Su Li smiled slightly. But when she turned her head, she was pitiful. She obediently walked in the front, which was exactly the same as before.
Mammy Li followed timidly and kept looking around, hoping to meet the butler. But unfortunately, when they went to the West Courtyard, she did not meet him on the road.
Boom!
The wooden door of the big wing of the West courtyard was violently closed, and the First Madam turned her face without expression. She said, “Mammy Li, thanks for your care for Erya these days. From now on, Mammy Zheng who comes from West Courtyard will take care of her. Mammy Zheng, give her some money and let her go. If she doesn’t go… just beat and drag her out!”
Clack!
A thick wooden stick was put in front of her, and Mammy Li was so frightened that she trembled violently. Such a big stick could break her legs. But she did not take the money nor move.
Mammy Zheng grimly smiled. When she lifted the stick to beat, she heard Su Li’s voice.
“Mammy Li, just go as far as you can.”
Su Li stood between the two mammies. Although her voice was weak, Mammy Li felt extremely warm. She didn’t know where the strength came from, and she pushed Mammy Zheng all of a sudden and embraced Su Li tightly.
If she left, Second Miss would not fulfill her dream!
“Mr. Qi will come soon. You leave first and don’t approach the Su House. You can come back in two or three days.”
Suddenly, the sound in the ear became extremely cold. Mammy Li was so surprised that her body was stiff, and her heart shocked: was this… the voice of the Second Miss?
But the Second Miss was always gentle. Why did she have such a cold tone?
She was pushed away by Su Li lightly and left the Su House dazedly. Her mind was in a mess, but what Su Li said was exceptional clear.
After Mammy Li left, Su Li relieved, but suddenly she felt empty in her arms, and the Copybook of Dahan was robbed by Su Zipei complacently.
“This copybook is very delicate. Can’t you feel inappropriate when you hold it? You must have stolen it from my room!”
Su Zipei said with a smile, but suddenly she frowned and said in a hurry, “Mammy Zheng, take her clothes off. Don’t smudge the satin with the pattern of iridescent clouds!”
“Yes, Miss!”
Su Li put on the linen clothes, and her dark eyes stared at Su Zipei who was admiringly toughing the dress that she had just taken off.
“Come with me, Second Miss. You hid in the East Courtyard for a few months. The work of the West Courtyard has already been stacked like hills.”
Mammy Zheng sneered. Su Li’s face was pale and her body was slightly trembled. Many servants who just came to the Su Family felt so pitiful for poor her.
“Wash it carefully. I don’t want to smell like my second sister when I wear it!”
After Su Li left, Su Zipei threw the clothes to her maid. She held her mother’s arm with eyes sparkled and said, “Mum, you are so excellent!”
The First Madam smiled and said nothing, but was calculating in her mind. The Lord must have invited the teacher for Su Qinghao, and definitely not for Su Erya.
All teachers were not meddlesome. Mr. Qi would not care about whether Su Erya was gone or not. Moreover, she would send a smarter daughter to please him. She would give him some silver tomorrow. It would be over.
Thinking of this, the First Madam couldn’t help but smile with relief. Su Erya was under her control again, and finally she could sleep soundly!
Spring was coming to the end, but it wasn’t hot at all. It was foggy early in the morning.
Su Li wore a piece of thin linen clothing sitting on a small wooden bench in front of the well and looked logy. There were pots of dirty clothes beside the well, which was higher than her. Many maids covered their nose for the musty smell when they passed.
“Atishoo!”
Mammy Zheng just got up and went out. She made a big sneeze, and whispered why the weather was not getting warm. She wrapped her clothes, came to the well and was shocked at what she saw.
Erya sat there all night and was wetted by dew, but she didn’t wash even a piece of clothes!
Mammy Zheng was immediately raged at her and picked up the rattan whip on the side of the well. She slammed it on the floor and sneered, “Second Miss, you had been to the East Courtyard for few months. Now you can’t even wash clothes. Maybe Second Miss has a bad memory. And now I will help you to remember!”
Crackle! Crackle!
Mammy Zheng brandished the whip with her full strength to Su Li’s back, which making so much noise.
With strong pain hit her heart, Su Li just groaned twice, then curled her lips. This feeling almost occupied 80% of the memory in her previous life. She was really missing it.
After a short period of time—
Su Li’s back bled, but she didn’t make any sound since the two groans. Mammy Zheng was so angry with her, because Erya would scream before, but now she was like a dead girl without any sounds. It was so boring.
However, Mammy Zheng was afraid of being punished by the First Madam if she beat Erya to death. She threw the rattan whip, went to the room, and fetched a bowl of maize bread which was made of rough flour and harder than a stone. She squinted her eyes and laughed,
“Second Miss, if you don’t want to wash clothes, it is inappropriate for me to insist. This is your food today. Don’t smudge it.”
Mammy Zheng put the bowl next to Su Li as she said. Then she stood up and kicked the bowl. The maize bread was covered by stinking and muddy water, which was disgusting.