After drinking some water, Dongli Xiaoxiao's complexion improved considerably, and her voice became louder than before. However, she couldn't help but cough intermittently whenever she spoke, and even her coughs had a delicate quality that made her endearing.
With an apologetic look on her face, she waited until the coughing subsided before forcing herself to speak: "I'm so sorry, everyone, I think I've caught a cold, cough cough cough!"
Before he could finish his sentence, he started coughing violently again.
"Stop talking, Xiaoxiao, you need to rest first."
Sun Miao'er patted her back repeatedly, trying to ease her pain.
Dan Qiu stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the door frame, his gaze fixed on the end of the official road. He hoped that his men would hurry over. None of the three people in the room could get along with him, and two of them even harbored considerable hostility towards him.
Fu Yuchi closed his eyes, listening to the sound of the wind and the rustling of leaves outside, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Dan Qiu waited outside the door for almost an hour, looking left and right. At the end of the road, a small group of people came running over. He was delighted, raised his right hand, raised the waist knife in his hand, and gestured to the people from the yamen.
Xiao Wu led his men over, but unexpectedly ran into the head constable halfway there. He excitedly shouted, "Head Constable Shan is over there! Quick, let's go over there!"
As Xiao Wu and his men approached, Shan Qiu angrily scolded, "What are you all doing! I told you to hurry up, but you're dawdling like women!"
Xiao Wu lowered his head and endured the scolding. Only after Shan Qiu finished speaking did he awkwardly say, "Officer Shan, you don't know, Manager Hu went to the yamen to cause trouble again. The magistrate happened to be in the inner office and caught us and gave us another lecture, which is why we were delayed!"
"Hmph!" Shan Qiu sneered, "What's the use of just talking without doing anything serious! I've found the person, hurry back and report!"
He knew that Hu Tingzhi wouldn't give up after making a scene, so he seized the opportunity while he was away and went directly to the county magistrate to cause trouble.
He knew Magistrate Zhang's temper best; he was a greedy and cowardly man. If he hadn't been watching him closely, he would have been investigated and arrested long ago.
Xiao Wu, looking on with curiosity, craned his neck to ask, "What? Dongli's girl has been found? Is she dead or alive?"
Dan Qiu slapped Xiao Wu on the forehead and scolded, "Haven't you ever seen a woman before? Of course, a living one! You're a policeman, why are you thinking about such indecent things all day long!"
Xiao Wu scratched his forehead, feeling quite aggrieved. He looked back and said, "Captain, don't talk about me. Ask any of us brothers. Which one of us doesn't want to see the Dongli girl in person? It costs a hundred taels to see her. We saw her today, so rounding up, isn't it like we saved a hundred taels? Hehe, we made a profit!"
"Make money off you my foot!"
Danqiu was too lazy to lecture him anymore. He turned around and went into the house. Finally, it was his time to get his revenge. One person was no match for these two women. "My people have arrived. Miss Dongli, please come in."
He held the knife in his arms, his expression still somber.
Dongli Xiaoxiao was exhausted and had just fallen into a deep sleep leaning on Sun Miao'er's shoulder. Hearing the sound, she slowly woke up, rubbed her eyes, and realized that there was a man outside. She quickly sat up straight.
Sun Miao'er helped her up and glanced at Shan Qiu. "Officer Shan, don't rush me. Don't you men know how to cherish a lady? If Miss Xiaoxiao loses even a single hair, Manager Hu will hold your yamen responsible!"
"Stop talking nonsense and hurry up!" Shan Qiu snapped.
Xiao Wu and his group waited outside, all wanting to see this famous beauty. What a great job! The constable got the chance, but why wasn't it him?
Sun Miao'er helped Dongli Xiaoxiao walk outside. Apart from a small group of people, there was nothing else.
"Officer Shan, this won't do. How come you don't even have a carriage or sedan chair? What's the difference between this and the three of us going back?"
Sun Miao'er's gaze swept over the group of men behind her. They were all rough men, about the same size as Shan Qiu, but their attention was focused on Dongli Xiaoxiao at the moment.
Shanqiu is not like that; he is very serious.
Dan Qiu then realized what was happening, turned around to look at the group of people, and said urgently, "What are you all doing?!"
Xiao Wu didn't dare to argue back, and muttered to himself with his head down, "You didn't say you were going to prepare a sedan chair..."
"Then what should we do?"
Danqiu asked, looking up at the sky, and then ordered the group of people to go back and fetch the sedan chair carriers, because they wouldn't be able to enter the city tomorrow.
Sun Miao'er shrugged and smiled, "I have an idea, Officer Shan. Why don't you carry Miss Xiaoxiao back? She's weak right now and can't be delayed. What do you think?"
Dan Qiu couldn't answer. It seemed that this was the only feasible method available. He looked at Fu Yuchi, "Mr. Fu?"
Fu Yuchi laughed and said, "What does the government's handling of cases have to do with me, Fu?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Miao'er sighed that her master was indeed not interested in beautiful women. He didn't even want to fight for such a good job. If she could carry him, she would want to do it too.
Xiao Wu chimed in from behind, "Boss, if you don't want to, I can do it!"
Dan Qiu nearly kicked him away, yelling, "What do you mean, 'you'! This blond kid can barely lift a knife!"
After saying this, Shan Qiu walked up to Dongli Xiaoxiao with his head held high and chest out, took a deep horse stance, and half-squatted down. "Come on up, Miss Dongli."
Dongli Xiaoxiao did not agree easily. Although she was a woman in a brothel, she sold her art but not her body. She usually drank and sang with her patrons. If a patron wanted to lay a hand on her, it would be absolutely impossible.
Seeing that Dongli smiled and didn't move for a long time, Shan Qiu simply turned around, picked her up in a horizontal embrace, and said, "I'm sorry, Miss Dongli, time is of the essence, I had no intention of offending you."
Dongli smiled and said generously, without showing any affectation of a young woman, "Thank you very much, Officer Shan. I will remember this kindness."
Dan Qiu held her horizontally, his hands remaining perfectly still the whole time, never moving an inch, even keeping a proper distance between his chest and Dongli Xiaoxiao, only his hands touching her neck and knees.
Sun Miao'er thought to herself, "This constable Shan's stamina is truly extraordinary. Doesn't his hand ever go numb?"
Fu Yuchi suddenly caught up and said out of the blue, "What are you looking at? Do you want to try too? Your teacher can do it too."
Sun Miao'er felt a slight chill run down her spine, quickened her pace, and left him far behind.
Now, whenever her master gets close to her, the scene of drinking the medicine that night comes to mind.
She didn't want to think about it, but every time she did, a new longing seemed to arise in her heart.
I don't know how far we walked, but the sun had set and it was already dark.
A strand of hair brushed against Shanqiu's chin. He suddenly looked down and saw that the person in his arms had fallen asleep again.
Asleep, Dongli Xiaoxiao lay peacefully in Shanqiu's arms. Her delicate profile resembled a meticulously sculpted white porcelain doll, and Shanqiu, taking advantage of the darkness, couldn't help but steal a glance at her for a moment.
Fortunately, no one noticed.
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