Shen Jiumei and Shen Qiubao were taken by the servant woman to the ear room of the West Chamber.

There was a miscellaneous wooden bath barrel in the room, which was steaming and filled with most of the hot water. Two long moon-white cotton towels rested on the side of the barrel. On the ground beside it, there was a red lacquered wooden barrel more than a foot high. There was no water in the bucket, and there was a bronze gourd scoop, about the size of a sea bowl.

"This is the place to wash. The servant woman asked, "Cousin, do you need my help?" The old man only told her to bring the two of them over to wash, but he did not say anything, and asked her to wash them clean.

Shen Jiumei was very grateful. At home, how can there be a bath tub for bathing? Hot water and cotton towels for bathing are all luxuries that only the patriarch's family has.

"No, no, no. She blushed and swung her hands quickly, "Don't bother, we can wash it ourselves." ”

At this time, a little girl with a whole corner came in at the door: "Mom, grandma asked me to send a change of clothes to my cousin and my cousin." ”

The servant woman raised her hand and motioned for her to come in, and praised the siblings: "Our grandmother is a rare virtuous person!"

Shen Qiubao looked up at Shen Jiumei blankly, her eyes were full of questions: Is the "grandma" they said in their mouths aunt and grandmother? Also, this woman and the little girl are mother and daughter? They don't look alike at all.

Shen Jiumei is also suspicious: aren't they all called aunts and grandmothers "old ladies"?

However, her attention was soon attracted by the stack of clothes that the little girl was holding—all made of fine muslin, and looked eighty percent new, plain in color, and without big red flowers.

This is a good dress she has never wore, is it really for her and Qiu Bao to wear?

The servant woman glanced at the sister and brother in disgust, and said in her heart: The little white-eyed wolf from the mountains didn't even say thank you.

"Xing'er, you just put your clothes on the table. After instructing the little girl, she turned around and lit up the sister and brother, "These clothes are what our girl and the young master usually wear at home." The pulp is washed like new. In the blink of an eye, you can't do anything new. Our grandmother was a capable person, and she quickly sorted out the inside and out of the clothes. If you change to an ordinary person, where can you do it?"

Hearing her say a lot, Shen Jiumei finally understood, pulled Shen Qiubao and hurriedly bowed down and thanked: "Thank you...... Thank you grandma. ”

"I'm just waiting outside. Cousin girl, the cousin young master finished washing up and went out of the house. The servant woman pursed her lips and took the little girl and left.

"Ninth Sister ......" The room suddenly fell silent. Shen Qiubao looked down at the mud all over his body, and he was uncomfortable all over his body. For the first time in his life, he felt like he was really dirty right now. Can he really wear such good clothes? And what does washing do? He can't.

Shen Jiumei froze: "I'll help you take a shower first." "They can't go into the big tub like this, otherwise, the whole bucket of water will turn yellow in a blink of an eye. The thought of ruining a huge bucket of water at once made her heart ache to death.

Taking a shower, Shen Qiubao completely understood. The ninth sister is so clean. On a hot day, every time he came home from crazy play, the ninth sister had to take him to take a shower before he was allowed to enter the house.

"Oh. It turns out that washing means taking a shower. He suddenly realized, and took off his clothes cooperatively.

Shen Jiumei was noncommittal, and led the person to the bath bucket in a slippery manner, picked up the gourd scoop and watered it, and washed Qiu Bao's hair first.

She noticed that the floor was clean, and that there was a small ditch about a foot wide in the corner of one side. The ditch went through the brick wall and led to the outside. Although there was no water in the ditch, there was a lot of moss. I think it's a place to drain water. So, she carefully took the dirty water from Qiu Bao's hair washing in a red lacquered wooden barrel, and then poured it into the ditch.

She smiled with satisfaction, and simply let Qiu Bao stand in the ditch and let go of his hands and feet to shower him.

"Hot water, it's so comfortable. Qiu Bao praised from the bottom of his heart.

"Stand firm!" Shen Jiumei glanced at him, and while rubbing the bath for him vigorously, she whispered, "Talk less and watch more, don't talk nonsense." "Every time before coming to my aunt's house, my father told her the same thing.

"Why?" Shen Qiubao asked with a pair of big black eyes flashing in confusion.

"That's what Dad said before. Shen Jiumei turned the person around, rubbed the dirt on his back hard, and continued to explain in a low voice, "The town is not as good as our mountains. If you talk nonsense, it will make people laugh. "That's what Daddy meant, right? Before, she didn't think so. This time, my aunt and cousin staggered their eyes, and she had already experienced the meaning of being despised from that "mother". Also, when the little girl looked at the two of them just now, the contempt in her eyes was too obvious.

"Are you laughing at us?" Shen Qiubao asked in disbelief, "Grandma, why are they laughing at us?"

"It's not my aunt or grandmother. Shen Jiumei glanced at him angrily, and glanced at the door nervously, "It's a descendant of my aunt's family." My aunt and cousin can't keep watch over us all the time, there is always something their eyes can't see. The subordinate is not related to us, so why should he be good to us?"

Shen Qiubao instantly understood: "The next person is Changgong, the same person as Uncle Tian in the patriarch's grandfather's family, right?"

"Well, almost. "Shen Jiumei actually doesn't understand very well. That's not the point anyway. She solemnly admonished, "Therefore, if we want to fight for anger, we can only give our aunt and cousin a long face, and we must not be embarrassed." Qiu Bao, do you remember?"

"Remembered. Qiu Bao promised again very seriously, "I will listen to the ninth sister." "He is not familiar with his aunt and cousin, of course, he only listens to the words of the ninth sister.

After spending most of the water and washing Qiu Bao, she picked up a cotton towel and threw it to Qiu Bao: "You go to the table and wipe your hair and body by yourself." With that, she walked to the table first and picked out the clothes for Qiu Bao from a large stack of clothes. It is incomparable with what Qiu Bao usually wears, the fabric and style are incomparable, but the style is almost the same, it is also the small gown worn inside, the long coat and trousers worn outside, and the extra is socks and cloth shoes. Qiu Bao was already able to dress herself, so she didn't have to worry about it, so she just picked the clothes aside and ordered, "These are yours." My clothes, don't move around. ”

"Hey. Qiu Baoguang ran over and smiled from ear to ear. There's a nice new outfit to wear!

After he got dressed, the ninth sister was still taking a shower in the ditch. He found a small wooden box carved with flowers and plants on the table. Open the box, which contains a small half box of milky white powder. It smells like the scent of osmanthus.

What is it? It looks delicious.

I really want to take a bite!

However, what the ninth sister said is still in my ears.

Well, I want to fight and give my aunt and cousin a long face, so no matter how delicious it is, I can't pick it up and eat it myself...... At least after asking the ninth sister, you can eat it.

So, Shen Jiumei came over after taking a shower and saw the scene: her brother was lying on the table, staring intently at a palm-sized vermilion lacquered wooden box swallowing saliva.

Seeing the contents of the box, she couldn't cry or laugh: "That's a bath bean, which the townspeople use to wash their faces and hands, and they can't eat it." ”

"Bath beans?" Qiu Bao said in surprise, swallowing his saliva, "but they don't look like beans at all." "Isn't the ninth sister afraid that he will be greedy and deliberately coax people?

"Who said that bath beans must look like beans?" Shen Jiumei snorted, "When I was in the town with my father, I saw someone selling bath beans, and they were clearly the same as these. In addition to this osmanthus fragrance, I have also seen the peach blossom fragrance and lotus fragrance with my own eyes. "Dad said that this thing is very expensive, and it is not something that they can afford in the mountains. So, even if she just found these bath beans, she wouldn't use them.

Uh, well, Sister Nine has been to town three times...... She should be right. Shen Qiubao covered the box with great regret - he couldn't eat it, what else was there to see!

Shen Jiumei has always been very quick in doing things. When he turned around, he was already dressed, and his wet hair was dried with a cotton towel, and it was neatly tied on the top of his head.

"Wow, Sister Jiu, you are so good-looking!" he praised from the bottom of his heart. The ninth sister's face was flushed, and she was wearing a moon-white embroidered skirt, like a little fairy who came out of the painting.

Shen Jiumei touched the pale yellow flowers embroidered on the cuffs, and smacked him embarrassedly: "Children's families, they know what looks good!"

Looking at the pile of old clothes on the ground, as well as clay pots, leather mattresses and the like, she hesitated a little and said, "Let's go out to find my aunt and grandmother first." ”

"Oh. Shen Qiubao obediently went over and took her hand.

The two of them went out the door, and sure enough, they saw the servant woman standing under the stone steps in the doorway.

"Are you hungry?" she smiled, "I just ordered the master to take you to dinner first." When you are full, you will go to the old lady's house and talk back. ”

"Thank you...... You. Shen Jiumei didn't know what to call her. However, she has learned a new rule - to say thank you.

Sure enough, when the servant woman heard this, the smile on her face deepened.

The place to eat is right next door. In front of the lattice window is a vermilion lacquer square table. As soon as they entered the house, they smelled the strong smell of rice.

Shen Qiubao saw it clearly. Sure enough, it was the same as what the ninth sister said before, it was two large bowls of white rice, and the rice was covered with large slices of meat.

"Gollum—" his stomach barked.

"Poor one, are you starving?" said the servant, sighing, and leading him to the table and sitting down, "Eat quickly." ”

"Thank you. Shen Qiubao did the same, but he didn't move.

Shen Jiumei also thanked him, sat opposite him, picked up another bowl, and bowed slightly at him.

So, Shen Qiubao couldn't wait to pick up the bowl and gobble it up - he hadn't touched rice for several days, and he was so hungry when he ate sweet potatoes, wild fruits and mushrooms!

The sister and brother were eating in the house, but they didn't know that their cousin was standing outside the house with his hands behind his back with an inexplicable expression.

Soon, both of them had bottomed out in their jobs.

When Shen Qiubao also put down the empty rice bowl, his cousin came in from outside the house and said with a smile: "Ninth sister, Qiu Bao, are you all full?"

"Thank you, Uncle Cousin, you're full. Shen Jiumei got up and answered.

Shen Qiubao also stood up, and was about to answer like his sister, but he burped loudly.

"Hehehe...... Uncle Cousin smiled happily and reached out to touch the top of his head, "Let's go, Uncle Cousin will take you to see your aunt and grandmother." ”

"Hey. ”