Lan Hua, upon hearing the words "male prostitution", immediately thought of Lin Yuan’s stern warning. Her gaze darkened, and she jerked her arm free from the woman’s grasp, "Don’t talk about that nonsense again, be careful or others will hear and laugh at you!"
The other woman, however, laughed as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. Bits of tofu residue sprayed out from her mouth, which disgusted Lan Hua so much that she stepped back two steps in revulsion.
"Hey girl, did you just say that? I remember, you were the one who secretly pulled me aside to ask about the male prostitution. What’s wrong, you forgot about it in just a few days? Don’t be shy; we’re all women here, sister understands!" As the woman spoke, she gave Lan Hua a knowing look.
The other factory-working women all looked up, their expressions as varied and unpredictable as if their faces were dyed in a dye workshop, and their gazes towards Lan Hua shifted again and again.
Lan Hua’s face turned red and white with anger when she was called out . She stamped her foot furiously, pointed at the woman, and demanded, "What nonsense are you spouting? Who asked you about male prostitution? Don’t spit blood here! You, get out, sneaking tofu during work and talking all this rubbish. We, our tofu shop doesn’t want you anymore!"
That woman was not meek by nature either. She curled her lip and sat down on a small stool nearby, picking dirt from her long nails, "You say you don’t want me and that’s that? Who do you think you are? Besides, I just snuck a couple of pieces of tofu to taste—it’s not stealing! And, about talking nonsense during work, I should be telling you off! If you hadn’t picked up my line, would I have talked so much?"
"Who picked up your line? Loudspeaker, oh Loudspeaker, no wonder nobody calls you by your name, they only call you Loudspeaker, hmph, it’s your rotten mouth, could make the dead sound alive!" Lan Hua, after all, was Lan Hua; she had once even sparred with Xiao He’s mother. Now she had calmed down somewhat and her retort was not without force.
However, she was, after all, a young girl. In front of Loudspeaker, a woman who had seen it all, or perhaps it may be said, had skin thick enough to say anything, she really didn’t measure up.
"Hehe, right, I am the Loudspeaker, so what? People especially love listening to what I say. Just like you, don’t you just love to hear about things from the male prostitution and brothel? Come on, girl, want me to tell you more? About that place, sister here is very clear!"
Lan Hua was so choked by her words that she couldn’t get a breath out, stuck in her throat, turning her face red.
The other working women had lost their desire to work too; they came forward, trying to persuade both Lan Hua and the Loudspeaker. It seemed they were already accustomed to the Loudspeaker’s manner.
Lan Hua was so angry that tears swirled in her eyes. She had been in the Lin family hollow for so many years and had seen all sorts of women, but this was her first time encountering someone with such thick skin that she seemed to have no shame at all.
How naïve she had been initially to think that this person was talkative and easy to get along with. Now, reflecting on it, she regretted it. If it hadn’t been for Lin Yuan’s warning, she might have actually fallen right into the pit this shameless woman had dug and even been unaware of it!
After all, she was just a young girl who had just come out of the countryside, inexperienced in the ways of the world.
Loudspeaker’s lips curled up as she gave Lan Hua a disdainful look, feeling justified in her brazenness, "You’re kicking me out? Huh, take a look at your own weight first. I, Loudspeaker, have been in Zhuma Town for so many years. Do you think I’m afraid of a little girl like you?"
Just as Lan Hua’s tears were nearly falling, Lin Yuan scoffed and appeared at the doorway, "Oh, been mingling in Zhuma Town for so many years? By the sound of it, you seem to be quite a character! I hadn’t noticed before that my tofu shop had been graced by such a great Buddha!"
The sudden appearance of Lin Yuan caught everyone off guard.