Chapter 233 If you're really capable, then make him redeem you.
Xiao Tao wrapped the cloak Xiao Ran handed her tightly. She choked back tears, trying to calm her rapid breathing, but tears still streamed down her face.
"Thank you so much, Brother Zhao..."
Her voice was barely audible, trembling with the shock of surviving a disaster.
Seeing her like this, Xiao Ran felt a pang of sympathy. He softened his tone, trying his best not to put any more pressure on her with his gaze:
"Let's not talk about that now. Are you... going back to... that place?"
He hesitated for a moment, but still didn't directly say the name "Under the Peony Blossom".
Xiao Tao bit her lower lip, nodded with difficulty, and her tears fell even more fiercely.
Where else could she go if she didn't go back?
The indenture was still in her mother's hands, and her home in Baiyang Village had long since become a place for her to stay.
If they escape and are caught, a beating would be the least of their worries; they would suffer even more inhuman torture.
Even if she were lucky enough to escape to a faraway place, how would she, a girl with no strength to even kill a chicken, make a living?
Xiao Ran sighed: "I'll take you back."
"Xiao Qi, go and bring the carriage in. We'll take a detour and send Xiao Tao back first."
Xiao Qi nodded understandingly, turned and ran back to the alley entrance, jumped onto the carriage, whispered a few words to Xiao Yi, then turned the horse around and headed into the alley.
Xiao Tao looked up at the luxurious carriage in front of her with teary eyes. Didn't she remember that Xiao Ran's family was an ordinary hunter's family?
How could they afford such a luxurious carriage?
Looking at Xiao Ran now, his clothes and demeanor are quite different from before. He is wearing a neat cotton long gown, which, although not fancy, is well-tailored and makes him look tall and straight.
The naivety of the past has faded from his brows, replaced by a more composed demeanor, and he even vaguely resembles the young master of a small family in town.
Xiao Ran got into the car, and he continued to drive.
He knew the path under the peonies; he had delivered goods to Sister Hongxiu several times before. He was quite familiar with the route.
The atmosphere was somewhat silent and oppressive throughout the journey.
Xiao Tao sat in the carriage, her head always down, her face mostly hidden by the hood of her cloak.
Xiao Qi didn't know what to say to comfort her, while Xiao Yi looked at her curiously.
The journey was silent, save for the rumbling of wheels on the cobblestones.
After walking through several streets, I arrived at the familiar small black lacquered door in the back alley of the charming street.
There weren't many people on the street at this time.
Looking at the small, black door in front of her, Xiao Tao looked at Xiao Ran with a puzzled expression.
How did he know about this road?
How did they find the back street door so clearly?
Xiao Ran explained, "I'm currently working as a shop assistant in a general store, and I've delivered goods to the building a few times."
Xiao Tao nodded, took off her cloak, carefully smoothed out the wrinkles, and handed it back to Xiao Ran with both hands, her voice still hoarse.
"Thank you for your cloak... and thank you so much for today. Without you..."
She couldn't imagine what would happen next.
Xiao Ran said gently, "It was nothing, don't worry about it."
He then took out a few candies from his pocket and handed them to Xiaotao: "My sister says that eating candy can make you feel better, you should have some too."
Xiao Tao was taken aback and looked at the colorful candies in his hand.
How long has it been since she last ate candy?
Ever since she was sold to the peony garden, her days have been more bitter than bitter herbs.
Perhaps hearing the commotion outside, the door opened a crack from the inside, and a man in his thirties wearing a plain robe came out.
"Xiao Tao? You brat, you've been dawdling around for so long before you finally got back..."
Before he could finish speaking, he saw Xiao Ran's familiar face. He immediately changed his attitude:
"Young Master Zhao? What brings you here? Is there some goods to deliver?"
The man's name was Erhu, and he was a servant under the peony flower.
Erhu informed Xiaoran of the delivery trips each time.
After dealing with him so many times, Erhu understood some things. Although Xiaoran was just a shop assistant, the owner genuinely treated him like a younger brother.
They were practically groomed to be his successor.
Their shop now supplies all the cosmetics and face powder for the girls in the building. Hongxiu and her mother always speak to him with humility, so he naturally doesn't dare to neglect them.
Xiao Tao was startled by his voice, reached out and grabbed the candy from Xiao Ran's hand, quickly hiding it in her sleeve.
Just as I was about to defend myself, I heard his fawning tone.
The men working downstairs under the peony flowers are commonly known as "turtle slaves".
They only had eyes for the girls, never paying any attention to the maids, and always ordering them around like madmen.
To her surprise, he spoke to Xiao Ran in such a fawning and ingratiating tone.
Before the New Year, I saw that Xiao Ran was just a poor hunter's child, and her family was not as well off as hers.
How come such a dramatic change has occurred in less than a year?
Now she has fallen into poverty and is considered a lowly person, while Xiao Ran is no longer someone she can aspire to be with.
Xiao Tao's mood instantly plummeted.
Xiao Ran cupped her hands in greeting and calmly replied:
"I'm not here to deliver goods today. I'm an old acquaintance of Miss Xiaotao. I saw her trip and fall on the way, so I brought her back."
Xiao Tao was stunned. That wasn't how it happened; she was clearly the one who was sexually assaulted and almost...
Upon further reflection, she realized that Xiao Ran's considerations were thorough.
If she had almost been... the mothers in the building would probably have sold her off cheaply beforehand.
She lowered her head and gripped the candy in her hand tightly.
Erhu glanced at Xiaotao's somewhat disheveled clothes and hair, and seeing Xiaoran's composed expression, he believed her to some extent. He then turned to Xiaotao with a stern face and scolded her:
"You always mess up even the simplest tasks I ask you to do! You're utterly useless! You only cause trouble for important people! Young Master Zhao kindly brought you back, so you should thank him properly!"
Xiao Tao didn't dare to argue. Although she had already thanked him, she still bowed again.
"Thank you for your help today, Young Master Zhao."
"It was nothing, don't mention it."
Xiao Ran responded calmly, then said to Er Hu, "Now that the person has been delivered, we'll take our leave."
"Young Master Zhao, please take care! Thank you for looking after the people in our building!" Erhu quickly bowed and smiled apologetically.
Xiao Ran said no more and deftly turned her horse around.
The carriage slowly drove away from the deep alleyway, and Erhu's fawning smile immediately disappeared.
His eyes were icy as he looked at Xiao Tao, who had her head bowed: "Don't think I don't know what you're up to! When your parents sold you here, they promised that if you dared to run away, they would pay the price!"
Xiao Tao clenched her hands, too ashamed to look up, "...I...I didn't..."
Erhu looked again in the direction the carriage had left; "Don't think that you can have an easy time in the brothel just because you've made connections. I've seen plenty of girls like you. If you're really capable, you should get him to redeem you. That would be the greatest blessing you can have!"
Xiao Tao's heart skipped a beat.
These words stuck in her mind.
She already knew that the price for redeeming young girls like them, who hadn't been raised to adulthood, was much lower than that for older girls. It was only two to three times the price they were paid to sell themselves.
As she stepped through the small, black lacquered door, Xiao Tao finally looked up and glanced in the direction the carriage had gone.
You can still vaguely see the silhouette of a horse-drawn carriage.
...If you're really capable, then make him ransom you...
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