Wufu thought that after her ridicule and mockery, Zhou Xiuer would know better and back off, but she underestimated the thickness of someone’s skin, especially when that someone was full of schemes, their skin was even thicker.
Not two days passed before Zhou Xiuer came again, only this time she brought along a companion, the village head’s granddaughter, Zhu Lianye.
Wufu’s face was dark as she coldly watched Zhou Xiuer.
Zhou Xiuer, feeling uneasy from the stare, still pulled Zhu Lianye to her side and gave her a nudge, "Cousin, I’ve brought Lianye with me, let’s do some embroidery work together?"
Zhu Lianye frowned and glanced at Zhou Xiuer, it wasn’t that Wufu was going to teach her, but to broaden her horizons. What embroidery work?
"I’ve said it before, I have no time to bicker and play with you. Leave now while I can still speak nicely!" Wufu walked to the yard, picked up the bamboo basket, and didn’t even glance at them.
Zhu Lianye’s complexion immediately turned ugly.
As the village head’s granddaughter, she was spoiled while growing up at home. How could she have ever endured such a cold reception?
After hearing Wufu’s words, without saying another word, she turned and left. Who cared to play with her? She was just a bastard child after all.
Zhou Xiuer quickly held onto her and said, "Cousin, let’s..."
"Liu Jin, follow me to the mountains," Wufu yelled.
Liu Jin responded and hurried out from the woodshed. Seeing the bamboo basket Wufu was holding, he went over to take it and carry it on his back.
Wufu then picked up a firewood knife and was about to leave.
Madam Zhou was somewhat anxious but dared not say anything.
Zhou Xiuer saw Wufu really leaving with Liu Jin and immediately felt her face flush with anger. She had been so humble, yet Wufu was really too disrespectful to her.
Zhu Lianye snorted and said, "So much for ’sisters’. That’s all there is to it." She also turned to leave.
"Lianye, Lianye," Zhou Xiuer couldn’t stop Zhu Lianye and watched her leave helplessly, stomping her feet in anger.
"Xiuxiu..." Madam Zhou walked over, wanting to comfort her.
"Auntie, even Cousin is not giving me face. I kindly brought Lianye over for us to play together, look at the attitude of Cousin!" Zhou Xiuer said with tears in her eyes, "If I had known, I wouldn’t have played the good person. No good deed goes unpunished."
Madam Zhou said, "Your cousin has her own concerns."
"What could be the issue? She simply dislikes me," Zhou Xiuer wiped away a tear.
Madam Zhou’s mouth twitched. She didn’t know what to say. Could she really admit it was because of the past troubled relationship that her daughter harbored a grudge?
Zhou Xiuer waited for a while, but when Madam Zhou didn’t offer any comfort, she became extremely irate. The younger one was wild and the elder one was obtuse; that was indeed correct.
"Auntie, Auntie said that Cousin could carve. Why haven’t we ever heard about it before? Who taught her? Can she really carve?" Zhou Xiuer suppressed her anger and questioned, staring at the Chicken Blood Stone earrings on her ears.
Madam Zhou’s face showed a trace of discomfort, hemming and hawing, "Um, she knows a bit of carving skills."
"How did she suddenly learn? Who taught her?" Zhou Xiuer probed further.
Madam Zhou’s smile almost didn’t hold as she vaguely responded, "An old master once passed by and taught her a bit of the craft." She was repeating Wufu’s own words.
"What kind of old master was it?" Zhou Xiuer persisted.
"Naturally, he was a reclusive expert. He only taught our girl because he saw her potential. You wish to meet him, but such a master isn’t someone just anyone can meet," Hongyu, unbeknownst to them, had been listening and interjected with a light snort.
Wasn’t this sheer mockery of her? Zhou Xiuer was so furious she almost clenched her teeth to pieces, deciding to ignore Hongyu and looked only at Madam Zhou, "Auntie, may I witness Cousin’s craftsmanship?"