Bao Min took a step back, allowing Cai Damei to enter the room. Once she was inside, he closed the door and walked to the table, pouring a cup of tea.
"Madam, please have some tea."
"You're too kind, sir." Cai Damei perched lightly on the stool, accepting the tea with both hands but not drinking it.
"Sir, what do you intend to do?"
"What would Madam like me to do?" Bao Min countered.
"Sir, I asked you first."
Cai Damei tightened her grip on the teacup. "Pan'er's father and grandfather passed away one after another. Yunniang and I, mere women, had no choice but to leave our hometown and seek refuge with my sister. But my sister has her own family to care for. Yunniang had no choice but to work for the Jiang Family. She’s just a wet nurse—many things were beyond her control."
"Are you suggesting Jiang Mingzhe forced your daughter-in-law?"
"I raised that child—I know her. To say she wasn’t pressured would be a lie, but to claim it was entirely against her will wouldn’t be true either."
"So, she yielded half-reluctantly."
Cai Damei thought for a moment and nodded. That was about right.
"Why not get rid of the child?" Bao Min asked curiously.
"It’s still a life."
"Madam has a kind heart. The Jiang Family has already been punished, their fate sealed by the law. As for other matters, since the court hasn’t pursued them, I won’t play the villain." Bao Min made his stance clear.
"Thank you, sir." Cai Damei stood and bowed.
"I don’t care for empty gratitude."
If he didn’t want words, he must want silver. Cai Damei reached to untie the purse at her waist.
Bao Min pressed his hand over hers. "Bao Min is no vulgar man who lusts after gold and silver."
Feeling his fingers brush against her skin, Cai Damei jerked her hand back, shocked. "Sir?!"
"From the moment I saw you in the interrogation room, I’ve been wondering—what man was lucky enough to have you?" His words were a blatant provocation.
"Sir, this humble woman must take her leave." Cai Damei decided she couldn’t stay any longer.
She turned and rushed for the door, desperate to escape.
But her hand was pinned against the wood, her body pressed against the door by the man behind her.
His scorching breath enveloped her.
Cai Damei stiffened, her fists clenched, wishing she could strike him across the face.
But remembering his status, she softened her tone. "Sir, I’m old enough to be your mother. Why demean yourself like this?"
"I disagree, Madam. I’m 29, and you’re only eight years my senior. Hardly a mother’s age. To me, your years are perfect—mature, full of charm, and nurturing."
When gentleness failed, Cai Damei hardened her voice. "Magistrate Bao, as an official entrusted with the people’s welfare, how are you any better than a bandit if you force yourself on a widow?"
She regretted ever agreeing to return to Lincheng with him.
"I can’t help it—you’re too tempting. Bao Min can’t control his heart." He leaned closer, his voice a whisper. "Listen to how it races for you."
As he spoke, his hands wandered to her waist.
With her free hand, Cai Damei slapped his away.
Slap.
The sharp sound echoed in the room.
Far from deterring him, the strike only emboldened him. He pulled her into his arms. "Madam, so cruel. You’ve hurt me."
Her response was a fierce kick.
Bao Min grunted in pain and released her. Cai Damei flung the door open and fled, escaping the predator behind her.
Tong Mo strode in, arms crossed.
"Tsk tsk tsk. Well, well, the illustrious Magistrate Bao has finally met his match. ‘Madam, you’ve hurt me.’ Hahaha—" He doubled over laughing at Bao Min’s humiliation.
"Shut up." Bao Min shot him a glare.
"Fine, I’ll stop mocking you." But Tong Mo’s smirk remained. "Just between us—are you actually serious about a peasant woman?"
Instead of answering, Bao Min said, "I told you—I’ll make Jiang Mingzhe call me ‘Father.’"
"Just to spite Jiang Mingzhe, you’d stoop to chasing a woman old enough to be your mother?" Tong Mo was exasperated.
"Not as bad as your parents." One married a woman twelve years his senior; the other wed a man nine years younger.
"So you’re following in their footsteps, Uncle?" Tong Mo emphasized the last word.
"I told you not to call me that in public." It made him sound old, and he was a rising star in his prime.
Tong Mo rolled his eyes. What a peacock.
"Fine, no ‘Uncle.’ But what does Jiang Mingzhe calling you ‘Father’ have to do with Cai Damei?"
"Ye Yunniang’s child is Jiang Mingzhe’s." Bao Min didn’t hide the truth from him.
"Who knows if Jiang Mingzhe will even survive? And even if he does, are you so sure he’d marry a widow with two sons? Magistrate Bao, are you really going to chain your future to a peasant woman just for petty revenge?" Tong Mo thought Bao Min had lost his mind.
"Stay out of my business. If you’ve got nothing useful to say, get out." Bao Min waved him off like shooing a fly.
"Should I fetch a doctor for your foot?" Tong Mo glanced at his injury.
Bao Min gave him a look that said, Obviously.
Tong Mo snorted and left to summon a physician.
Meanwhile, Cai Damei rushed back to her room, where the sound of Ye Yunniang and the children’s laughter eased her troubled heart.
After steadying herself, she pushed the door open.
"Grandma!" Li Pan was the first to call out.
"Grandma!" Li An echoed.
"Yes, yes." Cai Damei smiled, walking to the bed and taking their hands.
"What are you two playing?"
"Mother taught us cat’s cradle!" Li Pan answered clearly.
Li An, still struggling with speech, managed, "String!"
"Cat’s cradle? Grandma loves that game too. Come, let’s play together." She took the string and joined them.
Ye Yunniang moved aside, sitting by the window.
The autumn breeze soothed her nausea, but when the boat rocked, the sickness returned. Not wanting to disturb the others, she slipped out of the room.
At the stern, she leaned over the railing and retched into the river.
A cup of water appeared at her lips.
Ye Yunniang stared at the hand offering it but didn’t move.
Another wave jolted the boat, and she gripped the railing, vomiting bile into the water.
A gentle hand patted her back.
Ye Yunniang swatted it away, losing her balance and falling backward—straight into the arms of the cup’s owner.
"If you’re angry with me, bite me. Don’t hurt yourself."
"Your skin’s too thick—it’d hurt my teeth." She punched Jiang Mingzhe twice.
He pulled out a dagger and handed it to her. "Stab me instead. Won’t hurt your hands."
Ye Yunniang snatched it, raising it to strike his arm—but stopped just before the blade touched him.
"Why didn’t you dodge?"
"I deserve it for making you suffer."
Her grip loosened, the dagger clattering to the deck as she collapsed into his embrace. "I was so scared..."
