CHAPTER 889: CHAPTER 347: SCREW YOUR TRAGIC BEAUTY (PART 17)

One night, Qiu Yuying got up to use the bathroom and happened to overhear her own mother discussing with her father: "Why don’t we sell Zhaodi, even if it just gets us two pounds of sweet potatoes, it’s still something."

"Sell her? A girl about five or six years old? There are kids like this everywhere, who would want to buy?"

"If there’s no other choice, just trade her with Old Silly Tian’s eldest girl from the neighboring village—"

"...Alright. After all, we’ve raised her for several years; it’s hard to do it with a clear conscience."

Hearing this, Qiu Yuying felt her heart leap into her throat.

What did her cheap parents mean by this?

What does it mean to trade her for the Tian family’s eldest daughter?

Trading children to survive!

This bloodless but horrifying idiom suddenly smashed into Qiu Yuying’s brain, shocking her nearly out of her wits.

No, she couldn’t stay with these parents who were worse than beasts.

Who knows if one day they would trade her for someone else’s child, and then she’d be killed and eaten by another family!

Qiu Yuying found the Jade Pendant she had hidden away and stole a piece of sweet potato her grandmother had hidden, then quietly ran away.

A child of five or six, escaping alone, the hardships they would endure need not be mentioned.

But Qiu Yuying prevailed because she had an adult’s soul and possessed much knowledge from later generations. Though it was difficult, she truly survived.

Following the memories from the books, she groped her way to Heyin County.

There, at a place called "Shengyuan Pawnshop," the female lead met the second pivotal figure in her life.

But this part of the story was only briefly mentioned in the novel.

Qiu Yuying only knew the approximate time; the exact day or month she truly didn’t know.

She could only use the foolish method of waiting near the pawnshop for a chance encounter.

While begging, she kept a close eye on the passing pedestrians on the street.

Qiu Yuying, enduring hunger and occasional meals, was even beaten several times by local beggars guarding their turf. Just when she almost couldn’t hold on any longer, she finally saw a noble dressed in fine clothes.

It’s her!

It must be her!

Location: Shengyuan Pawnshop in Heyin County√

Prop: Precious mutton-fat jade pendant√

Character: Wei Huanyan, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Northwest Prince√

Qiu Yuying ran to the pawnshop full of hope to pawn the jade pendant, but to her astonishment, she met with a completely different ending from the female lead.

She did not become Wei Huanyan’s cherished little sister, nor did she manage to network with influential people at the Northwest Prince’s Headquarters. She was taken in by Wei Huanyan as a little maid.

Later, after many twists and turns, she ended up at the Eldest Young Master’s Mansion.

The Eldest Young Master, Wei Songnian, was a future contender who failed to seize the throne. Although he wasn’t killed by the new ruler, he was still confined.

Following him, was there still a day of prominence?

Up to this moment, Qiu Yuying hadn’t figured out what went wrong back then. She had clearly done the same things as the female lead; how did it end up like this—

Wei Huanyan: ...

I am the legitimate eldest daughter of the dignified Northwest Prince. Even before my father rose to declare himself king, I was a daughter from a general’s family.

At least I have a basic sense of vigilance.

From the first moment Wei Huanyan saw Qiu Yuying, her impression wasn’t good.

This child, clearly only five or six years old, had no innocence or naivety in her eyes.

Even though times were tough and surviving children were overly mature, they weren’t mature like adults.

Moreover, after taking in Qiu Yuying, Wei Huanyan had someone investigate and found that although she held the jade pendant, she didn’t sell it immediately. Instead, she huddled in front of the pawnshop as a beggar for two or three months!

This was very strange!

If Qiu Yuying was of noble character and didn’t want to sell the found item, why did she rush to the pawnshop as soon as Wei Huanyan appeared?

If she intended to sell it, she should’ve done it earlier; if she wanted to keep it for someone, she should’ve kept it all along.

Giving up midway, and choosing such a coincidental time, it’s really hard not to make Wei Huanyan suspicious.

Additionally, when facing Wei Huanyan, even though Qiu Yuying tried to control herself, she still showed an expression of surprise and cunning.

She thought she hid it well, but little did she know young ladies like Wei Huanyan, born in an official family and well-educated, were very adept at reading people.

Wei Huanyan had long seen through her little schemes.

Moreover, the most crucial factor, or rather, the advantage the female lead Han Dongdong had—she had parents, five adult brothers, and a group of nieces and nephews of varying ages.

In chaotic times, people are the least valuable, yet the most important.