageous for him. After returning home, his father told him that as long as Hong Yicheng handled this matter well, he would receive many benefits from the Crown Prince. Even in today's imperial examinations, if he wanted to achieve a good ranking or directly enter officialdom, the Crown Prince could arrange it for him!
While the title of one of the three great talents of the capital is prestigious, it doesn't quite carry the same weight as holding an official position. Take Dai Yu, for example; he was only nominated as one of the three great talents of the capital because he was the Minister of Rites, which pushed him down to third place. If he were the Minister of Rites today, even Leng Caiwen would have to step aside and would only be able to lick his boots! Therefore, this is what Hong Yicheng yearns for even more, and the prerequisite for this is to win over the General's Mansion. His breakthrough point is naturally Ouyang Yue's marriage.
Of course, Ouyang Yue was completely ignoring him now, so going to her door like this would be pointless; no one would welcome him. It would be better to target someone in the household, and Ouyang Rou was the obvious choice. Thinking this, Hong Yicheng's hand slowly moved up to Ouyang Rou's body, sweeping back and forth over her waist and hips. He clearly felt Ouyang Rou stiffen, and Hong Yicheng smiled smugly. Suddenly, he grabbed at Ouyang Rou's chest, and Ouyang Rou cried out in surprise, her body immediately going limp.
Having been together for so long, Hong Yicheng knew best what Ouyang Rou's sensitive spots were. He immediately pulled Ouyang Rou into his arms and coaxed her gently, "Baby, what's wrong? Are you jealous of Ouyang Yue? You should know that I have absolutely no feelings for her. She's just a stepping stone for my future. I will never like her." As he said this, he began to knead her hands, and Ouyang Rou's breathing became noticeably heavier.
Biting her lip slightly, Ouyang Rou managed to suppress a moan, but her face flushed and her eyes welled up with tears as she blinked at Hong Yicheng. Hong Yicheng took a deep breath and almost couldn't hold back either.
"You...you married her, then what chance do I have? All these years I've been suppressed by Ouyang Yue's status, and even after entering your household I'm still suppressed by her. Do you think I have no chance to rise above my circumstances?" Ouyang Rou nestled in Hong Yicheng's arms. She understood perfectly well that with men, one had to use both soft and hard tactics. She had let Hong Yicheng know her displeasure earlier to make him pay attention. Now that Hong Yicheng was clearly moved, if she pleased him in this regard, the rest would be a piece of cake!
“Baby, there’s no other way. Let me tell you, this is an order from the Crown Prince. If I don’t obey, not only will I suffer, but my father will also be in trouble. Are you going to let me suffer?” Hong Yicheng leaned his head toward Ouyang Rou and was about to kiss her.
Ouyang Rou turned her head away, her face darkening. In the past, at times like this, Hong Yicheng would do whatever she said. Now it was useless? How could that be!
Hong Yicheng's eyes turned cold. He grabbed Ouyang Rou's head and pulled it up, then pressed his lips against hers and kissed her fiercely. With a "whoosh," he ripped open Ouyang Rou's clothes. Ouyang Rou was startled. At this moment, Hong Yicheng had already picked her up and thrown her onto the bed.
"Hong Yicheng, what are you doing? Don't come any closer."
Hong Yicheng smiled lewdly: "Baby, you've been having trouble sleeping lately, haven't you? I'll grant your wish right now!"
"Don't come any closer!" Ouyang Rou was startled. Hong Yicheng was acting really strange today, and she was even a little afraid of him.
"Don't go over there? You won't be satisfied in a moment!" Hong Yicheng pulled back the bed curtains, dragged Ouyang Rou over, tore open her bodice, and pressed his body against hers. Ouyang Rou was startled and cried out, "It hurts, get away!"
Hong Yicheng was determined to make Ouyang Rou succumb to temptation in bed. This slut's body was the most wanton, and he didn't believe that waiting would make her want to be wild. She was still being coy with him!
Sure enough, a short while later, Ouyang Rou's moans, a mixture of pain, unsatisfaction, and pleasure, filled the bed curtains. Hong Yicheng wore a smug smile. Looking at Ouyang Rou, now a puddle beneath him, he thought to himself, "Once Ouyang Yue has lost her virginity, let's see if she still dares to be arrogant. I'll torture her until she's completely submissive in bed." His anger grew with each thought, and Hong Yicheng's movements became more vigorous. Ouyang Rou's cries were like a boat adrift in water, growing louder! Yet, her expression only showed greater satisfaction…
After everything calmed down, Ouyang Rou, completely naked, fell into the arms of the equally naked Hong Yicheng. Her eyes gleamed with seductive allure, making Hong Yicheng's heart itch unbearably, almost causing him to lose control again. However, Ouyang Rou twisted her body, breaking free from his grasp, and turned her head, saying, "Tell me seriously, I helped you this time only for your future. Will you still try to get rid of Ouyang Yue and make me your legal wife?!" Ouyang Rou knew she could only believe eight-tenths of Hong Yicheng's words, but the temptation was too great. And Hong Yicheng was right; as long as her father joined the Crown Prince's faction, the Crown Prince would naturally value Hong Yicheng and the General's Mansion more. Then, as a meritorious official, perhaps the Crown Prince would help her, and eliminating Ouyang Yue would be done without anyone knowing!
Hong Yicheng, with a lewd expression, kissed Ouyang Rou hard on the cheek: "Baby, is there even a need to ask? If I really had any feelings for Ouyang Yue, why would I have been with you in the first place? You should know that when I got rid of her, I didn't hesitate at all. She was just a stepping stone for our promotion. We still need her now, so this matter can only be handled by you."
Ouyang Rou smiled charmingly at Hong Yicheng: "I'm quite confident about that~" She said, her eyes full of seductive charm, which made Hong Yicheng's heart flutter. He immediately pressed down on her again, but Ouyang Rou pretended to refuse, "No, there's no time. I have to hurry back to the manor. I still have to attend the manor's dinner."
"Why are you in such a hurry to go back, you slut? Aren't you just thinking about it now?!"
"No way!"
The boudoir rippled again. Ouyang Rou looked at Hong Yicheng's eager expression and smiled smugly. In this respect, she was indeed not afraid of Ouyang Yue; she was no match for her at all.
Finally, Ouyang Rou didn't forget about dinner and stopped Hong Yicheng's insatiable demands. She got up, dressed, and went back. Hong Yicheng was shirtless at the time, holding Ouyang Rou and handing her a package.
Ouyang Rou asked in confusion, "What is this?"
"Then, put the substance into Ouyang Yue's belongings or food, and take her to my place. I'll let you know the exact location later. Once she uses this substance, I guarantee she won't resist and will obediently comply. Our plans will then proceed much more smoothly," Hong Yicheng explained.
Ouyang Rou held the items, a cold smile on her face. If she could ruin Ouyang Yue's reputation, given her father's upright yet fierce nature, he might completely despise her. However, for the sake of the General's Mansion's reputation, she had no choice but to agree to Hong Yicheng's marriage proposal. Then, the General's Mansion would fall under the Crown Prince's influence, and if Ouyang Yue was rejected, wouldn't she be able to kill or punish her at will?
"Don't worry, leave this to me. But remember, I'll be the mistress of your Hong family in the future!"
Hong Yicheng smiled and kissed her again: "Don't worry, I keep my word." Ouyang Rou left satisfied, while Hong Yicheng watched her departing figure and sneered. With Ouyang Rou's background, wanting to be his legal wife was simply a pipe dream! But giving her some sweetness first to put her at ease was not bad. This Ouyang Rou still had some use for him, so he couldn't break ties with her yet!
On the street, Chuncao and Qiuyue were carrying large and small bags, some hugging and some hunching over. Chuncao's face was flushed from exhaustion, and she asked with some confusion, "Qiuyue, why did Miss ask us to buy all these things? Does she think the dishes in the manor's main kitchen aren't fresh enough?"