Chapter 146 Gouging out eyes
Hongying knew that Zhou Zhining was up to no good; what she called "training" was actually torture.
But the Second Master believed her and kept her, even telling her to study hard; he forbade her to speak ill of Zhou Zhining and told her to respect her.
Hongying realized that the Second Master and that woman were having an affair!
But she didn't care; she just wanted to live a good life.
What does it matter how many women a man has in his heart? What does it matter which woman a man loves?
For a better life, she was willing to flatter men; being obedient was the most important part of winning a man's favor.
However, Zhou Zhining, that vicious woman, was too cruel. She wouldn't let her eat and made her walk back and forth carrying such a heavy basin of water. How could she have the strength?
Hongying hates not having enough to eat, which reminds her of her time begging.
They don't know what it feels like to be hungry.
Have they ever eaten dirt or gnawed on tree bark?
Did they ever try washing away bird droppings just to eat a few grass seeds?
The burning hunger, the agonizing feeling of being starved, always reminded Hongying of those unbearable days whenever she felt hungry.
She didn't want to remember it anymore.
She escaped while the old woman was dozing off.
She wanted to return to Luozhou and go back to serve the Second Master.
However, she was unfamiliar with the capital. Confined to the villa and forbidden from leaving, even if she managed to escape, she wouldn't know which way to go back to Luozhou.
That's why Zhou Zhining is so vicious. That woman knew she wouldn't be able to endure it, yet she wouldn't let her see the streets outside or meet any people.
Zhou Zhining sent people to bring her back, but she didn't really intend to capture her. She just followed behind her, making her feel terrified.
The big dogs drove Hongying to a deserted place, and she could only keep running and hiding.
She was chased by those big dogs and had nowhere to run, so she fled to the mountains.
There are wild animals in the mountains, as well as bandits and hooligans hiding in the forest.
That wicked woman wanted her to die out there, and then she told the Second Master that she couldn't bear the hardship and had run away.
But she's tough!
She survived the flood that inundated the entire town; she lived through the famine and plague that killed so many.
She rolled down the hillside, only breaking her leg, but someone rescued her, and she survived!
What does this tell us?
She was destined to survive; she was lucky!
As long as Heaven doesn't let her die, she has the life to continue living!
She wanted to keep her life to tell the Second Master just how vicious that woman was! She wanted to keep him away from that woman!
When Hongying woke up after miraculously surviving, she stared blankly at the earthen wall opposite her.
She didn't know where she was, only that the person who took her in was a village woman.
But she dared not let her guard down and dared not reveal her information, for fear of being sold out.
She pretended to be stupid, and once her leg had healed, she ran away.
"Sister, why aren't your eyes moving?"
The little girl with her hair in two buns looked at the woman in front of her with her big, bright eyes and said, "Want some water?"
Hongying's eyes flickered slightly. Holding the bowl of water in both hands, she said to the little girl, "Shh—"
She heard voices outside.
The voice was delicate and sweet, reminding her of her elder sister in the mansion. She was beautiful and noble, with a clear and powerful voice that made people dare not underestimate her.
Unfortunately, my elder sister also died in that disaster.
It wasn't the voice of that wicked woman Zhou Zhining, nor was it the voice of her maid.
Who is it?
Did this peasant woman's family betray her?
A ruthless glint flashed in Hongying's eyes. She glared at the little girl, her mind already racing with several plans to kidnap her and save her life.
She listened to the footsteps, and the moment the door creaked open, Hongying's eyes instantly went blank. She remained holding the water bowl, as if she didn't know how to drink.
When Yao Qingling went inside, she saw a woman dressed in patched coarse cloth sitting against the wall, holding a chipped bowl in her hands.
Just as Taoye said, even though she was wearing coarse clothes, she didn't have the air of a peasant woman.
Qingling didn't speak, but first quietly observed the woman.
The little girl named Maoya saw Taoye and happily called out, "Sister Taoye!"
She liked Sister Peach Leaf the most, and she always gave her candy.
Then, she glanced timidly at Qingling.
Qingling doesn't come to the village often, so the little girl doesn't recognize her.
Tao Ye took out a small piece of candy from the small cloth bag she carried with her and gave it to her with a smile, saying, "This is my young lady. You should call her Sister Qing Ling."
Hongying listened to the girl named Taoye talking to Maoya and that young lady.
They didn't seem to care about her.
Qingling...
The name sounds familiar; I feel like I've heard it somewhere before.
Her eyes moved slightly.
Yao Qingling had heard from Widow Chu that the woman they had taken in was mentally challenged. When she entered the room just now, she saw that the woman's eyes were indeed blank, and she seemed to be mentally impaired.
However, while she was playing with Mao Ya, she caught a glimpse of the woman's eyes move slightly out of the corner of her eye.
Qingling felt more confident.
She said to Maoya, "That lady doesn't drink water. Be careful she doesn't knock over the bowl. Go and get the bowl back."
Mao Ya then went to get it.
Qingling watched the woman's every move.
Mao Ya successfully retrieved the water bowl, and the woman offered no resistance whatsoever; she let go as soon as she was told to.
Mao Ya held the bowl up to Qing Ling and said, "Miss Qing Ling."
Yao Qingling glanced at the bowl of water in her hand and slowly walked up to the woman.
She suddenly raised her hand and splashed it at them.
"Ah!" Mao Ya's eyes widened in fright, and she cupped her face in her hands; Tao Ye was also surprised.
Why did the young lady suddenly attack a stranger, and why did she aim for his eyes?
Is it just because that woman has eyes that look similar to hers?
Hongying's face was splashed with water, which dripped down. A fierce look flashed in her eyes, but it disappeared in an instant.
He didn't even wipe his face, letting the water droplets fall, remaining silent, his eyes still blank.
Qingling slightly curled the corners of her lips and turned to Taoye, saying, "Her clothes are dirty, go and wipe them for her. Especially those eyes, I can't stand anyone who looks so much like me."
Tao Ye glanced at Qing Ling in alarm. Her mistress wasn't usually so cruel and vicious...
But since it was Miss who gave the order, she must have had her reasons.
"Yes, Miss."
Tao Ye took a handkerchief out of her sleeve and held it directly to the woman's eyes.
Before he could even make eye contact with her, the woman grabbed his wrist.
This movement completely exposed the fact that Hongying was disguised.
Qing Ling looked at her with a cold smile: "Not pretending anymore?"
Hongying held Taoye's hand and looked angrily at Qingling: "If I poke your eye instead, will you dodge it?"
Qingling twitched her lips and whispered to Maoya, "Share some of the candy with your mother."
Mao Ya was surprised by the woman's sudden change in expression when she heard Qing Ling's instructions. She then remembered the candy in her hand, grabbed the candy, and went out.
Inside the room, Qingling sat down on the bench opposite her and looked at the woman calmly: "Whose maid are you?"
Hongying pursed her lips and remained silent, but stared intently into Qingling's eyes.
She remembered.
Qingling… Second Master murmured her name countless times in his dreams.
Even during intimate moments with her, at the height of his excitement, he would tenderly murmur her name.
Qingling, Qingling...
Hongying silently recited her name.
Red and cyan are corresponding colors.
And her eyes...
Second Master suffered so much in Luozhou, yet he never asked for a woman, but he was willing to take her in.
What he wanted to keep was just these eyes, wasn't it?
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