Its late afternoon now.

  Zhang Qi and A Lu were busy for a day, finally tidying up the house. The two were now extremely tired, so they shrank on the couch and chatted occasionally.

  As they talked, both of them fell asleep. Zhang Gui slept for a while and woke up to find Ah Lu nowhere in sight.

  She hastily walked out of the room, just about to look for someone, when she saw A Green carrying a half-bucket of steaming hot water, walking towards her from the other side of the corridor.

  Zhang Qi looked up and saw that behind A Lu, there were several small maids gathered together, pointing at A Lu.

  Zhang Qi walked a few steps quickly.

  "Whats wrong?" Zhang Qi hastily asked Ah Lu, who was pouting and looking unhappy, seemingly lost in thought.

  Upon hearing Zhang Qis voice, A Lu raised her slightly red eyes, pouting and saying in a stifled tone: "Just now I went to the big kitchen to fetch water, they refused to give me any and scolded me."

  She gritted her teeth and said resentfully: "That Xiao Shi Mo Lang just took a few glances at Ah Gui, why should they be unfair?"

  Zhang Qi shook her head, stretched out her hand, lifted the other side of the water bucket and said: "Not just for Xiao Lang." Under Ah Lus puzzled gaze, Zhang Qi said: "Also for my own self-respect." Recognizing ones father on ones own initiative was a behavior that would definitely make some people look down on her. During the day when she faced that Zhang Jin, she had already felt his hostility towards her.

  She looked at A Lu and said, "Whats with this water?"

  "Ah, I got it from my original kitchen," Ah Lu said with a smile. But soon she became unhappy again, "It was full at first, but the road is too far, and they all spilled."

  From your original residence to here, isnt it far? Carrying such a heavy bucket of water must be very tiring.

  Zhang Qi said with emotion: "You, didnt even discuss it with me." With a smile, she said happily: "Theres still plenty of water, we can just wipe ourselves clean, just enough for the two of us."

  A Lu didnt decline, wiped the sweat from his forehead with a smile, "Alright alright, A Qi, lets hurry up. Ive already broken out in several sweats."

  After two people took a quick bath, Ah Lu carried the clothes of the two to the well to wash them. Zhang Qi strolled around in the courtyard, thinking slowly.

  She knew that todays bath water was just a beginning. By tomorrow, no matter whether it was food, drink or anything else, there would be people coming out to make things difficult for her.

  This is another show of strength.

  If she continues to tolerate it, this kind of harassment may become a habit. However, she must also be mindful of the boundaries and not provoke more peoples hostility.

  In Zhang Qis thoughts, one day passed in a flash.

  The next day, Zhang Qi and the others got up early. As soon as the sun rose in the east, the birds chirped one after another. Looking at the new green dots on the branches, Zhang Qis eyebrows and eyes were filled with smiles.

  Not far away, several maidservants could be seen from time to time. They were watching Ah Green clearing weeds in the courtyard, occasionally exchanging whispers and giggling behind their hands. Occasionally, someone would glance over at her, and when their eyes met, a mocking or sympathetic gaze would flash by.

  So early in the morning, there are already so many idle people around her. It seems that those people care about her quite a bit.

  Zhang Qi walked out of the room with a smile.

  She walked up to A Lu with quick steps, and A Lu, who was busy and sweating profusely, felt her arrival and couldnt help but lift his head and smile, the mud-stained face full of carefree joy.

  Zhang Qi smiled back at her.

  After chatting with A Lu for a couple of sentences, Zhang Qi suddenly said: "A Lu, you say that Xiao Mos poetry is really well done?"

  Although surprised by Zhang Qis sudden mention of Xiao Mo, Ah Lu was genuinely delighted. She nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes," Jiangdong Xiao Lang, famous for his poetry and literature." Ah Qi, listen, everyone calls him that, can his poetry be bad?

  Zhang Qis voice was soft and gentle, but A Green was a loudmouth. Her voice rang out clearly and brightly, carrying far away. Unconsciously, the maids who were watching them like they were watching a show pricked up their ears.

  I knew it!

  Zhang Qi tilted her head and laughed happily, saying in a naive tone: "Really? Thats great. Ah Lu, who knows, maybe we can all be written into her poem."

  "Will we be in her poem?" Ah Lu was both surprised and delighted, and couldnt help but repeat it in a high-pitched voice.

  "Yes, yes. Yesterday I heard him talking to someone else about writing a Beauty Fu, and he said that true beauties are intelligent and elegant, with hearts as clear as jade, pure and moving. He also said that in our Zhang household, there are many beauties, from the noble-born daughters to those of us who are not, all worthy of being written about."

  "Really? Really?" Ah Lu exclaimed with delight, "Xiao Lang not only wrote the girls into the Beautiful Womens Poem, but also wants to write about you, A Qie? No wonder he kept staring at you yesterday, it turns out he was thinking of writing the poem. Suddenly she called out again: "A Qie, what is Hui Zhi Lan Xin, Cheng Che Ru Yu? Hehe, I know that Pure and Kind, Moving People is a good phrase."

  It was indeed Ah Lu, just as she had expected, repeating her words in a daze. The joyful tone and the beaming expression were so infectious that even she, the person involved, couldnt help but be affected.

  She saw what she wanted to say, perfectly rephrased by A Lu. Zhang Qi laughed until her eyes became a line, covering her mouth with her hand, and said happily: "Yes, he said he wants to write about a beautiful girl inside and out." As if unaware that someone was eavesdropping nearby, Zhang Qi tilted her head and sighed, "He also asked me how Im doing, whether anyone in the Zhang household bullies me. Xiao Lang is really a thoughtful person."

  She gazed longingly at the horizon, her face filled with a carefree and wistful expression. "The young man from Jiangdong is famous for his poetry and writings. Does that mean that after he wrote that beautiful poem, we girls will also become famous?"

  A Lu nodded repeatedly, and after getting excited for a while, she said dejectedly: "Unfortunately, he wont write me." As she said this, she dejectedly touched her face with her hand, resulting in a big mud stain on her face, turning herself into a little flower cat.

  Zhang Qi was both angry and amused, and after completing her task, she stretched out her hand to pull A Lu, scolding: "Look at you! Dont go in and wash yet!"

  As the master and servant entered the house, those two or three idle people also dispersed.

  She took the towel handed over by A Lu and turned her head to glance at their backs, a corner of her mouth rising as she thought: These people wont be Madame Xiaos, she wouldnt make such a boring and unnecessary move. Paying attention to me, and being able to influence the big kitchen, can only be my sisters, like Zhang Jin. I suppose theyll have some reaction after hearing what I said? At least for now, even if they want to deal with me, theyll stop for a while, right? After all, who wants to make Xiao Lang think theyre vicious? Moreover, Xiao Lang, whose name is spreading far and wide, might write about her actions in his writings and spread them throughout the world. A young lady from a great aristocratic family, why would she take the risk of ruining her reputation to deal with someone like me who poses no threat?