In the forty-third year of the Great Yuan dynasty, the early spring chill lingered, and a fine drizzle misted the air, veiling the fresh greenery in the courtyard in a hazy fog. The steady patter of rain threatened to soak the earth thoroughly.
Lu Chao, wrapped in a faded cotton-padded coat, sat by the warm stove, staring blankly at the withered rose branches outside the window, his eyes devoid of life. The maids passing by couldn’t help but sigh—how pitiable the Third Young Master was! A child so young, barely past the New Year, had already shed his festive clothes and donned mourning white. He neither cried nor fussed, only sat there in silent sorrow, tugging at their heartstrings.
Lu Chao wasn’t sure if he was still dreaming. This dream had gone on far too long. How had a modern-day wage slave like him ended up in ancient times? Had he died and been reborn in this era? But then why did he still remember his past life? His head throbbed at the thought. Well, at least he didn’t have to work anymore. He might as well treat this as a vacation.
"Third Young Master, don’t sit by the window. You’ll catch a chill."
A pair of wrinkled hands reached over Lu Chao’s head, gently closing the window before lifting him and carrying him back to the bed. The small boy seemed devoid of energy, allowing himself to be moved without protest.
Nanny Mei’s heart ached at the sight. The Third Young Master used to be the liveliest and cleverest child, always making Aunt Su laugh. The maids in the side courtyard adored playing with him. But now, with Aunt Su gone, the boy seemed to have lost all vitality.
A few days ago, he had suffered a high fever that refused to break. Perhaps it was Aunt Su’s blessing that he pulled through. Yet, the boy who woke up was listless, sometimes not uttering a single word the entire day. No one knew what the future held for him.
Unaware of Nanny Mei’s thoughts, Lu Chao spaced out for a while before drifting back to sleep, as if trying to make up for all the sleepless nights of his past life in one go.
As night fell, the Lu residence grew quiet. In the main courtyard, shadows flickered under the dim glow of oil lamps.
Nanny Mei entered and saw her mistress still adorned with hairpins, not yet prepared for bed. She sighed inwardly and wordlessly stepped behind Madam Lu, massaging her stiff shoulders. The tension in Madam Lu’s body eased slightly, and she turned her head with a faint smile.
"You’ve always been so thoughtful, Nanny."
"Madam, the master might be delayed by social engagements. You’ve had a long day—why not remove your hairpins and rest?"
"That wouldn’t be proper. Let’s wait a little longer."
Seeing that persuasion was futile, Nanny Mei simply increased the pressure of her hands, remaining silent.
"Nanny, what should we do about the Rose Courtyard?"
"Madam, I’ve served you for over a decade. Since you ask today, this old servant will speak boldly. The Third Young Master is still young and unaware of the world. If you raise him well, he may become a support to you in the future."
Nanny Mei knew her mistress harbored resentment. Years ago, when Madam Lu was pregnant with the Second Young Master and suffering severe morning sickness, she had personally arranged for Aunt Su to enter the household as a concubine. Yet, within three months, Aunt Su was also found to be with child. Worse, Aunt Su suffered the same nausea, and the master, on his way home from duty, had brought back a bag of dried plums—only to send them to the Rose Courtyard. Upon hearing this, Madam Lu had shattered several glass cups in fury. Though kind-hearted and unwilling to harm anyone, she had coldly neglected Aunt Su afterward, making life difficult in small ways. Who could have guessed that the woman would meet such an untimely end?
“Before Aunt Su passed, the master didn’t even visit her once. A man’s love is as fleeting as an ephemeral bloom.”
Madam Lu sighed softly. She knew all too well that the Lu family’s standing among the noble houses of Yingchuan was no longer what it once was. Though in decline, they clung tightly to propriety—no one would dare let a concubine overshadow the wife. Yet, that bag of dried plums had felt like a slap, forcing her to face reality and harden her heart. Her pride had merely been wounded, nothing more.
"Madam, the master has returned." Shishu pushed the door open, her gentle voice tinged with delight.
"Shihua, bring the warmed milk from the kitchen."
"Nanny, you may retire for the night. Shishu and Shihua will attend to me." Madam Lu turned to instruct her maids before addressing Nanny Mei.
With a nod, Nanny Mei withdrew.
In the main courtyard, a middle-aged man in a blue satin robe entered slowly. A white mourning band adorned his head, and though his frame was lean, his posture was upright. A long beard graced his face, and an air of scholarly refinement surrounded him.
The servants in the courtyard bowed deeply, rising only after he passed.
"Husband." Madam Lu stood to greet him.
"Madam, the Minister of Rites hosted a banquet today. I returned later than expected."
"It’s no trouble. I had the kitchen warm some milk for you. Would you like some?" Madam Lu helped Lu Jinji sit, though the scent of wine made her head throb slightly, and she shifted away.
"Bring it, then."
At his words, Shihua presented the milk and quietly took her place behind Madam Lu.
"Husband, Aunt Su’s funeral arrangements are complete. As for the Third Young Master… do you have any instructions?"
Lu Jinji rubbed his temples, lost in thought for a moment before murmuring, "The inner household is your domain. You decide."
"Aunt Zhou is occupied with Baozhu and Baoning and cannot spare the effort. Aunt Li is only eighteen—asking her to care for the Third Young Master would be unfair. After much consideration, I think it best to raise him under my care. Yuanzhao and Yuanyi are older now; having the boys together will foster companionship, and they may support each other in the future. What do you think?"
"Then I leave it to you, Madam. If the boy proves unruly, don’t hesitate to discipline him."
Lu Jinji waved dismissively and stood. "There’s still official business to attend to. I’ll rest in the study tonight. Madam, retire early."
Madam Lu forced a smile as she rose. "Husband, don’t overexert yourself. Uncle Zhong, take good care of the master."
Meanwhile, Lu Chao slept soundly, rolling over in his dreams until a light pat on his cheek roused him. Blinking groggily, he glared at the intruder—only to see a tiny, delicate child covering his mouth in laughter.
"Mother, look! Big Brother is awake!"
Lu Chao followed the boy’s gaze and saw a tender-hearted woman standing beside him, her expression full of warmth.
"Who… who are you?" Lu Chao asked, confused.
"Big Brother, I’m Lu Chao!"
You’re also Lu Chao? Just as he was about to say "what a coincidence," realization struck—this must be the original owner of the body!
"Kid, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to take your body. I woke up here one day and had no idea how to give it back. I’ve barely spoken since arriving—no one knows! I swear..." Lu Chao stumbled over his words, guilt flooding him. He was a civilized, upstanding citizen in his past life—he had morals!
"Big Brother, I’m the one who should apologize." The five-year-old Lu Chao glanced timidly at him, then at the woman beside him, who nodded encouragingly.
"Mother is gone… I didn’t want to stay here anymore. But the King of Hell said my body wasn’t meant to die yet. When I reached the underworld, I saw you—we share the same name! So I gave this body to you. Mother said we mustn’t deceive others, so we asked the underworld officers to let us come and apologize." The child fidgeted, clasping his hands together before peeking up at Lu Chao with pleading eyes.
Lu Chao scratched his head. He didn’t remember any of this.
"Young Master, you don’t recall because you drank a bit of Meng Po’s soup. So..."
...
Alright, that made sense.
Silence settled among the three.
"Little one, how exactly did you trick me back then? I’m considering whether to forgive you or not." Lu Chao was genuinely curious.
"You said back then that you finally could just laze around and never work again. Then the underworld officer told you to take the underworld civil service exam and become his colleague, but you refused, saying it was too exhausting. You said you’d rather be reborn as a pet cat—just lying around all day, waiting for your human to serve you. The officer said the waiting list for that was years long, and you’d still have to work in the meantime. So I told you, ‘Come with me, and you can laze around every day. No work, just being pampered.’ You agreed, but I never told you where we were going. You thought it was still the underworld."
......
Another stretch of silence followed.
Lu Chao felt a little awkward. Being caught slacking off in front of a child was somewhat embarrassing. But medical care in ancient times was poor—he might end up back in the underworld soon anyway. Might as well enjoy the downtime while it lasted.
"It’s alright, I don’t blame you. You didn’t really lie to me. Honestly, I’m quite happy with how things turned out."
The child finally relaxed at Lu Chao’s words. This brother really was a good person—living in such a nice place and still willing to take over his life. His mother had taken him to try the fried chicken at Old White-Beard’s place once, and he’d nearly licked his fingers raw. It was so delicious! The Lu family had nothing that tasty.
"That’s good then, brother. I have to go with Mother now. Take care of yourself, and come find me when you return to the underworld!"
Lu Chao smiled wryly. Well, guess I really won’t live long.
"Chao’er, don’t speak nonsense! My apologies, young master, the child meant no harm."
The woman looked remorseful and curtsied in apology.
Lu Chao shook his head. "No need, children say what they think. I’ll find you in the underworld next time, little one."
Little Lu Chao giggled to himself—he’d secretly peeked at the King of Hell’s ledger. This brother was going to live a long, long life!
After waving goodbye, the figures of mother and child gradually faded into the white mist.
