This stuff does smell really good. Madam Yu didn't think much of it, and didn't even think there was anything wrong with Madam Zhou asking the question. But the recipe isn't something that just anyone can tell you, so she said, "This is the family business. It will open after the New Year. You'll know then."
After saying that, Madam Yu went into the kitchen again, and Madam Zhou followed without saying a word.
"Sister, you're being too polite. Since it's a business deal, I definitely need to understand it first. Otherwise, how can I help you after the New Year?"
As she walked inside, He Jiuniang handed her a plate of food and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law Zhou, could you help me serve the food? There are too many people in the kitchen, so we can't take care of these things."
With a plate of meat shoved into her hands, Zhou swallowed hard again, but still insisted, "I just saw you were all too busy and wanted to come in and help."
"Yes, Zhou's wife is already helping us by serving the dishes, so go ahead!"
He Jiuniang always had a very friendly smile, making it impossible for anyone to refuse her.
Zhou originally intended to take the dishes out herself and then come back; she didn't even have the thought of stealing any.
Who knew that as soon as she came in, He Jiuniang shoved another plate of food into her hand, and her anger grew stronger and stronger.
But she couldn't say anything.
After carrying the dishes once, there were none left to carry, so she went inside again. He Jiuniang said, "Sister-in-law Zhou has already helped. Why don't you go outside and wait for your meal? We're guests, so it's not good to trouble you too much."
The main thing is that He Jiuniang spoke these things with a gentle smile, which made people feel very polite and warm, as if she was considering her needs in every way.
But Zhou's purpose was not there. She said, "I've already troubled you all by staying here, so I can't just do nothing. If there's anything else to do in the kitchen, just let me do it!"
"It's really nothing. You must be tired after washing so many vegetables..."
He Jiuniang was pushing and shoving her, but Madam Yu didn't want to pay any attention to her. She called out, "Leizi, come and take these vegetables to the girls in the workshop next door."
They were six young girls who had been bought to work at the food workshop. Logically, they were servants and should have come to help at this time, but the Lu family preferred to do things themselves. The girls lived separately at the workshop and spent the New Year alone.
The Lu family are still very humane masters; even if they are left to spend the New Year alone, they will still send them food.
Lei Zi responded and came in. When Zhou heard that they were going to the workshop next door, she immediately snatched the food box from Yu's hand and said, "I'll go, I'll go! I don't have anything to do anyway!"
Yu frowned immediately; the food workshop wasn't a place just anyone could enter.
"Let Lei go instead. The girls at the workshop don't know you."
Yu refused and tried to snatch the food box.
He Jiuniang pulled her back and said, "Sister-in-law, it's alright. We'll get to know each other sooner or later. Sister-in-law Zhou, go if you want to."
Yu glanced at He Jiuniang and suddenly understood what she meant. In the end, she said nothing and let Zhou go.
Although Zhou had just arrived, the food workshop was right next door, so it wasn't a big problem.
I knocked on the door, and the little girl who opened it was about the same age as a lotus flower; her name was Yuelan.
"May I ask who you are?"
Yuelan had never met Zhou before, and was a little nervous.
"I am the sister-in-law of the eldest sister-in-law of the Lu family. I just arrived today and brought you some food."
Zhou said with a smile, then walked inside, bypassing Yuelan.
Yuelan was a little flustered. Why did she have to come inside to deliver the things?
"Thank you, Auntie. Please give me the food box."
She chased after her, but Zhou held the food box tightly and refused to let go, then tried to go inside.
The other girls were also busy in the kitchen, and when they saw Zhou, they all had the same puzzled look on their faces.
Zhou introduced himself again, and then continued to wander around on his own.
The girls looked at each other, not understanding what she meant.
Zhou didn't care about any of that. Seeing that several rooms were locked, she went up and poked at them a couple of times, asking, "What are these rooms used for? Why are they locked?"
"This is the workshop stove. It's not used during the Lunar New Year, so it's all locked up."
Yuelan answered obediently.
"It's just a stove, why is it locked? Do you have a key? Open it and let me see."
Just as Yuelan was about to speak, Yuetong, who was slightly older, spoke up first: "Auntie, you're joking. We're just servants, how could we have the master's key? The key is with the old lady."
"You're all servants? Servants of the Lu family?"
Zhou's eyes widened. The Lu family was truly remarkable; they could even afford to buy servants.
"Yes, Master. We bought them from human traffickers. They have been incredibly kind to us, and we are very grateful."
Yue Tong smiled and spoke sincerely.
Knowing they were just servants, Zhou suddenly felt superior, and her tone instantly revealed disdain: "You should be grateful, otherwise, people like you would not know what kind of end you would have!"
She couldn't stand these young girls; they were just servants, yet they dressed very well, all in new clothes, and were even more particular than her.
The girls exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
Zhou peeked through the crack in the door but couldn't see anything. She then turned around and asked, "You really don't have a key?"
"Of course not. If you want to go in, you can ask the old lady for the key. She's very easy to talk to."
Yue Tong answered respectfully, but her attitude was very firm.
"Tch, if she could give it to me, why would I bother with this!"
Zhou was immediately displeased, shoved the food box into Yuelan's hands, and turned to leave.
Yuelan asked softly, "Sister Yuetong, the key is clearly with you, why are you saying you don't have it? This is a relative of the master's family."
Yuelan was younger and more naive, and thought simply that all of Lu's relatives were good people.
“Silly boy, this Aunt Zhou is obviously up to no good. How can you really take out the key? And don’t forget, our master’s surname is Lu, not Zhou. Remember this in the future. Our master is good to us, so we can’t easily do anything to betray him.”
Upon hearing this, Yue Lan understood and immediately said, "I understand, thank you for reminding me, Sister Yue Tong."
The other girls nodded repeatedly, indicating that they would definitely pay more attention in the future.
It's no wonder Zhou is so disliked; it's mainly because she's too scheming and doesn't try to hide it. Anyone with a bit of sense can see through it.
When they returned, the Lu family had already sat down to eat. It was already dark, so it was indeed time for their New Year's Eve dinner.
He Jiuniang glanced at her and asked, feigning concern, "Why did it take you so long, Sister-in-law Zhou? Did you not find the place?"
"No, no, I went there and saw a few little girls. They were so pitiful because they had no parents, so I chatted with them for a bit."
Zhou was handling the situation with ease, thinking that only she knew about her actions just now, unaware that He Jiuniang had already seen everything.
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