Chapter 23: Origins

Mother Song was struck dumb; it had never occurred to her that Huan Ya’s father was Ma Xuyang.

"I know him. Your father was a renowned prodigy in all the surrounding villages back in the day."

Huan Ya’s eyes brightened at these words. "Really? My father was a prodigy?"

"Yes, though your relatives were, indeed, quite excessive." Recalling the Ma family, Mother Song shook her head slightly. The Mas were a bizarre bunch; in all her decades of life, she had never heard of a family so absurdly biased. Because Ma Xuyang’s mother had nearly died giving birth to him, people claimed he was a bad omen. Consequently, the entire household despised him and treated him like a beast of burden.

But Ma Xuyang refused to accept his fate. He often snatched moments between chores to study, and his efforts truly bore fruit. When the surrounding villages learned of his brilliance, the Ma family had a change of heart. They reasoned that if this "useless" son actually passed the imperial examinations and became a scholar, it would make finding good marriages for their daughters much easier. Just imagine the prestige—a brother who was a scholar! People would be breaking down their door to propose.

And so, the Ma family sent him to a private school. Ma Xuyang did them proud, passing the initial qualifying exam the very next year. The family was delighted, yet they stopped funding his studies. They argued that since he was so clever, he could surely pass the higher exams on his own without wasting money on tuition.

Forced to leave the school, Ma Xuyang began his path of self-study. Mother Song sighed softly. "Heaven is unjust."

Huan Ya did not know what thoughts prompted such a lament, so she asked, "Auntie, what kind of person was my father back then?"

Huan Ya’s most vivid memories of her father were from those years he spent bedridden, wasting away until he was nothing but skin and bone, eventually losing the ability to even speak.

Seeing her expression, Mother Song’s mind drifted back a decade to the last time she had seen him. "Your father was a very warm-hearted man."

Her fondest memory was from a time when Tiancheng was just a young boy, having just begun his primary studies. She had taken him to buy books and happened upon Ma Xuyang and his wife, who were busy copying texts.

Huan Ya was surprised. "Auntie, you knew my mother?"

Mother Song nodded. "I remember your parents were there to buy books for you. I asked for some advice, and when your father learned that Tiancheng had just started school, he helped us choose quite a few."

Mother Song’s expression softened at the memory. "He even gave Tiancheng some rare, long-cherished volumes from his own collection, saying he no longer intended to sit for the imperial exams himself, so the books would be better used by Tiancheng. He even praised Tiancheng, saying he was gifted and would surely pass the exams one day."

"I was so grateful that we walked back together. Every time they spoke of you, their faces were full of smiles."

Huan Ya was stunned, a sudden warmth spreading through her heart. She said shyly, "I was quite mischievous when I was little; Father scolded me often."

Mother Song smiled. "What child isn't mischievous? Besides, the look in your parents' eyes back then held no annoyance at all. When they smiled, their eyes were filled with nothing but happiness."

As she spoke, Mother Song looked at Huan Ya, as if she could still see the humble, gentle smiles of that couple. Who could have imagined that the daughter of an old acquaintance from ten years ago would, through a twist of fate, end up being brought home by her?

Mother Song suddenly asked, "After your parents passed away, did you go to live with your aunt?"

Huan Ya nodded. Recalling the fierce look on her aunt’s face, she touched her own cheek and remained silent. Seeing this, Mother Song could easily guess what had happened to her over the years. Yet, all the words that came to her lips died down into a single sigh.

She patted Huan Ya’s shoulder gently. "It’s alright. Everything will be fine. Everything will get better."

"Yes!" Huan Ya nodded vigorously. "Everything will definitely get better!"

The wounds on her face would heal, Big Brother Tiancheng’s leg would recover, and everyone would be well again.