Who else could that figure leaning beneath the corridor be but Pei Guanli?
Hearing his voice, the boredom on her face instantly gave way to a smile. She hurried over in little hops and skips, the bell around her neck swaying.
Jingle, jingle.
"Brother-in-law, noon's long past. Why'd you come back so late?"
Perhaps she had waited too anxiously, because Pei Guanli had even slipped into the Mountain Tribe dialect.
Chen Yi understood her well enough. He motioned for Xiao Die, Wang Lixing, and the others to take Xiao Wuge into Chunhe Garden first.
Xiao Wuge curiously examined Pei Guanli's clothes and accessories, only to meet the face she pulled at him. He could not help but laugh. "Brother-in-law, she calls you brother-in-law too?"
"Your second sister took her as a sworn younger sister." Chen Yi patted his shoulder.
"Oh, no wonder I've never seen her in the manor."
After Xiao Wuge followed Xiao Die into Chunhe Garden, Wang Lixing, Yan Hong, and the others headed for the central courtyard to report back to Second Uncle Xiao Xuanshuo.
Only then did Chen Yi look around and ask, "Madam let you come out?"
Pei Guanli nodded vigorously and said with a grin, "I pestered Sister Jinghong for days. She finally relented and let me out today. She even said I'm to represent the Mountain Tribe at Old Master's Birthday Banquet tomorrow."
Chen Yi raised his brows inwardly. Remembering that this girl had mentioned the Mountain Tribe and the Dingyuan Marquis's mansion jointly establishing a Mutual Market, he understood.
After some thought, he said slowly, "Then you'd better be careful. You showed your face in the manor before, so don't let anyone recognize you."
It would be fine if the maidservants or servants recognized her. What he feared was Liu Si'er becoming