Half an hour later, a troublesome little girl returned with the sixth Zhu sister, who had been playing wildly with her for several days.
Then, naturally, before they could get down to business, the sixth sister was given a thorough scolding by her mother and her older sisters.
Fortunately, perhaps because everyone knew there were more important matters to attend to, she was spared too much reproach. After all, there were two things more pressing than scolding her!
Wasn't there?
"..."
In the courtyard, Purple Spider's cool, aged, deeply wrinkled face swept over her daughters in a daze. Worry, hesitation, and resolve flickered in her eyes, but for a long while she said nothing. She only gently fanned herself with the gold-threaded round fan her second daughter had just damaged, as if trying to conceal her inner agitation.
"..."
Standing beside her mother, Purple Spider, the second Zhu sister still wore a deep look of anxiety and unease beneath her brows. Her gaze kept darting toward the sixth sister and the little girl beside her, her reproach and helplessness plain for all to see.
"..."
As for the sixth sister, she stood timidly off to one side, holding a pile of gifts she had brought back from outside. Her face was full of guilt and unease, and she didn't dare mention handing out the presents.
"..."
Annie, meanwhile, stood casually beside the sixth sister. Her big eyes occasionally wandered over everything around her, and her face wore an expression of complete indifference. She seemed entirely oblivious to the tense atmosphere—or perhaps she simply didn't care.
"Enough."
Purple Spider drew a deep breath and began to speak slowly:
"Girls..."
"Here's the situation: the Heavenly Court took the fourth girl, and that monkey broke the purple talisman seal on Spider Ridge."
"As