Zhuang Yan was startled by the voice, his beautiful eyes lifting slightly as he swept a light glance over the crowd, finally resting on Liu Shiqi.
He was utterly shocked.
Could he actually hear her inner thoughts?
This… was truly unbelievable.
Their eyes met.
Zhuang Yan was startled and quickly lowered his head.
[Ahhhh, did he just look at me?]
[Yes, he definitely looked at me!]
[He’s really so pleasing to the eye!]
[I really want to take him home and look at him every day!]
[Come here, come here, big sister will take good care of you…]
Zhuang Yan’s face flushed slightly.
It was the first time he had ever heard such straightforward words.
Even though he knew it was her inner voice, he couldn’t help his heart pounding wildly.
From that one glance just now, he had already noticed that she wasn’t from the village, and she was truly beautiful. Even more beautiful than the village chief’s daughter.
Unfortunately, his current appearance and situation made it clear that he was unworthy…
He smiled self-deprecatingly in his heart and stopped looking at Liu Shiqi.
He looked at Zhuang Laoda and Zhuang Lao San, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
His hands clenched tightly… he would not give up.
Liu Shiqi was filled with curiosity about Zhuang Yan, searching her mind intensely.
[Zhuang Yan?]
[Zhuang Yan!]
[Zhuang Yan!]
[Zhuang Yan!]
…
Old Man Zhong’s face darkened: Oh dear, girl, stop calling his name. I know you like him.
My head is about to explode…
Mrs. Hao: …What’s wrong with my daughter? Love at first sight?
Zhuang Yan listened as Liu Shiqi called his name over and over in her heart, feeling somewhat shaken.
Was she really… that concerned about him?
It was as if she wanted to carve his name into her heart.
Zhuang Yan was deeply moved…
Unaware of his thoughts, Liu Shiqi continued pondering.
[Zhuang Yan!]
[Zhuang Yan, I really wish there was such a character!]
[Who exactly is he?]
[With looks like that, even if he’s not the male lead, he should at least be the second male lead! If not, then the third or fourth male lead?]
[The male lead is Zhao Hua, the female lead is Hao Yanxue.]
[The second male lead is Xu Sheng, the second female lead is Pang Feifei.]
[The third male lead is…]
Liu Shiqi frowned in thought, then suddenly her eyes lit up.
[Ah, I remember now, Zhuang Yan!]
[He should be the female lead’s biggest supporter and backup option!]
[The name Zhuang Yan is an alias used by the future Shenwu Great Emperor when he was outside!]
[He used this name and referred to the female lead as his sister!]
[Actually, the Shenwu Great Emperor didn’t want to be her brother at all—he wanted to be her man!]
[Unfortunately, the female lead just didn’t get it. Isn’t that infuriating!]
[If it were me, I’d definitely choose the emperor!]
[In front of an emperor, even the most powerful minister is just a little brother!]
Old Man Zhong…
Mrs. Hao…
Zhuang Yan…
Liu Shiqi frowned again in thought. [But is this really the same person?]
[Could it just be a coincidence of the same name?]
[Otherwise, why would the future Shenwu Great Emperor appear in such a remote, impoverished place?]
[And in such a pitiful state, about to be sold off?]
Old Man Zhong breathed a sigh of relief. Exactly, how could this kid possibly be… that amazing!
Mrs. Hao’s brain had already short-circuited… What powerful minister… what little brother… and what on earth is a female lead?
Zhuang Yan…
[Ah, the Shenwu Great Emperor did indeed have a godfather, a high-ranking and powerful eunuch…]
[This… could it really be such a coincidence?]
Thinking that Zhuang Yan might very well be the future Shenwu Great Emperor,
Liu Shiqi looked at Zhuang Yan in surprise, examining him from head to toe.
[Well, well, well!]
【Given how Zhuang Yan turned out, it's highly likely!】
Old Man Zhong and Mrs. Hao were both utterly shocked.
Old Man Zhong: My granddaughter seems a bit… prone to wild imagination… It seems she suffered greatly in the Liu residence!
Mrs. Hao: Our girl also seems a bit unwell and needs treatment.
Upon hearing Liu Shiqi's words, Zhuang Yan quietly clenched his hands inside his sleeves, tighter and tighter.
Suddenly, he recalled the words his adoptive father had spoken to him long ago: "Zhuang Yan, do you see this small world?"
"It cannot confine you…"
"You must stay alive and wait for your adoptive father to return…"
Zhuang Yan wondered, what exactly was his identity? Was he truly just an abandoned infant picked up by his adoptive father?
Or…
Suddenly, he sneered inwardly.
How could that be?
Being able to hear her inner thoughts—he must have gone mad… to entertain such delusions.
Liu Shiqi's eyes sparkled as she looked at Zhuang Yan as if gazing upon a mountain of gold.
【For a better life for myself, so my family can escape poverty and prosper.】
【I've decided to take a gamble.】
【Learn from Lü Buwei—hoard rare goods!】
【Also learn from the female lead—adopt a brother…】
Zhuang Yan…
A plump steward, with a forced smile, said to Zhuang Laoda, "We've settled the payment, so I'll take the boy directly!"
Liu Shiqi and the others had arrived a step too late—Zhuang Laoda had already sold Zhuang Yan.
Zhuang Laoda tucked the silver into his pocket, his face beaming with a wide grin.
He asked ingratiatingly, "I wonder if my nephew will be assigned to cleaning duties or serve as a study companion for the young masters in the Pan residence?"
"After all, he is my nephew—I still care about his well-being!"
The steward looked disdainful. "Once he enters the Pan residence, the master and mistress will decide his duties!"
"Whether he's your nephew or even your own son, now that he's been sold to our Pan residence, he has no further ties to your family!"
Liu Shiqi was taken aback. 【Ah, the Pan residence?】
【I recall there's a Pan residence in the county town. It's said that the eldest daughter of the Pan family became a concubine to some high-ranking official in the capital.】
【That's why the Pan residence holds a lofty status in the county—even their servants can swagger around, putting on more airs than the county magistrate's household.】
【But half a year later, they were targeted for revenge, and the entire Pan residence was slaughtered, leaving no one alive.】
Old Man Zhong…
Mrs. Hao…
Zhuang Yan…
【Later, it was revealed that the masters of the Pan residence were cruel and immoral, indulging in debauchery. They trampled upon and abused the maidservants at will, and the young master of the Pan family was particularly depraved.】
【He had a fondness for beautiful young boys, with several handsome youths entering the residence each month, only to disappear without a trace.】
【When the county officials investigated, they unearthed dozens of small corpses in the backyard of the Pan residence—some had already turned to bones…】
Old Man Zhong and Mrs. Hao felt their scalps tingle upon hearing this, unsure whether it was true.
If it were true, then selling Zhuang Yan into such a place would surely be a death sentence…
Upon hearing Liu Shiqi's words, Zhuang Yan was so shocked he nearly staggered.
The steward continued addressing Zhuang Laoda, "Since this child has entered the Pan residence, don't go prying into his affairs from now on!"
"Whether he lives or dies has nothing to do with you!"
Zhuang Laoda hadn't expected the steward to turn hostile, but thinking of the silver in his pocket, he decided not to argue.
"Yes, yes, we won't pry anymore!"
"Whether he lives or dies is none of our concern!"
Seeing his compliance, the steward ignored him further.
The steward glanced at Zhuang Yan a few more times, feeling quite satisfied. He thought the young master would surely take a liking to him.
He signaled to the servant behind him with a look.
Understanding the hint, the servant immediately stepped forward to seize Zhuang Yan.