Chapter 3: Lost Memories

A wave of weariness surged up, and Shen Tong struggled to open her eyes wide. The listlessness just now wasn't an act. She was still a child recovering from a serious illness. She wondered if Rongniang had also given her this medicine during her illness.

She couldn't sleep, she couldn't sleep. Shen Tong forced herself to sit up. The first thing she needed to do was to figure out what was going on.

If it was really the cold food powder, for an eight-year-old child, using it multiple times would not only harm the body but also the brain.

It wouldn't necessarily turn someone into an idiot. Adults would become increasingly forgetful, have seizures, and hallucinations, but what about children... perhaps they would forget everything, just like her.

In her previous life, she didn't start practicing martial arts until a whole year after being taken to the warrior camp. During that year, she was sick, and she didn't know what illness she had. She was in a daze, often visited by doctors who checked her pulse and administered acupuncture...

Even so, compared to Xinwu and Xinxu, her peers, she was still much slower after recovering from her illness. Whether it was reading or martial arts, she had to put in several times more effort than others. She always thought it was because of the serious illness that made her forget her parents and everything from her childhood, making her duller than ordinary children.

But now, she realized that maybe she wasn't really sick at that time. The doctors were treating her body invaded by the cold food powder.

Shen Tong shuddered.

She was reborn, but her childhood memories were only the moment she fell off the cliff. Why did her mother hand her over to Rongniang, and why did her mother go mad?

Something must have happened at home, so her mother entrusted her to Rongniang. Rongniang was her maternal uncle's concubine, and her maternal uncle was her mother's relative. Rongniang was also her mother's maid. Both her maternal uncle and Rongniang should have been trusted by her mother.

Shen Tong shook her head vigorously to clear her mind.

She rubbed her eyes and suddenly cried out hysterically, "Mother, I want my mother!"

The door outside was pushed open, and a maid named Fangfei ran in. "Miss, what's wrong with you?"

Seeing that it was her, Shen Tong breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that it was just a little maid. If Rongniang had come herself, it would have been troublesome.

"Fangfei, where is Rongniang?" she asked timidly.

"Madam is in the kitchen making medicine for you. She's still watching the fire. Madam really cares about you."

Yes, she even watches the fire herself.

Shen Tong breathed another sigh of relief. After her uncle left, Rongniang was in charge of the household. Normally, Rongniang should have had her own trusted people, but whether it was making medicine or watching the fire, Rongniang didn't let her trusted people do it.

It seemed that Rongniang wasn't as comfortable in this household as she thought.

"Fangfei, are there any other people in the house? You and Chunque need to do the laundry, and I'm alone in the room and scared..." Shen Tong's voice was filled with grievance. She was still a child and had just arrived in a strange place, so it was inevitable that she would be afraid.

Fangfei looked hesitant. "Other than the servants and Chunque, there's only Steward Tao and his son, Tao Shun. Steward Tao has a bad temper, and even Madam is a little afraid of him... In the future, I'll be more efficient and free up time to accompany you, Miss."

So, there were only the steward and his son, two little maids in the entire household. This was quite interesting. It was normal for an ordinary family to have only two maids to help with household chores, but why would they need a steward? How could a family that could afford a steward have only two little maids?

An empty household and a maid who wanted to drug her!

At this moment, Rongniang pushed the door open and came in, holding a tray with steaming soup and medicine.

The first bowl of medicine had been spilled, and Rongniang must have been anxious, or she wouldn't have brought the soup and medicine to Shen Tong with such urgency.

Shen Tong discreetly pursed her lips. It was fortunate that this Rongniang was so impatient.

"Child, drink the soup quickly. If your illness doesn't improve, Madam will be very worried," Rongniang said as she placed the soup and medicine in front of Shen Tong.

There was a faint smell of alcohol!

When adding cold food powder to the medicine, alcohol was used as a catalyst to achieve the best effect.

Shen Tong touched her head and said lazily to Rongniang, "Rongniang, the medicine is still hot. I want to go for a walk in the courtyard. I'll drink it when it cools down. I've been lying in the room for a long time, and my head feels dizzy."

As she spoke, Shen Tong quickly put on her shoes and then ran out the door.

Her movements were swift, and Rongniang was taken aback before she hurriedly urged Fangfei, "What are you waiting for? Go and support Miss."

Shen Tong had already left the room. It was a bright sunny day outside, and she took a deep breath. It was fortunate that although her body was delicate and had just recovered from a serious illness, it was still agile. She just felt a little dizzy, probably from lying down for too long.

She stood under the eaves and turned to Rongniang and Fangfei, who had followed her out. "Don't worry, I just wanted to get some fresh air."

Yes, I haven't figured out the situation yet, so I won't run away.

The small courtyard was only one room, without any side rooms or wing rooms.

In her past life, when she carried out her missions, she had been to many wealthy households. Before an assassination, the assassin must first understand the environment, knowing where the master lives and where the servants live, all must be known like the back of their hand.

And here, not only would it not be a place for guests like Miss Biao to stay, it might not even be a place for the servants.

If she wasn't mistaken, this place should have originally been used for storing miscellaneous items, no wonder the walls were freshly painted in snow-white.

What's even more interesting is that the courtyard gate is not made of wood, but of iron.

It's not the main entrance, so whose inner courtyard would have an iron gate?

This place was specifically prepared for her.

A place to confine her.

Miss Biao's uncle's family really overestimated her. Can an eight-year-old girl like her escape?

"Is there anything fun outside? I want to go take a look," Shen Tong said deliberately, wanting to see Rong Niang's anxious expression.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Rong Niang said, "What's fun outside? Miss, I'm still sick, hurry back inside."

Because she was anxious, Rong Niang's voice became louder and sharper.

Shen Tong raised her eyebrows, but didn't look at Rong Niang. Instead, she said to Fang Fei, "Sister Fang Fei, I'm hungry, I want some snacks, go get me some."

Fang Fei was a little confused, turned to look at Rong Niang, and only then did Rong Niang realize her own loss of composure and put on a smiling face, saying to Fang Fei, "Then go to the stove and get some snacks for Miss Biao, I just steamed some rice cakes, they're still warm."

Fang Fei agreed and hurried out of the iron gate. Shen Tong, as if starving, watched Fang Fei leave, her tongue subconsciously licking her lips, as if imagining the sweetness of the rice cakes.

"Alright, Miss, come in quickly..."

Rong Niang hadn't finished speaking when Shen Tong, who was still foolishly licking her lips, suddenly made her move!