When it came to this, Xiaoman was naturally embarrassed to refuse again, she and Xia Wanrou tasted the dish carefully with a pair of chopsticks, and naturally praised Du's shopkeeper.

"It's delicious, then you eat first, I'll go back to the store first, and I'll come to collect the food box when it closes in the afternoon." As he spoke, Shopkeeper Du was about to go out.

Xiao Man hurriedly stopped him, "Shopkeeper Du, just send you the food box when we go back, don't run this trip in vain." ”

Shopkeeper Du looked back and smiled, "It's okay." ”

The two of them went to the council hall early, and they didn't come back until now, during which they didn't eat a drop of water, and they were already hungry with their chests on their backs.

When Hongyu and Pearl brought the food prepared in the house, the two had no intention of eating, and after Pearl learned that the two of them ate the meal sent by the shopkeeper Du, she couldn't help but sigh: "Madam, you should write less about dealing with the shopkeeper Du in the future." ”

"What's wrong?" Su Xiaoman was puzzled.

Pearl sighed again, packed up the food box sent by the shopkeeper Du, and explained in a low voice: "This shopkeeper Du's daughter-in-law died a few years ago, and the shopkeeper Du has not remarried over the years. Gradually, everyone also knew that the shopkeeper Du had no intention of marrying a wife, so there would be no matchmaker to introduce him. ”

Speaking of this, Pearl paused and glanced at Xiao Man's expression, and then continued: "But now that the shopkeeper Du has taken the initiative to bring you food, if this matter is spread to everyone, everyone will definitely talk about you." ”

Su Xiaoman didn't know that the people in Shangjing were terrible, and Pearl was also for her good, so he put it forward so boldly.

At present, Lu Li is fighting outside, Xiaoman lacks protection in Shangjing, and Pearl has no great ability, so she can only persuade her to protect herself.

But Xia Wanrou grew up in Shangjing since she was a child, but she had never heard of such a thing, she frowned, "Pearl, why have I never heard of such a thing?" ”

"You grew up in a deep boudoir, and you rarely go out after you get married, so you naturally don't know these things." Ruby explained.

In this way, it makes sense, but after Pearl has been reminded like this, Xia Wanrou also suddenly became alert, and she couldn't help but persuade: "Xiaoman, although we are not afraid of shadows, but we should pay attention to such things in the future, and the gossip outside the province is even more difficult to hear." ”

Xiao Man thought to himself: Even if he has all kinds of scruples, but the gossip outside is not the same? Come to think of it, as long as those people see that you are dissatisfied, even if you are cautious in everything, they will pick and choose from the eggs and say that you are not.

However, after thinking about it, Xiao Man still obediently agreed, "I know, since this is the case, then after it closes for a while, this food box will be sent over by the guys in the store." ”

"yes, that's fine." Xia Wanrou nodded.

The preliminary round is the day after tomorrow, and Xiaoman Xu has to make time to make a pair of embroideries as soon as possible, but she doesn't know what to do now, so she can only wander around boredly.

Until it was time to close, Xiaoman didn't figure out what to do.

On the way back to the house with Xia Wanrou, Xiao Man became more and more worried, not knowing what to embroider, seeing this, Xia Wanrou asked softly: "Xiao Man, but you don't have a clue yet?" ”

Su Xiaoman drooped his head, stared at the tips of his shoes embroidered with pink flowers, and said in a muffled voice: "Sister Wanrou, I don't know what's wrong, when I think of going to the competition the day after tomorrow, my heart is pounding, and my brain is like a mess of paste, I can't think of anything, let alone what to embroider." ”

"When I was in Bishui Village before, the flowers and birds you embroidered were very good, I promise, that kind of embroidery can also get a ranking in the competition, Xiaoman, don't be too nervous." Xia Wanrou comforted.

The masters in Beijing are like clouds, where is Xia Wanrou so simple? Xiao Man also knew in his heart that the other party was just trying to comfort himself when he said this.

She sighed, closed her eyes and leaned on the cushion, "Sister Wanrou, I'm so scared." ”

She was afraid that she would lose, that she would embarrass Lu Li, that others would look at her with contempt and disdain, she didn't seem to be surprised and didn't look afraid of anything, but in fact, she was afraid to death in her heart.

From Bishui Village to Shangjing, from a peasant girl suddenly became the wife of a famous general, and became a lady of a first-class order, Xiaoman had not had time to adapt to the new identity and new environment, but Lu Li had to go to the north.

The bitterness and uneasiness in this are beyond the imagination and experience of others.

Suddenly, a pair of warm hands fell on Xiao Man's shoulders, and she hurriedly opened her eyes, only to see that it was Xia Wanrou looking at her with a gentle face.

Seeing Xiao Man open his eyes, Xia Wanrou bent the corners of her lips and said gently: "Xiao Man, try to make it all simpler, then you will be much easier." ”

"But, Sister Wanrou, I ......" Xiaoman bit his lip and stopped talking.

"Our store has been open for less than a month, but we have been able to participate in such a big competition, Xiaoman, just like this, I am already very satisfied, what about you?"

Xiao Man bit his lip and couldn't help but lower his head again.

After a while, it wasn't until the carriage arrived at the Wei Mansion that the coachman in front urged, and Xiao Man raised his head suddenly, only this time, her eyes were very different from Shi Cai, she looked at Xia Wanrou, "Thank you, Sister Wanrou!" ”

Xia Wanrou smiled gently, "It's not early, let's go back and rest early." ”

said that she would rest early, but Xia Wanrou still couldn't put her mind at ease after returning to the mansion, she went to Wei Xiuyuan's study, found all the books related to embroidery, and also turned out some embroidery items she had bought in Shangjing in the early years.

Looking at Xia Wanrou's appearance of rummaging through the cabinets, Wei Xiuyuan rubbed his eyebrows with a headache, "Wanrou, what are you doing here?" ”

"The day after tomorrow is the game, so I'll prepare early." Xia Wanrou replied without raising her head.

Some of these embroideries are still the works of the winners of previous years' competitions, and she is now finding them out, so that Xiaoman can learn the advantages of the other party, so that she will not be afraid of going on like this. Otherwise, even if Xiaoman's embroidery skills are outstanding, it will be difficult for her to embroider good embroidery if she is troubled by fear.

Seeing her dedication to Xiaoman, Wei Xiuyuan sighed, and had to help her find it together, "I'll help you find it, look at the mess you turned over here, and I'll let someone come in and clean it up later." ”

Xia Wanrou leaned sideways and smiled sweetly, "Thank you, husband." ”

Early the next morning, after breakfast, the two took a carriage to the store to help, and when they saw the black green under Xiao Man's eyes, they knew that the other party must have stayed up late without asking.

Xia Wanrou sighed, she wanted to teach the other party a lesson, but when she thought that she was on par with the other party, she swallowed the words that came to her mouth.

She handed over the book she had been looking for in the middle of the night and a few handkerchiefs, "Xiaoman, this is the embroidery of some winners in previous years, you can take a look at it when you have nothing to do, so that you can sort out some clues." ”

"Wow, Sister Wanrou! Thank you so much! Xiaoman took the handkerchief and the book like a treasure, and was as happy as a child who had eaten candy.

Seeing this, Xia Wanrou suddenly felt that half a night's hard work was nothing.

"Ma'am, the shop has arrived."

Holding Pearl's men out of the carriage, Su Xiaoman was about to talk to the guys in the store after entering the door, but saw a person suddenly walking next to him, he was carrying a food box in his hand, with a simple smile on his face, but it was not the shopkeeper Du.

With Pearl's reminder, Su Xiaoman was very cautious, she hurriedly took a step back and pulled a faint smile: "Shopkeeper Du, you come to make clothes?" ”

The other party was carrying a food box in her hand, how could she not guess what the shopkeeper Du was doing, and the reason why she said this was to remind the shopkeeper Du.

It's just that Shopkeeper Du didn't seem to understand what she meant, but handed over the food box and said with a smile: "Shopkeeper Su hasn't eaten in the morning, right?" I happened to go to the store, this is a new dish I developed at home, do you want to try it? ”

Trying to taste the food again, Su Xiaoman didn't know what to say.

"Shopkeeper Du, thank you for your kindness, it's just that Xiaoman and I have already had breakfast in the house, I'm afraid I can't help you try the dishes." Xia Wanrou stepped forward to explain, and specially pulled Xiaoman behind her quietly.

Seeing this, Xiao Man nodded again and again, pretending to regret: "Yes, shopkeeper Du, I'm really sorry this time, otherwise, you should go to someone else to try the food, right?" ”

The smile on the shopkeeper Du's face was a little stiff, but he still put the food box on the table, "If I take it back to the store, it will definitely be cold, and the guys in the store shouldn't have eaten yet, right?" Let's divide the meal. ”

Saying that, Su Xiaoman and the others, who were not tolerated, refused, but the shopkeeper Du had already turned around and left.

Lao Zhou leaned out from behind and frowned puzzled: "Shopkeeper Su, what do you mean by talking about Shopkeeper Du, why do you send food here twice in three days?" ”

"Whatever, I'm not happy to have free food, Lao Zhou, give it." As he spoke, the other guys in the store had already divided the food, and there was nothing left.

Seeing this, Pearl couldn't help but stomp her feet angrily, "Madam, look at them." ”

Xiaoman waved his hand, "Just eat it, otherwise it's a waste to put it away." ”

As she spoke, she took Xia Wanrou's arm, "Sister Wanrou, I just read this book and have some ideas, you can go up with me and think about it, and see if this pattern is good." ”

"Okay, I'll take a look with you."

The two went upstairs, leaving behind three men and two maidservants, and the door had just opened, and it was still early, and no one had come to the store.

Lao Zhou wiped his hands after eating the fritters, looked at the pearls on the side, and still didn't understand what was going on, he couldn't help leaning out again and asked: "Pearl girl, what do you mean by this Du shopkeeper?" ”

Ruby spat at the door, "It's definitely not a good idea!" ”

"That's it," Pearl pouted and echoed, "You guys, you are not allowed to let him come in the future, and you are not allowed to eat his things, the province has ruined the reputation of our lady, hum!" ”