Indeed, not long after they left, noisy sounds came from the direction of the courtyard they had lived in. With their keen hearing, they heard an old woman asking,
"You lazy, worthless things, how come you haven't tidied up even the rooms? It's lucky for you that I thought to come and check... Look at this—beddings unmade, even the bath tub is still here... If the Old Madam finds out, she won't spare you a beating with the plank—that would be strange!"
A maid responded,
"Mam, it's an injustice! We clean this courtyard every day, how could there be unmade beddings and an unmoved bath tub..."
"Still arguing back? Look for yourself, am I wronging you?"
After that, there was a slap, and a young maid's crying voice followed,
"Mam, I was wrong!"
Then there was a burst of hurried noises. Gu Shi Yi and Pu Yanlan exchanged a glance and both sighed in relief,
"It seems they haven't become suspicious!"
Pu Yanlan furrowed her brows,
