Chapter 3 Fate

Although very surprised, Gu Shiba Niang insisted, and Cao Shi had to let her wash the dishes and chopsticks.

Leaving Gu Hai at home to accompany her, Cao Shi hurriedly went out.

When she saw Cao Shi carefully bring a bowl of water mixed with grass ash to her, Gu Shiba Niang couldn't help but feel a little excited.

She was once again excited to see the things she had experienced before reappear before her eyes, once again confirming that she had really been reborn.

The memories from the past were miraculously clear. This time, she was injured because she followed her brother to the mountains to gather firewood and accidentally fell into a ravine, hitting her head. Her mother, Cao Shi, who doted on her, worried that her daughter had lost her soul, specially brought her a bowl of talisman water to drink. After drinking this bowl of talisman water, she started vomiting and having diarrhea in the middle of the night, and then fell seriously ill. In order to treat her, her mother sold their only remaining property, which was their shelter.

It was because of selling the house that her mother had to take them to seek refuge with relatives, and everything started from there.

"Mother, I feel a little dizzy now. I'll drink it later," Gu Shiba Niang said in a low voice, supporting her head.

Cao Shi was startled and quickly put down the water bowl, checked her forehead, and carefully helped her lie down on the bed.

"Lie down, call for mother when you feel better, and mother will feed you," Cao Shi instructed, sitting in front of the bed, holding a pair of shoes in her hands.

Watching her mother sitting peacefully beside her, humming an unknown tune, and occasionally glancing at her with concern, Gu Shiba Niang couldn't help but feel her eyes welling up with tears again. She closed her eyes.

"Shiba Niang?" Cao Shi glanced at her and called out softly.

Afraid that opening her eyes would make her cry again, Gu Shiba Niang pretended to be asleep. Cao Shi pulled the thin blanket up for her and lovingly touched her face, then picked up the shoes in her hands. A lifelike dragonfly was gradually taking shape on the shoe surface as she sewed.

"Gu's sister-in-law... Gu's sister-in-law..."

A loud voice came from outside the door, startling Cao Shi, who put down the shoes and quickly went out.

"Here... Mrs. Liu, please don't shout," Cao Shi said in a low voice, opening the door, "Shiba Niang has just fallen asleep..."

Of course, Gu Shiba Niang hadn't fallen asleep. She opened her eyes, rubbed them, and listened to the muffled conversation in the courtyard.

A clay bottle with a young willow was placed in front of a brass mirror. Gu Shiba Niang poured the talisman water into the clay bottle and looked out through the window lattice into the courtyard.

A plump woman in a bright red short jacket and skirt was speaking enthusiastically in the courtyard. Although her voice had been lowered by Cao Shi's reminder, some of it still reached Gu Shiba Niang's ears.

"...Mr. Zhang has already offered a high price..."

"Oh, Mrs. Gu, how can you sell this house for a hundred taels of silver..."

"...Your house is not facing the street... and it's in the innermost part of the alley... I know it's your ancestral property... but even if it's ancestral property, it's old, isn't it?"

Gu Shiba Niang couldn't suppress her accelerating heartbeat as she listened. They were going to sell the house...

The conversation in the courtyard quickly ended, and Cao Shi personally saw Mrs. Liu off.

"...Mrs. Gu, please make a decision soon," Mrs. Liu reminded before leaving.

Cao Shi nodded, "I understand. Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Liu..."

"You're being too polite... we are neighbors... seeing your difficult life as a widow with an orphan, I feel sorry for you..." Mrs. Liu wiped away a tear as she said this.

Cao Shi was touched by her words and also wiped her tears.

Gu Shiba Niang stood in front of the window, a hint of mockery appearing on her lips. She was no longer a thirteen-year-old child. She had gained ten more years of life experience, during which she had seen the warmth and coldness of human nature, as well as the schemes and tricks. Mrs. Liu's small-mindedness couldn't escape her eyes.

Mrs. Liu was probably feeling quite pleased. As for their house...

Gu Shiba Niang's gaze swept through the small courtyard through the window lattice. This house was left to them by their grandfather. Although small, the layout was excellent. Now that her father was gone, there were no shortage of people coveting their house.

She absolutely would not allow it to be sold. Gu Shiba Niang clenched her fists, determined not to allow the repetition of a fate dictated by others. But how could she do it?

Cao Shi also looked around the house in the courtyard, sighed softly, and gently pushed open the door, only to see her daughter standing by the window, her small eyebrows furrowed.

"Did I wake you up?" Cao Shi smiled and looked at the empty bowl on the table. "Did you drink it?"

Gu Shiba Niang nodded, and Cao Shi, relieved, let out a sigh.

"Where's your brother? Did he go to school?" Gu Shiba Niang asked casually, looking around the courtyard.

Cao Shi's face flashed with a hint of guilt and self-blame. She sighed, "Your brother... went to gather firewood..."

As the descendant of a scholar, Gu Hai naturally followed in his father's footsteps to study in order to enter officialdom. When he was young, he studied with his father, and as he grew older, his father repeatedly failed the imperial examinations. Although he continued to fight, he also knew that he was not exceptionally talented. He was worried that he was delaying his son's education, so he arranged for him to study at a school in the county, where there was a well-known scholar.

After Gu's father passed away, life at home became increasingly difficult. Gu Hai became more and more disinterested in studying. From occasionally gathering firewood after school to regularly gathering firewood every three days to supplement the family's income, he eventually fell behind in his studies. When they moved to their relatives' place, because of his poor academic performance, he was ridiculed by the other children in the family, which led to Gu Hai starting to resent studying. Eventually, he completely gave up on furthering his education.

For children from humble backgrounds like them, there was no better path than studying to enter officialdom.

Gu Shiba Niang bit her lip.

"I'm back," Gu Hai's voice echoed from outside. "Mother, open the door."

Mrs. Cao hurried out to open the door, and Gu Hai walked in with a bundle of firewood on his back, sweating profusely. He draped his coarse cloth shirt over the firewood pile, wearing only an undershirt.

"Brother, have some water," Gu Shiba Niang brought water to him.

It was the first time he had been offered water by his sister. Gu Hai grinned and quickly took the water, clearly very thirsty. Mrs. Cao watched with aching heart, wiping away tears.

"Mother, I sold the firewood for ten wen yesterday!" Gu Hai, oblivious to her actions, excitedly pulled out the money and handed it over.

Mrs. Cao took it and praised him with tears in her eyes.

"...Tomorrow I will go and sell these, you must not neglect your studies anymore..." Naturally, Mrs. Cao hoped her son would continue his studies, and she reminded him, "...Master might get angry..."

This was the most money he had made from selling firewood, and the excitement of contributing to the family occupied all his thoughts. Hearing his mother's words, Gu Hai immediately replied nonchalantly, "I won't neglect it. These days we've been studying the Analects, and Father has already taught me. I find it tedious to listen to the Master again."

"Brother," Gu Shiba Niang suddenly interjected, "The Master said, 'Learn as if you were to live forever; live as if you were to die tomorrow.' Father has taught you, and the Master is teaching you again. Shouldn't you be happier?"

Gu Hai was taken aback, looking at his sister's bright eyes, he awkwardly scratched his head, "I didn't mean that... I naturally want to go..."

Seeing her daughter shut her son up with just a few words, Mrs. Cao not only smiled slightly but also felt somewhat surprised. It wasn't the fact that her daughter knew the Analects, as her husband had taught her to read when he was alive, and due to her frail health, she hadn't learned needlework, spending all her free time reading. What surprised her was her daughter's behavior.

Shiba Niang was gentle and obedient, always doing as she was told without expressing her own opinions. Now, she was actually persuading her brother to study.

It is said that only through hardship can one grow. Her son knew to gather firewood to support the family, and her daughter knew to care for her brother...

Mrs. Cao lowered her head and quietly wiped away her tears. Life at home was truly difficult. If things continued like this, Gu Hai would eventually be unable to continue his studies. It might be better to return to their relatives in Jiankang, seeking their support so that their children could have a better future.

"Hai, Shiba Niang, let's go back to Jiankang," Mrs. Cao said, gathering her children around her.

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