Chapter Twenty-Seven: The End

As soon as Fubao opened her eyes, she found herself staring into the face of a bald old man with a white beard. The sight startled her so much that the yawn she’d begun was abruptly stifled halfway.

Fubao was utterly bewildered. What was going on? Why was she here?

“Master, I am truly sorry to disturb your meditation!” Madam Meng spoke with reverent sincerity as she held Fubao in her arms. “But lately, my granddaughter has been surrounded by strange occurrences, and I cannot rest easy. That is why I came up the mountain so early, to beg you for your guidance!”

She hugged Fubao close—indeed, the girl had grown chubbier these past few days, and Madam Meng felt the weight.

Fubao was still confused.

Beside them, Meng Yun also watched the venerable Master Wuneng anxiously.

Master Wuneng glanced at the little Fubao in Madam Meng’s arms, stroked his beard, and smiled. “Madam, you need not worry. The young lady’s fate is extraordinary—she is no ordinary child. It is only natural that spiritual creatures are drawn to her, seeking her protection. There is no cause for concern; let things take their course.”

His gaze then lingered on the jade pendant around Fubao’s neck. After a pause, he added, “This jade pendant is a fine thing. If you could find its other half, it would be even more remarkable.”

Inside the pendant, the tiny ginseng spirit trembled in fear. This bald monk’s cultivation was no joke!

“Jade pendant?” Meng Yun reached out, touching the pendant on the little girl’s neck in confusion. “Master, what do you mean by that?”

Master Wuneng pressed his palms together and chanted, “Amitabha. The workings of heaven must not be revealed. This is a matter of great fortune, which cannot be spoken of. The matter is resolved; please, both benefactors, return home.”

Without waiting for Madam Meng and Meng Yun to respond, the old monk floated away.

“What does that mean, Mother? What about little Baobao…” Meng Yun watched the master’s departing figure in bewilderment.

Madam Meng did not answer. She merely gazed at her granddaughter with a complex look. Her precious child… to be marked by such a destiny was not necessarily a good thing. It could draw the attention of ill-intentioned people. No, this must be kept secret at all costs—unless absolutely necessary, no one must know.

On the way home, Madam Meng warned Meng Yun to keep everything strictly confidential, and Meng Yun readily agreed, promising never to mention it again.

Thinking of the jade pendant she’d given to Gu Xiaoxiao the day before, Meng Yun felt a pang of regret. She kissed Fubao’s cheek and said, “Baobao, from now on, any treasures you find, just give them to me. I’ll keep them safe for you. Don’t give them to anyone else, understand?”

Fubao thought to herself: Treasures? What treasures? Is she talking about Grandfather’s fur?

“Okay, okay!” she agreed, though not quite sure what was being discussed.

Madam Meng couldn’t help but smile and shake her head at the exchange between mother and daughter.

By the time they returned to the Meng residence, it was nearly noon—time to prepare lunch. Meng Yun tidied herself and her daughter before joining the family in the main hall for the meal.

Father Meng did not return home for lunch, so at the table were Madam Meng, her son, daughter-in-law, and daughter. As for He Xiyun, she ate alone in her own courtyard—no point intruding on a happy family and being a nuisance.

Once again, Fubao experienced the agony of being able to see the food but not eat it. Her mouth watered uncontrollably.

She fussed and babbled for a long time until Meng Yun finally dipped the tip of her chopsticks into the food and let Fubao taste it—delicious!

After everyone had settled down, Meng Yun noticed her eldest brother entering with a dark expression. She was curious—her sister-in-law wasn’t there, either.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, what’s wrong? Why do you look so upset? And why isn’t Sister-in-law with you?”

As soon as she spoke, Meng Lang’s face turned even gloomier.

Meng Yun shrank back slightly, a little apprehensive.

“It’s that troublemaker again! Your sister-in-law was so upset she had a bout of preterm contractions and is now resting in her room,” Meng Xuan answered gruffly between mouthfuls of rice.

Meng Yun was alarmed. “What happened? Is she all right?”

She stood up, worried. “No, I need to go check on her—”

“Sit down and eat,” Madam Meng interjected. “Your sister-in-law is fine. Don’t worry.”

Meng Yun was puzzled. Why wasn’t her mother worried?

She glanced at her eldest brother, whose face was still dark but oddly calm, and her second brother, who was eating as if he’d been starving for days. What on earth was going on? Why was everyone so composed?

Madam Meng, seeing her daughter’s confusion, shook her head. If only her daughter had half the cleverness of her eldest daughter-in-law. She wondered privately how her husband would handle this, since it concerned someone from the old matriarch’s side of the family. Ordinary matters could be dealt with, but whether this person would be allowed to stay was another question.

She certainly would not intervene—let Meng Shengze be the one to offend.

Father Meng: …

After silently muttering about both her daughter and husband, Madam Meng picked up a piece of spicy chicken. She loved this dish—but as she did, she noticed three pairs of eyes fixed on her.

She sighed and put down her chopsticks. All right, she wouldn’t eat it. Clearly, these boys were Meng Shengze’s little spies!

Meng Xuan, the “spy,” shook his head in resignation. Their mother could never resist spicy food even though she couldn’t handle it—her sons had to keep an eye on her.

Only after returning home did Meng Yun hear from Meng Xuan what had happened to He Xiyun, whom she hadn’t seen since she arrived. Apparently, He Xiyun had gone to her eldest brother’s courtyard two days prior and insulted her sister-in-law, upsetting her so much that she had preterm contractions and had to rest. Her sister-in-law had tried to keep it quiet and bear the grievance herself, but her nursemaid, Granny Wu, was so indignant that she reported the matter to the just-returned eldest brother. Seeing his wife so unwell, he was furious—this was their long-awaited precious child, what if something happened?

He summoned the servants and questioned them one by one. Sure enough, He Xiyun had been the cause. In his anger, he went to Father Meng’s study to complain—resulting in He Xiyun’s swift removal.

Meng Yun was well aware of He Xiyun’s troublemaking ways—she’d suffered enough at her hands as a child. Though she’d been tormented during the day, at night she and her second brother would retaliate by slipping something into He Xiyun’s food—a laxative one time, an itching powder the next. There was never any evidence, so nothing could be proven.

Whenever He Xiyun ran off to complain to their grandmother, the old matriarch would turn a blind eye—no proof meant nothing could be done.

That was how things had always gone. Occasionally, they would placate her with a couple of nice things, and she’d behave for a few days before starting up again.

The old matriarch herself was rather helpless about the whole affair.