Chapter 8 The Old House’s Calculation

For the next three days, Ming Leyao delivered breakfast to Fu Wencheng every day with different dishes, while lunch and dinner were stealthily picked up by Meng Zhaoqing from her home, like a thief. Aside from cooking, Ming Leyao didn’t leave the house during these three days. She stayed indoors, whitening her skin with the special whitening skincare products she made herself. It was obvious that her skin had become much smoother and several shades lighter than before. Seeing the results, Ming Leyao was very satisfied.

Coincidentally, today she was going to have someone come warm her new house. Early in the morning, she carried a basket on her back and went to town for a walk. She took out a pound of pork, about twenty eggs, and some cleaned offal from her space, then returned to the Shangjia Bridge Brigade. After putting her things away at home, just before noon, Ming Leyao found the brigade captain in charge of inspections at the edge of the field.

“Captain, tonight I’m warming up my house. You and your wife should come.”
“Tonight? Okay, I’ll have your aunt come help you in the afternoon.”
“Great.”

Ming Leyao’s bright, clear laughter like silver bells spread across the field, drawing curious glances from the workers. They looked over, and their surprise was unmistakable.

“Hey? Isn’t that Leyao from the Minghua family?”
“Is it? I don’t think so. Wasn’t she timid before? And her face was always yellowish—how come it’s so white now?”
“Leyao looked yellow because she wasn’t well treated in the old Ming family. Her parents weren’t bad-looking either. Now she’s living on her own, eating well enough for the whole family, has support money, and is recuperating at home, out of the wind and sun. It makes sense she’s gotten whiter.”
“Yeah, that makes sense. You know what this means?”
“What?”
“It means that the old Ming family is a bottomless pit that consumes people. None of the young men in that family are married yet. I have to warn my relatives not to marry into the Ming family.”
“Now that you mention it, I better go tell my family too.”

Ming Leyao purposely paraded in front of everyone. She wanted them to witness her transformation process, not just the result, because that would raise suspicion.

Soon, the rumor that life after leaving the Ming family was good spread wildly throughout the Shangjia Bridge Brigade. This news reached Ming Li, the second son of the family, who was working in the neighboring field. At noon, while going home to eat, he angrily told his family about it.

“Mom, big brother, don’t you think these people are just bored? They keep watching our family’s trouble. That damn girl Leyao has already split from us, and yet they won’t leave her alone. Who knows what nonsense she’s stirring up?”
“Yeah, mom, you let Leyao split to help her, but she hasn’t even shown you any filial respect with that support money. She wasted it buying some glass panes. I heard those glass panes are pretty valuable now.” Ming Hongdou was jealous of Ming Leyao’s better life and complained in front of the old lady.
“Hmph, she thinks she can do whatever she wants after leaving the Ming family? No way, I’ll go confront her.”

Ming Shi quickly held his mother and urged her to sit down.
“Mom, making a scene won’t help. So many eyes are on us. We have to think of a plan.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to you. What do you suggest?”
“Well, let’s find her someone to get engaged to. Then arrange the bride price with the groom’s family. You, as an elder, hold the money and don’t give her a cent. The best is if she marries far away so we don’t have to see her.”
“That’s doable, but where to find someone?”

The old lady racked her brain, going over all the suitable men she knew but found no one fitting.

“Have your second daughter ask her youngest uncle’s youngest son,” the old family head Ming Bingcheng suddenly interjected.

Ming Shi and the old lady looked at each other… The second daughter’s youngest uncle’s youngest son? Isn’t that an idiot?

“Right, why didn’t I think of that? I think it’s a good idea. That idiot’s got to find a good wife, and we’ll get a lot of money out of it. Hurry up and send a message to your sister to talk to her uncle.”

“Mom, leave this to me. I love running errands the most.” Ming Li put down his chopsticks and rushed off without eating.

Qian Laidi and her daughter Ming Hongdou exchanged glances, thinking the old man was usually so quiet but suddenly so ruthless—it didn’t concern them anyway, as they were the ones benefiting. Ming Hongdou felt even more pleased. She despised Ming Leyao’s fake, hypocritical attitude. Though unwilling to admit it, that brat was indeed prettier than her. Now with fairer, softer skin, she was even more dazzling. Educated, good-looking, and outshining her in everything—this time she would definitely put an end to her.

Ming Leyao was sixteen this year, technically under the legal marriage age, but in the village’s old-fashioned mindset, sixteen was marriageable. Since Ming Leyao’s recent appearance, she had attracted many suitors.

Ming Leyao was unaware of all this. She was standing by the lotus pond, admiring the golden lotus flower. Suddenly, the lotus slowly moved, swaying as it came over to her. The petals shook, fully blooming to reveal the lotus seeds inside. Ming Leyao was puzzled but curious. She reached out to touch the golden lotus. The moment she did, a cheerful childlike voice echoed in her mind.

“Master, master.”
“Who?”
“It’s me, Golden Lotus.”
“You… who are you?”
“I am the Hexagonal Golden Lotus, the most spiritual plant born from heaven and earth. I gather the essence of heaven and earth and possess powers of detoxification, marrow cleansing, strengthening the body, and even revival. Since the spiritual energy in the space depends entirely on me, I could only produce six lotus seeds this time, and this may be the last.”

The childish voice sounded a little aggrieved. Ming Leyao quickly stroked the lotus petals, comforting it,
“It’s okay, little Golden Lotus, you’ve already done great—no, you’re super great.”
“Really, master?”
“Of course.”
“Master, do you want to eat a lotus seed?”
“Will it harm you?”
“No, but the Golden Lotus cannot be preserved. It must stay within my body to grow. While nurturing the seed, I will sleep, and only your thoughts can awaken me.”

Ming Leyao nodded, reached out, and took a lotus seed. Hesitating for a moment, unsure if she could endure the immense energy, she decided to go for it—for the future. Sitting by the lotus pond, she swallowed the seed in one bite. Immediately, a sharp pain surged through her body, as if all her bones were being smashed, reassembled, smashed again, and reassembled.

Unable to bear it, Ming Leyao curled up on the ground, writhing in pain.