After killing, the girl showed no panic. Instead, she calmly began digging a pit.
In these troubled times, she had witnessed too much death. She had even seen her father killed by a group of rampaging soldiers.
At the time, he was covered in blood and on the brink of death, yet still shouted for her to escape.
When the girl finally fled to safety, a sudden wave of guilt washed over her. She felt she shouldn’t have run away. She should’ve died with her father, killed by those same soldiers. At least in the underworld, she would’ve had her family by her side. Not like now—living all alone, bullied and helpless.
“Come help me out!” she said. “Unless you plan on sleeping next to these two corpses?”
Seeing Lu Chen still standing there dumbly, the girl turned and called to him.
“Oh, right.” Lu Chen quickly picked up another broken stick and began digging with her.
Even if this world was virtual, the feeling of taking a life for the first time still made Lu Chen very uneasy. Luckily, once they finished digging the pit and buried the two bodies, that uncomfortable feeling finally eased.
“Thank you for saving me earlier,” the girl said, tossing aside the broken stick after covering the pit with soil.
Under the bright moonlight, her clothes were tattered, and her face was streaked with dirt and blood. The sight made Lu Chen feel a dull ache in his heart.
If this were before his transmigration, a girl her age would still be in primary school—loved by her parents, cherished by her teachers. But now, she lived in an era of war and chaos. Forget about being loved—just surviving was already a blessing.
Lu Chen smiled at her and said, “No need to thank me. If you hadn’t given me that millet cake before, I probably would’ve starved to death in that alley.”
The girl stared at his warm smile. In the numb abyss of her heart, it felt like a sliver of light had broken through.
“You… don’t remember your past?” she asked tentatively.
Lu Chen shook his head, “I don’t. I only remember my name is Lu Chen, and like you, I’m an orphan.”
Seeing the girl’s surprised expression, he quickly asked in a low voice, “Wait, are you an orphan too?”
She frowned, “That’s a very rude question to ask!”
“Uh… sorry.” Lu Chen felt like an idiot in front of her.
Thankfully, she didn’t get mad. She just picked up a torn sheepskin coat and curled up beneath the statue to sleep.
It was already late at night. Cold wind seeped in through the broken doors and windows, covering Lu Chen’s arms with goosebumps.
“I better sleep before dawn comes. I need energy for work at the docks tomorrow.”
Having made up his mind, Lu Chen returned to his corner and closed his eyes.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, the girl’s voice came from under the statue.
“My name is Jiang Qingyu.”
Jiang Qingyu?
What a nice name.
A child from an ordinary family wouldn’t have such an elegant name.
Thinking back to what that beggar said earlier, Lu Chen felt she might have been the daughter of a wealthy household before she became a beggar.
“In these war-torn times, broken families and dead loved ones have become commonplace. If I want to survive here, I have to become stronger…”
…
At early dawn, Lu Chen was awakened by a gust of cold wind.
He instinctively looked toward the statue. At some point, the girl had already left.
Then he looked at the spot where they buried the corpses. For some reason, that place felt eerie and gloomy.
Not daring to stay longer in the ruined temple, Lu Chen quickly left.
Luo City was situated beside the Luo River and served as a vital transportation hub with many docks. Whether locals or refugees, everyone could easily find work at the docks.
Because the Canal Gang’s influence was massive, even the rebel soldiers who conquered Luo City didn’t dare interfere with the dock area.
Thus, the various docks outside the city had become the largest refuge for the displaced.
Lu Chen wandered around and soon found a job carrying goods.
According to the Canal Gang’s rules, for every ten bundles moved—whether loading or unloading—one copper coin was earned. Wages were paid daily.
He tested the weight. Each bundle weighed about 40 to 50 kilograms, which he could handle.
However, he overlooked one thing. Being able to lift a bundle was one thing—being able to keep lifting them the whole day was another.
After just half a day, his hands were covered in bloody blisters, and his shoulders ached terribly.
If this were before, he would’ve quit already.
But now, Lu Chen gritted his teeth and held on until the end of the shift. Only by earning money could he survive in this world.
By the end of the day, Lu Chen had carried 100 bundles and earned 10 copper coins.
His hands were full of blisters, so he had to carefully cup the coins in his palms and struggle to stuff them into his pocket.
As night fell, Lu Chen left the docks and returned to the city.
There was no way he could afford an inn, so he went back to the same ruined temple for the night.
On the way, he deliberately bought two meat buns.
He waited a long time, but Jiang Qingyu never showed up.
Lu Chen couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Still, he didn’t eat the buns.
Late at night, curled up in the corner, he drifted off to sleep.
Suddenly, the sound of shuffling footsteps woke him.
He looked up and saw a ragged girl sneaking into the ruined temple.
“You’re back?” Lu Chen greeted her with a smile.
Jiang Qingyu wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and whispered, “I went begging in the East District today. Ran into some Beggar Gang members who tried to mess with me. If I hadn’t run fast enough, I’d be a corpse by now.”
Lu Chen took out two meat buns wrapped in lotus leaves and handed them to her. “Here, still warm.”
The fragrant smell of the meat buns made her almost drool.
But Jiang Qingyu didn’t take them. She just leaned against the statue and prepared to sleep.
“Don’t worry, I bought them with money. They’re clean,” Lu Chen said as he pushed the buns into her hands.
She hadn’t eaten all day. Staring at the two buns, she couldn’t hold back anymore and devoured them.
Still licking her fingers, Jiang Qingyu looked up and asked, “Why are you so nice to me?”
“Uh…” Lu Chen paused, not knowing how to answer.
Was it sympathy?
Attraction?
Repaying her for the cake?
Maybe none of those.
He simply felt that they were both in the same boat, and he wanted to take care of her however he could.
“I get it. You’re trying to win my favor,” Jiang Qingyu said, blinking her big eyes, a knowing look on her face. “Then when the time’s right, you’ll trick me into marrying you?”
Lu Chen: ?_?
Too lazy to explain, he returned to the corner and lay down.
Not long after, her voice came from beneath the statue again.
“Becoming your wife isn’t entirely off the table. But… you have to buy me two meat buns every day!”
Lu Chen: (*￣︿￣)!