"So you brought this child back?"
"Mmm!"
Huo Xiaolong nodded readily. If she wouldn't stay at the county office and insisted on going home with him, and cried when he left, then he would bring her back! Anyway, he wouldn't be short of food.
"Didn't Wang Zheng ask whose child this was?"
Cen's mother was a little angry about leaving the child with Huo Xiaolong. "You, as the county magistrate, should at least have asked him about it!"
"I asked her, but she wouldn't tell me."
Cheng Xiangxiang was a head taller than Huo Xiaolong, and she was obviously a child from the border town, otherwise she wouldn't be this tall. At this moment, the delicate and quiet girl was hiding behind the little potato who was shorter than her, with her head down and not daring to speak.
"Mom~ Uncle Wang said that if anyone comes looking for us, he will send someone to find us. So please keep her for now, I'll take care of her!"
Huo Xiaolong was very happy. Just now, Uncle Scarface had negotiated the price of the chariot down to twelve taels each, so she now had plenty of pocket money!
"It's not about the money," Cen Ang said, pinching her cheek.
The woman knelt down in front of Cheng Xiangxiang, looking her in the eye, and said softly.
"Little girl, do you know where we are?"
She shook her head and remained silent.
"This is a brothel, I know what you mean."
Cheng Xiangxiang was dressed very well, otherwise she wouldn't have been targeted and followed here by those kidnappers from out of town. She was clearly a young lady from a wealthy family. These girls were taught to manage the household from a young age and to deal with all sorts of things in their husband's family after they got married. Even if they weren't taught in detail, they should still know a little about what brothels were for.
"I want to be with her."
The little girl pointed at Huo Xiaolong, who was squatting on the ground poking at insects, her eyes filled with determination.
"Your family will..."
"My dad doesn't want me anymore, he won't care about me."
Hearing this, Cen Ang felt a warm current flow through his heart and said to her...
"And what about your mother?"
“My mother…”
The little girl was a little flustered, but remembering her mother's aggrieved and submissive appearance, she wiped away her tears and continued speaking.
My mother won't dislike me.
Her mother will always love her; no matter where she is, she will always be a piece of her mother's flesh.
Why are you crying again?
Huo Xiaolong stood up and took another piece of paper from his small purse for her.
"You cry too much. Hurry up and wipe your tears. If you cry outside in this weather, your face will get chapped very quickly."
"Long'er, take the young lady to wash her face."
Seeing that Cheng Xiangxiang had made up her mind, Cen Ang did not try to persuade her any further. After all, what difference would it make if they had to raise a child?
Huo Xiaolong led Cheng Xiangxiang into the room, prepared a basin of hot water for her to wash her face, and went to change his clothes.
"Oh dear, I've ruined my pants again. Mom's going to nag me again."
"You should mend it yourself," Cheng Xiangxiang said, looking at the pants in her hand after washing her face.
"I won't"
"Haven't you learned embroidery? I've been mending clothes my age."
"My two mothers once wanted me to learn it," Huo Xiaolong said, sitting on the edge of the bed, his legs swinging back and forth.
"And then?" Cheng Xiangxiang asked.
"And then I just didn't want to study anymore."
"Can I just not study if I don't want to?" the little girl asked, somewhat puzzled.
"yes!"
"Then... how about... I sew it for you?" Cheng Xiangxiang said shyly.
"Sure!"
It's better than being nagged. Although her two mothers wouldn't scold her, they would always keep her from going out to play for a few days.
Cheng Xiangxiang took out a needle and thread from her purse and quickly sewed up Huo Xiaolong's pants.
"Oh my, you sewed it so well, I can't even tell the pants were ever torn!"
Huo Xiaolong's straightforward praise made Cheng Xiangxiang blush a little, as if the things she had hated since childhood were worthwhile at this moment.
"Why are you carrying all these things in your pocket?" the little dumpling asked.
"Young ladies in my area always carry this when they go out."
"What's the use of bringing this thing?" Huo Xiaolong really couldn't understand what use bringing a needle and thread could have.
Cen's mother had told her that young ladies usually prepare two sets of clothes when they go out, and their maids are always on standby. If that's the case, then what's the purpose of the needles and thread that the young ladies carry in their purses? For self-defense?
"Perhaps he ran into a handsome young man whose clothes were torn and needed mending?"
"What bad luck! I even sewed it for them; you guys don't even mend your own clothes when they're torn." Huo Xiaolong muttered to himself.
"How old are you! And you already have your eye on someone?"
"I'll be a few years older when I should be getting engaged. My mother is already looking for a suitable young man for me."
"You're only seven years old!" Huo Xiaolong exclaimed in surprise. Seven years old! And you're already thinking about things so far ahead?
"Yes, that's how they all got through it."
That's how they all got through it.
These words had a profound impact on Huo Xiaolong; they were all...
"This is wrong..."
The little dumpling sat on the bed and said with a serious expression.
This is wrong. You shouldn't live like this. At the very least, you should live for yourselves.
"Huh?" Cheng Xiangxiang was stunned and didn't know how to speak.
She also felt something was wrong. She didn't want to get married so early. She didn't want to be like her mother, bringing a dowry to support her husband, managing his household, and supporting his women...
"What can we do? Very few people think it's wrong."
There weren't many complicated things between the two girls; they just talked about whatever came to mind.
There will be many, definitely.
Just because it doesn't happen now doesn't mean it won't happen in the future. She can't save everyone, but at least she can pull those around her out of the mire.
Who can blame Huo Xiaolong for having so many women around him?
"Here, pearl cream, apply it to your face."
The little dumpling handed Cheng Xiangxiang a bottle of Huaxuetang's new product. It was a gift that Hu Si'er had brought for them when he delivered goods earlier. The pearls in the sea were not regular in shape. These were pearls that the Hu family had collected by fishing them out one by one and then chiseling them open. The Hu family was grateful and had nothing else to offer, so they brought the pearls over.
They said they could string them into a bracelet or grind them into powder, it was all about the sentiment behind it for the child.
Huo Xiaolong ground it into powder as soon as he got his hands on it, added some spiritual spring water, and gave each of the sisters a jar.
The effect was surprisingly good. He Qingzhu was like a puppy hearing that it was time to eat; as soon as she saw the pearl cream, she took out her bookmark.
"A new product from Huaxuetang!" Cheng Xiangxiang exclaimed in surprise.
"You know about Huaxuetang too?"
"Yeah, his stuff is famous in the border town, but it's a shame there's so little of it. We always have to rob him; no matter how much money we have, it's useless."
"whee"
Huo Xiaolong was delighted to hear this. If business was good, she would earn more money, and who would complain about having more money?
"You're in my house, feel free to use anything at Huaxuetang."
"That would be so embarrassing."
"What's there to be embarrassed about? Can you help me sew something?"
"OK!"
The young girl still loves beauty, unaware of the great price she will pay for this nod later.
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