The servant led the three to the side hall. Though called a side hall, it was lavishly decorated.
Chen Xinghai and his sibling hardly dared to breathe, feeling this place was even grander than their own home. Was this where their younger sister served as a maid?
Three people were already in the hall. One stood in the center—a gaunt figure with piercingly sharp eyes—presumably the steward of Zhao Residence. The other two, standing on either side, were maids of the residence, keeping their eyes demurely lowered.
“Steward Zhou, they’ve been brought here,” the servant said with a cupped-hand salute.
“Dismissed,” Steward Zhou waved his hand, and the servant promptly withdrew.
“So you’re the ones here to redeem someone.”
Only then did Steward Zhou turn his gaze to Xiao Ying and the other two. Noting their shabby clothes and sallow, emaciated faces, a hint of contempt flickered in his eyes.
Someone sold into Zhao Residence wanting to be bought back? Hah… Zhao Residence had never set such a precedent.
“That’s right. I’m here to redeem my daughter. Her name is Chen Xingyue.”
Seeing that he didn’t even offer them a seat, Xiao Ying simply took the initiative to sit to the side, not even bothering to look directly at him.
Chen Xinghai and his sibling were both startled. Their mother was far too bold—wasn’t she afraid of angering him?
They didn’t dare sit, obediently standing behind Xiao Ying instead.
Sure enough, Steward Zhou’s face darkened, his triangular eyes glaring fiercely at Xiao Ying.
What a crude and ill-mannered peasant woman!
Still, it wouldn’t do to make her stand up again.
Gritting his teeth in frustration, he thought, With that attitude, dreaming of redeeming someone? Not a chance.
“Steward Zhou, the ledger has been brought.”
Just then, another servant entered, holding a ledger in his hands.
Steward Zhou casually took the ledger and flipped through it, no longer bothering with Xiao Ying. After browsing for a while, he finally stopped.
“Chen Xingyue, nine years old. Sold into Zhao Residence last December to settle a debt her mother, Xiao Ying, owed at Hongyun Gambling House. Price: five taels of silver.”
Reading this, Steward Zhou sneered and gave Xiao Ying another once-over. So she was a gambler after all.
However, most people sold here were because of family gambling debts. Few knew this was actually one of the gambling house’s objectives.
“Xiao Ying, is it? Your daughter Chen Xingyue was sold into Zhao Residence to repay a gambling debt. According to Zhao Residence’s redemption rules, you must first win five taels of silver at the gambling house before you can redeem her.”
This was a deliberate provocation.
After all, the rules were set by him—he could say whatever he pleased.
“Fine. But first, bring my daughter here so I can see her.”
Xiao Ying remained unruffled. She needed to confirm that Chen Xingyue was still safe and sound.
Steward Zhou was somewhat surprised, then showed disdain again. Truly, a dog can’t change its habit of eating dirt—the moment she heard gambling was involved, she agreed.
He gave a signal with his eyes, and one of the maids immediately obeyed and left. It took nearly half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before she returned, followed by a young girl—none other than Chen Xingyue.
Chen Xingyue was dressed in coarse navy-blue clothing, her face sallow and clearly malnourished.
The nine-year-old child looked more like seven or eight—bony and frail.
One glance told Xiao Ying that her life here had been hard. Her exposed hands bore many injuries, red, swollen, and pale.
To see such a young child tormented like this—even someone with a heart of stone would not remain unmoved.
“Chen Xingyue, your mother is here to redeem you,” Steward Zhou said with a mocking laugh.
Chen Xingyue jerked her head up, staring in disbelief at Xiao Ying and the other two. It really was her mother, her elder brother, and her elder sister.
Seeing those three familiar faces she had been longing for day and night, her eyes instantly reddened.
But she ultimately suppressed the emotion, transforming it instead into boundless fury and hatred.
“What is this vicious woman doing here? Come to see if I’m dead yet?”
She glared fiercely at Xiao Ying, the anger and grievances bottled up over half a year finally finding an outlet as she couldn’t help but vent.
It was all this vicious woman’s fault. If she hadn’t gambled recklessly and accumulated debts, she wouldn’t have been sold here to work as a maid.
Did she even know what kind of life she had been living? Surely not.
It had been half a year since she was sold here, and Xiao Ying had never once come to visit. Probably in her heart, she had long considered her dead.
So why come now with fake sympathy, even claiming to redeem her? Hah, did she think she would believe that?
In these six months, she had suffered immensely and was no longer the naive young girl she once was.
She hated her, wished this woman before her would drop dead!
Xiao Ying glanced her over but didn’t respond.
Chen Xinghai and his sister, however, were heartbroken. Disregarding propriety, they hurried forward and took hold of Chen Xingyue.
“Xingyue, my poor sister, I’ve finally found you.”
Chen Xingyun pulled her into an embrace, tears welling in her eyes.
Unexpectedly, Chen Xingyue let out a soft hiss, clearly in pain.
Chen Xingyun’s heart ached even more. She wanted to examine her carefully but hesitated due to the inappropriate setting.
Poor Xingyue must have endured so much suffering over these past six months.
“Don’t be afraid, we’re here to take you home.”
“Sister…”
Though Chen Xingyue hated Xiao Ying, she remained deeply affectionate toward her brother and sister. Finally acting like a normal child again, she threw herself into Chen Xingyun’s arms and burst into tears.
“How touching… such profound sisterly love,” Steward Zhou remarked sarcastically, then turned his gaze to Xiao Ying.
“Now that you’ve seen her, shouldn’t you fulfill your promise?”
Chen Xingyue immediately fell silent, a flicker of fear crossing her face.
In her earlier excitement, she had forgotten the rules of the residence and dreaded the punishment that might follow.
Fulfill a promise? What promise did Steward Zhou want that vicious woman to keep? Could she actually be planning to redeem her?
“Going to the gambling house is too troublesome. Let’s settle it here,” Xiao Ying finally spoke. “And while we’re at it, summon your gambling house manager. I’ll repay all the gambling debts in one go.”
Both Steward Zhou and Chen Xingyue were so enraged they nearly fainted.
Steward Zhou was furious at her audacity—how dare she order him around!
Chen Xingyue was incensed that she had gambled again, incurred more debts, and wondered who she would sell off this time.
As for redeeming her? Only a fool would believe that.
Only Chen Xinghai and his sister remained confident. Over the past two days, they had gained some understanding of their mother—she never acted without a plan.
If their mother dared to speak like this, it meant she had a strategy.
“Just you wait!”
Despite his anger, Steward Zhou agreed. This would be a perfect opportunity to watch this woman lose miserably, weeping and begging on her knees.
His eyes swept over Chen Xingyun nearby. Hah, perhaps this time he could even sell off another daughter.
He whispered a few instructions, and the servant who had delivered the ledger immediately hurried out, presumably to summon someone from the gambling house.
Hongyun Gambling House was located near Zhao Residence. In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, the manager of Hongyun Gambling House arrived, followed by a man in his early thirties.
Xiao Ying recognized him at a glance—he was the gambling house’s recorder, equivalent to a modern-day dealer.
Such individuals were experts in gambling tricks. Clearly, the other side had no intention of letting her win.
“Isn’t this Lady Xiao? What brings you here?”
The gambling den manager recognized Xiao Ying—after all, she was a regular at their establishment and had been fleeced by them countless times.
Xiao Ying ignored him, speaking indifferently, “Since everyone’s here, let’s begin.”
Both Steward Zhou and the manager wore expressions of concealed resentment. Why did she carry herself as if she were the master of this place?