A-chun woke once more, roused by waves of pain that grew increasingly intense. By the time she regained consciousness, the man had already finished. A large robe belonging to him was draped over her body, and she heard his voice: “I will compensate you…”
Wrapping herself in the garment, A-chun fled in panic, not even registering what the man had said. She ran back to her room and cocooned herself inside.
When the shopkeeper and his wife arrived at the store, they were astonished to find that, despite the sun already high in the sky, the shop had not yet opened—something that had never happened before.
While the shopkeeper hurriedly opened the doors with several arriving workers, his wife went to the backyard to look for A-chun. As soon as she reached the rear courtyard, she saw the wide-open back door and clothes scattered across the ground.
Realizing something terrible had happened, the shopkeeper’s wife rushed to A-chun’s room. Pushing the door open, she found A-chun curled up on the bed, wrapped tightly in a quilt, her bloodshot eyes staring back with wary vigilance.
The shopkeeper’s wife genuinely cared for A-chun. Seeing her in such a state, she immediately understood that a desperate intruder must have broken in during the night. Heart aching with pity, she quickly embraced A-chun, holding her close. “It’s all right now, it’s all right!”
Upon hearing the news, Shitou went to the town overnight to bring A-chun back. All those who knew the truth kept silent about what had truly happened to A-chun. The shopkeeper’s wife even personally visited the village, telling anyone she met from the estate that A-chun had simply taken a fall in town.
At first, everyone believed it, merely remarking on A-chun’s carelessness—how could she fall while working diligently? But gradually, the news that A-chun had been violated began to spread.
The story of A-chun’s violation was leaked by a young servant from the pharmacy. This lad had admired A-chun for a long time. Distraught and filled with regret upon learning of her suffering, he went out drinking with friends, had too much, and inadvertently let the truth slip.
Logically, such matters concerning a young woman should not be publicized. However, the farmers on the estate, having finished their work in the fields, often found themselves with idle time. Inevitably, some gossipy women with nothing better to do would talk about A-chun’s situation. From one to ten, from ten to a hundred, word gradually spread until everyone in the town knew that the girl Cheng Shitou’s family had taken in had been violated.
Because of what happened to A-chun, Shitou got into numerous fights with people on the estate. Cheng Guo’er also fought fiercely with his classmates at school, earning a palm strike from the teacher who had always favored him.
During these days, no matter how much turmoil brewed outside, A-chun refused to leave her room. She neither drank water nor ate, simply sitting on her bed, staring blankly with unseeing eyes, lost in unknown thoughts.
For A-chun’s sake, Guo’er’s Mother wept day and night until her eyes were swollen. She even stopped going to the fields, staying home every day to watch over A-chun. Unable to bear Guo’er’s Mother’s incessant weeping, A-chun would, out of consideration for her, force down a little rice porridge.
On this day, after A-chun had finally managed to drink half a bowl of porridge, Guo’er suddenly returned home. His clothes were torn, and a bruise marred his face.
A-chun looked at Guo’er for a long while, then whispered, “Guo’er, did you… get into another fight?”
Guo’er gazed at A-chun for a long time before walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. “Elder Sister, I’m not going back to school…”
A-chun patted Guo’er’s back gently, one stroke after another. After a long while, she let out a bitter laugh but said nothing more, only holding Cheng Guo’er tighter and tighter in her arms.
By nightfall, Guo’er’s Mother brought hot water to wash A-chun’s face, but upon entering the room, she was so frightened that she let out a sharp scream.
A-chun had hanged herself!
In the end, A-chun’s life was saved, but she became completely dull and foolish, no longer speaking. Every day, she would just sit in the courtyard, and even when it rained, she would not remember to go back inside.
Just when everyone thought A-chun would remain like this for the rest of her life, several well-dressed officials arrived at the village. This group had been inquiring along the way, clearly heading toward Shitou’s house. The elderly woman leading them was unmistakably the most respectable Guanmei in the town.
Even among matchmakers, there were distinctions of rank. Families who could afford to hire a Guanmei were undoubtedly wealthy and influential. For a time, many curious households followed the group to Shitou’s home.
“Is this the household?” the Guanmei asked the woman accompanying her. Seeing the woman nod, she called out, “Is anyone home?”
In broad daylight, Shitou was naturally not at home. The one who answered the door was Guo’er’s Mother. As soon as she opened the door, she saw a crowd gathered outside. The Guanmei beamed with a wide smile: “May I ask, madam, is this the home of Miss Cheng Chun?”
Cheng Chun was A-chun’s formal name.
Guo’er’s Mother stood there, staring at the Guanmei for a while. Then she glanced down at her own coarse clothing—hardly deserving of being addressed as “madam” by such a distinguished person—and quickly replied, “This is A-chun’s home. May I ask, esteemed guest, have you come to the wrong household?”
Unexpectedly, the well-dressed Guanmei clapped her hands: “It is precisely your household we are looking for! I have searched for several days and finally found your home!”
Though Guo’er’s Mother did not understand the situation, she could tell from the woman’s attire and demeanor what was likely happening. After hesitating for a moment, she opened the door wider: “My husband is still in the fields at the moment. Why don’t you come in for some tea while I go fetch him?”
The Guanmei observed Guo’er’s Mother, noting that she appeared to be an ordinary village woman, yet she showed no trace of timidity in the presence of so many distinguished guests. Instantly, she felt a sense of goodwill toward her: “No need to trouble yourself, madam. I will send a servant to fetch him!”
A matchmaker’s greatest skill was having a thick skin. Before Guo’er’s Mother could say anything more, the Guanmei led her entourage into the courtyard, filling both the yard and the house with people in no time.
Guo’er’s Mother boiled some water and brewed a bit of homemade sun-dried flower tea, serving cups to the officials seated in her main room.
The leading man had a scholarly appearance. Noticing Guo’er’s Mother sizing him up, he smiled gently. Seeing that the young man was handsome, dignified, and did not disdain the simplicity of her home, even drinking the tea she offered, Guo’er’s Mother felt a surge of delight.
After waiting for some time, Shitou finally hurried back from the fields. Having heard there were distinguished guests at home, he had washed his face by the river, so he looked quite refreshed.
As soon as Shitou stepped into his home, he was startled by the sight of the courtyard filled with people. Then, he walked into the house.
Upon hearing the words of the old woman beside her, the matchmaker realized that Shitou was the head of the household and immediately stood up: “I presume this must be Cheng Chun’s father!”