3 Earn Her Own Keep

Three months later, the spring flowers had begun to bloom.

Under her nanny's care, Yun Dai had finally more or less recovered, and her son was slowly gaining some weight.

During these three months, she'd had no contact with the Gu family.

The Gu family seemed to have completely forgotten that they had had a daughter as well. Nobody ever asked after her.

The nanny carried the child around and smiled. She said, "Look at our Little Young Master. He's so fair and handsome. I'm sure he's going to grow up to be the most charismatic young man."

Yun Dai laughed and said, "Auntie Pan, I'm no longer a daughter of the Gu family, so you shouldn't call him Little Young Master anymore. Just call him Yan'er. He'll be a Yun like I am."

She was folding Yan'er's little tops and pants.

During these three months, she had already developed a deep bond with this child.

Auntie Pan asked worriedly, "But, Young Mistress, you've only just recovered. Are you sure you want to go to find work as a maid?"

"Yes, I'm sure," replied Yun Dai with a smile. "I've recovered very well, so you don't have to worry."

Her nanny's family was very poor themselves. She didn't want to burden them any further.

She was going to earn her own keep, buy a house, and bring Yan'er up herself.

Auntie Pan was still very worried. "But, Young Mistress, how could someone of your status possibly go and work as a kitchen helper? That's going to be too tough on you."

"I'm not the pampered daughter of the Gu family anymore, so I ought to work and earn enough money to feed Yan'er. That's the right thing to do." Yun Dai put away the little clothes that she had finished folding and said, "It's just that I won't be able to come home every day, so I'll have to trouble you to help me look after the boy. I'll leave him to you now."

Auntie Pan's eyes were red as she said, "Young Mistress, don't worry. I brought you up, so I'm only too happy to bring Yan'er up as well."

After Yun Dai was done packing, she looked at herself in the mirror.

Her face was too beautiful. It would definitely attract unnecessary attention if she went out to work.

She used some makeup techniques to make herself look more ordinary.

After she was finished, she showed her new face to Auntie Pan.

Auntie Pan was crying and laughing as she said, "My Young Mistress was born with such a beautiful face, and now you have to hide it."

"Well, it'll save me a lot of trouble."

Yun Dai laughed nonchalantly as she took Yan'er from Auntie Pan and kissed his smooth, chubby face again and again. She held his soft, sweet-smelling little body in her arms like she couldn't bear to let him go and said, "My little son, be a good boy and stay here with Granny Pan, all right? Mother is going out there to work hard so that you have sweets to eat, okay?"

The little infant didn't understand what she was saying of course, but he seemed to know that she was leaving the house. His little hands held onto her collar and refused to let go.

Yun Dai hardened her heart and passed the child back to Auntie Pan, and then she left without even turning back.

...

By the time she got to the place where people hired servants, the place was already filled up with more than ten young ladies.

All of them were in simple clothing and accessories, and every one of them had tried their best to look as clean and tidy as possible.

When they saw another ordinary-looking skinny girl come through the door, nobody paid much attention to her.

Yun Dai looked down and just stood right at the back without making any trouble.

After a few moments, the servant merchant came out of the back and looked at all of them before giving them a warning. "The place we're going to today isn't any ordinary place. All of you had better behave yourselves, and don't let those foxy eyes of yours glance all over the place. If you bring me any trouble, I'm warning you, not only are you in trouble, but also your entire family will be doomed."

All the ladies nodded obediently.

The merchant held a list of names in her hand and read the names to make sure these people were all here.

When she reached Yun Dai, the merchant looked at her and said, "You're too skinny. Are you sure you can do menial work? You're not the best looker either. But since Auntie Pan recommended you, you can go along with the rest of them to try."

"Thank you so much, Madame Ma. I'll definitely work hard, and I won't disappoint you," replied Yun Dai with a pleasant smile.

After hearing how crisp and gentle her voice was, the merchant looked at her again and asked, "You've given birth before?"

"That's right," replied Yun Dai.

"Oh, so do you still have any breastmilk left?" asked the merchant.

Yun Dai felt her face grow a little hot as she replied quietly, "No."

She had been thrown into a lake during her confinement and had been ill for a long time after that. There was no way she had any breastmilk left.

Yan'er had been drinking goat's milk all this time.

The merchant looked a little disappointed and said, "Some of these officials like to find ladies who have breastmilk."

All the ladies felt their faces redden.