The horse carriage suddenly came to a violent stop. Ling Qingyu almost fell head first. She slowly climbed up and opened the curtain. “Zheng Xi, what happened?”
Zheng Xi stilled the horse and pointed to a small figure lying in front of the carriage. “This little guy suddenly dashed out. I hope you’re okay, Miss.”
“Catch that little bastard! Where do you think you’re running to!” The little figure on the ground struggled to get up as a large woman ran toward him with a cleaver.
Ling Qingyu looked at the woman, then looked at the small black hand holding a bun. She jumped off the carriage and took out a handful of copper coins. Before the fat woman could approach, she said, “Wait, sister. He took the bun, but I can pay for him. Will you please let him go?”
The word sister stopped the fat woman’s rushing figure. She looked at the handful of copper coins and immediately smiled. “Miss has a good heart. But be careful. Don’t let yourself be soiled. This little bastard has been hanging around here for days. He is not a good person.”
Ling Qingyu kept smiling as she escorted the fat woman away. Then she turned to look at the small figure. He was quite young; around seven or eight. His clothes were mere rags. But, on that blackened face shined a pair of clear and bright eyes.
“Older sister,” called the child hesitantly. Ling Qingyu raised her hand, stopping him before he said any more. She withdrew some copper coins, then thought for a moment, before depositing her entire pouch into this child’s hands. “Sister is not wealthy either. Please use these wisely.”
She immediately climbed on the carriage and gestured for Zheng Xi to leave. If she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from taking him along. But considering her own situation, it is better to avoid interacting with strangers and intervening in others’ businesses. She couldn’t even protect herself. How could she save others?
The child clenched Ling Qingyu’s fragrant pouch tightly. He blinked his eyes and showed the hint of a smile. He had seen that carriage before. According to gossip, the owner recently moved here and was a woman.
—
It was already early summer, but the dawn dew still held a sense of coolness. The horizon carried a faint glow that dyed the courtyard with a hazy light.
Ling Qingyu yawned, breathed in deeply three times to fill her lungs with fresh air, and did a few stretching motions to prepare for exercise.
In her previous life, she had played many sports while studying. But since she started working, she had dedicated all her time to earning money. She went to a few Tai Chi classes with her close friends but gave up in the end. She only remembered one exercise. After arriving in this world, she had been busy dealing with one situation after another. Finally some progress was made yesterday. So, Ling Qingyu planned to use this chance to start exercising. Afterall, sailing required a strong and healthy body.
In a good posture, with a slightly bent knee and buttocks lowered, Ling Qingyu searched for the routine in her memory. She slowly inhaled to circulate her qi. Right after entering the zone, she heard a soft cry outside the door.
Ling Qingyu ignored it and continued to breathe. But then, the cry became stronger with sobbing accompanying it. After a few moments, Ling Qingyu finally couldn’t resist the urge and opened the door.
This courtyard she bought used to belong to the manager of a big family. Since the manager needed to travel with his master’s family to Guangzhou, he sold this courtyard quickly and cheaply. The neighborhood was an area for commoners in the eastern portion of the Quan Province. Most families who lived around the area were regular, hard working people. This courtyard was at the end of an alley. As a single courtyard by itself, it was an isolated place. The problem with being isolated was that even when people were outside the door, no one else would know.
Ling Qingyu looked speechlessly at the two individuals outside the door. One was a young man lying on the ground. He looked lifeless. Another was a child leaning over him crying. His volume was just loud enough so that Ling Qingyu could hear it inside the door, but quiet enough that another courtyard twenty meters away wouldn’t be able to hear.
Ling Qingyu’s first reaction was to close the door. But the child was faster and flung himself onto her. Holding her leg, he cried, “Older sister, good-hearted sister, please help. Please save my older brother!”
The corner of Ling Qingyu’s eye twitched. Seeing the child cry even louder, all she could think about was that one thing always leads to another. It was dangerous to be a good person.
Hearing the commotion outside, Zheng Xi grabbed a shirt and ran out of the East room. The first thing he saw was his miss being held onto by a passionately crying kid. Countless possibilities flew through his mind.
Ling Qingyu saw Zheng Xi’s confused expression and said with annoyance, “Come help. Get this guy inside. Don’t let anyone see!”
She bid Zheng Xi to carry the lifeless youngster into the West room and kicked the kid into the courtyard. After checking outside the door for a moment and seeing peacefulness without any shadows, she closed the door. Right after, she pulled the kid into the West room, threw him onto the floor and sat down with a dominating attitude.
“Sister, please have mercy on us. My older brother and I were robbed by bandits. Brother was also injured. We don’t have any money and have drifted here. But since we are young, we couldn’t find any work. If Sister has anything for me to do, just give me some food and I will do it,” cried the child. Then he leaned over the young man whom Zheng Xi had just placed on a bed. He briskly wiped the young man’s face with his sleeves and asked, “Sister, do you want to marry? See, my older brother is handsome. Many sisters had wanted to marry him before. He rejected all of them. As long as Sister can help him recover, I swear that he will become your hard working husband.”
Ling Qingyu was speechless as she listened to his words. She saw Zheng Xi’s eyes full of an adulterous light and coughed. “Don’t sprout nonsense. When have I said I’m looking for a husband!?”
“I heard from the woman selling buns on the street that the only reason a girl starts a female household is to look for a man to marry into her family. It’s called sneaking… something.”
“Little bastard, what nonsense!” Zheng Xi was furious and stepped forward to slap him, but was stopped by Ling Qingyu with a shake of her head.
Seeing Zheng Xi and Ling Qingyu’s faces, the child realized he had misspoken. Thinking that these people probably wouldn’t want to give them shelter either, his face darkened. “I understand. I will take my brother away. Sorry for bringing trouble to Sister. I will return the money you gave me before.”
“Wait.” Even from a brief glance, Ling Qingyu could tell that the young man’s face was pale as paper. Blood stains were also visible on his clothes. Any more time lost, he will truly become a corpse.”
“I will give you food, shelter and medicine and buy you two for ten years. How about it?” Ling Qingyu’s words brought great joy to the child. But, Zheng Xi felt himself get sick. The Miss is too good at saving money. Hiring a helper would only cost them 500 copper coins a month. But keeping these two for ten years… Wouldn’t they have to spend hundreds of silver?” (1000 copper = 1 silver)
“Zheng Xi, go find a doctor.” Ling Qingyu ignored Zheng Xi’s expression.
“No.” A weak voice came from the lifeless young man on the bed. He strained to lift his body, but quickly collapsed. He said urgently, “No doctors, Ye-er.”
“Brother, you’re awake!” The child joyfully hugged him. His hands caressed the young man’s head but also used the opportunity to block his mouth.
Ling Qingyu’s face darkened. This… No matter how one looked at it, there must be a conspiracy, a secret!
