Translator: Tuiwen Editor: Tuiwen
The first week of school.
Ming Jing left the house early each day, refusing Zhu Xiangxiang’s repeated invitation to take the exclusive school bus. Instead, she took the public commute.
When she returned from school, she would go straight upstairs and lock herself in her room for the rest of the night.
She wouldn’t even come down to have dinner. A servant called her over once, only to be told that nuns did not eat anything after the midday meal.
And so, Ming Jing had been staying with the Zhu family for ten days now, but Zhu Xiangxiang had never met her even once, not after the day of her arrival.
Meanwhile, Lin Qing spent her days dressing up to go out and play mahjong with her sisters. She had long forgotten about the existence of her biological daughter. Only when Grandma Zhu mentioned Ming Jing in passing that Lin Qing finally remembered there was an extra person in the house.
She hurriedly called for a servant and inquired about Ming Jing. Every day, the girl went about in a dull and tedious routine, and she never made trouble for anyone in the house.
This relieved Lin Qing greatly.
“Ming Jing has been with us for a while now,” Old Madam Zhu said one day. “It’s about time we introduce her to everyone. Pick an auspicious day, and we shall officially announce the child’s identity. Otherwise, we will only be furthering our shortcomings to her.”
Zhu Xiangxiang didn’t flinch, but her brows did furrow ever so slightly.
Lin Qing tucked a strand of her curly hair behind her ear and slowly took a sip of her flower tea. “That won’t be good for Xiangxiang,” she finally said. “I think it’s better to just forget about the whole thing.”
“No, Mom,” Xiangxiang interjected. “Grandma is right. Everything that I’m enjoying right now belongs to Ming Jing. It’s only right that I return it all to her. She has suffered so much since she was young, we must not let her suffer anymore.”
Her words made Lin Qing sigh. She praised her daughter’s kindness and sensibility, and even the matriarch nodded secretly to herself in approval.
“All right, then. I’ll make the arrangements. I just hope this girl won’t end up embarrassing us.”
“Of course she won’t, Mom. I’ll take Ming Jing and have her learn some etiquette and how to dress for special occasions. She’ll definitely shine when the day comes. I’m sure she will later become the pride of the Zhu family.”
“You’re such a considerate child. Sometimes, I think you’re much too kind for your own good. You might even get bullied at this rate.”
“I promise you that I won’t. I have you to protect me, don’t I?”
Mother and daughter shared an affectionate embrace as Old Madam Zhu looked on.
…
Three even and successive knocks came at the door, indicating the gentle patience of the visitor.
The door opened to reveal a brightly lit room. For a moment, Zhu Xiangxiang froze, rooted to the spot.
The girl in front of her was wearing a white, silk nightgown that reached her ankles, lending an almost ethereal silhouette to her slender frame.
Her long and delicate neck supported her small head, which was painted with dainty features on alluring cheeks.
Her skin was smooth and white, without a single blemish.
As always, Ming Jing’s eyes held carried an unspeakable weight, even as it gave one the feeling of staring at the depths of an ancient well or the peak of a distant, snowy mountain. Her eyes were cold and mysterious, but pulled people in all the same. And when people blinked, the illusion turned into a warm, bubbling spring, flowing freely to grace the world with blessings.
Truly, it was difficult to put in words. Ming Jing herself was a complex contradiction of herself—sometimes arrogant but still approachable, sharp yet also gentle, compassionate but ruthless.
She was like a god, an unfathomable being, who watched over everything. She always gave strangers the impression that she could see through everyone’s hearts, that nothing escaped her notice.
Zhu Xiangxiang’s heart picked up its pace. “Is something the matter?” Ming Jing asked quietly.
Zhu Xiangxiang came back to her senses then. Clearing her throat, she asked, “May I come in?”
Ming Jing stepped aside wordlessly to grant her entrance.
The room didn’t look any different from when she had first moved in. The bed looked much tidier though, with no wrinkles in sight. Apart from that, the only difference from the room’s previous state was the diamond sutra sitting on the bedside table.
“Mom is planning to hold a banquet next month. We will be inviting some important people in Jiang City to introduce you to.”
Zhu Xiangxiang peered at the other girl, but saw no emotion in Ming Jing’s face. She hardly even blinked.
Zhu Xiangxiang averted her eyes and continued. “In order to appear your best, you will be spending the weekends learning some courses in social etiquette. I’ll be taking you so there’s no need to worry. If you fin the lessons difficult, then we’ll take them slowly. Don’t feel any pressure.”
Ming Jing finally replied, but only with a polite “Thank you”.
Zhu Xiangxiang was frustrated beyond belief at this point. She had never encountered such a dull and dreary person. Was it really possible that this girl had no other desires and beliefs besides her devotion to Buddhism?
Still, she endeavored to try again. “How is school, by the way? Are you used to it yet? Can you keep up with your classes?”
“Everything is going well,” Ming Jing answered.
And the conversation came to another abrupt end.
In the end, Zhu Xiangxiang fled in mild panic. She didn’t want to stay with Ming Jing for even a second longer.
When she was gone, Ming Jing closed the door quietly, as if nothing had happened. Then she walked back to her bed and resumed her meditation.
…
“Where is Shaodan? Why isn’t he home yet?” It was almost ten o’clock in the evening, and Lin Qing was growing anxious. She took her phone and frantically made a call.
No one picked up.
This only fueled Lin Qing’s worry, which had already risen to an inexplicable degree. Perhaps it was a mother’s instinct, but she had a nagging feeling that something bad had happened to her son. She began calling Zhu Shaodan’s friends.
But her efforts were fruitless—some of them didn’t even answer her call, while those who did had no idea about Zhu Shaodan’s whereabouts.
As a last resort, Lin Qing ordered the butler to check the spots that her son often frequented. After all, Zhu Shaodan was the standard profligate son. As if he wasn’t ignorant or incompetent enough to the ways of the world, he often spent his time hanging out with his fellow second-generation conglomerate heirs in various bars and KTV places. He was only fifteen years old, too. Not to mention his dubious haunts, he had also changed girlfriends many times in his short teenage life.
Lin Qing stayed in the living room and nursed her worry. She couldn’t sit still at all. Zhu Xiangxiang kept her company, playing the role of a caring and dutiful daughter and assuring Lin Qing that Zhu Shaodan was all right.
It wasn’t until the skies began to brighten that they finally received a call from the butler.
Zhu Shaodan had gotten into a fight and was admitted to the hospital.
Burning with anxiety, Lin Qing rushed to the hospital without a moment to spare. Zhu Xiangxiang barely had the time to call the school and apply for a leave of absence.
As for Ming Jing, she got up early as per her usual. When she saw the other two running out of the villa, she paused and raised her eyebrows.
“Ming Jing!” Zhu Xiangxiang called out when she saw the other girl. “Shaodan is currently in the hospital. Mom and I are going to see him. I’m leaving the family to you, okay? Grandma is old and can’t stand any emotional strain, so it would be best to keep this matter from her.”
Ming Jing nodded as Lin Qing dragged Zhu Xiangxiang away. “Why are you speaking so familiarly with her?” she grumbled under her breath. “That dead fish makes me sick just looking at her.”
Ming Jing went to the kitchen and found Nanny Zhou preparing the day’s breakfast. Grandma Zhu was old, indeed, and already had bad teeth, so her meals were carefully prepared.
In the past, before the surname Zhu meant anything, they had lived in a small town. Grandma Zhu had lost her father at an early age, and her suffering continued to her adulthood as she struggled to raise her two children. Now, she couldn’t even get used to eating abalone and ginseng. She much preferred eating corn flapjacks and drinking vegetable juice.
Out of Zhu Wentao’s filial streak, he had especially sought out Nanny Zhou from their old hometown and had invited her to be part of their household staff. All to appease his mother’s appetite. At present, Nanny Zhou was responsible for Grandma Zhu’s meals, and most everything else about the matriarch.
“Miss!” Nanny Zhou exclaimed when she saw Ming Jing enter. “What are you doing here? The kitchen is full of smoke and the smell of cooking. Hurry and wait outside.”
However, Ming Jing walked further into the room and rolled up her sleeves. “Here, let me do that.”
As she said so, she took the spatula from Nanny Zhou’s hands. The pancake was sizzling on the pan as the heat drew out the steam. It expanded rather quickly, and was done on one side in no time.
Ming Jing held the spatula in one hand and pinched the edge of the pancake with the other. Then, in one deft move, she flipped the pancake clear in the air.
Anyone who was experienced in the kitchen would know an expert move if they saw it.
“Miss,” Nanny Zhou said, her eyes wide with surprise. “You know how to cook pancakes?”
Ming Jing stirred the cornflour batter and said lightly, “Back in the nunnery, I was responsible for making three meals a day.”
Nanny Zhou eyed the girl’s slender shoulders. Her movements were swift and efficient. The older woman strangely felt a twinge of pity in her chest..