Miss and farmhand

The Huang residence seemed to have enjoyed a period of peace.

As Huang Chu had predicted, Shen Xuying's health did indeed improve day by day. She, who could only stay in bed at first, was gradually able to get out of bed and walk around the room.

When Luo San came to visit, Huang Chu saw her mother sincerely holding Luo San's hand and saying, "Cousin, you are truly my lucky star. My illness was cured as soon as you came." Luo San had an awkward smile on her face and even felt a little sorry for her.

Shen Yurui also came to see her younger sister, and naturally hugged and pulled her, saying that she was blessed by the Bodhisattva, and praised Luo San Guniang for her auspicious appearance and good fortune.

"Why don't you keep her here for a couple more days?" she said to Shen Xuying. "I'll keep you company and help you accumulate good fortune, since I know you'll recover from your illness."

She didn't expect Shen Xuying to dare to talk back.

"I really wish Miss Cousin could spend more time with me," Shen Xuying smiled softly, "but I'm afraid of keeping her occupied. It's so quiet here, I don't see many people. Without Miss Cousin's company, there's no benefit for me."

Shen Yurui turned her head and looked at her carefully for a while, then nodded, "You're thoughtful."

Back in Luo San's room, Luo San sat at the tea table as usual, absentmindedly touching her teacup. Shen Yurui paced around the room, going in circles several times.

"In that case, pack your things and I'll take you back."

"What?" Luo San seemed to wake up from a dream, the porcelain cup in his hand clattering onto the tea tray with a cold, crisp sound that startled people.

"Didn't you say you'd stay a couple more days? Why are you suddenly leaving?"

"You want to stay?" Shen Yurui sneered. "I wonder what other tricks you have up your sleeve."

"I don't have any ideas," Luo San muttered, head down. "It was you, cousin, who said that if I went back, what could I do? Marry a farmer, never touch calligraphy or painting again, have children, and be just like an old maid."

"I've told you this before, but you never seemed to take it seriously. Now that everyone's better, you don't have a chance anymore. Don't be foolish and do anything shameful. We're all relatives, and I can't protect you then."

She spoke with a warning in her voice, but when she turned her head, Luo San was distracted again, his eyes looking somewhere else, and he didn't listen at all.

Shen Yurui immediately got angry, feeling that this little girl had become wild after being released for only a few days and dared not take her words seriously. She banged on the table to startle her back to her senses.

"Are you really dreaming? You're just desperate to become your second brother's concubine. You'll have to explain yourself to your mother."

After regaining her senses, Luo San Guniang stared at Shen Yurui for a while, and then, after thinking for a moment, suddenly smiled.

"It's kind of you, cousin, to think of me so much," she said, twirling her arms. "What's the difference between being a concubine and a second wife? In your eyes, I only deserve these two choices, don't I?"

"You think being made a second wife is beneath you? Fine, fine! If your mother hadn't begged me to take those useless girls from your family, you'd probably be wandering around in some field by now. Do you think your Luo family can still marry into a higher social class? With such useless men, even your eldest sister's marriage is difficult. I told you long ago, if you don't have the means, don't be so arrogant. Your family members are all looking down on everyone!"

Luo San's face flushed red. She was used to being ridiculed as a daughter of a collateral branch, but no one could stand being humiliated along with the entire family.

"Since my cousin said that, I don't dare to trouble you any further. Let's each mind our own business!"

That was the most cultured thing a girl her age could say.

Fortunately, Shen Yurui was also furious and slammed the door and left, otherwise there would have been a tirade downstairs.

Luo San stared at the empty door. Her momentary anger came and went quickly, followed by a sense of bewilderment and panic at the loss of her elders' care. She had been brought by Shen Yurui, and if Shen Yurui wouldn't take her away, what excuse could she use to continue lingering here? It was practically obvious that the Huang family disliked her.

Of course, she could immediately chase after him to apologize and return to the safety of the sheltered area. She's done things that contradict herself before; a daughter like her knows best how to read the expressions of her female elders and wouldn't let herself suffer a great loss just to spite someone.

But what happens after she admits her mistake? She was brought out by Shen Yurui, bidding farewell to her sisters with high spirits, as if she had flown out of the chicken coop and entered a new world. Now, if Shen Yurui takes her back—no, sends her back—what does she become? How can she face her sisters again?

Even if she could still get married, who would she marry? A farmer? She couldn't even remember her brother's last name.

She only remembered Shen Yurui's words that scared her, and those words seemed to have come true: the dirt under her fingernails, the crying children one after another, her once slender body swelling up like a bladder, fat and swollen, and moving her heavy body to pour a glass of old wine for her husband who knew nothing about romance.

……

After lunch, Master Zhao went back to his room for a nap. At noon, he joked with the cook and got a little wine. His face immediately turned red, and the hairs on his face stood on end.

The apprentice did not return with him but remained on the covered walkway. He did not eat lunch and gave his portion to Master Zhao as well. No one in the Huang family knew about this.

Master Zhao lost his temper with him because he hadn't seen Huang Chu come to their side for almost ten days. He then learned that the rules of the inner quarters governed the women, and even more so those of them who were of lower status. If the master wanted, any rule could be broken; if the master didn't want, he could look to the heavens and still not see a single hem of her skirt.

However, he was unwilling to admit it, because admitting it would mean that his previous confident statement about wanting to gain benefits from Huang Chu was wishful thinking, and he would lose face in front of his apprentice. So instead, he turned on his apprentice, blaming him for losing the favor of a powerful figure, not giving him food, and beating him for any offense he didn't like.

Behind him were crisscrossing bruises. Master Zhao, though old, was still strong and his grip was no less powerful. Having been a master for so long, he had even developed a knack for beating his apprentices: the thin layer of skin on their faces wouldn't break, but the flesh underneath would rot and swell, accumulating pus that wouldn't drain. Gradually, even the surrounding healthy flesh would be poisoned, turning a terrifying dark purple.

Men can't lie down, nor can they sprawl out in other people's gardens. They can only sit cross-legged on a high shelf to doze off, with their arms supporting them behind them and their shoulders raised up, pulling at the skin on their backs as if it were being torn off. Yet, there is no sign of pain on their faces, and they don't even furrow their brows, only a slight sheen of sweat on their foreheads.

A cool breeze blew across his face at midday in early spring, reminding him of a face that both feared and worried about him.

Does your master always beat you?

Doesn't your master feed you?

Someone who knows nothing asks questions as if they know everything.

The man thought it was better that Huang Chu didn't come. He never took Master Zhao's words seriously, but he also felt that Huang Chu was partly to blame for making Master Zhao have such wild thoughts.

A woman like her shouldn't be hanging around in front of men like them. Her world is completely different from theirs; the rules she learned and her kindness to servants are seen as a completely different kind of dangerous signal in their world.

No one taught her these things, and it was quite natural. If they hadn't come to her house to repair the garden, she would never have had to come into contact with people like them in her entire life.

Unlike Master Zhao, who, at his age, still dreamt big, this man only cared about the present. What mattered most were things he could actually possess: skills he could learn, and food he could eat. He wouldn't even give a second glance to anything else that didn't belong to him.

A breeze swept through the corridor, causing the lush green leaves in the garden to rustle and sway, revealing another patch of green in varying shades behind it. A skirt of mugwort green adorned with brocade and gold.

You might not even notice it if you're not paying attention.

Huang Chu's arrival at the garden was truly an accident.

She avoided the east-side corridor. After lunch, her younger sister was taken back by her wet nurse to be put to sleep, and her parents also rested. She was afraid that if she was left alone, Luo San would come looking for her. After her aunt came last time, Luo San had a restless and irritable feeling. He knew that her days here were numbered. Huang Chu did not want to cause any more trouble, so she avoided her and went to the garden for a walk to digest her food.

She hadn't walked far when she heard crying. She thought it was some maid who had broken something and was afraid of being punished.

She had only taken a couple of steps when a patch of peach-colored sleeve appeared. Startled, she didn't even have time to stop before she saw that the sleeve was attached to the front of a dark blue straight-cut robe.

Her body instinctively covered her mouth, but she was already out of the flowerbed's cover. The two people there didn't even need to turn around; they could spot her with just a slight glance.

In the blink of an eye, Huang Chu was already prepared to expose someone's scandal when suddenly he felt a tightness behind him and was pulled behind a camellia tree taller than a person by a swift yet restrained force.

As the spring breeze rose again, the people over there heard a rustling sound and turned around warily. They saw only a blooming camellia on the path, as if blown down by the wind, with no other trace.

Zhu Xiaoxu looked away, clutched the slender hand that was offered to him, and whispered, "Don't cry. I know how you feel."

These words clearly reached Huang Chu's ears.

Her eyes widened, and she instinctively shared her surprise at discovering their secret affair with the man who was still holding her tightly.

The man's brow remained furrowed. It was as if he was unwilling to become her ally in eavesdropping, and unwilling to exchange any meaningful glances.

It's also a bit of a confusion. I don't know how I ended up following along like this.

He shouldn't have come.