Twenty nine

Surprisingly, after the Ru brothers got a wife, things really did turn up for them. And that, brought them to their current predicament.

The girls that played fortune sticks were really unbothered by whatever was happening around them. They were seated on the grass, a good distance from the commotion.

The person with the tin shook it until a few sticks stood out then she placed the tin down for the girls to pick their sticks. Some of the girls seemed to pray before they picked a stick. Then the person with the tin would repeat her actions until everyone got a stick.

They had read out the numbers starting from the first person that picked. Then they'd tell each other's fortune according to their memory. They were good at memorizing the ones that had to do with marriage.

Dong Mei drew 28, 29 and 17 in the three rounds they drew.

28 told her to persevere silently if she wanted success in her life and she would get her wish. 

29 told her her life is vigorous and full of strife but she would fight her way to a good life and she would get her wish.

17 told her not to drink and that she would be deceived. Also that her wish depended on her.

Dong Mei wanted to slam the sticks into the ground. Everyone else's sticks were talking about marriage. Why were  hers only talking about struggle and deceit yet they were considered lucky numbers?

Yan Yi who was close to Dong Mei laughed at her and said, "A Mei, don't be so angry. Maybe your next stick would work in your favor."

Yan Yi was one of Dong Mei's close friends.

"En! If she wants to struggle to have a good life, she'll definitely pick a good stick," Liang Guoguo, said mockingly.

She was also another of Dong Mei's childhood friends.

Dong Mei abruptly stood up and announced she didn't want to play anymore. The last stick had reminded her of her father's liquors that she stole. Her father's heart was so unsettled that his bickering followed her into her luck. She felt that after picking such a stick, she would definitely have bad luck with the next stick she picked.

"Where are you going? I'm also tired of the game," Cheng Wan also stood up.

"I'm going to look for some wild fruits," Dong Mei replied.

"Wait for me," Yan Yi called out.

"Me too," another person said.

Soon, a total of eight girls searched among shrubs and trees for fruits. Dong Mei quickly found a shrub with wild grapes climbing onto it. It was a shrub she had identified a good time back for producing good wild grapes.

One of her friends chanced upon a guava tree that they all ran towards. They found hawthorns and yellow dragon fruits sitting somewhere close and a variety of other fruits. They also discovered yams and potatoes growing in the wild. They had a good harvest and went back home with big smiles.

When Dong Mei got home, the maid gave her a serving of rice and vegetables and told her that her parents would not be back till late.

She washed her fruits and divided some for the maid. The rest were places in a bowl on the mat where she was eating. Just as she was starting to eat, she looked at the rice in her bowl, then at the fruits and suddenly had an idea.

She ate quickly then went to the store and scooped out a bowl of raw rice from the sack. She sorted out the stones then properly washed the rice. She then boiled the rice with a lot of water until it was soft. As the rice boiled, she crashed the grapes and hawthorn together. She waited for the rice to cool before adding the grapes and hawthorn to it. She then sealed the bowl tight.

She dug a dip enough hole in their back yard and placed the bowl in it then placed a large stone over the hole, promising to check on it only when it rained.

Thereafter she went on happily eating her fruits.

Everything about her days went on smoothly thereafter, but that was what was odd. No matter how much she meandered around the Bai residence, sent someone to call him or waited to be called, she hadn't caught a glimpse of Cang Mang.

She was suddenly afraid that he was giving his extra time to Li Hua. She didn't doubt that he had long pleaded dog loyalty to her but what if it grew to such an extent that he never left her side unless it was an emergency? She recalled that in the book, whatever scene that Li Hua appeared, except the bedroom, Cang Mang's figure was also present.

By the time he reached that stage, he would be irredeemable. That was fine if  in the case that he wouldn't disturb Dong Mei anymore. But it was a nightmare because Bai Yang Wei would have a very capable hand to leave Li Hua in and to fight his physical fights. That also meant that he would always be around Bai Yang Wei and leave no room for Dong Mei to make her moves.

That was not good at all.

Dong Mei took it upon herself to go and find Cang Mang. Besides, she still had some accounts to settle with him.

She travelled from the village center to the outskirts where there was a little hill. That little hill was also considered part of the village land although it was further away from the rest of the village.

When she walked into the Cang family residence, she brushed her eyes over the surroundings, trying to find Cang Mang but still didn't see him.

She was just about to call out when she heard the flow of water. It sounded like a stream. She couldn't believe it. Had her father really given the best house to the Cang Family?