"Uh...uh..."
Liu Mama let out endangered and desperate breathing sounds. A lot of saliva with the soup dripped from the corners of her mouth.
"Go to hell, old hag, go to hell...haha...you say... Is it just to have an old granny like you to be alive?"
"You're disgusting. You should have died years ago so my good sister wouldn't have been killed by you. Your own man and children, as well as the apprentices you taught; among them who don’t want you to die. Even I was also brought by your good apprentice for this purpose, ah. What kind of play is the second madam that you look forward to, ah? As long as Steward Lin wants to favor and help win the other master, the second madam will give up the power as well. Old thing, you go to hell, go to hell..."
Hongfeng's face had a vicious grin, and she constantly kept laughing frantically.
*
At this time, with meat hidden in her sleeves and a greasy paper bag in arms, Shen Xiangwan was walking carefully and cautiously on her way to Jiaochi Garden.
Jiaochi Garden once was the former residence of the Lord and the First Main Lady.
There were many descriptions of the former main lady, but the most famous was: pure and elegant; as beautiful as a peach and plum blossom.
But who could have imagined that such an extraordinary woman would have stumbled into adultery. This had always been one of the most unpleasant old stories in the Marquis mansion. It was also the past event that Master was most reluctant to mention and hear about.
Just because of his mother, Xiao Jiu had been reduced to a young master who was worse than dead since his mother's death and was oppressed by his own lackeys every day.
Who would have thought that Xiao Jiu was the most legitimate first son of this big house. After all, the other few in front were just the Concubines who were helped up. The real main wife and the madam of the mansion was Xiao Jiu's biological mother, the woman with the little life and a bad reputation.
Because of the fault of the former madam, Xiao Jiu wouldn’t get honor and favor in this life. What's more, he would also have to bear the name of his mother. From that moment, he would have to live in the world of the scorn and be reviled by the whole world.
Just stepping into the ruined Jiaochi Garden, Shen Xiangwan saw the bush of leaves being pulled apart in front of her, revealing a happy yet nervous little skinny face.
"Is it... is it the fat maid?" The little one asked timidly.
"Yeah."
Receiving her affirmative yes, Xiao Qi came running on his short skinny legs with joy. "Sister... Fatty maid sister."
After receiving Shen Xiangwan’s warning glance, Xiao Qi hurriedly switched from Sister to Fatty Maid Sister. Truthfully, their identity could not be known even by the master of Jiaochi Garden, Ouyang Xiurong.
"Did Fatty Maid Sister bring meat today?" Xiao Qi eagerly tugged at her sleeve, wanting to know the food she had brought.
Shen Xiangwan laughed cheerfully, "There is, but you can only have one piece."
Xiao Qi covered his stomach in pain, "Can't I have one more piece of it? Just one more slice is fine!"
"You can't. Not before your ill qi has faded. You're at the end of your health, so you'll be fine with just getting some little fat and energy this way."
Xiao Qi grumbled and complained, but Shen Xiangwan stretched out her hand to scrape his little nose, "When there is money in the future and Xiao Qi will be well taken care of, then Xiao Qi can eat meat and take big strides to walk and have fun, okay?"
"Good." Little baby’s eyes brightened, and eventually, he answered loudly with a grin.
Looking at this pale blue faced Little child, Shen Xiangwan was also saddened. Incomparably cute Xiao Qi’s biggest wish right now was to be with her sister and mother, and his second wish was to gorge on meat.
What other children could safely do, he had to be careful.
"Young master is writing quietly in there, and as you said, I have also been learning with him."
"Well, it's something that is a must for you to learn." Shen Xiangwan’s eyes moved slightly.
It seemed that the little child who looked like a weak chicken, also knew now that he had to be motivated and understood that he still had to rely on himself in the future.
"In the future, you'll have to support this courtyard for the young master. And if someone bullies you, then flee farther away. Remember, first you have to protect yourself, then only you can talk about your pride in the future."
Xiao Qi held the greasy paper packet and sniffed the sweet smell of the packet of snacks before giggling, "Xiao Qi knows that we now have to hold our heads down to be bullied and spat upon, on the premise that we have to protect and quietly strengthen ourselves."
Inside the house, hearing this sibling's light laughter, Xiao Jiu's heart itched to put down the twig.
Ever since that chubby, fleshy girl had received his wrist beads, his life had also been greatly improved.
First, the steward had sent Xiao Qi over.
Then the servants from earlier were also withdrawn one after another.
This saved him from being oppressed and bullied everyday by a group of unwilling lackeys to take their anger out on him. Of course, when those servants were withdrawn, they were also very happy. They didn't have to stay at this place anymore where they couldn’t see a better future for themselves. After going outside, they could serve and please their new masters.
For him, it was a drastic change. He didn't have to worry or be afraid of anything anymore. He also had food on time now, unlike before, when he sometimes had a meal and other times not. Xiao Qi, this little guy, knew which kitchen and at which time of the day should he go to ask for food. And even better, Xiao Qi also knew at which time of the day to go to other places to find food. So, three meals a day, he could barely get enough to eat.
The fat girl said it is not wise to just eat like this and wait for death, and they should plan for later.
That was why he was now learning to read and write from the beginning. To his shame, even Xiao Qi knew a few more words than he did, yet that boy always said he was following and learning from him... The fat girl whose size was similar to his had even become his current master...
Through the cobwebbed window frame, Xiao Jiu's eyes were drawn to the fat and skinny bodies in front of him.
Actually, Fat girl really wasn't fat. It's just that she liked people to call her Fat girl.
It’s just that her little face was round and her arms were a little chubby.
When she would raise her face, she would always smile at people with an extremely harmless smile.
Only people who were close to her and really knew her well knew that when Little Fatty turned cold and quiet, she was even more frightening than the bullying and suppressing of his lackeys and stewards.
The baby boy beside the little girl was so thin and weak that he felt wobbly while walking, so she supported him with her hand with a faint smile on her face. The sunshine was very bright, reflecting her timeless warm and brilliant smile making people unable to move their eyes, but it also taught people to forget all the worries in the world. Seemingly aware of his gaze, the little girl abruptly looked up, her pupils narrowed slightly, and a chilliness sprang up towards him.
The little nine lowered his head with a swish and immediately turned around.
Looking at the embarrassed back by the window, Shen Xiangwan raised her lips slightly. ‘What a sensitive little mouse!’
"It’s dinner time. All wash your hands."
Putting down the oil package hidden in sleeves and bosom one by one, Shen Xiangwan sternly reprimanded.
The two little children hurriedly turned to wash their hands, while Shen Xiangwan took a look at the outdated facilities in the house.
She got up and began to numbly pack up everything in the house.
She remembered that one year, she had been taken outside by her mother. There were many people infected with plague in that dirty and chaotic place. At that time, her mother warned her that personal hygiene and cleanliness of the environment should be done well. Otherwise, the disease is easy to enter.
Xiao Qi's body was extremely weak. If he was not careful, it would be easy for diseases to approach him.
Ouyang Xiurong, who came back from washing his hands, looked at the busy figure and shook his fist with shame.
"Sister, didn't you say that we'll still keep it like this here at the moment?" Xiao Qi weakly reminded her.
"Ah... this is also true." Only after Xiao Qi reminded her, Shen Xiangwan realized that with the Ninth young master’s current status, he couldn't display cleanliness and tidiness at all.
"For the time being, let's do it first. Try to prevent rats and the like from sneaking into the house to eat food. You can't keep a little bit of food in the house and also block the mouse holes."
The two nodded vigorously, and Xiao Qi stretched out his paws to grab the snack. When he turned back, he handed the snack to Xiao Jiu's hand, "Master, you hurry up and eat."
Feeling Xiao Qi's respect, Ouyang Xiurong felt slightly warm inside.
No matter if it was Xiao Qi or Shen Xiangwan, they all treated him, the fallen master, with respect. In terms of attitude or language, they always treated him like a master. Since the passing of the Granny mama, he had never felt this kind of respect again.
During the meal, Shen Xiangwan taught Ouyang Xiurong some new characters.
What made her inwardly praise was that the child could remember all of them just after a little teaching. If this continued, things in her belly wouldn’t be able to help any longer.
In the meantime, Shen Xiangwan was still thinking about how to get some books for enlightenment or basic education and so on. The best thing was to find an old person in the house that could teach him more without being obvious. She would have to slowly find a person for that.
After teaching the lesson, Shen Xiangwan got up and quickly left.
Walking through the night, her heart was extraordinarily quiet. It was at this time that some of the filth of this world would not be exposed to the sunlight, plainly defiling the human eyes.
Just after returning to the small courtyard where she lived, a figure suddenly emerged from the shadows in the cold.
Ru Yue rushed over and grabbed her hand, "Little fatty, Mama Liu...something has happened..."