Chapter 17: Southern Branch
After dinner, Chen Shiyi took advantage of the light in the sky, picked up a kitchen knife, and prepared to go up the mountain to chop some firewood.
Wen Zhiheng asked hurriedly.
"It's getting late, where are you going?"
"Chopping wood."
Wen Zhiheng quickly called Wen Zhiyuan.
"Zhiyuan, you come with me. Shiyi, you rest at home."
Chen Shiyi quickly stopped him.
"I am a maid, how can I ask you to do the work? Besides, it is getting late, and you don't know where to get firewood. Also, it is not safe to be home without a man at night."
Wen Zhiheng was stunned for a moment, his eyes were extremely dark, the corners of his lips were slightly parted, but he didn't know what to say.
"How about this, Zhiyuan, you stay home and look after them, and Eleven will go with me. Next time, I can go by myself."
Walking in the silent woods, listening to the hum of the evening breeze and the chirping of insects in the grass, it brings a hint of irritability to this thoughtful person.
"Eleven, I'm sorry for making you feel wronged."
Chen Shiyi walked quickly ahead and asked in confusion.
"What wronged you?"
"them…"
"Oh, Master, I would have forgotten if you hadn't told me. It's normal to complain if something doesn't taste good."
"Aren't you angry?"
"Why should I be angry? If I had kept these bad words in my heart, I would have died of anger many years ago. My stepmother scolds me with the most vicious words all the time, and I have taken it as a daily routine."
Wen Zhiheng felt very uncomfortable after hearing this.
"I grew up surrounded by the praise of others. I will not tolerate anyone insulting me, and I will certainly not tolerate anyone insulting my people. Eleven, if someone insults you verbally in the future, tell me and I will avenge you."
Chen Shiyi smiled.
"OK."
The evening mist was thick and the sky gradually darkened until even the road could not be seen clearly.
Chen Shiyi directed Wen Zhiheng to do the work. He was a little unfamiliar with the technique at first, but after a while, he did a very good job. The two of them worked very quickly and collected two bundles of firewood and walked down the mountain.
Wen Zhiheng carried both bundles of firewood on his shoulders.
"Master, let me carry one bundle."
"No, I can still carry this stuff, let's go."
Chen Shiyi followed closely behind Wen Zhiheng.
She watched him move through the mountains in a somewhat clumsy manner, occasionally bumping into trees, occasionally slipping, but always standing firmly in the end.
She had seen the wealth of the Marquis's Mansion, and it was really hard for her to imagine that a man of such wealth and status could end up in such a miserable situation. He did not complain or grumble about the injustice of heaven, but remained silent and calm, able to bend and stretch, a true man of his time.
The moment Wen Zhiheng put down the firewood, he breathed a sigh of relief.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, went to the kitchen to scoop a bowl of spring water and drank it down in one gulp.
Taking advantage of the firelight, Chen Shiyi moved the firewood into the woodshed. His skills were so agile that even he could not match his own.
He was so tired after just doing a little work, and Chen Shiyi was like this every day.
He boasted that he was no problem at court strategy and wielding swords and guns, but he was embarrassed by the trivialities of life in front of Chen Shiyi.
When he gets over this, he will repay her well.
The next day, Chen Shiyi returned the rice bag to the grain store and went to Huajie again.
"Nanzhi, do you want to buy some pear cloud cake slices today?"
Nanzhi shook her hands, leaned against the wall, and said unhappily.
"Hey, you little beggar, I guess you're relying on me. Who eats cakes every day? Go away, go away, don't bother me from receiving customers."
A rough and deep voice sounded nearby.
"What the hell dares to block the entrance of Wanhua Tower?"
Chen Shiyi raised his eyes and saw the man, who was wearing a neat short shirt, had a sturdy figure, a big head, a scar on his face that ran the entire length of his face, and fierce eyes, staring at Chen Shiyi like a dead object.
Nanzhi immediately grabbed the ferocious man and said softly and coquettishly.
"Third brother, she's here to look for me, I'll chase her away right now!"
The man touched her cheek with the tip of his tongue, and his voice was softer than before.
"Hurry up, don't disrupt Wanhualou's business."
"Okay, okay, Third Brother is still considerate."
After saying that, he rubbed against the third brother's arm.
The third brother smiled, his eyes full of lust.
After seeing off the third brother, Nanzhi immediately turned around and shouted at Chen Shiyi.
"Hurry up and leave. This is a brothel, not a place for a little girl like you to frequent."
Chen Shiyi understood, but he was just frightened by his third brother, so his legs felt a little weak.
Nanzhi said again.
"Go to Xikou Lane and find a family named Xue. Ask them to find you a job. Then tell them that it was me who said that you should never come here again. Go now."
After she finished speaking, she turned around and started chatting with other brothel ladies.
"The nails look great with the iris flowers. I wonder if the iris flowers have bloomed yet."
"Just wait, you won't lose any of your share."
Nanzhi turned around and found a guest, and immediately put on a smile.
"Hey, isn't this Mr. Zhao? You haven't come to see Nanzhi for a long time. You missed me so much. Have you forgotten about me?"
Mr. Zhao's fat hand, full of jade rings, went straight to Nanzhi's slender waist, and then, the hand moved down restlessly to rub. Nanzhi hesitated for a few times and then followed him into the Wanhua Tower.
Chen Shiyi hid in the corner, watching these scenes, feeling very sad.
It turns out that brothels are like this.
Sister Nanzhi is such a nice girl, why did she also go to a brothel?
Following the information given by Nanzhi, Chen Shiyi found Xikou Lane, asked for the family surnamed Xue, and knocked on the door.
After the door opened, a simple and honest man in his twenties appeared.
He asked with a frown in confusion.
"You said it was Nanzhi who asked you to come to me?"
"Um."
The man was silent for a while.
"There is no work to do now. However, the pharmacy is currently collecting Lycopodiella dactylifera, also known as Hen's Nest Grass. It costs five cents per pound. It looks good now, but it won't be worth much after a while."
Upon hearing this, Chen Shiyi hurriedly thanked him.
"Will they be sent to you after they are picked?"
"Send it here, and I'll bring yours over to sell together later."
"Thank you, Brother Xue."
Brother Xue shook his head and said embarrassedly.
"My name is Xue Lianxing. Have you met Nanzhi? Is she doing well?"
Chen Shiyi didn't know how to answer, and heard Xue Lianxing whisper again.
"She must be having a bad time."
The bluestone bricks in the town were covered with a layer of bright light from the April star shower; some of them could even reflect the hazy shadows of houses.
The green bricks in front of Xue’s house are even brighter.
Perhaps it was because the footsteps stayed for too long, or the eyes turned back.
Chen Shiyi didn't know what story there was between them, but she knew it must be very sad.
The greetings after separation are like a dream, far away and unreachable.
After returning home, Chen Shiyi climbed up the mountain with a knife in hand.
Wen Zhiyuan had some skills, so he cut some bamboo and weaved a simple basket that was just big enough to be carried up the mountain.
She followed the herbs given by Xue Lianxing and kept traveling through the mountains.
Fortunately, they can still get a meal here. If they were in the bitter cold of the Far North, or the miasma of the Far South, they wouldn't even have anywhere to beg.
Finding joy in adversity is Chen Shiyi’s best quality.
There are still many harvests in the deep mountains.
In April, many flowers, plants and trees have awakened from winter and are blooming at their most fresh and tender moment.
The bamboo basket behind her was filled with chicken-nest grass. She also found large patches of fir mushrooms and accidentally turned over a few long yams.
I am extremely lucky.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
