Chapter 3: Live Here or Get Out
In the evening, the western sky was adorned with vibrant, colorful clouds.
Zhou Wanfeng rested her chin on her wrist, deep in thought inside the car. Not to a hotel, but to the South Lake home? The reason Zhou Zhiru changed his mind was definitely not because of what I said. I’m very clear on that point.
She had expressed herself clearly: give her a house to live in, and they would not interfere with each other. Yet now, he was sending her to a place where a large family lived. Was he trying to make her retreat in the face of difficulty?
To the Yun family, she was a complete outsider.
“We’re here, child.” The driver, Old Chen, stopped the car and turned to remind her.
South Lake Mansion in Yunhai City. This place was worth its weight in gold, named after the picturesque South Lake it bordered, and also known as the city’s wealthy district.
Zhou Wanfeng pushed the door open and got out, surveying her surroundings. The environment was first-class, the construction top-notch. If she were truly the ignorant Zhou Wanfeng, she would probably want to go back on the very first night.
She looked down at her clothes. Autumn had arrived in Dongshan, and it had been a bit chilly at five in the morning, so she had specifically worn a crew-neck pullover, a pair of track pants, and white lace-up sneakers.
In Xuxu Village, girls her age still wore cloth shoes handmade by their mothers and grandmothers, or had clothes made at a tailor’s shop. Her wardrobe, however, was filled with store-bought, ready-made outfits.
It was just that she hadn’t taken a liking to the colorful, doll-collared clothes. The only other outfit she had grabbed for her backpack was a set of the original Zhou Wanfeng’s school uniform.
But at this moment, Zhou Wanfeng could feel it herself—just standing here, it was as if the very air was rejecting her.
She was completely out of place.
The ornate, carved gate looked like a piece of art. Old Chen went to ring the doorbell.
Ding-dong, ding-dong.
A small side door next to the main gate opened, and a grandmother wearing a headscarf and a blue smock poked her head out. The hair beneath her headscarf was somewhat gray, and the deep nasolabial folds on either side of her nose were like two trenches. Her brown eyes glanced at Old Chen before fixing intently on Zhou Wanfeng behind him.
Zhou Wanfeng lifted her head and stared right back.
“Auntie Zhang, this is…” Old Chen began to introduce her, his smile cautious.
Auntie Zhang’s eyes drooped as she coldly interrupted Old Chen. “I know. You can go back now, Old Chen.” She then looked at Zhou Wanfeng. “You, come in with me.” With that, she turned and went inside.
Old Chen turned to Zhou Wanfeng with a sheepish expression. “Well… child, you should go in. I should be heading back too.”
Zhou Wanfeng’s lips curved up. “Thank you for bringing me here, Uncle. Drive safely on your way back.”
Old Chen waved his hands repeatedly. “Oh, don’t thank me, it’s what I should do.” He glanced back at the three-story residence behind him and lowered his voice. “Child, be good here, you understand? That person, you call her Granny Zhang. She’s been with this family for a long time, since she was young. The Madam was practically raised by her, so they’re very close. You’ve just arrived, so be sure to greet people.”
Zhou Wanfeng smiled and nodded, saying she would.
Old Chen couldn’t say more and just urged Zhou Wanfeng to go inside.
Zhou Wanfeng watched Old Chen drive away before pushing open the side door. A Chinese-style courtyard with a covered corridor, a pavilion, a rockery, and a small fishpond came into view, making it feel as if she had traveled back to ancient times.
Following the corridor, she saw the blue-clad grandmother waiting for her at the top of a high flight of stairs, her face stern.
This person dislikes me.
The obvious rejection and dislike were practically etched on her face.
Zhou Wanfeng suddenly froze, her head snapping up. In her past life, being constantly watched and followed had honed her alertness to a razor’s edge. She saw a curtain on the second floor swaying slightly.
“What are you spacing out for? Hurry and follow me. And tread lightly. The old master and old mistress live on the first floor and they like peace and quiet.” Granny Zhang led the way, but instead of entering the house directly, she took a long detour around the building to a staircase in the backyard.
Holding her skirt with one hand and the handrail with the other, she muttered coldly, “The Madam is not home. She’s on vacation abroad with Miss Jingya and the young master. The house has been busy since we received the master’s call. The old mistress has a rule not to be disturbed when she’s contemplating her Go game, and with no advance notice, we don’t have a guest room prepared. The old mistress doesn’t like strangers staying in the house; she says it’s inconvenient.” At this point, Granny Zhang turned her head to look at Zhou Wanfeng, as if afraid she wouldn’t understand.
Zhou Wanfeng followed behind without a word.
Granny Zhang continued to mutter, her voice just loud enough for Zhou Wanfeng to hear clearly. “There were a few spare rooms before, but now that Miss Jingya and the young master are older, they’ve been converted into a piano room, a reading room, and a playroom. We hired professionals to design and decorate them; it cost a fortune. Tearing them down now would mean finding someone to redesign and redecorate, which would take some time. There’s no other choice for now. The attic is empty. You can make do there for the time being. We’ll see what to do when the Madam returns.”
The stairs led directly to the attic. It had been cleaned and was very tidy. It was clear the bed had been made up hastily. Next to it were miscellaneous items covered by a cloth, making the bed seem all the more out of place.
Granny Zhang went to open the window for ventilation, then turned around, her back straight, hands folded over her abdomen, her expression serious as she looked at Zhou Wanfeng, who was already sitting on the bed.
When she saw the backpack also placed on the bed, her brows furrowed slightly. “I’ll have someone find a small table and bring it up for you later. Keep the bed tidy. It’s best not to put extra things on it.”
Zhou Wanfeng couldn’t help but smile, but she remained seated, watching quietly.
This was a form of silent provocation.
Granny Zhang watched the other girl tilt her head and cross her legs, a picture of a country bumpkin with no manners. Her frown deepened, and she couldn’t be bothered to say more. She simply said, “You rest for now. Someone will come and call you for dinner.” With that, she turned to leave.
But Zhou Wanfeng stood up and blocked her way. Being disliked, she couldn’t bring herself to smile either. Her eyes were deep and cold. “Wait a moment. I haven’t asked for your name.”
“My surname is Zhang. You can just call me Granny Zhang.”
Zhou Wanfeng took a few unhurried steps closer. “Granny Zhang, there’s something I want to clarify. Am I considered a guest? Or a relative?”
Granny Zhang’s lips tightened. For a moment, she didn’t know how to answer.
Zhou Wanfeng leaned in closer, bringing her face right in front of Granny Zhang’s. The fine lines and age spots were in plain view, even the bloodshot veins in her pupils were visible.
Granny Zhang maintained her composure and didn’t retreat, taking a breath as she looked at the half-smiling face before her. “You’re considered both.”
“If I’m a guest, then your hospitality is somewhat lacking. You still have much to learn. My father is the son-in-law of this family, which makes us relatives. In that case, I should be treated as such. If I’m a relative, then please, don’t put on such a cold face. It’s not like I’m living in your house. With your frowning and cold expression, I might think I was.”
With that, Zhou Wanfeng smiled and took a large step back. “I’m sorry, Granny Zhang. I’m from the countryside, so I speak bluntly. I was just afraid of not knowing my place and making a fool of myself. I’ll ask my father later. Once I have a clear answer, I’ll let you know. I imagine you’re probably wondering about it yourself.”
Granny Zhang’s face turned shades of green and white. Being spoken to with such veiled sarcasm to her face, she clenched her back teeth and replied, “Fine. Let me know when you find out.” Then she lifted the hem of her skirt and clattered down the stairs.
Once the woman was gone, Zhou Wanfeng closed the door and stood by the window. The gentle breeze caressed her face. Looking down from this height, she felt a sense of freedom and ease. A new life shouldn’t be bothered by such trivial matters.
Fuming, Granny Zhang stomped downstairs and slipped into the old mistress’s Go room. She knelt properly to the side, her anger not yet subsided, her breathing uneven. She called out to the old mistress with a hint of grievance in her voice.
On the tatami mat was a Go table. The old mistress looked up at the sound, glanced at her, then lowered her head back to the board, where the black and white stones were in a complex struggle, each side holding an advantage.
The old mistress, Yang Yijun, was sixty-four this year. She wore a simple, loose-fitting dress. Her face had only a few fine lines, and her skin was smooth and full, not at all like that of a sixty-year-old.
Born into a prestigious family, she had only one daughter, Yun Lan, and had never known hardship in her life.
At this moment, her back was straight, her shoulders level, her posture impeccable. She held a Go stone between her index and middle fingers and asked softly, “What is the child like?”
Granny Zhang had just managed to calm her breathing. “You haven’t seen her yourself. She’s crude, ill-mannered, and disrespectful…”
“That’s not what I asked. With no mother since she was young and raised by a stubborn and unreasonable grandmother, I can guess what she’s like. I’m asking what she looks like. Her height, her build, her features. Is she as pretty as our Jingya?” After asking, Yang Yijun chuckled to herself. “Daughters take after their fathers. If she looks like her dad, she probably isn’t ugly.”
Granny Zhang pouted, tempted to downplay her looks, but when she thought of Zhou Wanfeng’s face, she had to admit, even in her anger, that she was decent-looking. “She is indeed easy on the eyes, but she’s not worthy of being compared to Miss Jingya. True elegance comes from a scholarly heart. In that respect, she is far behind. It’s not just me saying this, but one look at that child and you can tell she’s from the countryside and hasn’t had a proper education. She probably hasn’t even learned English. Our Miss Jingya can give speeches in English. There’s no comparison.”
“She looks like her father… does that mean she and Xiaobao look somewhat alike?” Yang Yijun murmured softly, a hint of regret in her voice.
Granny Zhang lowered her head in silence, which was a tacit agreement.
“When her grandmother passed away, Yun Lan told me the child would stay in their hometown to be cared for by her uncles. Why did she suddenly come to Yunhai City?” Yang Yijun’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What did she bring with her?”
“A student’s backpack. It didn’t look like it had much in it.”
Yang Yijun murmured something and sighed softly. “She is indeed pitiful. But having her stay here is certainly a hassle.”
Granny Zhang’s heart only registered the last sentence.
The evening clouds in the west dissipated, and the sky gradually darkened.
Zhou Wanfeng’s body was still too weak. She had lain on the bed and slept for a while, only to be woken by the cold. The window was still open.
She got up to find the sky outside was already dark. There was no clock in the attic, so she didn’t know the time.
They said someone would call me for dinner. Where are they?
There was another staircase connected to the attic. Zhou Wanfeng followed it down. The dim wall lamps on the third floor were enough to make out the furnishings. The large living room was decorated with a touch of childishness; it was probably the floor belonging to the original female lead and her half-brother.
Down on the second floor, it was clearly the residence of Zhou Zhiru and his wife. A magnificent chandelier, velvet furniture, and a gold-framed family portrait.
Zhou Wanfeng stood under the enormous family portrait for a long time and couldn’t help but let out a sneer.
She looked around but couldn’t find a clock. The doors to the rooms were all closed and dark, except for the one at the very end, from which light was seeping.
Granny Zhang had said her stepmother had taken the children abroad on vacation. The person in that room now could only be Zhou Zhiru.
Perfect. I have something to say.
The door was ajar. Through the crack, she could see it was a study. Zhou Zhiru was still in the same clothes he had worn during the day. He had probably just gotten home and hadn’t had time to change.
He was looking at a document with concentration.
Zhou Wanfeng stood at the door and raised her hand to knock, thump, thump, thump. Seeing the person inside look over, she pushed the door open and went straight to her destination.
Standing in front of a grandfather clock, she pointed at the moving hands. “I said Granny Zhang’s hospitality was lacking, and she wouldn’t admit it. It’s almost nine, and I haven’t even had dinner.”
Zhou Wanfeng sat down on a nearby sofa. “I know what you’re scheming. No one in Yunhai City welcomes me. Especially the people in this house. They probably dislike me even more.”
Zhou Zhiru ignored her and continued to read his document. “Leave after you’ve said your piece. The rule in this house is that if you miss mealtime, there are no leftovers. If you want to eat, wake up early tomorrow.”
“Have you told this family that I’m staying? You’d better. I didn’t bring many things with me; I’ll need to get some necessities.”
“Anything else?”
“You’ll need to have someone transfer my school records. I’m starting junior high after the break. You’ll have to find a school for me.”
Zhou Zhiru nodded, indicating he understood.
“How long are you planning to have me stay here?” In the end, Zhou Wanfeng still preferred to live alone.
Zhou Zhiru stood up and pulled a book from the shelf behind him, replying nonchalantly, “You are my biological eldest daughter, not some illegitimate child to be hidden away. The Yun family’s friends and relatives all know about you. Let a child like you live alone? Not only me, but the entire Yun family would be gossiped about.
“I have remarried. Yun Lan is, for all intents and purposes, your mother, and her family is your maternal grandmother’s family. If you’re going to stay in Yunhai City, you’ll have to get to know some of her relatives.” After saying this, Zhou Zhiru looked up and studied Zhou Wanfeng, his lips curling upwards. “Your grandmother comes from a prestigious family. It would be good for her to teach you some etiquette and rules.”
Zhou Wanfeng understood. Her face hardened as she said coldly, “To put it bluntly, it’s either I live here, or I get out and go back to Dongshan, is that it?”
Zhou Zhiru sat down again and continued to read his book.
It was a tacit agreement.
Zhou Wanfeng took a breath and walked to his desk. After a few seconds of pause, her hand shot out.
All Zhou Zhiru heard was a ripping sound. The book was snatched from his hands. When he looked again, all he saw was the half-torn page remaining in his grasp.
Then, with a thud, the book was slammed onto the floor. The impact was so great that the floor seemed to tremble.