A Mortal's Love Across the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Rebirth

"The Earth has nurtured humankind for thousands of years. Since the Industrial Revolution in 1750, a delicate relationship has developed between the Earth and humanity. Initially, the Earth tolerated it, but then, slowly, slowly, it grew angry. 1990 was a pivotal year. From 1990 to 2009, the Earth and humanity engaged in a completely different kind of struggle. On June 16, 2009, a torrential downpour plunged Beijing into darkness during the day, leading people to believe a total solar eclipse had occurred. On a midsummer night in Chongqing in 2009, lightning struck over 11,400 times, equivalent to 18.3 times per minute, or once every 3 seconds. That night, the people of Chongqing didn't sleep a wink..." I watched the program on TV. Could the Mayan prophecy be true? Was humanity really going to be destroyed in 2012? Watching the news on TV and online, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, wildfires, prolonged droughts, massive floods, and mudslides occur frequently around the world. Many people are discussing how to make the most of what may be humanity's last remaining time. Some choose to spend as much time as possible with their family and friends, some choose to strive to achieve their dreams, and some choose to spend money recklessly to enjoy life. And what did I choose? I chose a Caribbean vacation to celebrate my 25th birthday. I gritted my teeth and used my savings of over five years—30,000 RMB—to book a luxurious 7-day Caribbean tour. I applied for annual leave from my company and set off for my dream vacation destination at the end of April 2010. And today, I stand on this beautiful coastline. The Caribbean Sea is the world's largest inland sea, named after an indigenous tribe, representing "brave" or "upright people." Here, the azure sea and sky are bright with sunshine, and the sea is as clear as crystal, like a paradise on earth. These past two days I've visited the dense mangrove forests surrounding the lagoon and bay, the coconut groves along the coast, and tasted the most authentic seafood. Although I'm a little tired, I'm very satisfied, so it's clear that the money was well spent. Right now I'm sitting in a seaside restaurant enjoying a fresh lobster, which is thicker than my arm. The meat is white and tender, and the satisfaction from taking a bite comes from the bottom of my heart. At this moment, I feel that life is truly wonderful! Suddenly, the floor trembled slightly. The word "earthquake" flashed through my mind, my heart tightened, and my mind went blank for a moment. When I came to my senses, I realized that the expected situation had not occurred, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I must have been too nervous. I guess I was too influenced by the news and disaster movies. How could such a thing happen to me? This was my first time traveling abroad, and I had spent all my savings. I had never won the lottery before, and I had never won any prizes on service industry receipts. It seemed impossible. Just as I was about to continue enjoying my lobster feast, the floor shook more violently, and the restaurant chandelier swayed back and forth above my head, in danger of falling at any moment.

"Tsunami!" "Tsunami!" "Tsunami!" "It's a tsunami!" "Help!" "Run for your life!" Chaos erupted in the restaurant. The rumbling of the earth, the screams of terror, and the shattering of glass echoed in my ears. I looked out the window, my head stiff with fear. The towering waves crashed towards us, just like in a Hollywood movie. The walls of water were so high, so wide, so terrifying. They blocked out the sun, darkening the sky. It was like the enormous mouth of a monster, about to swallow us whole. I wanted to run, but I couldn't move. My feet felt nailed to the floor, beyond my control. The powerful surge of the water shattered the floor-to-ceiling windows and engulfed me instantly. At that moment, only one thought filled my mind: "I don't want to die!" "The young master has arrived!" When I first saw Cheng Zhuri, I was utterly awestruck. He wore a moon-white silk robe, with a matching belt adorned with a lustrous jade buckle. He had a full forehead, a high nose, red lips, and white teeth. His most striking feature was his pair of phoenix eyes, bright and piercing, with upturned and long corners. However, his lips were slightly thin; according to the elders, such people were somewhat "cold-hearted." His hair was tied up with a white jade hairpin. He truly looked like someone who had stepped out of a painting. I was mesmerized by his stunning appearance. It turned out that there really were people like Xiaolongnu, otherworldly and ethereal, in this world! It wasn't until Xiaohe quietly tugged at my sleeve that I snapped out of my reverie. "Son greets Father and Mother," he said, walking to the center of the main hall to greet his beautiful aunt and uncle. Uncle nodded. "Get up." Aunt's eyes were slightly red. "Come here quickly so I can see you!" she said, touching his face and shoulders. "You've lost weight, and you're a bit darker." "I haven't lost weight. I can eat and sleep well. Let me take a closer look, Mother." Aunt wiped her eyes and said, "That's good! That's good! Go see your cousin quickly; she's suffered so much!"

He nodded and walked towards me. "I heard as soon as I got back that my cousin was quite ill while Uncle Qi and I were out collecting debts. Is she much better now?" "Yes, she's all better. Thank you so much for your concern, cousin!" I stammered a little. This is my biggest flaw—I get nervous when I see handsome guys. He was not only handsome but also had an amazing presence! He nodded at me and then stood behind my beautiful aunt. His name was Cheng Zhuri, 15 years old, the eldest son of the Cheng family, my uncle's pride, and the next heir to the Cheng family. He not only had to study the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but also had to learn how to manage the money exchange and rice shop from my uncle and Steward Qi. He was very busy every day, getting up earlier than the chickens and going to bed later than the dogs. It seems that this rich second-generation has a tough life. At this moment, the beautiful concubine looked at me and said, "Xiaoxiao, you were sick a few days ago. When everyone heard about it, they all wanted to visit you. I saw that you were not well and needed to rest more, so I sent them all away. Now that you are much better, go and thank the Second Madam and the Third Madam!" "Yes!" After thanking the Second Madam and the others in turn, I followed the whole family to the front hall for lunch.

Chapter Two of the main text: The Ritual

And I was the "Little One" they were talking about. When I awoke from the tsunami disaster, I found myself on an ancient, ornately carved bed. Everything around me—the blankets, the furniture, the doors and windows—was in an ancient style. Just as I was wondering if I was dreaming, I suddenly realized my body wasn't familiar; it was that of a thin, frail little girl, about eight years old. Her clothes were also like those in ancient dramas. "Why am I not myself? Was I subjected to some kind of horrific human experimentation like in Hollywood movies? What's going on?" "Ah!" I screamed in terror, attracting three people who rushed in. "Who are you? Where am I?" What was happening? "Are you out of your mind?!" one of the older women said to the others. It must be a dream. I closed my eyes and bit my finger hard. Then I opened them. They were still there. I slapped myself hard. The environment hadn't changed. Could this be real?! As the people opposite me stared in disbelief, I was about to slap them again when two of them rushed up. One grabbed my hand, and the other grabbed my foot. One of them shouted, "Miss Biao is having delusions! Go tell the Madam!"

"Who are you? What have you done to my body? Let me go! Help! Help!" I shouted, trying to push them away, but I was too weak to break free. While I was struggling fiercely with the two women, I heard footsteps outside. It sounded like more people were coming. Panic gripped me, and I became even more aggressive, biting the arm of the woman holding my hands. "Ah!" The woman loosened her grip, and as I tried to get up, a sharp pain shot through my back, and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was bound hand and foot and placed on the bed. Numerous talismans were pasted around the bed, and an incense table stood opposite it. A man who looked like a Taoist priest was holding a sword, muttering to himself, waving it here and there. He then walked to my bedside, took out a talisman from his sleeve, and slapped it onto my forehead with a "smack." What was he doing? This seemed like superstition. Just as I came to my senses, I saw him return to the incense table, grab a handful of ash from the incense burner, sprinkle it into a bowl, and then hand it to an older woman. Oh, that older woman was the one I had bitten so hard earlier! The ash water was then forcibly poured into my mouth. What did this taste like? It was disgusting! Would I get sick from drinking it?! "What era are we living in? They're still practicing this outdated feudal superstition, and using me, a college student with higher education, as an experiment!" Just as I was about to unleash a torrent of abuse, a beautiful, slightly tearful female voice, like the clinking of jade, rang in my ears. "Taoist Master, how is it now?" Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw a beautiful woman with exquisite features, probably around my age, slender and with a tiny waist. Her large, round eyes were so bright, and tears streamed down her face. A beauty is a beauty; even her crying was beautiful, like a pear blossom in the rain, or a cicada's cry on an autumn branch. "Drinking this bowl of talisman water should cure it. If the delusions return, I'll have to pour dog's blood on it. If that doesn't work, I'll have to go back and ask my senior brother for help." Pour dog's blood on it?! I immediately shut my mouth. The beautiful woman walked to the bedside, untied the ropes binding me, sat down, picked me up, and stroked my face, saying, "My poor child, you must get better soon!" She's my mother?! How can she be so young and well-maintained? It's so warm to be held by such a beauty. She has a faint, pleasant fragrance that smells wonderful, and her skin is so smooth and supple. I couldn't resist reaching out to touch her face. She looked at me with delight, and I was startled. Beauty can indeed lead to trouble, so I could only say, "Don't cry!" "My child, have you woken up? Do you recognize anyone?" the beauty asked, staring into my eyes.

I looked at her, thought for a moment, and realized that if I said I didn't recognize her, I'd definitely be attacked with lies; if I said I did, a few more questions would surely expose my lie. So I nodded and said, "I'm sorry to have worried you, Mother. I'm completely healed!" Her expression froze, her eyes filled with suspicion. "Why are you calling me 'Madam'? Are you not fully healed?" the older woman whispered to the Taoist priest performing the ritual.

"Ah! Not my mother? Then why are you calling me 'son'?!" Quickly thinking, he said to the beauty, "I mean, in my heart you are as dear as my mother. Seeing you so worried about me makes me very uneasy! Seeing you cry makes my heart ache!" As he finished speaking, his head gradually lowered, afraid of being exposed for acting insincerely, he quickly added, "My head just hurts so much, I want to get some sleep." He even feigned pain, touching his temple. The beauty immediately said, "Qin Ma, quickly tell Xiao He to prepare clean clothes for Miss to change into, so she can rest well. Then take Master Zhang to the accounting office to collect five taels of silver as a reward!" "Yes, Madam!" "Thank you, Madam!" the Taoist priest replied happily.

Chapter Three: The Test

After the maid named Xiaohe helped me wash up, seeing that it was just the two of us in the room, she tried to speak, "Xiaohe, what's wrong with me? I don't remember much about what happened these past few days." "A couple of days ago, Miss caught a cold while playing the zither outside the pavilion. I thought she would get better after taking medicine and resting more, but she had a fever for three days and it wouldn't go down. She kept calling for her mother and talking nonsense, which worried the madam. The master was so angry that he locked me in the woodshed for two days. When I came out, I heard from Qin Ma that Miss woke up and didn't recognize anyone! It's all my fault for not taking good care of Miss!" Xiaohe said cautiously.

I don't know if the master punished Xiaohe out of concern for me or because he felt sorry for the madam, but whatever the reason, it's in my best interest. I looked at Xiaohe, rubbing my temples with a slightly confused expression, "I feel very dizzy and lightheaded right now, and I don't remember much from before!" Xiaohe exclaimed in surprise, "What should I do? Miss Biao is the last bloodline of the Wen family, the apple of the madam's eye! If anything happens to Miss Biao, the master will definitely break my legs!" As she spoke, she started to cry. "Don't cry, tell me quickly, tell me more, maybe you'll remember. I won't tell anyone else, so Master won't punish you!" Xiaohe was a young maid and didn't know much. After sobbing and stammering, she told me a lot, and I roughly understood that the beautiful woman was "my" aunt, the matriarch of the family, with a high status. Master Cheng, who was "my" uncle, doted on her. She and her sister had a very good relationship since childhood. The aunt married a wealthy merchant and became the eldest daughter-in-law, while her sister married a poor scholar against the family's wishes and lived a very poor life. Presumably because of this, her sister's only daughter had a particularly poor constitution and was often sick. When she was eight years old, a great flood struck her hometown, and all her family members perished except for her. So the aunt took her in and raised her, and Xiaohe served her by her side from then on, for two years now. "Can I read and write?" I continued to ask. “Miss Biao’s health isn’t good. The Madam instructed that the most important thing is to get her health back on track. Miss Biao has been learning some needlework, zither, and guqin, and occasionally practices calligraphy. The Madam said that it doesn’t matter if Miss Biao doesn’t like studying; a woman’s virtue lies in her lack of talent. However, she must write her name well, so Miss Biao writes her name the most every day.” “Then show me the characters I practice!” Xiaohe walked to the bookshelf, took a stack of papers from a shelf, and came to me. “Miss Biao’s name is written the best. Even the eldest young master said it’s well written.” 'Wen Xiaoxiao'. So this little girl’s name is Wen Xiaoxiao. What kind of name is that? “Xiaoxiao”, I’ll still be called Xiaoxiao when I’m old. Isn’t my father a scholar? Why did he give me this name? “Does Miss Biao remember now?” Xiaohe asked expectantly. "It would be a miracle if I remembered. I'm not Wen Xiaoxiao," I replied, "It looks familiar. I think I remember some things. I'm tired now and want to sleep. You can go down now and don't come in without my permission." "Yes!" Xiaohe said, helping me lie down, tucking me in, turning around and leaving the room, gently closing the door behind her.

I feel like I've been transported back to ancient times because of the tsunami. I don't know which dynasty this is. Could it be that the real me is dead? My parents must be heartbroken. My soul is now in the body of this Wen Xiaoxiao. I'm thinking about what to do next. I drifted off to sleep in a daze.

For several days, she didn't leave her room, only telling Xiaohe to tell her aunt that she wanted to rest more. She even ate in her room, all to figure out how to deal with the situation. She analyzed her strengths and weaknesses and concluded that the most important thing was to play the role of Wen Xiaoxiao well. If she were discovered to be an imposter, she would be doomed. Being splashed with dog blood was a minor matter; if she were kicked out, how would she survive? She was a university graduate with excellent grades, practically a scholar-official in this area. Her major was Chinese Language and Literature, and she had studied Chu Ci, Han Fu, Tang poetry, Song Ci, Yuan Qu, and Ming and Qing novels. I've passed, but compared to the ancients, I have absolutely no confidence that I can beat them. I have passed the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4), having spent a lot of time on English in college, so my spoken English is quite good. Unfortunately, it's useless here. To put it another way, even if I were full of literary talent, I'm still a woman. Women in ancient times had very low status; I've never heard of them being allowed to work outside the home. And I'm still just a child; being kicked out would definitely mean starving to death. Right now, I have a strong wish that I'm in the Tang Dynasty, where women had a higher status and the requirements for women weren't so strict. On the fourth day after I arrived at my new home, my beautiful aunt came to see me again. As soon as she entered the room, I hurriedly said, "Xiaoxiao greets Aunt, I'm so sorry to have worried you!" My beautiful aunt looked worried. "You're finally much better, but your complexion is still not good. Fortunately, you're alright. If anything had happened to you, how could I face your deceased mother and my poor sister!" As she spoke, tears fell again.

Oh dear, she's crying again after only a few words. She reached out and wiped away her tears, then thought for a moment and said, "Xiaoxiao will definitely take good care of herself and won't worry Auntie. When I grow up, I'll take good care of you. But every time Auntie cries, Xiaoxiao feels heartache. If Auntie doesn't want Xiaoxiao to feel heartache, then please don't cry anymore!" The beautiful aunt nodded. "My child has grown up and knows how to care for others. Qin Ma, bring out Miss Cousin's lunch!"

I glanced at the table and, sure enough, it was all vegetarian dishes again. "I want to eat poached chicken, I want to eat braised duck feet with chestnuts, I want to eat steamed fish, I don't want to eat vegetarian dishes!" Of course, this was just what I was thinking. Wen Xiaoxiao especially liked vegetarian dishes. If her lifestyle changed too much all of a sudden, people would notice something was wrong. I couldn't cause any trouble. I endured it, I endured it, I endured it again.

Chapter Four: The First Gathering (Revised)

Today was my first time having a meal with the Cheng family. My uncle has one wife and two concubines, and they have three sons and three daughters. The eldest son, Zhu Ri, the youngest son, Zhu Xing, and the eldest daughter, Zhu Qin, are all the biological children of the beautiful concubine. The second son, Zhu Yue, is the child of the second wife. The third wife only gave birth to two daughters, the second daughter, Zhu Qi, and the third daughter, Zhu Shu. The whole family is full of beauties and handsome men! Zhu Ri, Zhu Xing, and Zhu Qin look about six or seven parts like the beautiful concubine, and they all have the standard phoenix eyes of the Cheng family. It should be said that all the children of the Cheng family have eyes like my uncle, as if they were produced under standardized procedures. Although the second and third wives are also beauties, the second wife has a slightly cold temperament, and the third wife is a bit thinner. Compared to the beautiful concubine, they are a notch below. Thinking that the beautiful concubine is already 31 years old and has given birth to three children, yet she still maintains herself so well, I am truly amazed! I don't even know what I look like now. I've been living in fear these past few days and haven't had a chance to take a good look at myself. I'll have to look in the mirror when I get back to my room later. My uncle sat in the host's seat, with my beautiful aunt to his right. Next were the second wife, the third wife, the three young ladies, and me. Zhu Ri sat to his left, followed by the second young master Zhu Yue and the third young master Zhu Xing. The whole family sat around the round table. To my right was Zhu Xing. Although he was only five years old, he was raised in a wealthy family and ate slowly and elegantly. His chubby little hands were like fresh lotus roots just out of the water, with ten little dimples on them. He was so cute. At the dinner table, I experienced the ancient saying, "One should not speak while eating or sleeping." Apart from the chopsticks picking up food and the occasional sound of a spoon hitting a bowl, no one spoke. The maids helped serve the dishes. Although the Cheng family was wealthy and had a solid financial foundation, they had strict family rules and did not allow any waste, not even a little bit. Dinner consisted of eight dishes and a soup, with fish and meat. The dishes were exquisite and fragrant, making my mouth water. But Xiaohe, as usual, kept serving me vegetarian dishes. There were clearly steamed fish and braised pork on the table, which I loved, but I couldn't eat them. I watched my beautiful aunt help my uncle serve the dishes. The combination of meat and vegetables was very nutritious. Especially the bowl of braised pork, which looked golden and smelled so tempting that I couldn't take my eyes off it. I had been eating vegetarian dishes for several days in a row, and now all I could see was that bowl of meat. I wanted to eat meat, I wanted to eat meat, boohoo. "Xiaohe, give some braised pork to my cousin. Although she prefers vegetarian dishes, she's just recovered from a serious illness and should eat more." Wait, it's as if God heard me; Cheng Zhuri has spoken. "Yes, young master!" Xiaohe immediately picked up a piece and put it in my bowl. I looked at him gratefully, "Thank you, cousin!" It seems this cousin is just aloof in appearance; he's actually quite nice to his cousin. Taking a bite of the braised pork, it was fatty but not greasy, tender and melted in my mouth, instantly filling me with a sense of satisfaction. What is happiness? Some say happiness is a feeling, but for me, happiness is being able to eat a piece of fine braised pork after eating vegetarian food for four days straight—that's happiness! Although the atmosphere at the dinner table was a bit somber, the braised pork made it less unbearable. The eleven of us finished all eight dishes and one soup, leaving nothing behind. For the first time, I experienced the Cheng family's tradition of good manners—they've trained their cook to be so skilled, calculating the perfect amount of food and drink for everyone. After the meal, the maids brought each person a tray with a cup of tea and an empty cup beside it. Luckily, I had a copy of *Dream of the Red Chamber* with me, so I deliberately dropped my handkerchief on the floor, slowing them down a bit. Sure enough, they all rinsed their mouths with the tea and then spat into the empty cup. I imitated them, finishing with the most elegant movements. Only then was the real tea served. This Cheng family meal was truly grand; eleven people ate, served by ten maids. The task of serving my uncle was handled by my beautiful aunt. She took care of everyone. While serving food and tea to my uncle, I could see the slight upturn of his usually serious lips. He seemed quite satisfied with my beautiful aunt's service. It seemed I should learn more from her about the art of managing a husband. Why did I fail in both of my previous relationships? Just as I was lost in thought, my uncle spoke up, "The Dragon Boat Festival is in a couple of days. There will be the annual dragon boat race in Bianjing at Bao Gong Lake. I'll have Uncle Qi take you all out for some fun. Qin'er, Qi'er, Shu'er, and Xiao Xiao, all of you go. Ri'er, you have to keep an eye on your younger siblings!" Cheng Zhu stood up and replied, "Yes, Father!" Bianjing? Where is that? Bao Gong Lake? Am I in Kaifeng? My uncle's suggestion made us girls very happy, and faint smiles appeared on our faces. We could go out and have fun! But now I need to hurry back to my room to look in the mirror and see what Wen Xiaoxiao looks like. When I rushed back to my room and stood in front of the bronze mirror, I saw a thin girl with a pale face. I am the same age as Zhuqin, but I am half a head shorter than her. I look as tall as the eight-year-old second young lady, Zhuqi. Her face has not yet fully developed, and I can't tell her age. However, her big eyes are very lively, and the way they move adds a lot to her face. There is also a small black mole on the corner of her right eye. She is not as good-looking as Zhuqin. Sigh, maybe I look like my scholar father.

Chapter Five of the Main Text: A Daughter's First Blossoms

The Dragon Boat Festival finally arrived amidst the excited anticipation of the children. The six of us children sat in the large carriage heading to Bao Gong Lake. While riding, I admired the scenery along the way, playing with the sachets in my hand. My aunt, Meiren, had given us one each, saying they were for warding off evil spirits and plagues—a tradition. The sachets contained cinnabar, realgar, and fragrant herbs, emitting a pleasant aroma. They were bound together with five-colored silk threads into various shapes, forming a string of exquisite and charming designs. Uncle Qi drove the carriage, followed by maids and nannies. The group marched grandly towards Bao Gong Lake. Looking through the curtain at Cheng Zhuri ahead, I saw him riding a chestnut horse, still wearing his moon-white robe—truly a handsome and dashing figure! The carriage swayed and rattled for a while before finally arriving at our destination. As I walked to the lakeside, leaning on the railing and feeling the warm breeze on my face, my mood seemed to calm down considerably. I recalled a line from the movie "Pearl Harbor," spoken by the male and female protagonists: "What will happen to us tomorrow, Ralph?" "The future is not in our hands, is it?" Yes, we don't know what tomorrow will bring. Just over ten days ago, I was on vacation in the Caribbean, and now I'm in ancient China. Perhaps the best thing to do is to cherish the present. Maybe one day God will send me back to the modern era, and the real Wen Xiaoxiao can return to enjoy the company of her beautiful aunt. Until then, I should be a good Wen Xiaoxiao, good to myself and good to others. Thinking of this, I felt a little lighter, and a faint smile appeared on my face. I took the seeds that Zhu Yue handed me and threw them into the river. Legend has it that after Qu Yuan drowned himself in the river, people threw seeds into the lake to preserve his body from being destroyed. After they were full, they wouldn't bite Qu Yuan's body. Just then, Zhu Xing, who was next to me, took my hand and said, "Cousin, look! The dragon head of that dragon boat is the most beautiful, and it's the one that rowes the fastest!" Of all the children in the Cheng family, I like Zhu Xing the most. Maybe it's because he's the most childlike child in the family, or maybe it's because his cute appearance aroused my maternal instincts. I squatted down slightly and gave him a big kiss on his fair and rosy cheeks.

"Cousin?" Xing'er looked puzzled. "Xing'er is so pretty, your cousin couldn't resist kissing you." She laughed and touched his face. "Why are you still looking at your cousin? Look at the dragon boat!" He nodded obediently, his attention quickly drawn to the dragon boat. He glanced sideways and saw Cheng Zhu Ri staring at him. Feeling guilty, he quickly looked away. Had he been seen kissing Xing'er? But I genuinely liked Xing'er; it was a matter of respecting elders and caring for the young. I have very low resistance to beauty, regardless of age. Two years passed in a flash. Now I'm a 12-year-old girl, and I'm getting better and better at being Wen Xiao Xiao. In the beginning, whenever there were people around, I would smile more and talk less. With Xiao He's help, I managed to get by smoothly.

"Xiaohe, fetch me some water, I want to take a bath!" "It's already prepared for Miss Biao!" Xiaohe said as she prepared the clothes. Xiaohe is becoming more and more to my liking; the little girl is very clever. I just finished exercising and am covered in sweat, so I'm going to take a shower before going to class. Actually, I'm not a big fan of exercise, but Wen Xiaoxiao's health is too poor; she's often sick. To avoid the bitterness of taking Chinese medicine and not wanting to trouble my beautiful aunt, who has worried so much about my health, I can't trouble her too much since I'm living under her roof. So, I spend an hour exercising every day, combining the radio calisthenics, aerobics, and yoga I learned before. I also insist on taking a walk after meals and have changed my previous habit of only eating vegetarian food. With my beautiful aunt's care, she nourishes me with white fungus and lotus seed soup and bird's nest every day, so my health has improved a lot. I've also grown taller, and my complexion is becoming more rosy. I'm starting to look like a 12-year-old girl, and my face is gradually blossoming. I can vaguely see my beautiful aunt's shadow in me; I can be considered a little beauty. Life was simple yet fulfilling. We ate three meals a day together as a family. In the morning, we learned needlework. After lunch, we rested briefly before exercising, and then went to the study for lessons. Master Lin would tell us stories and teach us calligraphy. After dinner, we would practice the zither for a while. My aunt, Meiren, wanted to raise me and Zhuqin and the others to be well-bred ladies. But I just coasted along. Apart from calligraphy, I wasn't very interested in any of these things. Cheng Zhuri would be there when I practiced calligraphy, which was a good opportunity to secretly watch him. Our tables were arranged in a square shape, and he sat directly opposite me. He was always meticulous when practicing calligraphy and never looked up, so I didn't have to worry about being discovered. The main thing was to keep my movements relatively discreet, so when I peeked, I always kept my head down and my eyes up, and I was rarely caught. Logically, at 17, he shouldn't need to study with us anymore, but my uncle says that practicing calligraphy for an hour every day isn't just about calligraphy; the most important thing is cultivating his character, refining his temperament, and also to keep Xing'er in check. Xing'er has become increasingly mischievous these past two years, partly because of me. I think children are children and should play and laugh more, especially in private, so I tend to spoil him. However, Xing'er is afraid of Cheng Zhuri; he's much more restrained when Cheng Zhuri is around. So, except for a few days each month when he goes to collect debts with Uncle Qi or to Cheng's farm, he practices calligraphy with us. Now I'm secretly glancing at Cheng Zhuri again; this is almost a daily routine. Watching his focused and serious expression, his features have softened considerably. At 17, he's already as tall as my uncle. Sigh, I'll keep watching him while he's still single for a couple more years. After he gets married and is labeled by other women, it won't be so easy to sneak a peek. "Sigh!" A sigh suddenly sounded above me, and I immediately snapped back to reality. It was Master Lin standing beside me, shaking his head as he looked at my writing. Looking down, I saw "Cheng Zhu Ri"—I had unknowingly written his name again. My face flushed. Zhu Qin, sitting next to me, leaned over to take a look and burst out laughing. I quickly covered it with a piece of white paper. The others stared at us, confused. Cheng Zhu Ri was also looking at me, his phoenix eyes fixed on mine. I felt even more guilty, my face burning, and I immediately lowered my head and began to write seriously. Actually, I hate writing calligraphy the most. Traditional characters have too many strokes, and when I write them, they look like scribbles. But because of Cheng Zhu Ri, I've persisted for two years. Although my handwriting isn't beautiful now, it's neat enough, and I consider it my best among all my subjects. I write "Cheng Zhu Ri" and "Wen Xiao Xie" the best. Even the master praised me. Of course, I practiced those two names the most diligently.

Chapter Six: Budding

Today's calligraphy practice is over. We were tidying up the table to go have some tea and snacks when Zhu Yue asked Zhu Qin, "What were you laughing at just now?"

Zhuqin laughed and said to him, "Am I laughing because a girl is lovesick?" She then deliberately glanced at me, and everyone else immediately looked knowing. Zhuqi and Zhushu even added fuel to the fire, laughing and saying, "Cousin's face is red again!" Sigh, Zhuqi is only 10 years old, and Zhushu is only 8, how can they be so precocious? I don't know when it started, but the servants of the Cheng family began to whisper that I had a crush on Cheng Zhuri, saying that we were a good match. My first reaction was: we are cousins, and consanguineous marriage is illegal. I'm just purely admiring him, nothing more. Besides, people are born to be seen by others, just like many people are captivated by the beauty of nature. Xiaohe also said that the original Wen Xiaoxiao would feel the same way, so it's a natural physical reaction of this body, and has little to do with me personally. However, thinking about it carefully, consanguineous marriage seems to have been common in ancient times, so their misunderstanding is normal.

Seeing that they were about to laugh at me again, I quickly pulled Xing'er away. Over the past two years, I've gotten along very naturally with the Cheng family's children. While we wouldn't call it a sibling relationship, it feels like we're good friends. We go to school together, eat together, and occasionally go on outings together. Perhaps it's because I often tell them stories and jokes, or perhaps it's because they're young and don't understand scheming, or maybe it's because my uncle is good at managing the household. But I think the third point is very important. My uncle is a typical patriarchal figure in a feudal family, usually stern and rarely smiling, and very strict with his sons. Whether in scholarship or in conduct, he constantly taught us at home the importance of respecting elders, hierarchy, and proper behavior. He also set a good example himself, as evidenced by his monthly schedule of spending the night with each of the wives. As long as he wasn't out, he would spend seven days each with the second and third wives, and the remaining half of the month with his beloved concubine, without fail. He ensured that every penny of his living expenses was spent without fail, and his married children inherited this virtue. Fortunately, he basically didn't care about his daughters; everything about them was handled by his beloved concubine. Feudal society was indeed patriarchal!

Xing'er is an adorable little boy, chubby and fair-skinned with cheeks as red as apples, making me want to kiss him often. But as soon as I took his hand, he pulled away and ran to Cheng Zhuri's side. "I want to go with Big Brother today!" he exclaimed, grabbing Cheng Zhuri's arm and hurrying towards the front hall. Hmm, what's wrong with him? He's usually quite clingy. I need to find a chance to ask him what's wrong. This is so embarrassing for me in front of everyone! While munching on a pastry, I carefully considered whether I had done anything to upset him recently. No, I have to ask him right away. I walked up to him. "Xing'er, what's wrong? Why don't you go with your cousin? We always go together!"

He took a small step back and stammered, "Cousin, you can't touch Xing'er anymore, and you can't kiss Xing'er anymore!"

"Why?" "I, I..." He stammered for a long time without finishing, finally saying with a flushed face, "I heard Er Gouzi say that kissing on the cheek is something only husband and wife can do. Although Xing'er likes her cousin, she's so much older than Xing'er. By the time Xing'er grows up and can get married, she'll be an old maid, so she can't kiss Xing'er anymore!" My mouth dropped open in an "O" shape. Zhu Yue spat out the tea in her mouth. I glanced at Cheng Zhu Yue, thinking, "You don't act like a typical 15-year-old boy at all." Even Cheng Zhu Ri's lips curled up slightly. Everyone, including the servants, burst into laughter. It was so awkward. "I don't like you at all!" The words blurted out without thinking. This kid is too precocious, he's overthinking things.

"My cousin doesn't like Xing'er?!" He looked heartbroken. You little rascal, liking you isn't okay, not liking you isn't okay either. Looking at his face, I told him sternly that there are many kinds of liking: liking between family members, liking between friends, liking between spouses, and liking between soulmates. My liking for him is the liking between family members, like the sibling affection that Zhuqin and her sisters have for him, not the kind of liking between spouses that Er Gouzi mentioned. And I have no ulterior motives towards him. I then expressed my slight disappointment at his narrow-minded misunderstanding, but considering it was his first offense, I generously forgave him and promised to continue to like and love him, and not to cause him any trouble. With a half-understanding look in his eyes, the "kissing" incident was finally resolved satisfactorily. Afterwards, my beautiful aunt heard about this and laughed, but she also reminded me that I'm a grown woman now, and my behavior should be moderate. Although Xing'er is young, he is still a boy, and I need to be careful with my boundaries. From then on, I said goodbye to the era of kissing Xing'er's apple cheeks. Er Gouzi, the instigator, was severely criticized by his mother, Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu was Xing'er's wet nurse. After giving birth to Er Gouzi, she applied for a job as a wet nurse at Chengjia. Because Er Gouzi's father died not long after his birth, in order to support the family, the milk that was originally meant for Er Gouzi was given to Xing'er. After Xing'er was weaned, Aunt Meiren saw that Er Gouzi was honest, capable, and cared about Xing'er, so she let her stay and take care of Xing'er's daily life. Er Gouzi was chubby and strong. He and Xing'er grew up together. Aunt Meiren wanted Er Gouzi to live together because she hoped that the tenacious survival ability of rural people could influence Xing'er and make her grow up strong. I don't know if there is such a saying, but Xing'er was always very healthy and rarely got sick. Er Gouzi is his nickname. His real name was given to him by me, "Liu Shu" (Willow Tree), which is so poetic. But everyone calls him Er Gouzi, and we're so used to calling him that that that, I doubt anyone except his mother and me remembers his real name.

Chapter Seven: First Embrace

Two more years passed by at a leisurely pace, and now I am a fourteen-year-old girl. I have grown to resemble my beloved auntie by seven or eight parts. Standing in front of the bronze mirror, I wear a light green dress that perfectly accentuates my slender figure. I have a classic oval face, fair skin as white as snow, and a pair of bright, sparkling eyes that shine like black pearls. The small black mole at the corner of my right eye makes my face even more charming. My nose is small and high, and my lips are full, glossy and moist as if they have been coated with lip gloss. They are naturally red without any makeup. My delicate willow-leaf eyebrows are naturally arched, and my hair is black and shiny. I am truly a young lady of the Wen family who has come of age. I am quite proud of my appearance because I sometimes see Cheng Zhuri staring at me in a daze. Haha, it makes me feel a little proud. Today I'm going to my maternal grandparents' house because my maternal grandparents want to see me. My aunt, Meiren, asked Cheng Zhuri to take me there. She's currently carefully dressing herself up. Actually, dressing up mainly means making my willow-leaf eyebrows thicker and less curved when I go out, to make me look more spirited. I dislike those willow-leaf eyebrows because they always give off a "beautiful but tragic" vibe. Xiaohe tied my hair into a simple braid and placed it on my right chest, then combed my bangs. Looking at my beautiful self in the mirror, I turned and went out. This hairstyle is the most unique in the family; Zhuqin and the others all wear their hair in a bun with hairpins. Because I exercise every day, it's inconvenient, so since I started my exercise program at ten, I've always had one big braid. I didn't used to have bangs, but last summer I got some acne on my forehead, which seriously affected my self-confidence, so I cut part of my hair into bangs to cover it up. It turns out my aunt wouldn't allow this, saying things like, "Our bodies, hair, and skin are given to us by our parents; we dare not damage them, this is the beginning of filial piety." But she couldn't stand my fussing. Ever since I got pimples on my forehead, I've tried to hide in my room and avoid seeing anyone, even skipping calligraphy practice and walking with my head down. She had no choice but to agree. Actually, I didn't mean to cause trouble; I just felt I couldn't face the perfect children of the Cheng family with these pimples, especially Cheng Zhuri. Although the pimples are gone now, it's become a habit, and I personally think bangs are very pretty and suit me perfectly, so I've kept this hairstyle. When we arrived at the Cheng family's gate, the carriage was already waiting. Cheng Zhuri was standing by the carriage waiting for me. At 19, he was even more handsome than before. He took my hand and helped me into the carriage, then sat down himself and lowered the curtain.

Wait, doesn't he usually ride his chestnut horse when he goes out? Why isn't he riding it today?!

"Cheng Shun, let's go!" Cheng Zhuri said to Cheng Shun outside. "Yes, young master!" Cheng Shun was an orphan who was adopted by the Cheng family when he was young. He was a very clever young man who took care of Cheng Zhuri's daily life. He had a particularly sweet tongue and would greet me with "Greetings to Miss Cheng!" He loved to laugh, and his small eyes would often squint into slits when he smiled.

After Cheng Zhuri took over the family business, he would often go on business trips with his uncle or Uncle Qi. In modern terms, these were business trips. He would often bring back fine cosmetics and beautiful fabrics for us sisters and the three ladies. Every time Cheng Zhuri brought them to me, I would see Cheng Shun. The carriage slowly started moving forward. This was the first time that Cheng Zhuri and I were alone in a room. Although we had known each other for more than four years, apart from daily greetings and academic exchanges, we rarely had the opportunity to be alone together. We usually communicated through eye contact. Strictly speaking, for the first three years, I was the one staring at him. In the last year, he would also steal glances at me from time to time. There seemed to be an electric current in our eye contact. Now, in this cramped carriage, I really didn't know what to say. I felt my nerves were unusually sensitive, as if the hairs on my body were standing on end. I simply closed my eyes and pretended to sleep. Cheng Shun was a very good driver, and the carriage moved... The carriage was very stable; the gentle swaying of the wheels, the sound of the horses' hooves, and the tinkling of the bells were like a beautiful lullaby, making me drowsy. I accidentally bumped my head on the wooden frame of the carriage. "Ouch!" I cried out, rubbing the spot where I had hit it. Just then, a hand reached out and put its arm around my shoulder, pulling me close to him. I gently rested my head on his shoulder. "It'll be an hour. Rest against me for a while and I'll wake you when we get there!" Cheng Zhuri's deep voice was right in my ear. He only had a faint scent of soap on him, which smelled clean and comforting, making me feel at ease.

"Xiaoxiao, we're here, wake up!" Cheng Zhuri whispered in my ear. I felt a heat in my ear, and when I opened my eyes, I didn't know when I was hanging on him. He had one hand on my waist and the other on my head, which was resting on his shoulder, while my own hands were wrapped around his waist. Oh my God, what was going on? My blood rushed to my head, and I jumped out of the carriage. Cheng Shun was already standing by, waiting for us, smiling at me as always, but today his smile felt a little glaring.

Chapter Eight: Passionate Feelings

My maternal grandfather's surname was Liu. He was a landlord who made a living by collecting rent. Although his family wasn't as well-off as Cheng's, they were still financially secure. My grandfather didn't seem to like me much, which I guess was because of my parents. Whenever he saw me, he would just nod or at most say "hmm," without ever speaking to me. Only my maternal grandmother and uncle doted on me. My grandmother was a very kind old woman, over 50 years old, with deep wrinkles on her face, but you could still vaguely tell from the contours of her features that she was a beautiful woman in her youth. Her eyes were full of love when she looked at me; she genuinely loved me, and you could clearly feel that affection. Ever since I first visited the Liu family when I was 12, she had called me "my son" repeatedly, asking me what I ate and what I wore. My uncle was a very honest and unassuming man, not very talkative, and very afraid of his wife; he was henpecked. My maternal grandparents gave me a longevity lock as a gift, my aunt gave me a hairpin, and my uncle also secretly gave me a jade pendant, specifically instructing me not to tell anyone. I didn't know anything about jade, so I took it and asked Cheng Zhuri about it. He said it was top-quality Hetian jade, worth at least 300 taels of silver. At the time, I didn't have a concrete concept of silver's value; later, I learned that 10 taels of silver was enough for an ordinary family to live on for half a year, and only then did I realize its worth. My maternal grandparents led us to the front hall for tea. My cousin Liu Yu, his wife, Cheng Zhuri, and I were all keeping her company. Liu Yu smiled and said to me, "Cousin, try this peanut cake; your wife specially prepared it for you." "Thank you, cousin! Thank you, wife!" I was quite afraid to face Liu Yu. Although he was a handsome and talented man, polite and well-mannered, I didn't like the way he looked at me; I was a little afraid of him. "Zhu Ri, don't worry about Xiao Xiao with me. Go on with your work! I'll come pick her up tonight," Grandma said to Cheng Zhu Ri with a smile. Ah, she's leaving me here alone? I always came with Zhu Qin and Zhu Xing, why am I being left alone now? I don't want to! I quickly tugged at Cheng Zhu Ri's sleeve under the table. "Now Grandma only cares about Xiao Xiao, not Zhu Ri anymore! I made a point of setting aside time today to keep Grandma company with Xiao Xiao, to try my cousin's braised carp noodles, and to play chess with Grandpa. If you don't welcome me, then I'll have to leave!" Cheng Zhu Ri pretended to leave.

Grandma grabbed him and laughed, "Look at that mouth! You deserve a spanking! You deserve a spanking! I'm not afraid because I'm afraid of interfering with your important business! It's best if you have time; your grandpa has been talking about you the other day!" At this moment, my cousin's wife stood up and said, "Since my cousin likes to eat this, I'll go prepare it now. I wonder what my cousin would like to eat?"

"I love anything my cousin-in-law makes!" I smiled slightly at her. She smiled back and left. Liu Yu and Cheng went to play chess with Grandpa every day, but Grandma took me into her bedroom. Grandma beckoned to me, "Xiaoxiao, come here! Come and see." I walked to the table and saw a very exquisite carved wooden box containing pearls, gold hairpins, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and other jewelry, each in a different compartment. "Grandma called you here today to give you these!" "I... I can't accept them, they're too precious!" I quickly declined. "Grandma gave them to you, how can you not accept them? They were originally part of your mother's dowry, but later... Now that your mother is gone, of course they're for you. You're such a big girl, and you don't even have a hairpin or any jewelry! Don't let your grandfather's cold face fool you, he agreed to accept them. Your mother is gone, and if you don't accept them, I'll be heartbroken!" She looked like she was about to cry again.

She wouldn't think I was having a bad time at my uncle's house, so she called me over today to give me some jewelry. I couldn't let her misunderstand, so I quickly explained that her whole family treated me very well, providing me with food, clothing, and daily necessities according to the standards of a young lady from a wealthy family. I explained that I was just too lazy to wear them, and that I hadn't been feeling well in recent years and needed to exercise, so I was afraid of damaging these things. Moreover, my beautiful aunt treated me like her own daughter, which put her at ease.

"I'm relieved to hear you say that. A few years ago, I mentioned to your aunt that I wanted to bring you back to the Liu family, but your aunt and uncle disagreed. They said that there were many children in the family, and living together would provide mutual support and prevent you from being lonely. But I know in my heart that they were afraid that you would be wronged if you went back to the Liu family. I'm relieved to know that you are doing well!" Grandma stared at my face and touched my hair. "You're really starting to look more and more like your mother."

We had lunch at my maternal grandmother's house, and the family chatted for a while before setting off home in the afternoon. I sat very upright in the carriage, my back ramrod straight. After the morning's events, I was in particularly good spirits, and I tried to sit as far away from Cheng Zhuri as possible. In a somewhat awkward atmosphere, the carriage finally arrived home. When he helped me down, I saw Uncle Qi waiting at the door. Uncle Qi nodded slightly to me, "Greetings to Miss Biao!"

"Uncle Qi, there's no need for such formalities." Seeing that he seemed to have something to discuss with Cheng Zhuri, he said to Cheng Zhuri, "Then I'll go in first, cousin."

He nodded, and I turned and walked towards the gate. "Young Master, the Master is asking why you called Cheng Shun back at noon, saying you canceled your meeting with Boss Chen of the Chen Family Teahouse this afternoon?"

"I will explain to Dad myself. Now, take a packet of the finest Beiyuan tea to Boss Chen and tell him that I will host a banquet for him at Daoxiangju tomorrow noon to apologize. We can talk business then!" A sweet feeling welled up in my heart. So he specially accompanied me today!

Chapter Nine of the main text: Planning and strategizing

Holding the jewelry box, I immediately ran to find my beautiful aunt. She simply said it was a gift from my grandmother and told me to keep it without worry, adding that she and my uncle would prepare a set for me later. Good heavens, these are all antiques, and possibly even the finest pieces! Combined with what my beautiful aunt had given me before, I'm already a little rich girl. If I brought this back to modern times, I'd be worth at least tens of millions! I'm rich! Tomorrow I'll ask Cheng Zhuri how much it's worth. On my way back to my room, I passed the garden and saw Zhu Qin sitting in the Listening to the Rain Pavilion, looking lost in thought. Seeing me, she asked, "You're back! What did Grandma want with you?" I pointed to the box in my arms. "She gave me some jewelry, saying it was left by my mother." I looked closely at her face, worried she might be upset, but thankfully there was no particular reaction, which relieved me slightly. "What are you thinking about?" "The Chrysanthemum Festival is on the fifteenth of next month, and I'm wondering which piece to play." The Chrysanthemum Festival is an annual event in Bianjing for appreciating chrysanthemums. It's a gathering day for the daughters of wealthy merchants, officials, and scholars, especially unmarried girls who have to prepare performances—poetry, painting, dancing, playing musical instruments, and so on. To me, it's basically a mass matchmaking event, because there are always many people getting engaged after the Chrysanthemum Festival. "What's there to worry about? Your flute, zither, and guqin are all very good. You can choose any one!"

Zhuqin rolled her eyes at me. "How can I just choose anything? I'm the eldest daughter of the Cheng family. This is my first time participating, and I have to get second place to make the Cheng family proud! I just thought about it carefully. My poetry and painting are not bad, but if I want to get a good ranking, I'm most confident in playing the zither or the guqin. 'High Mountains and Flowing Water,' 'Three Variations on Plum Blossom,' and 'White Snow in Spring' are my best pieces, but unfortunately, they've all been played in the last two or three years. Now I don't know which one to choose." Truly, she's a member of the Cheng family; even attending a gathering requires so much thought in analyzing her strengths and weaknesses. I tapped her forehead and said, "How can you only get second place? Why not first? You have no ambition!" "You're so stubborn! There's Rong Yuwei, the apple of the eye of Prefect Rong, a high-ranking official in Bianjing. I've heard that although she's spoiled, she's a true talent. She won first place twice in the past two years. She comes from a prestigious family and has a noble status. Even if I'm not confident I can beat her, and even if someone is more talented, which daughter from an ordinary family in Bianjing would dare to overshadow her?" I nodded knowingly, realizing there were so many intricacies involved. "Don't worry, I'll help you!"