Chapter 80 Watching the Show
Inside Ruixue Tower, Xie Sangning sat upright behind a rosewood desk by the window, not holding a pen, but lightly tapping the account books on the desk with her fingertips.
"Miss, Miss Nu'er has arrived," Ru Chun announced softly.
"Come in." Xie Sangning didn't look up.
With a soft rustling of the curtain, Xie Nu'er bowed her head and gracefully entered.
After not seeing her for a while, the once thin and timid little girl has undergone a complete transformation.
She seemed to have grown taller, wearing a well-fitting light purple cotton dress. Although she was still slender, the timidity and fear between her brows had been replaced by a calm caution.
She walked respectfully to a spot a few steps away from the desk and bowed deeply again, saying, "This servant greets Miss."
"Get up." Xie Sangning finally raised his eyes, his gaze calmly falling on her. "How's your learning going?"
Xie Nu'er quickly took out a thin blue cloth booklet from her sleeve and respectfully presented it with both hands: "Replying to Miss, this is Nu'er's notes on learning how to read accounts, manage a household, and deal with people during the past three months while working with Granny. Please take a look, Miss. Granny treats Nu'er very well and teaches her with great care."
Xie Sangning took the booklet but did not open it immediately: "That's not what I'm asking about."
Xie Nu'er's heart tightened, knowing that the real test had begun.
She took a deep breath and tried hard to recall her nanny's daily teachings. Before long, she adjusted her state.
When she looked up again, Xie Nu'er's eyes were filled with tenderness.
Every gesture and movement resembled Xie Sangning's mother, Lin Ruyue.
Standing, sitting, walking—he does everything perfectly.
Even her speech had the distinctive trailing tone of Lin Ruyue.
Xie Sangning nodded in satisfaction.
"Um."
Her gaze fell on Xie Nuer's lowered eyes, her voice still calm: "The talent show is about to begin. You must always remember whose person you are and where your future depends."
"If one learns with half-heartedness, or has inappropriate thoughts..."
She paused, her fingertips lightly tapping the booklet: "I can pull you out of the mud, and I can send you back, even worse off than before. Understand?"
Xie Nu'er's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and she suddenly raised her head. She knelt down with a "thud" and her forehead hit the ground hard.
"My lady's kindness is immeasurable, I could never repay it even if I were to die! My life was given to me by you, my lady, and my heart and eyes will always be with you! I would never dare to have the slightest disloyalty! If I break this oath, may I be struck down by heaven and earth and fall into the deepest hell forever!"
The vow was made with resounding conviction, carrying the weight of a desperate gamble.
She knew very well that without Xie Sangning's protection, she would still be a worm in the swamp that could be trampled on at will.
Xie Sangning looked at the slightly trembling figure on the ground, a hint of satisfaction flashing deep in his eyes.
What she needed was a knife that was absolutely loyal and that she could hold in her hand.
"Get up."
Her voice softened: "Remember what you say today, it will be useful to you in the future."
She paused, then picked up a jade bracelet of excellent quality and with a lustrous sheen from the table. "This is a reward for you. Consider it encouragement for your diligent learning."
"Thank you for your kindness, Miss! Thank you for your kindness, Miss!"
Just then, a cheerful voice came from outside the door: "Miss, Miss Ru Bao is here."
Before the words were finished, a young girl dressed in a pale yellow floral blouse and with her hair styled in a double bun, entered like a lively nightingale, lifting the curtain. It was Xie Rubao.
She is now the legitimate daughter of the newly appointed Minister of Revenue, and her status has risen accordingly, but when she sees Xie Sangning, her intimacy and dependence remain unchanged.
"Sister Sang Ning!" Xie Rubao jumped to Xie Sang Ning's side, affectionately taking her arm, her eyes sparkling. "It's so boring staying indoors! Come on, let's go for a stroll in the West Market!"
She playfully shook Xie Sangning's arm, with a touch of girlish coquetry.
Xie Sangning was exasperated by her shaking. He glanced at the desk and realized that the important matters to be dealt with today were finished.
Looking at Xie Rubao's expectant face, a rare smile of relief appeared in her eyes.
"Alright, I have nothing else to do anyway." Xie Sangning stood up, flicked his sleeves, and said, "I'll go with you to see what's going on."
"Great!" Xie Rubao cheered, a sly glint in her eyes.
Xie Sangning instructed Ruchun, "Keep an eye on the house." He then glanced at Xie Nuer, who was standing by with her hands at her sides, and said, "You're coming with me."
“Yes, Miss,” Xie Nu’er replied respectfully.
In the West Market, the afternoon sun shines brightly, and shops line both sides of the street, with pedestrians thronging shoulder to shoulder, creating a bustling and prosperous scene.
Xie Rubao was in high spirits, pulling Xie Sangning to look around, occasionally exclaiming in amazement.
Xie Nuer followed closely behind.
"That's the teahouse!" Xie Rubao pointed to a two-story building ahead. "Sister, let's go!"
The three entered the teahouse.
Seeing their smart attire, and especially Xie Sangning's elegant demeanor, the waiter immediately greeted them warmly: "Please come upstairs, esteemed guests! The private room is quiet!"
The waiter led them upstairs to the second floor and pushed open the door to a private room.
The moment the door opened, a figure in a coarse cloth, who had been facing away from the door and bending over to wipe the table, straightened up upon hearing the sound and instinctively turned around—
Their eyes met!
Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
The woman wiping the table was wearing a faded, patched coarse cloth shirt, and her hair was casually wrapped in an old blue cloth.
If it's not the Wang family, then who is it?!
The expression on Wang's face instantly changed from numb to overwork to astonishment, followed by overwhelming shame and resentment!
Xie Sangning was also slightly taken aback, then gave a mocking smile.
It's true... you never know where you'll meet someone in life.
"Oh, isn't this the King... the King..."
Xie Nuer recognized her too, and covered her mouth in feigned surprise.
"Isn't this the Xie family... oh, no, isn't this Madam Wang from the second branch of the former Xie family? What, you've given up being the housekeeper's wife of the General's Mansion to come to this teahouse to experience the lives of ordinary people? How's your job wiping the table going?"
Wang's face instantly turned from red to white, then from white to green, and finally turned a deep purplish-red!
She bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled, and the veins on her hand gripping the rag bulged, her knuckles turning white.
Overwhelmed by a sense of humiliation, she wanted nothing more than to rush up and tear Xie Nuer's mean mouth apart!
However, she ultimately just stared intently at Xie Sangning, her eyes filled with venom: "Xie...Sang...Ning! You...you all..."
"How about we?" Xie Sangning asked. "Can't we come for tea?"
Her gaze swept over the dirty rag in Madam Wang's hand, and the sarcasm on her lips deepened. "As for Madam Wang, this table... doesn't seem clean enough. Well, that's understandable, after all, she's used to being a master, so it's inevitable that she'll be a little rusty when it comes to serving others."
"you--!"
Wang was so angry that she trembled all over and almost passed out!
She slammed the rag down on the table and screamed, "I'm not putting up with you bitches! Go find someone else!"
She turned and was about to rush out of the private room!
"stop!"
The teahouse owner, hearing the noise, strode in, his face grim.
He had heard the commotion at the top of the stairs, and seeing the tense atmosphere in the private room, he immediately made up his mind.
"Old Wang!" the boss shouted angrily, "What's wrong with you?! Distinguished guests have arrived, and this is how you serve them?! You dare to throw things?! You've gone too far!"
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