ATLAS TRANSLATES

When Grandmother and Father met, they had little to say. Grandmother just kept pushing fruits and snacks into Father’s hands: “…These are from Li’s shop in town… These are homegrown, I specially fertilized them in spring, the melons are fragrant and sweet. Even if you can buy them in town, they’re not this fresh…”

Father smiled awkwardly.

He didn’t like eating any of these things.

Having been raised by his adoptive mother, apart from their natural blood connection, he had nothing in common with his birth mother in terms of living habits or food preferences. But he still took the melon seeds and cracked them slowly in his hands.

Grandmother sensed Father’s discomfort. A trace of embarrassment passed through her smile as she asked: “When will you come to pick up Shou Gu?” After asking, she felt the question was inappropriate and added, “I mean, I haven’t had any education and don’t understand the rules of noble families. It’s fine for Shou Gu to visit me occasionally, but staying here long-term might hold her back.”

Father said: “Once I’ve made arrangements on my end, I’ll come get Shou Gu.” Finding a common topic to discuss, he continued, “I also think it’s not good for her to be with Lady Wang. My Sixth Sister-in-law is a good person and gets along well with Shou Gu. Since I’ll be staying in the capital for a few more years, I’m thinking of letting her stay with Sixth Sister-in-law.”

Grandmother nodded: “That would be good! I hear that Sixth Madam comes from a prestigious Jiangnan family. Sometimes even Old Madame consults her on uncertain matters, yet everyone praises her. Clearly, Sixth Madam is very capable. Shou Gu will gain some knowledge staying with her.” As she spoke, she mentioned Father’s adoptive mother, “…If you hadn’t been raised by her, how could you have achieved what you have today?”

Father lowered his head and smiled, saying: “Mother treated me very well.”

“I know,” Grandmother said, “Once I secretly went to see you and saw Madam hitting your palms with a bamboo stick, asking if you would dare do it again. You had tears in your eyes saying you wouldn’t. But as soon as she put down the stick, you made faces at her and asked if you could go play… After that, I truly felt at ease.”

Both Dou Shiying and Dou Zhao were stunned hearing this story.

Grandmother sighed: “If only Madam could have lived a few more years!”

Father’s eyes reddened.

Grandmother quickly smiled and said: “Look at me, why am I talking about these things? Since you rarely visit, why don’t you stay for lunch? I’ll have them kill that old hen…”

“No, no,” Father hurriedly said, “There’s a pile of things to handle at home, I need to get back early. I’ll come see you again in a few days.”

Grandmother thought for a moment and didn’t try to keep him further, saying: “Then let me see you out!”

Father couldn’t refuse, and Grandmother held Dou Zhao’s hand as they walked Father Dou Shiying out.

The villagers were curious about Father’s identity. They peered from behind doors or corners, and some who were close to Grandmother would carry empty bamboo baskets, pretending to encounter them by chance, smiling and bowing to Grandmother: “Master, you have a guest!”

Everyone in the village made their living helping Grandmother farm. In the Dou family, Grandmother had no status, but here…

Grandmother stood straight and merely gave an “Mm” in response, saying nothing more.

Dou Zhao had heard from Cui Da’s wife before that when Grandmother first arrived at the estate, people said all sorts of things.

The Cui family wanted to stand up for Grandmother, but she stopped them, saying “You’ve done it, now let people talk.”

Her attitude was open, showing no special favor to those who flattered her nor deliberately making things difficult for those who spoke ill of her. Everything depended on how well one farmed.

Over time, during bad years, she would even waive their rent. If anyone’s children wanted to study, she would provide financial support. If anyone’s children wanted to apprentice at a shop, she would help arrange it.

Gradually, Grandmother earned these people’s respect. Later, when the Cui family and some others from the estate finally decided to follow Dou Zhao to the capital, it was entirely out of regard for Grandmother.

In truth, Dou Zhao had benefited from Grandmother’s influence.

Hunting birds in the mountains, catching fish in the river.

In the bright May weather, Dou Zhao relived the memories of life at the estate.

But she was no longer that naive child. After just two or three days, her whole body ached from even slight movements.

Tuo Niang anxiously asked Grandmother: “What should we do?”

“She’ll get better with more movement,” Grandmother smiled, then took Dou Zhao’s hand, “Come, let’s go catch bugs on the melon vines.”

Dou Zhao didn’t want to go.

Tuo Niang naturally protected her.

Grandmother smiled and said: “She’s a young lady. If she doesn’t work hard now, how will her body grow strong? How will she bear children in the future? Look at those young ladies from wealthy families, so many die in childbirth because they stop moving once they’re pregnant, fearing any mishap might harm the child. But they end up getting exactly what they fear. Look at our farming families – how many have difficult births? We only worry about raising the children!” At this point, Grandmother sighed deeply.

Dou Zhao thought of her previous life… it was just as Grandmother said. Though her body had been damaged, she hadn’t died from it.

Having a second chance at life, if one didn’t cherish it properly, the advantages from the previous life wouldn’t necessarily come automatically. And if one misjudged oneself because of this, it would be terrible.

She struggled to get up from the kang bed and said weakly: “I’ll go catch bugs with you.”

Grandmother smiled with satisfaction.

Tuo Niang, Haitang, Qiukui, Moli, Xuancao, and Grandmother’s servant woman – the one who had helped Grandmother down from the carriage, Hong Gu – followed behind them like dumplings on a string.

This time they were catching the most beautiful-looking green caterpillars.

Haitang and the others screamed in fear, and even Tuo Niang’s face changed color.

Dou Zhao giggled, found a pair of chopsticks, and caught them one by one, soon filling a plate with green caterpillars.

She teased Haitang: “We’ll fry them in oil and eat them later!”

Haitang leaned against the wall and vomited violently.

Grandmother chuckled and scolded Dou Zhao: “Don’t say such things anymore.”

Hong Gu praised: “Truly worthy of being Master’s granddaughter.”

Grandmother’s face darkened, saying: “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that this time, but if I hear such words again, you can go back to your own home!”

Hong Gu’s face turned pale with fright.

Grandmother said: “How can there be order without rules! Fourth Miss is still young – whatever you say, she’ll believe. When she returns to the Dou family, things will be different. Who should she listen to then? You’ll only make things difficult for the child.” Her voice gradually lowered. “Besides, her grandfather has always looked down on her father’s origins. If she makes any mistakes, it will only make her grandfather despise her father more.”

“Master, it’s all my fault,” Hong Gu said, about to kneel down to ask forgiveness.

Grandmother quickly pulled her up: “You’re just a concubine in the Dou family too, not much different from me. You don’t need to do this. Just be more careful with your words in the future.”

Hong Gu nodded repeatedly: “I understand.”

Dou Zhao watched this and thought of Dou Ming.

The same situation, yet Grandmother and Wang Yingxue’s reactions were completely different.

In her previous life, she had always thought Dou Ming was more fortunate than her.

In this life, as she reexamined herself, she felt for the first time that she was more fortunate than Dou Ming.

In her previous life, Dou Ming had a mother who protected her in everything.

Whatever she wanted, Wang Yingxue would fight for her, regardless of the cost or sacrifice.

But this led to Dou Ming developing an arrogant and domineering personality.

Without Wang Yingxue’s protection, she could only shout and throw tantrums. She couldn’t do anything else. A good marriage was ruined by her, becoming a complete mess, yet she didn’t know where the problem lay and only knew how to blame others.

Though she herself had lost her mother, she had a grandmother who loved her dearly. Using the simplest methods, teaching by example, influencing her life, helping her not despair in adversity nor become proud in prosperity, learning how to protect herself and how to pursue happiness.

She couldn’t help taking a deep breath.

There was no more resentment in her heart.

She even felt grateful to her father for sending her to the estate.

Whatever his purpose had been in her previous life, she had benefited from it.

Suddenly, Dou Zhao felt a surge of expansiveness in her heart, like clouds rolling across the vast sky.

She sincerely knelt before the small Guanyin shrine, genuinely thanking the deity for her care.

Nearby, Haitang quietly asked Tuo Niang: “When are we going back?” Her voice was tearful.

Tuo Niang glared at her fiercely: “If you want to go back, I’ll tell Aunt Cui tomorrow to send you back alone.”

Haitang cowered to the side, not daring to speak.

Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile.

She had already met Cui Da, who had helped her manage the estate in her previous life, but hadn’t yet met the later famous household manager of the Jining Marquis Manor, known as “Know-it-all” Cui Thirteen, nor the chief steward who helped her manage the shops, originally named Zhao Gou Sheng but later changed to Zhao Liangbi, nor her personal maids Ganlu and Sujuan…

But there was no rush for all that.

Dou Zhao was thinking about Tuo Niang’s marriage.

In her previous life, Tuo Niang had been sold as a bride to a family surnamed Li.

The husband was more than ten years older and disabled. Tuo Niang gave birth to a son in her second year of marriage. Three years later, when plague struck the village, both husband and child died. Her mother-in-law said she brought bad luck and wanted to sell her.

She had fled in the night, hoping to find work at the Dou household.

It took her a year to reach Zhending, where she heard nothing but bad rumors about Mother.

That was when she angrily sought out Dou Zhao.

Also because of this, her health had been severely damaged, and she died at thirty-seven.

In this life, Tuo Niang had stayed with the Dou family and changed her name to the elegant “Suxin.”

But after the new year, she was already twenty.

In the Dou family, she should have been married at this age, but because she was Dou Zhao’s favorite maid, the family elders pretended not to notice, letting her quietly serve by her side.

Dou Zhao asked Grandmother: “Could you help find a match for Tuo Niang? Yuxin is already married.”

Grandmother laughed heartily, saying she was “young but precocious.”

This was the difference between Grandmother and the Dou family people.

If it were the Dou family people, they would probably first ask “who told you to say this?”

Grandmother never maliciously guessed others’ intentions. She felt that even if it was Tuo Niang’s wish, such a request was reasonable and deserved attention.