“Please, I beg of you, buy me…”
“I can embroider, I can wash clothes, I can cook, and I eat very little! Just one meal a day is enough.”
A pair of small, filthy hands tightly gripped the hem of the tall man’s robe, as if clutching a life-saving straw.
Shen Yan looked down. The woman’s clothes were tattered and her frame was gaunt. On her mud-streaked face were several terrifying scars; anyone who saw her couldn’t help but show a look of disgust.
Sang Sang had forgotten everything. She wasn’t even sure if this was her real name.
However, she had found a bracelet hidden away in a secret lining of her inner garment, likely stashed there away from the human trafficker’s prying eyes. The inside of the bracelet was engraved with the characters for “Sang Sang.” Perhaps that was her name.
When she woke up, she was locked away with a group of people, being taken from place to place by a trafficker to be sold. But because her face was ruined, no one had shown any interest in her.
Just a moment ago, a heavily powdered madam from a brothel had arrived. Her eyes had lingered on Sang Sang’s figure, appraising her up and down, and finally, she had decided she wanted to buy her.
The madam had seen countless women and could tell at a glance that Sang Sang’s physique was exquisite—the kind of beauty that could most easily captivate a man.
As for the scars on her face, she could use some ointments to fade them. If that failed, she could have a mask custom-made for her; a face half-hidden and half-revealed would only add to her mysterious allure.
The more the madam thought about it, the more satisfied she became.
Sang Sang knew that if she were bought by this madam, the rest of her life would be truly over.
Though she couldn’t remember her past, she had a very strong intuition that she had a family who loved her dearly, and that they were currently doing everything in their power to find her.
She had to protect herself. One day, she would surely remember everything and find her family!
Her gaze swept through the crowd and finally landed on this tall man.
He wore a thick, dense beard that covered most of his face, and his entire being radiated a cold, unapproachable aura.
But she threw herself before him regardless of the consequences, pleading with him to buy her.
Sang Sang had a certain, steadfast intuition that this man was reliable.
Ever since she lost her memory, she had possessed this inexplicable sense. She could accurately judge who was good and who was bad, and she had never been wrong.
Along her journey, she had relied on this intuition to escape danger time and time again.
In him, Sang Sang felt a deep sense of security.
She gripped his robe with such force that her fingertips turned white, but the man remained silent for a long time, seemingly unmoved by her plea.
Despair gradually began to swell in Sang Sang’s heart. Large teardrops hung from her eyelashes before rolling down, quickly gathering into a stream.
Shen Yan’s eyes shifted slightly.
The human trafficker stepped forward, grabbing her arm to pull her back while cursing.
“You ugly wretch, stop causing trouble for me!”
But Sang Sang’s strength was surprisingly great; the trafficker actually couldn’t budge her.
Infuriated, he pulled out a whip from his waist and swung it toward her.
Sang Sang heard the whistle of the whip cutting through the air and instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the coming pain.
However, the expected pain never arrived.
She slowly opened her eyes and froze instantly.
The whip was being held firmly in the man’s large hand. No matter how many times the trafficker tried to pull it back, he couldn’t move it an inch.
The man stared at the trafficker, his dark eyes deep and somewhat oppressive.
Just as the trafficker was about to lose his temper, the man spoke in a heavy voice.
“Her, I’ll take.”
Shen Yan pulled a pouch from his chest and threw it directly to the trafficker.
The man’s voice was low, somewhat deep and gravelly, but to Sang Sang’s ears, it sounded like heavenly music.
Her tear-filled eyes instantly brightened, a shimmering beauty rippling through them like glowing pearls.
The trafficker caught the silver, weighed it, and his scowl immediately turned into a beaming smile.
“Good, good, good. It’s a deal, it’s a deal.”
He immediately stuffed the silver into his tunic, looking as though he were afraid Shen Yan might regret the decision.
Seeing this, the madam was instantly displeased. “I clearly said I would buy her first!”
The trafficker gave a shrewd smile. “This brave warrior offered five taels of silver. If you can beat his price, this girl is yours.”
Hearing this, Sang Sang’s expression tightened.
The madam didn’t look like she lacked money. Fearing that she would offer a higher price, Sang Sang said resolutely, “I will not go with you. If you buy me, I will find a way to end my own life. When that happens, you’ll have spent your money for nothing!”
The madam had indeed intended to bid for Sang Sang, but upon hearing those words, she immediately dropped the idea.
She was spending silver to buy Sang Sang so she could make money for her, not to buy a corpse.
She lost interest instantly and turned to look at the other girls. Only then did Sang Sang let out a complete sigh of relief.
Shen Yan glanced at Sang Sang, then turned and began to walk away.
“Follow me.”
Sang Sang hurriedly scrambled to keep up.
Though tears still lingered in her eyes, the dead despair in the depths of her gaze had vanished, replaced by a burning, bright light.
The man in front of her was tall and sturdily built, like a great mountain.
Looking at his back, Sang Sang felt a profound sense of security.
Shen Yan walked very fast, and Sang Sang could only keep up by jogging behind him. She tried her best to increase her speed, but she still fell quite far behind.
It was currently the scorching heat of July. The sun blazed in the sky, and heat rose from the ground in waves, leaving people drenched in sweat.
Sang Sang felt her vision swim with hunger and her throat burn with thirst. Every step felt as though she were treading on cotton.
As she walked, her legs gave way. She pitched forward uncontrollably and lost consciousness entirely.
…
So hungry.
The moment Sang Sang opened her eyes, she felt a sharp, cramping pain in her stomach from hunger.
She was currently in a simple room. Aside from the bed she was lying on, there was only a wooden cabinet, a table, and a chair.
And on that table sat a plump roasted rabbit!
The rabbit was roasted to a golden brown, glistening with oil. Although it had gone cold, it still smelled incredibly fragrant and tempting.
Sang Sang’s gaze was practically glued to it. Her stomach let out a traitorous, long growl, and her mouth involuntarily watered.
It smelled so good. She wanted to eat it so badly, even just a single bite.
But it wasn’t hers. Taking without asking was stealing.
She got out of bed and, with steps that were still somewhat unsteady, walked toward the door. Her movements were extremely cautious, like a puppy tentatively exploring a new territory.
Splash!
As she pushed the door open, the sound of water splashing rang out at the same time. She instinctively followed the sound, and her expression froze instantly!
In the spacious courtyard, a tall man was lifting a bucket of water and pouring it over himself.
He wore only a pair of trousers; his upper body was bare. His bronze skin was covered in well-defined muscles, his chest was broad, and his arms were thick with corded muscle, looking as though they possessed immense strength.
Large droplets of water flowed down his chiseled abdominal muscles toward his lower stomach, following the lines of his physique until they disappeared into the dark fabric of his trousers.
The man heard the door open and turned his head, his gaze meeting Sang Sang’s directly.
Sang Sang!!
With a whoosh, her face turned bright red. She spun around almost immediately, her spine held perfectly straight as if she were standing in a corner for punishment.