Lin Erhu had been busy washing vegetables and dishes all along. Most of the vegetables bought that morning were nearly gone—customers particularly favored the cabbage and radishes, which kept well. Lin Erhu took the cart and bought another basketful.
Fortunately, they had brought one of their large vats. When Lin Xiaoman had a moment, she fetched two buckets of water to fill it, while Lin Erhu busied himself washing vegetables and scrubbing pots in the back courtyard.
Seeing that the pot of chicken was almost sold out, Lin Xiaoman divided the remaining meat into several clay pots, ready to serve when new customers arrived.
“You’re the little beauty selling this spicy hotpot chicken? Lift your head and let me have a look.”
Lin Xiaoman was scrubbing the large pot when she heard the lecherous remark. Frowning, she turned to see a greasy, powdered-faced man eyeing her sideways, his folding fan reaching toward her chin. Behind him, a group of thugs dressed as henchmen smirked at her maliciously. “Smile for our boss, little beauty.”
Lin Xiaoman stepped back, evading his fan. “Sir, are you here for the hotpot chicken?”
The man chuckled greasily. “I’m not here for chicken, little beauty. I want a taste of you.”
Anger flickered in Lin Xiaoman’s eyes. “Sir, please behave yourself!”
The man laughed arrogantly at his henchmen. “She wants me to behave? Tell her who I am.”
One henchman stepped forward, chin raised and swaggering. “Our boss here is the brother-in-law of the Wuzhou prefect! In this little Qingping County, he owns four gambling dens, three restaurants, two teahouses, and a brothel. You should count yourself lucky he’s taken an interest in you. Pack up and come with us.”
Lin Xiaoman recoiled in disgust, but Master Qian stepped closer, reaching out to touch her face. “Little beauty, why run? Come with me and enjoy the good life.”
Lin Xiaoman dodged, then grabbed a nearby clay pot of chicken and hurled it at him.
Master Qian instinctively jumped back to avoid the pot, but hot broth splashed onto his thigh, scalding him. He howled in pain and fury. “You little wretch! You dare throw hot soup at me? In Qingping County, you’re the first! What are you standing there for? She’s yours—go get her!”
The henchmen’s eyes gleamed with excitement, but when Lin Xiaoman picked up another pot of hot soup, they exchanged uneasy glances and backed away.
Lin Xiaoman’s eyes blazed. “Who dares come closer?”
Lin Erhu had been washing dishes in the back when he heard his sister’s furious shout. Grabbing the kitchen knife, he rushed out. “Anyone who lays a hand on my sister gets a taste of this cleaver!”
Though he brandished the knife, the henchmen weren’t intimidated. Exchanging glances, they fanned out, preparing to surround the siblings.
The customers, who had been happily eating, all recognized Master Qian. Knowing better than to cross him, they dropped their chopsticks and scattered.
Lin Xiaoman’s heart raced with fear. She was strong, but she had never fought anyone in her life. She didn’t know if she could take on so many.
But she couldn’t back down. If she did, the fate awaiting them might be worse than death.
Seeing the henchmen closing in, she gritted her teeth, grabbed a wooden stool, and swung it at their heads.
Underestimating her, the men tried to dodge, but Lin Xiaoman’s strikes were swift and precise. Even if they ducked the stool aimed at their heads, it would swing around and land on their shoulders or backs.
The sound of cracking bones and splintering wood filled the air, followed by pained howls. “Boss, this little wretch is freakishly strong!”
Seeing Lin Xiaoman closing in on Master Qian, who was dragging his injured leg and trying to flee the fight, one of the henchmen kicked Lin Erhu to the ground from behind. Another lunged forward, snatched the cleaver from his hand, and pressed it against Lin Erhu’s throat.
“If you don’t want your brother dead, stop right there!”
Lin Xiaoman had no choice but to halt and turn around. When she saw the blade against Lin Erhu’s neck, fury blazed in her eyes. “If you so much as harm a single hair on him, I’ll crush every last one of you here and now!”
Having just witnessed her ferocity, no one doubted that she meant every word.
Master Qian, in particular, regretted ever provoking this madwoman. He also cursed his own henchmen—if they couldn’t win the fight, why didn’t they just carry him off? Why did they have to take the kid hostage? Did they really think they’d dare kill someone?
Just as the two sides were locked in a standoff, a low, raspy voice—like that of a boy going through voice change—cut through the tension. “In broad daylight, under the clear sky, are you trying to abduct a young woman in the middle of the street?”
Lin Xiaoman turned toward the voice. Not far away, at a nearby table, the young man in blue sat with an even colder expression, as though furious that his meal had been disturbed.
Beside him, his rugged-looking attendant now held a long whip, cracking it in the air. When he saw Lin Xiaoman looking his way, he gave her a reassuring glance. “Don’t be afraid, little shopkeeper. I’ll help you.”
Master Qian hadn’t suffered many setbacks over the years. First, he was scalded by Lin Xiaoman, then chased down the street by her, and now he was being threatened by two strangers. His frustration boiled over.
Though they terrorized the local area, they had never faced anyone who truly stood up to them.
Now, with one girl gripping a stool and ready to strike, and another cracking a whip, Master Qian’s mind raced. Better not take the immediate loss. He collapsed to the ground with a wail. “It hurts! It hurts so much! Are you all dead? Why aren’t you taking me to a doctor?”
The henchmen exchanged glances. Pushing Lin Erhu aside, they hoisted Master Qian up and fled.
“Sir, you’re so badly hurt! Does it hurt? We’re taking you to a doctor right away!”
“Yes, yes, your injury is most important. We’ll deal with that girl later. How dare she throw hot soup at you? We’ll make her come begging at your feet.”
“Begging won’t be enough. A wretch like her who doesn’t appreciate your kindness should be sent to the brothel for our amusement.”
As they carried Master Qian away, their crude remarks made Lin Xiaoman’s blood boil. “You filthy mouths!”
She hurled the stool at them. With a yelp, the man at the back was hit in the thigh and stumbled forward, sending the whole group tumbling. Master Qian, crushed at the bottom, screamed, “Get off! Are you all pigs? You’re crushing me!”
The rugged attendant charged forward with a wild yell.
Reaching them, he lashed out with his whip at the ones who couldn’t get up, his face alight with exhilaration.
Master Qian and his men had never suffered such treatment. Their cries for mercy filled the air.
Only when the attendant had had enough did he stop. Not a single one of them could still stand.
He went to the side of the road, pushed over a flatbed cart, and began stacking the men onto it. Fortunately for Master Qian, this time he wasn’t at the bottom.
But lying on top, he opened his eyes to find the attendant pushing the cart. Quietly, he lifted the hem of his robe to cover his face.
Once everyone was loaded, the attendant turned and called to the young man in blue. “Master, let’s go! We need to question these men properly.”
The young man rose, took a few steps, then turned back. He placed a silver ingot on the table, picked up an unsold pot of chicken, and followed leisurely behind the attendant, who was pushing the cart.
Lin Erhu stood beside Lin Xiaoman, a worried expression on his face. After a long pause, he finally spoke. “Sis… that cart they took… wasn’t that the one we borrowed from Uncle Daqiang’s family?”