Chapter 25: The Unexpected Good Neighbor

Master Song held his beautiful companion in his arms and chuckled, "Qiushui, you are clever and sharp, but at heart, you are a kind woman, lacking in strategy and calculation. Currently, Mistress An lives alone. If her husband’s family were to demand she return to observe mourning rites, they could legally seize her assets. Or, if her maternal clan were to insist she adopt a son to carry on the family name, her kin would naturally feel justified in taking control of everything.

"In our dynasty, there are no restrictions on a woman remarrying; a woman follows her father in her first marriage and her own will in the second. Mistress An is recently widowed. Although she claims she will not remarry, she is only in her early twenties—who can say what the future holds? If she were to remarry, this business would be brought into her new husband’s household as part of her dowry. If it were a small venture, there might be no risk, but as you have described its profitability, this business will soon become a significant sum. Wealth stirs the heart, and there are too many variables.

"We may not care about Mistress An’s personal assets, but if her business interests fall into the hands of others, it will inevitably affect you. It is entirely possible for them to be swallowed up completely. We must take precautions now; only by preventing the transfer of Mistress An’s equity can we safeguard your power."

Qiushui had not considered all of this, but as Master Song laid it out, her understanding suddenly cleared. She was a woman who had left the courtesan life behind, and being of a certain age, she would have no more children. If Mistress An were to remarry and gain the support of a new husband's family, she herself would surely end up isolated and weak. By binding their interests together, she would effectively cut off any such ideas. Realizing that this man was truly planning for her future and shielding her from potential loss, Qiushui’s beautiful eyes filled with gratitude. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, whispering, "Master Qi!"

With such soft, fragrant beauty in his arms, Master Song’s heart stirred. No longer wishing to waste time enjoying the cool air, he picked up Qiushui and carried her back inside. That night was, naturally, one of passionate intimacy and lingering desire.

Back at the house on Pear Blossom Lane, An Chunfeng slept fitfully. In her dreams, she cried out, refusing to leave, but her parents, having secured the money, heartlessly shut her out. She was then taken to a so-called acrobatic troupe, forced to learn skills, endure training... moving through gambling dens night after night, staying up until dawn, her days and nights turned upside down. She grew to loathe the darkness, only finding a way to escape and live in seclusion once she had earned enough for her boss. She had been focused on healing her body and mind until the child by the roadside appeared, followed by the sudden impact of a vehicle.

With a scream, An Chunfeng jolted awake from the terror. She sat up and gulped down the now-cold tea by her bedside, waiting for her pounding heart to calm. Looking at the distance, the Drum Tower had only just struck the third watch. She could not sleep any longer. Feeling her back soaked with sweat, she lit a lamp, fetched water to wash, and then returned to the parlor to take out her spare crochet hook and weave lace trim.

The night was deep and silent, and with no need to focus on her internal training, the sounds of flutes and pipes drifted clearly to her ears. She recalled Qiushui saying that this area was once the property of the Music Bureau. Most of it had been sold off, but some aging songstresses remained to live out their twilight years, no longer receiving guests, save for old companions. These melodies must be coming from there—the instruments once used for the entertainment of the pleasure quarters were now merely companions for the passing of old age.

Before she knew it, dawn broke. An Chunfeng practiced her usual exercises to loosen her limbs, and only when the streets began to bustle with activity did she open her door and head out. As soon as she stepped out, she noticed something different: someone was greeting her.

She had lived in Pear Blossom Lane for nearly twenty days, and every resident she encountered had been cold and aloof, with no one ever pausing to speak. She had not expected that her outburst yesterday would actually lead to her being accepted. Perhaps it was because they finally understood her background.

Several women were standing in the lane, surrounding a farmer’s cart to pick through vegetables, their eyes darting toward her every now and then. Seeing An Chunfeng walk by, one woman wearing a silk robe with a cloth headscarf waved her hand and shouted, "Hey! Lady An, come over and buy some vegetables! These were just pulled from the earth, incredibly fresh. If we buy the rest of this pile together, it will only be five coins a pound!"

An Chunfeng was somewhat flattered. Glancing over, she saw the vegetables were indeed fresh, still beaded with morning dew. The farmer smiled honestly, "Good morning, my lady. These are grown in my own garden; my family watches them day and night to keep the bugs off—they are the best quality!"

An Chunfeng hesitated. She did not cook; what would she do with vegetables? But seeing the goodwill being offered, she walked over anyway. The women moved aside by tacit agreement. The woman who had called out was in her thirties, rather thin, with a long face; when she smiled, wrinkles bunched up on both sides of her nose as if she were forcing the expression.

She gestured toward some greens for An Chunfeng and asked, "You’ve lived in this lane for some time, but we don't know your name yet. My surname is Qiu, and my husband’s is Liao. Everyone calls me Mistress Liao." She then turned and pointed to the other women one by one, "This is Lady Hua, and this is Sister Qi..."

The women mentioned all looked a bit awkward but nodded politely at An Chunfeng. An Chunfeng bowed and smiled in return, "Good morning to you all! My surname is An."

Mistress Liao smiled brightly at the others, "Look, Lady An is truly a kind person. We should spend more time together in the future; it’s easier to bargain for groceries when we shop as a group."

One woman chimed in with a smile, "Mistress Liao is right, though I’m afraid Lady An doesn't know how to cook."

Mistress Liao glanced at An Chunfeng, then suddenly clapped her hands in an exaggerated manner, "Oh, look at me! Lady An is carrying a food box—are you going out to eat again? It’s not for me to lecture you, but cooking your own breakfast is cheaper and cleaner than eating out! Since everyone just drinks porridge in the morning and eats lightly, if you find it troublesome, you can come eat at my place every morning. My family is small; adding one more person is just adding an extra pair of chopsticks."

"My house can do it too! It’s just a bowl of porridge, after all—just add a little more water!" her companion chimed in with an invitation.

An Chunfeng could not possibly go to someone else's house to eat, but she didn't know how to refuse them to their faces. Feeling quite unaccustomed to this sudden surge of warmth, she could only offer a polite, awkward smile, "I must be going."

With that, she turned and fled, not daring to look back for fear of being pulled into more intimate chatter. Once out of Pear Blossom Lane, An Chunfeng went to her usual breakfast stall. She had a healthy appetite and, unlike other women, did not believe in starving herself to stay thin. A bowl of steamed egg custard, a bowl of sticky millet porridge, three red bean buns, and a small dish of pickles. The proprietress knew her taste well and served her the moment she arrived.

After eating her fill, she sent her food box to the tavern that had just opened to pre-order her lunch, intending to pick it up later. Only then did she head to Qiushui’s fabric shop. By the time she arrived, the shop had just opened. Hearing from the clerk that An Chunfeng had arrived, Qiushui came out from the back courtyard after a quick wash.

An Chunfeng noticed the flush still lingering on Qiushui’s face and the sultry look in her eyes. Then, seeing Master Song amble out from the back, she immediately swallowed the words she had been about to say.

Qiushui, oblivious to An Chunfeng's unease, asked on her own, "Sister An, the contract hasn't been sent to the magistrate for filing yet. Is there anything you wish to add or change?"

An Chunfeng shook her head, "No, I only wanted to ask that when you find people, please choose those who are nimble and patient, regardless of age. Also, please prepare more bamboo sticks to sharpen into crochet hooks!"

Qiushui smiled, "You’ve already told me that. I’ve kept it in mind—why come all the way here just to say it again?"