“Uh…” Zhou Zifang scratched his head, feeling a headache coming on just thinking about the exam. “I’m busy with business all day, how can I have time to study?”
He felt that he had at least two years of schooling, and was therefore much better than Qiu Xu, who was still quite young. "Qiu Xu, have you done your homework?"
Qiu Xu: "I read every day."
Zhou Zifang's cheeks flushed slightly: "Okay, I'll start studying hard tomorrow."
After chatting, Qiu Yan thought about the lunchbox in the real world and drew various sketches, including round and square ones, with lids on top.
Zhou Zifang liked it very much, and he immediately took the sketch to a carpenter to discuss customizing the lunch boxes.
Qiu Yan, on the other hand, was preparing to continue delivering goods.
On the way, a small group of four people in a bridal sedan chair passed by them.
Qiu Yan glanced at the bridal sedan chair casually, paid it no mind, and continued driving the carriage forward.
Just as Qiu Yan and her brother were driving their carriage to Bihu Inn to continue delivering mountain goods, they vaguely saw a girl being dragged into an alley by two men.
"Help! Help!"
"Grab her quickly!"
"Trying to run away? Not so easy."
Even though the girl was covered in bruises and blood, Qiu Yan still recognized the person at a glance.
Isn't this Tian Xiu, who has been missing for a long time?
She stopped the carriage at the alley entrance, took out two sweet almonds from the wooden box, and with a slight movement of her hand, the two sweet almonds hit the two men's knees with perfect accuracy.
"Who, who hit me?"
"Come out if you dare..."
They cried out in pain at the same time, their faces filled with anger, and turned to look at the person who had attacked them, but could not find who was behind it.
Seeing his sister's actions and noticing her unusual expression, Qiu Xu asked, "Sister, do you know her?"
Qiu Yan gave a soft "hmm," and said, "That's Tian Xiu."
"So it was her." Qiu Xu realized what was going on when he thought of the old woman who had caused trouble yesterday.
When Qiu Xu saw that Tian Xiu was covered in blood, he suddenly remembered that Yang was going to sell his sister to a brothel.
My sister was just as helpless at first that day.
Tian Xiuniang's vicious face yesterday was exactly the same as Yang's.
Without waiting for his sister to come to his rescue, he took the lead and quickly got off the carriage. When one of them swung his hand at Tian Xiu again, he punched the man in the stomach.
His serious demeanor didn't resemble that of a ten-year-old child at all.
His movements are precise and fast, but unfortunately he is too young and not tall enough.
Then, he stood horizontally in front of Tian Xiu.
"Get in the carriage quickly."
Qiu Xu's actions stunned Qiu Yan.
They really hate evil like poison.
Tian Xiu was also stunned. Who was this young boy in front of her? She had never seen him before.
Finally, she saw Qiu Yan as her lifeline, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly relaxed, and her whole body went limp.
Tian Xiu glanced at Qiu Xu with concern, then staggered towards the carriage. Qiu Yan didn't have time to ask any more questions and pulled her up.
With Qiu Yan around, she would never let her younger brother get hurt.
She also wanted to see how much her younger brother had improved during this time.
Seeing Qiu Yan's actions, the two men were about to step forward to take revenge when Qiu Xu stopped them.
They glared at Qiu Xu fiercely.
"So it was you who ambushed us!"
"You brat, you're so young, you haven't even grown all your hair yet, and you're already trying to be a hero and save the damsel in distress!"
"Why are you abusing a girl?" Qiu Xu, though young, was no less imposing.
He certainly wouldn't have had such courage before, but his sister and master gave him the courage.
"Abuse?" one of them said with a hideous expression. "We just wanted to have some fun, how is that abuse?"
Another man swung his fist and charged at Qiu Xu, shouting, "Those who meddle in other people's business never end well!"
Just as Qiu Yan was about to help, she saw Qiu Xu raise his foot and kick him.
The man took two steps back because of Qiu Xu's action.
Then, he suddenly stepped forward and tried to grab Qiu Xu's neck with both hands.
"Ah Xu!"
Qiu Yan yelled and threw another sweet almond, which hit the man's wrist.
The man cried out in pain as his wrist snapped, forcing him to stop.
He glared fiercely at Qiu Yan.
"This kid has helpers."
His accomplice scoffed, "Hmph, women count as helpers too."
Seeing them both swinging their fists at him at the same time, Qiu Xu dodged to the side, grabbed one of their wrists, and tried to throw him over his shoulder.
However, it's still too short.
With a series of swishing sounds, several pebbles flew out from Qiu Yan's hand.
The two men were yelling and screaming, but they still wouldn't give up.
Qiu Xu then launched himself into the air and kicked them both to the ground.
These two adults never expected to be defeated by a young boy and a girl.
Seeing Qiu Xu approach the carriage, they shouted angrily.
"stop……"
Their eyes blazed with fury as they rose to give chase, only to find County Lieutenant Zheng leading two patrol officers to arrest the suspect.
They were so frightened that they turned and ran away.
"Miss Qiu, it's you again..."
Before Zheng, the county magistrate, could finish speaking, he quickly went after the two men.
They had heard from local residents that there was trouble going on here, but unexpectedly, they ran into Qiu Yan again.
Qiu Yan had rescued the two people. She told them to sit down, then cracked her whip, and the carriage sped off, heading towards the Bihu Inn.
Inside the carriage, Tian Xiu huddled in a corner, shivering.
She started to sob.
"Are you alright?" Qiu Xu wasn't good at comforting others, so his words sounded somewhat indifferent.
Tian Xiu first nodded, then shook her head.
She cried for a long time before she finally stopped.
Qiu Yan, recalling Tian Xiuniang's words from yesterday, asked:
"Tian Xiu, did you run away from your wedding today?"
Tian Xiu gave a soft "hmm," she said, "My mother wanted to sell me to Master Zhang as a concubine. I disagreed, so she locked me up and wouldn't give me any food. Most of the injuries on my body are from her beatings. Luckily, she didn't come home last night, so I managed to escape. But then I ran into two thugs..."
Tian Xiu didn't say anything more; she couldn't say more in front of Qiu Xu.
Tian Xiu was pitiful, but Qiu Xu felt that his older sister was even more pitiful than Tian Xiu.
Qiu Yan thought to herself that she had unintentionally helped Tian Xiu.
If she hadn't had someone send Tian Xiuniang to the authorities, it's uncertain whether Tian Xiu would have been able to escape.
Tian Xiu looked at Qiu Xu seriously for a moment, "It would be better if you were a little older."
Qiu Xu asked in confusion, "Why?" He felt that he was already quite old.
Tian Xiu sniffed.
“If you were a little older, I could marry you. I don’t want to marry that rich man. He’s old and ugly, and he has a bunch of concubines.”
Tian Xiu spoke with a nasal tone, as if she wanted to repay him with her body, leaving Qiu Xu at a loss for words.
Qiu Xu opened his mouth slightly, but then turned his face away.
Marriage was something too far away for him.
Qiu Yan couldn't help but find their conversation somewhat amusing.
She couldn't possibly agree.
Wasn't Tian Xiu just crying? How come her tone changed so suddenly?
After thinking for a moment, Tian Xiu said again, "Brother, if you don't mind, I'm willing to be your child bride."
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