It's hard to go from extravagance to frugality; Xu Xun's mother fell straight from the clouds to the muddy pit.
The daily delicacies were gone, the servants and maids were gone, and the small inn where she stayed was dark and damp. Who knew how many people had slept in those bedding? She barely managed to sleep in her clothes until midnight when she was bitten awake.
Long-buried memories awaken; there are fleas!
Oh my god, there are fleas in the bedding!
Xu's mother immediately made a scene, cursing the innkeeper and waiter until they were disheveled, but in the end, all she got was a different room.
Having been so dignified for so long, how could she possibly tolerate such treatment? She got up and, displaying the air of a noblewoman, started causing trouble for the inn.
Xu Xun wasn't on duty today, and he watched his mother arguing with someone with a blank expression.
Arguing was something ingrained in Xu's mother's bones. She knew how to argue to gain the upper hand. She put one hand on her hip and said, "Do you know who my son is? He's a seventh-rank official. I'm giving you face by staying with him, don't you understand?"
The common people cannot fight with the officials, so the shopkeeper suppressed his anger and apologized: "Madam, I am really sorry. Is there anything else you wish to ask for?"
Xu's mother had already made plans. First, she wouldn't pay for the accommodation. Just because she spends a lot of money doesn't mean she's not stingy. Now that that bitch Chu Lingling is gone, she needs to be careful with her money before her son gets promoted. Second, she would pay compensation, making her suffer all over her body, and then pay for the medical expenses.
The shopkeeper, having swallowed his anger and bowed and begged for mercy, finally snapped when he realized it was no use: "If you want to act like a rogue, just say so."
Xu's mother was furious: "Slap him!"
They actually called her a scoundrel?
"You're not the same person you used to be, old lady." The innkeeper sneered. Since things had already come to this, he understood why the Chu family had resorted to such methods. The old woman was too despicable. "Let's be frank. If you don't pay for the lodging, I'll report you to the authorities."
Xu's mother smiled: "My son is an official."
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Have you ever heard the saying, 'You don't know how insignificant an official is until you've been to the capital'?"
The capital city lacks everything except officials. If you grab anyone off the street and ask them, they'll more or less have some connection to an official.
He's just a lowly seventh-rank military officer, look how smug he is.
Xu Xun sighed silently, "Mother, let's go back inside."
He understood the meaning behind the shopkeeper's words.
Indeed, he is nothing.
He wants to calm down and find out if he did something wrong.
Xu's mother was displeased and angrily scolded, "Useless thing, didn't you see others cursing your mother? Quickly have someone arrest him and send him to jail to eat prison food."
Xu Xun looked at his mother silently, feeling utterly unfamiliar with her.
He suddenly remembered what Chu Jinjin had said: "Do you know how my eldest sister has managed all these years?"
My mother is actually like this?
Over the years, Chu Lingling never complained, and never even said that, as far as he knew, everything was fine.
Now, I'm using all of this to exchange for a promotion opportunity.
Is it worth it?
A waiter walked in, glancing outside every now and then: "Manager, has that little girl returned?"
The shopkeeper was in a bad mood: "Which one?"
The waiter pointed at the Xu family mother and son: "The one they brought, I just saw it heading towards the street."
It was like a thunderclap!
Xu Xun said sternly, "Mother, Han Zhang went out? Didn't you keep an eye on her?"
Xu's mother's expression changed slightly: "How could I have time? She's so big, she won't run around."
Her granddaughter was always taken care of by maids, so she really didn't pay attention.
Xu Xun turned and ran back to the room. Chun'er was still sleeping and was woken up by the noise. She opened her eyes groggily.
Xu's mother asked repeatedly, "My dear grandson, where is your sister?"
Chun'er looked around, shook her head blankly, and then, as if remembering something, said in her childish voice, "Sister said she's going to see Mother today and asked if I wanted to go. I want to go with Grandmother."
Mother Xu hugged him tightly, saying with heartache, "My dear grandson, you are indeed worthy of being a member of the Xu family. You know who to be close to."
She was worried that Chu Lingling would snatch the child, so she sounded out beforehand that her grandson was fine, but her granddaughter, that little brat, could only cry.
The shopkeeper followed him in, and after understanding the situation, he was no longer in the mood to be angry. He stamped his foot anxiously and said, "Hurry up and go find them, lest we run into a beggar."
That little girl, so beautiful and delicate, going out alone on the street... I don't even want to think about the consequences.
When the Chu family's carriage arrived at the West Market, it felt like they had entered a completely unfamiliar place.
The pedestrians on the roadside seemed to have no manners, and the horse-drawn carriage had been replaced by a donkey cart or an ox cart. Chu Lanlan lifted the curtain to watch the commotion, and then she saw a man standing in a corner in the distance relieving himself, which startled her.
Chu Jinjin, however, adapted very well.
Most people in the West Market are just trying to make a living; that's perfectly normal.
A donkey cart sped past, and the driver, unaware that his house was on fire or what, whipped it relentlessly, nearly startling the donkey and causing it to crash into the Chu family's carriage.
The driver gripped the reins tightly, still shaken, and cursed, "Are you going to a funeral?"
Do you know who's inside?
The donkey cart owner lifted the curtain, revealing a fierce-looking middle-aged man who offered a perfunctory apology with his hands clasped.
It was supposed to be a minor incident, but after the carriage had traveled a short distance, Chu Jinjin suddenly frowned and said, "Stop the carriage."
Chu Lanlan looked outside: "Have we arrived yet?"
"No." Chu Jinjin turned to look at the donkey cart that had already driven away. "It sounded like a little girl inside shouted something."
Having lived in the apocalypse for a long time, I've become extremely sensitive to sound. The rustling of a leaf might be a signal that a zombie attack is coming.
Chu Lanlan was baffled: "Go ahead and shout, what's it to us?"
Chu Jinjin shook her head.
She didn't hear what was shouted, but she could feel the emotion conveyed.
It was a cry for help.
After a few breaths, Chu Jinjin made a decision: "Let's go after them and see."
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