Title: Chapter 2 – Selling the Granddaughter
Just when Pei Luo was thinking that the small amount she had gathered was far from enough to feed them, she looked up and suddenly saw a locust tree not far away. Seeing the tree covered with dense clusters of white locust flowers, Pei Luo was so excited she almost cried.
Sob… as expected, heaven never seals off all paths.
If a dignified miracle doctor from the 21st century like her were to starve to death in this miserable place, she would definitely die with everlasting regret.
She climbed up the tree with effort and spent nearly half an hour picking flowers until she had stripped the entire tree bare. It wasn’t that she was greedy—it was simply not enough to eat. These locust flowers would at most be enough for the three of them for a few meals.
Fortunately, she had brought a basket when she left the house. Otherwise, there would have been no way for her to carry all the flowers back.
When Pei Luo returned with the basket, she heard children crying inside before she even entered the house. Startled, she rushed forward and ran into the yard, only to see the original owner’s mother-in-law, Lu Yuan’s mother, dragging the two children.
“Xiao Chen, let go! Grandma is sending your sister to enjoy a better life. You child, you really don’t understand anything.”
Old Madam Lu said as she tried to push Lu Chen away. The little boy was only three years old. All he knew was to cling tightly to his sister so she wouldn’t be taken away, because if she was taken, he might never see her again.
“Waaah… Sister! I want my sister!”
“Grandma, let go of me! Please don’t sell me! I’ll behave from now on. I’ll wash clothes for you. I’ll wash clothes for Brother Dazhuang too. I can cook, boil water, and chop firewood. Please don’t sell me. I don’t want to be separated from my brother!”
The little girl was already five years old, old enough to know that her grandmother intended to sell her to a human trafficker. She had seen that woman before. The broker, Granny Zhang, often came to the village to buy children. Her aunt had once pointed at Granny Zhang and warned that if she wasn’t obedient, she would be sold too. Several girls in the village had already been sold away. The villagers often said girls were a loss—when they grew up they would only marry into other families, so many people disliked having daughters.
“This isn’t up to you. Granny Zhang, come and take her away quickly.”
Old Madam Lu gave a signal to Granny Zhang behind her. The two children were dragged roughly, their clothes torn from the struggle. The little girl’s knees were scraped until they bled, yet neither of the adults stopped. Hearing the heart-wrenching cries of the children, Pei Luo rushed forward and kicked Granny Zhang hard, sending her sprawling to the ground.
The little girl cried so hard she could barely breathe. Seeing his sister fall, little Chen immediately ran over, crying.
The two children hugged each other and cried together.
“Ouch! Which damned person dared to kick me?!”
Granny Zhang cursed angrily as she stood up. When she saw that it was the third son’s wife of the Lu family, she immediately shouted, “So it’s you! I was wondering who it was. What’s this? Did you mother-in-law and daughter-in-law fail to split the money evenly or something? This deal was already agreed upon—why are you using force? If you don’t give me an explanation today, don’t blame me for being rude.”
Anyone who made a living like her naturally had some ability. In the surrounding villages, almost no one dared to oppose Granny Zhang.
Pei Luo suddenly remembered that in this place, buying and selling people through brokers was legal. As long as money was exchanged for the person, no one would say much.
But sell her children?
Did they have a death wish?
Even though she was only the stepmother, a stepmother was still a mother. The original owner was already dead—now she, Pei Luo, was their stepmother. If she just watched them sell her children, how could she still hold her head high?
Pei Luo deliberately imitated the original owner’s tone while arguing with Granny Zhang. After taking that kick, Granny Zhang naturally wouldn’t let things go easily and immediately ordered her helpers to seize the children.
“I don’t care who wants to sell the child. Your mother-in-law already took my five hundred copper coins. I won’t argue about the kick you gave me today, but the child is coming with me.”
With that, Granny Zhang signaled her two helpers to grab the children. Pei Luo quickly stepped forward and stood in front of them.
“Whoever took your money, go find them. I’m making this clear—anyone who dares touch these two children will have to fight me to the death.”
As she spoke, Pei Luo pulled the sickle from the basket and held it across her chest.
Act tough in front of her?
They clearly didn’t know who they were dealing with. Even with the original owner’s body, she could still cut this old woman into pieces if she had to. She had never been afraid of a fight.
Granny Zhang was momentarily intimidated by the sickle, but after calming down she realized they outnumbered Pei Luo. Still, since she was here to do business, she preferred not to fight if it could be avoided. She turned to Old Madam Lu anxiously.
“Sister Lu, we already agreed on the price. I even gave you the money. You should at least let me take the girl.”
Granny Zhang looked stern. Old Madam Lu hadn’t expected Pei Luo to be so extreme and immediately changed her expression.
“Pei, hurry and hand over the child. The family is already running out of food. If we don’t sell this girl, do you expect this old woman to starve to death?”
The original owner and Pei Luo shared the same name, but hearing the title “Pei” still made her pause for a moment. However, handing over the child?
This old woman must still be dreaming.
If a stepmother sold a child, it might at least be somewhat understandable. But Old Madam Lu was the girl’s biological grandmother. A grandmother selling her own granddaughter—truly heartless.
“Mother, if I remember correctly, before Lu Yuan left he gave you some silver, didn’t he? He’s been gone for more than half a year. You never helped us, the widow and the children, and now you dare sell my child. How can you face Lu Yuan? If you want to sell a granddaughter, doesn’t the eldest and second brother’s families each have a daughter too? Why don’t you sell them first?”
The original owner had always been sharp-tongued, so Pei Luo could argue fiercely without worrying about exposing herself.
Old Madam Lu was furious, but for the sake of money she tried to negotiate.
“Pei, the deal with Granny Zhang is already made. We can’t cancel it. Usually you beat and scold the child anyway. I might as well sell her so you don’t have to be annoyed by her. At worst, I’ll give you one hundred copper coins from the sale.”
“Bah! You really dare say that. No matter how much I scold them, I’ve never thought of selling them. You’re their biological grandmother, yet your heart is darker than mine, the stepmother’s. Let me tell you this—I’d rather starve to death than sell my children! If you have the guts, sell the daughters from the eldest and second brother’s families. Just because my husband isn’t home, you think I’m easy to bully?”
Pei Luo stood with her hands on her hips like a true shrew.
Arguing? She could do that all day. If she didn’t scold them so badly they couldn’t even lift their heads, then her twenty-plus years of life would be wasted.
Old Madam Lu trembled with anger and pointed at her while shouting:
“Pei! You shrew! You’re nothing more than a replacement wife my son bought, yet you dare speak to your mother-in-law like this. You are completely unfilial and rebellious!”