Liu Wenying transmigrated from a modern nursing professional into the body of a destitute widow during a famine era. The original owner was sold as a child bride, married, gave birth to a daughter, and then lost her husband in a fall. Her in-laws called her a jinx, resented her for not bearing a son, and threw her and her infant daughter out during winter confinement. Penniless and homeless, Liu Wenying applied for a wet nurse position at the Duke of Yu's Mansion to secure survival for herself and her child.The selection process was rigorous. Along with other candidates, Liu Wenying passed inspections for cleanliness, pulse, and physical condition. The final test required each woman to express milk into bowls. The young master, Pei Yexuan, only accepted the milk from Liu Wenying and two other women. She was hired with a deposit of one tael of silver. However, Liu Wenying requested permission to bring her own daughter into the mansion. Nanny Tian, the head nanny, refused outright. But a maidservant named Zizhu announced the young master was crying from hunger, and Liu Wenying was urgently taken to the main house.Inside Tinglan Courtyard, the First Madam Wen Jingshu was anxious because her newborn son was extremely picky and refused most wet nurses. Liu Wenying demonstrated her professional childcare skills. She cleaned herself, breastfed the child expertly, then held him upright and patted his back to help him burp, explaining the process to the curious madam. The infant fell asleep contentedly. Impressed by Liu Wenying’s care, Wen Jingshu rewarded her with a sachet of silver. Liu Wenying did not accept it, instead kneeling to explain her situation again and pleading to bring her child. Moved by maternal empathy and recognizing the value of Liu Wenying’s skills, Wen Jingshu bent the rules and allowed both mother and daughter to stay.Liu Wenying ran to fetch her daughter Luoluo from Wang Doufu, a tofu vendor who had sheltered them in a woodshed. She thanked Wang Doufu with three hundred coins and returned to the mansion. The three selected wet nurses—Liu Wenying, Qiuyue, and Cuihua—were assigned rooms in Youyu Pavilion, adjacent to the First Madam’s courtyard. Their monthly allowance was three taels of silver. They took turns nursing the young master in four-hour shifts. Liu Wenying chose the bed near the door, convenient for coming and going with her child. She learned that Qiuyue appeared warm but looked down on her as a helpless widow, while Cuihua seemed straightforward.During her first night shift, Liu Wenying efficiently handled the frequent feedings and diaper changes, her modern experience making the work feel natural. The young master had to be fed every half hour or hour. While she was breastfeeding in the quiet chamber, the night-duty maidservant outside exclaimed at the unexpected arrival of the eldest master, Pei Dingxuan. He entered the inner chamber to see his son. Liu Wenying quickly turned sideways, but it was too late. Pei Dingxuan stopped a few feet away, observing her graceful profile and the soft skin at her neck as the infant suckled. The encounter was abrupt, and Liu Wenying maintained her bowed posture, continuing to feed the child in the heavy silence.
