"That was the game Qing Jun and I played. The squares were for hopscotch, and the stones for skipping stones. They weren’t to be brought indoors, only for the maids to leave undisturbed. But there you were, not knowing where you popped out from each time, sweeping them away!"
"I tried to catch you several times, but you were too quick, running away before I could get close. However, your thin and short stature... I was wondering this morning why you looked so familiar. Well, now I’ve met the culprit."
"I’m sorry, I didn’t know."
"Never played that game before? No worries, Qing Jun and I will teach you later."
"Big brother, big sister, I..."
"Hold on, don’t call us that anymore. Just call me Rong’er brother from now on."
"Mhm, you can call me Qing Jun sister too."
"Mhm. Rong’er brother, Qing Jun sister, I... I might not be able to play with you anymore."
"Why not? You little Zhao Xiaochai, such a tiny stick, looking down on Zhao Tiebang and her, Zhao Xiaozhu?"
"No, it’s not that. Xiaochai wasn’t chosen by the master. They say the orphanage is no longer going to operate, and they don’t need a little maid like me anymore; I’m a waste of food. In a few days, I might not even have the shed to live in. I’m being sent out of the mansion."
"I... I haven’t been outside before. I also don’t know if I’ll ever see Rong’er brother and Qing Jun sister again... Uh, if, if Xiaochai manages to earn some money outside, I might not be able to invite you for a meal anymore, wah wah wah."
"Xiaochai, Xiaochai, don’t cry. You just applied medicine on your face; it’ll be wasted if it’s washed away. Rong’er brother, think of something quick!"
"I got it, I got it. Qing Jun, can you not boss me around? Hold on, so this is what you’ve been crying about all day."
"Just... because of this? No need to stay in that shabby shack. Our little den up on the back hill is so much more comfortable. And what’s so good about being a maid? Why compete for it? That’s foolish. Right, Qing Jun?"
"Xiaochai, being a maid is not an easy job; my mother often disciplines maids when they make mistakes—it’s too hard to be one."
"Wah, wah, wah, then, what should I do if not becoming a maid?"
"Hmm, let me think... Why don’t you become a young lady of the Duke Mansion like me? It’s nice, except it’s inconvenient to go out. Rong’er brother, you should help Xiaochai and let her be a young lady too."
"Wah, wah, wah, I, I might as well go out and become a little beggar then. Rong’er brother, Qing Jun sister, don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself."
"Silly girl, can’t you stop causing trouble? Always coming up with terrible ideas."
"Xiaochai, don’t be sad. Isn’t it better that the crappy master didn’t choose you? Besides, you don’t have parents to boss you around. Honestly, I’m a bit envious. If my mother didn’t care about me and let me wander the world, how great would that be?"
"Seriously now. Xiaochai, why don’t you become my second wife?"
"Qing Jun and I often play house, and that wooden hut on the tree up the back hill is our wedding chamber that we built ourselves. Even my mother doesn’t know about it. It’s quite comfortable to stay there, just can’t stay overnight often."
"Xiaochai, from now on, you can live there. When we play house, you’ll be my second wife, and Qing Jun will be the first wife. We’ll have more fun together."
"Rong’er brother, that’s not a bad idea. You move into the wooden hut on the back hill. We’ll bring you food and clothes. Rong’er brother often goes there and can look after you. In the future, we can play together and you won’t have to be a tired maid anymore. Just one thing... Rong’er brother, why second wife, not a little wife? Could it be you still want to have..."
"... I can’t be bothered to argue with you. Haha, it’s decided. From now on, this young master will have two wives. Look at Uncle Bai, he’s so old and still a bachelor, always bragging to me about the past, tricking me to buy him drinks. That’s a master? Too lame, too lame."
"Xiaochai... No, that name is too awkward, we need to change it. My second wife should have a more thoughtful name."
"What, what name? Xiaochai is quite nice."
"No, we need a change. Let me think... Mmm, let’s call you Qian’er."
"You’re as skinny as a bamboo stick. My mother says, ’delicate and graceful women,’ and the character ’Qian’ sounds extremely beautiful."
"Rong’er brother, what does that character mean?"
"Right, didn’t I just tell you? Even I don’t know, so it must be a very, very sophisticated name, probably known only by a few people. Besides, it sounds good. As for how to explain it when asked, take your time, make up something feasible."
"Just like Qing Jun and me, don’t let people easily understand or guess. Hmm, it’s best if you don’t even know yourself, let others speculate. Ah, our Old Zhao Family always chooses distinctive names."
A little girl, feeling the taste of oil for the first time on her lips, nodded blankly, tilting her head and murmuring:
"Qian’er, Qian’er, little Qian’er... Zhao Qian’er... Rong’er brother’s second... wife..."
Not long after, the orphanage was quietly shut down, and the few unwanted little maids disappeared without a trace.
This event didn’t cause the slightest ripple in the expansive Duke Mansion.
And the little girl named Qian’er, a name whose meaning no one in the mansion knew, became an unregistered resident living in the wooden hut on the back hill.