Having spent a long time among this group of servants in blue robes and little caps, Zhang Xiaohua naturally understood what they were thinking. Some of them had been born servants of Huanxi Mountain Villa, while others were children from families near Pingyang City, sent to the villa to earn money for their households. Life at the villa was leisurely, certainly, but also dull. Over time, their hearts could not help but grow hollow. Yet the villa's rules were strict, and they absolutely did not dare commit major offenses. Still, they did plenty of scheming and womanizing in secret.
Ma Jing was probably one of those whose heart was hollow. He was always bullied by the others, so now that he saw Zhang Xiaohua, someone even newer and greener than himself, how could he possibly let him off? Naturally, he tried every possible way to bully him for amusement. But Zhang Xiaohua had devoted his whole heart to martial arts. Why would he take their petty ghostly tricks to heart? He merely laughed inwardly and muttered under his breath. How could sparrows know the ambitions of a swan? Without realizing it, Zhang Xiaohua had gained a keen insight into these people's minds, faintly taking on the air of looking down at them.
Naturally, Zhang Xiaohua did not know of his own changes. In truth, when a person changed, others usually saw it more clearly than they did themselves. Examining oneself three times a day was work for sages. Zhang Xiaohua only knew that he could not be bothered to play such tricks with Ma Jing.
On that gloomy day, Zhang Xiaohua lived very fully, busy with this and that. Yesterday's excitement had already settled. Though only one night had passed, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. He had