After drinking a big bowl of egg dumpling soup and sleeping through the night, Gu Yuan felt much better the next morning. Though she was still in pain, at least she no longer felt dizzy or nauseous at every movement.
She had just sat up when a timid voice came from the doorway, “Little Aunt, are you awake? I’ve brought water for you to wash.”
Before leaving last night, Old Madam Gu had specifically instructed that the door not be locked, in case something happened and others couldn’t get in. Normally, Gu Yuan hated people entering her room without permission, so even knowing the door wasn’t locked, the girl didn’t come in directly and instead called out first.
“I’m awake, come in,” Gu Yuan replied loudly.
The door creaked open, and a thin, frail girl in patched coarse clothes stepped in. Seeing her, Gu Yuan frowned—the girl was far too skinny.
From her memory, this was Da Ya, the eldest granddaughter of the Gu family, daughter of the eldest branch. She was fifteen, already of marriageable age, yet due to long-term malnutrition, she looked no more than eleven or twelve.
Used to labor, her thin arms still carried a full basin of water steadily. She set it down, wrung out a cloth, and turned to wipe Gu Yuan’s face.
Gu Yuan refused, wanting to do it herself, but Da Ya avoided her.
“Grandmother said your head wound mustn’t touch water. She told me to take care of you these days. You can’t see the wound—better let me do it.”
At the mention of her grandmother, Da Ya shivered slightly. Even though she hadn’t caused the injury, she had still been struck once for not stopping it. She was afraid—if she failed to take care of Gu Yuan, she might be punished again.
Gu Yuan had no choice but to let her.
After helping her wash, Da Ya busied herself cleaning the already tidy room—sweeping the floor and wiping the table before finally leaving.
Watching her go, Gu Yuan let out a breath. The attentiveness made her uncomfortable. After all, she was mentally an adult, not a child used to being served.
Soon after, Old Madam Gu came in again with another bowl of dumpling soup.
“Morning’s rushed, so I made this for you first. At noon, I’ll cook you meat pancakes.”
Gu Yuan blinked. “Mother, do we even have meat?”
The family’s situation made it obvious—they only ate meat during festivals.
Old Madam Gu waved her hand. “Not at home. I’ll go to your fourth brother’s place in town later. His sister suffered like this—he can’t just ignore it.”
At the mention of the fourth son, her expression darkened.
Gu Yuan remembered—her fourth brother had married into a shopkeeper’s family in town and rarely returned. People even said he had become a live-in son-in-law.
Each month, Old Madam Gu would go to his shop to ask for supplies, making sure everyone knew how “filial” he was.
Gu Yuan didn’t believe he would give meat this time either.
“Mother, forget it,” she said gently. “My injury won’t heal well if I eat greasy food. I don’t want a scar.”
She didn’t want the old woman to go beg others.
Old Madam Gu rolled her eyes. “Nonsense. Since when does eating meat cause scars? I know what I’m doing.”
Gu Yuan pouted and said coquettishly, “Then let eldest brother go to the mountains. His daughter caused this—he should make up for it.”
Old Madam Gu thought it made sense. “Fine, I’ll have him catch some game.”
Still, she didn’t give up on going to the fourth son.
After breakfast and medicine, Gu Yuan lay down again. When she woke later, she slowly got up to go to the latrine.
The Gu family compound was large, with vegetable plots behind the house. Climbing vines made the area secluded.
As she came out, she heard voices arguing.
“What do you mean, Gu Lao’er? I can’t even say Mother’s biased? She’s just a girl—she’ll marry out sooner or later. Why treat her so well? I tolerated the dumpling soup, but now she’s even cooking meat for her!”
It was Qian Shi, the second daughter-in-law.
Lazy in work but sharp when it came to food and money, she had already been grumbling the night before. Seeing meat now, she couldn’t hold back.
“That’s meat! Why does she get eggs and meat while we only watch?”
She added quickly, “What about Guangzong and Yaozu? They’re your sons, the roots of the Gu family!”
Gu Yuan recognized the tactic—bringing up the sons to justify herself.
“Studying uses brainpower. Even the teacher says they’re talented. If anyone deserves nourishing food, it’s them!”
Then she squatted down and started crying.
Gu Lao’er sneered. “Enough. I know what kind of person you are. If you want meat, just say it. Don’t use the kids as an excuse. Say this nonsense outside and see if I don’t deal with you myself.”
He knew his mother wouldn’t be fooled.
Qian Shi wasn’t convinced and began arguing louder.
Hearing all this, Gu Yuan felt awkward. She couldn’t leave or stay, so she quietly hid behind the cucumber vines—just in case they turned and saw her.
That would be truly embarrassing.