Chapter 2

Lin Miao had always been a bold and carefree kid. In her eyes, she was already someone who had seen the world, after all, among all the kids in the village, she was the only one attending primary school in town. Many adults in the village praised her, saying she was amazing, even better than the boys. Over time, she started to believe it herself.
She had just stepped out of the village when she asked the master, “If I work during the day, can I come back at night? My dad and little brother went to the city, and my mom’s at home by herself. I’m afraid it’ll be hard for her. There’s no one to help her apply the medicated patches.” Her mom often had shoulder pain and needed Lin Miao to help her with that.
The master lowered his head, looking at her innocent little face. “It’s too far. You can’t walk back.”
Lin Miao figured he probably didn’t know she could walk at night with a torch. He must’ve mistaken her for one of those village kids afraid of the dark. So she quickly said, “It’s no problem, I promise I won’t waste a single minute. I go to school in town all the time.”
The master couldn’t help patting her head. “The place we’re going is much farther than town. Much, much farther.”
Lin Miao fell silent. No wonder all the older kids who left the village to work only came home for New Year’s.
Next to them, the village chief frowned at Lin Miao. After all, he had watched her grow up. Every day after school, she’d stop by to say hi. She knew everyone in the village. He finally said, still uneasy, “Brother, this kid…”
“Don’t worry, she won’t suffer. She’ll have a better life than she would here. We searched so many places and only found one child born on the same year, month, and day as the young master. We won’t make things hard for her,” the master said. “It’s fate. The old madam insisted on a child from the countryside, said it meant she’d have a strong life. But after searching everywhere, she’s the only one who fits.”
“I thought she was supposed to ward off bad luck?” the village chief said.
“That kind of mystical stuff, who can say for sure?” the master replied. “We’re heading back now. They know we’ve found someone and they’re already on the way to pick her up. They’re in a panic, the young master’s in another fevered coma.”
The master, dressed in a long yellow robe, sighed.
The village chief looked surprised. “Why don’t they take him to a doctor?”
“They did. They have several family doctors.” The master shook his head. “But you wouldn’t understand even if I explained. I’ll go now.”
When they reached the village entrance, since there was no road into the village, they had to walk the mountain trail. The master naturally crouched down and said, “I’ll carry you down.”
Lin Miao shook her head. “I know this trail super well.”
Then she took off running, carrying her old, worn-out schoolbag on her back, bouncing down the mountain like a little rabbit.
Even though it was downhill, the trail wasn’t easy. The master walked carefully, only to see the little girl up ahead darting along like a butterfly. Somehow, every step she took was steady, and yet she was so fast.
Once they were out of the mountains, they reached the road, where someone was already waiting for them.
The master stuffed Lin Miao into the back seat and buckled her seatbelt.
It was Lin Miao’s first time in a car, she was both nervous and excited, looking around in every direction.
“Are we taking the car to go work?” she asked.
The master got in too and told the driver to go.
“That’s right,” the master replied. Then he noticed her pant legs were soaked, and her army-style shoes were still muddy.
Being stared at like that made Lin Miao a bit self-conscious. Her face flushed red, and she secretly thought that as soon as they got somewhere with water, she’d wash everything clean.
He remembered the bundle of firewood she had carried, and the basket of mushrooms on her back. Her tiny frame had been bent low under the weight. He’d grown up here too, but even as a kid, his life wasn’t this tough.
That was part of why he liked her.
A hardworking, sensible, and open-hearted kid, of course he had a good impression of her. Then he remembered how her mom said they found her a job, so he said to her, “Your job is to listen. Do whatever they ask you to do, got it?”
Lin Miao didn’t really understand. What exactly were they going to ask her to do? Harvest rice? Pick corn? Dig up potatoes? She could do all that!
Looking at Lin Miao’s clear, innocent eyes, the master couldn’t help thinking about the young master’s rotten temper. He sighed in his heart. “If someone yells at you, just don’t take it to heart.”
Lin Miao nodded obediently. “I’ll do a good job.” She was determined not to get yelled at.
The car bumped along the muddy road. Lin Miao quickly got distracted again by the view out the window. It was her first time in a car, the trees flying past, the roadside flowers, they all looked different from usual.
Seeing how inexperienced she looked, the master was worried she’d get in trouble and reminded her, “Don’t make a fuss. When you’re in the car, keep your head forward. When we get to the place, don’t touch or look around too much, understand?”
Lin Miao straightened her posture and nodded seriously.
Then her eyes couldn’t help drifting sideways again.
The master softened a little. She was still just a kid, after all. “Alright, just this once, you can look.”
Lin Miao beamed. “Master, you’re so nice!”
Then went right back to staring out the window.
She watched and watched, then gradually drifted off, leaning against the glass.
After all, you had to get up early to go mushroom picking, otherwise, others would get to them first. So before dawn, she’d left without breakfast, heading out with her friends.
And she’d run all the way down the mountain afterward.
Now she was both sleepy and hungry.
When she woke up, the scenery outside had changed, it was no longer endless green mountains.
Lin Miao stared in surprise. There were buildings everywhere.
The master said to her, “Sleep a bit more. We’re almost there. When they ask you questions, just answer honestly. This kid really can sleep, five whole hours!”
Lin Miao blinked. Why did everyone keep saying that to her? What were they going to ask?
Not long after, the car came to a stop.
Lin Miao stared wide-eyed at what was in front of her...a castle! She had only ever seen buildings like this in the fairy tale books her dad mailed home.
The master brought Lin Miao over and said to the middle-aged man who came out to meet them, “This is the kid.”
The man frowned. “Why is she so dirty?”
“She was collecting mushrooms and firewood up in the mountains when I found her. Had to hurry back.” The master replied, “I’ve delivered her. Once the young master wakes up, we’ll start the ritual.”
The man sighed. “Thank you, Master.”
Then he turned to Lin Miao. “Come with me.”
Lin Miao obediently followed, feeling a little embarrassed. She hadn’t found a chance to wash up along the way, and now she worried they might not want her anymore.
Then she saw the courtyard full of flowers, bright red, blazing flowers.
She’d only ever seen tiny wildflowers on the mountains, never anything this big or this red. It was so beautiful it felt like a scene from a painting.
The man said, “I’m the housekeeper. When the old madam asks you something, just answer truthfully.”
Before they even reached the main hall, they heard a man’s irritated voice from inside: “Mom, it’s all superstition! Now the whole city knows I’m looking for a kid born on February 29 to ‘ward off evil’ for Jingxuan. How am I supposed to show my face?”
Then came the voice of an elderly woman: “Just give it a try. I’ve heard it really works.”
The housekeeper knocked on the door. Holding Lin Miao’s hand, he said, “Old madam, the master has brought the child.”
Lin Miao looked into the living room. She couldn’t quite name all the things she saw, only that everything was so white, so clean, not a speck of dust. It looked so comfortable, like a palace from a story.
The two people sitting inside were more...impressive than anyone she had ever met.
She couldn’t think of a better word.
Then she heard the old lady say, “This is the girl? Born the same year, month, and day as Xiao Yu? She looks so much shorter than him, look at those skinny little arms and legs…”
Lin Miao’s heart tightened. They were clearly saying she was too short and skinny. What if they didn’t want her anymore? The village chief had already given money to her mom, if she was rejected, they’d have to return it!
Then she was asked, “Have you ever been sick? What do you usually do at home?”
Lin Miao quickly answered, “I’ve never been sick. At home, I harvest rice, carry firewood, pick mushrooms, chop trees, dig potatoes, shuck corn, I can do everything.”
“You go to school?” The middle-aged man frowned again. He didn’t like the look of her.
Trying to impress them, Lin Miao rushed to share something others in the village were proud of, even if she herself didn’t like it much. “I do! I go to school in town,” she said, a little proudly. “At the best primary school in our town.”
The old lady laughed. “That’s nice. Do you enjoy school?”
“Not really. I have to walk over three hours every day. I don’t want to go anymore. I’ll just work hard in the future.” Lin Miao was honest. She didn’t like school in town, partly because of that, she had to leave before dawn, walking by torchlight. If she was late, she’d get punished.
There was a river at the foot of the mountain. On rainy days, the water would rise, and crossing it would soak her pants. Kids at school would laugh and say she’d peed herself. She truly didn’t want to go back.
The old lady chuckled again and took a closer look at her. Such a small girl, having to walk three hours to and from school. Her face was a healthy wheat-colored tan from the sun. Her short hair, barely reaching her ears, was dark and shiny, clearly a healthy child.
The old lady said, “Take her for a bath and change her clothes.”
There weren’t any girls’ clothes in the house. Remembering what she was mainly brought here for, the old lady added, “Get some of the young master’s old clothes for her.”