Jiang Yinjin stared intently at Hanrong, and Chen Mianmian saw it but remained silent.
The courtyard was hers, the maids were hers, and the madam was still alive; she bet Jiang Yinjin wouldn't dare say anything.
Ding was furious. "Mianmian, how do you plan to handle this?"
Shen Mianmian looked aggrieved. "Madam, this is the first time I've encountered this... Could you please give me some time to think it over?"
Ding recalled her first visit to the Marquis's residence when she encountered a conflict among the servants, and how she had been caught off guard. She felt a pang of sympathy for them. "Alright, it's nothing serious. Take your time to think about it."
Afterwards, Ding comforted Shen Mianmian for a few more minutes before leaving with Jiang Yinjin by her side.
One hour later.
Chen Mianmian arrived at the main courtyard alone and met the madam.
“Madam, I have thought about this for a long time. I also consider that Xiangning is someone the princess admires. If the princess sends Xiangning in and then we send her away right after, we might offend the princess. So I am thinking that Hanrong is not young anymore, so let Hanrong leave the manor ahead of time. What do you think?”
Madam Ding was taken aback. "Let Hanrong leave the manor? This... isn't that serious? It was a misunderstanding, both of them were at fault, wouldn't a little discipline suffice?"
Shen Mianmian lowered her voice, "It is indeed making a mountain out of a molehill by dismissing a maid over such a trivial matter, but I believe that at this critical juncture, we should still consider Her Highness's feelings."
Thinking of the willful and capricious princess, Madam Ding sighed, "You're right. Even without this incident, Hanrong would have left the manor in another year or two. It wasn't a lifelong contract anyway, so it's better to let her leave sooner."
She paused, her gaze filled with worry. "Then what will you do? Yin Jin can have two first-class maids, but you can only have one. After Han Rong left, Xiang Ning took the first-class maid's position. Mingyue Courtyard can't add any more people. Can you manage to have someone close to you serve you?"
"Yes, Xiang Ning will do."
"Her?" Ding hesitated.
Chen Mianmian laughed and said, "Don't worry, Madam. If Xiang Ning doesn't obey, I'll beat her up." As she spoke, she raised her fist.
Ding felt dizzy and disoriented—since when did their Marquis's mansion start fighting and killing each other like this?
Wait a minute, the Marquis of Anning's family seems to be a family of military generals, so it doesn't seem like there's anything wrong with them fighting and killing each other.
Madam Ding looked at Granny Li, who also frowned, thought for a long time, and finally nodded—there was no other way, the princess could not be offended!
And so, the matter was settled.
...
In the side room, Hanrong was packing her luggage while crying.
Beside her, Liu Xiangning said while munching on a white pear, "Sister Hanrong, if you don't need to bring these things, just leave them for me. It'll save me the trouble of buying them again. If you feel bad about it, I'll give you some money when I get my monthly salary."
The thought that Xiang Ning had taken over her aunt's place, her room, and even her luggage made Han Rong so angry that she wanted to fight Xiang Ning to the death.
With her swollen, red eyes, Hanrong glared fiercely at Xiangning and said, "You better take good care of your aunt. If you don't, I'll never forgive you."
"Yes, yes, don't worry, Sister Hanrong. At worst, you can come back and check on me every now and then. If Auntie has lost weight, feel free to come and beat me."
She thought to herself, "That's her master, how can I not take good care of him? I'll definitely make sure he's well-fed and healthy."
Hanrong sighed and threw the luggage she had packed back at her. "Never mind, you can have it all."
"Really? Sister Hanrong, you're so kind! Does your face still hurt? Or you can punch me a couple of times?" Liu Xiangning said, bringing her stunningly beautiful face closer.
Looking at Xiang Ning's innocent face, Han Rong couldn't help but laugh through her tears, "You just need to take good care of Auntie for me."
In the afternoon, Hanrong, with a bruised and swollen face, left Mingyue Courtyard with only a small bundle in her arms.
Chen Mianmian didn't go to see her off. She just stood by the window for a while, and only after watching Hanrong's figure disappear at the courtyard gate did she sigh and retreat.
She slumped onto the soft couch, the scenes from when she first transmigrated still fresh in her memory.
Now, Hanrong is gone, and Fengchu is not here either; she is all alone here.
Therefore, loneliness is the essence of life.
...
Chen Mianmian didn't know when she fell asleep, and when she woke up, she found herself in bed again.
This scene seems familiar.
Suddenly, she remembered something, hurriedly got up, and lifted the curtain.
Sure enough, someone was sitting at the table, tiptoeing as they flipped through a book.
"Why are you back again? Didn't you say you wouldn't be back for the next few months?"
Scolded by the woman, Bai Qingzhou blushed and stood up stiffly, her fair face full of a wronged wife. "I...I heard there have been big changes at Mingyue Courtyard, so...I'm worried about it. I'll leave before dawn tomorrow!"
Chenmianmian's feelings were complicated.
When Hanrong left, she felt depressed and dejected. His timely return, even if it was just a brief encounter, greatly comforted her.
But at the same time, she was angry—how could that brat be so clueless? Didn't he know his own situation? Did he still think he was safe?
Seeing the woman's complexion worsening, Bai Qingzhou's heart pounded in his chest. "You... don't worry, I haven't missed my studies. And... it's quite a coincidence that Mr. Ouyang also had to go home today, so... I made an excuse to come back to find a book. It'll only be for one night. I'll leave tomorrow morning... If you're really worried, I can have dinner with you and then I'll leave."
"..." Sleepless.
"Mianmian, don't be angry... I'm really worried about you."
"..."
"Mianmian?" Bai Qingzhou secretly regretted it, not because she regretted coming back today, but because she regretted not leaving immediately after glancing at her.
If I leave before she wakes up, she probably won't notice.
But... he just couldn't bear to part with her, and always wanted to say a few words to her.
After a while, Chen Mianmian sighed, "Never mind, you've always been unclear about your persona. It would be strange if you suddenly became clear about it."
Bai Qingzhou asked, puzzled, "What character setting?"
Shen Mianmian didn't answer him, her tone still unfriendly, "How do you know something's happened to me? Have you been studying seriously at all?"
"Yes, I studied hard," Bai Qingzhou complained softly. "If I had known, I shouldn't have answered the first exam so seriously. I really don't want to aim for the top three."
Chen Mianmian said sternly, "Answer my question directly. How do you know there's been a change at Mingyue Courtyard? You'd better be honest, or I have plenty of ways to deal with you."
The boy trembled in fright, “…It was…it was Guan Shui who told me.”
Chen Mianmian sneered, "Guan Shui, is that it? Bring him in."
Bai Qingzhou quickly grabbed the woman's hand, only to find it slightly cold. "Don't be angry. I was just worried about you, so I told Guanshui to only tell me about major changes, not ordinary trifles. You... you have to understand me, I'm worried about you. Do I worry when we meet, or not when we don't? We're all human, who can control their emotions so easily?"
"..."
"I really know what I'm doing, you can believe me... If it weren't for the huge incident of Hanrong leaving, I wouldn't have come back."
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