Chapter 2 — You Waited For Me Two Lives

I slowly finished the bowl of egg noodles. The egg yolk is still viscous. As soon as I bit down, the warm yolk flowed across my tongue. This is the first time in five years I've had a hot dish. Under the eldest lady's hallway hangs a small lantern. In the warm yellow halo, the nanny is coaxing him to drink rice powder. Second young master Ta Canh was barefoot, his hands covered in mud were holding a withered pomegranate flower. It saw me, was stunned for a moment, then suddenly ran over and stuffed the flower into my hand.
“For you.”
I bowed my head to look at it. It raised its dirty little face. Those round eyes have not yet learned the coldness like their father, nor have they learned the contempt like their big brother. I squatted down and gently placed the flower back in its palm.
"Keep it. From now on, you must obediently listen to your nanny."
Ta Canh tilted his head, seemingly not understanding. It stood in the sunset, holding a withered pomegranate flower, watching me walk out of the side gate. Outside the side gate is a small narrow alley. The night wind blew in, carrying the smell of kitchen smoke from far away. We walk along the alley. The green rocks underfoot are a bit cold. When we reached the beginning of the alley, we turned around and looked back. The red painted gate of the Ta family's palace was closed. When I was fourteen years old, my father coughed up blood and couldn't sleep all night. The doctor said it was tuberculosis and needed ten taels of silver to treat. Ten taels. Even if we took off the roof and dug up all the dirt in the yard, our family still wouldn't be able to contribute. I am illiterate and have never learned a trade. The only thing that can be sold is this body. The trafficker said that the Ta family needed a woman to give birth to a child, and used ten taels of silver to buy it off. I have pointed it out. On entering the palace, I was covered with a red scarf and was carried in from the side door. No worship, no wedding party. There is only one mother in charge who teaches me the rules and teaches me how to serve my master. Even now I still don't dare to remember those days. At first it was fear. I didn't understand anything, the pain was so much that my whole body was shaking, I could only bite the corner of the blanket, not daring to cry out loud. Then gradually become numb, learn to close your eyes at the appropriate time. At what moment the heart dies, we ourselves do not know.
6
We walked out of the small alley and turned into a bustling street. On the street, people passed by non-stop. Shops selling wontons were steaming hot, sugar statue makers were banging bronze gongs, and children were running and jumping around chasing kites. I stood in the middle of the world's smoke and fire, hesitated for a moment, then walked towards the outskirts of the city. The third house is at the end of the alley. I stand in front of the door. The door was only slightly closed, and on the door panel was a pair of faded spring couplets. The yard was quiet, only the sound of chopping wood could be heard from behind the house. Monotonous, strong, each sound hits my heart. We pushed the door and walked in. The yard is filled with firewood. Ly Tan Bach was squatting next to a pile of firewood, his back facing me, chopping a piece of pine wood. His shoulders were very broad, his blue cloth sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his arms darkened by the sun. Hearing footsteps, he didn't turn around, just asked:
“Who is there?”
His name was right next to my mouth, but I couldn't call it out.
“Why didn't you say anything?”
Ly Tan Bach stood up and turned around. That face is much more mature than before, tough and strong. But those eyes have never changed, they are still the same eyes that looked at me through the back door of the Ta family's mansion. In The sunset, willow leaves falling on his shoulders. Seeing me, the corners of Ly Tan Bach's lips trembled, as if he couldn't believe it. The corners of my eyes were wet, I smiled:
“Ly Tan Bach, I'm back.”
He opened his mouth, his throat moved.
“A Chau, is it really you?”
“My dear lady, please allow me to leave.”
My throat is choked.
"I used to be a surrogate mother and gave birth to three children. My body was seriously damaged. The doctor said it might be difficult to get pregnant in the future. Do you still want me?"
He was stunned, looking straight at me. In my heart, I feel restless. Ly Tan Bach hugged me completely, his voice buried in my hair, trembling slightly:
"I want. I've been waiting for you."
My family and the Ly family are neighbors. When his parents were still alive, the two families were engaged. When I was young, I tied my hair into two buns on both sides. He is three years older than me, and always loves me the most. Every day when he came home from school, he stole a sesame cake from his mother's stall and secretly stuffed it for me.
"When she grows up and marries me, she will have sesame cakes to eat every day."
I agreed. When he was fourteen years old, his father became seriously ill. Ly Tan Bach followed his father to transport goods to another province. Before leaving, he held my hand.
“Wait until I return, I will bring the statue at Thanh Hoang temple to you.”
When he returned, I was in the Ta family's palace. Ly Tan Bach climbed the wall to find me. I seem impatient:
"Go away, I'm used to living in rich days."
Ly Tan Bach left disappointed, then still did not get married. There is no incense or smoke in front of my grave. Every year when Qingming Festival comes, he brings a bottle of wine and two sesame cakes. In this life, I must repay his kindness.
7
The women at the well at the head of the village sat and spoke ill of me, saying that I had been the one to give birth instead, and that I was a torn shoe that had been used by someone else.