Gu Xiao opened her eyes to find a money pouch in her hand. The corners of the pouch were worn white, yet the cloud patterns embroidered on it remained delicate and beautiful. The pouch was half open, revealing two pieces of broken silver inside.
Gu Xiao couldn’t understand how such a pouch had appeared in her hand. She turned it over. Besides the silver, there were several strings of copper coins. The pouch looked strangely familiar. Suddenly, she remembered where she had seen it before.
It was in that examination novel she had read a few days ago.
The male lead, Shen Xihe, was clever from childhood. At a young age, he passed the scholar’s exam, then advanced step by step, eventually achieving the highest honors. Yet the Shen family was just an ordinary farming household, working the land with their backs to the sky. Even supporting Shen Xihe alone was a great hardship.
This pouch belonged to Shen Xihe’s mother, Madam Zhou. She kept it hidden beneath the third clay jar in the east room, saving coin by coin. Because it was often handled and treasured, the corners had frayed.
Cold sweat broke out on Gu Xiao’s body. Why was she holding this pouch? Had she somehow crossed into the story—become Madam Zhou?
The room was silent. Gu Xiao looked at her hands, then touched her face. The book said Madam Zhou was over fifty, but her own face didn’t feel like that of a fifty‑year‑old. Yet who else could she be, if not Madam Zhou? Another thought struck her.
Madam Zhou, pitying Shen Xihe, had bought a girl from a neighboring village to be his child bride. By rights, once Shen Xihe entered officialdom, the child bride would become a government official’s wife. But she stole Shen Xihe’s examination silver and ran away—only to be caught in the act.
The Shen family could not tolerate such betrayal. They drove the child bride out. Worse still, she later fell from a cliff, leaving not even a whole body behind.
That child bride’s name was Gu Xiao.
The silver in Gu Xiao’s hand now felt scalding hot. When she had read the novel, she had delighted in the male lead’s brilliance—rising from scholar to licentiate, then tribute student, then presented scholar, finally winning first place in the palace exam, climbing rank after rank, and marrying the kind‑hearted heroine. It had been so satisfying. But if she had become Gu Xiao, things were far less wonderful.
Most likely, people were already waiting outside the door to catch her.
She wanted to put the silver back, at least to avoid being expelled. The future could be dealt with later—as long as she didn’t steal, everything could be negotiated. But the people outside had no patience. To catch a thief, one must seize the stolen goods.
Gu Xiao had entered the room and uncovered the pouch; if they didn’t catch her, what else could they do?
Madam Chen, wife of Shen family’s eldest son, whispered: “That’s Third Brother’s examination silver. Truly chilling.” After speaking, she carefully watched Madam Zhou’s expression.
Madam Zhou’s face was grim. Her features were upright, but years of toil had etched wrinkles at her eyes and brow. She rarely smiled, always stern. Now her eyes gleamed with sharp light, enough to inspire fear.
Madam Zhou felt she had misjudged. She had bought Gu Xiao originally because of her beauty, and because a Daoist had calculated that her fate matched Shen Xihe’s extremely well. Yet in the end, Gu Xiao had stolen money. The Shen family would never tolerate a thief!
The door creaked open a narrow crack, the old wood groaning. Gu Xiao’s heart gave a jolt, but she dared not turn around. Nervously clutching her chest, her fingers touched two copper coins. These must have been painstakingly saved by the original Gu Xiao over a long time.
Grinding her teeth, Gu Xiao steeled herself, placed the coins into the pouch, and whispered: “I will definitely save enough for my husband’s study fees!”
The sounds behind her vanished. Outside was utterly quiet, as if what she had heard moments ago had been an illusion.
She put the pouch back in its place, listened carefully for movement beyond the door, and only after waiting a while did she leave the room.
The Shen family was a household of farming and study, with three main rooms and six side rooms. Madam Zhou and her husband lived in the east room; the eldest and second sons with their children lived in the side rooms; Shen Xihe lived in the west room.
As Shen Xihe’s child bride, Gu Xiao naturally lived in the west room too. Seeing no one outside, Gu Xiao hurried back in. The room felt empty: a desk, an oil lamp, a bed, and a small couch. She sat on the bed for a while, her mind buzzing, not knowing what to do.
How had she become Gu Xiao? Yesterday, she was still a craft influencer with millions of followers, and after one night’s sleep, she had turned into Gu Xiao. But Shen Xihe had never liked this child bride. The promotions would be his, the titles his, the beautiful wife his. The expulsion would be hers, the fall from the cliff hers, the death without a whole body hers.
Gu Xiao wanted to cry but had no tears. Meanwhile, Madam Zhou and Madam Chen slipped away from the doorway, avoiding an awkward encounter by going to the front courtyard.
Madam Zhou felt somewhat relieved. Gu Xiao was usually quiet, but at least she had a heart. Two copper coins might not be worth much, but it was still a gesture of sincerity.
Madam Chen’s expression was complicated. She had seen Gu Xiao enter the east room with her own eyes, so she had hurried to fetch her mother‑in‑law. Yet she hadn’t expected that Gu Xiao hadn’t stolen money at all, but had instead added two coins.
Madam Chen’s mouth tasted bitter. “Mother, two copper coins aren’t worth much…”
Madam Zhou’s face hardened. “Not worth much? Then why haven’t I seen you put in even half a coin!”
Madam Chen faltered, unable to reply. It was true she hadn’t contributed, but the money from the eldest branch’s work was always handed over, and it was they who supported the younger brother’s studies. Then she thought again: the younger brother studied diligently, had already passed the scholar’s exam at such a young age, and next year would likely succeed in the provincial exam. The future was long.
Madam Chen forced a smile. “Mother is right. A small gesture, but if we all put our strength together, the good days are still ahead.”
The whole family supported Shen Xihe’s studies. Even if Madam Chen harbored resentment in her heart, she dared not utter a word—Shen Xihe was Madam Zhou’s lifeblood.
Thinking of her youngest son, Madam Zhou’s expression softened slightly. “Enough. If Xiao Xiao goes into the east room again, keep an eye on her.”
Madam Zhou wasn’t afraid that Gu Xiao would steal money; rather, she wanted to know when Gu Xiao put money in. A coin here, a coin there—slowly, it would add up.
Madam Chen answered with a sigh. Madam Zhou continued: “Prepare lunch. When the others come back from the fields, they can eat. As for Third Brother’s portion, let Xiao Xiao deliver it.”
Madam Zhou managed the household’s silver, so even meals were decided by her.
Shen Xihe studied in the county town, returning home once every five days. Previously, the eldest son’s child had delivered his meals, but now that he was working in the fields, the task fell to Gu Xiao.
It was mid‑March; in April the academy would grant leave for the busy farming season.
Gu Xiao dared not steal money anymore. She still had to live in the Shen household, and Shen Xihe would marry the heroine in the future. Once she had saved enough silver, she planned to leave the Shen family. She had skillful hands—braiding straw and molding clay figures were no problem for her. Slowly, she was sure she could save enough. She looked around the room again. On the desk lay several books, likely Shen Xihe’s. The pages were neat and clean, showing how much their owner cherished them. There was nothing else in the room. Just as she was about to examine further, she heard Madam Chen calling her from outside to help with cooking.
The Shen family was large. The eldest son’s wife, Madam Chen, had three children; the youngest was a girl of ten.
The second son’s wife, Madam Li, had a daughter the same age as Gu Xiao, just entering maidenhood. Madam Li was now over five months pregnant, yet still had to work daily.
Twelve people in the household meant heavy meals, always cooked in a big pot.
Sweet potato and wheat buns, a pot of stewed cabbage. Madam Zhou brought out four eggs from her room and placed them in the steamer.
One was for Li, two for the eldest son’s boys, and the last naturally for Shen Xihe.
The eldest branch received two eggs, which pleased Madam Chen. Her face brightened with a smile, and even watching Gu Xiao work seemed more agreeable.
The sweet‑potato and wheat buns were shaped beautifully, and the flatbreads baked evenly—far more skillfully than usual. It seemed she truly had changed her ways.
When the meal was ready, Madam Zhou carried a basket to prepare Shen Xihe’s portion: two buns, one egg, and a dish of stewed vegetables. The extra bun was meant for Gu Xiao.
From the village to the county town took nearly half an hour; naturally, Shen Xihe couldn’t come back to eat.
Madam Zhou handed the basket to Gu Xiao. “Come back early, don’t dawdle on the road.”
Gu Xiao had been bought at the age of ten, and now three years had passed. She was the same age as the second branch’s eldest daughter. In Madam Zhou’s eyes, Gu Xiao was still just a child.
Gu Xiao accepted the basket. She couldn’t bring herself to call Madam Zhou “Mother,” so she simply nodded and hurried out.
There was only one road to the county. Halfway along, Gu Xiao already felt hungry. The simple food in the basket now gave off a tempting aroma. One of those buns was hers. She had never walked this road before. The dirt path was rough, stretching endlessly ahead. She didn’t know how far the county town was. If she ate the bun now, what would she do on the way back?
Carrying the basket, she couldn’t help but glance at her thin arms and legs. If she wanted to leave the Shen family one day, she had to nourish her body first. Delivering meals had one advantage—she could come to the county often. She estimated the time in her head. After nearly half an hour, she finally saw people. After asking for directions, she managed to find the academy. At the gate were many others, most delivering meals.
The county academy’s teachers were highly learned. Even though it was far and the tuition was costly, parents tightened their belts to send their children there.
Since traveling back and forth wasted time, students lived at the academy. But eating there was expensive, so families delivered meals regularly.
Gu Xiao didn’t know which one was Shen Xihe, so she stood aside, waiting for him to find her. Her stomach growled loudly. Unable to resist, she devoured the bun from the basket.
Meals delivered to students were always the best from home. Smelling the fragrance of meat, Gu Xiao ate quickly. Wiping her mouth, she suddenly felt someone pat her shoulder.
Gu Xiao turned her head. The person behind her was a head taller, slim in build, with clear brows and eyes. He wore a coarse linen blue robe, its cuffs and collar washed pale, and there was even a patch sewn onto the sleeve.
The book had once described Shen Xihe as “like a clear breeze and bright moon.” Gu Xiao hadn’t understood before, but now she did. She stared at Shen Xihe. He turned his head away, a flicker of dislike and unease crossing his eyes. “Why is it you today?”
Gu Xiao didn’t know who usually delivered his meals. But today everyone was busy in the fields, and Madam Zhou had sent her, so she came. She knew Shen Xihe disliked her, so she didn’t want to speak much. She simply shoved the basket into his hands. “Eat quickly. When you’re done, I’ll take the basket back.”
Shen Xihe was caught off guard by the gesture. He coughed lightly and sat to eat. The Shen family’s food was simple. At fifteen, a boy could eat a lot. He finished quickly, yet was only about seventy percent full.
Gu Xiao picked up the basket, ready to head back. Just then, Shen Xihe’s classmates came over. Normally, it was the eldest branch who delivered meals. Curious, one asked, “Who’s this little girl? I’ve never seen her before.”
At that age, no one liked being different. Shen Xihe had never told anyone about having a child bride, nor had he ever let Gu Xiao come before. He clenched his fingers slightly. “She is…”