Chapter 37: Repaying Kindness with Resentment

There was a saying that when leaders give orders, their subordinates run till their legs break.

Actually, that saying wasn’t very accurate. Which leader would assign a task directly to just one person? Tasks were passed down level by level. Only the lowest-level people ended up running their legs off. To some extent, being able to run your legs off for the leader was a skill—it showed the leader valued you.

Liu Liwa was in such a situation now. Shen Zuijin acted like a director, and Liu Liwa was like a team leader. The leader gave him tasks, and he passed them down. The fanatical glint in these people’s eyes showed they wanted to run their legs off.

After a moment of silence, as Liu Liwa was nearly rubbing a piece of clothing to shreds, someone finally couldn’t sit still any longer. They didn’t want to live as servants for even one more day. Even if it meant working in the front yard, being able to see people, eat a warm meal, and have a room that wasn’t drafty or crowded would be enough.

The young masters rushed up first, fighting to speak. One said, “Young Master Liu, I’ve used this type of silk you’re holding before. It’s very expensive, and I heard from the servants back then that washing it is troublesome. Cold water makes it shrink, hot water deforms it. You must wash it with warm water of the right temperature. I’ll go fetch water for you right now and mix it…”

After speaking, this guy turned and left. He acted first to gain advantage, and his explanation was thorough. If others said the same, it would seem like copying.

Others didn’t want to fall behind. Someone suggested, “By the time he mixes the water and brings it here, it’ll be cold. I’ll go fetch both cold and hot water right now and mix them on the spot.”

The young masters all chimed in, each with their own opinions and methods. They carried buckets and walked swiftly. Their high work enthusiasm sent a chill down Liu Liwa’s spine.

After the young masters left, some young ladies who truly couldn’t bear the laundry life anymore mustered their courage and stepped forward. One said, “Young Master Liu, these are women’s clothes. You should avoid suspicion.”

“Yes, yes,” another lady said in a scholarly tone, “Mencius said, a gentleman stays away from the kitchen, a gentleman does not do laundry!” From this, it was clear that women in ancient times weren’t allowed to study. Who knows where she heard this saying. “A gentleman stays away from the kitchen” was because of kindness and unwillingness to kill. What did “a gentleman does not do laundry” mean? That the washing machine at home was broken? Leaving dirty clothes for the wife to wash? She’d scratch you to death! The correct version should be: The gentleman busies himself with laundry, the wife waits in bed. Wash the dirty clothes clean, then hurry to the wedding chamber!

Before Liu Liwa could respond, these women started grabbing the clothes themselves. Each took at least one of Shen Zuijin’s garments. Meanwhile, the quicker young masters had already brought cold and hot water, mixed it to a gentle warmth, and spontaneously formed pairs, creating laundry teams. These guys were clever too—they left marks on the clothes they were washing. Some folded a sleeve cuff, others folded a layer of the skirt hem. If Shen Zuijin really asked, everyone could tell who washed what.

Hmph! Using all their smarts for this! In the blink of an eye, all the clothes in front of them were snatched up. Liu Liwa pretended to be anxious and said, “You can’t do this! Miss Shen specifically asked me to wash these. She even said she wants to wear them tonight, and they must be dried. Look, it’s getting late, the sun is setting. They won’t dry at all. I can’t let you take the blame!”

“Don’t worry,” everyone said in unison. “If they don’t dry, we’ll wear them and run a few laps to blow them dry!”

Liu Liwa shouted inwardly—same idea as his! He was forced into it, but they were willing.

The clothes were all taken, leaving only the pure white, semi-transparent underwear and underskirt that Liu Liwa had on his head and around his neck. It wasn’t that no one noticed, but no one dared to grab them, thinking Liu Liwa had some peculiar preference!

Liu Liwa took them down. As he passed them before his eyes, that indescribable smell struck him again—a slight fishy odor, a bit sour and astringent, mixed with the scent of face powder. It was hard to describe. Looking closely, the smell came from the underpants. Based on Liu Liwa’s experience serving Furong and Yufeng, there should be some ‘black discharge odor’. But it was okay—it was a common gynecological issue. As long as it wasn’t a Venereal Disease, it was fine.

Seeing everyone working with high enthusiasm and no one paying attention here, Liu Liwa secretly flipped open the underpants. Sure enough, there were traces of wiping at the crotch area. Not only was there ‘black discharge odor’, but also ‘increased black discharge’ and ‘black discharge with blood’. If not treated in time, delaying the condition could worsen it and lead to other gynecological diseases.

Even though Shen Zuijin gave him a hard time and made things difficult for him, Liu Liwa was a kind-hearted person. He didn’t hold grudges. He was someone who repaid kindness with resentment. So he decided to help Shen Zuijin treat her illness!

Of course, Liu Liwa wasn’t a doctor. Even if he had medical knowledge, there were no medical instruments or advanced medicine here. Moreover, he figured there were no medicines or doctors here for this kind of illness. In this feudal era, if a woman spoke to an unfamiliar man, it was like breaking a heavenly rule. How could a woman actively seek out a physician to say she had an odor down there? Wouldn’t that get her drowned in a pig cage? This wasn’t like those Venereal Diseases that were highly contagious and could cause death. Even if the woman didn’t speak up, the infected man would seek treatment. That’s why, since ancient times, our country had always maintained a world-leading level in treating Venereal Diseases. In later times, you could see descendants of Divine Physicians on every utility pole!

He must cure Shen Zuijin. Especially since she ‘cared’ for him so much, he should ‘repay’ her!

Liu Liwa gritted his teeth, an evil smile spreading across his face. But how to ‘treat’ Shen Zuijin? Liu Liwa was stumped.

By now, the sun had set in the west, and it was getting dark. The young masters and ladies nearby were still working energetically, full of enthusiasm. Liu Liwa’s gaze drifted and suddenly noticed a glimmer of light in a shady corner of the wall. Looking closer, he saw a small cluster of white flowers blooming there. Green leaves, straight stems, and pure white flowers at the top. Each petal was pale, tender, small, and delicate. At first glance, they looked like little pistachios.

Liu Liwa was naturally drawn to the small flowers. He had never seen this kind of plant before. Growing in the shady base of the wall, it was clearly wild, yet it had tenacious vitality, and the flowers bloomed so beautifully.

Liu Liwa walked over, wanting to reach out and touch the tender petals. Suddenly, he noticed the ground here was very damp. It hadn’t rained recently, so why was it wet? Turning his head, he saw large buckets and wooden basins nearby. These guys usually slacked off whenever they could, saving effort wherever possible.

Liu Liwa felt nothing but disdain. Actually, washing clothes and fetching water in the Backyard wasn’t so bad. At least there was no leader watching over you. You had some freedom in your work, much more relaxed than having countless eyes watching you in the front. Like him, for instance—yesterday, to save Miss Liuyun, he impulsively confronted Shen Zuijin, and today he was given a hard time.

Resentment filled his heart. Suddenly, he looked down and saw a creature burrowing into the soil from the roots of the small flower, crawling aimlessly…