Chapter 8: Ling Yue: the girl from the tailor’s shop at the end of the alleyway

I lied to my mother that I had gone to the countryside with my classmates for two days, and thus, she only scolded me for being naughty and did not suspect much.
Yue Xiaoman was still in custody at the school by the road, and it seemed that the fat bastard was not asking for money this time, but had to get to the bottom of it.
Dad had no better solution than to stall, hoping that if there was no movement for a few days, the Colonel might let her go.

I sat in the living room drinking tea with my third aunt while my elder sister and Captain Du went to see a movie, and it was a new film by Zhou Xuan.
When my third aunt heard it, she covered her mouth and smiled.
“Yujie went to watch a film last time.
When she came back and I asked her what she had seen, she said she was bored for the majority of the time and that she would never see it again, because two foreigners were cuddling and kissing each other.
Don’t ask her about it this time.” 

The second aunt took her son back to her mother’s house, and with the entire Ye household missing such a sparrow-like croaking woman, it was so clear that people felt uncomfortable.
All that remained in the hall was the sound of tiny silver needles rubbing against silk.

Third Aunt was thirty years old and already had fine lines at the corners of her eyes when she smiled.
She always laughed when she heard the occasional story about her and her father, but she did not complain.
She lost her mother when she was a child and followed her father to run a tailor’s shop at the entrance to the alleyway; half of their family’s business came from the Ye family.
Third Aunt was so good-looking that my father once passed by the tailor’s shop and couldn’t help but look at her twice, just as her money-obsessed father caught sight of him. 

Ten years ago, Ling Yue was wearing a flowery dress, with bangs and a pearly dimple when she smiled.
In her spare time, she would help the neighborhood ladies embroider a handkerchief.
A woman with a good heart naturally attracted people’s attention.
However, her father’s neck was as hard as a rock, and he wouldn’t give her a nod.
He often asked Ling Yue to deliver clothes to the Ye family.
As time went by, father took a liking to Ling Yue and finally followed that wealthy old man’s wishes.

“Aunt Ling, your embroidery of the summer lotus dragonfly is so beautiful, it’s really handy.” It was just a piece of white silk with dense pink silk threads as if it was done by the hands of a fairy looking so magical.

“When you get married, I’ll embroider the dragon and phoenix.
I am only a tailor’s daughter, and the gold and silver jewels belong to your Ye family, so I can only send you my heart.”

I understood Aunt Ling’s feelings.
She was a side wife with a daughter and did not want to vie for favour, as such she was always at a loss. 

I reassured her, “What are you talking about, Aunt Ling? As the saying goes, a married daughter is like spilled water.
Since you have already entered the Ye family, you are a member of the Ye family, so don’t say such unkind words.”

“How dare you act ashamed? Isn’t that Mr.
Qin your lover?” Third Aunt giggled as she covered her mouth, the embroidered flowers adorning her sleeve flutter. 

I sighed inwardly.
That Qin Shiyue was indeed pleasing to the eyes, but I didn’t like him at all.
It seemed that fate had taken its toll on me, but the man who seemed so nice was a secret agent. 

I grunted, “I, Ye Bingqing, still can’t look up to that poor teacher.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, our Bingqing is going to marry that greasy young master from the school on the road.”

I stomped my foot in annoyance and said, “Aunt Ling’s mouth is like a needle and thread that sticks people in their head making them dizzy.
That big fat Lu wants it all.
How can a rotten toad produce a white swan? His son is not even worthy to carry my shoes.”

I heard from the family’s talkative mother that he had come again a few days before, saying that I was invited over for a meal during the temple fair, and I had to dress up appropriately.
He said it was a banquet, but in fact, he was arranging a blind date with his unworthy son.
I almost lost my breath when I heard this, but it left a bad taste in Third Aunt’s mouth.

As I was talking, my maid, Xiaoqing, pushed in and said, “Third Mistress, Second Miss, there is a gentleman named Yu outside the door looking for the Master.
I told him that the master was not at home.
He said that if the Master is not here, then he is looking for the Second Miss.”

I was stunned.
I had spent so many years abroad, and I could even count the number of men I knew with my hands, but I didn’t remember any Mr.
Yu.
I condemned the maid for asking Mr.
Yu in.
As soon as we saw the man’s face, Third Aunt let out an audible “Ah”.
He was a man of my age, with a melancholy look on his clean brow.

“Ziyang, why didn’t you let us know you were coming?” Third Aunt greeted him warmly as she sat down.

Yu Ziyang smiled lightly, “Sister Ling Yue, I’ve come to see the Second Miss on an urgent matter this time.”

Although Third Aunt didn’t know what the urgency was all about, she still had the sense to go back upstairs.
I sat face to face with Yu Ziyang without revealing any misgivings. 

Third Aunt’s family owned a tailor’s shop and had been buying goods from Yu’s family’s cloth shop.
At the end of the year, he came with his father to deliver the annual gifts, walking behind him with his thin back.
The man whom Yue Xiaoman was matched with was called Yu Ziyang.
The thin figure that flashed by on the day of the school search was also Yu Ziyang.

“You’ve come to see me about Yue Xiaoman, haven’t you?” I was the first to break the silence.

Yu Ziyang, who was probably struggling with how to talk to me, nodded at my words, “I heard from Xiaoman that you are her best friend.
I wrote that article, but Xiaoman thought it was good and took it to read.
Do me a favor, Miss Ye.
Go and explain the truth to the school by the road and ask them to release Xiaoman.”

Seeing how anxious he was, I couldn’t help but be happy for Yue Xiaoman, that stupid girl who always took all the blame on herself.
She didn’t like the wrong person after all. 

I laughed, “Why didn’t you rush out that day, and now you’re crying like a cat, who knows if you’re sincere or not?”

Yu Ziyang’s face flushed red and white, like a Sichuanese face-turner, and he clasped at the corner of his shirt.
“If they trace it, the teachers and students who opposed their rule with me will suffer.
In the past few days, I have arranged everything and destroyed all the evidence before I rushed here to ask for your help.
Xiaoman said that you are the best woman in the world and can definitely tell the truth, if money could get rid of it, I wouldn’t have troubled Second Miss.”

Yu Ziyang was really a handsome young man who was patriotic and responsible.
If Yue Xiaoman hadn’t already taken the lead, and if it were any other woman, I wouldn’t have been able to guarantee that I wouldn’t have gone after him.

“Don’t worry, I won’t send you to be Xiaoman’s replacement.
However, I promise you.
I will get Xiaoman out.” 

I could no longer wait for Fatty Lu’s invitation to the temple fair; I was going to make my own doorstep visit.

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Additional notes:  Happy New Year, everyone! May you all have a great year ahead unlike the annoying messed-up 2021.
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