Chen Fu's focus was easily diverted.
But Madam Qu is not someone who can be fooled so easily.
The New Year's Eve bells rang and the smoke from the first incense sticks at Wanguo Temple began to rise.
Madam Qu watched the fireworks rising over the Longchuan River attentively.
Qu Erniang walked hurriedly, "It's dark and cold, don't stand in the wind."
Madam Qu turned around slowly and asked, "Did you see everything clearly?"
Qu Erniang nodded, raised her hands and patted them beside her ears, "Come in."
A little unfamiliar girl bowed her head and walked in.
Qu Erniang sighed inwardly and said, "Tell me, what happened when Erlangjun and Manager He went out of the outer courtyard alone - were they intimate? Did they talk? Did they live in the same room?"
The little girl trembled and opened her mouth, speaking in authentic Huizhou dialect, "...the two of them walked one in front and one behind, far apart, and talked for a while. They first went to the storeroom to get paper, and then went to the study in the outer courtyard to get pens and ink. When they got the paper, Erlangjun was waiting outside, and when they got the pens and ink, Manager He was waiting outside...No, they never lived in the same room together."
"What did you say?" asked Mrs. Qu in a deep voice.
The little girl was a little scared. "I... I was far away and heard something about plum blossoms, peach blossoms, chrysanthemums... In the study, two people were talking about a hundred birds painting, buying and selling... They were speaking Mandarin, and I didn't quite understand so I leaned in to listen. As a result, I stepped on a dead branch when I leaned in. I was afraid of being discovered so I ran away quickly."
Madam Qu: ...Looking at Second Aunt Qu, why did you send someone to eavesdrop? Why didn’t you send someone with a higher education?! At least he should be able to understand Mandarin, right?!
Aunt Qu shrank her neck: the difference in ability and level must make the boss know the value for money! - She has inquired about the manager Zhong who works for He, and now he only makes five taels of silver a month. How much does she get? This is called you get what you pay for.
Madam Qu turned her eyes and asked, "Are the two of them talking and laughing?"
The little girl quickly shook her head: "No...no! There's no expression on my face! I don't look familiar!"
Old Madam Qu breathed a sigh of relief and slowly sat back in the rattan chair.
Aunt Qu waved at the little girl, then turned around and poured a glass of water for the old lady. "I told you this morning, how could two people who are so different from each other get together?"
But she remembered the orchid carving on the umbrella handle she saw in the Jixi workshop that day, and she happened to see the same orchid embroidery on Erlangjun's cuffs a few days ago...
Aunt Qu opened her mouth to speak, but the words were in her throat, so she swallowed them back - if she said that, Shopkeeper He would be dead or at least skinned.
Why bother?
They are all poor people.
Second Aunt Qu handed the hot water to Old Lady Qu. "I just mentioned it to you casually before, and you treated Erlang as your eyeball, and immediately tried to verify it... Now everything is fine, and everyone is happy."
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