Chapter 3: Fishing with Fingers

As Meng Shisan regained her senses, the first thing she did was concoct an excuse of amnesia. She instructed her two maidservants to recount every single detail of the original host's life, from childhood to the present, in exhaustive detail.

This forced Baozhu and Jinyin to take a long moment to recover from their shock. They accepted with both astonishment and heartache that their young mistress was not merely "different," but so ill that she had even lost her memory!

*Can a mere cold cause amnesia?*

The same doubt rose in both their minds simultaneously.

However, doubts were doubts, and confusion was confusion; they did not dare ask too much. As long as their mistress was well, let alone losing her memory, even if she were driven out of the Meng Estate, they would follow her to the ends of the earth!

It had to be said, the two maids were overthinking things quite a bit.

After their mental elaborations, the two took turns speaking, continuing until noon before they finally finished recounting the life of the original host, Meng Liangchen.

Listening to this, Meng Shisan rubbed her temples in frustration. This original host had been a living embodiment of "Lin Daiyu" since childhood; her temperament was the complete polar opposite of Meng Shisan's. Even if she claimed amnesia, such a drastic change would surely arouse suspicion.

*Whatever. I am a demon—a Great Demon. What is there to fear!*

If anyone dared to provoke her, they shouldn't blame her for excessive self-defense.

When Baozhu went to fetch lunch, she encountered the usual difficulties. The food container she brought back contained two dishes, one soup, and a bowl of rice. Looking at it, Meng Shisan's brow furrowed into a deep vertical line.

Not only were the two plates of vegetables meager—barely a few bites—but they were also unfresh and overcooked to the point of being blackened and burnt. The rice in the small bowl was only seven-tenths full and still somewhat undercooked, while the soup was even more eyesore.

Meng Shisan picked up the small bowl of egg drop soup, which didn't even have oil in it. "Is this what I used to eat and drink?"

"Yes," Baozhu thought to herself. *She has been eating these meals for ten years, yet she still asks. It seems the Young Mistress truly has lost her memory.*

"I'd be better off eating dirt." Meng Shisan set the soup bowl back on the table with disdain, her appetite completely gone. She sighed, "I am the eldest young lady of the Meng family; how could my life be so miserable?"

Looking around at the expensive furnishings in the room, she was even more perplexed.

Judging by the decorations in her bedchamber alone—setting aside the large, precious items—even a single gemstone from that seven-colored gemstone bead curtain would be enough to afford her many exquisite meals.

Yet, regarding the four necessities of life—food, clothing, housing, and transportation—she had already experienced three of them, excluding travel. Her clothing and housing were perfectly adequate, fully consistent with the status of the eldest granddaughter of the head official of the Ministry of Personnel. Only her food was, quite frankly, beyond words.

*Could it be that her stepmother wants to starve her to death?*

That didn't seem right either. From what she had learned from the maids about the Meng family, the household management was held by the wife of the first branch—her eldest aunt, Lady Shang. The stepmother of the second branch, Lady Wu, had no way to interfere.

However, the fact that the main kitchen still so blatantly mistreated the eldest young lady of the Meng family suggested that, aside from Lady Wu secretly meddling in the kitchen, her eldest aunt was likely turning a blind eye.

With no father's love, no mother's presence, a scheming stepmother, and an aunt who ignored everything, Meng Shisan understood on a deeper level the despair that had driven the original host to seek death.

Baozhu and Jinyin exchanged glances. In the past, if the mistress were this sentimental, she would surely be shedding "golden tears," but now, the mistress did nothing but sigh.

Furthermore, there was a new air of casual ease about the mistress that hadn't been there before; her every movement carried a subtle, shimmering light.

That light was confident and dazzling, casting a layer of indescribable gauze over the mistress, who was already exquisitely beautiful, making the two maids stare in awe.

"This is truly inedible. One of you go out of the estate and buy some cooked food to bring back." Meng Shisan actually wanted to go out and find food herself, but unfortunately, this body was recovering from a major illness and felt quite weak.

She had just secretly tried to use her demonic power, only to find that not only could she not project her demon soul, but her demonic power had vanished as well.

She had never encountered such a situation during her travels in the mortal realm. Of course, while she had inhabited human bodies before, she had only "borrowed" them, not "occupied" them.

When borrowing a mortal body, she would temporarily put the human soul into a slumber; once she finished and returned, the soul would wake up and resume control. "Occupying" meant the body had no human soul left, being entirely taken over by her demon soul until the body died of old age.

Now that she lacked her demonic power, she couldn't even use it to repair the original host's frail, "Lin Daiyu-like" constitution.

It seemed she had to find the reason why she had been struck by lightning and sent into this world.

Baozhu said apologetically, "Young Mistress, we have no silver left..."

"No silver?" Meng Shisan pointed incredulously at the room full of precious ornaments. "This is called having no money?"

Jinyin chimed in breathlessly, "Young Mistress, have you forgotten? These were all the late Madam's dowry, and they are to become your dowry in the future. They are meant only to be looked at, not exchanged for money."

Meng Shisan froze. She never imagined that a room full of dazzling splendor could only be looked at!

Looking at the two dishes and one soup that she truly could not swallow, and then at the rosewood table inlaid with marble that held the wretched meal, she raised her eyes with a hint of exhaustion. "Who said that?"

"You said it yourself, Young Mistress," Baozhu replied softly.

"I said..." Realizing it was a vow made by the original host, Meng Mengchen, Meng Shisan's expression instantly soured. "If I break it, what will happen to me?"

"Your soul will dissipate after death, and you will never enter reincarnation," Jinyin replied even more softly.

Meng Shisan instantly lost all will to live. "..."

If it were anyone else, if they didn't believe in reincarnation, they might try to break a vow.

But she was Meng Shisan, a Great Demon who had practiced cultivation for a thousand years; she believed in reincarnation more than anything.

Her current body belonged to Meng Liangchen. Since she was half of Meng Liangchen, the vow was hers. Even if the consequences wouldn't fall entirely upon her, she would still bear half the karmic retribution.

The retribution of soul dissipation... was too harsh.

The life-loving Meng Shisan thought it over and decided to take matters into her own hands to ensure she was well-fed.

To the southeast of the Meng Estate lay Autumn Water Lake, an artificial lake fed by flowing water, home to various colorful koi carp swimming leisurely among lotus leaves.

Meng Shisan had Baozhu lead the way. The master and servant arrived at the lake, but because she had walked with such difficulty, her face was pale by the time they reached the shore.

"Is the Young Mistress alright?" Baozhu asked worriedly, supporting the swaying Meng Shisan.

"I'm fine." The first thing Meng Shisan saw upon looking at the lake was a group of koi carp as fat as little piglets. She swallowed hard. "Go find a bucket. A large one."

A large enough one to hold these plump koi.

Baozhu was stunned for a moment, then complied and turned to find a bucket.

Meng Shisan crouched down, looking at the water just inches away. With a smile, she reached out her right index finger and dipped it into the water, which reached just to her knuckle.

Then, she began to wait.

Before long, Baozhu returned carrying a large wooden bucket.

As soon as she reached Meng Shisan's side, she saw with surprise that the group of koi, which had been far from the shore, were actually swimming toward her mistress. "Young Mistress, the fish are coming over!"

(End of Chapter)