Scarring Jasmine-Chapter Thirty Two Abandonment

10/20/2024 Sunday 40-70F Sunny

Several days later, two strangers visited Qian’s house. The man in a grey gown and a black jacket told the doorman: “I came from Suzhou and would like to meet Master Qian; I am his new concubine’s family.” 

The doorman bowed to him, “Mister, our master isn’t at home now. If you like, I can report to our First Madam so perhaps she or our Third Madam, who is our master’s new concubine, will receive you first.” 

“Don’t bother, I can wait for your master here. He is the one whom I came to see.” 

Qian arrived home in late afternoon. After hearing that there were two guests from Jasmine’s family who insisted on meeting him in person, he felt strange but still received them in his guest study. They bid salute and sat down. Qian glanced over at his guests: The one sitting on the chair was about thirty, looked quite masculinely handsome and commanding; the other one stood behind him was tall and muscular, wearing a fierce look on his face. 

Qian tested: “The servant said that you are the family of my concubine’s, but in fact I have two concubines. Could you please let me know to which one you are related?” 

“Jasmine, Jasmine Bai from Suzhou.” The man in the chair answered. 

“Yes, Jasmine does have one brother whose left leg was broken. Your age matches, but from what I can see, your legs are alright. So, may I know who you are? And what’s your relationship to her?”

The man snorted out a sneer, “My name is Zhao, Li Zhao. I am Jasmine’s husband.” 

His answer shocked Qian, thus he stared at that man, saying: “Impossible! I knew that Jasmine divorced once; after that she had been engaged to a man who died later.”

“I didn’t die.” Zhao took a sip from his teacup, then put it down heavily on the table, “I married Jasmine twenty-two months plus five days ago. For some business reason I had to leave so I sent her back to her mother and brother’s house. I just came back last week and was told that she had been sold as a concubine this June.” He looked straight at Qian’s eyes in a challenging way, “So the issue is clear, we must straighten it out. I know that you are a very generous man, you spent twenty thousand silver coins to buy her; and that you are super rich which makes it impossible for me to compete with you on money. When Jasmine and I parted, I gave her twenty gold coins, they were all I had at that time. Here are my offers: Either she pays me back my twenty gold coins so I will be out of your sight without a word; or I pay you twenty thousand silver coins to buy her back!”

“It seems that you know everything very well!” Qian’s voice turned hostile, “But you must have forgotten about one thing: I also can choose not to take any of your offers! Please excuse me but you should leave now!” 

Qian stood up and was about to go, the fierce-looking guy blocked his way: “Master Qian, please sit down. Let me show you something!” He took off his big heavy jacket: All over his body was strapped with weapons and bombs. He unstrapped a twenty-bore tommy gun, took out one bullet then set it in front of Qian. 

Qian’s sensed the threat at once. “They are not simple persons! This man must be Zhao's hatchet man.” Qian turned to Zhao: “Mr. Zhao, it isn’t an easy decision. I don’t think that you really expect me to give you my answer today.” 

“I absolutely agree.” Zhao rose up, “I happen to have something else to deal with in Wuxi and will stay nearby for one more day. Tomorrow evening, I would like to come back and pick up this bullet.” Then he gave Qian a significant smile: “Before then, some of my brothers may pass this road and get thirsty. If they ask your doorman for some water to drink, please don’t refuse them! Here is another thing which I need to remind you: Jasmine is just one of your concubines, but she is my only wife. So long!” He turned around and strode out with the other man, leaving that bullet on the table.

“Big Brother,” Tiger asked when Qian’s house was left behind, “I don’t understand. It doesn’t sound logical: Twenty gold coins vs twenty thousand silver coins, the latter costs one hundred times more than the former. Why did you give him these two options? If that man takes advantage of the twenty-gold coin one, what will you do?” 

“He won’t.” Zhao replied decisively, “A businessman like him is always practical and knows what will do him good. He is a merchant while we are bandits; he has money while we have guns; he doesn’t want trouble while we can make trouble for him! Who should be more afraid? I am very positive that I can take back what I want!” 

“But Big Brother, that woman isn’t our sort; She betrayed you and will always burden us. For her and our sake, why not just leave her to this rich man?”

“Tiger, she married me, and you called her Big Sister. One night’s marriage is still marriage. Only I have the right to dispose of her, not her mother, not anyone else, but me!”

Qian sat by the table, staring at that bullet. This man’s visit was too unexpected; he dealt with some gangsters before and knew very well that they were deadly serious. What was the best for him to do now? He picked up the phone and dialed a number. 

After speaking with someone on the phone, Qian left the study and walked toward the lotus pond. The night started to fall; one crow flew over the pond with a long shrill call, which made the night darker and his footsteps sound lonelier. He entered Jasmine’s room, found her watching the maids setting the table for dinner. She delivered a sweet smile upon seeing him.

“Jasmine, I have something to ask you.” She followed him to the bedroom, and he closed the door. “I just met a young man whose name was Zhao,” he studied Jasmine’s face, “he told me that he was your husband. Is that true?” 

Jasmine’s eyes shone with some sparkles, which went out in a second. She walked to the window, pushed her fingernails into the hardwood sill subconsciously, saying: “Yes. We were engaged with my parents’ permission; but afterward we wed in the absence of my family so my mother never acknowledged it. He sent me back to my mother’s house first morning after the wedding and bid me wait for him. However, we didn’t hear anything about him for more than one year, thus my mother considered him dead. It was my family’s hardest time, accepting your proposal would be our best choice.”

“So you must have known what kind of person he was?” 

“My family didn’t know him well when I was engaged to him. He told us that he was a medicine wholesaler. Later when we finally found out the truth, it was too late—My father was dead, all his business and our house were sold to pay off his associate whom he had offended. And my brother was crippled by that man. I withheld these from you because I was afraid that you might be angry with me, and meanwhile I hoped that he wouldn’t come.”

“Well,” Qian sighed, “I don’t know what else I am supposed to say. Zhao gave me two options: He said that when he sent you home, he gave you twenty gold coins. So if we wanted him to go, we needed to return those coins to him; otherwise, he would offer me twenty thousand silver coins to take you back.”

“I spent all those gold coins last year.” Jasmine turned her head to Qian, looking at him miserably, “Then what’s your plan?” 

“I don’t know yet. He will come back tomorrow evening for my answer.” 

Much to Qian’s surprise, Jasmine went to him and knelt to hold his legs, crying: “Master, please don’t make me leave! I don’t want to go with him at all! I have been your concubine for more than half a year; we slept in the same bed every day. I still remember all the pillow talk, the promises, and the tenderness. I am yours; I never slept with him; that one night’s marriage was just his excuse to cage me! Please try to negotiate with him and let me stay; I will do everything for you! I can be your maid if you want!”

“Jasmine, stop crying.” Qian bent down trying to hold her up, but she held his legs even tighter. “Don’t do that, I am very tired today. The dinner must be cold, I want to go get some tea.” After hearing that, Jasmine loosened her hands slowly. Qian walked back to the living room, where Jasmine heard him speak to the maids: “I will be in the study. Serve Madam to dine and sleep. No need to wait for me!”

Jasmine sat on the floor. From the window she saw him walking hurriedly across the bridge, then turn to the study; one second later, the light there was lit, his shadow showed vividly on the window. That night he didn’t come back, and Jasmine already knew his decision.

She was just another piece of furniture to him, perhaps a good looking and well-functioned one, but still, she was a piece of furniture.

Jasmine went to see First Madam the next morning, begging for her help. First Madam cupped Jasmine’s face with her hands, speaking sadly: “Good girl, you overestimate me. I will try but don’t expect too much. He is a successful businessman who knows exactly what he is doing. One thing for sure is, he does like you very much; but there are a lot of other things for him to balance. Once conflict is unavoidable, he has to make a hard decision. You are too beautiful, so you are always men’s target, and your face makes men rarely see your inside quality. That’s too unfortunate. Beauty is your burden, perhaps you would be happier if you weren’t quite so gorgeous.”

She took off one heavy gold inlaid emerald ring from her finger, and slid it on Jasmine’s, “Take it. It was from my grandmother. She was a very beautiful lady as well. When I was little, she used to tell me to ‘never rely on any man, only have faith in yourself!’ I hope it will guide you to find your own path!”

In the afternoon, finally Qian came into Jasmine’s room. “Jasmine, I have decided to let you go with him.” He sat down and took her hands, “This isn’t an issue that can be solved by money; I am willing to pay him a fortune for you if we all can get peace. However, I believe that you are his only goal. No matter whether twenty coins, or twenty thousand, they were just his excuses—I can’t refuse him. He left a bullet on my table; his men have been watching my house since yesterday. I asked someone to investigate him, just one hour ago I was told that so far nobody, including the police, could identify his real background; but he did have some sort of mafia and military resources. They suggested I stay away from such a person. Jasmine, it is too muddy and risky for me to challenge him. Please forgive that I have to give up on you. With whatever I can compensate you, or your family, just let me know. This evening he will come, I won’t go to meet him. The steward will take you there.”

Jasmine withdrew her hands from his, “I want nothing from you. This emerald ring, the opium tools, as well as that little box of opium were from elder sister; I will take them with me, nothing else.” She slid off the two emerald bangles and laid them on the bed; then she stood up, turned her back to him, “So, I guess we should say goodbye now and here.”

She returned to her daybed, asked the maid to cook one more pipe of opium for her, then lay down expressionlessly. Soon her face was hidden behind the opium smoke.

In the evening, the steward came into Qian’s study and reported that Jasmine had gone with Zhao; and per Qian’s instructions, he didn’t accept Zhao’s twenty thousand silver coins. When he finished, Qian ordered: “Tell everyone: From now on, if someone asks about Third Madam, just tell him that she drowned in the lotus pond accidentally.” The steward took the order and left. Qian sat in the study, feeling a deep loneliness. 

With no other way to reduce it, once more he entered that two storied building. Everything looked the same, while the lady was gone. He went into the bedroom, sat on the bed, and picked up her pillow to smell it: Yes, her scent was still lingering there, lingering in this room where he had spent six months with her. Jasmine, the scent of jasmine! The furniture, the curtains, the vases… They all witnessed her glamour and his love for her. Now, the evening was too dark, the room was too empty, the winter would be too long, how could he bear it? Was there anyone whom he could talk to, whom he could share his sorrow with, and who could empathize with his feeling?

He paced into Zhongyou’s room. Upon seeing him, the son immediately crushed the paper on which he was writing and held it in his hand. He was still angry with him. 

“She, Jasmine, is gone.” Qian tried to speak in an easy tone. 

“What? Why, father?” Zhongyou was shocked. He jumped off from his chair at once, shook Qian’s arms and asked eagerly, “Because of me?” 

“No, son.” Qian examined his son’s anxious eyes, “Her husband took her away. Before she married me, she had a husband. But she was never happy with him because he was poor. One day he went to a far place to earn money, she decided to escape from his house and go back to her mother’s. Since she was very pretty, as you saw, she intended to find someone rich to marry. She and her mother lied to the matchmaker, saying that her husband was dead. So she became my concubine. 

Yesterday her husband found her here, begging me to return her to him. ‘Master, I have been looking for her for twenty-two months plus five days. She is just one of your concubines, but she is my only wife; without her my life will be empty. I can only offer you twenty gold coins which are all I have to take her back.’ What else could I do? She was his wife; plus the fact that he was such a nice poor guy but loved an unfaithful vain woman. Son,” Qian reached out his hand and patted Zhongyou's shoulder, “it is hard to judge a woman from her face. We all were cheated by her innocent beauty. I apologize for slapping your face. Whatever you did to her in that room, I forgive you. She isn’t your Third Mother; she is unworthy of your guilt. Let’s all forget about her!” 

Zhongyou’s lips were trembling; at last, he responded: “Ok Father!”

When Qian stepped out of Zhongyou’s room, he felt a sudden relief. All the issues regarding Jasmine were solved—He was a good father and a good business partner; and his son was a good young man. He liked the story which he just made up to his son; and he was trying to convince himself that it was the truth: Zhao didn’t threaten him, he was merely a helpless husband; Jasmine wasn’t as innocent as she looked, she was a liar—Because only when Qian thought about her in this way could he forgive his decision.

But one thing he would never know was: On the way back to Suzhou, Zhao raped Jasmine in his mule cart.