Zhou Shuqin launched into a lengthy and elaborate eulogy, going to great lengths to praise the article to the skies, making it sound like it was the best thing ever written.
Chuan Yu and the others around her were getting impatient with her flattery, especially when they heard "peasant". They all frowned. Chuan Yu looked at Zhou Shuqin with a colder gaze and interrupted her long speech, "What do you mean?"
If she wasn't mistaken, the "peasant" this person was referring to was her younger sister, Wen.
Chuan Yu glanced at Zhou Shuqin a few more times. She didn't think that ordinary people were anything lowly, but the contemptuous tone with which this person talked about peasants made her very uncomfortable. Moreover, what did this person mean by trying to sow discord between the sisters?
Zhou Shuqin was stunned for a moment, wondering why these people were looking at her with such cold eyes. Had she said something wrong?
Zhou Shuqin forced a smile, "I... I didn't mean anything by it. Oh! I just thought everyone must be tired, so I made some fish soup."
"Sorry, we have other things to do and don't have time for your fish soup." Chuanyu didn't have time to waste on this inexplicable person, so she interrupted him again, "And please don't talk about peasants in front of me anymore. My sister Wen is not someone you can slander!"
Chuan Yu's words were quite blunt, and the heroine's fierce demeanor was on full display at that moment, perfectly demonstrating her protectiveness of her own.
Zhou Shuqin was met with a rebuff, her head filled with questions. She was glared at by the group and watched helplessly as they walked past her.
What's going on? All she said was "peasant," and it wasn't even directed at her, so why is she so upset?
Zhou Shuqin was puzzled. What were those other people's expressions like? She hadn't said anything, so why did it seem like she had offended them?
Just as she was staring at the backs of those people, completely puzzled, a woman came up behind her. As she passed by, the woman rolled her eyes at her and called her a lunatic!
Zhou Shuqin almost fainted from anger. She wanted to go up and fight, but the woman who had just scolded her and the people who had given her the cold shoulder were all from the girls' school. She could tolerate not being on good terms with the girls' school, but she couldn't afford to be enemies with them either! She had no choice but to hold back.
The person who was cursing Zhou Shuqin was Zhao Xuejiao. After cursing, she caught up with Chuan Yu and the others, and asked them, "Who is that country bumpkin?"
A country bumpkin?
Zhou Shuqin was so angry she almost twisted her mouth. Couldn't you have kept your voice down when you're talking about people behind their backs?!
Besides, she's the daughter of a wealthy merchant from Jiangnan; every piece of her jewelry and clothing is the most fashionable! How dare you call her a country bumpkin?! How is she country bumpkin? You bunch of people who don't even wear jewelry are the country bumpkins!
Zhou Shuqin couldn't curse them aloud, but in her heart she cursed them all, her eyes practically bulging out of their sockets.
"Miss, shall we go back first?"
The maid carrying the food box glanced at the stares directed at them and offered a suggestion to Zhou Shuqin.
At this moment, Zhou Shuqin also noticed the strange looks and pointing fingers. Her dark face immediately turned red, and the grievances and resentments in her heart rose up. When had she ever been humiliated like this! Back in Jiangnan, which of those young ladies didn't fawn over her!
Just as I was about to stomp my foot and leave, I unexpectedly met a pair of eyes.
The woman who was eating a sesame seed cake was also taken aback, not expecting that she and the young lady would make eye contact!
Zhou Shuqin didn't cause trouble for the woman, but she glared at her fiercely before leaving.
The woman's sesame seed cake suddenly lost its appeal, and the stall owner next to her, seeing this, asked her, "Do you two know each other?"
The woman was no longer in the mood to answer the stall owner. If there was anything worse than being caught slacking off by the owner, it would be witnessing the owner making a fool of himself while he was slacking off!
She quickly got up, dusted herself off, and headed to her master's house.
Because of the construction of a train station and a girls' school on the outskirts of the capital, the once quiet place has become bustling. In just two years, shops have sprung up one after another, and many residential areas have also been built. These are people who came to the capital and did not want to leave, including people from the Jin Dynasty and foreigners.
After Zhou Shuqin came to Beijing with her father, she bought a courtyard house in one of the residential areas.
With a mix of trepidation and excitement, the woman returned to the Zhou family mansion and quietly slipped in through a side gate. Her journey was smooth, and she patted her chest, relieved that her mistress wouldn't bother her.
But as soon as she put down the vegetable basket and the big carp, the little maid who followed Zhou Shuqin came over.
"Aunt Liu, this is your wages for the past few days. You should leave now. You're always slacking off; the Zhou family can't afford to have you!"
The little maidservant, with her head held high, threw a few copper coins at Liu Ma's feet.
The Zhou family has only been in the capital for a few days, and Aunt Liu has only worked here for a little over ten days, but aren't these few copper coins too little?
She held the maid's hand and spoke kindly, "Good girl, I was just resting because I was tired from walking today, I haven't been lazy at all!"
Before she could finish speaking, the maidservant shoved her hand away, saying, "Hurry up and leave! Otherwise, the young lady will order her men to beat you out with big sticks!"
Knowing that the young lady was taking her anger out on her and that she probably wouldn't be staying, Liu Ma smiled and tried to appease the maid, "I'll go, I'll go, but isn't the pay too little...?"
The maid sneered, "Someone like you who's either going to the outhouse or dozing off is just trying to slack off. We're being generous by giving you a few copper coins. If you think it's too little, don't take it!"
He was about to bend down to pick up the few copper coins when Liu Ma bumped into him and made him fall to the ground. When he looked up again, Liu Ma had already picked up the few copper coins and was stuffing them into her clothes while cursing.
"Pah! What a country bumpkin! He's broke and yet he hires a maid! He makes fish soup and tries to curry favor with people, only to be met with indifference. Serves him right!"
The young maid was furious. She rubbed her bottom and stood up to argue with the old woman, but she was clearly no match for Liu Ma, who was twice her age. She was so angry that tears streamed down her face.
The argument between the two attracted the attention of the neighbors, and Zhou Shuqin, who was already having a headache, was even more annoyed by the noise. But as soon as she came out, she was greeted by Liu Ma's spittle.
"You make fish soup every day and run out. People who know you know you're trying to curry favor with others, but people who don't might think you're throwing yourself at men!"
Liu Ma's insults were so harsh that Zhou Shuqin almost fainted from anger. She was nearly fainted, but her fingers trembled as she pointed at Liu Ma, unable to speak.
"Guards! Throw them out!"
After a long pause, Zhou Shuqin managed to utter this sentence. Two or three servants came over upon hearing it and, upon hearing Zhou Shuqin's instructions, chased the servants away.
Liu Ma was very shrewd. She glanced at the strong physiques of the servants, fearing a beating, and quickly ran away after muttering something.
Zhou Shuqin was furious and sat in the living room for a long time before she calmed down.
When Zhou Jingxian returned from outside, this was the scene he saw. He couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"
Zhou Shuqin was too embarrassed to say anything, so she said it was nothing and asked her father how things were going.
After Lei Nianren invested in a section of the train, the Lei family received a substantial return. Zhou Jingxian sensed the business opportunity and was also envious, so he wanted to get a share of the pie.
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