Chapter 5

Chapter 5

In the past, when the Wei Family was at its height, people said servants filled the estate like clouds and the lanterns burned bright as day.

Now that it had fallen into decline, the place only felt deserted and cold.

That night, I couldn’t sleep.

Usually, Sister Zhu’er slept not far from me.

Farther away, in that row of side rooms, slept the steward and Cui Jiu.

But now that Madam had taken them all with her, those two long rows of servants’ rooms held only me.

Jianru had never rested with us. The Eldest Young Master had trouble moving about, so Jianru slept in his quarters in case he needed to get up in the night.

The wind outside the window was fierce, wailing like a wild wolf. For no reason, I remembered how Cui Jiu used to tease me by saying that grand households like this had the filthiest secrets of all: corpses soaked white at the bottom of wells, the weeping of female ghosts often heard in the dead of night. The Wei Family residence had been built in such luxury that even the servants’ rooms had carved beams and painted rafters. In the daytime, they were fine to look at, but now all the candles were out, and I was all alone. A chill crawled over my scalp.

I curled myself tightly inside the quilt. The more frightened I became, the more I needed to relieve myself. I pressed a hand over my lower belly and tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

In the end, I didn’t even know how I managed to drift off.

When morning came and I washed up, I looked at the reflection in the water. The person staring back was haggard, bloodless, and looked exactly like the female ghost Cui Jiu had described after being soaked in a well for half a year.

Cooking for only three people was easy work, even with sweeping and cleaning added in. After I finished my tasks, I drew water and carefully washed the outer robe the Eldest Young Master had lent me from top to bottom. Then I leaned against the pile of firewood and gently closed my eyes.

It was my first time getting my monthly bleeding, and my whole body ached. Counting from the night Madam fainted after reading Master’s letter, I had already gone three straight days without a proper night’s sleep.

I was simply too exhausted and too sleepy.

I swear, I had only meant to rest for the time it took one stick of incense to burn.

But when I opened my eyes, I saw the last glow of the setting sun streaming in through the window lattice, turning the dust floating in the air into a layer of gold.

The moment I came fully awake, I was so frightened I sprang up from the ground.

It was already nearly dark. If I only started the fire and cooked the rice now, I would definitely delay the Eldest Young Master’s meal. If, because of my mistake, I made my master go hungry and suffer, then I… then I…

For a moment, I didn’t know whether I should go apologize first or cook the rice first.

After weighing it over and over, I quickly put water on to boil. While waiting for it to heat, I lifted my skirt and hurried toward the Eldest Young Master’s courtyard to admit my fault.

After hearing why I had come, the Eldest Young Master did not get angry. His fingers paused on the open book before him, and he only said mildly, “Since it’s already late, don’t cook dishes. Make a few bowls of noodles instead.”

My master had been lenient with me again and again, yet I had still caused this kind of trouble. When I withdrew, I kept my head down and didn’t dare look at the Eldest Young Master’s expression. I felt so ashamed I could have died.

Hand-torn noodle soup. Ever since I could remember, I had helped Mother at her stall, so I was so practiced I could practically make it with my eyes closed. It was only after coming to the Wei Family that I had never made it before.

The three bowls of noodles were soon served. Jianru ate quickly, holding his bowl and slurping it all down in no time. But the Eldest Young Master only tasted one bite before setting down his chopsticks, his brows drawing together as if he were thinking about something.

My heart instantly leaped into my throat.

“Is it not to your taste?”

“I remember you’re from Baiyun Village in Qingshi Town?”

“Why does Young Master bring that up? Is… is something wrong?”

The Eldest Young Master looked slightly distracted, as though recalling some distant memory. After a while, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

“So it was you. Back then, when I followed Father to the capital, we stopped to rest at your mother’s stall.”

Huh?

So the Eldest Young Master and I actually had a connection like that.

I eagerly wanted to answer him, but immediately a wave of sorrow surged up in my chest. My mother… had passed away long ago, and Master was far away in Baling. I didn’t know whether he had recovered from his illness.

The noodles were still the same bowl of noodles, but people and circumstances had changed.

The Eldest Young Master probably felt ill at ease too. When he spoke again, he had already changed the subject.

“You have always been steady in your work. What happened today? How did you miss the time? Did something happen?”

The Eldest Young Master was like an immortal banished to the mortal world. Facing him, it was very hard for me to lie.

I said, “This servant was afraid last night and didn’t sleep well. At noon today, I wanted to close my eyes for a little while, but I didn’t expect to oversleep.”

“Afraid of what?”

“This servant has never lived in such a large courtyard before. I’m afraid to sleep alone… and afraid of the dark too…”

The Eldest Young Master nodded. “In the end, you are still too young.”

Hearing what sounded like an intention to dismiss me, I abruptly raised my head and said in a panic, “This servant is not young. This servant can do many things. This servant… this servant won’t be afraid of the dark tonight, and tomorrow I definitely won’t delay anything!”

At that, the Eldest Young Master smiled faintly.

“There’s no need to panic. Everyone can be afraid of the dark. This was my oversight; I failed to consider it. After you finish eating, go back and pack your things. There are still a few empty rooms in my courtyard. Have Jianru take you to choose one. Starting tonight, move over here.”

To think there was such a good person as the Eldest Young Master in this world. Happiness came so suddenly that I immediately brightened with joy. After thanking him, I scrambled to my feet and headed outside.

“There’s still some soup in the pot. I’ll go bring you more.”

A gentle breeze blew from afar, carrying the sweet scent of locust blossoms. The sky had already gone completely dark, but perhaps because I was in such a good mood, I no longer felt afraid.

Jianru’s voice came from behind me. “Shiliu, are there any noodles left? I’m not full.”

I skipped along, then turned back and waved with a smile.

“As much as you can eat.”