Chapter 3: Adolescent Love
◎A wife who emerges from a dog hole.◎
In the new house’s main hall, Zhan’s mother was inquiring about the girl.
“Mother, I don’t know.”
He was always aloof, even as a child, seemingly different from others.
A Li recounted yesterday’s rescue, “Master saved the girl’s life.”
Zhan’s mother’s heart ached. She anxiously asked if her son was injured.
Zhan Qiyu calmly replied, “I’m fine. As a scholar of Confucian classics, I couldn’t just stand by and watch her die. Don’t worry about it. And it’s inappropriate to take advantage of a kindness shown.”
A Li opened his mouth to say that they weren’t like that, but his master had emphasized this point. He silently took note.
Tears welled up in the elderly mother’s eyes. Trembling, she said, “Don’t do such dangerous things again. If anything happens, I won’t be able to live.”
He wasn’t good at comforting people, so he gestured for A Li to comfort his mother and then went to tidy his room.
For A Li, Zhan’s mother was like his own, and he poured out a torrent of comforting words until she was reassured.
Inside, Zhan Qiyu found a small locked box and carefully placed the handkerchief from his sleeve inside. The box contained things related to Mu Jiaojiao: stationery, even a small pompom from her hair that had caught on his clothes during the river rescue.
An eighteen-year-old boy, experiencing his first love, was overwhelmed, risking his life to save her. But he was also proud and couldn’t reveal his true feelings, at least not yet. He couldn’t completely ignore the girl he liked, so he was awkward.
Zhan Qiyu took out a ledger-like book and wrote a few lines.
“Heheheda, heheheda, heheheda~”
This was the secret code between Shancha and A Li, commemorating the hen. It made A Li laugh. They had become friends.
A Li ran to the dog hole, removed the stone, and Shancha passed him a heavy food box. She said nothing but told him they would come again tomorrow.
A yellow skirt hem revealed her gender to A Li.
When he brought the food box to the hall, arranging the dishes, he saw a rich spread for the first time: three bowls of sea cucumber congee, Dongpo pork, fried fish, two green vegetables, and four large buns.
“Eat up. Call Qiyu. Let’s eat the first meal together.”
A Li agreed, but felt strange. Though Zhan’s family never treated him as a servant, he still felt like one. But the two girls treated him as a family member. He wasn’t used to it.
Zhan Qiyu, however, was used to it. He gave A Li a bowl of porridge and two buns, “You’re growing. Eat more.”
Zhan’s mother smiled, sensing her son’s gentleness.
They spent their first night in the house Mu Jiaojiao rented. They didn’t know why it had remained unrented for so long. They only learned later.
Early the next day, “heheheda” called again. A Li ran quickly and helped them near the dog hole.
“Help me move these things, I’ll get the others.”
Shancha had a lot to move to the neighboring house.
“Miss, the eldest and second masters will be angry, won’t they?” She disapproved.
But Mu Jiaojiao carelessly said, “I’ll tell my brothers. Don’t worry.”
They moved easily, but the missing books and items were noticeable. So Mu Jiaojiao wrote notes to her brothers: “Brother, I borrowed some things.”
She chose items her brothers didn’t care about, leaving the valuables. She took almost all the books. She took everything with writing on it.
Zhan Qiyu’s exam was months away. He was already a scholar, and soon would be tested for the next level. She needed to help him study.
Besides books, she brought candles, oil lamps, tea, even rope – for hanging himself, she joked.
Shancha’s eyes twitched. It was less like repaying a kindness and more like revenge.
A Li, seeing the rope, asked what it was for.
Zhan Qiyu, without looking up, said, “For hanging.”
A Li moved it far away, then remembering its use near the well.
Zhan’s mother was apprehensive seeing all the things moved to her house. Her daughter probably didn’t know about this. This clearly wasn’t approved by family.
Around noon, Mu Jiaojiao emerged from the dog hole, greeted them briefly, and left, still dressed in green.
A Li realized that his master had feelings for her. He didn’t dislike her. She was even prettier than the fairy in the lantern festival.
Mu Jiaojiao left with a list, using her own money for a shopping spree. She had to use two carts to bring back her purchases.
A Li and Zhan’s mother helped unload. Zhan Qiyu didn’t come out, reading a useful book. She had found him many helpful books, and he was absorbing their content.
“A Li, ask Qiyu to help.”
But Mu Jiaojiao refused.
“Auntie, studying is most important now. He shouldn’t.”
Zhan’s mother complied. She liked the girl and would happily make her her daughter-in-law.
They moved the things inside, it was getting late, and they needed to cook. Zhan’s mother, A Li, and Shancha went to the kitchen, letting Mu Jiaojiao rest.
Her hands were red, so she soaked them in the well water.
Feeling better, she splashed water on her face, wetting her hair. Her skin glowed, catching the attention of the man in the room. He squeezed his book, unable to look away.
He only looked away when Mu Jiaojiao turned. He couldn’t recognize the words. They seemed like her movements, haunting him.
Zhan Qiyu stood up, about to pour tea. A white hand snatched the cup. Mu Jiaojiao drank it all, then asked for more.
He hesitated, then said, “Pour your own.”
But his thirst increased, he swallowed, hiding his flushed face behind his book.
Mu Jiaojiao snorted at her aloof benefactor and poured her own tea.
After drinking, she left.
When the footsteps faded, Zhan Qiyu closed the window, then drank the tea Mu Jiaojiao had made, kissing her lip print on the cup.
It was better than usual. He wished he could drink it often. He forced himself to read, dreaming of such a life.
The kitchen was bustling. Mu Jiaojiao helped with the fire. In her past life, Shancha had been beaten to death for finding her food. Seeing Shancha kneading dough, she resolved that if she couldn’t escape the palace, she would keep Shancha.
She didn’t resist her fate, only wanting others to live better. Even when tortured, she thought about the havoc she’d wreaked and accepted her fate. This self-deprecation surprisingly spared her from her enemies’ wrath.
The fire suddenly blazed, almost burning her. Zhan’s mother pulled her out and asked her to tidy the hall. There was a dining room and a main hall, with nuts, fruits, and a large watermelon.
After lunch, she idly tapped the watermelon, thinking about finding a tutor for Zhan Qiyu.
She searched her memory. She should’ve gathered information in her past life.
Zhan Qiyu, going to fetch water, saw her. He hesitated, looking for a long time. Without enough power, he couldn’t protect such a girl, but he would try his best.
He walked with more determination.
Mu Jiaojiao felt watched, but saw no one.