Chapter 20: Danger

When Wen Zhiheng and Wen Zhiyuan came back, it was the first time they went home without food.

"Where's Eleven? Where did she go?"

Mrs. Wen, who was sitting in the courtyard, asked in confusion.

"Eleven isn't cooking?"

Wen Zhirou walked out of the room and said quickly.

"After she came back from town, she went out again. Hasn't she come back yet?"

Wen Zhiheng took a deep breath.

"She has been with you all the time. Don't you know she hasn't come back?"

The Second Young Master's wife whispered.

"She rarely tells us when she goes out."

Mrs. Wen said in a deep voice.

"Could it be that she couldn't stand the hardship and ran away?"

Wen Zhiheng lowered his eyes slightly, a chill filled his eyes, and his hands clenched and tightened.

"She won't."

Rui'er huddled aside, but still spoke bravely.

"Uncle, my sister is carrying a basket up the mountain. Will she be in danger?"

Wen Zhiheng immediately turned around and walked out of the courtyard.

"Zhiyuan, take the fire starter and go up the mountain to look for someone."

Chen Shiyi was indeed in danger.

She stepped into a trap set by a hunter.

The trap was very deep, with many bamboo nails inserted in it. Fortunately, she fell into the side, otherwise she would have been pierced by the bamboo nails and died on the spot.

She was very alert before, but today, she must be tired.

She tried many ways but couldn't get out for the time being. However, she was not in a hurry and slept in the trap for one night. Maybe tomorrow, the hunter would come and rescue her.

The sky gradually darkened and the woods became quieter and quieter.

Chen Shiyi was not confused by this dangerous situation. After all, she was used to this kind of life where no one cared about her.

It doesn't matter where you sleep.

That bed was different too. It didn't have thick bedding, and it didn't have the smell of cotton basking in the sun.

Just a piece of wood.

But now, I'm really hungry.

In the haze, I heard someone calling my name.

At first, Chen Shiyi didn't believe it.

This kind of thing is impossible to happen to oneself.

From childhood to adulthood, no one has ever asked me where I am going.

She continued to sleep, and as she slept, she was no longer hungry.

As the sound became louder, she finally realized that it was the young master who came to look for her.

She stood up suddenly and shouted at the top of her lungs.

"I'm here..."

After a while, the eldest young master's voice was heard near him.

"I'm here..."

At the edge of the trap, the firelight got closer and the handsome figure of the young master came into view.

She could see that his head was covered in sweat and his eyes were full of worry. He finally felt relieved after seeing her.

"Are you hurt?"

"no."

He breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's okay, it's okay..."

He comforted Chen Shiyi.

"Wait a minute. I'll find a branch long enough to pull you up."

Chen Shiyi carried the backpack on his back, grabbed the branch that Wen Zhiheng had extended, and climbed up step by step with his skill.

When they were almost at the exit, Wen Zhiheng raised his right hand and pulled her out.

Chen Shiyi sat on the ground, gasping for breath. She was really exhausted.

Wen Zhiheng also sat next to her and smiled helplessly.

"Are you scared?"

Chen Shiyi raised his head.

"I was a little scared at first. I was afraid of death. Later, I felt that it was useless to be anxious. The worst that could happen was that I would just sleep in the trap for one night. But I didn't expect you to come to see me. I'm very happy."

Wen Zhiheng reached out and ruffled her messy hair.

"Can you walk?"

"Can."

"Forget it, I'll carry you."

After saying that, he squatted down without saying anything and motioned Chen Shiyi to climb onto his back.

His back was already soaked with sweat, and his breath buffeted her face. She felt the heat against his back, which made her cheeks red. They walked for a short while before starting to stagger, making her feel drowsy.

Chen Shiyi asked softly while yawning.

"Master, I'm so sleepy. Can I sleep on your back for a while?"

"good."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her face on his neck. Her warm, fresh breath sprayed on his skin, making him shiver.

Wen Zhiheng stopped and smiled helplessly.

She is really too tired.

On the way, she woke up once.

The backpack on my back is really tight.

Chen Shiyi wanted to get down and leave by himself, but Wen Zhiheng wouldn't let him.

He bent his back slightly to allow her to lean on it more comfortably.

Chen Shiyi's voice was slightly hoarse.

"Master, you are so kind to me."

Wen Zhiheng laughed softly.

"That's nothing. You took on my responsibility and helped me take care of my family. If it weren't for you along the way, they might not be alive today."

"Ah? After hearing you say that, I suddenly feel that I am very powerful."

"You are naturally the best."

"whee…"

"Are you still mad at me?"

"ah?"

"That means I'm not angry."

"I'm not angry, really. That's not how I get angry."

It was already very late when we returned to the yard. I don't know who heated up the leftover food from the morning, but everyone had already gone to bed.

Wen Zhiheng and Chen Shiyi drank some of the remaining porridge.

No one in the yard takes Chen Shiyi seriously.

She was their servant, a maid, and no one would care about the life of a maid.

What she did was what she was supposed to do.

She slept on the bed, thinking all night, and finally came to this conclusion.

It seems that only the eldest young master cares about himself.

If she had not accidentally seen him rubbing his neck vigorously while bathing in the stream and sniffing his own scent over and over again, she would have always believed that the young master was the best person for her.

Suddenly, she wondered why she had been working so hard on all those things and was so busy every day.

Oh, by the way, she was afraid of being killed by the eldest young master.

Yes, she did it to survive.

The next morning, she got up early and went to the mountain to collect chicken coop grass and picked a large bunch of white flowers. There was a slope with purple star branches, which looked pretty when put together.

Back in the courtyard, she collected the herbs she had picked yesterday. The porridge she had simmered over a low fire that morning was ready, and she took two sips.

"Where did you pick this flower? It's quite beautiful."

The second young lady held the flowers and took them away happily.

Seeing this, Chen Shiyi walked in front of her, snatched the flowers back, and then walked out the door carrying the backpack.

"Eleven, what are you doing? Is this how you treat your master? Leave the flowers behind."

Chen Shiyi didn't care that they were shouting until their voices were hoarse.

When she arrived in town, she sold chicken nest grass and earned more than 60 cents, of which she used 20 cents to buy a box of pear cloud cake slices at Wu's Dim Sum Shop.

In Huajiexiang, she finally waited for Nanzhi.

Nanzhi looked at Chen Shiyi in front of him with confusion.

"Didn't I tell you not to come here again?"

Chen Shiyi gave the flowers in his hand to Nanzhi.

"Last time I heard you say that you were waiting for a certain flower to bloom. I don't know what flower it is, but I thought Nanzhi likes flowers, so I picked this one for you."

When Nanzhi saw the flowers in her hand, her eyes twitched.

Her companions beside her were laughing so hard that they were bent over.

"Nanzhi, someone sent you flowers, and they are gardenias."

Chen Shiyi wondered if he had done something wrong.

Nanzhi's face looked obviously ugly.

Chen Shiyi handed the pear cloud cake slices to Nanzhi again.

"It's from Wu's Dim Sum Shop. It's fresh out of the pot."

At this moment, the people around looked at Chen Shiyi with strange eyes. Everyone stopped smiling, and there was a hint of envy in their disdainful eyes.

Nanzhi finally smiled at this moment.

"You little girl, you are so poor, yet you are willing to spend a lot of money to buy me pear cloud cake slices."

Chen Shiyi's mouth corners raised.

"Nanzhi gave me a treat, I should repay you. I'm leaving now, I'll come to see you later when I have time."

Nanzhi looked at Chen Shiyi's receding back, her eyes filled with tears.

"I don't even know her name yet."

The bright petals in the arms, soaked with dew, sparkle brightly in the sunlight.

She put the flower to her nose and smelled it.

“The flowers are quite fragrant.”

Chen Shiyi exchanged the remaining copper plates for Chen rice and slowly walked home.

On the way, she vaguely felt that someone was following her.

She thought, since she was so poor, no one would rob her, right?