Chapter 514 - 516: Is She Dreaming?
"Indeed, the lady guessed right. When the girl’s mother was alive, she owed quite a sum of silver to her uncle’s family. Hence, even the village chief could not stop her uncle from selling her," Ge Yapo commented from the sidelines.
During this period, the philosophy of a child repaying their parent’s debt applied, even if her mother was no longer alive, she was still responsible for settling the debt.
Bai Ruozhu remained silent, gazing at the mute girl. The mute girl sobbed for a long time, then finally lifted her head and looked at Bai Ruozhu. She emphatically nodded to convey that she could do what Bai Ruozhu proposed.
"Alright, I will purchase her. What’s her name?" Bai Ruozhu asked.
Ge Yapo couldn’t hide her joy, saying, "Her name is Zhaodi. Her family had hoped for a male child, but unfortunately, her father caught a severe illness and passed away too soon. Regardless, her future name will be entirely your decision."
Bai Ruozhu had always felt that girls named Zhaodi or ’Come Daughter’ bore an inherent sense of despair in their names. It seemed as if their existence was solely to ensure the household had men, thus making her despise such names.
"She shall be called Plum Blossom. Even in the coldest winter, it blooms brilliantly," Bai Ruozhu said softly.
The mute girl gazed at Bai Ruozhu in a daze, a spark of life gradually returning to her eyes. She expressed her gratitude by nodding at Bai Ruozhu. Suddenly, she hurriedly blessed Bai Ruozhu according to custom.
Bai Ruozhu then asked Ge Yapo about the price. As expected, Ge Yapo was a woman who lived by her words. She gave Bai Ruozhu a discounted price. Bai Ruozhu found Ge Yapo agreeable and rewarded her with three more coins, assuring her that she would return for future business.
Ge Yapo was utterly delighted and assisted Bai Ruozhu in processing the necessary paperwork, eventually transferring Plum Blossom’s Indenture Contract to Bai Ruozhu.
On their way home, Bai Ruozhu beckoned Plum Blossom to sit in the horse carriage. Plum Blossom hesitated, seemingly aware that servants are not allowed to ride in carriages. Bai Ruozhu, exasperated, said, "You are to serve me in the carriage. What use are you down there?"
Only then did Plum Blossom follow her into the carriage.
"There are many people in my house, but I don’t require you to serve everyone one by one. They are not accustomed to being served by others. After returning, you will learn to spin threads. Helping me spin threads daily is all that is required. Also, I have a pitiful cousin whose mind has become somewhat impaired. She needs care in her daily life, and you will be responsible for her care," Bai Ruozhu explained to Plum Blossom in detail.
"Help her wash her face and hands in the morning and evening. Keep an eye on her during meal times and do not let anyone scare her. You shouldn’t be shy when it comes to your meals. Everyone is well-fed in my house. Additionally, you’ll receive two sets of clothes every season and a monthly salary of a tael of silver. If your performance is good, your salary may increase—do you have any objections?" Bai Ruozhu added.
Plum Blossom shook her head hurriedly. She felt that these demands were fair. Spinning threads was such a simple task and much lesser than the chores she did in her former home. She was given sufficient food, clothing, and a monthly salary. Was she dreaming?
Bai Ruozhu saw Plum Blossom’s stunned expression, and couldn’t help but laugh. "You should save the money you earn as your dowry for the future. By the way, I still don’t know how old you are."
Plum Blossom began counting with her fingers, indicating she was only fifteen.
Bai Ruozhu nodded at her. She still had a few more years before her marriageable age, so it wasn’t urgent.
"Open your mouth; let’s see if we can find any treatment for you," Bai Ruozhu suggested.
Plum Blossom looked a bit embarrassed, as if revealing the condition of her mouth was a source of immense shame. Bai Ruozhu did not urge her on, she simply said softly, "I’m a medical student, so perhaps, there’s a chance that I can help you regain your speech."
Only then, Plum Blossom opened her mouth. However, regrettably, Bai Ruozhu shook her head after examining it. The girl indeed had been ruthless; her injuries were severe to the point of being difficult to treat.
Noticing Bai Ruozhu shake her head, Plum Blossom became disheartened, understanding that her condition was beyond hope. The lady was right; she should not have given up so easily back then.
"Don’t be disheartened. I will try my best to treat you. Even if you can’t speak again, being able to make some indistinct sounds is still better than nothing," Bai Ruozhu reassured her.
They soon arrived at the Bai family’s residence. Bai Ruozhu brought Plum Blossom in, which piqued the curiosity of everyone. Everyone came out to watch the spectacle. Lin Ping’er, mindful of maintaining her authority as the mistress, glared at everyone, reminding them not to act thoughtlessly.
"Father, Mother, this is the maid I purchased. From now on, let’s call her Plum Blossom. She will be responsible for taking care of Ruolan and helping with the spinning of threads. For now, she’ll share a room with Ruolan," Bai Ruozhu announced.
Plum Blossom seemed nervous and paid respects rapidly to Lin Ping’er and Bai Yihong. She opened her mouth and could only manage to grunt a few times.
"Plum Blossom’s tongue was injured, and she cannot speak. Everyone might have to bear with her a bit," Bai Ruozhu hurriedly explained.
Plum Blossom looked gratefully at Bai Ruozhu with a smile. She was thankful that the lady did not mention, how she had bitten her own tongue in a suicide attempt, saving her a good deal of humiliation.
Next, Bai Ruozhu introduced everyone in the household to Plum Blossom. Plum Blossom bowed to each person respectfully, then Bai Ruozhu brought her to meet her cousin, Bai Ruolan. Bai Ruozhu held Bai Ruolan’s hand and said, "Ruolan, will you let Plum Blossom take care of you from now on?"
Bai Ruolan was still very much attached to Bai Ruozhu. She immediately gripped her sleeve and shook her head vigorously. Standing beside, Plum Blossom’s heart raced with anxiety, fearing that her new mistress’s cousin would reject her, which might result in her failing to settle down permanently.
Patting Bai Ruolan’s hair, Bai Ruozhu combed her messy strands back into place, saying, "There are so many things I need to tend to, and I cannot be with you all the time. You should learn to be more understanding as you grow older, alright? Even Dengdeng is well-behaved."
After a brief consideration, Bai Ruolan reluctantly nodded. It seemed that she had regressed to the mental age of a five or six-year-old child, speaking even less than ones of her age.
Plum Blossom breathed a sigh of relief. When she attempted to assist Bai Ruolan, Bai Ruolan rejected her in fear and hid behind Bai Ruozhu.
"Don’t touch her for now. You’ll need to start slow. She would need some time to get used to you," Bai Ruozhu advised.
Plum Blossom nodded, signifying her understanding.
Subsequently, Bai Ruozhu led Plum Blossom to Aunt Lin to learn spinning thread. As Plum Blossom had previous experience the craft, she caught on quickly.
Aunt Lin let out a sigh of relief upon seeing she had help. She smiled at Bai Ruozhu, saying, "This is good, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up with you all."
"Aunt Lin, you should take more rest and not rush with the spinning henceforth. If workload increases, we will buy another maid. We can’t afford to wear you out," Bai Ruozhu assured Aunt Lin with a smile.
"Oh, no. You have treated us well enough. I am not so old that I can’t move. I can’t just eat and do nothing," Aunt Lin protested stubbornly, making it clear she would continue to work.
With no other options, Bai Ruozhu had to let Aunt Lin be. They were to rest immediately after dinner anyway without using oil lamps, in order to prevent damage to their eyesight.
After Bai Ruozhu exited Aunt Lin’s room, Lin Ping’er pulled her aside and asked, "Why did you buy a mute girl? Was it intentional?"
Bai Ruozhu laughed and cried at the same time. The situation indeed seemed like it. She just believed that Plum Blossom’s situation made her a suitable purchase for their home. Bai Ruozhu then relayed Plum Blossom’s background to her mother in a hushed voice. Her mother, the soft-hearted woman she was, quickly dabbed at her eyes, saying, "The poor child has suffered a lot. I’ll find her some clothes and shoes. Her toes are even showing."