Chapter 40 How can anyone accept this?
No matter how wronged you feel, you can't cry in front of others.
You must endure it, endure it to the death, even if it means grinding your teeth to pieces.
They even had to laugh.
His eyes were wide open, surprisingly bright, almost terrifying; his lips were pursed tightly, but they were definitely curved, he was definitely smiling.
He just smiled and directed people to open the boxes and take out the items.
That's amazing, truly admirable.
No one slacked off, no one dared to. Every task assigned was completed neatly and beautifully, and then everyone waited patiently for the next instruction.
It's all over. All the items are neatly arranged and placed in the courtyard, because the young master is sleeping inside and cannot be taken inside yet.
A group of people were waiting in the courtyard.
The sound of the wind, the rustling of bamboo, the chirping of birds...
It's over.
It's all over...
A buzzing sound filled my ears, and my head suddenly felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, plummeting straight down and causing my whole body to sway from side to side.
I can't take it anymore, I can't hold on any longer.
I have to go, I have to go home.
At a time like this, where else can you go but home? Only home is sturdy and safe...
I don't care anymore, I can't control it...
He didn't say a word, didn't explain anything, he just stumbled out, walking and walking...
She didn't know where the strength came from, but she managed to walk all the way to her front door. The moment she touched the door, all her grievances and resentments found their outlet, and tears streamed down her face. Right in front of the door, she squatted down, covered her face, and wailed.
The little girl was sweeping the floor when she heard the noise. She craned her neck to look, and when she saw what was going on, she was startled and dropped the broom, running into the house.
"The girl is back, and she's crying at the gate."
This was quite a surprise. We looked at each other, dropped everything we were doing, and ran towards the door.
These were parents who loved their daughter dearly. When they saw their perfectly healthy child squatting there crying uncontrollably, they were heartbroken and could hardly breathe. They ran over, each of them pulling one side of the child up from the ground.
"Girl, don't cry. I'm here for you. If you're having any troubles, just tell me, and I'll do everything I can to help you."
This isn't the first time he's said this.
Back then, Tuan'er refused to eat or drink in order to go to Yihetang, which greatly worried her parents. When they asked her what was wrong, she wouldn't speak. They called a doctor, but she refused to see him and even threw things, causing a huge embarrassment for both sides. Her father humbly apologized to the doctor and respectfully saw him off. After returning, he went to his daughter and asked what had happened. Tuan'er didn't speak, only looked at her parents and cried, her eyes swollen like walnuts. Her father, both anxious and heartbroken, only said one sentence. Upon receiving this assurance, Tuan'er immediately wiped away her tears and began to tell her parents what was on her mind.
The parents did not agree. Firstly, they were really unwilling. How could they stand on the ground in front of such an important person? They did not expect their children to be successful. They would be lucky if they could live a peaceful and healthy life. Secondly, the matter was indeed difficult to handle. The number of people serving their master was fixed. There were no extra tasks.
The parents genuinely wanted what was best for their daughter, and they pleaded with her endlessly, but she was determined. The parents were at their wits' end; they couldn't just watch their child starve to death. So they went around begging for help, giving countless gifts, until finally they managed to get her into the family.
She was so happy then, thinking she could finally hold her head high. But when she actually went, nothing was different. She was still treated badly and couldn't get ahead. She finally saw a turning point and seized it with all her might, thinking that this time she should finally get what she wanted. But then, someone suddenly appeared! How could she accept that?
She cried uncontrollably, turning into a puddle of mud that couldn't be lifted up.
As a mother, she knew her daughter best and whispered in her ear, "There are many people watching. Even if you cry, go inside and cry..."
Sure enough, the crying stopped abruptly, and it felt as if bones had grown back into her arms and legs, making her able to withstand the force and move around.
The little girl was perceptive; she closed the door and went to fetch hot water, while Ziyu's parents helped her sit down in the main room.
"Girl, what exactly happened? Tell us! If you don't tell us, we won't know anything and we'll just be anxious..."
Ziyu lay on the table, not speaking, only sobbing.
Even the most patient person would find it hard to resist her like that.
"What does this mean? You're making things too difficult for me, young lady! I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you. Even if I had to die for you, it would be my duty. If you have something to say, just tell us. We'll do whatever it takes to help you, no matter how hard it is. But what kind of behavior is this? Are you going to talk or not? If you don't, don't blame us for being heartless. You should just go back to where you came from!"
"Oh dear! The young lady has encountered trouble, and instead of comforting her, you say these things!" Then you say, "Young lady, tell us what's wrong! How can we help you if you don't tell us?"
Ziyu continued to cry.
There's really nothing I can do about her; it's been like this for over ten years.
Ziyu's mother frowned and opened her mouth to speak.
The husband, understanding his wife's feelings, quickly stopped her, saying, "She's already so upset, don't say anything to her!"
"It's all because you spoiled her!" With a fierce look, she launched into a barrage of scolding: "You can't bear to scold her or hit her, so you've only made her more and more willful! She thinks she's the king of the house, that she's never satisfied, and she's always causing trouble!"
“She’s my daughter, of course I, as her father, will love her!” He also stuck out his neck and started talking non-stop: “She’s a delicate girl, what’s the point of hitting or scolding her? I live so that she can be happy! If she’s unhappy, I’d rather die than live like this!”
What more can one say? Pointing her finger, her teeth grinding to powder, she cried, "You're insane! You're absolutely insane!"
Seeing that an argument was starting, Ziyu became frightened.
This was a mismatched couple. Although both were good-natured and handsome in their youth, the matchmaker, finding them honest and endearing, arranged their marriage, hoping they would live a prosperous life together. The matchmaker meant well; two good people, living together, what could go wrong? But they were wrong. Both were good people, agreeing on major issues, finding joy in helping others and doing good deeds, but the most basic necessities of life were eating, drinking, and relieving oneself. One preferred hard foods, the other soft; one had a light palate, the other loved spicy, sweet, and salty foods; one was clean, the other carefree… In short, they were incompatible, utterly incompatible. What everyone envisioned as a prosperous and harmonious life turned into chaos and strife, a story considered a miracle by outsiders. Yet, despite their incompatibility, they didn't separate and even had children together. They loved each child deeply, but neither would yield for the sake of the children, still constantly bickering like fighting cocks.
Ziyu was most afraid of her parents arguing; she had been afraid since she was little, the fear was ingrained in her bones. How could she not be afraid when her parents, who were originally kind and gentle, suddenly revealed a fierce and ferocious side, their faces contorted like monsters, opening their mouths to devour people? As she grew older, she knew they weren't monsters, but she was still afraid.
"Stop arguing, stop arguing..." She stood up, looking at this person and that person, at a loss for what to do. "I'll talk, I'll talk right now, I'll tell you everything..."
She was already anxious, and it felt like there was fire burning under her tongue as she kept slurring her words. The sounds were audible, but the meaning was unclear. Later, when she got to the part about her grievances, she added crying, which made it even more incomprehensible.
Fortunately, when he uttered the first sentence, his speech was still clear: "Young Master brought people from the south..."
Having served as servants for decades, the Li couple were worldly-wise. Seeing their daughter's unusual behavior and tears, and hearing those words, they roughly understood what had happened. They breathed a sigh of relief.
Before Ziyu spoke those words to Madam Le, she hadn't informed her parents. Otherwise, Mr. and Mrs. Li would have stopped her, even if it meant imprisoning her. A young girl, ignorant yet bold—things rarely turn out as she imagines. The couple knew Madam Le's character well, so they preferred a more difficult life to associating with others, seeking only stability. Madam Le's only son, born in her previous marriage, was, of course, untouchable in their eyes. Madam Le, proud and petty from childhood, was intolerant of others. Everyone thought the same, so they remained silent. But their daughter, ambitious and headstrong, lost her head and went alone to volunteer, succeeding without a word. She was momentarily smug, but this caused her two honest parents great distress.
Now things are much better; the problem is solved.
The couple exchanged a glance and both understood what the other was looking at.
Madam Wang spoke first, in a conciliatory tone, "Young Master is still a young master in the south, how could he not have someone by his side? He's used to having his servants, of course we should bring them over..." Just then, the little maid brought over some warm water, which Madam Wang took, and used a hot towel to wipe her daughter's face, saying as she did so, "I told you a long time ago not to be too happy, but you wouldn't listen. Why are you crying now? If you had listened to us, things wouldn't be like this today." As soon as she finished speaking, she heard footsteps approaching, and quickly shut her mouth and looked over.
They all stared warily at the doorway.
The person entered with a smile, but when she looked up, she was startled to see a group of people staring at her intently. She exclaimed in surprise, clutching her chest with one hand and bracing herself against the door with the other, "What's going on? Why do you all look like that? It's kind of scary."
Wang quickly put on a smiling face, went over, took the person's arm and led them inside, asking with a smile, "Why are you here at this time, sister?" Li Yao also quickly gave up his chair, and when he stood up, he gently pushed Ziyu, who was sitting on another chair, to remind her to get up quickly so that no one would notice anything amiss.
Ziyu was afraid that others would laugh at her, so she immediately stood up and held her head high.
However, Zhang Ren's family came just to see her make a fool of herself, so no matter how Ziyu pretended, it was no use.
"I heard that Miss Ziyu is back, squatting at the door crying..." Ziyu's face flushed red. Zhang Ren's wife, seeing this, rolled her eyes and continued, "When I heard people say that, I was startled. I thought, with the young master here today, the young lady has found her pillar of support, and she'll have a life of luxury from now on. She's so busy right now, why would she be squatting at her own door crying? Those strange people must have mistaken her for someone else. But then I thought, what if it really is the young lady? Thinking this, I rushed over..." She glanced at Ziyu again and slowly smiled, "So the young lady really is back..."
Ziyu was so angry that she was panting heavily, her face turning as red as if she were seriously ill. Li Xiu and his wife also looked terrible, but they didn't say anything either.
What can I say? I'm just stating the facts, and people have seen it. I can't deny it, and if I do, it'll look even worse. In the end, it's all because my daughter is so disappointing, and I have to jump out and become a laughing stock! But this person is going too far. They haven't offended her, so why are they jumping out?
The Li couple had never offended Zhang Ren's wife; they always greeted each other with smiles. But that didn't stop Zhang Ren's wife from laughing at their family. After all, their daughter had jumped so high earlier! They almost managed to marry into a wealthy family!
The Zhang family had no daughters, only two sons they despised. From a young age, these sons were thieves and good-for-nothings, spending their days idly stealing money from home to play. The Zhang couple were heartbroken, their hair turning white with worry. They begged everywhere, but to no avail, they couldn't find jobs for their sons. When Liu Min arrived, the couple had an idea: their sons could become servants to the young master. However, because their sons were utterly useless, the plan failed. Meanwhile, Li Xiu's daughter became a head maid and even had her name changed by the madam—what an honor! This only highlighted the shame of her family. Now that the Li family was also disgraced, Zhang Ren's family naturally came to see for themselves.
"Actually, I came here because I have something I want to ask you, Miss... I heard that our young master brought a concubine from the south. She's only about ten years old and is highly regarded... Don't you think that's incredible! I heard that this young lady, although young, already has a beauty that could topple kingdoms... I'm really curious, and I thought you must have seen this young lady, so I came to ask you. Please tell me, is it really as people say?"
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