Proofread by Peter Gong
Looking at Ma Tian’en’s awkward expression, Guo Qi poured a cup of wine and then gave it to her. Although Ma was known to be a girl, Guo Qi felt she was more like a brother, so he didn’t think it was wrong to give her wine. Ma Tian’en tossed off the cup of wine like a man, looked at Guo Qi solemnly and spoke slowly.
“Just now, I beat you for my dad. If it wasn’t because of you, dad wouldn’t have passed away so early. I knelt to you because my mom did a disservice to you. As an old saying goes, the child shouldn’t talk about his/her mother’s fault. I can only tell you what I know. If you still bear a grudge, please do it to me.” After finishing these words, Ma Tian’en drank another glass of wine and then confessed that how Madam Ma exchanged the two children, how Concubine Zhao was made to believe the child had died and how Guo Qi was taken away by the servant girl and her husband. It was Madam Ma’s misdeed that led to this irretrievable situation.
“Before dying, dad couldn’t speak, but stared at me. I knew he wanted you back. I told him that you are his son. I will invite you go home. Then he closed his eyes. Can you go home and host dad’s funeral? As for other things, let’s talk about them later. As least, go to visit Concubine Zhao.” Ma Tian’en asked heuristically.
“How is she?” Guo Qi knew that Concubine Zhao threatened Madam Ma with her life in public under his instigation. At that moment, he was surprised that she could sacrifice her life for her dead child. However, he didn’t think that he was that child and he even instigated her mother to commit suicide.
“Not good. She had no desire to live on. Go to visit her.”
“Don’t you think that if I return home, I might do something bad to you and your mother.”
“Yes, I do. I promised my dad to take you home. Now that I let you back, I can accept all consequences. If you treated my mom ill, I would take my mom away from Ma Family. If you didn’t let us go, I would kill you. Although my mom indeed did something wrong, Concubine Zhao poisoned her. Besides, after my dad’s death, my mom lived in misery. Let’s put an end to it. Moreover, you can’t take over Ma Family’s business until you pass my examination. If you did well, I would hand it over to you; If you didn’t, I would have an uxorilocal marriage.” On the way, Ma Tian’en had thought about it, and now that she promised her dad to take Guo Qi home, she should fulfil it. At worst, she took her mother away from Ma Family. Ma Tian’en didn’t think highly of money, however, it was her parents’ painstaking effort, so she needed to keep it.
“Uxorilocal marriage……as a girl, you always say these words, don’t you feel ashamed? I have no interest in Ma Family’s fortune. By the way, there is little business in Ma Family.”
“Bah! Who did cause this situation?” Speaking of this point, Ma Tian’en was getting angry again.
“However, who turned me into such a person? Ma Tian’en, were it not your mom, could I become this?” Guo Qi said mercilessly
“Fine, let’s talk about it later. Now can you go home with me?” The funeral couldn’t be prolonged. Whatever it was, Ma Tian’en wanted Guo Qi to go home firstly.
Guo Qi was lost in silence. Ma Tian’en poured another cup of wine herself, but it was taken by Guo Qi the moment she wanted to drink.
“Look. I can’t find any feminine air on you. Want an Uxorilocal marriage? Who will marry you?” Then he drank off the cup of wine of Ma Tian’en.
Now, Ma Family was in a mess. At last, they didn’t decide who should host the funeral. Ma Tian’en went out and didn’t return while Madam Ma had cried to faint several times. The housekeeper and the servants didn’t dare to say anything. So the funeral was shelved.
Ma Tian’en didn’t take Guo Qi to her father directly, but to the Concubine Zhao. Guo Qi walked behind Ma Tian’en with mixed feelings. It was not the first time that he had met with Concubine Zhao, but this time, he met her as her son. From Ma Tian’en, Guo Qi learned that Concubine Zhao didn’t know he was her son. If she knew, no one knew whether she would be happy or not?
When approaching the door of Concubine Zhao’s room, they saw the servant girl walking out from the room with a trencher, on which were plain porridge and vegetable dishes. Because Concubine Zhao got seriously injured, she was not allowed to worship. The servant girl came to salute immediately she saw Ma Tian’en.
“Mas…” She intended to call master before she realized Ma Tian’en was a girl. But it was not accustomed for her to call her Miss, so the servant girl avoided the appellation: “Concubine Zhao was unwilling to eat. I have expostulated her, but it didn’t work.”
Suddenly, Guo Qi walked forward and took the porridge from the trencher, then pushed the door open. Ma Tian’en didn’t come in, but stood at the door.
Concubine made her mind to commit suicide. Although she was saved, she felt life was meaningless in the world. Especially when hearing that Ma Chaosheng passed away, she felt that she couldn’t live to the day when Madam Ma came to a bad end. It was better to meet Ma Chaosheng at netherworld and had a good talk with him.
Concubine Zhao didn’t move and even didn’t open the eyes when she heard someone came in. At this moment, she heard someone sitting by her bed and said: “please eat some porridge.”
This voice? Concubine Zhao opened her eyes and surprisingly saw Guo Qi whose eyes were filled with tears.
“Why did you come?” Then she struggled to sit up. Guo Qi helped her up, put a pillow behind her waist without any words and helped her with porridge.
Concubine Zhao hesitated for a while and ate it up when porridge was on her lips. Then Guo Qi continued to help her. The two didn’t strike a conversation. Zhao ate and Guo Qi fed her. When the half bowl of porridge was finished, Concubine Zhao shook her head, showing that she didn’t want to eat.
Guo Qi put the bowl on the table, walking to the bed, knelt down suddenly. Concubine Zhao seemed to have felt something. She held Guo Qi’s face in both hands, looking at him carefully and wiping his tears off his face gently. But she didn’t realize that tears had trickled down her cheeks and she asked gingerly: “Are you my son?” She was afraid that her voice was so loud that it would frighten Guo Qi or break her dream.
Guo Qi could not bear it and cried: “Mom, forgive me.” Then he held Concubine Zhao tightly, crying. All the time he had been thinking that his mother died and Ma Chaosheng was the murderer. Surprisingly, his mother was still alive and he almost killed her.
Concubine Zhao felt like she was dreaming. The child who was thought to have died twenty years ago now stands in front of her. As long as it was true, she didn’t want to know the truth. Just now when Guo Qi fed her, she observed Guo Qi’s face which was similar to old Master Ma’s. Observing his expression she suddenly realized that he was her son. Her son whom she had been dreaming of for twenty years appeared in this way.
“My son, you must have met a rough time. I felt sorry for you. I thought you had died, or I would be sure to find you.” Concubine Zhao touched Guo Qi’s back kindly. It was as if that she wanted to give him all her love.
“Mom, it’s my fault. It was I who made you become this. I don’t know you are my mom……” Looking up, Guo Qi looked at Concubine Zhao’s pale face with guilt.
“No, it’s not. I am too silly to recognize you. Please don’t blame me!”
Standing at the door, Ma Tian’en knew that they were acquainted with each other when hearing the sound. It cost too much. What a pity! They must have a lot of words. But, she should go inside and find Guo Qi.
Ma Tian’en pushed the door open. Guo Qi and Concubine Zhao were lost in joy and didn’t notice that she came in.
“Umm, Concubine Zhao, brother Guo and I need to discuss something. He will explain to you later, okay?” Ma Tian’en asked perplexedly. Because Ashun came to report that there would be a fight over there. Dad didn’t enjoy peace when he was alive. She didn’t want him to be disturbed when he was dead.
Guo Qi calmed down and helped Concubine Zhao lie down: “You have a good rest. I will visit you later and tell you everything. You should take a good meal and recover as soon as possible.
Concubine Zhao agreed. When Ma Tian’en and Guo Qi went out, she struggled to get up and stumbled to the table, taking the half bowel of porridge and taking a big swallow.