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墨書 Inktalez
In the beginning, Dou Mama was busy organizing everything day in and day out, with no time to pay attention to anything else, so Qing Wu was unaware of it. It wasn't until one day when Dou Mama instructed the maids to tidy up the house and came across the well-preserved zitan wood box that she brought it to Qing Wu and revealed the matter.
At that moment, Qing Wu was engrossed in a book and did not notice Dou Mama entering the room.
Dou Mama did not disturb her but quietly stood by, patiently waiting. It was only when Qing Wu finished reading the page in front of her and was about to turn it that Dou Mama softly asked, "Is this box yours, Miss?"
Although Dou Mama lowered her voice to avoid startling Qing Wu, she was so captivated by the plot of the book that she was still taken aback upon hearing the question. When she saw it was Dou Mama, she smiled.
After recalling the question she had just heard, Qing Wu glanced at the box in Dou Mama's hand, slowly nodded, and then shook her head. After thinking for a moment, she raised her finger and gestured a character that resembled "cloud."
—The characters here bore many similarities to the traditional Chinese characters she had learned years ago. In the past, she could only read but not write; however, after days of reading and deliberately memorizing, she had already learned to write a few common characters.
Dou Mama understood that the item belonged to Huo Yun'ai and couldn't help but smile as she said, "That day, Young Master instructed me to make ten portions of this kind of pastry. He tasted each one and selected the best flavor to put into this box for delivery to the General's residence. At first, I thought it was meant for the Great General; I didn't expect..."
She didn't expect it would be for a girl she wasn't very familiar with.
Upon hearing this, Qing Wu's eyes lit up with joy as she smiled broadly. With her lips parting slightly, she gently uttered a word: "You?"
The delicate girl, when asking a question, had bright eyes filled with hope and anticipation; anyone who looked at her would feel their heart soften.
Dou Mama felt even more so.
Seeing that Qing Wu spoke because of this, Dou Mama felt a surge of emotion inside her. Her expression softened instantly as she smiled and said, "It was made by this servant. Do you like it?"
Qing Wu nodded repeatedly, secretly thinking that she finally understood Huo Yun'ai's intentions.
However, what Dou Mama thought was entirely different from what she had in mind.
Recalling the character that Qing Wu had just gestured, Dou Mama found it increasingly pleasant. Considering what Huo Yun'ai had previously instructed her about, she quietly pondered and formed a plan in her heart.
On the morning of the second day, guests arrived at the Liu Residence.
The valiant young man, full of spirit, entered boldly after knocking on the door, not bothering to say a word more.
A few days prior, he had argued with Liu Anfeng and a few others outside the main gate, so the doorman naturally recognized him. Upon seeing him, the doorman did not dare to delay for a moment. After inviting him to sit down and serve him tea, he hurried off to report to the He Family.
At that time, the He Family was discussing the accounts from Qing Wu's room with Dou Mama, preparing to allocate a separate courtyard for Qing Wu and assign her two rough maidservants.
In fact, the He Family was quite fond of Qing Wu and wished she could eat and sleep with them every day. However, that day she had heard from Mama Huang that Liu Anmeng had boasted to Qing Wu in the backyard about having her own separate courtyard in the ancestral home, while Qing Wu, a wild girl who appeared out of nowhere, could only rely on others for shelter and was ultimately not a legitimate mistress.
When Mama Huang learned of this, she was very angry. She had always disapproved of her relatives' behavior. The Matriarch often enjoyed making things difficult for the lady of the house, and since the lady saw that the Matriarch treated the girl well, she had let other matters slide. Naturally, Mama Huang could not say much.
Who would have thought that the second young lady would actually bully their girl!
Mama Huang had always cherished Qing Wu and this time did not need to endure like she did with the Matriarch; she couldn't help but complain to the He Family: "Since they arrived, the lady and master have been treating them well as family. Who knew they would be so ungrateful? Now they are even mocking our girl." She muttered softly, "It's truly like raising a white-eyed wolf."
Upon hearing this, the He Family frowned slightly.
She did not like Liu Anmeng at all. That typical spoiled child from a family who would turn hostile at just a little criticism; she rarely interacted with her.
Now that they were bullying her precious daughter, the He Family would certainly not allow Liu Anmeng to continue being so arrogant. Just then Dou Mama arrived, who also seemed capable of managing affairs; they decided to tidy up the courtyard on the west side and allocate it for their daughter to live in.
After breakfast, once the affairs of the household were arranged, He Family called Dou Mama over specifically to discuss this matter. While they were discussing which maidservant had a good temperament suitable for accompanying them to the West Courtyard, He Family's maid Red Peony rushed in and reported: "Madam, General Qin has arrived."
Upon hearing this, He Family quickly closed the book in her hands. While having Red Peony and Perilla help her change clothes, she said to Dou Mama: "General Qin first saved Qing Wu and then cured her insomnia; he is truly kind-hearted. I will go over first; you take our girl to the hall later."
This statement recounted everything Qin Shuying had done and served as a reminder to Dou Mama to treat Qin Shuying with respect and not be careless.
Dou Mama smiled and nodded, helping Red Peony adjust the hairpin for the He Family before turning back into Liu Qingwu's room.
Before she entered, she heard laughter coming from inside. It turned out that Peach Silk was telling a funny story, and even the usually composed Danqing couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.
Qing Wu was also smiling brightly.
Seeing her happy, Dou Mama felt pleased as well. She approached and told Qing Wu about Qin Shuying's arrival, then instructed the maidservants to help Qing Wu change her clothes.
Peach Silk said, "That's not necessary. General Qin is not an outsider; it’s perfectly fine for the young lady to meet him in this outfit."
Just as she finished speaking, Danqing shot her a glance.
Peach Silk's heart skipped a beat as she looked at Dou Mama. Sure enough, Dou Mama's expression showed displeasure.
"Even if the young lady is meeting General Qin, he is still a man from outside, and you are a young lady of the household. How can you treat him casually? If you don't take this seriously now, day after day in the future, won't it disrupt the rules?"
With Dou Mama being so stern, Peach Silk didn't dare to be careless. She quickly pulled Danqing to fetch suitable clothes for Qing Wu to wear when receiving guests.
Due to the lack of preparation earlier, it took a full incense stick's time before Qing Wu finally arrived in the hall.
Qin Shuying was sitting sideways on a chair, engaging in a dull conversation with the He Family about trivial matters and was already feeling overwhelmed.
Just as he shifted slightly to change his sitting position, trying hard to think of any topic to discuss with the He Family, he heard a maid announce, "Madam, General, the young lady has arrived."
Qin Shuying revealed a relieved smile and strode over to stand by the door curtain, ready to give Qing Wu a warm welcome and embrace.
After the curtain swayed, a middle-aged woman entered from outside, holding a little girl.
Qin Shuying chuckled lightly and said, "How has Qing Wu been lately?" Suddenly, he felt something was off. Turning his gaze towards the woman, he looked at her face, and even the usually unflappable General Qin was momentarily stunned.
He stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly slapped his palm and pointed in Qing Wu's direction, saying, "You..."
"I am the new servant looking after the young lady," Dou Mama interrupted, holding Qing Wu in the arms of Danqing beside her. She then straightened up and greeted Qin Shuying with a smile, saying, "Is this General Qin? Truly impressive."
Qin Shuying paused for a moment, collected himself, and with a forced smile said, "Ah, thank you, thank you for the compliment." His gaze swept over Dou Mama and then drifted to Qing Wu, winking at her with a meaningful look.
Qing Wu understood his meaning and winked back at him with a sweet smile.
Qin Shuying felt relieved.
Knowing that Qing Wu also recognized Dou Mama as Dou Mama, he relaxed.
With everyone present, Qin Shuying finally got to the point of his visit.
"The outside is quite lively. Since the girl is new here, she may not have had the chance to explore the capital properly. I heard that her brothers have already gone to school, and Lady Liu is busy with household matters. I happen to have some free time and thought I would take her around."
The He Family listened and felt somewhat tempted. After all, compared to their own cousins, Qin Shuying was more sincere towards Qing Wu, so they could trust him more with the child.
However...
Thinking back to the incident a few days ago when Qin Shuying had taken the child "to see the imperial physician" and then couldn't be found afterward, the He Family still had some reservations.
It wasn't that she doubted Qin Shuying's character; she trusted him completely. It was just that General Qin had gained fame at a young age and acted rather recklessly. A military general like him probably wouldn't know how to properly care for a young lady...
Dou Mama chimed in from the side, "The young lady's injuries from these past days have healed already; she just seems a bit low on spirit. It would be good for her to go out for a walk."
He Family considered and said, "The general's suggestion is very good. Why not let both mothers go together for mutual support?"
"Now that Matriarch is here, how can the lady manage alone?" Dou Mama smiled gently, "Mama Huang needs to help the lady with her affairs. As for Danqing and the others, they might just cause more trouble. With the great general around, I can take care of the young lady by myself."
Hearing this, He Family thought it over and felt reassured.
Dou Mama was attentive enough to Qing Wu, but she didn't know her well enough. On the other hand, Qin Shuying was wholeheartedly good to Qing Wu and would never do anything harmful to her.
With these two watching over Qing Wu, there was no fear of her encountering any danger or being neglected.
Considering this, He Family ultimately nodded in agreement.
Since Qing Wu was already dressed in clothes suitable for receiving guests and going out, all that was needed was to tidy up her outfit and put on the outer cloak before heading out.
Qin Shuying leaned casually against the wall with her arms crossed, glancing lightly at the busy Dou Mama, raising an eyebrow with a smile.
—No wonder someone asked him to come specifically today to handle this matter. They even guaranteed that it would be accomplished.
So that was it.
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