Wufu washed off the messy rouge from her face, certain in her heart it was time to return to Li’s to get another mask made, as Lady Li was skilled in her craft and would surely create one that suited her perfectly.
"Miss, do you really intend to capture the Flower-Picking Thief?" Liu Jin asked cautiously.
Wufu nodded and said, "That reward is five hundred taels, isn’t it? If we catch him, that amount of silver could let our whole family live in luxury for a year, right?"
In fact, living among the peasant families, they weren’t having a hard time with the silver Wufu had on hand, their days were even better than many others’, since she was willing to spend, often buying meat and rice.
But with more mouths to feed, expenses grew, and relying on just what they had wouldn’t last; she needed to earn more. With silver in hand, there was no panic, that was the confidence she needed.
A shadow crossed Liu Jin’s eyes, and he pursed his lips. The poor girl, a lady of her standing, had to toil and scheme for a living. Such affairs should have been a man’s responsibility, but she was the one running the household, and it was a tough role to play.
"Miss, how can I help?" Liu Jin no longer tried to dissuade her, but instead changed his mind, planning to join Wufu in capturing the villain.
Wufu chuckled and said, "You little rascal, what help could you possibly be?"
At her words, Liu Jin’s face turned bright red, his hands clenched in frustration.
Eating meat had made him healthier, and his face more adorable; seeing him so huffy, Wufu couldn’t resist pinching him.
"You don’t need to help with anything. The case hasn’t been solved for so many days, which shows just how deeply the man has hidden himself. To catch him, one must unravel the mystery thread by thread. Only by peeling back the layers will we find him," Wufu said with amusement. "But rest assured, when the time comes that I do need your help, I won’t hesitate to ask."
Liu Jin finally exhaled a breath of relief.
"By the way, why were you crying just now?" Wufu asked again.
Liu Jin tensed up and, feeling somewhat embarrassed, lowered his head and muttered, "I, I thought you had left, that you didn’t want me anymore."
Wufu laughed heartily.
"What a silly child. If you couldn’t find me, didn’t you think to look for me? And if you couldn’t find me, didn’t you think to go home and wait?" Wufu shook her head, still chuckling.
"I just didn’t think of it at the moment."
Wufu looked at him and explained, "Remember this, unless I say you can’t follow me, unless I tell you to leave, don’t let your imagination run wild. If you can’t see me for a moment, you need to think carefully about my words and actions, and learn to find clues and evidence in the details. Success or failure lies in the details; we must not overlook any minor ones. Do you understand?"
Liu Jin tilted his head, pondering, then nodded as if he half-understood.
"You’re still young, so slowly learn from the way your mistress deals with affairs. And most importantly, regardless of what happens, you must not lose your composure first. Do you remember?"
With a sudden move, Liu Jin knelt and bowed his head, "Please instruct this lowly servant, Miss."
Wufu was stunned for a moment, then scolded him, "What nonsense about ’lowly servant’? Why kneel on the ground? Get up and speak."
"This lowly servant should have referred to himself as such a long time ago. It is only because of your generosity that you didn’t insist on it, and neither Sister Hongyu nor I did. Miss, mother says that without rules, there’s no square or circle. There has to be a distinction between superiors and inferiors, and you must not confound the order," Liu Jin said earnestly, his gaze fixed on Wufu.
Wufu smiled, "Are you now teaching me a lesson?"
Liu Jin hurriedly said, "This servant doesn’t dare."
Wufu, though magnanimous and unconcerned, would be seen as lax in her control should those who valued propriety witness such behavior; they might look down on her.
Having a kind mistress like her was Liu Jin’s good fortune. She treated them well, and he couldn’t let her be subject to idle gossip. It was his duty to proactively protect the dignity of his mistress.