Chapter 8

"When I saw you the other day with the master, you were quite bold, but now you seem shy," Aunt Meng said with a smile. "Don't be in such a hurry to feel shy; I actually have something important to discuss with you. The master was supposed to come in person, but he is currently with the madam and cannot spare the time. This matter is extremely urgent and cannot be overheard by others, which is why I sent those maids away. " She couldn't help but laugh again, saying, "That day it was dark, and I only felt that you looked familiar. Now that I see you in this light, it’s no wonder I found you familiar; you resemble the master in his youth by about sixty to seventy percent. No wonder those young men were so eager to serve you the other day; it seems they were not just obedient, but rather they were all too clever and overthinking things!"

Just as I was about to cry, I heard a woman's voice outside the door: "Why aren't you serving inside?" Then came the delicate voice of a young girl: "This courtyard has been uninhabited for too long, and the room has become quite cold. I only lit a small brazier, but I noticed that the charcoal wasn't very good and was afraid it would smoke the young master. That's why I brought over the white charcoal used by the master; it produces smoke when ignited, so I will wait for the smoke to dissipate before bringing it inside.

Then, two girls' voices were heard saying "yes," followed by the sound of footsteps fading away. It was still the voice of the older girl from before, speaking to another maid: "Guiyuan, go find your sister Lizhi and have her send over 4 quilts and 4 mattresses, using the fabric from the sets we bought from Deruifang last month. Also, bring me the two sets of clothes I just found, along with the extra set made for the master at the end of last year. And the curtains and canopies, pick out two sets and quickly replace these messy items. Apple, please invite Xu Niangzi over to measure the young master. Kindly ask her to have two maids quickly make four sets of clothes for the young master for the season, starting with winter. Please have the other two maids continue making clothes for the young lady, with each of their wages increased by fifty percent. Also, ask Xu Niangzi if there are any skilled embroiderers we can hire to help? Just two will do, as the young master needs clothes right away, and the young lady will arrive in at most a month, so we cannot afford to delay."

The woman methodically assigned tasks one by one, instructing the girls to carry out various chores. In no time, the courtyard was left with only her. Xu Yang sat dazed on the edge of the bed, having already vaguely guessed where he was. The voice outside should belong to the concubine Meng he had encountered when he came to see Lin Ruhai that day, so this place must be the Lin residence. Before he could ponder further, the door opened, and Concubine Meng walked in. The voice outside should belong to the concubine Meng he had encountered when he came to see Lin Ruhai that day, so this place must be the Lin residence. Before he could ponder further, the door opened, and Concubine Meng walked in

Aunt Meng was considerate, and then explained: "Your background truly cannot be disclosed to others. You do not understand the customs here, and you do not have a household registration, so it is most appropriate to say that you are a returnee from overseas. As for Madam Gu, it does not matter whether you are willing to join us in this deception. You have your own parents, and naturally, you would not want to acknowledge others as your parents. The master does not intend to force you. However, Madam Gu's child was only two years old when lost, and at that age, one cannot remember much, so it is fine if you do not acknowledge it. You have your own parents, and naturally, you would not want to recognize others as your parents. The master does not intend to force you. However, Madam Gu's child was only two years old when lost, and at that age, one cannot remember much, so it is fine if you do not acknowledge it. As long as Madam Gu believes that you cannot remember your childhood, and thus only remember your biological parents as your true parents, it will suffice for her to regard you as her son. Madam Gu is getting older and cannot withstand great shocks; if we tell her now that she must have recognized the wrong person, she might not be able to bear it.

Lin Ruhai did not speak definitively; his words were a mix of truth and falsehood. Although he entertained the thought of having Xu Yang be a son to his sister, he was uncertain about Xu Yang's feelings. Therefore, he refrained from mentioning that he considered him to be his nephew. Not wanting to directly deceive his sister, he simply said: "He hasn't mentioned whether his parents are biological. Perhaps Heaven, in its compassion for my sister's solitude, has sent her a child to fulfill the duties of a nephew." Looking up, he saw his sister crying incessantly, seemingly on the verge of fainting, so he hurriedly added: "Of course, it’s possible he is indeed the nephew, having been abducted, encountered a good family, and drifted overseas. He is not familiar with me, which is why he hasn’t revealed his identity." Perhaps Heaven, in its compassion for my sister's solitude, has sent her a child to fulfill the duties of a nephew. Looking up, he saw his sister crying incessantly, seemingly on the verge of fainting, so he hurriedly added: "Of course, it’s possible he is indeed the nephew, having been abducted, encountered a good family, and drifted overseas. He is not familiar with me, which is why he hasn’t revealed his identity?"

He raised his arm, dressed in a soft, thin silk garment, covered by a gentle brocade quilt. He sat up slowly, feeling a slight headache and a bit dizzy, though not severely. The quilt had slipped off him, and he felt somewhat cold. Looking out through the bright tiles, it seemed quite bright outside, indicating it was daytime. The room was not actually too cold; it was just that lying in bed under the quilt, wearing only a layer of silk clothing, made him feel a bit chilly.

Fortunately, Xu Yang's mind has not completely deteriorated, so he is not truly engaging in such absurd behavior. Although he has slept for two days, he has now genuinely recovered from his fever and feels incredibly alert. Suddenly, he recalls the woman in ancient attire who resembled his mother that he saw the last time he woke up

Xu Yang awoke in a profound silence, struggling to open his eyes. He discovered that above him was no longer the old, decayed roof of a dilapidated house, but rather a light green tent. The faint smell of decay that had always surrounded him was replaced by a subtle fragrance of medicine mingled with what seemed to be the scent of incense.

He had been ill for quite some time, and fortunately, that old man was charitable, taking care of him day and night, and eventually helped him recover. However, the old man fell ill, and Xu Yang tried every possible means but could not find a doctor willing to treat him. On the road, he heard someone mention Lin Hai's name, which felt vaguely familiar, as if it were someone his family had known when he was young. Moreover, others spoke highly of Lin Daren's charitable nature and his kindness towards others (Lin Ruhai had never praised himself like this before; it was enough to make one’s teeth ache with envy). To save the elderly man who had taken him in, he risked being thrown out and gritted his teeth to seek help, offering a family heirloom—a very rare "watch"—to ask Lin Ruhai to intervene and find a good doctor to save his Grandpa Zhang. Lin Ruhai noticed that the boy bore a slight resemblance to himself, and his name was the same as his nephew's. It was even more remarkable that he inquired about the boy's actions in Yangzhou over the past two months and found him to be a good child. ... Feeling that this was a fateful connection with the boy, he was moved by a paternal instinct and thus offered assistance in every way possible ... Lin Ruhai noticed that the boy bore a slight resemblance to himself, and his name was the same as his nephew's. It was even more remarkable that he inquired about the boy's actions in Yangzhou over the past two months and found him to be a good child. ... Feeling that this was a fateful connection with the boy, he was moved by a paternal instinct and thus offered assistance in every way possible ...

Xu Yang said thank you to Auntie, took it in a daze, drank a few sips, and finally couldn't help but ask: "What is your surname, Auntie?" Aunt Meng smiled and replied: "Just call me Aunt Meng." Hearing the term "Auntie," Xu Yang felt it was quite strange and found it hard to say, so he softly said: "Hello, Aunt Meng." Seeing him like this, Aunt Meng smiled even more happily, set the cup aside, and looked around up and down. Xu Yang felt increasingly embarrassed, lowering his head more and more, his face turning red.

Whenever he thought of Grandpa Zhang, Xu Yang felt a wave of sorrow wash over him, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Then came the previous woman's voice: "Indeed, this house has not been used for many years, so it is certainly a bit chilly. Yangmei, take the oranges to the storeroom and bring a few more fire basins. Have the maid send over another 200 jin of white charcoal. That stingy girl, how long can a few jin last? By the way, simply find three or four good smoking racks from last year, both large and small, and have them sent over. The weather is getting colder by the day; placing a few smoking racks to smoke the quilts and warm up the place is quite economical. Let’s prepare everything in advance to avoid the hassle of remembering things later."

Mrs. Xu, however, was crying while listening, alternating between tears and laughter as she read the book. After laughing, she continued to cry, then scolded Lin Ruhai for not promptly bringing her dear son back home, which had caused the child to fall seriously ill. Lin Ruhai felt utterly wronged and could only repeatedly apologize, stubbornly claiming that he was afraid of encountering a fraud, which is why he sent someone to first observe the child's character. This led to his sister poking his forehead several times, and after scolding her brother, she hugged him tightly and cried, thanking him. After expressing her gratitude, she stared at him, and upon finishing, she scolded him for not taking care of his health, which had made him so thin. This series of actions left Lin Ruhai's old face flushed with embarrassment. Aunt Meng, standing by, covered her mouth with a handkerchief, unable to stop laughing. After laughing, she quietly slipped away to find Xu Yang to discuss the testimony.

Xu Yang is indeed a ruthless person, especially considering that Mrs. Xu resembles his mother so much. He wishes he could immediately go see Mrs. Xu to soothe his feelings of not being able to see his mother again. Upon hearing that Mrs. Xu has suffered throughout her life, he suddenly comes to a realization: "Although my mother is gone, at least I still have my brother, and my father loves her so much. She is certainly much happier than Mrs. Xu, who truly has nothing at all." He originally loved his parents deeply, and even for the sake of helping others, he was reluctant to call someone else 'mother.' However, after hearing what Aunt Meng said and reflecting on it, he feels that pretending to be foolish and comforting Mrs. Xu isn't such a bad thing. He has already let his own mother down, so if he can bring a little happiness to another unfortunate mother, that could be considered a good deed.

To speak frankly, Aunt Meng is a very beautiful woman. Even at the age of forty-five, her long-term privileged lifestyle has allowed her to maintain her appearance quite well. Although the passage of time has brought her crow's feet, it has also endowed her with the grace of a middle-aged woman. What is even more remarkable is that she bears a striking resemblance to someone well-known; most contemporary Chinese people are familiar with the ageless myth of Zhao Yazhi. Zhao Yazhi is an actress who enjoys performing in period dramas. That day, as night fell, Xu Yang was so preoccupied with circling around Lin Ruhai that he failed to notice Aunt Meng's appearance. At that moment, seeing Aunt Meng, who resembled Zhao Yazhi from a period drama, Xu Yang felt an absurd sense of dissonance, as if he were still in the modern world. He even experienced a desire to pull out a notebook and shout, "Sister Zhi, could I have your autograph!"

Mrs. Xu cried out: "There is a mole by his ear, the same as the one on Yang's body. Our old lady said it is a lucky mole, a sign of turning misfortune into good fortune. I just looked at it; the birthmark on his buttocks is round. Other children in different families also have those blue marks on their buttocks, but who has one that is so perfectly round? It is precisely because of that mark that his father named him 'Yang.' This matter is known only to the two of us; where in this world could there be such a coincidence, the same name, the same appearance, even the mole on his face and the mark on his buttocks are identical!" It is precisely because of that mark that his father named him 'Yang.' This matter is known only to the two of us; where in this world could there be such a coincidence, the same name, the same appearance, even the mole on his face and the mark on his buttocks are identical!

Lin Ruhai and Aunt Meng had a discussion, and specially fabricated a background for Xu Yang, not only to deceive his sister. Xu Yang's origins were mysterious, and he would need an identity in the future, yet he had no household registration or anything. Lin Ruhai was grateful to him and wanted to provide him with a place to settle down, and because of the things he knew, he did not want him to be too far away. Thus, a justification for his background was necessary. Therefore, what Lin Ruhai told Mrs. Xu was the experience that he and Aunt Meng had carefully concocted: Xu Yang was a child who grew up overseas, his family had some wealth, and his parents spoiled him, allowing him to live quite well. However, having been away for so long, he was not very familiar with the customs and etiquette here, so although he understood some matters of the Celestial Empire, he was indeed not very fluent in terms of etiquette and language. Recently, his parents passed away; they loved him dearly, and thus Xu Yang was remarkably filial to them. He remembered that his parents had always urged him to visit his homeland when he had the opportunity, but fearing that staying there would stir up emotions, he decided to sell off his family assets and return to settle in his homeland. Little did he know that after drifting for thousands of miles at sea without encountering any incidents, upon reaching the Yangtze River, he instead encountered water bandits. His family servant protected him and helped him escape, but this poor child had never endured such hardships. Although he managed to reach the shore, he fell ill as soon as he arrived in Yangzhou. Not recognizing anyone and having no relatives, he could not even communicate and was taken in by a poor man named Zhang.

Upon hearing these words, Lin Ruhai was momentarily taken aback. He felt a connection between Xu Yang and his family, wishing to help his sister recognize a son, yet he was also troubled by the thought of deceiving her. Thus, he had not spoken too definitively. However, it now seemed that perhaps, as Aunt Meng had said, the notions of past and present lives were indeed correct. This was a fate bestowed by heaven, one that neither he nor anyone else could alter. With that realization, he felt less apprehensive and simply smiled, saying: "Sister, do not cry; this is heaven's blessing, bringing back your nephew. You should be happy, so do not let your eyes suffer from tears!" This was a fate bestowed by heaven, one that neither he nor anyone else could alter. With that realization, he felt less apprehensive and simply smiled, saying: "Sister, do not cry; this is heaven's blessing, bringing back your nephew. You should be happy, so do not let your eyes suffer from tears!"

"How did you get out of bed?" Aunt Meng walked over gracefully, casually helping Xu Yang half-recline back onto the bed. She covered his waist and legs with a quilt, then looked around the room, picked up another thin quilt, and draped it over him. After opening the cabinet to take out a bedspread to tuck behind Xu Yang, she noticed he seemed much more comfortable. Only then did she smile and bring him a cup of water, saying: "You need to get better; don’t catch a chill. I’ll have them find you some of the master’s clothes to wear before you get out of bed. You can’t drink tea right now; have a few sips of plain water to soothe your throat."

Aunt Meng suddenly realized: "No wonder you call Aunt Gu 'Mom'! So that's how it is. Your mother looks very much like Aunt Gu? I forgot to tell you, the lady you met is our master’s sister, Mrs. Xu." Upon hearing the title 'Mrs. Xu', Xu Yang was taken aback, as his father, to a certain extent, was also an official. Therefore, during social interactions, there were occasionally people who referred to his mother as Mrs. Xu. However, Xu Yang's mother disliked this form of address; she preferred to be called Professor Lin rather than Mrs. Xu. He was indeed stunned, as his father, to a certain extent, was also an official. Therefore, during social interactions, there were occasionally people who referred to his mother as Mrs. Xu. However, Xu Yang's mother disliked this form of address; she preferred to be called Professor Lin rather than Mrs. Xu. Aunt Meng noticed his expression and realized that he was probably thinking of his mother again. It was not appropriate to bring up the matter she had discussed with Lin Ruhai at this time, but time was pressing. If Aunt Gu were to come over, there would be no time for discussion, and it was likely that three sentences would reveal everything. Thus, she stopped wasting words and began to recount the matters concerning Mrs. Xu one by one, and also shared with Xu Yang the background that Lin Ruhai had fabricated for him.

Xu Yang was merely spoiled by his family, yet he was not foolish; a fool could not possibly gain admission to a top-tier university in the capital. Upon hearing Aunt Meng's words, he suddenly recalled the ancient noblewoman he had seen the last time he woke up, who bore a striking resemblance to his mother. He tentatively asked, "When I woke up last time, I seemed to have seen a lady who looked a lot like my mother, and I called out in a flurry. That, um, shouldn't have been a dream, right? I apologize if I startled her, that lady..." He suddenly remembered that not every woman in ancient times could be addressed as 'lady,' and not knowing what term to use, he recalled that face so similar to his mother's. Unintentionally, his voice began to quiver with emotion, and he lowered his head even more.

Getting out of bed, I discovered a pair of satin shoes on the floor, with a layered sole, and surprisingly, they were embroidered with butterflies! Xu Yang's lips twitched as he slipped his feet into these shoes that could be displayed in a museum in the 21st century. To his surprise, they fit comfortably. Standing up, he looked down at himself, dressed in a white top and pants, resembling the sleepwear of wealthy people from ancient times as depicted on television. It was very comfortable, much more so than the clothes Grandpa Zhang had provided for him to change into.