Chapter 34: The fake heiress is kept by a man in his private residence?

Li Qingluo covered her face and said, "Granny, I fell a couple of days ago and my face is all disfigured. It's normal that you don't recognize me. Besides, I'm just a lowly maid who's always busy in the kitchen."

Li Qinglu herself hadn't expected that she would be so adept at making up lies.

And the old woman actually believed it.

"A couple of days ago, I heard that a maid named Chu from the kitchen went home. Was that you? What happened to you? Don't go near the master these next few days! Come inside with me now!"

Li Qingluo managed to sneak into Prince Yun's villa, and even she herself didn't expect it to go so smoothly.

After separating from the nanny, in order to be cautious, she wandered around for a while before finally finding her way to the kitchen.

There were already many people in the kitchen, so when they saw a girl with an unremarkable appearance, they didn't think much of it and just let her start working.

Li Qinglu joined in and busied herself in an orderly manner. She was still thinking about when she could get away to go find Liu Jinzhi, but unexpectedly, the old woman she had met earlier came again.

She spotted Li Qingluo at a glance.

"You, come with me."

Li Qinglu stepped out, listened to the nanny's instructions, picked up a prepared meal, and followed her out of the kitchen.

Li Qinglu thought to herself: It's a good thing I came to the kitchen just now, otherwise if the old woman came back and I couldn't find her, it would definitely arouse suspicion and cause trouble.

After Li Qingluo left, the kitchen staff looked at each other in confusion, and someone asked in bewilderment, "Who was that?"

"Do we have a girl like that in our kitchen?"

"I can't tell from that face, could it be Chu Chu?"

"That vile woman is usually very talkative, but she hasn't said a word today. Is it her?"

Along with Li Qingluo, carrying the meal were two other people brought by the nanny herself.

Li Qingluo didn't dare to ask any questions the whole way, and could only listen to them talk with her head down.

"Who exactly is that woman? Why does she come here every few days to beg for money? The young lady doesn't even see her, but she has the nerve to come here every time, eating and taking things, and even making us serve her! It's absolutely disgusting."

"You bet she is! She really thinks she's some kind of mistress, always putting on airs in front of us. It's so annoying! Ugh!"

As she spoke, a maidservant spat heavily onto the food.

The other one immediately followed suit, while the old woman in front seemed not to have heard anything and did not even turn her head.

The two maids spat together and turned to look at Li Qingluo.

It's as if if she didn't do this, she wouldn't fit in, and would be an oddball who would report them!

Li Qingluo guessed that they were talking about Liu Jinzhi.

Therefore, a slight smile naturally implies that one is going along with the corrupt practices.

In a secluded little courtyard, Liu Jinzhi was indeed sitting inside, enjoying being massaged on the back and shoulders.

After Li Qing went inside, she lowered her head and followed them to set the food on the table, watching Liu Jinzhi eat all the food with relish.

"Mmm! Delicious, delicious! As expected, the food here at Zhu'er's place is the most delicious in Jinling City!"

With his fat hands, he held a greasy chicken leg in one hand and kept stuffing abalone into his mouth with the other, his face covered in grease as he ate.

Even a maid standing nearby almost vomited from looking at it.

After finishing her meal, Liu Jinzhi leisurely picked her teeth and had someone help her wash her hands and rinse her mouth.

Li Qingluo wanted to laugh.

It seems that Liu Jinzhi has been living a good life these past few years.

Liu Jinzhi is ten years older than Li Qingluo. She is the biological daughter of Granny Liu, the midwife who switched Li Qingluo and Li Qingzhu's identities, and also Li Qingzhu's aunt.

When Li Qingluo was young, she suffered all kinds of abuse and insults from Liu Jinzhi.

She dumped almost all of her work on Li Qingluo.

Washing clothes, gathering firewood, cooking, working in the fields, cutting grass...

If Li Qingluo showed the slightest resistance, she would instruct the other children in the family to bully and beat her.

They would also preemptively accuse Li Qingluo of doing something she never did, going to the Liu family elders to slander her.

Li Qingluo would naturally be beaten again.

Fortunately, Liu Jinzhi left Liujia Village five years ago and has not returned in recent years.

I heard she married a butcher and they live a fairly comfortable life.

Looking at her now, it's clear that she was more than just wealthy.

It seems she has already recognized Li Qingzhu as her niece and is now living a more luxurious life.

"Bring me a cup of tea."

Liu Jinzhi suddenly pointed at Li Qingluo and tapped the table in front of her.

She let out a burp, and the smell from her mouth immediately filled the surrounding area.

Everyone else visibly frowned, and some even brushed their noses to catch the scent. Only Li Qingluo was already used to it, and obediently went over to pour her tea.

Liu Jinzhi knew that these people all looked down on her.

But even so, what can they do to her?

She's Pearl's own aunt!

Liu Jinzhi drank the tea, the fragrance filling her mouth, which made her close her eyes comfortably.

Looking at the woman in front of her with dark skin and an ugly, bruised face, she thought of the detestable Liu Cao'er.

I heard she went back to the Li family. I wonder if she will still recognize me as her aunt if I go to visit her.

Just then, the old nanny beside her said with a forced smile, "Madam Liu, the young lady instructed that she is unable to see you today. So please leave as you see fit after your meal."

Liu Jinzhi slammed her teacup down on the table: "No time again!?"

She was furious. "She never comes back, and she never has time to see me. I'll go find her myself!"

Liu Jinzhi was so angry that she stood up and was about to rush out when the nanny immediately gave her a signal, and four or five maids rushed forward and held Liu Jinzhi down tightly.

"Let me go! Do you know who I am? Be careful, or I'll tell Pearl and have you all skinned alive!"

The old woman sneered, "Pah! Have you no shame? How dare you call the young lady by her name? What kind of person are you? The young lady refuses to see you, yet you still come every two days to eat, drink, and take things. Do you really think you're the master of this place?"

"The girl is only giving you a little kindness; if you still don't know what's good for you, be careful you don't lose your life one day and still not understand why..."

The old woman's words sent a shiver down Liu Jinzhi's spine.

"You, you dare... Pearl, Pearl! I want to see Pearl! Pearl, I'm your own aunt! Pearl, come and see how these damned, lowly servants are treating me—ugh—"

Liu Jinzhi's mouth was covered, and the maids, who had long disliked her, took the opportunity to pinch and scratch her. Liu Jinzhi's plump body was pinned down and she couldn't move easily, so she could only let them do their dirty work.

The old woman pretended not to see it.

In the entire courtyard, only Li Qingluo stood to the side, watching as if she were watching a play.

Although they didn't lift a finger, their faces were full of excitement.

Just as the old woman was about to ask her something, another old woman hurriedly came from outside the courtyard.

"Granny Zhao, hurry! The master is back. The young lady wants us to quickly serve the hot dishes that the master likes. Also, the person serving the dishes shouldn't be too slender... just her, someone like her will do."

The old woman pointed and her finger landed on Li Qingluo.