Chapter 5
"Constable Zhang."
Zi Yi sat across from Zhang Meng, speaking with some unease: "We've ordered so much food, can we finish it all?"
Zhang Meng put her index finger to her lips, made a "shh" sound, and whispered: "Don't worry, the boss will definitely pay for all this. We just need to eat our fill."
After Jin Yue took the criminal away, Xu Lu Cha walked up to Zhong Huo with tears in his eyes, knelt down and bowed, thanking Zhong Huo for saving his life.
Even though Zhang Meng was the one who had saved him, Xu Lu Cha chose to ignore her. But Zhong Huo unhesitatingly took all the credit.
She even said that it was natural and right for officials to serve the people, and she had only done what she should.
Zhang Meng didn't argue. In modern times, she had experienced superiors taking credit for their subordinates' work many times. As long as the boss was happy, that was fine.
Zhong Huo and Xu Lu Cha seemed to hit it off immediately. Once they started talking, they couldn't stop. They even made plans to go to Yingyue Teahouse for tea and flower viewing.
Zhang Meng and Zi Yi, as followers, naturally went along.
Zhang Meng had suffered too much unfair treatment from Zhong Huo. Knowing Zhong Huo's love for saving face, she was sure Zhong Huo would pay for this tea and flower viewing with a guest.
Zhang Meng wouldn't feel satisfied unless she ate her fill at Zhong Huo's expense.
While Xu Lu Cha and Zhong Huo were talking and laughing in the private room, Zhang Meng and Zi Yi sat outside, ordering over a dozen dishes from the menu.
An hour later, Xu Lu Cha and Zhong Huo were still talking inside, while Zhang Meng and Zi Yi were so full they could barely stand up.
Originally, Zi Yi was very reserved, only eating a little before stopping. But Zhang Meng ate with such relish that he couldn't help joining in.
After eating and drinking their fill, with the two inside still not coming out, Zhang Meng got very bored. She took out two hair ribbons of different colors from her sleeve.
"Zi Yi, let me show you a magic trick."
Zi Yi asked puzzled: "A magic trick?"
Zhang Meng smiled. She tied both ends of the two differently colored ribbons, held the red ribbon in her left hand stretched into a circle, and the blue ribbon in her right hand also stretched into a circle. She held both hands in front of Zi Yi and said:
"Watch carefully."
She slowly brought her hands closer together, rubbing the ribbons against each other twice. Suddenly with a "pop", the two ribbons were linked together.
Zi Yi exclaimed in surprise, taking the linked ribbons from Zhang Meng's hands to examine them closely. He tugged on both sides: "Both ends of the ribbons were tied tightly. How could they possibly be linked together?"
"It's very simple, I'll teach you."
Just as Zhang Meng was teaching Zi Yi, the two who had been talking for over an hour finally came out.
Zi Yi hurriedly stood up and silently walked behind Xu Lu Cha.
Zhong Huo frowned and glared at Zhang Meng.
On the way back, Zhong Huo kept a stern face the whole time.
Zhang Meng thought it was because she had spent too much of Zhong Huo's money, making her unhappy.
Although Zhang Meng had always believed that taking advantage of the boss wasn't really taking advantage, but being clever, seeing the boss's face so dark made her feel a little guilty.
"Boss, how about..." I'll pay for mine and Zi Yi's meal from my wages.
But before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Zhong Huo's cold voice.
"As soon as you have free time, you can't help but flirt with men? It's so improper! What will people think of our yamen if they see this?"
Zhang Meng was startled by the boss's inexplicable words: "No, no, no, boss, you misunderstand. I wasn't flirting with any man."
Zhong Huo stopped walking and glared at her: "Your heads were so close together, do you think this official is blind?"
She even used "this official" to refer to herself, so the boss was truly angry. But hadn't she also been closeted away talking with Xu Lu Cha for a long time?
If it was about damaging the yamen's image, hadn't the boss taken the lead in that?
Zhang Meng lowered her head, trying to hold back, but she couldn't help saying: "Boss, you were the one who went into a private room to talk with Young Master Xu first. I was just bored and chatted with Zi Yi for a bit."
Zhong Huo faltered: "There's nothing between me and Young Master Xu."
"There's nothing between me and Zi Yi either."
In the deep courtyard of the Xu residence.
"Zi Yi, what do you think of that Zhong Huo?"
The man in green clothes stood barefoot by the pond, his slender fingers plucking a flower petal and throwing it into the clear water.
The blood-red petal floated on the water, spinning with the current, covered in fine droplets, looking even more delicate.
Zi Yi held the ribbons in both hands, studying them intently. Hearing the question, he replied: "She's upright, diligent in governing and caring for the people, outstanding in appearance, and talented."
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