C35 (2/2)

Ministry Councillor Huang still did not give up. He believed that his son would definitely cure his brain disease and become a scholar.

That summer when Huang Chang was eleven years old, Ministry Councillor Huang went out to collect rent. One evening, an old woman and a young girl were begging at the entrance of the yellow house. The housekeeper gave them two bowls of rice, letting them have their fill. But the next morning the butler opened the door and found the two of them still standing at the gate. The butler gave them two more bowls of rice. However, when it was noon, this pair of old and young still did not leave.

The housekeeper curiously asked the old woman why she didn't leave even after begging. The old woman did not answer, but only said that the housekeeper was kind, and that the master of the family must be a kind man who wanted to thank her in person.

The butler then told the old lady that the master and the mistress of the house had instructed them that they must not refuse any begging in the past. This was the rule they had followed for many years.

And the old woman said, There must be a reward for the kindness of the master and his wife. However, I heard that the young master of your residence is in bad health.

The steward was baffled by these words. She hurried into the room to inform the Madam. Madam Huang rushed to the door and asked the begging woman if there was any way to cure her son's brain disease.

The old woman shook her head. This was something she had heard from the villagers before. She had no other request, she just wanted to meet the old master and his wife and pay her respects.

Seeing that the person who had arrived was unable to cure Huang Chang's brain disease, Madam Huang was disappointed. However, he still politely told the old lady that the old master would not be back for a while after he left the house. He finally understood. Then he asked the old woman where she had come from, and whether she needed to go home.

The old woman said that her hometown was in Chongzhou, Jiangxi. All her family members had died of the plague, leaving only her granddaughter behind.

When Madam Huang heard this, she sighed in her heart and had the intention of taking them in. She asked the old woman if she could clean the house and wash clothes by the river.

The old woman shook her head. She said that since she was old and weak, she could no longer do any housework, so she didn't want to trouble the madame.

The old woman insisted on leaving. However, she told the old woman that her granddaughter was already twelve years old. If the old lady didn't mind, she would leave her granddaughter to be her servant.

When Madam Huang saw that the old woman was strong and did not want to stay for free, she knew that she could not keep the old woman, so she agreed to take her granddaughter in. The old woman brought her granddaughter to kowtow to Madam Huang before leaving. When she left, the old woman was leaning on her walking stick. She was hunched over, and her head was almost touching the ground as she slowly walked towards the distant road.

Madam Huang didn't know where this old woman would go, and it seemed that she wouldn't be able to hold on for long. She guessed that once she reached a secluded area, she would die without a sound.

Although her granddaughter stayed, she was not sad. After washing her face and rinsing her mouth, she was a dignified and beautiful girl. When Madam Huang asked for her name, she answered that it was Gong Yi.

Gong Yi was very obedient, the Madam intended to stay by her side as a servant girl. But when the Madam brought Gong Yi to walk past the backyard, Huang Chang was rolling on the floor, his body covered in dirt. The Madam had already gotten used to it, Huang Chang's head was in a daze, but he was just as mischievous as children of the same age. The servants and maids taking care of him by the side could not help him up, it seemed like Huang Chang was going to play at the cemetery at the back of the mountain.

When Gong Yi saw this, she walked to Huang Chang's side and reached out to support Huang Chang. It was also fate. Huang Chang looked at Gong Yi, and actually quieted down, while allowing Gong Yi to tidy up the filth on her clothes. After that, he obediently followed Gong Yi to her bedroom. After that, Huang Chang put on a set of clean and tidy clothes and stood in front of Madam Huang.

Madam Huang understood in her heart that Gong Yi was the maid the old woman had specially sent to take care of Huang Chang. The old woman must have heard that the Huang Family Disciple's character wasn't bad and entrusted Gong Yi over to her.

Half a month later, Ministry Councillor Huang returned home. Seeing that there was another girl in his family, of course he had to ask about her background. Madam Huang then told him about the old woman and Gong Yi. Ministry Councillor Huang sighed, and said that Gong Yi's life was pitiful, so he treated her better.

From then on, Gong Yi was specially served by the outsider and the madam as the young master. It was a coincidence that Huang Chang treated Gong Yi as his closest kin the moment he saw him. In front of Gong Yi, he no longer bothered to go to the grave to play. Gong Yi also took care of Huang Chang at ease. This was natural fate.

At least that's what the outsider couple thought at first.