Chapter Thirty-Three: Lining Up to Jump into the Well (Part One)
Tao Ming took the two little ones into a small side room to wash up. When Tao Ming pulled out toothbrushes, toothpaste, and face wash, Summer Lotus no longer questioned it; no matter how many times she asked, there was nowhere in Weishui to buy such things anyway.
After washing, Tao Ming began to worry about what to wear. Changing clothes so many times in a day, she hadn’t prepared nearly enough outfits!
Helpless, she asked, “Summer Lotus, do you have to change clothes several times a day?”
“Miss, most masters do so. But it’s already late now; usually, people stay in their own courtyards to cultivate or sleep, so there’s no need to be so particular.”
Tao Ming breathed a sigh of relief, pulled out two sets of children’s clothes from Earth for the little ones, and dressed herself in a short-sleeved shirt and knee-length shorts. She glanced at the embroidered shoes at her feet, then produced three pairs of sandals.
Summer Lotus: …
I only said it wasn’t necessary to be so particular, not that you could wear so little! Her arms and legs were all exposed!
The three had just woken up and weren’t sleepy. Watching the moonlight spill through the window, Tao Ming asked, “Do you two want to go out and see the moon?”
“Yes!” The two replied in unison.
They stepped into the courtyard and found three moons hanging in the sky, each a different color: one blue, one green, one yellow.
With her limited knowledge, Tao Ming guessed that the blue moon might have vast oceans, the green one was possibly icy, and the yellow one was likely rocky.
Summer Lotus led them to a pavilion with stone tables and chairs. After a quick tidy-up, she brought out some warmed late-night snacks. As expected, the portions were much smaller, yet the three still couldn’t finish everything, so Tao Ming stored the leftovers away to keep them from spoiling.
After eating and drinking, Tao Ming gazed at the three moons and thought of Earth’s single moon.
The moon is always fullest in one’s hometown.
She’d only been here a day, yet it felt like ages had passed already. She wondered what her mother was doing now.
Immersed in her emotions, Tao Ming pulled out two cans of fruit beer. No sooner had she opened them than Softy piped up, “Mommy, you’re sneaking drinks!”
Tao Ming quickly produced two cans of Ice Peak soda. “You have some too.”
Sticky snuggled up beside Tao Ming. “Mommy, I want to watch cartoons.”
Looking at Sticky’s round little face, Tao Ming felt deeply gratified. Over their time together, Sticky had learned to ask for what she wanted instead of trying to guess Tao Ming’s mood to please her.
Tao Ming cheerfully took out her tablet. Sticky carried it over to watch downloaded cartoons with Softy.
Summer Lotus was drawn in as well, peering over the little heads, staring at the screen without blinking. She couldn’t understand what the characters were saying, so she alternately asked Sticky and Softy for explanations.
Tao Ming sipped her fruit beer, lost in her thoughts.
Winter Snow got up, found the house empty, and searched the courtyard. She only found the four of them in the pavilion.
Seeing Summer Lotus behind the two little misses, not knowing what she was doing, and Miss Tao sitting alone with her arms and legs exposed, looking unhappy, Winter Snow felt her temper flare.
She walked over and tugged at Summer Lotus’s sleeve. Summer Lotus didn’t even look back, saying, “Don’t move, don’t move.”
Winter Snow grew angrier, grabbed her by the ear, and said, “What are you doing? Is this how you serve Miss Tao?”
Summer Lotus snapped out of it, realized it was Winter Snow, and rose with a miserable face.
Winter Snow dragged her before Tao Ming. “Miss Tao, I don’t know what’s gotten into Summer Lotus. Please forgive her this once.”
Tao Ming absentmindedly glanced at them. “Huh?”
Winter Snow continued, “Miss Tao, if you’re angry with Summer Lotus, punish her by not letting her eat tomorrow.”
Tao Ming began to come back to herself. “Why would I be angry with her?”
“Summer Lotus didn’t properly serve you. It’s only right for you to be upset.”
Now fully present, Tao Ming said, “I’m not angry; I just miss home a bit.”
She paused, then added, “You all know I came back from another world. I have hands and feet; I’ve always looked after myself and am not used to being waited on.”
Summer Lotus’s eyes reddened. “Miss Tao, I never imagined you suffered so much in that world, not even a maid at your side.”
Tao Ming: …
As she was wondering how to explain, Softy spoke up. “Mommy, I heard a strange sound.”
Tao Ming grew tense. “Is it from the cartoon?”
Softy turned off the tablet. “I can still hear it.”
“What kind of sound?” Tao Ming packed up the things on the table, scooped up both children, and headed indoors.
Softy thought for a moment. “There’s a woman crying, very sad, very sad. I really want to see who it is!”
Tao Ming turned to Sticky. “Did you hear it?”
Sticky shook her head.
Tao Ming glanced at Summer Lotus and Winter Snow; both shook their heads.
Winter Snow quickly said, “I’ll go out and check.”
She hurried off.
Tao Ming pulled out three suitable dresses, quickly changed, and sat on the bed with the two children, quietly waiting for Winter Snow’s return.
About half an hour later, Winter Snow came back.
As soon as she entered, she said, “Something strange has happened in the manor. Around twenty little maids jumped into the well. Fortunately, there are many servants attending the masters, so people were passing by and managed to rescue them all.”
“The first to jump was a little maid from the First Mistress’s courtyard. The Matriarch went over straight away, thinking someone had bullied her. But then more maids jumped, and the Matriarch realized it was serious, ordering all the little maids carried together; they’re all in the First Mistress’s courtyard now.”
Tao Ming looked at Winter Snow. “Do you need me to go over?”
Winter Snow shook her head. “The Matriarch said you needn’t worry, just rest well.”
Tao Ming nodded, looking at Softy. “Can you still hear the strange sound?”
Softy murmured assent.
“Softy, will you take Mommy to find it?”
Summer Lotus urged, “Miss Tao, you should really rest.”
Tao Ming looked at the two. “What level are you?”
Summer Lotus replied, “Winter Snow and I are both Day Rank, Level One.”
Tao Ming pressed, “Are you considered strong in Weishui?”
Summer Lotus said, “Miss Tao, Weishui is full of talented people, many stronger than us. But breaking through to Day Rank means Winter Snow and I have achieved something.”
Tao Ming gritted her teeth. Only breaking through Day Rank was considered a modest achievement? She herself was only Moon Rank, Level Two—a weakling!
Thinking of that nightmare, Tao Ming said, “I have a hunch this incident with the well is aimed at the three of us. You two protect us; let Softy lead us to see what’s going on.”
Winter Snow quickly protested, “Miss Tao, if that’s true, you should stay inside and not go out!”
Tao Ming sighed. “I know staying in is safest, but so many innocent maids have been implicated; it might drag in more. My conscience won’t let me rest.”
Summer Lotus and Winter Snow urged her again, so Tao Ming compromised. “Winter Snow, please invite Grandmother here. I’ll wait.”
Winter Snow agreed and went out.
Grandmother arrived soon, followed by several people.
The Matriarch’s face looked grim. “Ming Ming, what’s so urgent?”
“Grandmother, are those little maids all right?”
She answered, worry etched into her face. “They were pulled out and are all unconscious. I tried spells, but nothing wakes them. It seems something has seized their minds.”
“Grandmother, do they have anything in common? Age, for instance.”
Grandmother called over Madam Xu. “This is Madam Xu, who manages the inner court. She knows best.”
Tao Ming looked at Madam Xu, who seemed about fifty, neat and capable.
Madam Xu bowed. “Miss Tao, these little maids were all bought into the manor this year, none older than eight, each assigned to different courtyards.”
Tao Ming asked, “Have they begun cultivation?”
Madam Xu replied, “They’re just laying foundations; the best is only Star Rank, Level Five.”
Tao Ming looked at the Matriarch. “Grandmother, I think this is aimed at me. I’m also under eight and not strong.”
The Matriarch comforted her. “Ming Ming, don’t let your imagination run wild. You’ve just returned; even if someone wanted to act, it wouldn’t happen so quickly.”
Suddenly, Softy spoke. “Mommy, the sound is getting louder! It’s scary!”
Tao Ming hugged Softy tightly. “Grandmother, Softy has always had extraordinary hearing. She says she hears someone crying and wants to find out who.”
The Matriarch’s expression changed. “Could it be the Soul Cry Curse?”