The two turned around and found that Chu Jiaojiao had disappeared.
Qi Tushen's expression changed instantly, and he hoisted Qi Bao'er onto his shoulder and gave chase.
Chu Jiaojiao had been drawn to a stall selling storybooks. She walked up to the stall and began browsing.
The vendor enthusiastically introduced, "Miss, I have many wonderful storybooks here—like 'The Mountain Man's Pretty Farm Wife,' 'The Arrogant Hunter Fell for Me,' 'The Rough Man Dotes on His Little Wife,' and more. Which one would you like?"
Chu Jiaojiao picked out over a dozen books in a row and said, "I'll take them all! How much?"
The vendor's eyes immediately sparkled with greed. "Miss, you want to buy this many?"
"Mhm."
"These books aren't cheap, you know—at least this much!" The vendor held up several fingers.
"How much?!"
"Seeing how diligent and eager to learn you are, I'll give you a discount. Just three taels of silver."
Three taels?
Not enough money.
Chu Jiaojiao turned to look for someone.
She spotted Qi Tushen charging over to her side in a flurry with Qi Bao'er slung over his shoulder, and he started yelling at her without even asking what happened. "You damn woman! I've been so good to you—giving you money, letting you buy whatever you want—and you dare try to run away again?!"
Her ears nearly got deafened by his roar.
She dug at her ear.
This man was truly hot-tempered.
Chu Jiaojiao wanted to roll her eyes. She waved the books in front of his face. "Which eye of yours saw me running away? I just saw this stall selling storybooks and wanted to buy some to read at home to pass the dull, boring days."
Qi Tushen: "…"
"Ouch, ouch, Daddy, put me down!"
Qi Bao'er, wedged under his armpit, wailed.
Only then did Qi Tushen set her down. Realizing he had misunderstood Chu Jiaojiao, his face flushed red. He tugged at the hem of his clothes, rubbed his hands together, and muttered a low, "Sorry."
"What?"
Chu Jiaojiao was stunned.
She wondered if she'd heard wrong.
Was this savage man apologizing to her?
"I said sorry!" Qi Tushen roared, half-embarrassed and half-annoyed. "I was the one who misunderstood you."
Chu Jiaojiao: "…"
How could someone apologize so ferociously?!
But then again…
It was kind of cute.
Chu Jiaojiao let out a "pfft" and covered her mouth with a laugh. "Alright, I forgive you. These storybooks of mine cost three taels of silver, and I don't have enough money. Can you pay for me?"
"Sure."
Qi Tushen immediately reached for his silver, but Qi Bao'er stopped him. "Daddy, are you stupid? Three taels of silver is so expensive. She's just wasting it—you can't spoil her like this!"
"It's fine. If she likes them, let her buy them!"
"Daddy!"
Qi Bao'er's little face scrunched up. "You work so hard to earn money. Bao'er feels bad for you."
"Bao'er, why are you being so stingy? Your daddy doesn't even mind spending the silver, so why are you the one worrying about it?"
Chu Jiaojiao shot Qi Bao'er a glare. "Besides, I'm buying these storybooks to read at home—they have a purpose."
"What purpose could they have? Sister, I know Daddy likes you, but you can't just take advantage of his feelings and be so wasteful." Qi Bao'er said unhappily.
Over the years, Daddy had suffered so much to earn money. It wasn't easy.
She liked Sister too, but she didn't want Sister to waste money like this.
Chu Jiaojiao: "…"
She just wanted to buy a few books—was it really necessary to lecture her like that?
Chu Jiaojiao got angry too. With a "bang," she tossed the storybooks from her arms. "Fine, I won't buy them, alright? What's the big deal! If you think I'm wasting your daddy's money, then just let your daddy let me go."
Being trapped here was already suffocating enough. She wanted to buy some storybooks to read, and now she had to put up with this nonsense too.
"Little wife, don't be angry. I'll buy them for you."
Qi Tushen quickly scolded Qi Bao'er. "Bao'er, don't say another word about her. They're just some books—I'm happy to spend money on her. Don't talk about her anymore. If the money runs out, I can earn more."
As he spoke, he handed the storybooks to Chu Jiaojiao in a placating manner and paid the three taels of silver for her.
Qi Bao'er pouted and said nothing more.
Daddy had a wife now and had forgotten all about his child!
"Don't worry. I'll pay your daddy back for this silver in the future."
Chu Jiaojiao hugged the storybooks to her chest and said stiffly to Qi Bao'er.
She didn't like owing people favors. She would find a way to repay every last bit.
Afraid that Chu Jiaojiao would stay angry, Qi Tushen scolded Qi Bao'er, "Bao'er, apologize to your sister!"
"I won't!"
Qi Bao'er's eyes welled up with tears, and she turned and ran off.
"Bao'er~"
Qi Tushen was taken aback. He wanted to chase after her, but he was also worried about Chu Jiaojiao running away, so he glanced at her.
"What are you standing there for? Go chase after her!" Chu Jiaojiao urged him to go.
Qi Tushen hurriedly followed.
"Wah wah wah, stupid daddy, bad daddy."
Qi Bao'er cried and cursed as she ran. "Bao'er was just worried that you work too hard to earn money, but you only care about Sister. Wah wah wah, I'm never talking to you again."
"Cuier~ Look, isn't that Qi Tushen's daughter, Qi Bao'er?"
As luck would have it, Feng Cuier and her good friend Zhu Xiu'er were also strolling through the market today and happened upon the crying Bao'er.
Feng Cuier looked up, furrowed her brows, and a flicker of disgust passed through her eyes.
It was this damned burden of a child that had prevented her from marrying Qi Tushen.
She should have strangled this little wretch back then.
If not for her, they would have been married long ago.
"Look at her crying so pitifully—did something happen?"
Zhu Xiu'er spoke up again.
"Annoying."
Feng Cuier said impatiently, "What does that burden have to do with me? Just looking at her irritates me."
Zhu Xiu'er immediately dared not say another word, knowing that Feng Cuier still harbored resentment over what happened back then.
Years ago, Feng Cuier had nearly thrown the child into the wilderness. Qi Tushen had discovered her and thoroughly humiliated her, and the two had cut off all contact.
From that day on, Feng Cuier had hated this child with a burning passion.
"Bao'er~"
Just then, Chu Jiaojiao found Qi Bao'er, who was hiding in a corner crying her eyes out. She teased her, "Oh my, aren't you ashamed? Getting into a fight with me over such a little thing, and crying this hard?"
Qi Bao'er glared at her with a mix of embarrassment and anger, then turned to run away again, but Chu Jiaojiao grabbed hold of her.
She struggled fiercely, "Mean sister, let me go!"
"Not letting go~ Where are you going?"
"None of your business."
"You really are petty. I just bought a few books, that's all."
"You don't know anything! My daddy works so hard and struggles so much to earn money these days, wuwuwu. And you, you spend three taels of silver just on books, wuwuwu. Our family can't afford to support a spendthrift like you." Qi Bao'er cried even harder.
"Alright, stop crying. Sister was wrong~" Knowing that Bao'er was just feeling protective of her father and that was why she was throwing a tantrum, Chu Jiaojiao didn't hold it against her. She pulled her into her arms and soothed her, "Sister will try to buy less from now on."
"Wuwuwu, you actually still want to buy more!"
"Hey? Who's that girl?"
Zhu Xiu'er noticed Chu Jiaojiao and said to Feng Cuier.
Feng Cuier, who had been about to leave, stopped in her tracks. She caught sight of Qi Tushen, and her eyes immediately locked onto him, unable to look away—a man she both loved and hated.