Chapter 3 Persistence
Aman still didn't dare to look up, but she could hear the teasing in the man's tone. She nodded blankly, "Mm."
Fu Yunxiu continued, "Raise your head and let me see?"
Her voice was soft, yet it carried a hint of a force that Aman couldn't refuse.
Aman could only slowly raise his head.
But Fu Yunxiu didn't look at her immediately. Instead, he lifted the blanket off his lap, pushed the wheelchair off the stage in front of Aman, and stopped at an appropriate distance from Aman.
"My mother had already told you about my situation before you came, and I'm so sorry you didn't mind," Fu Yunxiu said self-deprecatingly, but stopped abruptly after seeing Aman's face.
He blinked, even wondering if the poison had gotten into his eyes.
Otherwise, why would he see a hint of girlish shyness and admiration in the eyes of the woman before him?
He had already prepared himself to accept the other person's look of disgust or pity, but...
There was no fear, no disgust, and certainly no pity, but rather... amazement?
She actually saw a look of amazement at him in the face of a woman.
Fu Yunxiu was somewhat unable to accept it.
Since his leg became crippled, everyone he has met has shown him pity and sorrow the first time they see him, and some even have an undisguised look of disgust in their eyes.
To be able to amaze and fascinate people was something I fantasized about when I was fifteen, but fantasies are just fantasies and can never come true.
Fu Yunxiu looked at her rosy cheeks and it took him a long time to recover from his shock and find his voice, "You, what's your name?"
“Everyone calls me Aman, but Grandma says I should be called Lin Yuechu.”
She was born on the fifth day of the second lunar month. Her grandmother said that people born in the second lunar month have empty pockets on both sides, and she hoped that her pockets would always be full, so she named her Aman. Her formal name is Yuechu. As for why she has the surname Lin, it seems to be because of her grandfather whom she never met.
Fu Yunxiu didn't say anything, but just nodded and looked at the steamed buns that had just returned from seeing off the guests.
Mantou met his gaze and shook his head.
Fu Yunxiu understood.
Sure enough, how could his mother really find him a slave woman to carry on the family line? If word got out, wouldn't people laugh at him?
He looked at Aman, his cold tone softening slightly, "The person has left, and Miss Aman can also leave now."
"Leave? Where to?" Aman asked, somewhat confused.
“Naturally, you will return to where you came from. Your indenture was not transferred to the government, so even if you leave, they can't do anything to you. You can rest assured,” Fu Yunxiu said.
Moreover, this person is probably mentally challenged, so they should definitely not be kept alive.
As Aman watched the man explain to her in a serious and methodical manner, she knew that he wasn't just saying it casually; he genuinely wanted her to leave.
“I’m not leaving,” Aman said, taking two steps forward and looking at him with a firm gaze. “It was Madam who bought me to take care of the young master. I promised Madam that I would serve the young master well.”
"Serve me?" Fu Yunxiu seemed to have heard something funny, and spread his hands for Aman to see. "Are you sure you want to serve a cripple like me?"
He really isn't very bright!
Aman looked at the sinister smile on his face and felt a chill in her heart, but she still nodded, "Yes."
Fu Yunxiu's smile grew even more chilling. "Even if I humiliate you in bed, you wouldn't care?"
He went a step further, his voice low and menacing, "Do you know what humiliation is?"
Aman was startled by the malice he exuded and subconsciously took two steps back.
Seeing her actions, Fu Yunxiu stopped smiling, pushed his wheelchair back a few steps to create distance between them, and said, "If you're unwilling, then listen to my advice and leave before it gets dark."
"Steamed buns, see the guest out."
After saying that, he pushed his wheelchair away by himself, and Mantou rushed forward to help.
Aman stood in the courtyard, watching the man leave without looking back, her fists clenched so tightly they almost bled.
Was she afraid? Of course she was afraid. She wasn't some naive young lady. When she came, she had already considered all the possibilities. But if she went back, she would no longer have her grandmother, and there would be no way back.
In this world, it would be even harder for her, an orphan, to survive.
Compared to that, the others aren't so scary after all.
“I’m not afraid,” Aman’s voice came from behind Fu Yunxiu just as he was about to enter the room.
“Now that I’ve entered this Wutong Garden, I belong to you, young master. Aman will stay with you forever.”
The powerful voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard, each word echoing through the space and seemingly resonating into Fu Yunxiu's heart.
His hand, which was holding the door frame, paused, but he didn't turn around. With a "snap," the door closed.
...
As the night wind rose, Aman stood alone in the courtyard for a long time.
As for how long it would last, she didn't know. All she knew was that her legs were stiff and cold, the sun had set, and it was getting dark.
She watched as Fu Yunxiu went into the east wing; just moments ago, the lights had been turned on in that room.
But the door remains tightly shut, and apart from the young man named Mantou who came out to get his food, no one pays any attention to him.
Aman felt that she might have to spend the night outside.
The north wind rose again, its biting cold stinging one's cheeks. Aman stood in the cold wind, her thin body swaying back and forth, her eyes brimming with tears, yet she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
The old woman said, "Don't cry easily. In this world, no one will pity you. Crying is weakness, and weakness will only make people want to bully you more."
But Grandma, what should I do now?
Aman felt extremely helpless and wronged.
She just wanted her grandmother to have a dignified burial. Her grandmother had worked hard all her life, and she hadn't even had a chance to repay her for raising her before she passed away.
She only wanted to sell herself for some money; she hadn't offended anyone, so why has she ended up in this dilemma?
They can't go back to their homes, and they can't stay here either.
Should we go find that Mrs. Fu?
However, the other party didn't seem to care much about his son's thoughts, otherwise they wouldn't have forced him in against his will.
Even if I go to look for her, she'll probably just tell me to come back!
Aman suddenly felt that his current situation was like this pitch-black sky, surrounded by cliffs and abysses, and no matter what choice he made, it would be wrong.
Just then, the door to the east-facing room suddenly opened.
The faint light dispelled the darkness and ignited a glimmer of hope in Aman's heart.
However, the person who came out was not Fu Yunxiu, but Mantou.
Mantou carefully closed the door, then turned around and saw Aman still standing in the same spot as in the afternoon, not moving an inch. He immediately felt troubled. "Miss Aman, why are you doing this?"
Aman did not speak.
She didn't know how to answer.
"Young Master wants you to leave for your own good, why are you so stubborn?" Mantou said earnestly, "Wutong Courtyard is not a good place, you should listen to Young Master and leave as soon as possible."
"But I have nowhere to go." Perhaps it was because Mantou's tone was too gentle, but Ah Man's tears, which she had held back for so long, finally fell.
Having not drunk water for a long time, Aman's voice was hoarse and almost inaudible. When Mantou saw her tears, he was completely at a loss.
"Hey... don't cry... I... I can't decide this either..."
Seeing how pitiful Aman was, Mantou sighed and said, "Alright, it's getting late now, and it's dangerous for a young lady like you to go out alone. Let's stay here for now and set off tomorrow morning."
He pointed to the west wing next to Aman, "This room is empty, you can stay here for now. There's an oil lamp on the table inside, look for a tinderbox."
"Thank you," Aman said gratefully to the steamed bun.
"No need, no need," Mantou waved his hands repeatedly, because all of this was the young master's idea.
He still remembered the young master saying expressionlessly, "Go and see, lest you get even more stupid from the cold."
Although he didn't understand what it meant, he guessed it meant she should rest for the night.
It wasn't completely dark yet. Aman went inside, used the dim light to find a tinderbox, lit the oil lamp, and looked around the house. It was fully equipped and fairly clean, habitable.
However, the thought of the pile of ruins next door still sent chills down Aman's spine.
I don't know what happened to this courtyard, it was perfectly fine but it burned down like this.
But right now, Aman had no room to be picky. She put the bundle on the table, sat down, and rubbed her sore legs.
She hadn't eaten much during the bumpy ride in the carriage at noon, and now she was starving, but she was too embarrassed to ask anyone for some. Aman smacked her lips, just as she was about to go out to find a well to drink her fill, when a dark figure suddenly appeared in front of her door.
"Who?" Aman was startled, remembering Hongxing's words that the house was haunted, and immediately felt a chill run down his spine.
Fortunately, the shadowy figure spoke, "It's me."
That's the sound of steamed buns.
Aman opened the door and saw Mantou holding a bowl with two steamed buns inside.
"Could someone live in the girl's room?" Mantou asked.
"Yes, I can stay here," Aman said repeatedly. This room was already very good for her.
"That's good," Mantou nodded and handed a bowl and a teapot to Aman. There were two steamed buns in the bowl and the water in the teapot was warm. "There's nothing else to eat in this courtyard, so please make do with this for now."
"Okay, thank you, Brother Mantou."
"..." For some reason, Mantou felt that something was off about what he was saying, so he waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
As soon as he finished speaking, his expression suddenly turned serious, his eyes turned sinister, and he said mysteriously, "After you finish eating, young lady, go to sleep early. The wind has been strong at night these past few days. No matter what noise you hear at night, don't pay attention to it or come out to look. Just sleep peacefully, and nothing will happen."
After saying that, Mantou left with a reassuring look. Aman stood in front of the door, watching his back, feeling a chill run down her spine.
What does it mean to sleep peacefully and not come out to look? If you do, nothing will happen.
What could happen if I took a nap indoors?
Could it be that this courtyard... is really unclean, just as Hongxing said?
A note from the author:
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