The girls in Yanxiang Pavilion rarely get up in the morning, and they always eat breakfast and lunch together.

After class, Xiangrou pulled Lin Qingqing into the backyard restaurant together. This was the first time Lin Qingqing met the "sisters".

A mahogany eight immortal table is placed north in the middle of the restaurant, and a mahogany round table is placed in the southwest and southeast corners. Each table is neatly arranged with bowls and chopsticks.

Seeing that Lin Qingqing was a little confused, Xiangrou explained to her: "The Eight Immortals Table is for Mother Qiao and the three sisters in the head. The rest of the sisters sat on the round tables on both sides for dinner... I also sat here to eat with them, oh, there are more you starting today."

"Sister in charge?" Lin Qingqing said in confusion.

Xiangrou immediately replied: "Yes, who has high talent and good looks, and who is Enke has a high status and wealth? Who is the leader of the family... There are twelve sisters in Yanxiang Pavilion, and the most popular one is Sister Xiangning, who is the most favored by Qiao's mother. Sister Xiangyi and Sister Xiangman are also having dinner with Qiao's mother."

Ignoring Lin Qingqing's reaction, Xiang Rou raised her head and said with a longing look on her face: "When I grow up, I will sit at the Eight Immortals table to have dinner!"

Lin Qingqing was a little surprised, looked at Xiangrou, then at the empty Eight Immortals Table, not taking Xiangrou's words.

"Sisters" entered the restaurant one after another. Xiangrou bowed and shouted "Sisters". Some of the sisters gave rewards and some nodded, which was considered polite.

The one who came with Qiao's mother was Xiang Ning. She was around twenty years old, with willow leaves bent eyebrows and skin like cream. Every frown and smile was charming.

Seeing Mama Qiao enter, everyone stood up during the meal and said in unison: "Hello Mama Qiao!"

Xiangyi, Xiangman, who came first, hurriedly helped Qiao's mother sit down in the upper position, and then returned to her respective positions to sit down. After the three of them fell to the seat, the rest of the sisters sat down again.

Mrs. Miao brought a few helpers to bring the food in one after another. Each of the personal maids who served her helped her to help her sister open the flower towel and spread it on their legs.

My mother had never taught Lin Qingqing to put a handkerchief on her legs when she was having a meal. Even at her grandmother's house, she had never seen such a habit. Lin Qingqing saw it and saw Xiangrou open the flower scarf in her hand and spread it on her legs. She hurriedly followed suit.

Mother Qiao did not move her chopsticks, but looked around and said, "Last night, I took a new 'daughter'. Xiao Xiangrou is one year old, and you have a little girl, but you all have to help you." As she said that, she looked at Lin Qingqing and then said, "Xiang Yin, get up and meet your sisters."

Lin Qingqing was not used to being called "Xiangyin", and she had not reacted for a while. Xiangrou, who was beside her, touched her and whispered. Lin Qingqing then hurriedly got up, lowered her head and whispered to everyone during the meal: "Hello, sisters!"

"Why are you so embarrassed? Look up and let the sisters see you." Mother Qiao said.

Lin Qingqing had to raise her head, and her tender face showed fear and helplessness without any concealment.

Xiang Yi, beside Qiao's mother, spoke first: "What a beautiful little girl, no wonder she came in at noon yesterday and was taken over by her mother as her daughter at night."

Mother Qiao smiled and nodded, saying, "Xiang Yin has read a lot of books, but it has saved Mr. Liang a lot of effort."

Xiangman smiled and said, "Mr. Liang is very knowledgeable. Not to mention that Xiangyin has read books and can read words, even if she has not been enlightened, she will be able to catch up with her if she has been handed over to her.

The girls all knew that Mother Qiao appreciated Mr. Liang, but Mr. Liang had already started a family and adhered to the bottom line and was unwilling to abandon his wife and children. They only privately attracted each other as confidants.

When she heard Xiangman praise Mr. Liang, Mama Qiao became happier.

Everyone praised Mr. Liang in a serious manner. Xiang Ning glanced at Lin Qingqing and turned to Qiao's mother and said, "Mom, Mr. Meng is coming to listen to the music in the afternoon. I have to go and clean up after having a meal."

When Qiao's mother heard her say this, she waved her hand and said, "Hurry, everyone should have lunch quickly, and after eating, they will go to work hard."

Mrs. Miao stood beside Mama Qiao to cook dishes for her, and the rest of the sisters were all served by their maids. Although there were many people serving them, except for the slight sound of bowls and spoons, the restaurant was very quiet.

Lin Qingqing read the book about the princes and nobles and wealthy families in the past, and emphasized "not eating or sleeping". Today, it was the first time I saw so many people eating together, but there was no sound at all.

There was only Xiangrou and Lin Qingqing who were not cooking dishes. Lin Qingqing carefully imitated Xiangrou's appearance, picked up the pair of chicken-winged wooden chopsticks on the chopstick stand and grabbed the dishes on the plate into the bowl, then replaced the mahogany chopsticks inside and put them in his mouth. This was a series of exquisite alternations.

After An Anyan finished her meal, a few helper sisters came in and put a small cup in front of each person. Seeing that everyone was holding it up, Lin Qingqing didn't dare to drink it rashly, and just took a sip. It was fragrant and sweet. Just as she was about to swallow it, she saw everyone rinse their mouths and spit them into the rinsing bowls of the maids beside her. Lin Qingqing was stunned and quickly imitated everyone's behavior, rinse them in her mouth, and spit them out.

Lin Qingqing only later learned from Xiangrou that this sweet mouthwash was made of aged, air-dried orange peel and a little osmanthus, in order to make the sisters refresh their breath.

While handing the small cup in his hand to Miao Sao, Mama Qiao said, "If you have a kind guest in the afternoon, you will go back and prepare your own preparations. If you don't have one, you can stroke the piano and practice your body."

Everyone responded in unison, and when Xiang Ning got up and left the table, they followed him out of the restaurant one after another.

When Lin Qingqing saw her sister-in-law in and out, she wanted to stay for help, but was stopped by Miao Sao. Miao Sao had already left with Qiao's mother, but Qiao's mother left her handkerchief in the restaurant and sent Miao Sao back to pick it up.

Mrs. Miao said: "Miss Xiangyin, you can't do these rough tasks."

Lin Qingqing replied: "It doesn't matter, Ma Miao, I often do it at home."

Mrs. Miao stopped and said, "If you become Qiao's 'daughter', you must know how to cherish your skin. Don't talk about these rough tasks, even if you are bigger, you may be afraid that if you are a hot towel for washing your face, Qiao's mother won't ask you to twist it yourself."

He reached out and pulled Lin Qingqing, and Miao Sao continued, "I know you want to help them, but if your mother Qiao knows, they will all be punished."

Lin Qingqing didn't dare to talk anymore. She felt more and more that there were many rules here and she needed to pay more attention to the future.

In a midsummer night, the moon is bright and the stars are blooming.

Before she knew it, Lin Qingqing had been in the Yanxiang Pavilion for more than a month. She now lives in the same room with Xiangrou, and the two of them became increasingly close.

The melodious sound of piano came from the front yard, and the sisters were singing with the piano. I don’t know if it was because of the humid and heat of summer nights or the sound of the front yard, Lin Qingqing and Xiangrou were not sleepy at all.

Xiangrou pulled Lin Qingqing and sat by the window, facing the stars in the sky.

Lin Qingqing whispered: "Sister Rou, how can we count the stars in the sky?"

Xiangrou did not stop: "How can you count it? Write it down one by one, you can't count it tonight, and count it again tomorrow night."

Lin Qingqing learned to be Xiangrou, but after counting a few, she would forget it. She would start over and gradually lose interest: "Sister Rou, why do you want to count the stars? Mom said that the stars are the chessboard of the Taishang Laojun, how can we mortals count them?"

Xiangrou stopped, looked at Lin Qingqing, and said, "You have to count even if you can't count it... On the night when my father and I separated, my father told me to count the stars. Once he counted, he would come to pick me up... It's been two years, and I haven't counted it yet, so my father didn't come to pick me up..." As he spoke, Lin Qingqing saw Xiangrou's faint tears, but she endured them.

Xiangrou, who usually laughs and cheerful, turns out that she is sad, and Lin Qingqing doesn't know how to comfort her.

Although Xiangrou is only one year older than Lin Qingqing, she has learned to observe words and expressions and understand the worldly ways because she has been in the Yanxiang Pavilion for a long time. Seeing Lin Qingqing in a daze, Xiangrou reached out to shake her hand and shook her, and she had returned to her usual tone: "Qingqing, what are you thinking?"

Xiangrou knew that Lin Qingqing didn't like the name Xiangyin, so she called her original name privately.

Lin Qingqing came back to her senses and stammered: "No, nothing... Sister Rou, are you missing home?"

"Home? This is my home." Xiangrou replied faintly. Seeing Lin Qingqing showing unbelievable eyes, Xiangrou continued: "My mother is dead. My father sent me here to 'count the stars' in order to marry a new wife... It's okay, otherwise I would never be able to read and read in my life..."

Lin Qingqing blurted out and said, "But this is a red-fung brothel. When she grows up, she wants to sell her smiles and show off her beauty. How could it be a home?"

After hearing what Lin Qingqing said, Xiangrou suddenly showed a bitter smile on her immature face, as if she had already seen through all the world: "Branch buildings are different from restaurants and brothels. Everyone here is a gentleman. We just perform our skills unless we have a lover who we like. I have to work hard and become a 'court' when I grow up, and I will be like Sister Xiangning, be a 'court', be sought after, and then choose people to do things. We will definitely have a good life in the future!"

After saying that, Xiangrou asked Lin Qingqing, "Where are you, Qingqing? In the future, we will both become the chief sisters and will not distinguish between each other."

Looking up at Haoyue in the sky, Lin Qingqing only shook her head but stopped answering.
Chapter completed!