Chapter 29 Saving the Fallen Woman? Don't be ridiculous.
Jiang Ling picked up some pork floss bread, egg yolk pie, and a bottle of sweetened milk from the shelf.
He even thoughtfully opened it for her.
Looking at the open pastries on the table, emitting an enticing sweet aroma, Hongxiu couldn't take her eyes off them and kept swallowing her saliva.
Jiang Ling saw that she looked starving and said, "Miss, eat something first. We can talk about it after you've eaten."
Hongxiu didn't stand on ceremony. She was so hungry that she picked up the palm-sized meat floss bread and took a big bite.
In an instant, his eyes widened in shock!
Oh my god! This is so delicious!
It looks like a flatbread, but it's softer than a steamed bun when you bite into it!
The rich aroma of wheat spreads in your mouth, coated with savory pork floss. There's also a hint of sweetness.
She was used to eating delicious food under the peony flowers. Her mother had brought her here when she was a child, and was determined to raise her to be the most beautiful flower. She was never stingy with food and lodging.
But I've never eaten such delicious snacks before!
"Eat slowly, drink some milk, don't choke."
Hongxiu took the milk from Jiang Ling and took a big gulp!
Good heavens! Is this milk? It smells so sweet!
However, one cannot do two things at the same time, so she had to give up asking the question.
Eat with complete concentration.
The bread looked big, but it was gone in no time.
To maintain her figure, Hongxiu usually eats very little, so she can't possibly finish such a big bread.
But I was hungry all day and walked so many mountain roads.
A large loaf of bread and half a bottle of milk only filled me up to six-tenths full.
Hongxiu licked her lips and pointed shyly to the egg yolk pie on the table.
Can I eat this?
"Of course, it was originally meant for you."
Hongxiu picked one up and, imitating Jiang Ling, tore open the packaging.
It was her first time tearing open this kind of packaging, and she used a little too much force, almost causing the egg yolk pie inside to fly out, but luckily she caught it in time.
I ate a pork floss bread, a bottle of milk, and three egg yolk pies.
Hongxiu, having eaten her fill, leaned back in her chair and burped.
Jiang Ling hadn't eaten much all day, except for two egg yolk pies and some milk.
Only then did I feel a bit better.
"Tell me, why don't you want to go home?" Jiang Ling tried to speak in the tone of a caring older sister.
Hongxiu paused for a moment, then sat up straight.
"Actually, I have no home. Shopkeeper, I'm sorry, I lied to you. I am the girl under the peony, and I deliberately ran away today."
Under the peonies?
...to save a prostitute?
Jiang Ling cried out silently: God, I just wanted to open a shop and sell some things, I didn't want to get involved in so many things!
Jiang Ling silently stood up: "Please forgive me for being of lowly status, but I may not be able to keep you here."
In ancient times, only the wealthy and powerful could afford to run a brothel, and the connections involved were numerous, making it impossible for a small general store like her to compete.
"No, no. I didn't mean to implicate the shop owner, I didn't mean to run away, I just..."
They just said she escaped, and now they're saying she didn't want to escape?
Jiang Ling didn't quite understand.
"...I lost both my parents when I was young and was adopted by my mother. I have no home, but for me, the peony flowers are also my home."
Feeling that she couldn't explain it in just a few words, Jiang Ling sat down silently, gesturing for her to continue.
Hongxiu swallowed hard before continuing, "Although my mother isn't my biological mother, she's been very good to me. She's spent a lot of money raising me since I was little, hoping to make me the most beautiful courtesan. I know that everything about me comes from her, and I don't want to let her down."
"From the moment I became aware of myself, I prepared to become the most beautiful courtesan. I practiced diligently every day and was strict with myself. Finally, I lived up to everyone's expectations. The headmistress praised me highly, and the great scholar who taught poetry also said that I had great talent. My lyrics and dance skills were top-notch in the city."
"I thought I had the victory in the bag. But three months ago, I heard that a girl of exceptional beauty and talent had come from the capital to the Guiqulaixi Pavilion next door. She's here specifically to claim the title of the most beautiful courtesan! My mother sent people to check her out a few times, and they all said she's prettier than me..."
"The once-every-five-years courtesan competition is tonight, but I'm backing out..."
Jiang Ling gently comforted her, "The competition hasn't even started yet, how do you know you're bound to lose? Besides, you know that the title of courtesan isn't just about looks. You've worked so hard, are you really going to give up at the last minute?"
Hongxiu shook her head. "If it were just because I was afraid of losing, I wouldn't have run away. My mother said that she has invested so much in me, and it's time to reap the rewards. If I don't become the top courtesan tonight, I'll start taking customers."
“There’s a fat, bloated rich man named Huang in Daohua Village who has been eyeing me for a long time. My mother told me that if I don’t become the top courtesan, I’ll have to start taking customers. He immediately declared that if I don’t become the top courtesan tonight, he’ll book me right there. Now, he’s probably already waiting for me there.”
Under such dual pressure, it's no wonder she backed down.
Jiang Ling sighed, "But you can't hide forever. Your household registration is probably still in your mother's hands, isn't it?"
In this era, household registration is equivalent to ID card. As long as you sign a contract of servitude, you will be caught and brought back no matter where you run.
Girls who run away and are caught will at least receive a severe beating.
"Having entered this line of work, I knew I couldn't escape this kind of thing sooner or later. But today is my sixteenth birthday, I don't want to... I don't want tonight... Once tonight is over, I'll accept my fate."
After listening, Jiang Ling didn't know how to comfort her, so she could only offer the following advice:
"In that case, you can go back and tell your mother not to force you to take customers tonight."
Hongxiu shook her head again, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I mentioned it to my mother, but when she learned that I had no hope of being chosen as the top courtesan, she wasn't as accommodating to me as before. That fat, bloated Mr. Huang, upon hearing that today was my birthday, declared it double the joy. He was willing to pay extra to have me take customers tonight!"
Beautiful women have always had tragic fates!
It's not up to us at all!
Jiang Ling handed her some water and asked, "Does being chosen as the top courtesan mean you don't have to entertain guests?"
"If you can be chosen as the top courtesan, your value will skyrocket! Most of the madams in the brothel will keep their customers in suspense for a while and won't take them in so quickly. Once you're chosen as the top courtesan, you can choose your own customers. At least, you won't have to submit to Master Huang."
The thought of Master Huang's fleshy face and lecherous eyes made her feel disgusted!
Jiang Ling handed her a tissue to wipe away her tears. Her tone was serious:
"In that case, you should give it a try! You've worked so hard all these years, this is the best chance you can have for yourself right now. You know that even if you manage to get through tonight, you won't escape Master Huang's clutches. You might as well take a gamble and fight for yourself!"
Hongxiu looked up, staring blankly at her, tears still glistening in her eyes. "Take a gamble? But today..."
"When can't you celebrate your birthday? Choosing the courtesan might be your only chance in this lifetime! Five years from now, at your age, how will you compete with those beautiful girls?"
Seeing that she was listening, Jiang Ling continued:
"It's not that you're less skilled; you're just too focused on the consequences of failure, which is why you're so hesitant. Remember, the outcome is still uncertain, and we could both be dark horses! Don't worry too much about things that haven't happened yet; taking each step well in the present is the most important thing!"
"If you don't fight for it today, you will spend the rest of your life in regret!"
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