“I want that maid.”
First Madam Cheng felt like she had just heard this sentence a few days ago.
“That… maid of Jiao-niang?” she asked.
First Master Cheng nodded.
“Is it just for this?” First Madam Cheng asked.
“He said yes,” First Master Cheng replied.
Obviously, this request was far below everyone’s expectations.
“Don’t overthink it. Since he wants her, just give her to him. After all, she’s not part of our household,” First Madam Cheng said. “We’ll deal with challenges as they come; if he makes a request, we’ll handle it, but if he doesn’t, we won’t take any action.”
She then thought about the maid.
“Moreover, since she arrived, she’s caused nothing but trouble. Our family can’t keep someone like her,” she said.
First Master Cheng nodded.
“Go and tell that maid to leave with her real master,” he said.
The maids received the order and left, returning shortly after.
“Master, Madam, there’s no need to go tell her. The girl is right outside and has already seen Young Master Zhou,” one of them said.
First Madam Cheng smiled.
“That’s perfect. Let them handle their own family matters,” she said, then smiled again, fanning herself as she looked at First Master Cheng. “I wonder if the maid is willing to go this time.”
“Going home with you, young master?” Ban Qin asked in surprise.
Zhou Liu-lang nodded.
“That’s great!” Ban Qin exclaimed joyfully. “I’ll go tell the mistress right away.”
She turned to leave but then stopped, as if remembering something.
“Young master, did the master agree?” she asked again.
“You’re not even part of their household. Why does their agreement matter?” Zhou Liu-lang said with a frown.
Ban Qin was stunned for a moment.
“But, my mistress is part of their family,” she asked.
Zhou Liu-lang frowned even more.
“What mistress? I’m talking about you,” he said.
“Huh?” Ban Qin was taken aback, looking at Zhou Liu-lang. “Aren’t we taking my mistress?”
“Are you confused?” Zhou Liu-lang scrutinized the girl, frowning with some impatience. “Is your mistress’s surname Zhou? Hurry and pack up, we need to leave before dark.”
With that, he turned and strode away.
Ban Qin stood there, her ears buzzing.
Cheng Jiao-niang woke up early. While Ban Qin was instructing the little maid, she lay quietly until she felt tired and then sat up by herself. The rustling noises she made startled the maids outside, and she overheard their hushed discussions.
She quietly opened a book. Unlike the sparse words and illustrations on the screen, the pages were filled with dense text that overwhelmed her. She felt dizzy and her mind was in turmoil. It took her a while with her eyes closed to calm down.
Should she read it or not?
After silently gazing at the scenery outside the window for a moment, Cheng Jiao-niang lowered her head again.
Half the day passed quickly.
The feeling of nausea no longer appeared, and by covering the text with her hand and reading line by line, the words stopped jumping around on the page.
Although she only managed to read one line in the end, it was enough for half a day.
Cheng Jiao-niang lifted her head and saw that it was nearly evening, with the sunset clouds painting the sky red.
Outside, the anxious murmurs of the maids reached her again.
“Why hasn’t she come back yet?”
“Can she even handle her duties?”
“Her mistress is a fool who can’t be left alone…”
“Should we go in and check?”
Cheng Jiao-niang silently looked out the window and closed her book.
“Someone come,” she called.
The voices outside suddenly stopped, and the courtyard became so quiet that even breathing couldn’t be heard.
After a moment, someone nervously and hastily came in.
“Miss,” the maid knelt down, trembling as she spoke, not daring to lift her head.
“I want to change clothes,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, looking at her.
“Yes,” the maid replied, raising her head. As the sun set, the brilliant rays of the sunset illuminated the kneeling lady before her, making her look dazzling.
Heavens, she’s so beautiful, and she doesn’t smell bad at all…
Those people must have been lying!
Ban Qin rushed into the room.
“Has Miss awakened?” she asked hurriedly. As soon as she spoke, she noticed the maid on the veranda glance back at her.
Ban Qin’s voice trailed off.
“Miss, here’s some plain water,” the maid said, redirecting her attention, kneeling down, and placing the teacup on the table.
Cheng Jiao-niang reached out to take the teacup.
Ban Qin snapped out of her momentary distraction and quickly moved closer, kneeling beside her.
“Miss prefers cold water,” she said, reaching out to grasp the tea cup first, testing the temperature.
“It’s alright, I can wait,” Cheng Jiao-niang said calmly.
Ban Qin nodded in acknowledgment and withdrew her hand, settling back into a kneeling position.
“Miss, do you want to change your clothes?” Ban Qin asked hurriedly, remembering something.
“I’ve already done it for Miss,” the maid who was still kneeling on the veranda quickly said, with a hint of excitement as if she had accomplished something remarkable.
Ban Qin acknowledged with an “oh.”
Cheng Jiao-niang picked up the teacup and drank water slowly.
“Miss, what would you like to eat tonight? I will make it for you,” Ban Qin smiled again.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at her.
Ban Qin lowered her gaze, unable to meet her eyes directly.
“Cold noodles,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
Ban Qin nodded quietly in response.
“I’ll make it right away,” she said, getting up.
She had just descended the steps when a maid approached from outside.
“Ban Qin, Young Master Zhou’s servant was asking if you are ready.” she said.
Ban Qin froze in place, her face turning pale.
“Please tell the young master that I beg him to allow me to make cold noodles for Miss once more,” she said, her voice trembling.
Cheng Jiao-niang set down her teacup.
“Ban Qin, if you’re busy, you can go first. I’ll ask the kitchen to prepare it,” the maid said beside her.
“I can do it!” Ban Qin turned around and exclaimed.
The maid was startled, then looked at Ban Qin, who had tears in her eyes, even more puzzled.
Ban Qin turned away, lowered her head, and hurried towards the kitchen.
“No need,” Cheng Jiao-niang said. “You can go.”
Ban Qin turned around and knelt down, sobbing uncontrollably.
The maid outside the door and the maid on the veranda were all stunned.
What happened?
“Miss, Miss,” Ban Qin sobbed, barely able to speak, kneeling and moving forward, “I’m not going, I’m not going. I’ll go tell the young master right away.”
With that, she stood up unsteadily and ran outside.
The maid watched in astonishment.
“What’s happening?” she asked, puzzled.
No one answered her.
Ban Qin had already run far away, and the maid outside the door followed after her.
The maid couldn’t help but glance back at Cheng Jiao-niang.
With her hair down and wearing a loose, oversized plain satin robe, the quiet and seated lady’s expression remained unchanged, as if she saw nothing and heard nothing.
Knowing how to eat, drink, relieve herself, and sleep was probably already considered good enough. Understanding emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness was likely beyond the comprehension of someone like her, a fool.
“Let the kitchen know I’d like cold noodles,” Cheng Jiao-niang stated.
See, wasn’t that right?
“Yes,” the maid replied promptly.
This fool knew how to control her bowel movement, showed no emotions, didn’t cause any trouble. She simply sat quietly, ate and drank, and needed assistance with dressing and undressing—so remarkably easy to care for.
The maid walked away with cheerful steps.
Cheng Jiao-niang remained seated in the hall, holding the teacup, unmoving and unresponsive.
Watching Ban Qin sobbing, Zhou Liu-lang furrowed his brow.
“I decided to take you with me because I thought you were a heroine among women. Why then are you crying like this?” he asked, gripping the reins and mounting his horse.
A heroine? Was he referring to her? The young master actually held such a high regard for her?
However…
“But what about my mistress?” Ban Qin pleaded tearfully.
“Is the Cheng family left without any other maids if you’re gone?” Zhou Liu-lang chuckled. “Clever as you are, women often tend to be too emotional.”
“But my mistress has been with me since childhood…”
“Whether she’s been with you since childhood or not, is she that dependent on others? Now that she doesn’t have you, can’t she go on?” Zhou Liu-lang frowned. “Who in this world can’t move on without whom? Don’t inflate your importance; that’s just self-deception!”
Ban Qin cried with her head bowed, feeling like her heart and lungs were about to shatter.
Yes, she wasn’t a part of the Cheng family; she was bought by Old Madam Zhou, so she belonged to the Zhou family. Perhaps it was time to go back.
“Whether you go or not, I have to hit the road. If you don’t want to go, forget it. I’m not missing someone like you!” Zhou Liu-lang shouted. “It’s just a pity to leave you behind here!”
Ban Qin remained silent, unable to speak, lifting her head to look at the young man on the horse.
The young man looked down at her condescendingly, shining brightly in the sunset’s glow.
Ban Qin turned her head to look inside the gate.
Although Miss had improved a lot now, if not reminded, she could only remember people and events from three or four days ago.
So, in three or four days, she might not remember her anymore.
Ban Qin lowered her head and wiped away her tears.
“Yes,” Ban Qin bowed her head and choked, “I will follow you. I have nothing to pack.”
The sun finally withdrew its last rays, and dusk settled over the land.
