Shen Xu said goodbye to the book stall owner and strolled around the street. She bought a lily of the valley bracelet from the stall and happily took it in her hand to look through it.
She smelled delicious food from the beef patty stand next to the bookstall. She swallowed and didn't buy anything.
"Miss Chen." Yan'er stood at the entrance of the alley and called her timidly.
Shen Xu was slightly startled, then she put away her jewelry and walked over. She glanced at the haggard girl, but didn't show any hostility. "What are you doing?"
Yan'er's hair was a little messy, and her collar was unbuttoned, revealing her sallow skin. Her eyes were unfocused, dark circles under her eyes, and she had lost a lot of weight, looking completely different from the way she had looked a few days ago.
Shen Xu said, "Yan'er, I haven't seen you for a few days. You seem to have lost a lot of weight."
"I'm fine. Congratulations on your marriage to Constable Song. Well, I said some extreme words that day because I was worried that Constable Song was too tired. Please don't take it to heart." Yan'er lowered her head and leaned against the wall, twisting the handkerchief awkwardly in her hand.
"Well, no." Shen Xu lowered his eyes to look at the slightly purple back of her hand and asked, "Do you want to call me for something?"
"Miss Chen, that..." Yan'er hesitated to speak. She looked at the people coming and going at the street corner and asked hesitantly, "Can you help me go home? I think I sprained my ankle."
Yan'er gently tugged at her skirt, only to see blood seeping out of her white socks.
Shen Xu looked back at the crowd and said loudly: "I'd better take you to the clinic!"
"No, no, that's not necessary. I'll just go home and get some healing wine." Yan'er declined hurriedly.
Shen Xu seemed to hesitate for a moment, then said, "But I have something to go home for. Detective Song went to the East Village entrance to handle a case today, so he won't be home until very late. I'm afraid that if someone delivers furniture, there won't be anyone home."
"Oh, then, then you should walk slowly." Yan'er seemed to be relieved, lowered her head, turned around slowly and was about to leave.
Shen Xu's eyes were dark, and it was impossible to tell whether she was happy or angry. She put her hand on Yan'er's shoulder and asked, "Is your home far away?"
Yan'er subconsciously shrugged, hissed softly, and turned to look at her in surprise. "No, not far."
"It just so happens that I'm a little thirsty. Otherwise, I'll take you home."
Yan'er frowned in embarrassment, and after a while she averted her gaze in a daze, "Oh, follow me."
Chen Xu put the newly bought jewelry on his wrist, held Yan'er's arm and walked into the alley with her.
In a dark corner, a pair of muddy boots slowly followed the two of them and soon disappeared around the corner of the alley.
"Yan'er, why do you live in such a remote place?" Shen Xu talked as he walked.
"Um."
"You live so far away, it must be hard to sell tofu every day."
"Um."
"How many people are there in your family? Besides you, who else is there to deliver the tofu?" Chen Xu chatted with her intermittently. She shook her sleeves lightly and asked as she walked, but all she answered was "hmm".
"How far is it?" she complained slightly.
"It's just ahead." Yan'er's voice was muffled, and she walked quickly with her head down.
"It's too far, can you go back by yourself?"
"My home is just ahead." Yan'er quickly held her hand tightly, her voice sounding very nervous. "Since we're here, we should at least have a drink of water before we go."
"Okay then." Shen Xu followed her into a dead end and knocked at the door of a courtyard. A ferocious man opened the door.
He looked Shen Xu up and down, then stuck his head out of the yard and looked around.
Shen Xu did not enter the yard. She asked Yan'er, "Is this your brother?"
Yan'er was already trembling with fear. She stood stiffly at the door, not daring to speak or move.
"He doesn't look like a tofu seller. Yan'er is injured. Hurry up and help her in to get bandaged." Shen Xu's beautiful eyes glanced into the yard.
“Miss Shen…why not, come in and have some tea before leaving?”
"No, no, I have to go home--" Her shoulders were held down by the doorman.
He pinched Shen Xu's shoulder blades hard and said viciously: "Sister, come in and have some tea."
Shen Xu nervously pinched the edge of his sleeves and turned to look at the trembling Yan'er, "Why don't we send her to the clinic?"
At this moment, a man with a scar on his face strode out from the doorway and asked fiercely, "Why is there so much noise outside?"
"The person has been brought to you...please let me go..." Yan'er shook her head in horror, tears streaming down her face.
The man immediately became angry and slapped Yan'er to the ground, cursing, "I hate it most when you cry like a bitch."
He shouted into the room, "You two, drag her in and give her a good lesson!"
At this time, two more people came out of the yard, dragged Yan'er's hair and walked in without saying a word. Yan'er screamed for help.
Shen Xu quickly broke free from the man's restraints and retreated to the entrance of the alley: "What are you doing!"
"Oh, you scared our Constable Song's pretty girl." The man who opened the door smiled wickedly and surrounded them, saying, "What are you doing? You'll know in a moment."
Soon, the sounds of a man laughing wildly and Yan'er screaming and wailing could be heard from the yard.
The scarred man smiled grimly, rubbing his hands as he slowly approached, saying, "Don't be afraid, beauty. As long as you behave, we brothers promise not to be too rude."
At this moment, a pair of muddy boots appeared at the entrance of the alley. A tall man holding a knife slowly approached her from the other side and said with a wicked smile, "Yo, from the shouting, I thought you guys were going to start without waiting for me."
He said proudly, "Constable Song's mistress is so pretty. I see them kissing in the yard every day, and it makes me so jealous. Let's all take it easy later, don't let her kill us all at once."
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