Mr. Gu asked Doctor Li to take a seat, then instructed his eldest daughter-in-law, who had just put the child to sleep, to check, "Eldest daughter-in-law, go and see who it is?"
"Yes, Father!" Mrs. Fang, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Gu Family, felt uneasy and extremely guilty. If something happened to Mother, she would be the sinner, and Father-in-law would not spare her. Her daughter would also be in trouble. She hurriedly ran to answer the door.
He, the second daughter-in-law, pursed her lips, thinking, you'll get it later. Though thinking so, she was worried she might also get punished when the account was settled later, as her mother-in-law was not easy to deal with.
Mrs. Fang opened the door and saw a master in monk's robes. The master, with a kind appearance, politely greeted the female donor who opened the door.
"Dear donor, this monk is passing by. Could you kindly offer a bowl of water?"
Mrs. Fang hurriedly said, "Master, please wait a moment."
"Eldest daughter-in-law, who is outside? Is there something happening?"
Mrs. Fang turned back and said softly while clutching her clothes, "Father, it's a master asking for a bowl of water."
Mr. Gu stepped forward a few steps and saw a monk wearing a somewhat shabby robe outside the yard gate.
He looked at the sky, which was getting slightly bright, around 3:45 AM. The master coming at this hour might be hungry, possibly seeking alms.
Though the family was short of food, giving away two wheat buns was nothing, especially since the daughter-in-law was giving birth inside, considering it as accumulating some blessings for the baby.
Turning back, he saw He peering towards the door. Hmph! This troublemaker, with her mother-in-law giving birth inside, didn't care a bit. Didn't she realize, the second daughter-in-law was already impatient sitting there!
Besides, the fall of the child's mother this time had to be related to her. Once the child was born, he would have the second son deal with her. Thinking this way, he added a bit more anger inside.
"Second daughter-in-law, go to the kitchen to fetch two wheat buns and a bowl of water." He heard his father-in-law calling her, so she reluctantly stood up, muttering while walking away, there was nothing to eat at home, and these two wheat buns could be a meal for a strong worker!
Her mother-in-law was always stingy. Men got two buns each meal; women, when not working in the field, only got one bun with a bowl of black noodle soup with visible wild vegetables. The family couldn't even eat enough, yet giving to outsiders. But as her eyes turned, she quickened her pace into the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen, He opened the steamer on the pot, seeing the wheat buns untouched from the night before. Hesitating for a moment, she glanced outside, found no one, quickly stuffed two into her bosom, took two, and thought it wasn't enough, wanting to take more. But seeing her front already bulging, taking more would look suspicious, she had to stop, put two in a bowl, and scooped up a ladle of hot water.
Outside, Mr. Gu heard Midwife Zhang say eggs and sugar water were needed, hurriedly told the eldest daughter-in-law to get the key from the house top, open the cabinet, and fetch the eggs.
He trusted the eldest daughter-in-law; if he asked her to get two, she wouldn't dare take more. The second daughter-in-law wouldn't work, she might hide some; those eggs were precious for the child's mother's recovery during confinement!
He saw the eldest daughter-in-law rush in with two oval eggs in her hand. Oh! She was startled, hitting her chest heavily with a big hand.
As her hand touched the bulging chest area, she immediately withdrew it. Seeing Mrs. Fang wasn't noticing, she put the eggs on the counter and went to get firewood.
He stared fixedly at the eggs, wondering if the eldest daughter-in-law had boldly dared to take the eggs while her mother-in-law was giving birth.
Then she thought, why take only two eggs if she had taken them? Did she want them all to herself? Besides, the eggs were locked in the cabinet outside her mother-in-law's room without a key, how did she get them?
"Sister-in-law, where did you get these eggs? You didn't steal them while Mother was giving birth, did you?" He looked at Mrs. Fang diagonally, daring to eat alone?
Mrs. Fang turned pale at He's words and quickly put down the firewood to explain, "Sister-in-law, Father asked me to get them, how dare I steal the eggs? Midwife Zhang said Mother needs eggs for strength to give birth, besides, we didn't have dinner yesterday!"
After listening, He rolled her eyes, thinking she had the courage! Turns out they were for the mother-in-law, not her. Usually mute, yet so articulate now, really pretending, maybe she looked honest but was actually villainous inside? Hearing about not having dinner yesterday reminded her of the two buns in her bosom, feeling guilty.
Meanwhile, outside the master heard there were two buns, he quickly replied, "Thank you, donor. Does someone in your family give birth?"
Mr. Gu paused; with such a loud noise, everyone would hear, right? Wasn't it a question he knew the answer to? But thinking about the birth, his heart tightened, showing a bit of urgency on his face.
"Donor, don't worry, and congratulations. You are about to welcome a qilin child. This monk foresees this child's fate soaring to the skies, with future prospects of success, bringing honor to your ancestors, changing your family's fate."
"Really? Thank you, Master, for your auspicious words. If things go as you say, I will certainly go to thank Buddha."
Mr. Gu only thought the master was seeking alms, needing to say some pleasant words, not taking it to heart, everyone felt the same.
But seeing the master take out something from his pouch and handing it to Mr. Gu, he curiously took a look to see a half-piece of lotus-shaped jade pendant. The jade wasn't large, felt good in hand and somewhat transparent, but there were cracks on it, marring the good jade.
Mr. Gu didn't know the quality of jade, but it looked like a good jade, except it had cracks and seemed invaluable, and it was half a piece. But why was it half a piece?
"Master, this....."
Inside the courtyard, a few people crowded forward. Gu Chengyi glanced at the jade pendant and said, "Father, this jade isn't worth anything, broken like this, and only half a piece."
Gu Chengyi feared this master was a fraud, using a worthless jade to exchange for silver coins.
The master pointed at the jade and bowed again, "Donor, this jade is for the soon-to-be-born little donor."
Old Man Gu was about to refuse, no way. Though the jade was broken, it was still a good jade. He didn't know if it was valuable, but it was surely worth more than two buns, right?
Seeing Mr. Gu's hesitation, the master continued, "Actually, it's not really a gift. It originally belonged to the little donor, now it's returning to its owner."
Doctor Li, sitting beside, was surprised by these words. A monk doesn't lie; could the Gu Family's ancestors have accumulated virtues? Was the Gu Family about to change its fate? If true, this was the blessing of several lifetimes!
The Gu family didn't believe it, but he did. Although he was a rural doctor, he had once worked in a pharmacy for years and had seen more of the world than ordinary people.
Looking at the master, his demeanor didn't seem like those wandering monks often seeking alms, but he wasn't very certain; the monk's robe was genuinely worn.
Mr. Gu was even more puzzled, and everyone else was in a daze. At this moment, He came out with water and buns. Hearing a part on her way, her eyes shone brightly. Wow! Two buns for a jade piece? This was really a deal.
She rushed to look at the jade, Mr. Gu fully aware of his second daughter-in-law's greedy nature, hurriedly disregarded the master's words that the jade originally belonged to the little boy, stuffing it into his bosom.
He saw the action and paused, fine! Guarding against her? Later, she would ask her child's father; with the family so poor, if it were really valuable, selling it for money would be better.