Tang Xiaohuan suddenly felt cold all over. She thought it was because she was not getting enough sleep. She rubbed her arms and suggested...
"Why don't we go back and get some sleep first, and come back when it gets dark?"
"No, who knows when she'll come down? What if we miss her!"
"Too."
Tang Xiaohuan had no choice but to tough it out. She nodded and dozed off while trying to keep an eye on the entrance downstairs, her eyelids practically glued shut.
They endured until nightfall, both of them straining to keep their eyes glued to the stairwell. But as time ticked by, it grew darker and darker, and fewer and fewer people walked by. In the end, the moon hung high in the sky, the stars twinkled, but Yu Jiu still made no move.
"Wait a little longer, maybe she'll come down soon, she'll come down soon."
Tang Xiaohuan paced anxiously, looking uneasy, unsure whether she was trying to comfort herself or Niu Er.
Niu Er flexed his wrists, having basically given up hope. He patiently waited for one last hour, until midnight, but she wasn't coming.
"How could this happen? I'll go up and find her! I'll drag her down, I'll trick her, I'll make her come down!"
Tang Xiaohuan's patience had run out, and she angrily went to find Yu Jiu. Just then, Niu Er suddenly stepped forward, took out a wad of cloth that he had prepared beforehand, stuffed it into Tang Xiaohuan's mouth, and then quickly took a rope and tied her up.
"Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!"
Tang Xiaohuan shook her head in terror. "What are you doing? We're partners! Why are you kidnapping me? You should be kidnapping Yu Jiu!"
"You stinking woman, how dare you play me! Not only are you average-looking, but you're also not very bright. If I can't catch that pretty woman, can't I at least take you with me? Something is better than nothing."
Niu Er slapped her hard across the face, then picked her up and carried her away, no matter how much Tang Xiaohuan struggled, it was no use.
Let me go! I can give you money, however much you want, please let me go, don't tie me up! Waaaaah!
Tang Xiaohuan wept in despair, struggling incessantly, her teeth chattering like wriggling worms. But Niu Er neither heard nor wanted to hear her cries, carrying her swiftly into the darkness.
In the end, she reaped what she sowed and was sold to the remote mountains she had always longed for, where she was forced to serve several men as a shared wife, working tirelessly day and night, more hardworking than an ox.
She cried until her tears ran dry, but it was no use. Only then did she begin to regret having such a crooked idea. But what did that have to do with Yu Jiu? She had already set off for her bright future.
The next morning, as dawn broke.
Today was the day Yu Jiu was to go to the countryside. They were to meet at the train station at nine o'clock, but she had to leave at eight. She got up at five and, in the dark, covered the pots, pans, cabinets, and tables with her small, broken bowl, ransacking the living room and bedroom, leaving them with only a pile of junk.
The mother and her two daughters, crammed into one room, were completely unaware of all this; they even dreamed of getting rich.
Yu Jiu took out a small candle, lit it at their doorway, and then placed a circle of paper around it. Whether the fire would start or not depended on their luck; anyway, she was already gone, and they would need evidence to catch her.
Yu Jiu left without looking back. She had already checked and Tang Xiaohuan and the man weren't outside. However, just to be on the safe side, she didn't go downstairs directly. Instead, she knocked on Aunt Wang's door on the third floor. Her light was on, and someone was already up.
"What's wrong, Xiao Jiu? Is there something you need?"
The aunties who had paid for the medical expenses yesterday had already spread rumors about Chang Xiaolan's hypocrisy in selling her daughter, ruining her reputation completely. So when Aunt Wang saw Yu Jiu, she felt pity mixed with a little heartache, and treated her quite well.
“I don’t want to marry Director Ge. In fact, my parents are selling me to him for a huge dowry. They won’t care if I die in the Ge family. That’s why I signed up to go to the countryside. But I’m a little scared. Aunt Wang, could you please take me to the train station? We have to meet up today.”
Yu Jiu stood awkwardly in front of the door, giving Aunt Wang an embarrassed smile, her eyes shy and uneasy, completely different from her during the day.
She was pretty and charming, and used polite language. She said she was going to the countryside, but she only carried two simple little bundles. It seemed that she hadn't even prepared all the daily necessities. What would she do when she got to the countryside? Could she even stand it?
Such a fair-skinned and delicate little girl, what a tragedy!
Aunt Wang patted her head affectionately and gave her two steamed coarse grain buns that she had made herself.
"Okay, I'll take you there. Take this and eat it on the way. I don't have much to give you, so consider this a small token of my appreciation. Be careful when you get to the countryside. There are all sorts of scoundrels out there. Especially since the people in the countryside are very united, and you're a former educated youth, you're not on their side. If something happens, they might not help you."
"Remember, you must keep a low profile. It's best not to wash your face, or you'll get dirty. Also, try to please the brigade leader and the party secretary. That way, they'll be more likely to look after you if anything happens."
As Aunt Wang walked, she earnestly taught Yu Jiu how to survive in the countryside.
Yu Jiu took a lot of it to heart, especially the part about blackening her face. She was indeed too conspicuous. She had suffered a lot of harassment when her face was disfigured, let alone now.
"Don't worry, Aunt Wang, I will try my best to take good care of myself."
She touched her face and nodded solemnly.
"Hey, I hope you can listen to me. Being pretty is both a good thing and a bad thing for a girl. Be careful."
Aunt Wang was very pleased; the little girl who listened to advice was even more likable.
She took Yu Jiu directly to the train station. Yu Jiu observed along the way and found that Tang Xiaohuan and Niu Er were nowhere to be seen. She guessed that Niu Er had already taken Tang Xiaohuan away and that Niu Er would not let her go.
In her past life, Niu Er had captured her and wanted to take Tang Xiaohuan with him. This time, if Tang Xiaohuan hadn't had money on her to pay off the trouble, and if Niu Er hadn't been afraid of alerting him, she would have been in trouble herself.
In this life, Tang Xiaohuan reaped what she sowed. Her father went to jail, and her mother lost her most prized reputation. As for her sister and brother, their father's huge debts were enough to pay them off. Without the money she earned from selling herself, could they still be happy? Next, they'll probably tear each other apart over money.
Yu Jiu had already achieved her revenge, and she wouldn't care about the rest. Hatred couldn't bind her; what she needed to do was become strong. She knew that in a few years, the college entrance examination would be reinstated, and business would be allowed. If she just had to get through those few years, opportunities would be everywhere in the future.
"Yu Jiu, is that you? You came so fast. No wonder you volunteered to go to the countryside. Here, take this. I specially requested this thermos for you. I like girls like you!"
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