When Song Shishi saw Tang Qingluo, her eyes immediately filled with tears.
Meeting a fellow townsman in a foreign place felt especially moving.
Wuwuwu—
She had been waiting for so long that she was truly terrified.
“Look at how useless you are,” Tang Qingluo said, pulling the rag out of Song Shishi’s mouth.
“Boss, boss! You’re finally back. I thought—” Her voice dropped. “I thought you were going to abandon me and run away.”
Tang Qingluo raised an eyebrow. “Do I look like someone who goes back on her word?”
“No, no! Boss is the most trustworthy person there is. This is my fault—I judged a gentleman with a petty mind. Boss, your heart is broader than the sea, you’re so magnanimous you could sail a boat in your belly—”
“That’s enough,” Tang Qingluo cut her off. She liked compliments, but too many made her tired.
Song Shishi immediately shut her mouth, then sneaked a few glances at Tang Qingluo and whispered, “Then… boss, are we going back now?”
“Wait a bit. Things aren’t over yet.” The poison still needed some time to take effect. Tang Qingluo planned to wait until most of the Bagong Stronghold bandits had collapsed before she and Xie Wenrui went in to clean up the mess.
“Oh, right. Wenrui, now you can explain—what’s going on with the kid you brought along?” Tang Qingluo looked at Xie Wenrui.
Xie Wenrui organized his thoughts and said, “It’s actually very simple. The child was kidnapped by the bandits. When I went into the kitchen to poison the food, I saw him poisoning it as well, so we teamed up. After everything was done, he begged me to take him away, so I did.”
Before Tang Qingluo could respond, Song Shishi exploded. “He asked you to take him and you just did? Are you stupid? Do you have no sense of caution at all? A kid from a bandit den, and you trust him just like that? What if he’s pretending to help you, planning to reel you in and then lead the bandits here to capture us?”
“I’m not!” The young boy’s eyes turned red. “They killed my entire family. I hate them so much I want to drink their blood and eat their flesh. How could I possibly help them deal with you? You’re slandering me! You’re slandering me!”
His voice trembled with sobs as he accused her, stepping forward one step at a time. The vicious hatred in his eyes frightened Song Shishi so badly that she stumbled backward.
Xie Wenrui was terrible at handling situations like this—especially when children cried. He looked flustered. “Song Shishi, look at what you’ve done. You accused someone without any evidence and made the kid cry. You’re responsible for calming him down.”
Then Xie Wenrui took a big step back. “Sister-in-law, I’ll go check the situation.”
And just like that, he ran off.
Song Shishi stammered, “I—I—” She didn’t dare approach; the boy looked like he wanted to bite her to death. “Boss, boss, I was wrong. Don’t let this kid come near me. I was wrong, okay?”
Tang Qingluo rolled her eyes. This woman was both stupid and cowardly—she had really overestimated her before.
Tang Qingluo squatted down and pulled the boy into a hug, soothing him as she wiped away his tears. “Alright, alright. Don’t cry anymore. It’s her fault—she shouldn’t have wronged you. She’s the one at fault. Her brain isn’t very good to begin with. Be the bigger person and don’t lower yourself to her level.”
Perhaps Tang Qingluo’s embrace was too warm, her voice too gentle.
“Don’t worry. We all know you’re a good kid. We know you were helping us deal with the bandits. We don’t need her to tell us that. She doesn’t understand anything. Your Brother Wenrui and I know your worth—that’s enough, okay?”
Or perhaps it was because his long-awaited revenge was finally within reach and the tension in his heart suddenly loosened. The boy burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, tears and snot streaming down his face.
When he finally calmed down, his face red, he looked at Tang Qingluo awkwardly. “Big sister… I’m sorry, your clothes—”
Tang Qingluo glanced at her shoulder. Yes, this outfit would definitely need washing.
“It’s fine. Letting it out is good,” Tang Qingluo said with a smile, patting his head. “By the way, what’s your name?”
“Big sister, my name is Jiang Shenzhu,” the boy said with a smile, dimples appearing on his cheeks.
“Jiang Shenzhu?! You’re Jiang Shenzhu?!” Song Shishi exploded again.
“Song Shishi, why are you making such a fuss now?” Tang Qingluo narrowed her eyes, looking at Jiang Shenzhu and then at Song Shishi.
Could there be something special about this child?
“Boss, you’re right. This is all my fault—I misunderstood him.” Song Shishi’s attitude changed instantly, becoming obsequious. “Just based on the fact that his name is Jiang Shenzhu, he must be a good person—a very good person.”
She groveled desperately. “Young Master Jiang, my brain doesn’t work right sometimes. I was out of my mind just now and shouldn’t have accused you. Your parents are great philanthropists, so you must be a kind child too. I was wrong, I really was. I slandered you, and I apologize. Please forgive me, I was completely wrong. Can you forgive me?”
Clearly, Jiang Shenzhu was an important—and powerful—character. Otherwise, Song Shishi wouldn’t be acting this cowardly. Tang Qingluo guessed as much.
Jiang Shenzhu found Song Shishi strange and didn’t respond, remaining silent.
When Song Shishi became so anxious she was about to kneel down, Jiang Shenzhu finally spoke. “That won’t be necessary. I forgive you.”
At his age, Jiang Shenzhu couldn’t yet fully conceal his emotions. He didn’t look particularly eager to forgive her. “But, miss, you shouldn’t casually wrong others again in the future,” he reminded her.
“Yes, yes, Young Master Jiang is absolutely right,” Song Shishi said quickly, covering her mouth with both hands. She didn’t dare speak anymore. She had no idea why she was so unlucky—stepping on landmines everywhere she went.
Tang Qingluo knew it wasn’t the right time to inquire about Jiang Shenzhu’s identity, so she said nothing.
When Xie Wenrui returned from scouting, sword in hand and face full of excitement, he said, “Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law! The bandits have mostly collapsed. Should we go in and clean up now?”
“Yes,” Tang Qingluo nodded. “But once we’re inside, whether the bandits are alive or not, remember—if you see one, kill one. Don’t leave them even a single breath.”
Better safe than sorry—that was Tang Qingluo’s rule.
“I’ll help too,” Jiang Shenzhu said. He wanted to see his enemies die with his own eyes. “Big sister, I can do it.”
“Alright. We’ll go together,” Tang Qingluo agreed.
Song Shishi grew anxious at the side and tugged at Tang Qingluo. “Boss, don’t leave me behind. I want to go too.” She signaled with her eyes, hinting that Tang Qingluo should untie her.
Tang Qingluo frowned. “You stay here and behave.”
“That’s right—don’t follow us and get in the way,” Xie Wenrui said bluntly, stuffing the rag back into Song Shishi’s mouth. “Sister-in-law, let’s go.”
“Big brother, big brother! I’ll lead the way—I’m familiar with the terrain,” Jiang Shenzhu called out eagerly, moving ahead and guiding Tang Qingluo and Xie Wenrui through the gates of Bagong Stronghold.