The cold noodles, garnished with finely chopped scallions, were served in a celadon bowl and placed on a small table by the maid. She then set two side dishes and the bowl and chopsticks in order before presenting it to Cheng Jiao-niang.
The lamp in the room was already lit, and the bamboo curtain was lowered to keep out the insects that wanted to fly in.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at the table in front of her but did not move.
The maid hesitated for a moment, glanced at the older maid beside her, and received a signal from her.
The maid then reached out to pick up the chopsticks.
Cheng Jiao-niang reached out first, picking up the chopsticks with one hand while gently adjusting her sleeve with the other, and slowly began to eat the noodles.
The maid let out a sigh of relief and flashed a small, triumphant smile at the older maid.
There was the sound of footsteps outside the door, and four or five people walked in.
“Why have you come?” The maids greeted them with smiles.
The woman in the lead smiled and pointed to the people behind her.
“This girl will be staying here with you from now on,” she said.
A girl stepped forward with a sullen face and gave a rough bow.
“Why are we getting another person?” the older maid asked.
“Oh, the girl who came with the mistress has left. Madam was worried that the two of you wouldn’t be able to manage, so she added another one,” Lady Guo said, glancing at the hall.
Under the dim light, the young lady was eating with her head down, showing no intention of looking up.
Being a fool had its perks—less to worry about, less trouble.
Lady Guo had no intention of staying any longer and turned to leave.
The maids left behind were still in shock.
“Why did she just leave?”
The new maid pouted and looked around, then snickered.
“Why not? Stay here and waste her whole life?” she said. “She has a better place to go, and the young master personally came to pick her up. Not going would be foolish.”
The maids then understood what was going on and felt a mix of melancholy and indescribable emotions.
“She just left like that,” the maid said, glancing back at Cheng Jiao-niang in the hall.
Under the light, the young lady was still slowly eating her meal.
“She served her for so long, at least she could have come to kowtow and say something,” she murmured.
“She did, she kowtowed several times outside the door,” the new maid said. “Besides, what is there to say? A fool wouldn’t understand anyway.”
The young master of the Zhou family only stayed for the day and then left, taking a maid with him. The news quickly spread to the inner quarters.
“Didn’t she say he couldn’t bear to leave her mistress? She didn’t even want to come to the kitchen to make snacks, and that was while they were in the same family. Now, she’s leaving just like that, and it’s a long distance away. How can she bear it now?” Cheng Liu-niang said with a snort.
“There is nothing in this world that one cannot bear to part with. That maid is obviously smart. People seek higher ground. Serving this fool, she’ll be like this for the rest of her life. But serving that young master, her future will be different,” Cheng Wu-niang said slowly.
Cheng Liu-niang, having some understanding of the ways of the world, understood and, with some anger, swept her gaze over the maids beside her.
“If any of you dare to act like that, abandoning your master because of lovesick, no matter which master you follow, I will hunt you down and beat you to death,” she said harshly, raising her chin.
The maids, frightened, quickly knelt and bowed, declaring they would not dare.
“What is being lovesick?” Cheng Qi-niang asked curiously. “Why would being lovesick make someone abandon their master?”
There was an eight-year-old child here, and the sisters fanned themselves to cover their embarrassment.
“It’s quite stuffy in here. Let’s go play by the lotus pond,” Cheng Liu-niang said, changing the subject.
The sisters agreed and stood up, but Cheng Qi-niang was reluctant.
“There are ghosts there,” she said.
“No, my brother got sick because he was studying too hard and worrying too much. He got sick after catching a chill by the lotus pond. Doctor Liao said so!” Cheng Liu-niang said, raising her eyebrows and poking Cheng Qi-niang’s head. “If you keep spreading rumors about my brother, I won’t take you to play!”
Cheng Qi-niang felt both wronged and annoyed.
“I don’t want to play with you anyway!” she said, stomping her foot and walking away without putting on her shoes.
Her maids, used to such scenes, grabbed her wooden clogs and hurried after her.
Cheng Liu-niang snorted.
“Let’s go. That fool doesn’t live by the lotus pond now, so we can play there without worry,” she said.
As dawn broke, the maid sleeping on the mat outside the bamboo curtain heard sounds from inside the room and quickly got up.
“Miss, are you awake?” she asked.
Someone inside the room responded with a hum.
The maid got up, tidied her hair, and went inside. Cheng Jiao-niang was already sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Miss, let me help you get dressed,” the maid said.
Although it had only been three or four days, she had already become proficient in doing this because it was really simple.
This mistress was so easy to serve—quiet and not fussy, except when it came to eating.
After grooming and drinking a few sips of water, the maid brought the dining table over to Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Miss, what do you think…” she cautiously asked.
Cheng Jiao-niang silently scanned the dining table for a moment.
The meals were now brought from the kitchen on the other side, but the small kitchen here hadn’t been dismantled because…
“Fry this fish with sesame oil, and soak this rice in soup,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
The maid nodded and proceeded to transfer the food from the dining table into containers before carrying them out again.
In the courtyard, a maid was in the midst of washing her hair.
“Stop washing. Empty the water. I need to use the stove to prepare a fresh meal for the mistress,” the maid instructed.
The maid washing her hair showed a touch of impatience.
“Isn’t everything already prepared? Why redo it?” she asked.
“She won’t eat it as it is. She wants it prepared differently,” the maid clarified.
The maid washing her hair shook her head as she walked over, glanced at the food containers, and frowned.
“What does a fool understand? Just pretend you did the task she asked for. You think you’re serving a proper mistress or what,” she remarked, reaching out. “Let me handle it.”
Taking up the chopsticks, she flipped the fish and poured some soup over the rice, stirring it hastily.
The strong aroma of freshly applied hair oil wafted through the room.
Cheng Jiao-niang lifted her head from beside the window and observed the unfamiliar maid.
“Miss…” the maid began but suddenly paused, staring at the lady seated peacefully by the window.
This was her first time entering this room since she arrived, her first time getting a clear look at this lady.
She’s really quite beautiful, the maid thought absentmindedly for a moment.
It’s such a pity she’s a fool.
“Miss,” she refocused, kneeling down and arranging the fish and rice from the food box, “I’ve fried the fish as you requested and soaked the rice, just as you said.”
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at the dishes on the table, then raised her head to look at the maid.
The maid, who had been relaxed and at ease, somehow appeared nervous under her gaze.
Fools always make people somewhat uneasy, don’t they?
She managed to force a smile at Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Would you like me to feed you, Miss?” she stammered.
Cheng Jiao-niang looked at her and pursed her lips.
“I am not the fool,” she said. “You are the fool.”
The maid chuckled.
Truly a fool…
Cheng Jiao-niang reached out and pushed the dishes on the table forward.
The soup-soaked rice suddenly spilled and splashed onto the floor, the table, and the maid kneeling opposite her.
“Ouch, it’s hot!” the maid exclaimed, jumping up.
First Madam Cheng, who had only recently begun to feel settled, furrowed her brow in concern.
“The maid scalded Jiao-niang with the food,” the maid knelt before her and whispered softly. “But the maid claims Jiao-niang spilled it herself… No one else was present to witness it. Madam, whom should we believe?”
“You’re asking me whom I believe?” First Madam Cheng retorted, sitting upright and fixing her gaze on the maid. Suddenly, her voice escalated sharply, “Do I need to be consulted on this matter? Just because Zhou Liu-lang has left, they think they can do as they please? They find it difficult to serve someone who simply eats and drinks? Who do they think is the fool here? Me!”
The maid was startled and quickly bowed.
“Yes, Madam, I understand. I will handle it,” she assured, rising swiftly and hurrying out.
