Chapter 2: Change Is Necessary!

Chu Chaoyun heard the shout and slightly relaxed.

Although the big men were rough in their actions and occasionally pulled at the wound on her forearm, Chu Chaoyun, knowing she had gambled correctly, still felt an indescribable sense of relief.

Future matters would be planned later.

For now, she just needed to obediently wait to reunite with Chu Xilan.

The small courtyard was not far from the Flower Boat by the riverbank. At this moment, the early morning market had just dispersed. Apart from a group of children clapping and singing rhymes, a few scattered bird calls, and some miscellaneous stalls, the street was fairly quiet.

In today’s world, every trade had its own rules. Even if someone saw her shabby appearance being dragged by the big men, no one dared to inquire further.

Chu Chaoyun followed the two big men to the riverbank. At the dock was moored the largest and most eye-catching Flower Boat. The boat’s deck was wide, and the nails on its sides were exquisitely made. Under the shining red-gold sun, the reflected light was dazzlingly bright.

After being dazzled for a moment, the big men stepped onto the gangplank at the front.

Soon, a woman wearing a narrow-sleeved jacket and coarse hemp skirt and pants emerged from the dark cabin. Her face was aged, her cheeks coarse and reddened by the wind. Her hair was casually tied with a hemp scarf. Though in her thirties, she looked capable.

“Manager Zhong, Old Lady Li said this person is in your charge.”

The big man said, then pushed Chu Chaoyun forward before leaving without looking back.

The air on the boat seemed cooler than on the road. The gusts of wind tore at her skin. The fresh wound stung painfully with every breeze, causing her body to ache all over.

Chu Chaoyun shivered uncontrollably and raised her hand to cover the bleeding wound.

Manager Zhong glanced at her, well aware of the reason for Chu Chaoyun’s presence but said nothing more. She raised her hand to beckon Chu Chaoyun to follow and even gave her a cold, disdainful look.

The deck was a bit wet as if just cleaned. The worn straw sandals creaked. The refreshing smell of aquatic plants was not unpleasant.

Chu Chaoyun obediently followed. After descending the wooden ladder on the side of the boat, apart from the increasingly dim visibility, the air she inhaled gradually became more complex in odor: sour sweat, smelly feet, dampness, decay—all combined into a thick, oppressive atmosphere making anyone descending here feel anxious and uneasy.

The dark cabin’s passageway was narrow, only wide enough for one person. As Chu Chaoyun was tall, she had to bend down and walk slowly.

On either side of the narrow path were simple wooden compartments resembling coffin boxes. Each small room had a wooden plank bed barely wider than an arm, and a footstool nearby that could barely hold some belongings.

Chu Chaoyun followed Manager Zhong to the end. The woman turned to face her and pointed to a vacant room beside her. “This will be your residence from now on. Settle in and then come find me.”

Chu Chaoyun glanced at the empty room opposite and wondered if Chu Xilan might be staying there.

After Manager Zhong left, Chu Chaoyun intended to sit down and rest on the bed.

She groped along the side of the boat wall in the dark and, after adjusting to the darkness, found a ring-shaped latch. Holding the ring, she pulled it upward forcefully, and with a “click,” a narrow window about a palm’s width pushed open.

A gentle breeze blew in, finally diluting some of the foul odors.

Suddenly, a neatly folded oil paper package flew silently through the window and landed in her arms. Chu Chaoyun instinctively looked out, but the narrow ventilation window was too small. Despite her efforts, she could only see a few pairs of shoes walking back and forth.

It was obvious the people working on the boat lived hard; none of those shoes were intact.

The pair of shoes on her feet had been worn out after this ordeal. Originally good, they now bore the marks of hardship.

Chu Chaoyun moved her toes, smeared with mud until their original color was unrecognizable, her expression conflicted.

Thinking of the mysterious oil paper package, she disregarded the pain and quickly opened it, immediately smelling a strong medicinal herbal scent. Roughly judging, it was a packet of hemostatic powder.

Chu Chaoyun could not determine who had kindly given it but silently gave thanks in her heart. Then, she endured the pain and sprinkled the powder over her wound.

Before long, the bleeding completely stopped.

She didn’t hurry out but lay down on the damp bed, thinking Manager Zhong wouldn’t mind a little rest. Taking advantage of the free time, she decided to rest more.

While she rested here, she kept an eye on the sounds from the outer rooms.

Judging the time, it should have been close, but Chu Chaoyun had yet to hear any news of Chu Xilan boarding. Could it be—

Thinking this, she became restless.

Not that she worried much about Chu Xilan, who was not the original owner, and they were not blood relatives. But when people suffer misfortunes, anyone subconsciously wants to stick together, and Chu Chaoyun was no different.

Moreover, during their short day or two of acquaintance, Chu Chaoyun had already figured out parts of Chu Xilan’s character — kind and soft-hearted, or in other words, easily deceived.

If Third Aunt, who knew Chu Xilan well, had not been involved, there was no way this plan would have succeeded. The original owner and Chu Yu were just unlucky extras.

Chu Chaoyun could also understand Chu Xilan — after all, they were family. Who would guard against each other like thieves?

While resenting her own misfortune, Chu Chaoyun could find some consolation by thinking that the collision of three carts had left her helpless. Since fate had brought her here, she would simply accept it.

If fate had granted her a second life and made her a daughter of the Chu family, she would never waste this chance.

Chu Chaoyun got up to find Manager Zhong and saw the woman talking to Big Zhao. She quietly waited aside.

After a short while, when the two finished talking, Big Zhao passed by her. Chu Chaoyun instinctively opened her mouth, wanting to ask about Chu Yu’s condition, but Big Zhao didn’t give her a chance and didn’t even glance at her.

Chu Chaoyun thought that since they were working at the same place, she would wait until things stabilized.

When alone with Manager Zhong, Chu Chaoyun forced a smile, which looked more pained than crying. She had intended to appeal kindly, but Manager Zhong did not buy it and continued to look at her coldly.

After a brief, appraising glance, Manager Zhong looked away and spoke with a perfunctory and mechanical tone:

“There are two types of boatwomen,” she said, throwing a glance at her, “You are the second kind.”

Seeing Chu Chaoyun appear obedient and listening, Manager Zhong continued:

“You mainly handle cleaning the boats and odd jobs on board, sometimes prepare meals for the girls. If guests want to cruise the river, they must ride small boats, and you are responsible for rowing. Do you know how to row?”

Hearing this, Chu Chaoyun quickly answered, “I can learn.”

Which meant she couldn’t row yet.

Manager Zhong detected the unsaid meaning but didn’t mind.

“Those who row must change into clothes I provide. When doing other work, you can wear whatever you want. No leaving the boat without permission. Pay is ten wen per month, pick it up here at the beginning of each month…” Manager Zhong twisted her mouth, with an expression that could be sarcasm at someone, “Food and lodging are on the boat, so it doesn’t really cost much.”

Though brief and seemingly ordinary, Chu Chaoyun was shocked.

Ten wen?

Do they think she just time-traveled to ancient times?

She could clearly remember staying up late in the modern world reading novels, and though she couldn’t recall all details, the monthly wage of a servant girl in ancient times was at least fifteen to twenty wen.

Are they trying to freeload labor?!

Chu Chaoyun opened her mouth but twisted the words into a question: “May I ask, Manager Zhong, what do the first type of boatwomen do? Please, be merciful—I still have my sisters in that courtyard.”

Yes.

She still didn’t dare to mention “the unfair wages.”

Now that she had fallen to hard labor, the big men’s whips would be unrestrained.

A strong person should avoid losses when possible; appearing boldly would be foolish.

Seemingly anticipating her question, Manager Zhong stepped closer, her gaze falling on the wound on Chu Chaoyun’s hand.

Her tone was light, cold, and sharp, matching her straightforward personality.

“If you don’t know what you’re supposed to do, why injure yourself to avoid it?”

Manager Zhong looked at her with a half-smile.

Chu Chaoyun lowered her eyes. “I wanted to gain some initiative. I guess it’s not a good job; otherwise, Old Lady Li wouldn’t have warned me beforehand.”

Some cleverness was unnecessary and likely to backfire, so Chu Chaoyun chose to tell the truth.

Manager Zhong’s expression didn’t change. She averted her gaze and said lightly:

“Boatwomen are different from girls at the Qinlou or Chuguan. Though they do some playing of instruments and singing, don’t think too badly. The guests on a Flower Boat aren’t just men. However…”

The woman gave a meaningful smile:

“Though the girls don’t get a monthly wage, if they receive the favor of a guest, the reward might be worth more than a lifetime of monthly wages.”

After speaking, Manager Zhong glanced at her as if somewhat gloating: “Now that you know the truth, regret it?”

Chu Chaoyun shook her head firmly. “No.”

Her dark, thin face showed determination. For some reason, Manager Zhong looked a bit dazed watching her.

“All right, go find someone idle to teach you how to row.”

Chu Chaoyun replied and left, walking a few steps to the side of the boat and looking up at the three-story tall, exquisitely decorated chambers, glancing them over roughly.

…

At night, the red lanterns hung high. The Flower Boat sailed to the middle of the water. Laughter and music came from the lively elegant chambers.

The reflection on the water was like a dividing line: one side dazzling with splendor, the other, Chu Chaoyun, who had rowed all day until her elbows swelled.

The evening wind was strong; the worn straw shoes on her feet were nothing more than decoration. After being blown for so long, each step was numb and painfully piercing.

She had thought that after boarding the boat, she would no longer have to eat spoiled food. But when the worker responsible for delivering meals came, Chu Chaoyun recognized the bucket: it was exactly the same as the one the big men carried when she was locked in the courtyard.

Two sour-smelling buckets: one holding hard bread, the other a greenish soup. It was hard to tell if the floating bits were wild vegetables or water plants, but the smell was disgusting.

The other boatwomen had evidently already gotten used to it. Each had a wooden bowl to hold soup and bread and then curled up in corners, eating without tasting.

Chu Chaoyun’s hungry stomach twisted painfully, and she was forced to take a piece of bread back to the dark cabin.

The wooden plank bed below was already covered with moss, and the narrow window’s draft blew cold air straight into her bones.

Chu Chaoyun was so cold her scalp tingled; her toes clung tightly to the straw shoes. The narrow window couldn’t be closed or left open: open meant getting a draft while eating, closed meant pitch darkness with not even a hand’s width visible…

Seeing the other compartments on the way back, no one could afford oil lamps, proving the monthly ten wen wage was useless.

Unreasoning anger rose from within. Chu Chaoyun threw down the bread and trudged up the wooden ladder, striding toward the stern of the ship.

Her gaze pierced vertically over the river surface, ripples spreading in patches.

Chu Chaoyun clenched her fingers tightly; she really could not continue living like this. She must find a way to improve her situation!