The lights in the Cheng family’s home stayed on almost the entire night. The two Cheng brothers and their wives sat in First Master Cheng’s room while a maid brought in a revitalizing soup.
“Have they fallen asleep?” asked First Madam Cheng.
The maid nodded.
“They both fell asleep as soon as they lay down,” she replied.
“Did you check their belongings?” First Madam Cheng inquired.
“Yes, I did. There wasn’t much—no money, just a few pieces of clothing, a stove, an empty food box, and nothing else,” the maid responded.
Upon hearing this, the expression of the four people in the room changed.
How could they have traveled from Bing-zhou to Jiang-zhou with just those things? That wouldn’t even be enough for a trip to the Great Buddha Temple in the suburbs to offer incense.
First Madam Cheng waved her hand, and the maids quietly withdrew one by one.
“I can’t even remember what she looks like; she left home so early,” First Madam Cheng said to Second Master Cheng. “Do you remember?”
When Madam Zhou first joined the family, she didn’t conceive for two years, causing much anxiety. Eventually, she became pregnant, and although she gave birth to a girl, the whole family was still overjoyed. At that time, Old Master Cheng was still alive and named the child himself. No one expected that problems would become evident by the time she was six months old.
“While other children could already follow people with their eyes, she stared blankly. Other children could sit up, but she couldn’t. She could barely roll over. We thought she was just born weak and took great care of her with good food and attention. However, as time passed, more issues emerged: drooling, a vacant stare, not speaking. By the time she was a year old, she was finally diagnosed as mentally disabled,” the nursemaid recounted softly, sitting on a cushion.
Cheng Qi-niang, dressed in a pale blue gauze dress, sat on the couch hugging her knees. At eight years old, she already had bright eyes and a charming smile, looking lively and adorable.
“So she’s a fool?” she shouted.
The nursemaid quickly hushed her.
“My lady, please lower your voice,” she said.
“I don’t want to,” Cheng Qi-niang’s voice grew even louder as she threw the pillow beside her, “How can I face people with a fool for an older sister?”
The noise from the room carried outside, causing the maids on night duty to shrink back in silence. Cheng Qi-niang was spoiled and had a bad temper; no one dared to provoke her when she threw a tantrum.
Second Master Cheng was also in a foul mood, but as an adult, he couldn’t afford to lose his temper.
“How should I know? When her mother died, she was sent straight to a Taoist temple,” he said.
“What are you talking about? You’re her father. If you don’t recognize her, how could we?” First Master Cheng said sternly.
“Then she is,” Second Master Cheng replied.
First Master Cheng, furious, was about to get up and grab his sword, but First Madam Cheng quickly intervened to calm him down.
“The Taoist said no relatives were allowed to visit. She was only six or seven when she was sent away. Girls change a lot as they grow up; how could we recognize her if she wasn’t around?” she said.
At the mention of how girls change as they grow, everyone in the room fell silent for a moment.
“But how did the two girls manage to get here?” Second Madam Cheng suddenly asked.
“It was thanks to a large sum of money left by Old Madam Zhou back then, buried at the Taoist temple. After the temple was burnt, Ban Qin dug it up. She hired people and transportation to come here. Surprisingly, no one took advantage of a fool and a little girl on the journey. However, the money was all spent,” First Madam Cheng explained.
Everyone in the room nodded; that made sense.
Listening to the silence outside, Ban Qin rose from the mat on the floor. Cheng Jiao-niang lay quietly on the other side of the bamboo curtain.
“Miss,” Ban Qin whispered, “Why don’t we tell them how we got here? Old Madam didn’t leave us any money, did she? If we mention that you know how to treat illness, wouldn’t that make them happy?”
Cheng Jiao-niang remained motionless. Ban Qin thought she had fallen asleep, so she quietly crawled back.
“They wouldn’t believe us,” Cheng Jiao-niang’s voice softly sounded.
Ban Qin turned around joyfully.
“Miss, you can’t sleep either, can you?” she whispered, her excitement barely contained in her voice, “We’ve arrived home.”
Cheng Jiao-niang smiled inwardly, though her lips retained a faint curve, barely visible in the darkness.
“Yes,” she said.
“Oh, Miss, you should rest soon. Tomorrow, we’ll surely meet many people,” Ban Qin whispered, lowering her voice.
Cheng Jiao-niang murmured in agreement and closed her eyes.
The night breeze gently wafted in through the window, casting a serene atmosphere. Though faint murmurs occasionally reached their ears, they didn’t disrupt the tranquility of the two in the room. This time, Ban Qin swiftly drifted off to sleep, perhaps experiencing her most undisturbed rest in months. Cheng Jiao-niang, listening to the subtle snores, attempted to shift positions but eventually resigned herself to stillness.
Had she truly reached her home? With closed eyes, Cheng Jiao-niang succumbed to a deep slumber.
As darkness settled in, the conversation among the four members of the Cheng family came to a temporary halt, their words failing to convey any further insights.
“We need to dispatch someone to Bing-zhou immediately, and another to the Zhou family. Once we’ve inquired, everything will become clear,” First Master Cheng decisively declared, cementing his decision with a sweeping gesture.
Returning to their own abode, Second Master and Madam Cheng washed up separately. Just as Second Master Cheng was about to retreat to the study, Second Madam Cheng intercepted him.
“I was in the wrong. I shouldn’t have caused a stir without fully understanding the situation,” she admitted, bowing as she presented him with tea, her tone tinged with regret.
Witnessing his wife acknowledge her mistake, Second Master Cheng’s demeanor softened slightly. He nodded in acknowledgment, declining the tea but lingering in place.
Drawing nearer, Second Madam Cheng reached out to grasp her husband’s sleeve.
“Er-lang, I’m not one to act rashly. However, my emotions got the best of me this time. Have you ever seen me display jealousy or suspicion in the past? Yet, hearing it from outsiders, especially with their untimely visit in the dead of night, left me feeling overwhelmed and fearful. At such a critical juncture, if we happen to give anyone a handle to exploit, Er-lang, both mine and our son’s fates will be in your hands,” she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes as she met Second Master Cheng’s gaze.
Second Master Cheng remarried, a young lady from the Peng family in East Ping-zhou. She was six years younger than him and had recently gave birth to a child, radiating with her most captivating charm. Coupled with her words and demeanor, Second Master Cheng’s previous anger had dissipated long ago.
“You too, can you blame me for being angry? Do you see me as such a ridiculous person in your eyes?” he said, sitting down and accepting the tea.
Finally reconciled, the couple shared a tender moment.
“But, she’s returned, so abruptly, I’m at a loss on how to handle it,” Second Madam Cheng said.
“She’s a simpleton, what kind of trouble could a simpleton cause? Just provide for her necessities,” Second Master Cheng said nonchalantly, yawning and feeling the effects of alcohol as he prepared to retire for the night.
Second Madam Cheng paused for a moment, her mind briefly occupied with thoughts about the simpleton. Suddenly, another matter came to her mind.
“Er-lang, who were the names you mentioned earlier when we were with your brother?” she turned and inquired.
Second Master Cheng, in the midst of changing into his night clothes, froze momentarily. Those were names he casually mentioned during the argument, claiming to have severed ties with them. He hadn’t expected Second Madam Cheng, who was visibly upset at the time, to hear and remember his words!
It was all because of the simpleton’s unexpected arrival! If she hadn’t shown up out of the blue in the middle of the night, none of this trouble would have arisen!
What kind of trouble could a simpleton cause? He was mistaken! This simpleton had just arrived and already stirred up so much trouble for him!
