The rain stopped and the sky cleared, with the rosy clouds slowly drifting.
“Tomorrow will be a fine day,” said First Madam Cheng, looking outside.
Dinner hadn’t been served yet, but the day’s busy work had come to an end, and it was the most leisurely time of the day.
“Mother, mother.”
The voice of Cheng Liu-niang came from outside.
First Madam Cheng raised her hand to her forehead; children are a lifelong debt that can never be shaken off.
“Aunt, aunt.”
The voice of Cheng Qi-niang followed.
The two girls took off their wooden clogs and knelt in front of First Madam Cheng, one on her left and the other on her right.
First Madam Cheng responded with a smile, looking at the two beautiful girls.
“Aunt,” Cheng Si-niang and Cheng Wu-niang quietly took off their shoes and knelt beside them.
“Good, good. Are you all hungry?” First Madam Cheng asked with a smile.
“Mother, there’s no hurry to eat,” said Cheng Liu-niang.
“Aunt, we want to hold a chrysanthemum gathering,” Cheng Qi-niang eagerly exclaimed.
Being preempted by Cheng Qi-niang, Cheng Liu-niang glared at her.
“Don’t talk, you can’t explain it well. Sit aside,” she said, pulling her mother’s arm. “Mother, we want to hold a chrysanthemum gathering and invite Lady Dong and the others to our home to compete in painting and flower arranging.”
“And fishing, fishing, Aunt. I like fishing. I want to fish,” Cheng Qi-niang added.
“Alright, Qi-niang will definitely win first place in fishing,” First Madam Cheng said with a smile, reaching out to pat Qi-niang’s shoulder.
“No fishing,” Cheng Liu-niang disagreed. “Our lotus pond is small. If we go fishing, there are several places better than ours, and we’ll be ridiculed by them.”
Cheng Qi-niang started her education late and was still practicing her writing. She wasn’t proficient in painting or flower arranging. If the chrysanthemum gathering only involved these activities, she wouldn’t have a chance to shine, which made her quite unhappy.
She clung to First Madam Cheng, refusing to give in. The quiet room was filled with the girls’ clamor, and First Madam Cheng felt her ears buzzing. She quickly called a stewardess to come and help the girls with their planning, finally managing to send them off.
The noise occasionally came from the other room, but it was much better than having it right in front of her. The sisters’ bickering and cheerful laughter created a lively and joyful atmosphere.
This is what a home should be like, harmonious and full of joy.
First Madam Cheng let out a sigh of relief.
She should have listened to her mother-in-law; that fool should have been sent directly to the temple from the beginning, avoiding all these annoying troubles.
Speaking of annoying troubles, First Madam Cheng frowned again.
The issue of the dowry had been causing trouble for several days, still unresolved. The Zhou family was initially willing to compromise, but the second household kept causing problems, rejecting everything. As a result, everything had to be started over again, and the Zhou family ended up staying at the shop, significantly affecting the business.
First Madam Cheng unconsciously gripped the fan in her hand, nearly breaking it.
“Someone come!” She grew more and more angry and shouted.
A maid entered.
“Starting next month, except for the portions for Old Madam, reduce the rations in the kitchen by half,” First Madam Cheng said.
The maid grumbled under her breath but didn’t dare to say much. She acknowledged and left.
“Cut them in half, then,” Second Madam Cheng scoffed upon hearing the news. “It’s still better than them enjoying meat while we struggle to even get soup.”
“Yes, Madam. Can you believe she agreed to hand over all the estates to the Zhou family? Those lands yield quite a harvest,” the maid whispered softly beside her.
“Of course she wouldn’t care. She’s held onto those two shops for so long, she knows them like the back of her hand. Giving them up would be like tearing out her own flesh. As for estates, you can buy as many as you wish as long as you have money,” Second Madam Cheng remarked coldly. “Even if I manage to claim one of those shops split into two, I can’t compete with her connections. It’s practically worthless. It’s better to aim directly for the estates.”
“Yes, Madam,” the maid quickly agreed, leaning closer to whisper, “My husband is skilled in farming. We may not excel in business, but farming is no issue for us.”
Second Madam Cheng nodded in acknowledgment.
The maid then began serving even more attentively.
“First Madam doesn’t care about that either. My husband went to inspect it a few days ago, and the good land is all going to waste…” she said. “She’s hidden so much from us over the years. The fool is from our household. Does she think she can just occupy it forever?”
“At least she’s earned enough dowry for her daughters,” Second Madam Cheng scoffed, frustrated again. “This time, no matter what, I must get my hands on it. Does she think only she has daughters?”
“Exactly! When it comes down to it, that fool and Qi-niang are real sisters, while they’re just distant cousins,” the maid remarked.
Compared to the mess at home, Xuan-miao Mountain outside the city was tranquil and leisurely.
It had rained yesterday, leaving the ground moist. A maid broke off a branch, removed the leaves, cautiously ran her hand over it twice to ensure it wouldn’t prick, and then handed it to Cheng Jiao-niang.
Although Cheng Jiao-niang still wore a veiled hat, she could already feel the gentle autumn breeze as she lifted the veil.
She reached out and took the branch, sitting down on a nearby rock.
The maid watched nervously.
Cheng Jiao-niang swept her sleeve and held the branch in one hand, slowly moving it across the ground. Unfortunately, her hand seemed weak, causing the branch to tremble. On the damp ground, it left crooked and distorted marks that were far from forming any recognizable characters.
It’s still not working. Her fingers seemed capable of writing freely, but when it came to holding a pen, she still couldn’t control it.
Cheng Jiao-niang set down the branch and sat up straight.
“Miss, learning calligraphy isn’t something that happens overnight,” the maid comforted. “I’ll buy paper and pens for you, and we can practice slowly.”
But for her at this moment, paper and pens were useless.
“No need,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, standing up.
Xuan-miao Mountain boasted excellent scenery, with the temple built harmoniously into its natural slopes. The path from the gate circled the temple, not far in distance but slightly steep, making it more physically demanding than when she was at Cheng’s family.
This environment suited Cheng Jiao-niang’s preferences perfectly. After trying it out once, it became her daily routine.
She stepped forward while her maid followed behind.
Though her hands and feet still lacked full mobility, she could now walk unaided. While her pace seemed slow, considering her recovery of over half a year, her progress was commendable. She anticipated being able to walk briskly by Chinese New Year.
Completing the loop, Cheng Jiao-niang and her maid entered through the temple gate. Inside, the abbess was in conversation with someone. On the ground lay two baskets—one empty, the other half full.
“You’ve returned,” the abbess quickly said, pointing to the basket containing the provisions. “The rice and vegetables from Cheng family have arrived. Let him carry them for you.”
Cheng Jiao-niang went over by herself, and the abbess paid no further attention, only conversing with the maid.
The maid acknowledged and went to inspect the contents. Seeing that it was only a bag of rice and a few vegetables, she couldn’t help but frown.
“This amount isn’t right,” she said. “Why is it so little? And where are the dried fish and fruits?”
The abbess smiled without saying a word, while the male servant beside her sneered.
“How should I know? This is what they gave us,” he replied.
“That’s not the usual portion assigned to my mistress,” the maid retorted.
“Then you should go back and tell them,” the male servant said bluntly, grabbing the basket and dumping its contents onto the ground. He slung the carrying pole over his shoulders and walked off with the empty baskets.
The maid was shaking with anger, unable to say a word as she watched the male servant walk away.
“Oh dear, how could this happen,” sighed the abbess beside them.
The maid gritted her teeth for a moment, about to bend down to pick up the spilled items.
“Don’t bother picking them up,” Cheng Jiao-niang, who had been watching quietly, suddenly spoke up. With that said, she turned and walked away.
The maid, who had been about to stoop down, paused in surprise. She glanced at the scattered rice and vegetables on the ground before turning to follow Cheng Jiao-niang.
This fool could actually speak and even got angry.
“But getting angry at the wrong time,” the abbess thought to herself, “no wonder she’s a fool.”
