Zhou Fang nodded, and only then did Hu Caiyun feed her some water.

By now it was dark. Zhou Fang kept asking for tea one moment and food the next, and Hu Caiyun grew impatient. “If you want anything else, just say it all at once.”

“Mother, please untie me. My hands and feet are numb. I’ve come to my senses. The Huang family is a prominent official family; if I go there, I’ll be the young mistress, dressed in gold and silver. I’m going to live a good life.”

Hu Caiyun looked at Zhou Er, but he refused. “Fang, just bear with it for one night. Dad will untie you first thing in the morning.”

Zhou Fang spat out, “If you two don’t listen to me, don’t expect to get a single good thing once I’m at the Huang household!”

Zhou Er wasn’t afraid—after all, the Huang household wasn’t run by that paralytic; all the perks came from the master and mistress of the Huang household. Seeing that Zhou Er refused to untie her, Zhou Fang cursed a few times before her mouth was gagged again.

Zhou Fang lay on the bed, struggling. The sashes binding her hands, legs, and waist were tied so tightly she couldn’t break free, so she closed her eyes and waited.

It was past the third watch. Zhou Fang had already fallen asleep when she was startled awake by the night watchman’s cry. She broke out in a cold sweat from the fright and nearly passed out again.

She rolled over and saw her mother sitting on the bed, asleep, while her father was slumped over the table. Zhou Fang kicked the person on the bed; Hu Caiyun opened her eyes groggily. “What is it now, young lady?”

“Mmm…”

Hu Caiyun removed the sweat cloth, and Zhou Fang felt her mouth go numb and sore from being gagged. “I need to pee.” 

“You little brat, you’re such a handful.”

“Hurry up—I’m going to wet the bed any minute now.” Hu Caiyun brought over the chamber pot. “Go ahead.” 

“How am I supposed to pee? My legs are still tied up.”

Hu Caiyun untied the cloth strips binding her legs. Zhou Fang stretched her legs a bit, then got out of bed—only to nearly fall face-first onto the floor because her legs were numb. “Tell my father to leave. A young lady is relieving herself—what kind of example is he setting by staying here?”

Zhou Er had no choice but to leave. Hu Caiyun urged her to hurry—it was nearly the fourth watch, and after traveling for several days straight, she was exhausted.

“Mother, my hands are still tied. How am I supposed to take off my dress?”                          

“You little troublemaker—you’ve always been a handful. When you were little, you fought with your brother over food and drink, and now that you’re grown, you still won’t settle down.”

Hu Caiyun untied the cloth strip from Zhou Fang’s hands again. Zhou Fang grabbed a vase nearby and hurled it at her—fortunately, it didn’t make much noise. In a panic, she pushed open the window and jumped out, hitting her knee as she landed.

Zhou Fang didn’t dare linger; she ran straight to her uncle’s house.

Zhou Er was leaning against the doorway. After waiting a while and seeing no one come out, he yawned. “Are you done yet? What’s taking so long?”

When there was no sound from inside, Zhou Er finally realized something was wrong. He hurriedly pushed the door open and saw the window wide open, with his wife lying on the floor. Zhou Er didn’t even have time to worry about Hu Caiyun; he cursed under his breath and rushed out in a panic.

There wasn’t a soul in sight on the road outside the inn. No doubt about it—that brat must have gone to find Zhou Da! Zhou Er also took off running toward Zhou Da’s house; he couldn’t let that girl find Zhou Da.

Zhou Fang ran forward as fast as she could, startling the owners of nearby dogs into barking. Zhou Er heard the commotion and hurried over. “Fang, stop right there!”

Zhou Fang’s legs were trembling with fear, but she couldn’t possibly marry a paralytic, so she took off running. Just as she was about to reach Baobao Gourd Alley, she began shouting at the top of her lungs, “Uncle! Uncle! Help! Help!”

Dahuang began to bark, and even the chickens in the coop flapped their wings in fright.

Shen Linchuan was sound asleep, cuddling up to his Fulang, when he was roused by Dahuang’s barking. Then he heard a woman’s cries for help. Zhou Ning woke up too. “That sounds like Fang’er. Let’s go check it out.”

“Stay inside. I’ll go check it out.”

Shen Linchuan still remembered how his Fulang had been injured in the shoulder by thugs during the incident involving Zhou Xiaonan last time. He told Zhou Ning to stay inside and not come out, then grabbed a stick and went out.

There was a frantic pounding on the courtyard gate. “Uncle! Uncle, save me! Ning-ger! Ning-ger! Shen Linchuan! Open the gate!”

Zhou Fang called out to everyone she could think of. Zhou Da got up first and hurried to open the courtyard gate. “Fang, what’s going on? It’s the middle of the night!”

Zhou Fang saw Zhou Da as if he were a lifeline; she grabbed his arm and hid behind him. “Uncle, save me! My father wants to sell me!”

Zhou Er also came running over, drenched in sweat. “Fang, come back!”

Zhou Fang was terrified and refused to come out from behind him. When Zhou Er tried to step forward, Shen Linchuan pushed him aside with a stick. “Get out. If you don’t leave right now, I won’t hold back.”

Zhou Er was shoved by Shen Linchuan all the way to the courtyard gate. Zhou Ning, having gotten dressed, came out as well. “Father, what’s going on here?” Zhou Fang wiped away her tears. “Uncle, Zhou Er has no intention of calling off the engagement at all!”                   

“Fang, let’s go home. We’ll talk this through properly once we’re back.”                             

“Pfft! Don’t try to fool me. Uncle, he’s tied me up at the inn—he’s going to marry me off tomorrow!”

Shen Linchuan frowned. He hadn’t expected Zhou Er to be so heartless—willing to push even his own daughter into the fire.

It was the dead of night, and as Zhou Fang screamed her way down the alley, many households in the neighborhood opened their doors, still in their nightclothes. “Zhou Da, what’s going on?”

Before Zhou Da could say a word, Zhou Fang started shouting, “Everyone, come quick and see! This shameless father is trying to marry his own daughter off to a paralytic!”

Neighbors came out carrying oil lamps, and the courtyard grew even brighter. Fulang remarked, “How could anyone marry his own daughter off to a paralytic?”

“That’s right—this father is just too heartless.” 

“Zhou Da, who is this?”

“That’s my niece.”

Quite a few people came out to watch the commotion; even Luo Qingshan, hearing the noise, came out. “Brother Shen, do you need help?” 

“It’s fine. I can handle it.”

Zhou Er, having given up all pretense of restraint, snapped, “That’s my daughter—it’s none of your business! Zhou Da, mind your own business and let go of my daughter!” 

Zhou Da rolled up his sleeves. “I’m definitely going to mind this business. Second brother, if you’ve got the guts, come and take her from me.”

The young men started shouting, “Uncle Zhou Da, we’re all from the same street! Watch us beat him to a pulp—how dare he lay a hand on her?” 

With their backing, Zhou Fang’s back straightened, and she pointed her finger at her father, Zhou Er, as she cursed him.

Seeing that he couldn’t take Zhou Fang away, Zhou Er had no choice but to give up. “Fine, then. If you’re so capable, go call off the engagement with the Huang family yourself!”

“If I call it off, I’ll call it off—but hand over all the silver and cloth the Huang family gave us!”

“There isn’t any!”                                 

“Fine, then. When the Huang family comes to fetch the bride tomorrow, it doesn’t matter which one of you—you or Hu Caiyun—goes with them!”

Zhou Er was furious. “Fine, fine, fine! I’ll just pretend I never had a daughter like you. Now that you’re all grown up, you’re getting more and more ambitious.” Zhou Fang wasn’t stupid; she knew her father didn’t want to part with the silver he’d received, so she dropped to her knees before Zhou Da with a thud.  “Please, Uncle, lend me some silver so I can call off the engagement with the Huang family. I’ll work to pay you back myself. I’m begging you, Uncle!”

As she spoke, Zhou Fang began kowtowing, and Zhou Ning hurriedly reached out to help her up.

Zhou Da let out a sigh. “I’ve watched you grow up. I’ll help you, of course. As for that, Linchuan…”

Fearing Shen Linchuan might take offense, Zhou Da turned to look at him—Shen Linchuan was still holding the stick in his hand. “Father, you decide as you see fit. I have no intention of making things difficult for a little girl.”

Zhou Fang stood up and spat in the direction of Zhou Er. “Consider the silver the Huang family gave us as payment to sever our father-daughter bond. Even if I, Zhou Fang, never marry, I’ll still pay back what I owe!”

“Fine, fine, fine. Now that you’ve got someone backing you up, you’ve suddenly got some backbone. Great. Well then, you handle the Huang family matter yourself!”

Zhou Er flung his sleeves and stormed off. He’d raised this daughter for nothing—after raising her for over ten years, he never imagined she’d end up becoming someone else’s daughter!

Someone spat in Zhou Er’s direction. “And he calls himself a father—pushing his own daughter into the fire.” The courtyard was full of people. Shen Linchuan saw them off. “Thank you all very much.”         

“Not at all, not at all. We didn’t do anything; Minister Shen is being too polite.”

After seeing them off, Shen Linchuan bolted the door. It was the darkest hour of the night, and with the weather so bad, it was pitch black—you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

The candles in the main hall were lit. Zhou Fang kept cursing under her breath as she rolled up her sleeves to show Zhou Da, “Uncle, look—that heartless couple tied me up like this.”

Shen Linchuan brought over some hot tea, and Zhou Ning silently produced some ointment. Zhou Fang said a quick “Thank you” and began applying it herself.

“Ning-ger, Shen Linchuan, once this is all settled, I’ll go out and find a job. I won’t bother you two while you’re studying. I used to pick on Ning-ger—I’m sorry.”

“You never really did anything to me—you couldn’t even beat me in a fight,” Zhou Ning replied.

Zhou Fang blushed slightly. Although she’d never actually fought with Zhou Ning, she’d often called him a “wild child” when they were little.

Although Zhou Da felt sorry for Zhou Fang, he was a practical man. His son and Zhou Fang had never gotten along since childhood, and now that his son-in-law was studying, it wasn’t convenient for anyone to stay in the east side room long-term, so he didn’t offer to let her stay.

Zhou Da cleared his throat and said, “Fang, if you can’t find work, go help out at the pickle shop for now. They’ll pay you a wage.” 

“Thank you, Uncle. I’ll wait until I’ve called off the engagement with the Huang family first.”

It was getting late. Since Zhou Fang seemed to have nothing else to do, she drank a bowl of hot water and went to bed, while Shen Linchuan and the others returned to their bedroom.

Zhou Ning leaned close to Shen Linchuan’s ear and whispered, “Shen Linchuan, thank you.”            

“I couldn’t very well put Father in an awkward position.” Shen Linchuan ran his fingers through his Fulang’s long hair. “Have you forgiven her yet?”

Zhou Ning shook his head. “Shen Linchuan, am I being petty? She’s suffered so much, yet I still don’t want to forgive her. Am I being a little too cruel?”

“No, the twenty-year-old Zhou Ning can’t speak for the eight-year-old Zhou Ning when it comes to forgiveness. Just because she suffered doesn’t mean she deserves to be forgiven.” 

“I understand, Shen Linchuan. Thank you.”

Zhou Ning closed his eyes. Zhou Fang had been spoiled as a child; when he lived at Zhou Fang’s house, he’d been bullied time and again. After he stopped living there, Zhou Fang teamed up with a few boys to bully her, calling him “fatherless.” Shen Linchuan was right—the young Zhou Ning would have cried his heart out back then.

When he grew older, Hu Caiyun helped arrange a match for him, saying he was too picky. He hadn’t failed to hear Zhou Fang and the others badmouthing her—after all, he was just unattractive and a ger, yet he still had the nerve to be so choosy.

Zhou Fang had been staying at his house these past few days. Zhou Ning felt a knot in his heart, but since the rift between them wasn’t that deep after all, he had no choice but to treat them as guests.

He’d breathed a sigh of relief when Zhou Fang left, but now she was back. Although she’d apologized to him, it was already too late.

Still, he was doing just fine now. He had Shen Linchuan. His father might have many people on his mind, but Shen Linchuan had eyes for no one but him.

At the first crow of the rooster, Shen Linchuan got up, and Zhou Ning followed suit. Even Zhou Fang was up early, helping Zhou Ning prepare breakfast. Zhou Ning glanced at her several times—today, the sun was rising in the west.

In all the time Zhou Fang had been staying at their house, this was the first time she’d ever cooked a meal.

Zhou Fang rolled her eyes. “What’s with that look? I’m just helping you cook.”

“It’s a bit unusual.”

“All right, all right. I’ll just say it’s because my eldest uncle has been kind to me, okay? You and Shen Linchuan didn’t kick me out either. Anyway, thanks.” 

Zhou Ning grunted in acknowledgment. “Then you’d better do more chores.”

“Zhou Ning, you!”

Zhou Fang had a somewhat spoiled temperament. She was about to retort, but the saying “one can’t bite the hand that feeds you” made her swallow her words. “I’ll pay back whatever I owe your family.”

Shen Linchuan happened to have the day off today, and Zhou Da didn’t go to the butcher shop either. After eating, the whole family took Zhou Fang and her daughter to the Huang family’s house.

Red silk was draped across the entrance to the Huang residence, where they were waiting to welcome their guests shortly. A servant at the gate stopped them. “Hey, who are you?” Zhou Da pushed the servant aside. “Just tell them the Zhou family has arrived.”

“Why are you here now? The wedding palanquin isn’t leaving for a while yet.” “We’re calling off the engagement. Go tell your master.”

The group was quickly ushered inside, where Magistrate Huang and Lady Huang were seated on the high dais. “And who are you? It wasn’t you who came yesterday.”

Zhou Da snorted. “I’m her eldest uncle. I’ve come today to help Sister Fang call off the engagement. Tell us the amount of the betrothal gift, and we’ll return it to you.”

Magistrate Huang slammed his fist on the table. “Out of the question! The betrothal gift has already been delivered, the birth charts have been matched, and we’re set to carry the bride into the house today. You can’t just call off the engagement on a whim—what do you take the Huang family for?”

“I don’t care—I’m not getting married!”

Madam Huang shot a glance at Zhou Fang and snorted, “So it’s you. You’re plain-looking and crude and ill-mannered. If it weren’t for your favorable birth chart, do you think you’d ever have set foot in the Huang household?”

“Pfft! Who wants to marry into your family anyway? I’d rather spend my whole life with a farmhand than marry into your family!”

The Huang family wanted to marry Zhou Fang into the family solely for a “lucky marriage”—to ward off misfortune. Having finally found someone with a compatible birth chart, they were naturally unwilling to give up.

Shen Linchuan also spoke up, “Since the Huang family refuses to call off the engagement, let’s summon Zhou Er’s family as well. We’ll all go to the magistrate’s court to settle this. If they still refuse, can they really force her to marry?”

Huang, the County Clerk, wasn’t the least bit intimidated—after all, he was a member of the county government himself. “Fine! When my second son became engaged, we disclosed everything truthfully. As for deception, that’s out of the question.”

“You’re bullying us with your power!” Zhou Fang glared at them defiantly.