After going to the back garden to check on things, Mozi instructed Cen Er to prepare everything and then left Wang Qiulou. However, she didn't return to San Niang's courtyard until nightfall.

  Xiao Yi handed her a thin bamboo lantern and didn't say anything, following behind her.

  At first, Mei Zi didn't notice anything unusual. Xiao Yi was originally not very talkative. But after a while, her shoulder was patted three times by Xiao Yi, and each time she turned around to ask what's wrong, Xiao Yi didn't say a word, just staring at her tightly.

  "Has Mozi returned?" The voice of Qiu Sanniang came from the main house.

  "Girl, I'm back."

  As soon as Mozi's hand touched the curtain, Xiaoyi whispered above her head, "If you want to climb over the wall, I'll help you."

  Mozzie's eyebrows furrowed, the request to climb over the wall was still something she had exchanged with a bottle cap and a small piece of clothing before. She suddenly took the initiative to suggest it, was she hinting that I should run away? But why?

  "Now that you're back, come in quickly." The curtain revealed a tall and thin figure, and Qiu San Niang saw two figures, one tall and one short. "Xiao Yi, what are you whispering about?"

  "Nothing... really." Xiao Yi could fight but couldn't lie, and her answer was stuttered.

  Mozi could hear it, and Qiu Sanniang could also hear it.

  As soon as they entered the house, they saw Bai He and Lu Ju setting out dinner. The simple three dishes and one soup emitted a fragrance that surpassed a full table of delicacies. Bai He always put a lot of thought into Lu Ju's diet because from a nutritional perspective, Lu Ju liked spicy flavors and loved to drink strong liquor, which wasn't very healthy. Mo Zi had mentioned it before, but Lu Ju didn't listen, while Bai He did, so she racked her brains trying to satisfy Lu Ju's appetite while also taking care of her body.

  "How's Cen Huan doing?" Jiang San Niang picked up the chili oil spring shoots with chopsticks, looked at them for a while, and then glanced at Bai He.

  Bai He just saw it and smiled, saying, "Miss, these days are warm, eating too spicy is easy to get hot and irritable, so I only put chili oil and didn't add chili peppers. But the spring bamboo shoots were freshly picked before, and the meat threads were specially marinated by me and were extremely delicious."

  Qiu Sanniang's temper sometimes bursts out like chili peppers, and Mozi thinks it's because she eats too much spicy food. She almost can't be happy without chili, and if there's no choice for social gatherings, after a meal, she must feel listless and her mood is unstable.

  "Not spicy, but good with wine. The other day I was eating vegetarian food in the temple and my mouth felt so tasteless." said Qiu San Niang, supporting her chin with one hand.

  "Miss, this can't be compared to outside. Bai He is gentle in nature but also has her own opinions. Hearing Qiu San Niang wanting wine, she couldn't agree, 'If it gets out and people find out, who knows how they'll gossip, and it will ruin your reputation. Miss, I've put thought into this, just try it first.'"

  Qiao San Niang burst out laughing, "Reputation? Who doesn't know that the young lady of the Qiao Manor is a wild girl who follows her old father everywhere, not at all like a proper young lady. If I cared about reputation, how could I have abandoned my embroidery and started a business, eating and drinking with men?"

  "Miss, this is not right. Although it's said that scholars, farmers, workers and merchants have been around since ancient times, our Luozhou business community is more prosperous than others. If a family has a good son, they'll first make him a merchant before making him a scholar. When people outside mention you, who wouldn't praise your ability to take care of yourself and be filial? Who would say anything bad about you? But what Bai He said isn't wrong either, if it's just socializing, drinking some wine is fine. However, in this household, there are people waiting for you to make a mistake, and any slight carelessness can become a big deal. It's not a problem on ordinary days, but now is a sensitive time, and if the wind blows and the grass moves, it'll be transmitted to Wei Niangniang, which wouldn't be good. The difference between having a good reputation or not isn't that big of a deal, but we also can't let people take advantage of this opportunity to write an article." Mozi advised beside Qiu San Niang.

  "Mozhi is right. The young lady hasn't had a drink at home in half a year, why think of it today?" Baihe suddenly remembered what happened with Fourth Madam during the day, "Could it be that Fourth Madam said something to the young lady?"

  Bai He inadvertently made everyone present focus.

  Mei Zi observed that Lu Ju didn't know the purpose of Si Nai's visit either. In her mind, she had a number of guesses, probably only Xiao Yi, and it was extremely likely that she had sneaked onto the roof to eavesdrop.

  "Mozi, you haven't answered me yet. How is Cen Huan's preparation going?" Bi Jiao San Niang's persistence was very strong, and she wouldn't give up until she got a satisfactory answer.

  "Mr. Cen is not in charge, I've already instructed Mr. Cen Erlang. The goods are almost all collected, just waiting for your decision...” Mozi was thinking about how to mention today's meeting with another Mr. Erlang when he suddenly fell silent, and Qiu San Niang spoke up.

  "Fourth Granny asked me for a little girl," she said, picking out a few bamboo shoots, chewing slowly, and then taking another bite.

  Bai He couldn't help but feel delighted that he had successfully improved his dish, biting his lip tightly as he gazed uneasily at Qiu San Niang.

  "Miss, is Fourth Granny still short of a maid?" Green Jade spoke her mind without thinking of anywhere else to go.

  "There's no shortage of girls around Fourth Grandma, but there's a lack around Fourth Master." Thus spoke Qiu San Niang about her "good brother".

  "Fourth Master?" Green Chrysanthemum muttered, then suddenly covered her mouth with her hand.

  Her eyes drooped, not because she was self-absorbed, but her sixth sense had been off lately and all sorts of bad luck kept finding her. It turned out that Fourth Granny had pulled her and Bai He aside the other day to talk, praising people and making matches, but in reality, she was actually helping Qiu Si make arrangements. She could understand men being promiscuous, but couldn't understand wives helping with this kind of thing. Wasn't Fourth Granny being too virtuous?

  "Girls, we are your dowry maidservants. The fourth grandma doesn't think anyone is suitable." Bai He looked at each person one by one, finally meeting eyes with Qiu San Niang. In her heart, she thought that these few would never be separated.

  "Fourth Granny said, for every one that leaves, four will be added." Qiu San Niang finished a mouthful and then said the previous sentence. "Lu Juan, if this is true, you won't have to guard the gate in the future, there will be Xiao Yatou serving at your beck and call."

  "Miss, you say that, I don't think it's pleasant. I'd rather stand guard from dawn till dusk every day than have one of us sisters missing." Green Chrysanthemum shook her head, looking displeased.

  Not green chrysanthemum, purple ink sixth sense used up, and then use exclusion method.

  "You two don't want everyone to separate, but you also have to listen to what the one favored by Fourth Granny thinks. Right, Mozi?" Jiang San Niang finally said a name.

  Xiao Yi lowered her head and stared at her toes, rubbing the embroidered flower on the sole of her shoe, somewhat impatient.

  "Deep purple?" White Lotus's eyebrows rippled with waves.

  "Fourth Granny has a keen eye, she picked the smartest one among us." Green Chrysanthemum pouted, "Miss, you can't agree to this, can you?"

  "Mozi, you're not saying anything, so I'll take it that you're shy and willing in your heart?" Jiang Sanniang's eyes were still playing tricks on her. "Or else, tomorrow I'll get Fourth Madam to agree to this matter? Although it's just taking in a servant girl, Fourth Madam has promised me that once you give birth to a son, she'll promote you to concubine and raise you with fine clothes and food."

  Mozi raised her eyes, and the calm and tranquil autumn water-like eyes sparkled brightly.

  Qiu San Niang's eyes narrowed, and she slapped her chopsticks on the table. The distant mountains and green forests seemed to rise up together as her voice dropped by half an octave. "I didn't misread the situation, did I? You're angry with me?"

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  In PK, I want to rob pink.

  Mama, everyone.