Hearing Xu Keke say that she didn't need to accompany her, Du Rui was a little disappointed. "Then next time you go out, you can invite me along. I know quite a few places that make nice clothes. And also places that sell jewelry."
She didn't press the matter further, which pleased Xu Keke once again. She disliked making excuses for others.
After finishing breakfast, Xu Keke changed her clothes and went outside. Just as she reached the sycamore tree in the courtyard, her second concubine followed her from behind. "Last night, Master asked me to try and persuade you..."
Xu Keke had witnessed her infatuation with Du Bingtian, and was curious about what she wanted to say. "What advice do you have for me?"
"My master asked me to persuade you, saying that Mr. Li is pursuing you. He wants you to agree, and also said that if possible, he would like you to talk to Mr. Li about whether he could consider you for the position of bureau chief."
This way of persuading people is really straightforward. This caught Xu Keke somewhat off guard.
“I know you have your own ideas, and you might not listen to my advice anyway. But since the master has ordered me to do it, I can’t refuse.”
Sunlight filtered through the branches of the sycamore tree, falling on the second concubine and casting dappled shadows on her face. This made her expression appear unpredictable, but the glint in her eyes revealed her current state of mind.
Xu Keke smiled faintly. She really hadn't expected that a person could change so much in just one night.
Seeing the surprise on Xu Keke's face, the second concubine gave a bitter smile, awkwardly pulling out a handkerchief and clutching it in her hand. "Master, you were too kind yesterday. My family isn't exactly a scholarly family. My father's generation was just a schoolteacher in town. There were many brothers and sisters in the family, and although life was hard, I did study for a few years from a young age. I never imagined that all that education would be forgotten."
The old lady originally said that if the first wife passed away, I would be her second wife. But then something went wrong, and the master married his current wife behind the old lady's back.
My father originally disagreed with me becoming a concubine in the Du family. I insisted on my own way, and unexpectedly, I harmed the Fourth Miss.
Over the years, the Fourth Miss has always felt wronged. It was I who persuaded her, coaxed her, and even pressured her to listen to the Third Miss and the Madam. I thought about it all night yesterday, fearing I might have taught her the wrong thing.
Xu Keke raised an eyebrow. She hadn't forgotten what Du Rui had said to sow discord between Du Shan and her at her bedside that night. Although she was puzzled, Xu Keke still spoke impartially.
"You've led her astray. But every mother wants her child to have a good life and can't bear to see her child suffer. It's just that when you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Sometimes you have no choice."
Xu Keke's words brought tears to the eyes of the second concubine: "I never expected, I never expected that it would be the eldest young lady who understands me."
The second concubine wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. "Eldest Miss, please rest assured, Fourth Miss and I will never make things difficult for you again. From now on..."
Xu Keke chuckled, "Alright, I have nothing to worry about, and you don't need to tell me anything else. I won't meddle in other people's business unless they bother me."
Xu Keke glanced at the second-floor balcony, "Third Concubine has been watching from up there for ages..."
"It's alright, Master sent me to persuade you." The second concubine looked at Xu Keke cautiously. "But, Miss, what do you think I should say to Master?"
"Just tell your father that I understand and I will take care of it."
Having received Xu Keke's reply, the second concubine dared not waste any more of her time and quickly let her go.
After leaving the Du residence, Xu Keke went to Osmanthus Lane first. The steward Kang Quan mentioned that day was indeed someone the original owner remembered.
Osmanthus Lane was a narrow alleyway where the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard. Xu Keke had a rickshaw drop her off at the entrance of the alley, and then slowly strolled in alone.
After walking for a short while, I saw a teahouse with an old-fashioned signboard. The customers inside were mostly elderly, clearly regulars. Some of them were carrying their own teapots.
As soon as Xu Keke sat down, an elderly waiter came over. He immediately took a white towel draped over his shoulder and wiped the clean table in front of Xu Keke.
"Miss, are you here to see someone? Or to inquire about something? Would you like something to drink?"
This person speaks with an accent, which is different from the local pronunciation, but it's quite interesting to listen to.
"Please bring me a pot of tea."
"Come on, boss, bring me a pot of jasmine tea!" the waiter called out cheerfully, drawing the attention of everyone sitting in the shop.
Xu Keke described the butler, Uncle Mao's appearance to him. The waiter thought for a moment and said, "You mean the big-headed cat with a scratch on his left cheek? He hasn't been here for a while."
"If he comes, could you please pass on a message for me?" Xu Keke took out some money from her bag and stuffed it into his hand.
Seeing how cooperative she was, the waiter had no choice but to agree. Xu Keke wrote down the Du family's address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. She asked him to tell Uncle Mao to come find her there if he ever saw him again.
The shopkeeper brought Xu Keke some tea. It smelled delicious.
"If you're not in a hurry, Miss, why don't you try our tea? It's grown by the owner himself; you can't get this anywhere else," the waiter suggested as he poured Xu Keke a cup.
Since she had already paid, Xu Keke wasn't in a hurry. She picked up the teacup and took a sip. To her surprise, the tea was actually quite delicious.
Seeing that Xu Keke was satisfied, the waiter was also happy. "Please enjoy your drink. Just call me if you need anything."
Before leaving, the waiter gave her another plate of melon seeds.
The melon seeds were boiled with spices, and Xu Keke cracked them open while drinking tea. Listening to the chatter of the other tea drinkers, she was surprised to find herself sitting there for half an hour.
When Xu Keke left the teahouse, she bought a bag of melon seeds from the owner.
She reached the alley entrance and was about to hail a rickshaw when she saw a woman rushing across the street. She paused for a moment upon seeing Xu Keke, but didn't linger, quickly passing her and disappearing into the alley.
After she disappeared into the alley, a group of men in black ran towards them. They sized Xu Keke up, realizing she wasn't the person they were looking for, and said nothing more. They quickly split into several teams and began searching the surrounding area.
As Xu Keke sat in the rickshaw, she was still wondering if Su Wan had been caught. Who had she offended? Those men in black looked well-trained, not like ordinary street thugs.
When Xu Keke arrived at Xile Medical Clinic, Kang Quan was just coming out. She hadn't expected Kang Quan to come looking for her again so soon.
She rushed over and asked, "Sister Jin, what's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Knowing that he was alright and was about to go home to check on things, Xu Keke smiled and said to him, "Then let's talk about it when we get back."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
