Chapter 140 Concerns
Back home, Tao Tao had him moved to a guest room and instructed Bai Zang and Yan Ying to take turns watching over him that night. The most important thing was to make sure he didn't die, otherwise all the money would have been wasted.
Tao's mother seemed to have some objections. In her opinion, how could an unmarried young woman bring a man home, especially one who was about to get married?
If others found out, who knows how many rumors would arise.
After giving her instructions, Tao Tao told everyone to go and rest. When she returned to her room and took a bath, she saw her mother sitting at the table, seemingly waiting for her.
She frowned and looked towards the door, then sighed helplessly.
"Mother, why aren't you resting so late?"
Tao's mother turned to look at her, pursing her lips, "Tao'er, I have something to tell you, please sit down first."
Something else came up; so much has happened these past few days...
Tao Tao sat opposite her, listening attentively.
"What's with that man? If he wanted to save someone, he could have just taken them to the clinic. Why did he bring them home? If people find out, how will you ever get married?!"
"It's not that I'm not telling you not to save people. I know you're kind-hearted, but we still have to consider what others think. Otherwise, who knows what they might say behind our backs."
She spoke earnestly and patiently, but Tao Tao remained unmoved.
“Mother, you’re absolutely right, but I’m already handling funerals, so why should I care what others think?”
"Don't worry, I can make my own decisions. Besides, that man was just one of my customers, and his friend's body is still in our shop."
"Besides, he's a江湖人 (jianghu person, a person from the martial arts world). You saw him that day, didn't you? If I don't take his business, do you think our shop will run into trouble in the future?"
"You agree, right?"
After hearing this explanation, Tao's mother's expression softened considerably.
"By the way, where did you get this parrot? This breed is very rare."
Her gaze suddenly shifted to the parrot standing on the bird stand; even while sleeping, Asu remained perfectly upright.
No wonder it didn't bark when someone came in.
"It flew here on its own, I don't know where it came from."
Tao Tao answered while drying her wet hair, not at all worried that the other woman wouldn't believe her.
Sure enough, seeing her so calm and composed, Tao's mother was filled with doubt but didn't know where to begin asking.
"Tao'er, if anything happens to you, be sure to tell your mother. Don't bear it all alone."
She held Tao Tao's hand, her eyes filled with worry.
Tao Tao didn't know what she was worried about. With her around, they could just enjoy their wealth and luxury.
"Okay, Mother, you should go and rest."
She helped Tao's mother up and led her to the door.
Tao's mother originally wanted to say something more, but seeing her like this, she took a deep breath and let it go.
Watching her mother's departing figure, Tao Tao's smile gradually faded, her eyes becoming unfathomable.
"From now on, no one is allowed to enter my room without my permission."
"yes."
Leng Qiao, hidden in the darkness, responded.
When Ji Xian woke up the next day, Bai Zang immediately ran to the shop in the south of the city to talk to Tao Tao.
The wooden door was open, and she sat at the table facing the man in front of her. On the table was a bowl of dark, steaming medicinal soup.
"Take your medicine first."
Ji Xian clutched his abdomen and coughed lightly a few times.
"Thank you, how much does it cost?"
"Have you dealt with your enemy?"
She didn't answer him, but instead asked him a question, picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup of tea.
He nodded. "Yes."
He was a lonely man with no wife or children. He was originally a bounty hunter who roamed the world. After a mission failed, Lin Wen saved him, but unexpectedly, he was implicated and killed.
The target of this mission was not one person, and coupled with his underestimation of the enemy, this led to the tragedy that has occurred. He has let Lin Wen down.
He thought that if Lin Wen had relatives, he could help raise them, but Lin Wen was a lonely bounty hunter just like him.
Seeing that she didn't reply, he added, "The person you asked me to kill, I killed."
"Excuse me for asking, who are you? Do you have any relatives?"
Ji Xian looked at her suspiciously, but did not hide anything: "I am a bounty hunter. I make a living by catching wanted criminals for the imperial court."
"Interested in becoming my personal bodyguard?"
"What?"
He frowned, somewhat puzzled.
"Um, what I mean is a personal bodyguard, I'll pay you fifty taels of silver a month, not that I want you to sell your life to me. In a situation where there's no way to escape and you're certain to die, I'll allow you to save your own life."
Fifty taels... As a bounty hunter, the average person earns less than three taels of silver.
Moreover, after hearing what she said, it's not as troublesome as catching a wanted criminal; all we need to do is protect her.
"As you can see, I'm just a young woman managing so many shops. I'm afraid someone will come looking for trouble. Having someone with high martial arts skills would save me a lot of trouble."
"By the way, meals and accommodation are included. How about it? You'll consider it."
"No rush. The sun is shining brightly today, which is auspicious for funerals. Let's hold your friend's funeral first."
Ji Xian had no objection and nodded: "Okay."
The group, carrying a coffin and some essential supplies, walked out of the city gate with great fanfare.
Ji Xian turned to look at the coffin on the car and thought to himself, "I've been lonely for half my life, and the only time I've had a proper funeral is when it's lively and bustling."
After burning the last handful of paper money and pouring the last pot of wine, it was all over.
As they walked down the mountain, Tao Tao turned to the man beside her and asked, "Where are you planning to stay tonight?"
"Just find a dilapidated temple to stay in; there's no need to be so particular when you're traveling."
He didn't care; he'd always lived like this, enduring wind and rain.
"You still haven't made up your mind? It's been two hours already."
Upon hearing this, his lips twitched slightly: "I've thought it through. I'm sorry, I can't agree to that."
She suddenly stopped, her eyes still curved in a smile: "Ji Xian, I saved you. If it weren't for me, you would have bled to death long ago."
She only said it verbally, not that she wanted him to actually consider it. Did he think that she saved him unconditionally?
Ji Xian looked at her in surprise, shook his head and chuckled: "I can buy my life with money."
She stopped laughing and became serious: "Do you think I'm someone who's short of money?"
"You're a man of the martial world, aren't people who travel the martial world always chivalrous, righteous, and loyal? Do you intend to be ungrateful?"
“Miss Tao, I didn’t mean that. It’s just that I’ve always been a carefree person and I’m afraid I’m not fit to be your bodyguard.”
"These are all excuses. I'm not asking you to kill or commit arson. After all these years of wandering, don't you want to take a proper rest? Do you really enjoy living a life of constant danger?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Xian fell silent. Clearly, she had touched a nerve.
After being away from home for a long time, you naturally want to settle down sometimes.
He turned to look at Leng Qiao, who was following behind him, and said, "Don't you already have guards? This woman's martial arts skills are quite good; she's more than capable of protecting you."
"One is not enough. Life is unpredictable, and no one can say for sure what the future holds."
Tao Tao didn't seem to be joking; rather, she seemed to have concerns about the future.
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