This time, Yu Chun didn’t say much. Carrying the clothes she had sewn, she walked to a corner of the courtyard, took out the garments that had been criticized, and carefully inspected them while thinking through her strategy.
Cao Jie was far away in the southern part of the city. He had only asked two familiar friends to check in morning and evening, while he himself was busy farming.
Yu Xiao was still working at the tavern. Her father’s dock work had already stopped; he went back and forth between the Yu and Cao households during the day, and at night slept at home with her mother, while Yu Xiao slept on the kitchen floor at Yu Chun’s place.
Making money was the most urgent matter.
She had to keep this job.
‘Chun: Why is this happening? We signed a contract. If I make a fuss, it won’t benefit her either.’
‘Baochai: She agreed to help you before because of the boss’s words. First, she needed to show obedience to her superior. Second, she misjudged your background and thought helping you might bring future returns. Now she knows you’re just a poor nobody with no backing, and the boss hasn’t said anything further. She feels deceived and humiliated. She gave her valuable favor and special attention to someone unworthy—she feels her intelligence has been insulted, so she’s furious.’
‘Daiyu: And if others find out, it will become a joke about her poor judgment, damaging her image. She must squeeze value out of you and use you to prove she’s still sharp. Your earlier luck was just her oversight—now she’s correcting it, showing you’re still someone she can easily manipulate.’
‘Chun: Then what should I do?’
‘Fengjie: What can you do? Nothing much. She’s clearly making things difficult. If you can’t deliver, these five garments are worth at least one string of cash. Sell or alter them—you won’t lose out. You don’t have much time to find other work anyway. If you fail, she’ll deal with you. Someone like her, who can move positions freely and still keep her job after a big mistake, clearly has backing. You’ll only be crushed if you keep fighting her.’
‘Chun: She helped me before. I can’t do that. These look like military uniforms, probably for the Anxi Army. If they’re missing, soldiers might not have clothes. I can’t.’
‘…’
‘Chun: Does anyone have another solution?’
‘Baochai: Then forget the boss ever helped you. You’re just an ordinary artisan. Find a private moment, sincerely explain yourself, give her a way out, satisfy her vanity. Turn “deception” into a misunderstanding, reduce her hostility, buy yourself breathing room. Offer her a cut to keep this job and wait for a better opportunity.’
‘Chun: Thank you.’
‘Shutdown—’
What a miserable life—even honest work could be sabotaged. Yu Chun shut off the voices, unwilling to let them see her lowering herself. It was too humiliating.
Wasn’t it just bowing her head to earn money? Back in her old life, she had submitted resumes and studied interview strategies. Whether she advanced or retreated, the blade was the same.
She steadied herself.
“Well, your distant relative is here!” The warehouse manager, packing up to leave, saw Yu Chun lingering near the receiving area and mockingly called out to Qian Lanniang.
Yes—mocking.
Among the supervisors here, the most disliked was Qian Lanniang.
They all worked at the same shop, yet she was the only one who never cleaned her own space.
She dressed well—but she was filthy.
Food scraps were left on the table, drinks shoved underneath. The room was shared by five people, yet she never cleaned. In winter it was tolerable, but in summer, to avoid maggots, others had to clean for her.
And she never even said thank you, acting as if it were their duty—taking pride in exploiting them, as if she were above them.
She also liked petty theft—stealing everything from needles and thread to fruit and cosmetic scraps. Rumor had it she even stole cabbages from neighbors.
A person like this, with no ability but a love for bullying others—if not for her husband’s aunt being the head of the main shop, she would have been driven out long ago.
So Yu Chun coming here with her—and having to take extra sewing supplies—made everyone sick of it.
“I was wondering why my luck was so bad today—it’s because I ran into you!” Qian Lanniang spat at Yu Chun. “Shameless thing.”
“I’m here to submit the work. If anything is unqualified, please point it out. We signed a contract—if you can’t find fault, return my deposit and wages. These five garments are worth quite a lot.”
This was unbearable. She would rather quit than swallow this humiliation. What kind of person was this? How did this shop choose someone like her as a supervisor?
“What’s unqualified? You are unqualified!” Qian Lanniang crossed her arms, her lips curling, standing wide-legged like a compass. She had finally found someone to vent her frustrations on.
“Is there anyone else in charge here?” Yu Chun snapped, losing restraint. There was no way out now. The others had already left. She stood by the door, ready to take this to the front shop if needed.
Qian Lanniang was even more vicious than she expected. She walked up, suddenly smashed Yu Chun’s basket to the ground, grabbed leftover soup from the table, and poured it over the clothes.
Yu Chun tried to stop her—but she was too fast.
Without even looking, Qian Lanniang said arrogantly, “You dirtied the garments—so they’re unqualified. I was going to let you wash and redo them out of kindness, but you’re rude and insolent. Let’s see if there’s any justice in this world!”
Yu Chun was stunned.
What?! This was clearly done by her—how could she twist it so confidently?
She had no witnesses. What now?
‘Boot up…’
‘Tanchun: Tell us—what do you plan to do? If you still want everything your way, we won’t say more.’
‘Daiyu: Deal with the outside first—discuss the rest later.’
‘Chun: I probably can’t keep this job. Then I want justice!’
‘Fengjie: Then don’t panic. If you’re going to make trouble, make it big. Not just your wages—demand compensation for being insulted twice. Did you wrap the clothes like we told you?’
‘Chun: I did… so that’s why you insisted—’
Only now did she understand why they told her to wrap the clothes in oil paper. Fortunately, she had done so again before coming.
‘Fengjie: Good. Prepare to fight. Cry, make a scene—whatever it takes. Go east, to where the owner came down last time. Grab your basket back and protect it. Hold onto the bowl too. Food isn’t allowed here—if it’s here, it’s her fault. Even if a hundred people accuse you, ask how her food ended up in your basket. It’s not mealtime—she’s already in the wrong. Got it?’
‘Chun: Not fully—but it’s enough!’
Thinking of her fear since waking in this strange world, of Cao Jie’s constant verbal abuse, of suddenly bearing responsibility for a family of six—Yu Chun’s emotions surged.
Her face flushed dark purple as she shouted:
“Murder! Arson! The Red Beauty Workshop is framing an innocent person!”
“Murder! Arson! The Red Beauty Workshop is framing an innocent person!”
“Stop her! What nonsense are you shouting?!”
“Murder! Arson! The Red Beauty Workshop is framing an innocent person—!”
She screamed at the top of her lungs.
It might have been shameless—but it felt incredible.
More thrilling than racing, more exhilarating than a roller coaster, more refreshing than ice-cold lemonade after a summer run.
“Speak. What’s going on?”
A tall foreign woman descended the stairs. Her hair was braided all over, delicate and intricate. She wore a black-and-gold skirt and carried a riding whip.
Clearly, she was not someone to be trifled with.