Chapter One Winter Day

  The snow that had been falling for several days, the roof, tree tops, and ground were covered with a layer of frost, and the light coming in through the window frames, which were pasted with paper, was much brighter than usual, giving the room a crystal clear brightness.

  Eleventh Sister put down the half-read "Records of the Nine Regions of Great Zhou" and gazed out the window.

  The forest outside the Green Building was covered with a thick layer of snow, and occasionally when the wind blew, the snowflakes that had settled on the tips of the yellow poplar trees would fall off, revealing the green leaves underneath, which was invigorating to see.

  She was originally in Yuhang, northwest of Hangzhou Prefecture, with Daci Mountain to the southwest and Jing Mountain to the northwest. To the south is Xiao Creek, which originates from Tianmu Mountain in Yuqian County...

  The information is too little!

  She had been to Yuhang before, but that was on a business trip. The client's wife took the child and hid in her hometown of Yuhang. She found Yuhang and persuaded the client's wife to give up custody of the child. As a lawyer, she received a seven-figure fee. This was the first pot of gold in her career!

  At this thought, Eleventh Sister couldn't help but let out a sigh.

  What's the point of thinking about these things now!

  She has been here for three years and the farthest place she has been to is the second gate of the Luo Mansion - sending the first wife of the Luo Mansion, also her birth mother, Mrs. Xu, to burn incense at Ci'an Temple.

  What does Yuhang look like now? How far is it from Hangzhou? What's her relationship with him/her?

  Even if you know all this and see it with your own eyes, what's the use?

  This world is no longer the same as before!

  The eleventh girl let out a long sigh - as if she wanted to blow away all her past with this breath!

  "Miss Eleven!" Binju, the maid, came in with hot tea and small pastries just as she saw Miss Eleven's forehead pressed against the windowsill next to her. "You've opened the window again. There's a north wind today." She put the tea tray on a small side table and went forward to help her up. "Today's pastry is filled with plum blossoms, try some."

  Three years ago, this body fell and was in a coma for three months, then lay in bed for half a year. If it weren't for the careful care of Bin Hua and another maid Dong Qing, she wouldn't have been able to survive even if she had inexplicably crossed into this body.

  Eleventh Girl couldn't bear to reject her kindness, so she obediently sat down at the table and took a sip of the hot tea that was handed to her.

  Rich red tea with a hint of honey - her favorite.

  The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a look of satisfaction.

  Binju looked at it and her mouth curled up, turned around and closed the window.

  Suddenly, a "bang bang bang" sound came from upstairs. The noise above the head made people's hearts panic.

  Binju's face changed, she looked up at Chengchen, just about to say something, when Shiyimao said in a chanting tone: "Tolerate her, yield to her, avoid her, let her be, endure her, don't bother with her. Wait a few more years and see what happens to her!"

  A burst of laughter came from the doorway.

  Eleventh Sister and Binju looked over at the sound, a girl wearing a peach-red jacket, holding a stone-green package, standing by the curtain.

  "Dong Qing Jie!" Bin Ju's eyes lit up, "You're back!" She said, as she went forward to help her with her luggage.

  Dong Qing is a native of Yu County. Her sister got married, and the elder lady gave her five days off. Today was supposed to be the fourth day, but unexpectedly she returned before noon.

  "Why don't you stay at home for a while?" said Eleventh Sister with a smile, "Such opportunities are rare!"

  "There's nothing good to wait for." Dong Qing Ren Bin Ju took over his own luggage: "Brother married sister-in-law, and in the past few years, a nephew was added. The house is narrow, I went back, and had to move out... it's better not to go back."

  For the past two years, Dong Qing's family has been relying on her monthly salary as a maid to make ends meet. Last summer, her brother wanted to buy the land next door, but he was short of money, and his sister-in-law even came to the mansion to ask her for help borrowing some money.

  Seeing Dong Qing's embarrassed expression, Bin Hua smiled and said: "What is it this time?" As she spoke, she poured a cup of tea for Dong Qing.

  At that time, Binju borrowed five taels of silver for Dongqing, and Shiyimang gave her two red gold hairpins.

  Dong Qing dodged the topic and smiled as he untied the package that Bin Ju had placed on the round table: "My mother made a few pairs of shoes for Miss, I brought them back..."

  While they were talking, the "thud thud" from upstairs never stopped and became more urgent at this time, disturbing people's peace.

  The three people downstairs still looked calm and serene, as if they were sitting in a garden with a gentle spring breeze.

  "...This green flower handkerchief is for Binju... This soybean paste is for Xin Mama..."

  "Made soy sauce beans again this year?" Binju heard and smiled, "It seems that your family's harvest is good this year... Miss also loves to eat, you should bring some back..."

  Dong Qing felt a bit embarrassed.

  Everyone at home is quite considerate, even Xin Mama who does chores in Miss Eleven's room brought something, but not a word was mentioned about paying her back...

  She didn't know how to explain it well, when Eleventh Sister asked her with a smile: "Have you gone to thank your mother?"

  "Dong Qing said hastily: 'I've been there. I also met Mrs. Xu and she gave me two cans of pickled yellow beans.'"

  The eleventh girl smiled and nodded. She took the shoes made by Dong Qing for her and looked at them left and right: "Dong Qing, your mother's craftsmanship is really good..."

  "It goes without saying." Binju smiled and said, "Dongqing sister has indeed received the true transmission!"

  For some reason, Shiyi suddenly thought of when she was in college... After the Spring Festival, school started again, and everyone brought back specialties from their hometown to share with their dormitory sisters... Only she had the most expensive snacks that could be bought at the supermarket in her bag.

  Her face couldn't help but have a few shades of gloom.

  Dong Qing looked at it and couldn't help but think of the things she had been worried about all along.

  "Miss Eleven," she said with a hint of unease, "is it about my matter..."

  The eleventh girl was stunned for a moment, and it wasn't until later that she understood what she was saying.

  Dong Qing was a beautiful and composed young woman, skilled with needle and thread. She caught the eye of Yao Mama, who served beside the first wife, and thought to marry her off to her own nephew. However, this nephew was not only ugly but also had a fondness for whoring and gambling - even Eleven Mama looked down on him, let alone Dong Qing. Before the new year, Yao Mama came to discuss the matter with Eleven Mama, who initially agreed, saying it would be a good match and a blessing for Dong Qing. But as soon as Yao Mama left, Eleven Mama took the handkerchief she had been given and went to see the first wife, massaging her legs while asking in confusion: "Yao Mama said her nephew has seen many girls, but how did he come across Dong Qing? I'm with Dong Qing every day, I don't know where her nephew saw her..."

  The lady treated Yao's mother with some indifference from then on, and the matter naturally came to nothing. However, a grudge had also been formed between the eleventh daughter and Yao's mother!

  After a while, the lady started using Yao Mama again. Yao Mama's waist straightened up and she said: "You watch, in two years at most, that little cheap thing will be lying under my nephew, letting him ride..."

  This is an unspoken rule of the wealthy families in this big house, if a maid reaches 20 years old and still hasn't been married off, she will be let go to avoid going against heaven's harmony.

  Dong Qing is eighteen years old this year...

  Eleventh Girl's birth mother, Lü Yiniang, couldn't help but advise her: "Why must you have a grudge against Yao Mama because of a maid... She is the concubine of the first wife... You don't even know your own way out, yet you're willing to offend people for the sake of a maid..."

  Thinking of these things, Shiyi Niang felt somewhat annoyed.

  For Wintergreen's sake, she didn't regret it.

  Living in the Rong family's large compound, a place full of women, if you're too kind, you'll be taken advantage of. You can't even protect your own maid, who will still take you seriously? Moreover, Dong Qing has also made many sacrifices for her...

  She worries about her own future!

  A concubine's daughter, beautiful in appearance, but her mother is not favored... Her fate is entirely in the hands of the first wife.

  If the lady of the house was just a simple-minded woman who could be fooled by a few kind words, it would be easy to deal with her. However, she came from a prominent family in Qiantang and her father had held high-ranking positions, including serving as a deputy minister in the Ministry of Rites. From a young age, she followed her father on his official duties, traveling extensively throughout the country, and was educated like a boy. At 13 years old, she married into the Luo family, and at 15 years old, she took charge of the household. The master of the house had six concubines besides his wife, but except for Ke Concubine, who was originally the lady's personal maid and gave birth to a son nine years younger than the eldest son, all the other children were either stillborn or daughters... Every time 11th Lady saw the lady's calm and serene face, like that of a Bodhisattva, she felt uneasy and anxious.

  An idea flashed through her mind, and Eleventh Sister involuntarily raised her head with a strange expression to glance at the dust-laden rafter above.

  The Green Building has three rooms on two floors. On the first floor, the east room is occupied by Eleventh Sister and the west room by Twelfth Sister, while Tenth Sister lives upstairs.

  The birth mother of the eleventh daughter, Lü Yiniang, and the birth mother of the tenth daughter, Yang Yiniang, fought for most of their lives. In the end, both women were taken care of by the birth mother of the twelfth daughter, Lu Yiniang... The tenth daughter remembered this and had her maid use a large mallet to pound on the floorboards, disturbing the peace of the two women.

  Eleventh Sister was able to hold her temper, after all, there was a mature soul in her body. But Twelve Sister, who was only seven years old, could also hold her temper just like her, and it couldn't help but make people look at her with new eyes.

  "Don't worry, Dong Qing." Seeing Shi Yi not saying a word, the joyful atmosphere in the room also disappeared. Bin Ju smiled and comforted Dong Qing, "Isn't there still two years? Miss is so clever, she will definitely think of a way within these two years!"

  Dong Qing's face darkened, and he seemed to want to say something but stopped himself.

  Eleventh Girl's heart skipped a beat as she thought of Dong Qing's expression when he returned.

  Her expression turned serious and she asked: "Dong Qing, has your mother sent someone to propose a marriage between our families?"

  Wintergreen drooped its eyelids.

  The guess got a silent confirmation, and a fire burst out in Xi Shi's heart.

  She coldly hummed and was about to say something when a voice came from outside, intentionally raised by the little maid Autumn Chrysanthemum: "Aunt Yao, with such heavy snow, how did you come? Quick, quick, go inside and have a cup of hot tea to warm up."

  Everyone in the house was stunned.

  Binju pulled on Shiyi's sleeve with a pale face: "What to do? What to do?"

  Dong Qing's usually gentle eyes also had a few points of sharpness.

  "What's the panic?" Eleventh Girl stood up with a smile, calmly instructing the two: "Dongqing, go get the big red robe that Eldest Madam rewarded last time to entertain our guest. Binju, go welcome Mother Yao in."

  Her calmness infected Wintergreen and Beach Sunflower.

  The two of them nodded and were about to go their separate ways when Mrs. Yao herself lifted the curtain and entered, her face expressionless as she gazed at the three people in the room: "Miss Eleven, the mistress is asking for you."

  (I've started a new pit, welcome to click, collect, recommend... As for the pink tickets, "Crossing Good Things" needs this month, and "The Strategy of the Illegitimate Daughter" needs next month. (*^__^*) Hehe... Qi Qi wants to participate in PK, thinking about booking.)