Shen Xixi opened her mouth, then lowered her head and silently followed Shen Zhiqiou forward.
“Young master, that ugly girl seems even uglier now!” Xiao Zhu said with a troubled expression. “I didn’t expect her to be so pitiful—she looks like she hasn’t eaten for days.”
“Young master, do you think she remembers us…”
“Guess!” Bai Rui curled the corner of his mouth. He clearly saw her say thank you to him.
“Young master, we shouldn’t have left her at the clinic back then. We should have taken her with us. Now she’s covered in blood again—I’m afraid her life will be lost sooner or later. This girl is foolish too. If kowtowing worked, there would be no bad people in the world. As if kowtowing would make someone spare her.”
“I think you’re the foolish one. Can’t you see that’s not blood from her head?”
Bai Rui was speechless. This Xiao Zhu—had he not trained him diligently enough? All he did was grow taller, not smarter.
“What? Then where did this blood come from? Could it be from an injury on her hand?” Xiao Zhu grumbled indignantly. “I knew Doctor Zhang’s medical skills were no good. Let’s find another clinic. He can’t even treat a simple external injury.”
“Forget it, you’re beyond cure!” Bai Rui shook his head in exasperation.
“Young master, what do you mean? I’m not sick…”
One master and one servant, one walking and one leading the horse, gradually walked away.
Along the way, Grandpa Shen’s face was as dark as ink. When they reached a Yahang, he thought he might as well go in and try his luck.
“Get out, get out! What bad luck! A little girl who’s about to die, and you still want ten taels of silver? Are you out of your mind?” He was directly chased out by a servant wielding a broom.
“If ten taels won’t do, then five taels… two taels, I’ll sell her to you for two taels. I can’t go any lower.” Grandpa Shen bargained as if offering a steep discount.
The main reason was that the Shen family had originally mentioned fifty taels. He thought he’d try ten taels if nothing else worked, but he never expected the servant to react so strongly.
“Listen, old man, this child looks like she’s about to die, and you’re still trying to sell her for money. You’re deliberately trying to swindle people. Are you even trying to save the cost of a worn-out mat? What kind of person are you? Ten taels, five taels, two taels—I wouldn’t take her for even one wen coin. What bad luck! Look at how badly beaten she is. You’ll face retribution for this!”
The servant cursed angrily. If she died in the shop, how unlucky would that be? Would he even keep his job?
The child was covered in injuries, clearly beaten nearly to death.
“Bah! Get lost! If you don’t leave, I’ll hit you!”
Spittle sprayed onto Grandpa Shen’s face.
Several nearby vendors pointed and whispered, especially since Shen Xixi’s body was covered in wounds, her face bloody and her sobbing making her look as if she were on the verge of death.
Grandpa Shen’s face grew even darker. What a sin! She was the one who insisted on kowtowing. Would anyone believe him if he tried to explain now?
Just then, Grandpa Shen’s gaze was drawn to a figure.
“Wait over there by the wall. Don’t move, you hear me!” Without another word to Shen Xixi, he quickly chased after a carriage.
Shen Xixi glanced over and narrowed her eyes. It was a very beautiful woman, well-maintained and in her forties but looking only in her thirties. Her features bore some resemblance to Eldest Uncle Shen, especially to Shen Yue. Eldest Uncle Shen had said that his eldest daughter, Shen Yue, looked more and more like her mother, Liu Yan.
Could this be the concubine who ran away over a decade ago?
Driven by curiosity, she hid in the alley behind the house, leaped up, and landed directly on the roof, then followed them.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Bai Rui, who had pushed open a corner of the window on the second floor of the clinic, happened to see Shen Xixi moving as lightly as a swallow and dashing across the rooftops.
He stroked his chin—so the ugly girl knew martial arts too.
Unable to resist, he followed her.
Shen Xixi, who had followed the commotion, lay flat on the rooftop, watching the swaying carriage in the alley below.
She couldn’t help but mutter to herself, “Were people in ancient times this open-minded? Grandpa Shen isn’t even fifty yet, and he’s still so vigorous.”
It had already been half an hour, and the two inside were still going at it without any sign of stopping.
Shen Xixi opened her mouth to speak, then lowered her head and followed Shen Zhiqiou forward in silence.
“Young Master, that ugly girl seems to have gotten even uglier!” Xiao Zhu wore a conflicted expression. “I didn’t expect her to be so pitiful. She looks like she hasn’t eaten in days.”
“Young Master, do you think she remembers us…?”
“You tell me!” A smirk played on Bai Rui’s lips. He had clearly seen her mouth the words “thank you” to him.
“Young Master, we shouldn’t have left her at the medical clinic back then; we should have taken her with us. With her head covered in blood like that, I’m afraid her little life will be tossed away sooner or later. That girl is stupid too—if kowtowing worked, there wouldn’t be any bad people left in this world. As if kowtowing would make someone let you go.”
“I think you’re the stupid one. Couldn’t you tell that the blood wasn’t coming from her head?”
Bai Rui was speechless. Had he not been diligent enough in training Xiao Zhu? The boy grew in height but not in brains.
“What? Then where did the blood come from? Is her hand injured?” Xiao Zhu said indignantly, “I knew Doctor Zhang’s medical skills were subpar. We should change to a different medical clinic; he can’t even treat a minor external injury.”
“Forget it, you’re beyond help!” Bai Rui shook his head in exasperation.
“Young Master, what do you mean? I’m not sick…”
Master and servant, one walking and one leading the horse, drifted further away.
Along the way, Grandpa Shen’s face was as dark as ink. When he reached a Yahang, he decided to go in and try his luck.
“Get out, get out! What bad luck! A dying little girl and you want ten taels of silver? You must be starving for money!” A servant chased him out with a broom.
“If ten taels is too much, then five… two! I’ll sell her to you for two taels, I can’t go any lower.” Grandpa Shen offered her up like she was part of a clearance sale.
The Shen Family had originally talked about fifty taels, so he thought he would try ten taels as a last resort. He hadn’t expected the servant to react so violently.
“I’m telling you, old man, this child looks like she’s about to die, yet you’re here trying to sell her. You’re trying to scam people! Are you planning to save even the cost of a tattered straw mat to bury her in? What a piece of work—ten taels, five, two… I wouldn’t take her for a single wen coin. How unlucky! She’s been beaten to a pulp; you’re going to invite divine retribution!”
The servant cursed loudly. If she died in the shop, it would be terrible luck. Would he even be able to keep his job?
The child was covered in injuries, clearly beaten to the brink of death.
“Bah! Get lost! If you don’t leave now, I’ll start hitting you!”
Spittle flew onto Grandpa Shen’s face.
Several nearby vendors were pointing and whispering. With Shen Xixi’s mangled appearance, her face covered in blood and her constant whimpering, she truly looked like she was dying.
Grandpa Shen’s face grew even darker. What a sin! She was the one who insisted on kowtowing. Would anyone even believe him if he tried to explain now?
Just then, Grandpa Shen’s gaze was drawn to a figure.
“You wait right there by the corner of the wall! Don’t move, do you hear me!” After speaking, he ignored Shen Xixi and chased after a carriage.
Shen Xixi glanced over, her eyes narrowing. It was a beautiful woman in her forties, but well-preserved enough to look like she was in her thirties. Her features bore a resemblance to Eldest Uncle and especially to Shen Yue. She remembered Eldest Uncle saying that his eldest daughter, Shen Yue, looked more and more like his mother, Liu Yan.
Could it be the concubine who had run away from Grandpa more than ten years ago?
Curiosity piqued, she ducked into the alley behind the houses. With a sudden leap, she vaulted onto the rooftops and gave chase.
On the other side, Bai Rui, who had pushed open a corner of the window on the second floor of the medical clinic, happened to see Shen Xixi racing across the rooftops as light as a swallow.
He stroked his chin. So the ugly girl knew martial arts.
He couldn’t help but follow her.
Having caught up, Shen Xixi lay flat on a roof, watching a swaying carriage in the alley.
She was speechless. “Are ancient people this open? Grandpa Shen is nearly fifty, is his constitution really that robust?”
It had been half an hour, and those two were still carrying on without end.