Che San Niang had roamed from place to place with her parents since childhood. Once, a blind fortune-teller, after eating half of her steamed bun, decided to offer her a free divination. The prophecy went: "Che, yours is a lifetime of toil. Even when you achieve wealth and status someday, you’ll still labor without rest."
Che San Niang scoffed at this.
Who was fooling whom? They were both part of the jianghu—she sold flashy martial arts displays, he peddled smooth talk. Both made a living by bluffing their way through life. Everyone knew each other’s tricks; only a fool would believe such nonsense. Who, after gaining riches, would keep working like a dog?
Much later, recalling this incident, she couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth—damned if that blind old man hadn’t hit the nail on the head.
Poverty in her early years was one thing. From a tender age, she had to cook, wash clothes, care for her ailing mother, and sometimes join her father in hawking their wares and drawing crowds. This hardened her into a shrewd and capable woman. Many admired her efficiency and diligence, and in those days, she received no shortage of marriage proposals.
At nineteen, her father passed away. Those in the lowest rungs of society couldn’t afford elaborate rituals. Still in the thick of mourning, she brought her frail mother and married an obscure underling of the Water Transport Gang named Shi Keng. She called her husband "Big Rock."
Big Rock had a younger brother, a snot-nosed "Little Rock."
The brothers had lost both parents early and relied on each other for survival. But Big Rock, being a man, focused on earning a living and had little time to care for the boy. The scrawny, sallow child wore ill-fitting clothes and oversized shoes, his small hands covered in chilblains, yet he’d giggle foolishly and call her "Eldest Sister." Che San Niang’s heart ached, and from then on, she raised him as her own.
Her husband was steady and capable, firm on major principles but needing a nudge on minor matters, requiring her constant reminders. When gang brothers had issues, her husband sought counsel, and she was the first he turned to. When families of brothers away on missions faced emergencies, she, as the Eldest Sister-in-law, couldn’t shirk her duties. The couple toiled side by side, building their lives from scratch. There was nothing she didn’t fret over, nothing she didn’t ponder repeatedly, terrified that Big Rock might misstep outside. Managing both household and external affairs, she ended up busier than her husband all year round.
Many joked that though she called Big Rock the master of the house, she practically ruled over half of his domain.
Through blood, sweat, and tears, they finally carved out a foundation of their own, only for her to start worrying about her young brother-in-law’s marriage.
Little Rock, having grown up under the influence of his elder brother and sister-in-law, disliked delicate maidens raised in secluded boudoirs and looked down on petty-minded girls from the common streets. When Che San Niang finally put her foot down and found a girl matching her own tough, capable temperament, Little Rock met her and grimaced, saying, "She feels like facing Mother—I’d probably be too scared to even enter the bridal chamber!" Che San Niang was so furious she clapped her hands in exasperation.
As Little Rock grew older, and realizing she and her husband had only two daughters, the family line would depend on this young brother. Yet the future sister-in-law was nowhere in sight. Che San Niang grew so anxious that blisters formed around her lips.
Fortunately, heaven showed mercy. That year, Little Rock came to her, bashful and hesitant, and confessed he had taken a liking to a girl. Overjoyed, Che San Niang pressed for details, only to learn it was the personal maid of Master Gu’s new wife.Her husband was still hesitating, feeling that their family now had both status and reputation—wealth at their fingertips and influence to spare. Marrying his younger brother to a proper young lady from a scholarly family wouldn't be difficult, so why take a maidservant as a bride?!
Che San Niang, however, was far more astute than her husband. She knew her own origins: a performing acrobat since childhood, always in the public eye. And her husband? At best, he could be called a "heroic figure," but frankly, he was just a small-time ruffian from the canal docks. If they really brought in a sister-in-law from a respectable family, not only might their temperaments clash, making it hard to coexist, but if future conflicts arose between the two households and the sister-in-law relied on her superior background to defy them, how would they resolve it?
Better to marry a maidservant. First, as sisters-in-law, they would share similar humble origins, allowing her to feel more secure as the eldest sister-in-law. Second, it would secure their connection with the Marquis of Gu's household. Multiple benefits—wasn't that perfect? Shi Keng, who always listened to his wife and doted on his younger brother, was quickly persuaded after a few words. He agreed to bring his wife and brother along on their next trip to the capital to propose to the Gu family.
...
A year and a half later, the bride entered the Shi household, and the family held a grand, lavish wedding. After marriage, the young couple lived harmoniously, showing even more respect and filial piety to the elder brother and sister-in-law than before, warming Che San Niang's heart. As for the sister-in-law's character... how to put it?
Initially, Che San Niang had worried that even though the sister-in-law was a maidservant, she had served under the mistress of a noble household, managing affairs and supervising people. What if she wanted authority over the household? It wasn't that San Niang was unwilling to relinquish control, but she couldn't trust a newcomer right away.
As it turned out, not only had she worried needlessly, but she had also completely misjudged the situation.
The sister-in-law was simple-minded and honest, almost to a fault.
If asked to buy soy sauce, she would never pocket two coins to buy candy for herself. If told to watch the two nieces and prevent mischief, she would stare wide-eyed and not move an inch until her sister-in-law said she could stop. If assigned to distribute monthly wages to the servants, she wouldn't make a single error, not even a copper coin.
When San Niang reviewed accounts, the sister-in-law would grind ink and spread paper. When San Niang summoned the stewards' wives to discuss matters, she would pour tea and fan her. When San Niang was free and chatted with the wives of the gang brothers, the sister-in-law would cheerfully crack melon seeds beside her. She was always happy, obedient, and submissive, consulting San Niang for decisions big and small, never scheming for herself.
Once, when the Shi brothers were both away and San Niang needed to go out, she asked the sister-in-law to manage the household for half a month. The sister-in-law immediately teared up, clutching San Niang's sleeve and crying like a helpless kitten, "What will I do if you're not here, Sister-in-law? Please take me with you—I'll be obedient. Don't leave me alone to make decisions... I'm foolish—what if someone cheats me?"
Exasperated, San Niang scolded, "How can you be so simple-minded?!"
The sister-in-law replied blankly, "When I left, my mistress told me to just listen to you from now on."
San Niang pressed, "But you have to learn to make your own decisions! You're married now!"
The sister-in-law grinned foolishly, "With you here, why would I need to make decisions?"
San Niang snapped, "What if we divide the household in the future? Who will you turn to then?"
"You're abandoning me?!" The sister-in-law panicked, bursting into tears and running off.Che San Niang was thoroughly alarmed by the torrent of tears and had no choice but to coax and console with all her might, insisting she had never meant it that way. Only after much persuasion did the matter finally settle. Afterwards, she heaved a long sigh, feeling deeply that she had gained an extra daughter—but daughters could eventually marry away, whereas this sister-in-law seemed determined to cling to her for life.
Aside from constantly seeking her advice, this sister-in-law wasn’t so bad in other respects. She could sew, cook, prepare soups, and manage household affairs. Both of Che San Niang’s daughters adored their simple-minded aunt, learning etiquette and needlework from her. The three of them often huddled together, chattering away like sisters.
In the second year after the sister-in-law joined the family, she gave birth to a chubby boy, followed by a string of girls and boys. The once sparsely populated Shi household immediately flourished. Fearing the young couple couldn’t raise the children properly, Che San Niang often lent a hand. To her surprise, her sister-in-law turned out to be as sticky as glutinous rice candy, readily handing the children over for her to care for while merely assisting on the sidelines, completely worry-free.
“Someday the children will be closer to me than to their own mother!” Che San Niang threatened fiercely.
The sister-in-law immediately leaned on her shoulder, cooing, “I’m close to you too, sister-in-law. We’re all close to you. You’re the very best.”
Che San Niang could only sigh helplessly at the sky.
…
After both her daughters married away, Che San Niang resolved to have a serious talk with her sister-in-law.
“You can’t rely on me for everything forever. You need to learn to make your own decisions,” she urged earnestly. “I’ll grow old one day. What if your elder brother and I pass away someday? Who will you depend on then?”
The sister-in-law remained naively simple-minded, her plump, rosy cheeks unlined by worry. She chuckled, “Then? Well, by then, Lao Er and the others will probably have brought their wives home, right? Let them handle things.”
Che San Niang fumed, “What if your daughters-in-law bully you?”
The sister-in-law waved a hand dismissively. “No matter. I’ve already thought it through. Once all the children are married and settled, I’ll return to serve by Old Madam’s side, growing old together with her. With Old Madam around, no one can bully me.”
Che San Niang’s eyes widened like copper bells. “You… you… what did you say…?”
The sister-in-law gazed dreamily. “I’ve admired Mama Fang since I was little. From a very young age, I’ve thought how wonderful it would be to serve by Old Madam’s side until old age, just like Mama Fang.”
“W-wait a moment.” Che San Niang, sharp-witted all her life, was finally dumbfounded. “As I recall, that Mama Fang only returned to serve Old Madam Sheng after losing her husband in middle age.”
The sister-in-law blinked, tilting her head. “Perhaps… perhaps… by then I’ll be widowed too. Who knows…”
Before Che San Niang could respond, a furious roar came from behind— “Are you cursing me to an early death?!” Shi Xiaodi stood fuming at the doorway. Immediately, the young couple launched into their routine monthly quarrel.
Che San Niang wearily glanced at the ceiling—well, she’d have to mediate again.
Many years ago, when she learned she could no longer bear children, she had thought that after her daughters married, she and her husband would inevitably face lonely old age. Ah, look at how things had turned out—loneliness, my foot!
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