Chapter 5: A Fortune, a Favor, and a Name Rekindled

“I hope I haven’t disturbed you.”

The moment she heard the Sacred Maiden’s voice, Wang Xiaole instinctively clutched at her chest; remarkably, despite this being her first day as a girl, the gesture came to her with surprising ease.

Two issues immediately presented themselves.

Wang Xiaole was merely facing away from Cai; from the latter’s perspective, her chest was entirely out of sight. Wang Xiaole, however, paid no mind to this particular detail; the true purpose of her action was to enhance her sense of security.

The other issue: both were of the same gender, rendering the chest-clutching entirely superfluous! Yet Wang Xiaole still performed the gesture, even knowing she would later regret such a feminine action…

“Sacred Maiden, did you hire this older sister?”

“As you’ve surmised, yes, I did hire her.”

“I appreciate your kindness, but you needn’t go to such expense for me.”

“If it can make a portion of your evening more pleasant, then it is more than worth it.”

The Sacred Maiden wasn’t there to make Wang Xiaole anxious. Instead, she had brought a change of clothes, resolving a predicament for the person in the bath.

“The new clothes are on the stone stool. I brought some of my own spare garments; if they don’t fit, please let me know.”

With that, her interruption concluded. The Sacred Maiden smiled and exited the bathroom.

The other person would soon depart as well. Of course, only after she had helped Wang Xiaole dry off and change into her clothes!

Refuse? Had anyone ever heard the term ‘forcing it’? Just as some might forcibly remove clothes, others might just as forcibly dress someone else…

“Service concluded. I wish the guest a pleasant evening.”

The young woman departed with light steps, leaving the church after collecting her payment from the Sacred Maiden.

Now, only Wang Xiaole remained. She squatted in a corner, hugging her knees, an expression of utter despair on her face, her mind consumed by the thought, ‘I’m no longer pure.’

This state of profound resignation lasted for about twelve minutes. Embracing the attitude that ‘life must go on,’ she returned to her room with a heavy heart.

The clothes gifted by the Sacred Maiden fit without much issue; besides, having new clothes to wear was a blessing in itself. Wang Xiaole had originally intended to keep wearing her old clothes, even if her chest felt constricted. The current situation, compared to the worst possible outcome, was immeasurably better. This alone left Wang Xiaole feeling quite content.

Yet, an increasing sense of unease began to settle upon her.

‘The Sacred Maiden is too kind to me, so kind it’s frightening…’

The fact that the other party’s benevolence seemed to come with no strings attached was, to Wang Xiaole, the primary source of her growing apprehension. Truth be told, if the Sacred Maiden were to produce a contract of servitude and compel her to sign it:

[From today, you are my s*ave. Work for me until death; nothing but your ashes will belong to you!]

Wang Xiaole imagined the Sacred Maiden with a fiercely malevolent expression. Wang Xiaole genuinely believed that such a plot development would be far more normal than her current reality.

Knock, knock~

The knocking echoed for the third time that night. While Wang Xiaole had been bathing, the maid had already retrieved the dining cart. Unless she had indicated a desire for supper, it was unlikely to reappear. Therefore, the person standing outside the door must be…

“Are you available to let me in now?”

The mystery was solved.

“Sacred Maiden, please wait a moment, I’ll open the door for you.”

Although Wang Xiaole intended to assist, the other party had already entered the room. Unlocked doors could, naturally, be opened from the outside.

“Are you satisfied with this room?”

Upon entering, the Sacred Maiden didn’t seek a seat but stood directly before Wang Xiaole, listening to her sentiments.

“This is the best room I’ve ever stayed in.”

“It gladdens me greatly that you like it. It was originally a room the Papacy prepared for me, and it had not been used before today.”

“Why is that?”

“I dislike living alone in overly large rooms.”

“Alone? Sacred Maiden, you’re not married?”

“No, I am still single.”

Thanks to Min, Wang Xiaole possessed a wealth of knowledge about this world. To her understanding, all clergy within the Main God’s Church were entitled to marry. The Papacy’s restrictions in this regard primarily involved two aspects:

1. Polygamy was forbidden; individuals with multiple partners would be held accountable.

2. Dissolving a marriage – that is to say, divorce – was a rather troublesome affair, requiring the approval of high-ranking clergy.

Setting aside other considerations, the Sacred Maiden was, in short, free to marry according to her own will. It was precisely for this reason that Wang Xiaole found it peculiar.

‘Someone as beautiful as the Sacred Maiden must surely have no shortage of admirers. Yet, it seems none have managed to capture her heart…’

“Even when I was just an ordinary nun, I had someone I deeply loved.”

Her thoughts had been guessed again; Wang Xiaole increasingly suspected the woman possessed mind-reading abilities.

“And what about your situation?”

Such one-sided prying into personal matters felt truly unfair. From this moment, the pressure shifted to Wang Xiaole.

“Do you have someone you like?”

“Hmm… does a younger sister count?”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Then I don’t.”

“No one among girls?”

“That’s right.”

The conversation seemed to be growing serious. Now, the Sacred Maiden desperately wanted to know, just as she had asked:

“You definitely prefer men, don’t you?”

“Absolutely not!”

No matter how many people asked her such a question, Wang Xiaole would tirelessly declare to them:

“I will always love beautiful girls!”

Her expression was so earnest, it was as if she were unequivocally stating that she hadn’t uttered a single falsehood.

If that’s the case…

“Then I can rest easy.”

A heavy burden not only lifted from her heart but shattered completely. This left the Sacred Maiden in an even better mood than before.

Possessing keen hearing, Wang Xiaole hadn’t missed that last remark:

“Rest easy about what?”

“You needn’t concern yourself.”

Through her gaze, the Sacred Maiden conveyed a message: she wished Wang Xiaole would not press the matter further. Wang Xiaole didn’t push, and the conversation moved on.

Subsequently, the Sacred Maiden retrieved a ‘spatial pouch’ from her person and began rummaging through its contents. This was a magical artifact; high-quality versions could even hold the contents of an entire castle.

“These are for you.”

A bulging, substantial money pouch and another spatial pouch were handed to Wang Xiaole. Wang Xiaole knew what she held, and the maiden hoped she would realize:

“The spatial pouch is a gift for you, our newest member, and the money is a year’s salary paid in advance. It contains 120 gold coins.”

Utterly extravagant!

Wang Xiaole was well aware of the price levels in various countries, as well as the value of the three common currencies – gold, silver, and copper – apart from paper money. According to her estimates, one copper coin was equivalent to 1 RMB, and one gold coin equaled ten silver coins, or ten thousand copper coins.

Dividing 120 gold coins by the months, that was a full ten gold coins per month, meaning:

Wang Xiaole, who had been struggling to survive, had merely sought a job to support herself; how could she have possibly foreseen that an incredibly generous salary of 100,000 per month awaited her, or that she would become a millionaire overnight, even before her first day of work?

“Wait a minute! As a new chef, how could I possibly earn such a high salary?”

“Isn’t a high salary a good thing?”

“But why is such a good thing falling squarely on my head?”

The salary listed clearly on the flyer, which Wang Xiaole had carefully read, was vastly different from what she was now experiencing.

“Did all of us chefs get a collective raise?”

“No, only you will receive this amount each month.”

“Is the amount I receive decided by the Sacred Maiden?”

“Yes, I make the decisions here.”

For a fleeting moment, Wang Xiaole had the distinct illusion of being kept by a wealthy woman. Having money was, of course, a good thing, and Wang Xiaole was reluctant to give up this sudden windfall. However, she knew her work wasn’t worth such an exorbitant sum; to retain this fortune while keeping her conscience clear, there was only one path.

“Sacred Maiden, is there anything I can do for you?”

What was intended as a selfless gesture yielded an unexpected reward. The Sacred Maiden herself was not without desires; at least, when it came to Wang Xiaole, there was absolutely something she hoped to gain. It was an intangible thing.

The maiden parted her crimson lips:

“My name.”

“I hope you can call me by my name.”

This was well within Wang Xiaole’s capabilities, yet she hoped to alter the other party’s wish.

“Sacred Maiden, you could make a more challenging request. Simply changing an address feels a bit… wasteful.”

“No need for trouble; this wish will suffice.”

“You won’t regret it?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Alright then… what is the Sacred Maiden’s surname?”

“I have no surname; my only given name was bestowed upon me by someone I loved.”

“In that case, shouldn’t it be the person you love who calls you by your name?”

“I want *you* to call me by my name!”

This was no longer a negotiation; her tone carried a hint of urgency and fervent plea. The Sacred Maiden was like a person parched with thirst, who had finally found a clear spring, now yearning for her desire to be fulfilled.

‘It seems this is incredibly important to her… I shouldn’t hesitate any longer.’

Eyes filled with longing met Wang Xiaole’s gaze. Despite it being merely a matter of address, she clasped her hands together, assuming a posture of prayer; less a habit, more an expression of profound sincerity. Prayer was sometimes for miracles to manifest; something achievable with just a few words could hardly be deemed worthy of such a profound act; yet, for her, this was even more significant than a ‘miracle’!

It was as if the maiden knelt prostrate on the ground, raising her head to gaze at the heavens, devoutly awaiting the arrival of her heart’s desire. Now, her ‘heaven’ was within reach; if she were to hear that word, it would be akin to touching the very firmament above her.

“Miss…”

“No need to complicate it. Call me by my name; please, let me hear only that single word.”

An expression typically seen on the faces of the dying appeared, making anyone witnessing it feel that if her wish were not granted, a blooming flower would instantly wither.

“Say it.”

“Say it!”

This was one of her long-cherished desires, a wish spanning many years, and only one person could fulfill it.

“Please!”

She pleaded silently in her heart, her entire body taut with anticipation. If this waiting were a dream, then perhaps in the next moment, it would transform into a beautiful reality…

“Cai.”

A single, brief word, yet it was worth a lifetime of waiting. In that instant, she was overcome with boundless joy.

“Yes, I am Cai, I am here…”

The departed had reappeared, their shadow merging with that of the living. The one trapped by the past now embraced the present; and from this day forward, she reclaimed her future. The maiden named Cai lived once more in this world.