Chapter 2475: Old Acquaintance

Zhou Suniang didn't flip through for long before selecting two styles.

Guo Xi'er took a look; these two styles were among the best-selling ones usually. Perhaps Zhou Suniang had received news from her close friends.

Seeing this, He Xiaoyue immediately wrote out the relevant receipts.

"Ms. Zhou, please go to the changing room for measurements."

Zhou Suniang got up and went towards the changing room. He Xiaoyue took a tape measure and a notebook and followed her in. A maid who came along also wanted to follow in but was glared at fiercely by Zhou Suniang, who scolded:

"Rude!"

Guo Xi'er quickly stopped the maid, explaining that ordering lingerie was different from other clothes; one had to strip to a near-naked state for measurements. If your concubine didn't want you to serve closely, it was better not to go in.

The maid who came along was not Zhou Suniang's personal maid but was there more to "monitor and guard." When Guo Xi'er said this, she no longer insisted on going inside to serve.

He Xiaoyue helped Zhou Suniang take off the clothes on her body and hung them up one by one until her skin-tight undershirt was revealed. Only then did she use the tape measure to start measuring her bust. Just as she leaned forward, she heard Zhou Suniang ask in a lowered voice, "Don't be loud. I have something to ask you."

He Xiaoyue was startled and almost dropped the tape measure. She steadied her mind and whispered, "What is it?"

"Is there a man in your shop..."

The word "man" entering her ears immediately made her alert. When female family members of wealthy households went out, what the head of the household tabooed most was contact with outside men. And bored noblewomen shut at home all day with nothing to do would also often use such opportunities to meet lovers secretly.

To avoid business with wealthy and powerful families, one couldn't violate this taboo. Therefore, Wanzi Pavilion's employee education specifically emphasized: It is not allowed to act as a go-between Wang Po, nor is it allowed for men and women to meet privately in the store; in addition, all employees contacting female customers must be female. Male designers, craftsmen, and technicians generally did not contact female customers. If they had to make contact, female colleagues must also be present. This was to avoid any unclear situations.

But since Zhou Suniang asked so directly, she couldn't not answer.

"There are quite a few male employees in our store. Who are you talking about?" He Xiaoyue was ambiguous.

"The one who delivered your meal just now..."

"Wu Xinsheng?!" He Xiaoyue was shocked and involuntarily blurted out the name. Regret arose immediately: How could she answer her!

"So his name is Wu Xinsheng..." Zhou Suniang seemed a bit disappointed, then asked further, "Is this his real name?"

"That I don't know. I've only been here for a few months." He Xiaoyue spoke with increasing caution.

"Is there a burn scar on his left elbow?"

"This, I really don't know..." He Xiaoyue shook her head. "His left arm is crippled. Besides, he wears clothes usually."

"Then... how old is he this year?"

"Probably around thirty." He Xiaoyue blurred the words as much as possible, not knowing why she was so interested in Wu Xinsheng. But one thing she understood was that she couldn't get involved in this!

A look of excitement suddenly appeared on Zhou Suniang's face, and she muttered to herself: "Right, the age matches..."

He Xiaoyue just wanted to finish the measurements quickly, so she sped up her hands: "Please lift your arm."

"Is he from Xiangshan County?"

He Xiaoyue hesitated and said, "Master Wu is indeed from Guangdong. I don't know if he is from Xiangshan County."

A complex expression appeared on Zhou Suniang's face, seemingly wanting to speak but daring not to. Several times she stopped on the verge of speaking.

How dared He Xiaoyue talk to her again? Sweating on her forehead, she measured the dimensions quickly and recorded them in the notebook.

Seeing that the measurement was about to end, Zhou Suniang's face showed a conflicted expression. Suddenly, as if she had made up her mind, she took out a letter from her bosom and stuffed it fiercely into her hand. She said hurriedly:

"Miss, I know you are a good person. I have many inconveniences and cannot explain some words in detail. Please trouble yourself to pass this letter to that Master Wu!"

"This..." He Xiaoyue almost screamed out loud and instinctively pushed the letter outward. Probably because the movement was a bit loud, Guo Xi'er outside asked: "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing," He Xiaoyue said quickly. "My tape measure dropped."

"Be careful..."

Zhou Suniang became even more anxious, leaning close to He Xiaoyue's ear and whispering: "Miss. This matter has nothing to do with illicit love. I beg you to make it convenient..." After saying that, He Xiaoyue felt another object being stuffed into her hand.

Before she could react, Zhou Suniang had already started putting on her clothes. He Xiaoyue quickly stuffed everything into her pocket and helped her dress. Before leaving, Zhou Suniang gave her another deep look and whispered: "This matter concerns this servant's entire life. I beg Miss to make it convenient. This servant will definitely repay your kindness..."

He Xiaoyue's heart was in turmoil. She managed to send Zhou Suniang and her party out the door. When the two returned to the office, Guo Xi'er opened the lid of the rice noodles and muttered: "The rice noodles are mushy..." and started eating. He Xiaoyue ate a few mouthfuls haphazardly, then used the excuse that she still had things to do and hid in the reference room alone.

There were no specialized staff in the reference room; the designers cleaned and organized it themselves on weekdays. Generally, no one would come, and only the designers had keys. It was very quiet.

He Xiaoyue hid in the reference room and took out the things sandwiched in the notebook.

One was a letter, unsealed. There were no markings on the envelope either. He Xiaoyue dared not pull it out to look. Looking at the other item, it was a tightly wrapped handkerchief package, heavy. Opening it, there were five silver dollars.

Five yuan was indeed not a small amount. But just for delivering a message? He Xiaoyue certainly didn't believe it.

She thought about it over and over, and decided she could only discuss this matter with Guo Xi'er. Although she was a blabbermouth, she was her backer. Not telling her would be treating her as an outsider, and if something happened, she would definitely not protect her. Guo Xi'er's sister was a Senator's Life Secretary; as long as she was willing to help, anything could be passed over.

She immediately found Guo Xi'er and brought her to the reference room, telling her the whole story and showing her the items.

"What should we do?" He Xiaoyue asked anxiously.

Guo Xi'er was also dumbfounded; this was the first time she had encountered such a thing.

"What to do?" She turned the two items over and over to look at them.

"I was thinking that handing them over is a way, but if it leaks out, I'm afraid it will cause a great disaster for Zhou Suniang..."

"What great disaster?" Guo Xi'er came from a humble background and was young when she came to Lingao, completely unaware of the dangers here.

"If the Qu family finds out about this, she will get a beating with family law and be confined in disfavor at best; at worst, she will be tortured in every way, forced to commit suicide."

"So terrible... just for a letter..." Guo Xi'er didn't quite believe it.

"Just for a letter! Hmph," He Xiaoyue thought, you don't know the dangers involved! "Wealthy families value the defense of the inner chambers the most. Private communication between wives or concubines and outside men is a heinous crime! Even if there is no important content in this letter, her intention to send a letter to Wu Xinsheng is enough for her to get a beating! If the master is suspicious or the first wife wants to harm her, they will torture and interrogate her. By then, she really won't be able to live or die..."

Guo Xi'er turned pale. She hesitated and said, "So, this matter cannot be known by others. Otherwise, it will harm her!"

"Mm," He Xiaoyue nodded. "This letter cannot be given to Wu Xinsheng either..."

"Why don't we take a look?" Guo Xi'er's curiosity rose again. "We don't even know what exactly is in the letter? Maybe it's nothing serious."

"Better not..."

"What does it matter if we look?" Guo Xi'er disapproved. "Maybe it's nothing big."

He Xiaoyue wanted to persuade her, but seeing her full of interest, she couldn't disobey her, so she tacitly agreed.

Opening the envelope, she pulled out a piece of white paper. Unfolding it, there were only three characters on it: "Wo Duo Di" (Bun Hair Hangs Low).

Guo Xi'er wondered: "What does this mean?"

He Xiaoyue knew, however, that this was a line from a short song Nangezi: Wo Duo Di Shu Ji by Wen Tingyun: "With bun hair hanging low, she combs her chignon."

This poem described a woman's lovesickness in spring and was one of Wen Tingyun's famous works. He Xiaoyue criticized secretly: And she said "this matter has nothing to do with illicit love"! Usually, Zhou Suniang is not an ordinary person.

Seeing Guo Xi'er didn't understand, she interpreted the poem for her in detail.

"But there are only three characters on it."

"Even with only three characters, one can guess it's this line." He Xiaoyue said. "It means a woman's admiration and lovesickness."

"Then, doesn't it mean she has taken a fancy to Master Wu?"

"Need you ask!" He Xiaoyue said. "She even knew Master Wu had a scar under his left elbow and was from Xiangshan County. Nine out of ten, they are old acquaintances, old lovers!"

"So romantic..." Guo Xi'er's eyes turned into stars.

"Romantic my foot." He Xiaoyue couldn't help laughing or crying. "It will be terrible if trouble breaks out."

"Then what do we do?" Guo Xi'er also realized the seriousness of the matter. She thought for a moment and said, "Then I know we can only report it. But according to the system, we have to blacklist her..."

"No, no." He Xiaoyue knew that this system was the best protection measure to ensure the shop's reputation and prevent employees from falling into scandals, but once the measure came out, the Qu family would definitely be suspicious. "Then Zhou Suniang won't be able to live!"

"Then what to do?" Guo Xi'er asked.

"I think we can only pull the firewood from under the cauldron for this matter. The letter naturally cannot be sent for her. That leaves Wu Xinsheng. Find a way so that Zhou Suniang can't see him here, and naturally, she won't have any ideas."

Guo Xi'er nodded and said, "Xiaoyue, you are right; this is the thorough way. Speaking of which, my sister told me recently that Guangdong is about to launch many projects and needs manpower. She asked if I had anyone to recommend. Those sent over will all be cadres. I don't have anyone good to recommend anyway, so I might as well recommend him. Master Wu is a nice person, and he is only missing half an arm; it doesn't hinder walking or writing. It's too unfair for him to be a gatekeeping handyman here. Why not send him far away? Everyone benefits."