Chapter 16: Terms

Mingzhu sat on the stool by the stove with her muddy slippers together and her hands in her lap.

Ruoxi stayed standing.

"First, I am angry," she said.

"I am going to say all of it, and you are not going to explain."

"All right."

"I got up every morning afraid. Six years. I lay awake counting what I'd tasted."

"When the crab went bad I was sick with fear for two days, because I thought I had missed something worse."

"I thought one day I would taste a cup and not know, and you would die, and it would be my fault."

Mingzhu's face went white.

"I never knew," she said.

"You could have. I wore it on my face. You watched me eat every dish like it was a feast, and I was shaking inside."

"Ruoxi..."

"I said no explaining."

Mingzhu pressed her lips together and nodded.

"Second," said Ruoxi.

"The silver."

"The silver was..."

"Mine. I earned it. Or I thought I did."

Ruoxi's voice steadied.

"I have been thinking all night about the word danger pay."

"I took twenty taels a month for a danger that did not exist."

"I do not want to be kept by you for that."

"It was never charity."

"It was a lie with a price on it. I won't take the money again."

"And I will pay back what I can of the coal."

"You will not."

"Then you will tell my mother it is a gift, from Y, with a card, and you will carry it into her house yourself."

"Yes," said Mingzhu at once.

"Yes. I'll carry it."

"But here is the part I have to say right."

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