Looking for me? Not only did Chen Dong think she had misheard, even Lin Fang thought the maid had delivered the wrong message. Apart from the time when someone came to verify the news about the blessed land, no one had visited Chen Dong in the past two years. Now, in the midst of chaos, a guest had come to visit a forgotten illegitimate daughter. Anyone who knew the situation would find it hard to believe at first.
Chen Dong asked, “Qinxiu, is the guest really here for me?”
Qinxiu smiled and replied, “Yes, Miss Sima. That’s what the maid from Diecui Courtyard said. If you don’t believe me, she’s right outside. I can call her in to confirm.”
“No need, I’ll go now,” Chen Dong said, though she still felt uneasy. She turned to Lin Fang, “Sister Fang, are you heading back? Let’s go together.”
Lin Fang was also curious about who had come to visit Chen Dong, so she agreed, “Alright, let’s go.”
Taking Chen Dong’s hand, Lin Fang shivered at how cold it was. Both of them had cold constitutions now, but Lin Fang was slightly better—as long as she wore enough layers, her hands and feet stayed warm. Chen Dong, on the other hand, despite wearing thick clothes, had been so engrossed in examining Lin Juan’s embroidery that she had set aside her hand warmer. Even in the warm room, her hands had turned icy.
When they arrived at Diecui Courtyard, an elderly maid led them toward the guest room. Lin Fang found it strange—when guests came, her parents usually received them in the main hall’s partitioned room. The guest room was rarely used; this year, it had only been opened twice to receive the county magistrate. Normally, it was kept locked. Why was it being used today? Could the guest be someone extraordinary?
Entering the guest room, they saw Li Cuimei sitting alone in the host’s seat. On one side sat Erlang and Liulang, while on the other sat a strange man—presumably the guest who had come to visit Chen Dong. Since it was inappropriate for Li Cuimei, a woman, to accompany a male guest alone, she had called Erlang and Liulang to join them. However, Lin Fang and Chen Dong didn’t scrutinize the stranger too closely, as that would have been impolite.
After exchanging greetings, Chen Dong asked Li Cuimei, “Aunt, why did you summon Rusu here?”
Before Li Cuimei could answer, the stranger spoke up, “Rusu, it’s your father here to see you.” His voice trembled with emotion.
The words stunned not only Chen Dong but also Lin Fang, who stared at the man in shock. With his unkempt beard, gaunt and haggard appearance, and graying hair, he looked like a man in his seventies—nothing like the image of Master Sima from years past.
Seeing Chen Dong frozen in place, Li Cuimei sighed and said, “Rusu, this is indeed your father. I’ll have someone bring in two more charcoal braziers. You two haven’t seen each other in years—take this time to talk.” She then turned to Sima Xin, “It’s getting late, Master Sima. Please stay and catch up with Rusu. I’ll have the guest quarters prepared for you to stay the night.”
Sima Xin bowed, “Thank you, Madam Lin.”
Following her mother and uncles out, Lin Fang asked Li Cuimei what was going on, but her mother seemed too exhausted to explain. Lin Fang decided not to press further—she could always ask Chen Dong later for more details.
By nightfall, Dalang and Tongshi had returned home. Li Cuimei ordered dinner to be served and sent someone to invite Sima Xin and his daughter. Before the messenger could even leave Diecui Courtyard, a maid from Xiyuan Courtyard came to report that Sima Xin was already there—Chen Dong was preparing to cook for him in the small kitchen and had sent a list of ingredients to fetch from the main kitchen.
Li Cuimei naturally instructed that the maid could take whatever was needed from the main kitchen.
The next day, Sima Xin and Chen Dong still didn’t join the Lin family for meals.
The father and daughter, reunited after so long, wanted time alone, and the Lins understood. After breakfast, Dalang changed into plain clothes and went to inspect the refugee settlements. Lin Village was about to officially become Lin Town in five days, and as the soon-to-be town chief, he needed to familiarize himself with his new responsibilities.
Not long after Dalang left, a maid from Xiyuan Courtyard rushed to Diecui Courtyard in a panic, reporting that Sima Xin had suddenly collapsed during breakfast and was unresponsive.
Li Cuimei immediately sent Xiaoqin’s wife to Tongshi’s residence to fetch her for treatment. The maid quickly added that Chen Dong had already sent Xian’er to summon Tongshi. Li Cuimei then redirected Xiaoqin’s wife to Xiyuan Courtyard, instructing that whatever was needed should be taken directly from the storeroom without further approval. If anything was missing, it should be procured immediately.
Normally, Chen Dong would have gone to the guest quarters to have breakfast with her father, but Sima Xin, concerned about her sensitivity to cold, had told her the night before not to trouble herself—he would come to her instead. Thrilled by her father’s sudden affection, Chen Dong had agreed. She woke up early to prepare breakfast and sent a maid to invite him over.
When Sima Xin arrived, he looked unwell. Chen Dong grew worried, but he brushed it off, saying he hadn’t slept well in the unfamiliar place. Chen Dong didn’t buy it—a man used to constant travel wouldn’t be so affected—but she didn’t press further. She eagerly served breakfast, urging him to eat while it was hot. But before he could take more than a few bites, he collapsed unconscious.
Lin Fang, whose courtyard was next to Chen Dong’s, was the first to hear the commotion. She stayed by Chen Dong’s side, whose eyes were red from crying, while Chen Shiyuan clung to Chen Dong anxiously. Tongshi examined Sima Xin with Lin Zhongsi assisting.
After observing, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking, Tongshi performed acupuncture. Once done, she turned to Chen Dong. “Rusu, your father has suffered a sudden illness. I’ve stabilized him for now, but to treat him properly, we must find the root cause. Otherwise, medicine may be useless. Answer my questions truthfully.”
Hearing the severity, Chen Dong’s eyes welled up again, but she remained composed and nodded.
On their way back from town yesterday, Dalang had told Tongshi about the Sima family’s troubles—up until the refugee influx. He didn’t know what happened afterward. Now, seeing Sima Xin in this state, Tongshi suspected it was tied to his family’s misfortunes. She asked Chen Dong if her father had suffered any recent shocks.
Chen Dong, with the mind of a woman in her forties, also suspected her father’s collapse was trauma-related. She briefly recounted everything from their reunion to his collapse.
After Lin Fang and the others left the guest room yesterday, Sima Xin had told Chen Dong about the past two years.
Back then, furious at Chen Dong’s perceived stubbornness, Sima Xin had severed ties with her and divorced his first wife. Soon after, he married a woman from a wealthy family. At first, she treated his three children from his previous marriage as her own. The eldest daughter, mentally impaired, remained unchanged, but the two sons constantly opposed their stepmother, who endured their hostility with patience.
Sima Xin, as usual, busied himself with business, leaving household matters to his wife. However, learning from past mistakes, he made time to bond with his children personally. When his wife became pregnant, he also tried to spend more time with her.
But after conceiving, her temperament changed drastically. She forbade the three children from approaching her, became extremely cautious about food and daily life, and constantly accused the two sons of plotting against her and her unborn child. Strangely, the boys suddenly became obedient. Sima Xin grew annoyed at his wife’s paranoia and began spending more nights with his concubines.
Early this year, she gave birth to a son and grew even more suspicious of the children from the first marriage. The two boys reverted to defiance, and the household became irreconcilably divided. Only then did Sima Xin realize Chen Dong had been right—but it was too late. He could only try to mediate.
Then, shortly after the refugee wave, his eldest daughter and two sons vanished. His wife claimed they might have wandered off and been abducted, while the concubines insisted they’d seen her sell the children to traffickers.
With no time to settle the dispute, Sima Xin desperately searched for his sons—whether sold or kidnapped, finding them was urgent.
As refugees swarmed and chaos spread, locating the boys proved impossible. Exhausted, Sima Xin returned home to worse news—his wife had been poisoned to death, two concubines had fled, and only Chen Dong’s birth mother remained, clutching his wailing infant son. Most portable valuables were gone.
Disheartened, Sima Xin dismissed the remaining servants and lived alone with his youngest son—only for the child to also fall ill. Yesterday, after returning to Lin Village with Tan Liu, he rushed to seek Master Shen’s help. Master Shen said the boy could survive, but the delayed antidote meant he’d never develop mentally—he’d remain a simpleton.
Grateful the child would live, Sima Xin left him there and descended the mountain with Tan Liu to visit Chen Dong. She, in turn, shared her life over the past two years.
After hearing her account, Tongshi delivered a grim diagnosis: “His long-suppressed grief, poured out upon reuniting with you, caused his nerves to snap under the emotional whiplash. I’ve seen many such cases. In the coming days, his condition may worsen—it depends on his will to live. If he has nothing left to hold onto, even my best efforts will be futile. But if he clings to something, there’s hope.”
Tears streamed down Chen Dong’s face as she choked out, “Second Grandmother, what can I do to help him recover?”
Impressed by the girl’s resilience, Tongshi advised gently, “Ah, your father worked hard for his family, only to see it destroyed. The shock and guilt overwhelm him. With your younger brother lost to him, you’re his only remaining child. Stay by his side, talk to him, rekindle his will to live.”
Chen Dong nodded firmly. “I understand. Please do your best for him, Second Grandmother.”
Tongshi prescribed medicine, which Xiaoqin’s wife fetched from the storeroom. Tongshi prepared and decocted it herself, teaching Chen Dong the proper methods and fire control. She instructed Xiaoqin’s wife to add two more beds to the room—one for Chen Dong, the other for Chen Shiyuan, whose anxious clinginess made it clear he feared being separated from her. His small but strong frame could also help Chen Dong care for her father.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage