Calculation

Another morning dawned, and the market was already bathed in the golden glow of the rising sun.

Yan Zhiwei carried her basket as usual, and Zhu Mingyu stood beside her. He caught a glimpse of Yan Zhiwei's radiant face and her light steps.

"Manager Yan, you're all smiles today, is there some great news?"

At the market, Old Wang held a straw fan, fanning away the beads of sweat that had accumulated on his forehead from carrying goods.

"Hey, Lao Wang, your information network is really outdated," the auntie selling vegetables nearby chuckled.

"It's Zhiwei's mother who's back. The mother and daughter are so happy together. Look, the vegetables Zhiwei bought today are even more high-end than usual. She probably doesn't plan to open for business today and just wants to take a day off to cook a family reunion dinner!"

The town was small, and the news of Qin Yuzhi and Yan Zhiwei recognizing each other at the restaurant had already spread. The vegetable vendor was someone Yan Zhiwei had been patronizing for years, and she knew about Yan Zhiwei's background. She was genuinely happy for her.

She handed the freshly shelled peas to Yan Zhiwei: "Girl, I heard you're leaving. I don't have anything to give you, so please accept these as a token of my appreciation."

Fingers, long accustomed to working in the fields and washed by freezing water, scooped up countless green beans and fed them handful by handful into Yan Zhiwei's small basket.

Yan Zhiwei glanced at the ingredients in the small basket. There was beef given by the butcher next door, and also some fine tofu that Old Wang had quickly cut up after hearing the good news.

The townspeople don't say sweet words or blessings; they simply slip gifts to each other morning and evening to express their goodwill.

Yan Zhiwei pursed her lips, feeling a little sore, and forced a smile as she thanked Old Wang and the aunt, then bought some extra ingredients from their stall.

Zhu Mingyu landed behind Yan Zhiwei. From his angle, he could see Yan Zhiwei's reddened eyes, as if she had applied rouge, which contrasted sharply with her white teeth.

But Zhu Mingyu could tell that Yan Zhiwei was happy.

The same applies to Zhu Mingyu.

After the mother and daughter of the Yan family recognized each other, he breathed a sigh of relief, after all, he would eventually have to leave.

Parting and reunion are inevitable; human affairs are unpredictable.

He didn't want Yan Zhiwei to be alone after their separation, but fortunately, Heaven had a benevolent heart and found Yan Zhiwei a new bond.

Zhu Mingyu's gaze, bathed in the morning light, remained gentle, yet for some reason, he felt a sense of unease.

What's wrong? Zhu Mingyu tightened his grip.

Qin Yuzhi and Yan Zhiwei talked all night yesterday. Zhu Mingyu brought them hot tea several times and overheard Qin Yuzhi's whispers.

Qin Yuzhi spoke softly, leaning on Yan Zhiwei's shoulder through the candlelight: "My son, you're over sixteen this year, not young anymore. Do you have someone you like?"

"Your father knew I was coming to find you, so he specially asked someone to bring you several portraits for you to look at. They are all talented men, and they are very suitable for you." Qin Yuzhi pulled out a scroll from somewhere and unfolded it for Yan Zhiwei to see.

"Especially this family, they are the most powerful family in our Yan family's current residence. If you can marry them, not only will your family be honored, but your whole family will also depend on you in the future..."

Zhu Mingyu huddled by the doorway, and upon hearing this, felt a faint, stinging pain.

He craned his neck trying to squeeze inside, but still couldn't see any details of the room, only hearing Qin Yuzhi's few whispered words.

Through the shadows cast by the window, Yan Zhiwei shook her head slightly. Then Qin Yuzhi also got up, and after a brief tug-of-war, the two turned off the light.

Until this morning when he went out to buy groceries, Zhu Mingyu did not see the two of them speak again.

Zhu Mingyu's thoughts drifted back to Yan Zhiwei. Yan Zhiwei seemed to be in a good mood and, as arranged the previous night, personally cooked to entertain her mother who had come from afar.

It's a good thing for mothers and daughters to reunite and get to know each other, but would a mother really rush to arrange a major life event for her child less than a day after seeing her?

Zhu Mingyu thought of his mother, the female general who wielded a long spear, commanding on the battlefield and gentle in private. If the two of them were to reunite, after so long apart, would she come up to him and discuss marriage?

Zhu Mingyu's eyelashes twitched. Another vendor gave Yan Zhiwei a fat fish, which he took before she could. He stared at Yan Zhiwei's profile, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

——

In the bedroom next door, separated by only one wall, Qin Yuzhi held up a yellowed scroll.

The picture shows a rosy-cheeked little girl, slender in build, with striking, bright, and lively phoenix eyes.

I reckon it was written by that old woman who brought it with her all those years ago. I heard she even taught Yan Zhiwei to read and write, though it's not really of any use to her.

Qin Yuzhi carefully folded the scroll, a fleeting, almost imperceptible tenderness flashing in his eyes.

"Are the things ready?" Qin Yuzhi asked.

"This old servant has always kept it on hand." The personal maid presented a small wooden box, with delicate patterns encasing a black pill.

"The patriarch is indeed very thoughtful. He anticipated that this persuasion trip would not go smoothly and made other preparations in advance."

The pills in the small box are a vicious poison passed down through the Yan family. They are colorless and odorless, and while they are not fatal, they cause periodic attacks that inflict excruciating pain.

There is no cure for this; the only option is to take specific detoxifying pills periodically to suppress the toxins.

The personal maidservant added, "Once the young lady takes this medicine, even if she is unwilling, she will have to obey orders to get into the sedan chair and get married."

"In the end, the fact that a girl can marry into a powerful local family from the countryside is still a case of the girl marrying up."

“Master, your return this time has actually helped the young lady.”

Qin Yuzhi nodded slightly, took the pill and examined it carefully, saying, "Actually, I didn't want to come to this point either, but unfortunately she really doesn't understand."

Her search for her daughter was merely an order from the Yan clan. The Yan family, as a fallen noble family, was like a centipede with a hundred legs—dead but not dead. They had lost power but not their reputation. In chaotic times, such a family, if they wanted to survive, would inevitably have to submit to the local powerful Wang family.

The best way to surrender is through marriage.

The Yan family had few descendants, and the families that surrendered were nothing more than bandits who rose to power, a barbaric clan.

My mother was unwilling to marry off her only legitimate daughter. After thinking it over, she realized that there was another illegitimate daughter who had long been abandoned in the countryside to fend for herself. So she persuaded the head of the family to send Qin Yuzhi to find her.

Qin Yuzhi also hesitated for a moment.

Although Yan Zhiwei and her daughter had a shallow bond, she was still a piece of her own flesh and blood. However, she also had two children of her own, an intelligent son and a filial younger sister. As a mother, she naturally wanted to find a better future for the children she had raised.

So she agreed to the head of the family's request, and even found a few strong men from outside to put on a good show of "mother saving daughter" and talk all night. Qin Yuzhi originally wanted to use this to make Yan Zhiwei lower her guard further so as to achieve her goal.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out; Yan Zhiwei was unwilling to marry. There wasn't enough time for Qin Yuzhi to continue his persistent pleading; she had to make her move immediately.

The longer the night, the more things can go wrong.

Qin Yuzhi put down the pills in her hand.

The doors and windows opened slightly, letting in a barely perceptible slant of wind, and her personal maid helped her up.

Qin Yuzhi asked, "Where is she now?"

"The girl is busy in the kitchen."

"Send over a bowl of mixed grain porridge," Qin Yuzhi said. "Just say it's your mother's way of showing consideration for her daughter."

Qin Yuzhi raised an eyebrow, picked up the yellowed scroll, glanced at it coldly, and then casually tossed it into the blazing brazier.

——

"Brother Zhu, Brother Zhu!" Miss Fang lifted her skirt, trying her best to hide her panic, but her hands were clenched so tightly they were sweating.

Zhu Mingyu had just finished chopping firewood and hadn't even finished a sip of tea when he saw Miss Fang's impetuous manner.

As the young girl approached her, Zhu Mingyu suddenly remembered the marriage agreement Yan Zhiwei had mentioned, and her face flushed red.

I still need to explain things clearly to Miss Fang. Zhu Mingyu thought to himself. He stood up to offer her a seat, poured her a cup of tea, and prepared to hand it to her.

Unexpectedly, Miss Fang's first words were devastating: "Brother Zhu, where is Sister Yan now? I'm afraid something has happened to her!"

"What did you say?" Before the tea was even half-cupped, the cup fell to the ground and the pot overturned. Zhu Mingyu's face turned pale.

Zhu Mingyu rushed to the kitchen, taking two steps at a time, leaving the panting Miss Fang far behind.

He had just pieced together the whole truth from Miss Fang. Fortunately, Yan Zhiwei treated him so kindly. Seeing that Qin Yuzhi was cold and that Lingnan was humid, she replaced the charcoal with the best kind that she usually wouldn't buy even in winter in early autumn.

For a close relative who could almost be considered to have abandoned herself, Yan Zhiwei gave up the very best of everything.

Not only are they buying groceries and cooking in the early morning, but they are also preparing to give up the restaurants that they have worked hard to grow.

Zhu Mingyu's mind flashed back to Yan Zhiwei's smiling face.

How could Qin Yuzhi dare to, and how could she possibly, betray her own daughter's sincere feelings?

Zhu Mingyu's eyes were bloodshot, and he forced back the tears as he violently smashed open the kitchen door.

"Zhiwei, Zhiwei!" Zhu Mingyu said urgently.

The kitchen was spotless, with steam rising from the iron pot and the faint aroma of steamed fish wafting out.

On the stove sat a bowl of porridge that had been eaten. Below it lay Yan Zhiwei, slumped on the floor, her hands hanging limply, her lips still trembling.

"You drank this porridge?" Zhu Mingyu asked, panting, as he put his arm around Yan Zhiwei's shoulders. "The porridge was poisoned..."

"You've drunk it?" Zhu Mingyu asked tremulously.

A chill ran through Zhu Mingyu's veins, and the veins on his arms bulged as he was consumed by rage.

Yan Zhiwei followed Zhu Mingyu's gaze and saw herself reflected in his eyes, slowly coming back to her senses.

"I didn't drink it." Yan Zhiwei closed her eyes.

"This porridge has peanuts in it." Yan Zhiwei is allergic to peanuts.

She got up from the ground and brushed the dust off her body: "I spat out the porridge as soon as it got into my mouth, and then rinsed my mouth."

Yan Zhiwei pointed to the remnants on the ground, next to which was a small mouse lying on its back.

"After I vomited, it ate this porridge, and not long after, it turned into this state." The mouse's chest was still bobbing up and down, but its eyes were lifeless.

Yan Zhiwei's face was ashen, and her stomach churned. She pushed Zhu Mingyu away and went to the courtyard to vomit.

Yan Zhiwei felt disgusted. Not only by the porridge and the pitiful state of the rats, but also by the unbearable sight of human nature.

Yan Zhiwei clutched her chest and looked towards Qin Yuzhi's bedroom.

The door was tightly shut, not even a crack in the window was left, as if deliberately avoiding something, or as if deliberately disclaiming something.

Yan Zhiwei couldn't help but laugh.

She had felt something was off since early morning.

From Qin Yuzhi's coincidence in the restaurant's chaos to her bringing a pile of expensive ornaments from afar, and then to her inexplicable and urgent concern about Yan Zhiwei's marriage yesterday, Yan Zhiwei wasn't stupid and noticed something was amiss.

However, she refused to believe that her biological mother was a saint in appearance but a scorpion in heart. The day after their long-awaited reunion, she couldn't wait to poison herself.

It's not just any ordinary poison.

Yan Zhiwei gripped the silver hairpin tightly. She had examined it and smelled it carefully, but found no flaws. If it weren't for her peanut allergy, she, Yan Zhiwei, would probably be the one lying on the ground right now.

Laughable, ridiculous!

Yan Zhiwei's neck itched, and when she scratched her skin with her fingernail, she felt a series of icy sensations.

Yan Zhiwei tore off the pearl pendant from her chest.

When you love her, she is a pearl; when you don't love her, she is a useless fish eye.

Such is the state of the world; people's hearts are not united.

If that's the case, then don't blame her for being heartless.