Translator: Tuiwen Editor: Tuiwen
Another occurrence the people would never forget was something that had happened just last winter.
At the time, the Grand Master Heartless had already grown weak, and the cold weather alone was already hard for her to bear. The villagers had rushed up to the nunnery the moment they had heard the news. Most of them had advised Ming Xin and Ming Jing to bring the Grand Master down the mountain to the nearest hospital for proper treatment. They had hoped that the professionals might have a shot at saving her.
However, the Grand Master Heartless herself had refused. She had told them bluntly that her end was upon her.
Her disciples had knelt around deathbed. Ming Xin and the others were bawling their eyes out, except for Ming Jing. She had not shed a single tear, and was calm from beginning to end.
When the Grand Master had finally breathed her last, Ming Xin had wept until she fainted. As for Ming Jing, she quietly left the meditation room to prepare for the burial rites.
One of the villagers had offered to help, and at one point could not stop herself from asking, “Aren’t you sad that the Grand Master Heartless has left this world?”
After all, the elder had taken Ming Jing in and raised her all her life.
Yet even then, the girl’s beautiful face had remained cold, as if death was just a matter of course to her, even at her young age.
“Life is the beginning of death, and death is the end of life.”
The woman remembered thinking, ‘How old is she?’ As learned as she was in the Buddhist teachings, she was still a child. She had felt then that Ming Jing was no ordinary person. After all, not everyone could bear to be so cold-blooded in the face of grief.
It was three months later that the private detective had found the Lonemoon Nunnery. The clues he had gathered pointed to either Ming Jing or Ming Xin. But Ming Xin had fallen ill due to sorrow, and had locked herself in her room. The task of receiving the man had fallen on Ming Jing’s shoulder.
The detective had never disclosed his intentions. Instead, he had made them believe that he was just another traveler who had come to the nunnery because of its impressive reputation, and had made arrangements to stay for a few days. He had continued to observe the girls covertly, and was stumped at the matter of Ming Jing’s age. Ming Xin was bedridden, so he couldn’t ask her, while the three junior sisters didn’t know the answer to his question. None of the villagers had a clue, either.
He was caught between Ming Xin and Ming Jing—one of them could be the true, long-lost granddaughter of the Zhu family. In the end, he had to go through the trouble of stealing a DNA sample from both girls. Needless to say, the results pointed to Ming Jing. She looked much like the wealthy socialites back in the city, anyway, so the detective had decided to just go with it and call it a day.
Once the report had reached Lin Qing’s hands, she only glanced at the DNA results and nothing else. And then the family matriarch had ordered for Ming Jing’s return.
In any case, nothing was written about her attending any school, so that must mean Ming Jing had never received the compulsory nine years of basic education.
Zhu Xiangxiang scowled after going over the report herself. “It seems that Ming Jing really is a genius then.”
Lin Qing gritted her teeth, her heart hardening. She had underestimated that country bumpkin.
To think that she had never shed a tear, even after the death of the woman who had raised her for more than a decade.
How could she be expected to have any feelings for her own biological mother, whom she hadn’t known all her life?
Lin Qing and Zhu Xiangxiang were still in the middle of discussion when Ming Jing walked into the room.
Lin Qing instantly folded he documents in half and stuffed them into the gap in the sofa. She glanced coldly at Ming Jing as she passed by.
Zhu Xiangxiang, on the other hand, got to her feet and congratulated Ming Jing for her performance at the math test. Then she mentioned Madam Jiang’s invitation for the weekend. Ming Jing murmured an indifferent response and continued to walk past them and up the stairs.
“Just look at her attitude!” Lin Qing fumed. “She really has no manners. What can I possibly expect from her in the future?”
“Mom, Ming Jing has been a nun since childhood. Naturally, she isn’t like the rest of us. Don’t be so hard on her.”
“I’m being hard on her? I’m her mother! I can’t even ask her to behave with the most basic manners?”
“Ming Jing just isn’t used to her environment yet. Let’s give her some time to adjust.”
…
Miles away, a car screeched to a halt in the middle of the village, sitting at the foot of Snowy Peaks.
The chauffeur got out, and so did Uncle Wen. They carried bags containing all sorts of gifts, and prepared themselves for the journey up the mountain.
Uncle Wen stretched his neck and looked up at the steep path before him, and instantly felt his legs turn to jelly.
Neither he nor the driver was familiar with the trail, so they found a local to guide them. When they told the man that they were heading for the Lonemoon Nunnery, the villager was only too glad to show them the way.
He was inquisitive, too, asking now and again about the identity of these travelers. Uncle Wen was curious about Ming Jing’s past as well, so he didn’t hesitate to share the purpose of this visit.
“Ah, so you are from the Young Master Ming Jing’s household. I see that she is doing very well. We were all happy for her when we heard that she had found her biological family.”
When Uncle Wen said nothing, the villager continued with his monologue. “Young Master Ming Jing is a truly good person. Although she is young, she is very wise and honest. Last year, my son got into a very bad accident and was reduced to a vegetative state. Without any other options, I went to the nunnery to burn incense and pray for blessings. Young Master Ming Jing approached me and gave me some pointers, asking me to do more good deeds. She even gave me an amulet. I’m still not sure if gods are real or not, but shortly after I came home that day, my son woke up.”
Uncle Wen barely stopped himself from raising his eyebrows sardonically. Surely, it had been a mere coincidence. Miracles didn’t just drop from the sky.
They trudged ahead for a long time before they finally reached the massive doors of the Lonemoon Nunnery. It was nestled among a cluster of ancient trees, and had an ancient charm etched into the surface of the decidedly worn-out wood.
Uncle Wen walked up and knocked on the door. They waited for yet another while before one of the doors creaked open. A small head popped out.
It was a little girl, about five or six years old. She had plump, red lips and pearly white teeth. Her eyes were wide and vigilant as she stared at the man in front of her.
Uncle Wen bent down and said in a gentle voice, “Hello, Little Master. I was asked by your senior sister Ming Jing to bring you gifts. May I come in?”
The girl brightened at the mention of Ming Jing’s name. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she all but jumped out and pulled at Uncle Wen’s sleeve. “Where is Second Senior Sister? Did she come with you?” She craned her short neck to look behind him.
Uncle Wen smiled kindly. “Your senior sister is very busy with her studies and doesn’t have time to travel out of the city. That’s why she sent me here instead.”
The little girl’s eyes dimmed just as quickly as they had lit up, and she hung her head in obvious disappointment.
Mildly alarmed, Uncle Wen shook the bags in front of her. “Look here. Your senior sister bought all of these for you.”
But the girl only glanced at the bags and didn’t look all too happy with the gifts.
Uncle Wen blinked in amazement. ‘This little girl has the exact same temperament as Miss Ming Jing’s.’
“Well, please come in for now.” The little girl went back inside and struggled to pull the heavy door open. The chauffeur immediately put down the bags he was carrying and hurried over to help.
Once they were through the doors, the girl sprinted back into the nunnery, her voice ringing loud and clear like crystal chimes. It echoed to the nearby forest and even startled some birds.
“Third Senior Sister! Fourth Senior Sister! Come out quickly! Second Senior Sister has sent us gifts!”