Xiao Qian'er always felt that she was destined to be with the benefactor of the fourth room.

At her young age, most children have just begun to explore the things around them and have a short memory of what they have played with and eaten.

Things that happened today will be forgotten tomorrow, and most of the time all we need is to play carefree and grow up innocently.

But for Xiao Qian'er, who grew up in an orphanage, she was too hungry, too cold, and too painful.

Nothing around her ever smiled at her, except for the small, round face reflected in the black-tiled water tank.

Therefore, there was no such thing as curious exploration of everything. Instead, Xiao Qian'er was a little timid. She just liked to go back to her woodshed where logs would roll down and hit her head at night, and stretch her limbs and roll around happily on the kang made of half rags and half straw.

Because of this, she matures earlier than her peers, is more sensitive to her surroundings, and has a deeper memory.

So a long time ago, someone from the foundling home told her that she was picked up from the door by the nobleman from the fourth room.

Xiao Qian'er remembered these words, which were vaguely related to her life experience, for a very long time. Even though she had forgotten who said them, they were still engraved in her little head.

The eldest lady from the fourth room was my savior.

Before today's maid selection day at the foundling home, Xiao Qian'er often sneaked to the area where the fourth room was located.

She couldn't enter the house, nor did she dare to enter. She didn't come here to look for the inestimable lady.

I just want to be close to the fourth room.

So Xiao Qian'er would run there whenever she had free time, either sweeping leaves or cleaning the floor.

She just did the work she was capable of.

And whenever she saw someone from Room Four approaching, Xiao Qian'er would run away.

Quietly doing what she can do.

So today when the managers of each room came to select maids, the place Xiao Qian'er wanted to go the most was the fourth room.

However, it is just wishful thinking after all.

Kunbo, the steward of the fourth room, didn't even look at her and went to choose another abandoned maid with better conditions.

Even though Xiao Qian'er clearly remembered that this Kun Bo must have seen her many times when she went to clean outside the fourth room silently.

Maybe in his eyes, there are too many servants like Xiao Qian'er who curry favor with the fourth room?

However, at this moment, fate did not seem to have completely abandoned Xiao Qian'er.

At the entrance of the lobby, Kunbo's respectful voice was heard.

The eldest lady is here!

Zhao Qian'er forgot the pain on her face as if it was poured with boiling hot oil, forgot the defensive posture to resist the possible punches and kicks from the big boy behind her, and also forgot her miserable appearance at the moment.

She stood up, stood on tiptoe, stretched her neck, and looked toward the door eagerly.

He was at a loss, with an expectation in his eyes that he dared not think about but could not help but look forward to.

Outside the door, after Kunbo went out to greet them, faint voices could be heard.

After three breaths, the group of people led by the fourth wife outside the door still showed no sign of coming in. They seemed to be just passing by.

Xiao Qian'er's beating heart suddenly dropped when it was lifted up suddenly. Her heart seemed to stop for a moment, and she felt a slight pain.

She seemed to have regained some consciousness, and the severe pain on her face that she had previously suppressed slowly came back.

Like the tide on a moonlit night, wave after wave, pushing higher and higher.

Xiao Qian'er covered her small chest and breathed hard. Her face had an unhealthy red color, and it was unclear whether it was the blood left by the red and swollen scratches, or something else.

Her small body suddenly trembled all over, and the next second she took a panicked step forward.

At this moment, a sound of "ouch" came from behind.

Xiao Qian'er was startled and turned around to see that the big boy who was squatting on the windowsill without recognizing anyone was slipping and falling down.

This scene just happened to catch her eye.

At this moment, it’s almost too late.

Xiao Qian'er didn't even have time to change the pitiful expression on her face. Without even thinking, she leaned forward and reached out to take it.

Next second.

“Hmm!”

"ah!"

thump--!

Xiao Qian'er and Zhao Rong fell to the ground together and hit each other's foreheads.

The former was even more unlucky, being treated as half a meat pad.

But she has a small body and barely has any flesh on her, so how could she be as comfortable as a meat pad?

Zhao Rong felt uncomfortable too, and he propped up his arms while unable to help inhaling.

What's more, Xiao Qian'er seemed to have done more harm than good.

Little Zhao Rong rubbed his arm and said angrily: "You did it on purpose, right? I have a way. How could I possibly fall down? In the end, you blocked me from below..."

He was so annoyed that his voice gradually became softer as he spoke, because he saw that something seemed to be wrong with this unfortunate girl.

Xiao Qian'er fell to the ground on her side, curled up, and cried in pain.

The crystal tears made the dirty little cheeks even more blurred. The expression on the face could not be seen clearly, but the pair of big eyes seemed to be washed by tears. The corners of the eyes were red and the pupils were a little dazed. She covered her mouth and cried stupidly, but she seemed afraid to be too loud. Her little shoulders twitched.

Zhao Rong closed his mouth, reached out and gently patted her arm, "Hey, little girl, are you okay?"

At the same time, he looked around, glanced at the door, put down his arms that were supporting his body, and fell to the ground next to Xiao Qian'er.

It seemed as if he was afraid of making too much noise and being discovered by someone.

Zhao Qian'er didn't say anything. She gritted her teeth to endure the pain and moved back, fearfully wanting to stay away from this strange big boy.

At this moment, the voices coming from outside the door seemed to be getting smaller and smaller.

The eldest lady still didn't come in.

Xiao Qian'er quickly prepared to get up and move forward.

But the next second, she lay down again. It was the big boy behind her who pulled her hand, and his tone seemed a little embarrassed.

"Hey... Um, thank you. But don't stand up yet, check where you bumped into something."

Xiao Qian'er became anxious and pulled her hand back with force, but her head was still looking towards the door, wanting to see the benefactor who was just a step away from her.

At this moment, outside the door, a noble lady was holding the hand of a little girl in a skirt.

There were two beauties, one big and one small, followed by a large group of maids.

Zhao Kun was standing in front with his fists clasped, listening to the noble lady's instructions with a serious expression.

It had nothing to do with the matter of selecting maids for the Orphanage Hall after his death, but was about giving instructions for the matters concerning the Fourth House.

Next to the noble lady with an indifferent expression, there is a quiet and silent little girl in a skirt. She is as delicate as a piece of jade, with a teardrop mole under her left eye. At first glance, she is the beauty that is described in books every day.

She was turning her head and looking around curiously, her beautiful eyes seemed to be searching for something.

At this moment, the noble lady suddenly looked over here, and the little girl in the skirt quickly retracted her gaze, lowered her eyes and looked at the ground quietly.

The noble lady asked coldly, "Mr. Kun, have you seen Zhao Rong?"

Zhao Kun had a calm expression and shook his head.

Xiao Qingjun raised the corners of her lips and smiled quietly.

Brother Rong'er runs really fast.

"You keep making trouble every day. If you have the guts, don't come back. He ran fast just now. If he dares to lie to Qingjun and run around again... cough cough!" The lady frowned and snorted coldly, then suddenly covered her mouth and coughed twice.

Zhao Kun and Xiao Qingjun, who were secretly thankful that Rong'er ran so fast, immediately stepped forward and spoke with concern.

The lady took the handkerchief and waved her hand.

"Zhao Kun, go and do your work. Select the maids as soon as possible and don't use any unqualified ones to fill in the numbers."

Zhao Kun clasped his fists in response.

The lady took Xiao Qingjun's hand and left without even looking at the lobby of the foundling home.

At a certain moment, the tall old man paused slightly before entering the door, turned his head to look at the back of the noble lady, and then walked into the door calmly again.

…

The voices outside the door suddenly disappeared, and then the footsteps of the group of people seemed to be getting farther and farther away.

Xiao Qian'er stood there in a daze and stopped crying.

There was no sound either.

She silently lowered her head and began to wipe her bruised face with her sleeves. She wiped her bruised face with great force, and even though the wound was torn, she did not react at all.

Because it really doesn’t hurt anymore.

A big boy who had just breathed a sigh of relief after escaping a disaster was eating wild fruits. Seeing this, he swallowed his saliva and silently put the fruit into his arms.

The little maidservant sat on the ground, blood streaming down her face, and continued to hug her knees with her head buried between them.

Still in that skilled defensive posture.

But at this moment it was more like a dead object without any breath.

She ignored the big boy next to her who liked to climb the windowsill, nor did she pay attention to the names of the selected maids called out by the stewards in the hall.

Everything outside the knees turned into a black and white silent film, performed silently.

She continued to have a bright smile on her little face.

She continued to think seriously about eating wood after being crushed by it.

Time passed like flowing water.

In the lobby of the foundling home, the selection of maids had already ended.

It was true that no one had ever called her by her name, and she was one of the few remaining redundant maids.

One figure after another walked past her.

In the end, she and the older boy who had been talking to himself the entire afternoon were the only ones left at the back of the lobby.

She didn't respond.

Time goes on.

As the sun sets, smoke rises from the houses in the distance.

"Silly girl, are you hungry? Forget it, being dumb is boring, let's go."

The older boy jumped up, clapped his hands, and finally left.

At a certain moment, in the afterglow of the setting sun, Xiao Qian'er, who was curled up under the windowsill, slowly raised her head. She did not pick up the fruit and cloth medicine bottle left by someone beside her.

Instead, he lowered his head and left the lobby silently without saying a word.

She walked at the very edge of the road, her steps stumbling, but she did not block others' way or bother anyone.

Even though the road was extremely empty at this moment, there was not a single servant from the mansion.

Xiao Qian'er limped back to her quiet little firewood room.

My stomach is growling with hunger.

She curled up and hugged her knees and sat on the cold kang where she used to like to stretch and roll around.

When the last ray of sunlight disappeared over the distant hills.

In the dark and quiet woodshed, waiting for the moonlight to illuminate it, it was pitch black. Xiao Qian'er rubbed her empty belly and picked up a small wooden stick that looked delicious with a bright smile.

I just spent a long time choosing.

It has been a long time since I have enjoyed the joy of choosing food.

She carefully and meticulously removed the burrs on the surface, then held the small wooden stick horizontally and vertically to compare them.

She smacked her lips.

It seems like a VIP sitting in a luxurious restaurant, with the best sea bass placed in front of him, looking left and right, elegantly searching for the best position to take a bite.

Not long.

Faced with the most picky meal of her life, the little girl in the dark no longer hesitated.

She lowered her head.

Open your mouth.

Took a bite.

"Hey, silly girl, are you stupid? What's so delicious about wood? I've eaten it before, and it tastes a bit astringent. It made my mouth bitter for three days."

Suddenly, a casual voice sounded in the room with only firewood.

Xiao Qian'er was stunned, biting the wooden stick in her mouth and turning her head away blankly.

On the windowsill, a figure has been squatting since I don't know when, in a posture that doesn't recognize anyone, and with a familiar tone of voice.

"Let's eat this."

Zhao Rong, an unconventional windowsill climber, jumped off the windowsill in a very cool and unnecessary manner, raised his thumb and pointed behind him.

A small head was popping out from behind the windowsill behind him.

She was a little girl in a skirt with a faint teardrop mole under her left eye.

Xiao Qian'er thought she was very beautiful and had never seen one before. She was standing outside the window looking at her curiously.

Xiao Qingjun was quiet, holding a food box in both hands.

When she saw the silly little girl biting the wood in the house looking at her, she quickly freed up one of her tender white hands and waved it vigorously.

There was a faint smile on her cheek.

Standing between the two of them, Zhao Rong also smiled brightly.

Xiao Qian'er still had her mouth wide open, her young teeth stuck in the wood, and she seemed reluctant to pull them out.

She stared at the strange pair of playmates, her eyelashes trembling.

“Mmm…”

"You're so stupid."

"Puff~"

"What are you laughing at? You are the same. You ran so slowly during the day and were caught by the eldest lady. I said, can't you just stop wearing a skirt that gets in the way?"

"You! If you keep saying that, I won't pick out the fish bones for you!"

“…”

That night, a little maid finally got to eat fish again, but this time.

There are no more thorns.