Once Little New Year was over, the Spring Festival drew near.
Each household began cleaning and frantically purchasing New Year goods.
The Hornes were a prestigious family. The matriarch, now in her eighties, had lived through many different eras and was a deeply nostalgic woman who placed great emphasis on festivals.
On Little New Year, bright and early, the matriarch instructed everyone to return home for dinner that evening. Meanwhile, the servants, under Uncle Ying's direction, commenced a thorough cleaning of the entire villa.
If any servant needed to go home for the New Year, they had to ask Uncle Ying for leave in advance so he could hire temporary servants to attend to the family during the holidays.
Outside, rumors about Adele Horne continued to spread. The four ladies who had initially started them were now terrified to utter a single word. Glades Horne had warned that if they dared speak again, he would cut out their tongues.
