Cheng Bi had already poured off some of the scalding tea and mixed in warm water.
Even so, Bai Long nearly dropped it.
With so many eyes on her, what else could Bai Long not understand?
This was the young mistress showing her who was in charge.
She must hold a grudge over yesterday's tea mishap that embarrassed her.
Bai Long hardened her heart and took a sip of the tea.
In an instant, her throat felt as if it were being burned through.
She squeezed her eyes shut, her expression pained. Wan Niang noticed and asked in surprise, "Doesn't the tea suit your taste?"
It was a cup of candied golden orange tea, the liquor a bright yellow.
Bai Long narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
With the young master present, she could only swallow the bitter water. Though she had known this day would come, she felt somewhat disheartened to be humiliated in front of everyone.
Outside, the wind was fierce, the clouds all blown away. After snowing for a while, the sky cleared.
Wan Niang had met the household servants. Perhaps because she had risen too early, she was growing tired.
She returned to rest, while Gu Lanyin went out on business.
Bao Niang supported her mistress. Once back in the inner courtyard, she couldn't keep her mouth shut.
"Miss gave away so many gifts today, but I noticed that maid named Bai Long didn't seem pleased."
"You asked her to drink tea to moisten her throat, and she acted like swallowing thorns. I don't think she's an honest maid."
"Alright, say less." Wan Niang removed her hair ornaments and said helplessly, "She's beautiful and clever. Her parents are prominent figures in this household. She's seen all sorts of fine things. We were just going through the motions. Why dwell on it?"
Scolded, Bao Niang saw her mistress was exhausted and helped her lie down.
After the maids left, the room was quiet.
Through the bed curtains, Zhao Wan Niang looked at the hazy scene and breathed a sigh of relief.
This bedroom was larger than her former main room, let alone the entire house. The Zhao family had some money in the village, but in Gu Lang's home, they were no different from the wealthy servants.
He said it was hard to marry her, and Zhao Wan Niang understood the twists and turns.
For her to be here today, Gu Lang must have endured no less hardship than she had.
Feeling guilty, she wanted to be a virtuous wife, but her body was so weak.
She frowned, lying alone in bed, hands and feet cold. Listening to the wind outside, she sank into a chaotic dream.
The tide at the riverbank sounded incessantly. In a trance, she was back at that rundown medical clinic.
The scent of medicine seemed to permeate everything inside and out. She tossed and turned in bed, dampness slowly seeping from her toes and fingertips toward her heart.
Her body felt like rotting wood; a hint of moss green couldn't hide its decay.
Someone brought her medicine to drink. She opened her eyes.
Moonlight was like water, withered branches like bones. On that pale night, by her bed stood the masked female doctor.
"I won't drink it. Take it away!"
The female doctor removed her mask.
Zhao Wan Niang saw her raise an eyebrow and grin.
Zhao Wan Niang was startled to see that her face was remarkably like her own.
She pointed at her, too terrified to speak.
"Did you think I liked wearing a mask?"
The female doctor crushed the mask underfoot, tasted the medicine herself, grimaced at the bitterness, and laughed again. "It's because you look so much like me. Coming here for treatment is nothing but trouble for me. And now you won't take your medicine—such a spoiled young lady. Did you think everyone would indulge you like those stinky men?"
She brought the bowl to Wan Niang's lips.
Wan Niang instinctively wanted to flee, but the woman pinched her chin firmly, and she couldn't escape.
The bitter, hot liquid went down her throat, mostly spilling, but finally warming her chest.
"Who are you?"
Wan Niang coughed until her face was red. She looked closely at that face and saw her smiling again.
"Who am I? Your husband will tell you."
Wan Niang lay in the damp room, watching her drift away like a ghost, her mind replaying those words.
Who was her husband?
The question suddenly became hard to solve, so she pondered for a long time until the world seemed to shatter and a strange feeling of weightlessness struck, waking her with a start!
Inside the red bed curtains, Zhao Wan Niang gasped for breath, as if she had narrowly escaped death.
The feeling of weightlessness quickly faded. She stared blankly at the gilded pattern of good fortune and prosperity on the bed canopy until her eyes blurred.
Back then, she couldn't think of who her husband was. Now, lying in the bridal chamber, Zhao Wan Niang suddenly understood.