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The town’s doctor had long been acquainted with Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi. Seeing them bring two elderly people for a check-up, he immediately called for his assistants to help the old man still in the cart down.
While on the cart, Su Zhi had already given water to the two elders. The old man had already been awake, and after drinking some water, he became more alert. The old woman was still somewhat groggy, but with some movement, she gradually woke up as well.
The doctor took their pulses and checked their eyelids and tongues. Finally, he concluded that they had caught a chill and were also suffering from hunger, but there was no serious illness. With a few doses of medicine and some nourishment, they would recover.
Shen Zi’an asked the doctor to prescribe medicine. After leaving, he first took the two elderly people to eat. He ordered a bowl of plain noodles for each of them, not daring to order meat, fearing that their bodies, unaccustomed to it after so many days, might not be able to handle it. Even with just these two bowls of noodles, the two elders ate ravenously, expressing their gratitude profusely before they began eating, showing that they were sincere people.
Su Zhi was even more satisfied with the idea of having these two watch the gate at her home. Her previous job had given her a keen eye for judging people, and she felt these two were honest.
After finishing the noodles, Shen Zi’an took Su Zhi to Inn. Su Zhi went inside, while Shen Zi’an stayed outside, chatting with the two people sitting in the cart, inquiring about their backgrounds to decide whether to hire them. Su Zhi left the final decision to Shen Zi’an.
When Su Zhi came out of the Inn, having taught three more dishes and received silver from Manager Zhang, she noticed Shen Zi’an’s slightly furrowed brow. She wondered if there was a problem with the two elderly people, but they didn’t seem like villains to her. After bidding farewell to Manager Zhang again, she got on the ox cart, and Shen Zi’an drove it away. They discussed the situation as they went.
The elderly man said, his voice still somewhat weak but his spirit much improved, “Madam, your husband just asked us if we would be willing to work at your house. We, an old couple, are willing. Whether it’s for short-term work or long-term work, even a lifelong contract, we can sign it.”
His eyes looked sincerely at Su Zhi.
Su Zhi, hearing this, realized they were agreeing without negotiating, but she noticed that Shen Zi’an’s expression seemed somewhat disapproving. Being his wife, she could discern even the slightest change in his expression and understood his thoughts. His furrowed brow earlier indicated some reluctance.
“Sir, could you please tell me again your surname, your names, where you come from, and how you ended up in this situation?” Su Zhi asked. She thought that something she hadn’t heard must have made Shen Zi’an reconsider his earlier decision. She wanted to see if she could figure it out herself.
The old man introduced himself again, revealing that his surname was Lan and his name was Lan Zhicheng. The elderly woman with him was his wife. They lived in Yuncheng, a thousand miles away from here. Last year, a great fire had burned several mountains and a village there. People believed that the fire was accidentally started by them and wanted to capture them. Being just an old couple, they fled to save their lives. They had intended to seek refuge with relatives here, but upon arrival, they discovered their relatives had moved away long ago, with no trace of their new location. They had begged for food along the way, hoping to find their relatives. When this hope was shattered, they collapsed in the dilapidated temple, unable to go on.
“Thanks to you for saving us, we have nothing left to offer in return except our lives. Since your household needs gatekeepers, we don’t ask for wages. As long as we have a place to stay and food to eat, even if it’s a broken house and leftovers, we are willing. This way, we can repay your kindness, and we truly cannot go any further,” Lan Zhicheng said, looking at his wife with a sigh.
Su Zhi listened intently to Lan Zhicheng’s story. She now understood why Shen Zi’an had been hesitant. The couple’s desperate situation and willingness to work without pay were compelling, but their story of being accused of starting a disastrous fire could be problematic.
Su Zhi carefully considered their situation. “Thank you for sharing your story, Lan Zhicheng. Let us discuss this matter further,” she said gently, glancing at Shen Zi’an to gauge his reaction and determine their next steps.
Su Zhi listened closely to Lan Zhicheng’s words, observing his eyes and demeanor. She didn’t notice anything suspicious, and his tone seemed genuine. His story was indeed pitiful, so why did Shen Zi’an seem so uneasy? She glanced at Shen Zi’an, who was looking at her, clearly indicating she should reconsider. She signaled that she understood.
“Lan Zhicheng, my husband and I are just simple village folk. To be honest, not long ago, we were so poor that we only had two straw huts and ate thin porridge with wild vegetables. We were fortunate to find a ginseng root, which we sold to buy a piece of wasteland no one else wanted. We fenced it off and, because our house is small and the garden is large, we thought of hiring someone to watch the gate. As simple villagers who have just come out of poverty, being able to hire help is already fortunate for us. We can’t afford to buy servants. Your offer puts us in a difficult position,” Su Zhi explained, gently turning down Lan Zhicheng’s request.
“Zi’an, don’t you agree?” she added, looking at Shen Zi’an for support.
Su Zhi was unsure whether Shen Zi’an was opposed to hiring or buying the elderly couple, so she gave him the opportunity to speak and decide. If he decided against hiring them, he would have a way to turn them away.
Shen Zi’an said, “My wife is right. Uncle Lan, I was being too hasty earlier. You came here looking for relatives, and although my wife and I helped you, it was just a small act of kindness. Asking you to stay and work for us seems excessive. When you mentioned signing a lifelong contract, I felt even more uneasy. How about this: you can stay at our place to recover. Once you’re well, we’ll give you some silver so you can find some work or continue looking for your relatives. This way, it feels more proper. Otherwise, it would seem like we saved you only to take advantage of your situation, which wouldn’t sit right with us.”
Su Zhi blinked, amused. It was clear that Shen Zi’an didn’t want the elderly couple to stay with them. She wondered what made him so wary of them. After all, it was his idea to hire them in the first place. Yet, just after a few questions, he changed his mind. She was curious about the reason behind his change of heart, but with the elderly couple present, she couldn’t ask him directly. Her curiosity was piqued, but she had to wait to satisfy it.
Lan Zhicheng said, “How could it be taking advantage of us? Saying such a thing makes us feel even worse. No, because of what you just said, we are even more determined to guard your garden. As long as we have food and a place to stay, we ask for nothing else.”
Su Zhi saw that Lan Zhicheng was truly eager to stay at their place, even refusing the offer of silver.
At this moment, Lan Zhicheng’s wife also spoke up, “Sir, Madam, please have pity on us and hire us. You need help, so please hire us. You saved us, and we will work diligently for you. If you send us away, we can’t take any silver from you. After being saved by you, how could we take your money? If we leave empty-handed, at our age, no one else will hire us. Even if we sold ourselves, no one would buy us. We can’t find our relatives and would end up wandering in a strange land.”
As she spoke, Lan Zhicheng’s wife began to cry, looking truly pitiful.
Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an exchanged glances. Su Zhi was moved by the couple’s desperation and sincerity, but she still wondered about Shen Zi’an’s earlier hesitation. She decided to give him another chance to explain his thoughts.
“Zi’an,” she said softly, “what do you think? Should we help them and let them stay?” She hoped that Shen Zi’an would share any concerns he had, allowing them to make a decision together.
Su Zhi quickly said, “Aunt Lan, please don’t cry.”
Yueyue, who was standing nearby, also tried to comfort her, “Grandma Lan, please don’t cry. I have some candy for you.”
Aunt Lan looked at the piece of candy Yueyue was offering. Seeing her small, earnest face made Aunt Lan cry even harder. She leaned against Lan Zhicheng’s shoulder and began to sob loudly.
Yueyue, eyes wide with confusion, held the candy in her hand. Eventually, she lowered it and retreated into Su Zhi’s embrace. She couldn’t understand why the old woman was crying even more after receiving her favorite candy, which usually made others happy. Yueyue felt puzzled and a bit hurt.
Su Zhi comforted Yueyue, patting her back gently. Then she turned to Shen Zi’an, her eyes seeking his guidance on what to do next.
Shen Zi’an sighed, seeing the sincere desperation in the old couple and the tears of his daughter. He knew they couldn’t turn them away now. “Alright,” he said softly, “Uncle Lan, Aunt Lan, you can stay with us. We’ll arrange for you to guard the garden. We will provide food and a place to live.”
Lan Zhicheng and Aunt Lan looked relieved, their gratitude evident despite Aunt Lan’s tears. “Thank you, thank you so much,” they both said, their voices trembling with emotion.
Su Zhi smiled reassuringly at Yueyue. “You did a good job, sweetie,” she whispered, “you helped us make a decision.” She hugged her daughter tightly, feeling a mixture of relief and concern about the future.
Su Zhi patted Yueyue gently, feeling just as puzzled herself. She couldn’t understand why Shen Zi’an didn’t want the elderly couple to work for them, yet was willing to give them silver to dissuade them. Similarly, she couldn’t fathom why the old couple insisted on going to their house, refusing even the offer of silver. It felt like they were being pushed into a corner. Was this still considered helping?
Su Zhi glanced at Shen Zi’an and said, “Alright, Aunt Lan, Aunt Lan, let’s go back home for now. Whether you stay or not, we’ll decide after you’ve recovered.”
Su Zhi planned to ask Shen Zi’an about his thoughts once they returned home. Once she understood his reasons, she would figure out how to handle the situation with the elderly couple—whether they stayed or left, she was confident she could find a solution.
Shen Zi’an and Su Zhi bought many things, especially cooking essentials like oil, salt, and soy sauce, along with rice, flour, and coarse grains. With a child now, their dietary needs had changed, requiring more refined grains and fewer coarse ones. They had plenty of fabric at home, so they didn’t buy any, but they did collect several fabric remnants to give to Shugen’s wife to use.
Next, they went to a clothing store and bought clothes for the elderly couple. After washing their faces and combing their hair, they looked much cleaner. Although their hair was mostly white and they had wrinkles, their facial expressions were kind. The old man had an honest and steady appearance, while the old woman looked gentle and serene. Judging by their appearances, they must have been quite handsome and beautiful when they were young.
Su Zhi couldn’t shake off her curiosity about the elderly couple. Their appearances didn’t seem to match those of bad people. She was eager to return home and ask Shen Zi’an why he didn’t want them to work for them. As they finished shopping, they headed back home.
On their way back, they passed through the village, where Lan Zhicheng and Aunt Lan attracted the attention of curious onlookers. Some villagers approached to ask who they were, and the elderly couple explained that they were acquaintances of Su Zhi from her time at the convent. They mentioned they were here to search for relatives but hadn’t found them yet, so they were staying with Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an for a couple of days.
As they arrived home, Su Zhi made a mental note to have a good talk with Shen Zi’an about the situation. She was determined to understand his reasons for not wanting the elderly couple to work for them.
Note: The terms used to address Uncle Lan and his wife are actually “Lan Laodie” and “Lan Daniang” respectively. These are informal Chinese terms used to respectfully address an elderly man and woman. As there are no direct equivalents in English, I’ve opted to translate them as “Uncle” and “Aunt” based on the context and relationship. This choice maintains clarity while reflecting the familial affection and respect, especially since the children in the story refer to them as “grandpa” and “grandma.