As soon as she went upstairs, Dongtian saw Ma Hehua leading a woman of about the same age as her into the house.
"Alright, it's winter! You'd better leave now, you won't be my manager anymore." Ma Hehua urged her impatiently to leave.
Winter felt a little embarrassed by being chased away like that, so she snorted and said, "Hmph! Fine, I'll go. Who cares! It's like I'm acting like a monkey all day." With that, she swayed her hips and walked away.
Dongxue kept her head down and didn't say a word, but then she heard Ma Hehua say to her, "Why are you keeping your head down? Lift your head up, stand tall with your chest out and your butt sticking out, that will make a better impression."
Dongxue shuddered and immediately raised her head. Ma Hehua, with her sharp eyes, noticed that her face was covered in bruises.
"What happened to your face?" Ma Hehua asked curiously.
"No...nothing much! I just bumped into something by accident."
"Hey! Do you think I'm blind? There's such a big handprint, do you think I can't see it? If you don't want to tell me, then don't tell me, why are you lying to me?" She rolled her eyes.
Then I taught them how to do radio calisthenics. After a set, I must say, it felt pretty good.
Seeing Dongxue about to leave, she called out to her, "From now on, you're under my protection. I'll be on duty during the day. If anyone bullies you, just say so and come to me. I can't just take your salary for nothing."
The three girls who hadn't left were taken aback. They hadn't expected that this seemingly unapproachable old woman was actually quite nice.
"Are you mute? Do you understand now?"
"I...I understand!" Dongxue said somewhat reservedly.
"Okay! Go back now! Call me if you need anything!" Ma Hehua was thinking about what her mother had said: to work hard and not be lazy.
Ma Linghua: "…………………………"
Song Mansion.
The November air carried a slight chill. Ma Linghua, broom in hand, swept the withered leaves around the Buddhist hall, one stroke after another.
The withered yellow leaves gathered together as the broom was swept, as if afraid that a gust of wind would blow them away.
She would occasionally stop what she was doing to deal with the stubbornly growing weeds.
The Song family mansion had a large, empty, and quiet courtyard, which inexplicably evoked a sense of desolation in one's heart.
Ma Linghua worked quickly and efficiently, sweeping the area where she was working clean in no time.
She straightened up, stretched, and her gaze fell once again on the walls of the Song residence.
The wall was tall and solemn, and for some reason, it always felt a little strange to her.
In this chilly November, the walls stood like a silent barrier, separating the mansion from the outside world.
The gray bricks, weathered by time, have become mottled in some places, as if hiding countless untold stories.
Ma Linghua stared at the wall, a feeling she couldn't quite describe welling up inside her.
It is both a guardian, protecting the secrets and dignity of the Song family, and a confinement, trapping the people and affairs within the family.
Above the wall, the sky appeared exceptionally high and distant, with clouds drifting lazily by, yet unable to bring any warmth to the courtyard.
A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling Ma Linghua's hair. She squinted slightly, trying to glean some clues from the wall.
But that strange feeling lingered, refusing to leave, filling her heart with doubt and vigilance.
Ma Linghua gripped the broom tightly in her hand, the warning from Steward Wang echoing in her mind—not to go near the dry well under the pine tree.
However, at this moment, a strong curiosity welled up in her heart. They wouldn't let her get close? Then she would go and see for herself.
Her feet moved involuntarily toward the backyard, each step filled with curiosity yet unwavering determination.
A gentle breeze blew by, ruffling her hair, and seemingly trying to stop her from her adventure.
But Ma Linghua's eyes gleamed with a stubborn and curious light.
As she got closer to the backyard, her heart began to race.
What secrets does that dry well hold? Why is Steward Wang so strict in forbidding anyone from approaching it? Countless questions churned in her mind.
Finally, she arrived at the backyard and immediately saw the tall pine tree.
The pine needles swayed gently in the wind, as if telling an ancient story.
The dry well beneath the tree stands silently, like a silent mystery.
Ma Linghua slowly approached the dry well, unconsciously gripping the broom in her hand even tighter.
The area around the well was covered with withered yellow leaves and weeds, making it look somewhat desolate.
She cautiously peered into the well; the dark, deep opening seemed like a bottomless pit, exuding a mysterious and eerie aura.
A sense of unease rose within her, but curiosity compelled her to continue exploring.
As Ma Linghua stood by the dry well and peered into it, a chill ran from her feet to the top of her head.
Beneath the dry well lay a mountain of white bones and deep corpses, a horrifying sight that nearly made her scream.
"Oh my god!" This sudden sight almost scared her to death. She thought she had just seen an eyeball moving around!
The pale bones exuded an eerie aura in the dim light, as if telling countless tragic stories.
The bones were stacked on top of each other, some still in a twisted position, as if they had experienced great pain in the last moments of their lives.
The corpse was desiccated, the skin clinging tightly to the bones, and the empty eye sockets seemed to be silently accusing something.
Ma Linghua had some doubts in her heart, and after thinking about it, she decided to take another look.
She looked down, but seemed to be frozen in place by a mysterious force, unable to move.
A red figure appeared at the wellhead, staring at Ma Linghua with a ferocious expression.
"Give me back my life! Give me back my life!"
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