"Besides, I cleaned their rooms during the day and prepared the hot water. So, there was nothing much to do. I slept on the folding bed behind the service desk around ten o'clock. No one came in. Not even a cat or a dog entered." The waitress continued to recall, giving her answer.
"Really?" The police officer confirmed again.
The waitress nodded firmly: "This is absolutely true. To be honest, I even suspected they might have sleepwalked and hit each other."
Well, that statement was actually the truth, though the truth is often easily drowned out.
"Hey, what are you saying? You think we hit ourselves? Are we so bored?" Zhu Zhishang was the first to disagree, directly confronting the waitress.
The waitress felt wronged. This incident had nothing to do with her. She hadn't seen anyone enter during her shift, and their three rooms were locked from the inside. So, she blurted it out.
"If no one entered, then I suspect the culprit is you," Zhu Zhishang said directly. "You are the waitress for this floor. You have the keys to our rooms."
"How can you talk like that? I am a waitress, but I know the service rules, okay? Except for cleaning time, waitresses never enter guests' rooms. Besides, you are five big men, and I am just a small woman. Even if I wanted to beat you up, could five of you really not beat one of me?"
It had to be said that this waitress was quite calm. Although she was angry at being wrongly accused, she refuted point by point.
"Zhishang, stop messing around." Zhu Jianyao felt a headache. For now, he could only dismiss the police officer: "Officer, we leave this matter to you."
The police officer nodded directly: "Serving the people is our duty. So, rest assured, we will find the culprit who hurt you as soon as possible." He then added, "With your faces like this, do you need us to take you to the hospital?"
Thinking of their faces, they naturally needed to go to the hospital. Otherwise, some upcoming matters would be difficult to handle. Face mattered.
"We need to go to the hospital. Thank you for your trouble." Zhu Jianyao nodded quickly, indicating that they needed medical attention.
Seeing they wanted to go to the hospital, the police officer naturally did not refuse. Instead, he enthusiastically escorted the five of them to the hospital for treatment.
Because of this, they did not appear for several consecutive days.
Zhu Yanyi saw this and was very satisfied with the result. The annoying people were gone, so they could happily welcome Zhu Yanli’s wedding banquet.
The day arrived unnoticed: the tenth day of the first lunar month.
As if sensing the joy of the Zhu family on this day, the weather, which had been intermittently sunny and rainy for the past few days, turned bright and sunny early in the morning. As sunlight shone into the Zhu family courtyard, it added more joy to the festive atmosphere.
Early in the morning, Xie Zhong brought everyone from the Xie family, and Qi Jizong brought the Qi family members. They all arrived.
Of course, for today’s banquet, Zhu Shunyao invited the entire village, plus clients and friends from Yong City. There were seventy tables alone. This was after Zhu Shunyao reduced the number of clients invited; otherwise, there would have been even more.
Early in the morning, Zhu Yanli dug Zhu Yanyi into her room to help with makeup.
"Sister, I said we should just hire a makeup artist. You insisted I do it. My skills are not as good as a professional makeup artist." Zhu Yanyi’s hands didn’t stop, but she said what needed to be said.
Of course, Zhu Yanyi was not incapable of makeup. In her previous life, basic makeup techniques were available online, and she had learned a few tricks. However, Zhu Yanyi’s makeup style focused on natural looks. This festive, heavy bridal makeup was unfamiliar to her. Fortunately, in this era, people’s makeup usually just involved two red patches of rouge on their cheeks. Even if Zhu Yanyi was inexperienced, her makeup looked better than theirs.
"I think it’s very good." Looking at the makeup in the mirror, Zhu Yanli was very satisfied: "Besides, the cosmetics I’m using are all natural, made by you. If someone else did my makeup, I’m afraid they wouldn’t know the effects. It’s better if you do it."
"Who wouldn’t know? If you really want a makeup artist, just ask your brother-in-law to find one for you. With her ability, finding a makeup artist is easy." Zhu Yanyi teased while drawing Zhu Yanli’s eyebrows.
"What do you mean 'easy'? Can this idiom be used here?" Zhu Yanli glared at Zhu Yanyi dissatisfiedly: "You are a famous little doctor, yet you use idioms like this. Aren’t you afraid people will laugh at you?"
"Who would laugh at me?" Zhu Yanyi made a funny face: "Besides, I am a little doctor, but I am a science student. I’ve never heard that science students need to learn more idioms."
"I remember your middle and high school essays were kept by your former homeroom teacher as model essays." Zhu Yanli said directly: "Don’t pretend in front of me that you don’t know idioms."
"Sister, I find that your brother-in-law has spoiled you." Zhu Yanyi stepped back two steps, looked at the makeup on Zhu Yanli’s face, and then continued to adjust it.
"Nonsense." Zhu Yanli remained still but scolded with a smile: "How has your brother-in-law spoiled me?"
"How hasn’t she? Look at you. Before, you would never talk back to me like this." Zhu Yanyi smiled and said, confirming again: "Okay, our big beauty, the makeup is done. You can look in the mirror. Are you satisfied?"
Zhu Yanli hummed: "Today, after the banquet, I am a bride. In the future, you won’t have many chances to make me talk back to you like this."
She looked in the mirror again, then nodded: "Ani, if you didn’t become a doctor, you would be a great makeup artist too."
Zhu Yanyi was slightly stunned. Yes, chances were few. She unconsciously felt a sense of reluctance. Although it was easy to see her, her heart felt a surge of reluctance.
"Sister, I can’t bear to part with you." A hint of moisture appeared in Zhu Yanyi’s eyes.
Zhu Yanli was slightly stunned. Moisture also appeared in her eyes. She took a deep breath: "I can’t bear to part with you either."
The two sisters looked at each other, then tears fell. For so many years, even though they each had their own careers, they had never thought of such a separation.
Although they knew in their hearts that they would eventually marry when they grew up, once a woman married, she was no longer a member of her natal family, but of her husband’s family.
Zhu Yanyi and Zhu Yanli had a deep sisterly bond. But once they married, they would become daughters-in-law of other families. When they returned, they could not say they were "going home," but only "returning to their natal home."