Chapter Seven: She wanted to punch his shoulder, but she was too short.

Day 2

Following her mistress's instructions, Ling'er put the cloak in the cabinet, took a bag of roasted pine nuts, and went for a stroll.

She wandered around the Marquis's garden for quite a while, but couldn't find anyone to ask for information.

When the girls saw her, they either went out of their way to avoid her or, knowing she was there to freeload, they wouldn't even give her a second glance.

She walked around for a while, but nobody paid any attention to her.

She finally managed to get two chubby girls to talk to her, but it turned out they were just lowly kitchen maids who had only been there for half a month.

They usually only work in the kitchen and know less about the affairs of the Marquis's mansion than she, an outsider maid.

She had at least met the old lady and the eldest son, while the only important figures these two girls had ever met were the kitchen manager and so-called "big shots."

Ling'er was tired from walking, so she simply sat down in a corner by the corridor.

"Sigh, I'm afraid I won't be able to complete Miss's orders," Ling'er muttered to herself, resting her chin on her hand.

Just as she was feeling troubled, she heard a voice: "Hey, you with the double buns."

Hearing the sound, Ling'er looked around and saw Yuan Qing standing not far away, looking at her sideways.

Isn't that the young master's lackey?

Ling'er pointed to herself, trying to make sure that Yuan Qing was really calling her.

Yuan Qing pouted and said, "I'm calling you. Hurry up and come here!"

He couldn't understand how there could be such a stupid little girl.

She was the only one in the corridor; if he wasn't calling her, who was he calling?

Ling'er reluctantly walked over, her heart pounding.

As he walked, he kept peeking out to look behind Yuan Qing.

She was terrified, afraid that before she could even get close, Yuan Qing would suddenly reveal his eldest son behind him.

She feared that the eldest son would find some excuse to punish her again.

As it turned out, she actually saw Yuan Qing turn around, and Ling'er closed her eyes in fright.

Yuan Qing saw the dazed girl looking back at him as she walked, her face showing a look of utter terror. Yuan Qing thought there was something terrible behind him, so he turned around to take a look as well.

There wasn't a soul in sight; this little girl was playing a trick on him!

Turning around, I saw that the girl was still standing there, clutching the hem of her clothes, her eyes tightly closed.

He suddenly found it funny, so he quickly walked up to Ling'er and flicked her on the forehead.

"Hey, you silly girl, what are you doing?"

Ling'er opened her eyes and saw that only Yuan Qing was there, and immediately felt relieved.

Fortunately, the fierce-looking eldest son wasn't there.

She looked at Yuan Qing, tilted her head, and pouted, asking, "Why did you call me?"

Yuan Qing didn't even know why he had called her over.

I just saw this girl sneaking around in this garden. When a maid passed by, she pretended to be passing by, as if she wanted to strike up a conversation with her.

Upon closer inspection, isn't this the little maidservant who served Miss Qing?

Because of that Miss Qing, he was later fined money by the eldest son, which made him somewhat unhappy.

Unexpectedly, this little girl walked right into the line of fire, so Yuan Qing can't be blamed for it.

He figured this girl must have been instructed by her master to investigate something here.

If he captures this little girl and sends her to the eldest son, wouldn't he have done a good deed?

As a result, he saw that the maids ignored her and mocked her.

He grinned when he saw her helping two chubby girls in the kitchen carry food boxes, and almost tripping over the heavy boxes.

How could there be such a stupid girl?

Yuan Qing cleared his throat and said, "I see you acting all suspiciously here, talking to a passing girl. What are you trying to find out?"

Ling'er pursed her lips and remained silent.

"Did your young lady send you?"

"What does this have to do with my grandfather?"

Ling'er's eyes suddenly lit up: "You've been following the eldest young master all this time?"

Yuan Qing raised an eyebrow: "I, Yuan Qing, have been with you since I was five years old."

"However, I will not betray my master."

Ling'er was overjoyed. Her mistress had asked her to find out why the eldest young master was angry upon seeing the crimson robe. Wasn't this lackey in front of her perfect for the task?

“That dog… Brother Yuan, I do have something I want to inquire about regarding the eldest young master.”

Yuan Qing immediately became serious. If someone dared to betray his master, even ten lives wouldn't be enough for him to live.

He coldly replied, "No comment."

Ling'er quickly stopped her, saying, "Hey, Brother Yuan, Uncle Yuan! I wanted to ask why the young master forbids my young lady from wearing scarlet again?"

As she spoke, she began to massage Yuan Qing's arms.

She wanted to massage her shoulders, but she was too short to reach them.

Yuan Qing felt a surge of joy at being addressed as "Uncle Yuan".

He was only fourteen years old, and everyone in the household called him Yuanqing.

He simply found a chair and sat down, pointing to his shoulder.

Ling'er rolled her eyes, but when she saw Yuan Qing staring at her, she put on a smile and tactfully massaged Yuan Qing's shoulders.

Yuan Qing smiled and said, "This is simple."

He then pointed to the bag at Ling'er's waist. Ling'er took out a few pine nuts, peeled them, and placed them in his hand.

While eating, Yuan Qing said, "Tell me your name first."

"My name is Ling'er, as in water chestnut."

So it's a kind of food. No wonder he's so slow-witted. Yuan Qing thought to himself.

Then he said slowly, "It's not that you dislike red, young master, but rather that you like it too much."

"Everyone in the manor knows that the eldest young master's favorite color is red. Apart from the old lady and the wives, no one dares to wear red in front of the eldest young master."

"Oh, I see."

"Your young lady is wearing crimson to curry favor with the eldest young master; anyone with eyes can see that."

Ling'er thought to herself: Who said my young lady was trying to please the eldest young master?

Ling'er still said to Yuan Qing, "Thank you, Uncle Yuan."

After asking the questions, he turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Qing reached out and stopped him: "Hey... Lingjiao, give me the pine nuts you have on you."

Before she could react, Yuan Qing snatched the bag from her hand.

Ling'er muttered with her head down, "The young master's lackey is even stealing snacks from a little girl."

Yuan Qing asked, "What are you muttering about?"

While peeling pine nuts, Yuan Qing said, "Do you know that because of your young lady's matter, the eldest young master fined me half a month's salary? What's wrong with taking some of your pine nuts?"

Upon hearing this, Ling'er felt somewhat confused.

If she remembered correctly, Yuan Qing didn't do anything at the time.

Why did the eldest young master fine you silver?

"Because I'm unhappy."

"Huh?" Ling'er's eyes widened.

"What? If the master is unhappy, the servant will suffer as well."

"Has your young lady never punished you?"

Ling'er shook her head: "Miss never beats or scolds servants without reason."

Besides, she and the young lady grew up together since childhood, and now that she's twelve, she doesn't seem to have ever been punished.

"Brother Yuan, I'm going back to find Miss." Ling'er turned and left.

"Oh, and also, my name is Ling'er, not Lingjiao!" Ling'er turned around and added.