In the afternoon, their aunt Sheng Yun who had been married and fraternal cousin Shulan also returned to meet with Old Madam Sheng. Li shi ordered servants to call up the two girls having fun in Pinlan's room. Pinlan's eldest sister and brother got married respectively long ago and second elder brother Changwu was in the capital. With no company to hang out, Pinlan noodled over Chinese ring puzzle which Minglan had no knowledge of, so she willingly threw in the towel, which made Pinlan quite complacent, who kept nagging about the secrecy of the game while ordering the servant to tidy up her clothes and jewelries.

Danju took from shell inlay jewel case a large pearl hairpin carved into the shape of a red phenix harboring a ruby in its mouth. Minglan bit her teeth, feeling her neck was squeezed by a few inches. Over there a first-level servant was busy with putting on Pinlan's head a heavy pearl hairpin inlayed with butterfly-shaped gems. Pinlan tightened her face and pushed the hairpin away, "I don't want to wear that thing. Last time I wore it, just one morning, my neckache lasted for three days!"

The servant patiently persuaded her, "My young lady, you'd better put it on your head. If the guests are only your lady's aunt and the eldest lady, it's alright you don't wear it, but this time Lady Hui and Third Madam also come over. Look, Lady Minglan has put the jewel on. Hers looks much heavier than ours."... You may read the left chapter on Flying Lines (click the link below) :D