The Clever Yuanyang Tricks a Gold Hairpin, Part One

Just as Xing Xiuyan found herself caught in a dilemma, someone outside beneath the corridor had already heard everything clearly.

That person was naturally Yuanyang. Earlier, when she saw the mistress and servant, both seemed to be hiding something—especially Zhui'er, who had the guilty look of a thief. Though it was inconvenient to press for details, Yuanyang could not put her mind at ease.

So after walking a few steps outside, she gritted her teeth and turned back, hiding beneath the corridor outside the window. She happened to overhear the entire conversation between mistress and servant.

Once she understood the full story, Yuanyang pondered in secret for a moment, then slipped quietly out through the courtyard gate and headed toward Jia Yingchun's courtyard, deep in thought all the way.

With matters weighing on her mind, she failed to pay attention and nearly collided headlong with Qingwen, who was hurrying toward her. Before Yuanyang could say anything, Qingwen spat half-seriously, half-jokingly. "Pah! What is wrong with you? Bumping about in broad daylight as though you have lost your soul."

Yuanyang had no mind to trade barbs with her. After a brief hesitation, she pulled Qingwen into a corner and told her everything she had just heard.

Qingwen had always been one who could not tolerate the slightest offense. Hearing how brazen Zhui'er had been, she immediately cursed, "What a shameless little whore! I knew from the start that she was a slippery one, but who would have thought she had thieving bones in her as well!"

Back then, Zhui'er's mother had wanted to send her to serve at Baoyu's side, using Xiren and Qingwen as her connection.

Xiren had originally agreed, but Baoyu happened to be investigating the accounts at the time. Both of them were implicated by their families and