Chapter 638 - 631_1
Lin Yue and Nurse Xu had both anticipated this, yet they hadn’t expected Lin Youfu and Zhou Shi to be so eager as to surreptitiously assign two additional people to watch over them. It was always necessary to be wary of Lin Youfu and Zhou Shi’s hidden agendas. Nurse Xu had specially leaked some rumors in private, informing everyone in the household that the mistress had a poor relationship with her parents-in-law. Moreover, with quite a few people already aware of the old affairs of Zhao Erhu’s family, the servants had been speculating and spreading rumors among themselves, resulting in a lack of respect towards Lin Youfu and Zhou Shi. Those who felt grateful towards Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue were particularly disdainful of Lin Youfu and Zhou Shi. They wondered how such good people as the mistress could have such parents.
Lin Yue also knew that in the past few days, rumors about her and her unworthy parents had been fiercely circulated. Since it was Nurse Xu who had intentionally spread the news, she simply pretended to be unaware. As for Zhou Shi, who had intended to probe for information everywhere these days, she had hit many walls. Those with somewhat better manners simply avoided her without a word, and some even mocked Zhou Shi, infuriating her to the point of wanting to curse. The developments were indeed beyond her expectations.
"Old Master, the mistress is currently busy at the workshop and truly doesn’t have time to see you. If there’s anything inconvenient about your stay here, please feel free to tell this humble servant. The mistress has entrusted me with the management of the inner court affairs, and this humble servant can make decisions on minor matters," said Nurse Xu, standing at the door, neither servile nor overbearing.
Lin Youfu was there to assign Lin Yue a task—something Nurse Xu naturally had no authority over. Even if Nurse Xu could make the decision, in Lin Youfu’s eyes, she was merely a servant by his daughter’s side, and even speaking to him was a grace. How could he possibly condescend to discuss such matters with a servant?
"I have business with my own daughter; this is not something for a servant like you to handle! What is Erhu busy with all day long? I can’t even catch a glimpse of her. Tell her to come back and see me; I have matters to discuss with her," Lin Youfu had gone to find Lin Yue more than once, and each time he was blocked at the door. Sometimes when he got in, Lin Yue was not there, and this time he was fed up and spoke with airs of command. After saying his piece, he left with a flick of his sleeves.
"Absolutely preposterous, they really think the mistress is someone they can control," muttered Nurse Xu with a cool expression after Lin Youfu left in a huff. The longer Nurse Xu stayed with Lin Yue, the more loyal she became. To speak disrespectfully, Nurse Xu regarded Lin Yue as a daughter and couldn’t stand to see anyone scheme against her, especially not Lin Youfu and his wife who treated Lin Yue so poorly just because they were her biological parents.
"Is the person gone?" Lin Yue asked without lifting her head as she worked on embroideries, hearing Nurse Xu’s footsteps entering. She was not avoiding Lin Youfu out of fear, but rather out of reluctance to waste her effort playing mind games with him and to avoid direct conflicts for the sake of Lin Qing’s dignity.
"Rest assured, mistress, I have sent him away. This humble servant won’t allow them to disturb you," Nurse Xu said and then went about her own business, knowing well Lin Yue’s habit of needing complete focus when embroidering.