As the sky began to brighten, Jin Ge’er had already finished sweeping the street gate, humming a little tune as he sprinkled water.
“You’re in a good mood today,” the old man guarding the neighbor’s gate said with a cheerful grin.
Jin Ge’er grinned back at him, gave a respectful nod, and cheerfully skipped inside.
The courtyard was still quiet. From the kitchen drifted the familiar aroma of food, just like always—but somehow, the sky looked bluer, the trees greener, and everything seemed to brim with life.
“Jin Ge’er…”
Someone called softly from outside the gate.
Jin Ge’er turned around—and jumped in fright.
A big, chubby face was standing at the door, seemingly trying to smile, but the moment it did, the eyes completely disappeared into the folds of flesh.
“Who are you?” Jin Ge’er shouted.
“I’m Zhou… Master Zhou,” the man replied.
Master Zhou?
Jin Ge’er stared at him in disbelief, scrutinizing him up and down.
“We were apart for one day—how did you get so fat?” he exclaimed.
This damn kid—fat? This is swelling!
Master Zhou looked awkward, though no one could really tell.
“Has your mistress gotten up yet?” he asked.
“What do you want with my mistress? Are you still trying to steal—” Jin Ge’er began shouting.
Before he could finish, the chubby-faced Master Zhou lunged forward and clamped a hand over his mouth.
“Don’t talk nonsense! Stop that nonsense!” he cried, panicked.
Jin Ge’er nearly passed out from being smothered, and only managed to break free after quite a struggle.
“Who is this? Showing up first thing in the morning to break in and kill someone?”
The maid said as she stepped out from the main hall. She looked at Jin Ge’er, who was coughing uncontrollably, then at Master Zhou—and didn’t recognize him at all.
Heavens above! Come here to kill someone? He wouldn’t dare even if you gave him ten lives!
Master Zhou screamed inwardly as he glanced toward the hall.
Beyond the maid, a girl stood inside. Her autumn blouse was patterned with delicate flowers, her satin robe trimmed with gold. Her gaze was steady and cold as it landed on him.
That one look—and Master Zhou completely collapsed.
“Jiao Jiao…” he called weakly, covering his face as he sat down on the floor. “This is all… a misunderstanding…”
Ban Qin finished setting out the dishes. After carefully inspecting them for a moment, she sprinkled a few crushed sesame seeds over the plain porridge. Only then, satisfied, did she lift the tray and head toward the main hall.
Master Zhou was still sitting in the courtyard, crying his heart out with a runny nose and tear-streaked face.
“…I truly did it for you. You were ill—I couldn’t stop worrying. I just wanted to watch over your shop for you…”
“…Everything I did was for you. I just don’t trust those other people…”
“…Even your aunt meant well—she only wanted to bring you back so she could take better care of you… You can’t just listen to what others say and start hating us…”
Ban Qin knelt down, pushing the food toward her.
The maid picked up the chopsticks and handed them to Cheng Jiao-niang.
Master Zhou’s weeping in the courtyard had finally quieted down somewhat, his wails now softer and more sporadic.
“This is very good,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, looking at him. “You did all this for me—how could I possibly hate you?”
Very good?
That’s sarcasm! She’s being sarcastic!
“Jiao Jiao,” Master Zhou said, “we truly did it all for you.”
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
“Well then, isn’t that just fine,” she said.
“Jiao Jiao, th-then please… show mercy. Spare me and your aunt,” Master Zhou pleaded tentatively.
“What would I want with your lives?” Cheng Jiao-niang replied, shaking her head.
“Jiao Jiao, I’m begging you, please show mercy and lift this curse from us… Your aunt is barely holding on—she’s about to stop breathing…” Master Zhou sobbed.
It turned out that ever since Madam Zhou had hit her head that day and been carried home, she’d been burning with fever, rambling nonsense the whole time. As for Master Zhou, after nearly choking to death on tea at the Immortal’s Abode, his face swelled up. Though he could still walk around now, he felt it wouldn’t be long before he ended up just like Madam Zhou.
After hearing his words, the maid and Ban Qin were both stunned for a moment—then burst into laughter.
“Master Zhou, you’ve just scared yourselves,” the maid said. “Our mistress had only just woken up at the time—she barely saw Madam Zhou once before she ran off. And as for you, you didn’t even lay eyes on her. How can you possibly blame our mistress for what happened?”
“No, no blame! No blame at all!” Master Zhou quickly waved his hands in panic. “Jiao Jiao, we’re not blaming you—we only beg for your forgiveness…”
“Oh, you two had better hurry up and find a proper doctor,” the maid snorted.
They’re not sick at all. What does this little maid know!
Master Zhou looked up at the woman sitting calmly in the hall, gut churning with regret.
How could he have forgotten?
How could he have forgotten what happened to the people who crossed this girl?
In a flash, the fates of those people flickered through his mind like a spinning lantern show—some were shot dead, some forced to hang themselves, some driven to death by rage, some struck by divine fire and burned or electrocuted, some ruined beyond redemption.
And the most terrifying thing?
She never shed a single drop of blood herself.
Anyone who provoked her or stood in her way—not one came to a good end.
The moment he thought of this, Master Zhou felt his face start to swell again.
“Jiao Jiao, heaven and earth can bear witness—I truly did it all for you!” he wept and wailed. “Just think—you were that ill, how could the shop be left unattended? How could a few servants manage it? Jiao Jiao, our Zhou family is not short on money! The dowry we gave your mother fed half the Cheng family back then! I really did this all for your sake! You were gone—I’m your uncle! If I don’t help you look after things, who else would?”
As he spoke, he pointed accusingly at the maid.
“You—girl—search your conscience! Ask yourself: weren’t the things I said perfectly reasonable?”
The maid burst into laughter with a pfft.
“Miss,” she turned to Cheng Jiao-niang, “now that you’re feeling better, I haven’t even had the chance to tell you—while you were ill, Master Zhou and Fourth Young Master both came by the shop to help out. Really…”
As she spoke, she glanced at Master Zhou with a playful smile.
“…truly, they worked so hard.”
What?
She hadn’t even mentioned that yet?
Master Zhou was stunned.
He… he didn’t believe a word of it!
Otherwise, how could he and Madam Zhou be so close to death?
It had to be this girl—she must have poisoned them! Right when Madam Zhou tried to carry her back home, and when he was drinking tea at the Immortal’s Abode! Yes, that’s it! That had to be it!
This girl must have been on guard from the start!
“Jiao Jiao, we really did do it all for you!” Master Zhou once again raised his hands and beat his chest, shouting in anguish.
Cheng Jiao-niang put down her chopsticks.
“Uncle, what exactly is it that you want me to do?” she asked.
“Jiao Jiao, please—save me and your aunt,” Master Zhou looked up at her, pleading with tears streaming down his face.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at him for a moment.
“Even though you are my honored uncle, I still can’t break the rules when it comes to treating illness,” she said. “Your illness isn’t fatal, so I cannot treat it.”
Master Zhou, hearing this, became even more convinced—See? See?! Just like with Secretariat Editor Liu!
Left neither dead nor alive, yet she doesn’t have to lift a finger. She just lays out her “rules,” and even if she refuses to help, no one can say a word against her!
“Jiao Jiao!” Master Zhou took a few steps forward. “Jiao Jiao, I swear I did it all for your sake—please, spare us!”
Cheng Jiao-niang frowned.
“Oh! Miss, you can frown now?” the maid beside her cried out in surprise and delight.
Frown?
Cheng Jiao-niang frowned again.
“It’s true, it’s true!” Ban Qin leaned in too, exclaiming with joy.
Frowning was, of course, a sign of displeasure—not something worth celebrating. But watching the two maids cheering like it was the happiest news in the world, Master Zhou only felt the swelling in his head and face grow worse.
They’re doing this on purpose—cracking jokes and making light of things—just to leave me hanging!
“Jiao Jiao, if you’re truly this heartless, then we’ll just go and end things ourselves,” Master Zhou said sorrowfully. “All we ask is that you spare the Zhou family…”
“You mean to say,” Cheng Jiao-niang asked, “that your illness… is my fault?”
“It’s not because of you,” Master Zhou sobbed. “It’s because of us.”
Cheng Jiao-niang let out a small laugh, looked at him for a moment, and nodded.
“Since you, Uncle, have come to ask in person—then let’s consider the matter settled,” she said.
The maid and Ban Qin looked mildly surprised, while Master Zhou was overjoyed.
“Jiao Jiao, I knew it—you wouldn’t just stand by,” he said, wiping away tears, and took a few more hopeful steps forward.
Cheng Jiao-niang fixed her gaze on him.
“So, what medicine should we take?” Master Zhou asked hesitantly.
“No medicine is needed,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “The cure for your illness is… yourselves.”
Master Zhou looked completely puzzled.
“Uncle, you did all this for me—to help me and for my own good?” Cheng Jiao-niang asked.
“Yes, yes!” Master Zhou nodded repeatedly. “Jiao Jiao, you must believe us.”
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
“This matter can be resolved with just one sentence,” she said.
Just one sentence could fix it?
Could it really be a curse of words they’re under?
Whether or not she truly met the True Master Li, one thing was certain—she had definitely encountered a supernatural being.
It was said that some of these beings really could harm people through curses—just like those wandering shamans and sorcerers in the streets.
“What words?” Master Zhou asked eagerly.
“It’s the words you just said, Uncle,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied with a slight smile. “If you believe that everything you’ve done was to help me and for my own good, then I’ll believe it too. If both you and I believe it, then your illness won’t need medicine—it will soon be cured.”
Just like that? So simple?
Master Zhou was somewhat surprised.
Because Master Zhou was present, the Cheng residence’s gate was wide open.
Jin Ge’er was idly watching the comings and goings outside the gate when he saw two people approaching. Recognizing one of them, he let out a small surprised sound.
“Why have you come again?” he asked.
The young attendant before him didn’t look as terrified as the last time they met; instead, he seemed quite relaxed.
“My young master has hired a doctor to examine your mistress,” the young attendant said, pointing to the doctor behind him carrying a medicine box.
Before Jin Ge’er could say anything, the doctor looked stunned and grabbed the attendant’s arm.
“Did you ask me to come see to this family’s illness?” he asked.
The young attendant turned to look at him, noticing the doctor’s shocked expression.
“What’s wrong? You’re a doctor, not supposed to be so picky,” he said irritably.
“No, it’s just—you know…” the doctor began shaking his head.
Before he could finish, the young attendant impatiently cut him off.
“Save it for later,” he said, then smiled at Jin Ge’er and gently pulled him aside.
“What are you doing?” Jin Ge’er flicked his hand dismissively.
“I didn’t expect your mistress’s uncle’s family to be so powerful,” the young attendant said with a grin.
“Him? What’s powerful about that?” Jin Ge’er scoffed.
“Having such a powerful uncle’s family is a good thing—you shouldn’t keep it a secret,” the young attendant chuckled. “If your mistress’s uncle’s family has a miracle doctor, then surely your mistress will be fine, right?”
Jin Ge’er gave him a sidelong glance but said nothing.
“And besides, the Immortal’s Abode and the Tai Ping Residence are also owned by the Zhou family…” the young attendant continued, laughing.
Before he finished speaking, someone let out a sharp cry.
The attendant turned to look and saw a short, chubby middle-aged man staring at him.
It was hard to tell if he was glaring or not—his swollen face barely showed his eyes.
“What nonsense are you talking about!”
Master Zhou shouted. He had just started to calm down a little and stepped outside, only to hear this man claiming that the Immortal’s Abode and the Tai Ping Residence belonged to him!
Wasn’t this just slandering him?
And this kind of slander could be deadly!
“Who are you?”
“I’m from the Wang family, Master Zhou’s in-laws,” the young attendant said, a hint of pride in his voice. “How could I lie about my own family’s affairs…”
Before he could finish, two sharp slaps came down.
Master Zhou was trained in martial arts and far tougher than most women. Two slaps spun the young attendant around on the spot and sent him sprawling to the ground.
“You bastard! Dare speak nonsense again and I’ll beat you to death!”
With that, Master Zhou hurried off to his carriage, more worried about his own life than anything else.
Why did he get beaten again?
What did he say?
Who even is that guy?
By the time he looked up, the chubby-faced man was gone, the gatekeeper boy had disappeared, the Cheng family’s main gate was tightly shut—and even the hired doctor was nowhere to be seen…
What’s going on here? Was he cursed by the Feng Shui at the Cheng family’s doorstep?
“Damn it, I’m never coming back!”
The young attendant got up, flicked his hand, and turned to run away.
This little scene at the gate lasted only a blink of an eye—no one inside the house noticed except Jin Ge’er.
After seeing Master Zhou off, the maid helped Cheng Jiao-niang finish her meal and cleared the dishes. Just as she was about to eat, she noticed Ban Qin waving at her from the kitchen doorway.
“What is it?” she asked, walking over.
Ban Qin glanced toward Cheng Jiao-niang in the hall, then tugged at the maid’s sleeve.
“Did Miss really… give them…” she whispered, a mix of excitement and curiosity in her voice. “Their illness… was it really because of Miss…?”
The maid smiled faintly.
“Something like that,” she said after a moment’s thought, nodding.
Ban Qin breathed a sigh of relief, then patted her chest. Thinking back on all the worry and anger from recent days, she couldn’t help but feel a bit resentful.
“So it was that easy to cure them?” she asked.
The maid laughed.
“Easy?” she said, shaking her head. “It’s not easy at all.”
Not easy?
Ban Qin was momentarily stunned.
It was just one sentence—how could it not be easy?
…
“We do all this to help her, for her own good.”
“We do all this to help her, for her own good.”
In the Zhou family’s main hall, a man and a woman repeated these words over and over to themselves.
Madam Zhou lay on the couch, a medicinal patch on her forehead, her face pale. She quivered her lips weakly, barely able to speak.
“Master, is it really enough just to recite this?” she asked.
“Yes, just like when you used to chant sutras. If your heart is sincere, the prayers will work,” Master Zhou nodded, reaching up to touch his own face with some joy. “I think the swelling on my face is starting to go down…”
He hurriedly resumed his chanting.
Madam Zhou made a soft sound, placed her hand over her heart, and began chanting too. After only a few words, she suddenly stopped.
“Master, you said just now—‘if your heart is sincere, the prayers will work’?” she asked.
Master Zhou was a little annoyed at being interrupted.
“Yes, yes, she said that as long as we believe, she’ll believe too—and if we believe, it will be cured,” he said, quickly returning to his chanting. “We do this to help her, for her own good…”
“Master!” Madam Zhou reached out and grabbed him, calling out, “Do you believe it?”
Master Zhou hesitated for a moment.
“I do,” he said. After chanting for half a day, he truly felt a little better…
“Do you believe that what we’re doing is to help her, for her own good?” Madam Zhou shouted, her face pale as death.
Doing this to help her, for her own good…
Yes… yes, right…?
Master Zhou’s face turned pale, his lips trembling—no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t say the word believe without shaking.
“I don’t believe it!” Madam Zhou pressed a hand to her chest and cried out, then fell back, her eyes turned upward. “I’m dying…”
The moment she said that, Master Zhou felt his face swell painfully, his head and face visibly puffing up before his eyes. He cried out, clutching his head, and collapsed.
Easy?
Making yourself believe something you don’t believe—that must be the hardest thing in the world!
Jiao Jiao, have mercy! We truly did it all for you…
