CHAPTER 98: CHAPTER 97: BEATING THE GONG TO SELL CANDY—EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN TRADE

When Yu Xiaolian brought Zhao Erya back home after enduring much hardship, it was already dark.

Fortunately, she carried Zhao Erya for a stretch of the way, and Zhao Erya eventually woke up, otherwise, she wouldn’t have known what to do.

Upon returning home, Mrs. Sun was anxiously pacing back and forth at the doorway. The moment she saw Yu Xiaolian returning, she burst into tears and almost collapsed onto the ground.

Yu Xiaolian hurriedly stepped forward to support Mrs. Sun, who was about to fall. "Mother, don’t cry. See, I’ve come back all safe and sound?"

"Lian’er, where did you go? You don’t know how terrified I was when I saw those two rolls of cloth on the ground at our doorstep but couldn’t find any trace of you."

Yu Xiaolian helped Mrs. Sun into the house, and only after calming her emotions did she learn that not only had Yu Changhe gone out to look for her, but Su Jingchen had as well.

Moreover, Yu Changhe had even gone to the Mingxiang Building to ask for help from Zheng Yuanfeng and Shopkeeper Hai.

At this moment, all of these people were still outside searching for her and hadn’t returned yet.

Yu Xiaolian wanted to go out and bring them back, but Mrs. Sun held her back, refusing to let her go out alone again.

Once Mrs. Sun’s emotions settled, she finally noticed the dirty little girl Yu Xiaolian had brought back, whom she found somewhat familiar.

Of course, Yu Xiaolian looked rather disheveled herself, but compared to Zhao Erya, whose teary face resembled a tabby cat, she looked much cleaner.

Just as Mrs. Sun was about to ask Yu Xiaolian, Yu Changhe returned, looking downtrodden.

Su Jingchen and Zheng Yuanfeng followed shortly after.

Yu Xiaolian then recounted what had happened to everyone.

"Are you saying... Yu Wanying?" Su Jingchen’s expression turned cold. "It seems that Teacher Li, in the end, didn’t keep the secret."

"Lian’er, don’t worry. That Yu Wanying person, I’ll find someone to take care of for you," Zheng Yuanfeng said, snapping his folding fan shut with determination.

"No need to mobilize the troops. I can handle Yu Wanying by myself."

Su Jingchen glared at Zheng Yuanfeng.

Don’t fight with me!

Zheng Yuanfeng glared back defiantly. "Everyone has their own way of doing things. Let’s see who can handle it better!"

Seeing the two of them almost at each other’s throats, Yu Xiaolian was afraid they would blow things out of proportion. She didn’t want a confrontation with the General Mansion.

As a commoner herself, causing trouble with the Miss of the General Mansion would be courting death, wouldn’t it?

"Don’t be impulsive, let’s think this through carefully!"

"Stay out of it!" Su Jingchen and Zheng Yuanfeng said in unison.

Yu Xiaolian, "..."

They rarely agreed on anything, and Yu Xiaolian should be happy about it, but if they made a big deal out of it, it would be her who’d suffer.

"I plan to handle this myself, no need for you two to help."

"No way!" once again in unison.

Yu Xiaolian sighed, eventually conceding, "Do as you please! Just don’t drag me into it."

Their confrontation was so intense that Yu Xiaolian almost thought they were fighting over her out of jealousy.

Fortunately, she knew the storyline well; Zheng Yuanfeng was a dedicated suitor of Yu Yanran and couldn’t possibly have romantic feelings for her.

Su Jingchen, on the other hand, was an eternal bachelor with no romantic prospects.

After finishing the talk about Yu Wanying, Yu Changhe and Mrs. Sun turned their attention to Zhao Erya.

"This child... isn’t she the Erya of the old Zhao Family in our village?"

Zhao Erya knelt on the ground with a thud, sobbing, "Please, Uncle Yu and Auntie, take me in. I’m willing to stay at your house and be a maid."

Yu Changhe was stunned, "It truly is Erya, what’s really going on?"

Mrs. Sun asked Yu Xiaolian to pull Zhao Erya up.

Only then did Zhao Erya, amidst her sobbing, narrate the process of being sold.

"My parents sold me to a brothel, a place that devours people alive, as if I were dead to them already.

There’s no way I can go back to that house, if I do, I may be sold off again."

After speaking, she cried in despair once more, her sorrow echoing through the room, moving everyone to compassion.

Yu Changhe and Mrs. Sun exchanged glances, uncertain about what to do for a moment.

Although Yu Xiaolian was someone they picked up, she had been raised by them and shared a bond with them. Zhao Erya was already so grown up; she might not be easy to assimilate.

Despite feeling sorry for Zhao Erya, Mrs. Sun spoke, "It’s not that we don’t want to take you in, it’s truly that our family cannot afford to keep a maid.

If you survive a great disaster, you will have good fortune in the future. Since you escaped from that man-eating place, you must be a child blessed with good fortune.

Go home; perhaps your parents regretted selling you after the fact. There are no heartless parents under the sky.

Speak to your parents properly. If your family truly finds you an extra burden, have them find you a good family to marry into."

Zhao Erya’s face was pale and weak as she collapsed to the ground in defeat, "That day I was sold to Baihua House, I had already exchanged harsh words with my parents.

If you can’t keep me, I’d rather beg for food in Yangcheng than go back to that family."

"This..." Mrs. Sun was troubled.

Yu Xiaolian helped Zhao Erya up from the ground and sighed as she spoke to Mrs. Sun, "Mother, since Erya has nowhere to go, why don’t we keep her?"

We can’t really just watch as Zhao Erya goes to the streets to beg, can we?

Mrs. Sun looked toward Yu Changhe with a troubled expression, waiting for him to make a decision.

Yu Changhe frowned, staring at Zhao Erya for a long time before speaking slowly, "If you voluntarily choose to stay as a maid, then we will treat you as a maid. Are you sure you won’t regret it?"

Hearing the implication in Yu Changhe’s words, Zhao Erya immediately replied, "Uncle Yu, as long as you give me a place to stay and something to eat, that’s enough."

Yu Changhe said seriously, "Though our family has never kept a maid, I know that maids typically earn a monthly salary. I will discuss with your aunt and let you know how much."

Zhao Erya was overjoyed, tears streaming down her face as she was about to kneel before Yu Changhe and Mrs. Sun again, saying she didn’t want any salary.

Her indenture is still in the hands of the procuress at Baihua House. As long as the Yu Family is willing to take her in and protect her from being taken back by the procuress, she would be grateful beyond words and has no thoughts of wanting a salary.

Mrs. Sun asked Yu Xiaolian to take Erya to freshen up first, but before they even reached the doorway of the east room, Zhao Erya fainted again.

Yu Xiaolian and Su Jingchen quickly carried Zhao Erya onto the kang.

Zheng Yuanfeng checked Zhao Erya’s pulse and said to everyone, "She fainted from hunger and emotional turmoil, but it’s nothing serious. The foundation of this girl’s health is pretty good; at most, she will recover in a couple of days."

Relieved by Zheng Yuanfeng’s words, the originally tense faces of Mrs. Sun and Yu Changhe relaxed.

Su Jingchen glanced at the red swelling on Yu Xiaolian’s wrist and the dried blood on her hand, a determined look flashing in his eyes.

He would definitely not let Yu Wanying off easily!

Just as Yu Xiaolian thought she could finally rest, Su Jingchen suddenly asked, "How did you escape from Baihua House?"

Since Yu Wanying sent people from Baihua House to capture Yu Xiaolian, they shouldn’t have let her go so easily.

Yu Xiaolian was silent for a moment before she spoke, "We encountered a strange woman in the bamboo forest behind Baihua House. She seemed to know me. It might have something to do with my lineage."

"Are you saying... your biological parents?"

Yu Xiaolian nodded, "It’s just a guess. That person didn’t say anything to me, only ordered someone to release me. When I offered to pay for Erya’s freedom, she didn’t take my money, not only allowing me to take Erya but also giving me her contract."

Yu Changhe and Mrs. Sun exchanged a glance, their expressions changing with worry that if Yu Xiaolian found her biological parents, she would leave them.

"That person also said that if I ever encounter difficulties, I can seek her help. In any case, she doesn’t seem to have ill intentions towards me."

Yu Xiaolian thought it would be good to first find her clan, the Witch Clan, as it would be better than being weak and alone.

Su Jingchen frowned, "You said the bamboo forest behind Baihua House?"

In the Northern Land, bamboo is not an easy plant to survive; how could there be a large patch behind Baihua House?

"Yes, but the woman gave me the impression of a very formidable expert. Whatever you two do, don’t provoke her."

Yu Xiaolian hurriedly warned Su Jingchen and Zheng Yuanfeng.

Zheng Yuanfeng said, "Just because she currently has no ill intentions doesn’t mean it will always be that way. Don’t foolishly trust her, alright?"

"I am someone you can trust."

Yu Xiaolian thought about the woman’s words, feeling ripples in her heart, suddenly realizing that Zheng Yuanfeng’s advice was not without merit.

"I understand. It’s too late today; you should go back first. I’m sorry for worrying you today, it won’t happen again."

In future outings, she would remain vigilant and never let anyone take her by surprise again.