Chapter 9: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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**Chapter 9: The Country Bumpkin and the Unlucky One**
“Eat slowly; don’t choke!”
“There’s plenty of bread and dried meat; no need to rush.”
“Daohua, hurry and give the water jug to Yeyang and Ergouzi.”
Inside the cart, Old Madam Yan looked at Xiao Yeyang and Zhao Ergou, who were stuffing their mouths with food, her heart filled with concern. She kept instructing Daohua to fetch more things.
“Those damned traffickers, their hearts are so black, look at how starving they’ve made these kids.”
“If their families saw them like this, how heartbroken they would be!”
“Once we get home, you two mustn’t run around anymore. Look at how much suffering you’ve endured this time.”
As an old person, it was easy to feel sympathy, and Old Madam Yan was no exception. After the escort agency chased away the traffickers and ensured their safety, seeing the disheveled appearances of Xiao Yeyang and Zhao Ergou made her heart ache even more.
Xiao Yeyang and Zhao Ergou obediently acknowledged her concern, but how much they actually absorbed of her words was known only to them.
Meanwhile, Daohua and Yan Wentao were lost in thought.
“Bang! Bang!”
“And you two! If you dare to run around again, just wait and see how this old lady will deal with you!”
Old Madam Yan smacked Daohua and Yan Wentao on their foreheads.
Yan Wentao accepted it humbly.
Daohua, however, let out a yelp and threw herself into Old Madam Yan ’s embrace. “Grandmother, we were wrong! We made you worry, and we won’t dare to do it again!”
Old Madam Yan shot her granddaughter a look.
She had raised this girl from infancy; how could she not know how clever she was?
Though Daohua appeared to be sincerely admitting her mistakes, Old Madam Yan could guarantee that if a similar situation arose in the future, Daohua would act the same way again.
“I can’t control you, but luckily, we’ll soon be entering the territory of Zhongzhou Prefecture. Just wait for your parents to deal with you when we get back.”
Upon hearing this, Daohua’s face immediately fell, and she slumped against Yan Wentao’s shoulder.
Seeing this, Old Madam Yan smiled in satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yeyang quietly observed the interaction between Old Madam Yan and Daohua while eating the dried meat.
This pretty boy was quite spoiled at home.
Previously, he thought that although Daohua didn’t quite match his taste (too girly), she had a good amount of courage and was smart. He could reluctantly take her on as a servant to assist him in the study.
However, judging by the old lady’s attitude towards her, that plan probably wouldn’t work.
Though his family was wealthy, others might not be willing to let their precious gem become his attendant.
Alas, he would have to find other ways to repay the life-saving favor.
Daohua had no idea about Xiao Yeyang’s thoughts; if she did, she would definitely spit in his face.
She risked her life to save him, and instead of being grateful, he wanted to enslave her. How brazen could he be? He deserved a beating!
In the evening, the caravan stopped by the roadside again.
“There are too many refugees, and the county towns along the way are all closed. We’ll have to camp outside again tonight,” Old Madam Yan sighed as she lifted the curtain to glance outside.
“Madam, the campfire is ready. You should get down to get some fresh air,” Uncle Sun’s voice called out.
Old Madam Yan looked at Xiao Yeyang and Zhao Ergou. “You’ve been cooped up in the cart for two days; you should get out and breathe some fresh air.”
Xiao Yeyang didn’t say anything, just nodded. Zhao Ergou, however, seemed a bit nervous. “Can we really get down?”
Daohua replied, “We should be fine now. We haven’t seen those traffickers for the past couple of days; they must have left.”
The five of them climbed out of the cart and sat around the campfire with Uncle Sun.
Not far away, the people from the escort agency glanced over at them.
“Wow, they really did hide two people.”
“Those kids are quite brave, daring to snatch people from the traffickers.”
“I heard that those traffickers suffered a huge loss this time; not only did the boss’s wife get her head smashed open, but five or six of the abducted children also escaped, and they only managed to capture three.”
Qin Xiaoliu chimed in immediately, “Good for them! I’ve wanted to beat up those traffickers for a long time; those two kids did well.”
“Bang!”
Qin Wu slapped Qin Xiaoliu on the head. “What’s good about it? They’re lucky they weren’t caught by the traffickers. If they had been, do you think you’d want to think about what would’ve happened to them?”
“Not just those two kids, but their grandmother and the old servant would’ve died too.”
“We’re on an escort mission; when we’re out here, the worst thing you can do is meddle in others’ affairs. Remember this: don’t meddle, don’t gossip; the most important thing is to get home alive.”
Qin Xiaoliu glanced at Qin Wu and muttered, “Then why did you help them, Fifth Brother?”
Qin Wu shot him a glare. “Isn’t it because of the injured Third Brother and the others?” He had tried the hemostatic powder that Daohua gave him and found it effective, which was why he agreed to protect them.
Otherwise, without sufficient benefit, he wouldn’t risk leading a group of brothers to offend those ruthless traffickers.
As the saying goes, it’s not the thieves who steal but the thieves who keep an eye on you that you should fear.
Even though they had a lot of people, they needed guards and were on the road. If those traffickers decided to make trouble for them from time to time, they might not be able to handle it.
Qin Xiaoliu looked a bit unconvinced. “Fifth Brother, I don’t think you’re right. When we’re out here, shouldn’t we help each other?”
Qin Wu coldly glared at him. “You think you’re helping people, but that’s not necessarily true. Those two kids seem like they saved those children, but did they really save them? Can they return to their parents? Will they be trafficked and sold again? Their fate might be worse than falling into the hands of traffickers.”
“Alright, everyone be quiet. Rest up, and we’ll speed up tomorrow.”
Qin Wu sat back in the nearby cart and looked back at Daohua and the others, who were preparing food, sighing inwardly.
It wasn’t that he was heartless; it was just that he had a whole family depending on him.
Since he had brought these people out, he had to ensure they got back safely. Otherwise, how could he face the trust of the villagers who relied on him?
He had taken good care of them along the way. In two days, they would enter the territory of Zhongzhou Prefecture. Hopefully, they would have a safe journey from then on.
At the campfire.
Xiao Yeyang and Zhao Ergou were shifting their bodies around. After being stuck in the cart for days, they were feeling restless and eager to stretch.
“Come on, wipe your faces; you both are filthy.”
Aunt Sun handed a damp cloth to the two of them.
They quickly took the cloths and began to wipe their faces. Who would want to be dirty if they had the chance to clean up?
Although Xiao Yeyang was known to be from a well-off family, Daohua was still surprised when she saw his now-clean face.
He looked exceptionally handsome.
Even in his disheveled state, his noble aura was hard to conceal.
Zhao Ergou appeared much more ordinary, but his gaze was earnest, and a hint of determination in his brow gave off a sense of reliability.
Old Madam Yan silently glanced at Xiao Yeyang before speaking up. “From now on, you two should stay in the cart more often.” She then looked at Daohua. “And you, you need to behave yourself as well.”
Daohua and Xiao Yeyang exchanged glances, falling silent.
In this day and age, being too good-looking could be a trouble.
“Eat first; after you’re done, rest quickly.”
Old Madam Yan divided the food, and Daohua immediately started eating. She had always been casual and generous, showing no concern for appearances and just doing what was comfortable.
As for Xiao Yeyang, he first wiped his hands with the damp cloth before taking some food, chewing slowly and elegantly.
This drew the attention of Old Madam Yan and the others, who kept glancing at him.
During this time, Daohua ate a bit too quickly and inevitably made some noise while chewing.
Hearing the sound, Xiao Yeyang frowned and, after a moment, nudged her with his elbow to signal her to be quieter.
Unfortunately, Daohua didn’t catch his hint and thought she was blocking him, so she quickly scooted over.
Seeing this, Xiao Yeyang was a bit speechless and muttered under his breath, “Country bumpkin!”
Daohua, having sharp hearing, immediately turned to look at him. “What did you say?”
Xiao Yeyang looked her up and down with a hint of disdain. “You wasted such a pretty face.” Though she looked good, her behavior lacked any grace.
Daohua put down her food. “What do you mean?” This little brat was asking for trouble!
Xiao Yeyang suppressed his irritation, thinking about how she was his savior. He patiently said, “You should pay more attention to your manners.” If it weren’t for his current predicament, someone like her wouldn’t even come close to him.
Daohua’s eyes widened, and she looked at herself.
There was nothing wrong with her!
Meanwhile, Old Madam Yan chuckled. “Yeyang is right; you should pay a bit more attention.”
Daohua, feeling displeased, retorted, “But I’ve always been like this!”
Old Madam Yan replied, “That’s fine in Yanjia Village, but it won’t work in Lingyi County.” In Yanjia Village, being rough around the edges was fine, but in the county town, she would be seen as the county magistrate's daughter, and her demeanor and manners needed to be refined.
“What’s that supposed to mean!” Daohua said with an unhappy face, glaring at Xiao Yeyang. “Am I a country bumpkin? Then what are you? A jinx?”
(End of Chapter)
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