“Bang bang bang……”
“Is anyone there? I’m passing by. I’m really thirsty and would like to ask for a bowl of water……”
“Please open the door, I’m begging you……”
Along with the sound of the old courtyard gate being knocked on, a slightly hoarse female voice urgently called out.
“Mother, I’ll go take a look……”
Qin Suining put down her needlework basket and stood up to head toward the courtyard gate.
It was the peak of July’s scorching heat. The sun hung high in the sky, as if it wanted to burn everything into nothingness.
When she reached the courtyard, Qin Suining only felt her skin being burned painfully by the heat. She quickly raised her sleeve to shield her forehead.
The weather was too hot, and their home was located by the official road at the village entrance. It was normal for passing travelers to ask for a bowl of water.
Through the crack in the wooden door, she indeed saw a woman drenched in sweat from the heat.
Qin Suining softened at heart and quickly stepped forward to open the door.
“What a pity. This little girl has a kind heart, but good people don’t get rewarded. She’s about to die soon……”
Just as Qin Suining’s fingers touched the wooden door, a line of dazzling golden text suddenly appeared before her eyes.
This bizarre scene startled her so much that her whole body jolted. She pulled her hand back as if electrocuted and hurriedly stepped backward several times.
Thinking it might be heatstroke causing hallucinations, she quickly wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve and widened her eyes again.
The earlier line of text had indeed disappeared, but it was soon replaced by rows of rapidly moving golden words.
“No helping it. Who told her and her mother to be cannon fodder? They were destined to become stepping stones for the male and female leads……”
“If you ask me, blame her scummy father. He went to the capital for the imperial exam, but ended up getting involved with Princess He’an……”
“One is an uneducated rural woman who offers no help at all, while the other is a noble imperial relative. Anyone normal would know how to choose……”
……
Lines upon lines of strange words flashed past quickly. Qin Suining’s heart tightened, and her face turned pale in an instant.
What cannon fodder, what male and female leads, and that Princess He’an—she didn’t understand any of it.
But her father, Qin Shubai, had indeed gone to the capital to take the imperial examination, and it had already been over a month since he left.
“Little sister, I’m about to die of thirst. Please give me a bowl of water……”
The woman outside saw no response for a long time and once again pleaded in a low voice.
“If it really won’t do, I have some copper coins. I can pay for a bowl of water……”
She rummaged in her sleeve and soon took out seven or eight copper coins.
Qin Suining did not look at her, still staring blankly at the words flashing before her eyes.
“Heh… those copper coins aren’t for buying water. They’re clearly to buy the lives of this mother and daughter……”
“Sigh, this little girl doesn’t know any better. She’ll definitely let her in……”
“I’ve read the original story. This mother and daughter are truly foolish. Not only do they give her water, they even kindly let her stay to rest from the heat……”
“I’ve read it too. This woman outside was sent by Princess He’an. She secretly poisoned the Qin family’s water tank with arsenic. The mother and daughter used that water to cook porridge and ended up dying as well-fed ghosts……”
Qin Suining’s pupils shrank sharply. Her vision suddenly went black, and she nearly collapsed from shock.
The subtitles continued drifting intermittently, every single word describing their inevitable fate.
“You child, she’s just asking for a bowl of water. Why are you standing there dazed and not inviting her in?”
Seeing her daughter frozen at the gate, Madam Zhou hurried over.
Before Qin Suining could stop her, she had already cheerfully lifted the latch and opened the door.
“What are you saying, miss? What buying or not buying? A bowl of water isn’t worth anything……”
She warmly invited the woman in and repeatedly asked her to sit in the courtyard.
“It’s so hot at midday, and you’re still traveling. If you don’t mind, come in and rest a while. You can leave when it’s cooler……”
Madam Zhou was a simple and kind woman and thought nothing of it, assuming the woman was just an ordinary passerby.
After bringing her in, she also patted Qin Suining’s shoulder and asked what was wrong.
“Mother, I… I’m fine, just a little dizzy from the heat……”
The person had already been let in. Qin Suining was both anxious and frightened, but she didn’t dare show anything unusual, so she leaned against her mother’s shoulder.
“It really is hot. Come on, girl, go lie down inside. Mother will cook you a bowl of mung bean soup later……”
Since there was a guest, Madam Zhou didn’t say much more and helped Qin Suining toward the house.
But Qin Suining didn’t dare leave her mother alone now. She quickly rubbed her head and forced a smile.
“I’ll help with the fire then. We can also offer the mung bean soup to this sister to cool off……”
The strange subtitles had already disappeared. She wasn’t sure whether what she saw earlier was real or just an illusion.
Could it really be that she had been overheated and hallucinating?
[Ads by Pubfuture]
[Pubfuture Ads]
Since the person was already inside, she decided to observe for now.
Qin Suining made up her mind, and her panic slowly eased.
“Big sister, please sit here in the shade and rest. I’ll go get you some water.”
She tried her best to act natural and placed a small stool under the eaves in a shaded spot.
This spot was deliberately chosen by her, conveniently right next to the water vat.
Madam Zhou didn’t notice anything wrong and went into the kitchen, searching for mung beans to cook soup.
In front of the woman, Qin Suining lifted the lid of the water vat and scooped more than half a bowl of cold water for her.
“Big sister, have a bowl of water to quench your thirst. I’ll go help my mother cook mung bean soup……”
She politely walked away and turned into the kitchen.
The woman politely said a few words and indeed sat under the eaves, slowly drinking the water.
The water in the bowl was not very clear and carried a faint earthy smell.
There was nothing to be done. The drought was severe, and the small river outside the village was almost dry, with only a thin layer of water left.
Even this small half vat of water had been fetched by Qin Suining and Madam Zhou before dawn after waiting in line at the well.
The woman did not care. Looking at the slightly yellowish water, she frowned slightly.
Seeing the mother and daughter chatting happily inside, a mocking smile appeared on her face.
Without the slightest hesitation, she used her sleeve to conceal her movements and took out a small paper packet from her chest.