Chapter 175 You've Been Arrested
In a small county town more than 40 miles away from Shengjing, there is a breakfast shop.
The breakfast items sold include fried dough sticks, tofu pudding, soy milk, and tea eggs.
Although the food is simple, it is very popular because the tofu pudding is savory and delicious, the soy milk is rich and flavorful, the fried dough sticks are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the tea eggs are also cooked to perfection.
The owner of this shop is a middle-aged man in his forties, known as Uncle Miao.
Uncle Miao has a very good reputation in the small county town.
Firstly, he has a refined appearance. Although he is nearly fifty years old, he has a well-proportioned figure and is not at all like most old men who are old, ugly, and greasy. On the contrary, he looks like he is only in his thirties, with only a few wrinkles on his face. He does not look old, but only adds to his charm.
With his handsome looks and refined demeanor, many young women and wives in the small county town were captivated by him and were willing to become his second wife.
Another reason for his positive reputation is his deep affection.
Although his wife had been bedridden for several years, the family had some assets, and they only had one daughter and no son to carry on the family line, he had considered divorcing his wife or taking a concubine.
His loyalty to his ailing wife was also one of his great virtues.
In addition, the occasional melancholy that appeared between his brows made those young women clamor that they would marry no one but him.
However, in those days, women's marriages were mostly not their own choice. Even if a girl wanted to remain chaste for him, her parents would not agree.
So over the years, only one orphan girl has been able to stay true to herself.
The orphan's family was relatively well-off when her parents were alive. Because they had only moved to this small county town temporarily and had no relatives nearby, she was able to retain her share of the family's assets after her parents' death.
Over the years, there have been many marriage proposals, but the orphan girl's heart has been set on Uncle Miao next door. Although Uncle Miao's daughter is only a few years younger than her, she doesn't mind becoming his stepmother.
But all these years have passed, and Uncle Miao still refuses to accept her.
The orphan girl stared blankly at the busy stall, a bitter feeling rising in her heart.
She fell in love with Uncle Miao at first sight when she met him ten years ago.
Unfortunately, Uncle Miao didn't like her. Even though she said she was willing to be his concubine and would help him take care of his wife after entering the household, he refused outright without any room for negotiation.
Although Uncle Miao was already over forty years old at this time, he did not look old at all, and was mature and charming.
She had seen that woman once before. Because she had been bedridden for many years, the woman was emaciated, old and ugly. She couldn't even sit up on her own, and she couldn't even control her own bodily functions...
She didn't understand why Uncle Miao wouldn't give up on a woman like that?
Besides, back then, that woman's parents really looked down on Uncle Miao!
When chatting with people outside, she often complains that her daughter is blind to have fallen for an old man, and that it is a disgrace for them that their son-in-law is older than them!
However, Uncle Miao didn't care about this at all and continued to treat the plain-looking woman well.
Fortunately, a few years later, the couple died in accidents one after the other, and Uncle Miao's life became a little better.
Perhaps it was divine intervention, because a few years later, that woman also became paralyzed.
"Uncle Miao, when will you be able to see me?"
"Silly girl." The sudden voice startled the orphan. She slowly turned her head and blushed when she saw the familiar handsome face.
"Uncle Miao... Uncle Miao!"
Uncle Miao looked at the woman in front of him with a gentle expression, his eyes full of heartache: "These years have been hard on you."
The orphan girl's pretty face flushed red, and she nervously fidgeted with her fingers, her heart pounding like a drum.
What does Uncle Miao mean by this?
His gaze was so deep, like a vast ocean, and she felt as if she were drowning in it.
"Uncle Miao, I... I love you! I've loved you all these years!"
Under such gazes, she couldn't help but want to tell them what was on her mind.
She had a premonition that if she didn't speak up today, she would never have the chance to do so again!
Perhaps, just perhaps if she says it today, Uncle Miao might agree!
"Really?" the refined man asked, but his gaze grew even more affectionate.
"real!"
"Do you really like me that much?"
"I love you! I love you so much that I'd do anything for you! Even if you asked me to die right now, I wouldn't even flinch!"
The refined-looking man seemed taken aback for a moment, then smiled faintly: "Good girl."
"I'll come find you at midnight tonight."
The orphan girl's heart fluttered.
Midnight (11 PM - 1 AM).
The orphan girl lay on the bed with a blush on her face. Thinking about what was about to happen, she felt both happy and shy.
After all these years, she has finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel.
Beneath the red brocade quilt depicting mandarin ducks playing in the water, her skin was partially exposed. She was a little nervous, unsure whether Uncle Miao would be satisfied.
The hour of midnight has finally arrived.
Outside, the night watchman's voice echoed down the long street.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
The orphan girl's heart skipped a beat again, and she said in a high-pitched voice, "Come in, the door isn't locked."
The door creaked open.
However, the person who entered was not Uncle Miao as she thought, but a person wearing a black cloak.
The person was tall and slender, making it impossible to tell whether they were male or female.
The orphan girl was startled: "Who are you?"
She sat up abruptly, realizing she wasn't dressed, and quickly wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.
Her fairly pretty face appeared exceptionally pale against the backdrop of the red brocade quilt.
The man in black robes didn't speak, but strode over to the bedside.
He remained calm and composed.
If he hadn't been holding a knife, people might have believed he was just there to relax.
"Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer! Uncle Miao! Uncle Miao, save me!"
In her moment of crisis, the orphan girl could only think of her beloved, desperately hoping that he would descend from the sky like a hero and rescue her.
Unfortunately, all he received was the black-robed man's butcher's knife.
Just as the butcher's knife fell, the man in black robes lifted his cloak with his other hand and took off the hat that covered most of his face.
The orphan girl's eyes widened suddenly.
The refined man looked at the smile on her lips with appreciation, but made his move without the slightest hesitation.
Just as the dagger was about to fall on the orphan girl, a whooshing sound suddenly rang out. The refined man's wrist was struck heavily by something, not only causing his wrist to deviate from its course, but also causing the knife to slip from his hand due to the sudden pain in his wrist.
The refined man's expression changed.
The moment he realized something was wrong, he didn't even bother to find out where the problem came from, and turned to run away.
Unfortunately, a line of constables wielding long knives had appeared in the courtyard at some point.
He had to retreat back into the room.
That's when they realized there were other people in the room.
And it was a woman.
A woman with a beautiful face and exceptional temperament.
"Li Qingmiao, you're under arrest."
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