With a month to go until Lunar New Year's Eve, it's time to start preparing for the holiday. Every year, the brothel closes for the Spring Festival until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, giving the girls a holiday where they can do whatever they want.
Today, Chunying and Ping'er took the little one out. Among the girls in the building, they are always smiling and look very energetic every day.
"Sis, I want to buy books!"
Huo Xiaolong was dressed as a little lion dancer today, all red from head to toe, with a lion dance hat on his head. He tilted his head, which made Chunying completely smitten. Let alone buying books, we can now even get the most beautiful courtesan in Fengyue Tower.
"Buy it! Let's go take a look!"
There are only two bookstores in the border town.
The restaurant they went to was called Mobaozhai, which was owned by the county magistrate's wife's family. With the backing of the government, business was booming.
Books in the Great Yan Dynasty have always been precious items, and almost all the girls in the brothels are literate.
Even if none of them are short of money, they still have to think twice when buying books.
Just as the little girl was getting into her selection, she heard a boy who looked about seven or eight years old, dressed in a brocade cotton robe, say something at the door.
"Did you see those two women? They're prostitutes from a brothel. My mother said that if women like those were in the capital, they wouldn't even be allowed to leave the house; they'd be beaten to death."
The two children accompanying the little boy were also well-dressed and looked like they came from wealthy families. One of them asked...
"Then how could they come out from here? And to the library? Is this a place they should be?"
“That’s right, the teacher said that books are written by sages and worthies. Aren’t they defiling the sages and worthies of us scholars?” a child dressed as a scholar chimed in.
"Hmph! When I get home, I'll tell my mother that they won't be allowed to go out anymore! My mother said they're unchaste and bad women!"
Huo Xiaolong was a bit stubborn, and his temper flared up immediately when he heard them say that.
Who are you talking about!?
The little one's voice was still very sweet and soft, not fully developed yet, and lacked confidence.
"If you spout any more nonsense, I'll knock your heads off."
She is four years old this year. Compared to three seven- or eight-year-old boys, she is not tall enough. Coupled with her babyish voice, she looks a bit like a little kitten in a fighting stance.
"Little potato! What does this have to do with you? What's it to you?"
"Brother Yun, didn't you see? She came with those two women from the brothel."
The little boy, dressed in a brocade cotton robe, suddenly seemed to understand and said...
"No wonder you speak up for them. They're prostitutes. If you associate with them, you're no better than them! You'll grow up to be just like them!"
Huo Xiaolong felt like her temples were about to pop out. In the year she had been in the border town, almost everyone she met didn't have much prejudice against brothels and prostitutes.
To say there's absolutely none is definitely impossible.
However, most people understand that it's already good enough for a group of unfortunate girls to live together and rely on each other to make ends meet. Besides, the brothel only sells art, not sex, and even the wives who come to the brothel looking for husbands don't say anything malicious.
It seems like everyone is trying their best to live. If they were to sell themselves out of greed for wealth and status, it would be only right for them to be condemned by everyone. But all they want to do is live, and living is so difficult.
If there really is a girl who values her reputation extremely much, and a few brats say such things, and then someone with ulterior motives spreads the word, this is pushing her to the brink of ruin.
Cyberbullying is something that makes people hate to the core, whether in the past or now.
Huo Xiaolong didn't want to waste too much time talking to them. Her rule of thumb was to take action rather than argue, as she was bad at words and couldn't win arguments.
The little lion dancer suddenly transformed into a cannonball, crashing into the boy in the brocade cotton robe.
"Hey, you little potato, what do you think you're doing?"
Jin Yun, the man in the cotton robe, was the son of the owner of the Ink Treasure Studio, the son of the county magistrate's family. His surname was Huang and his given name was Yun. He was accompanied by two young attendants.
He was also the son of several merchants in the border town.
"Shut up!"
Huo Xiaolong sat on Huang Yun's lap, his two short arms swinging rapidly, punching and slapping Huang Yun's face.
It's not that her skills have deteriorated; it's just that this is the only way she can fight now.
Short and stocky, yet he can jump up and hit someone's knee?
Huang Yun's two lackeys were stunned and didn't react for a moment.
"You two... um..."
—Slap
"Get her away from me right now..."
The two men then came to their senses, and as soon as they got close, Huo Xiaolong swung his forearm at them, slapping each of them across the face. Their faces instantly became red and swollen, with small handprints on them.
"Waaaaaah, she hit me!"
"Mom! She hit me! Waaaaah!"
The two henchmen sat on the ground and started howling. Huang Yun, who was pinned to the ground, felt that she might die here today. She didn't know why this little potato was so strong. He was two heads taller than her! She didn't even have a chance to sit up and fight back. She could only cover her head with her hands to protect her face.
"Hey, what are you doing?"
What are you doing?
Chunying and Ping'er were so engrossed in browsing the bookstore that they didn't even notice where the little dumpling had gone.
Huo Xiaolong never wanders off when he goes out with them. Cen's mother often says that taking this child out is very worry-free.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the entrance of Mo Bao Zhai. Chun Ying looked around. Where was Long Er?
She quickly ran outside, and as soon as she reached the door, she saw two burly maids trying to grab Huo Xiaolong's collar.
What are you doing?
Chunying grabbed their hands, one in each hand, and the two maids felt a sharp pain in their wrists, as if their wrists were not hands, but iron clamps.
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