Chapter 76 Getting Back at You
"Hey, be careful, eat slowly, there's plenty of food, don't choke."
In a small, bustling restaurant, two elegantly dressed young women sat at a table, ordering a large meal and carefully tending to a somewhat dusty, even filthy, little beggar.
Of course, the person dressed in fine clothes refers to one person, while the person taking care of them is another.
Song Jin crossed her arms over her chest. She had intended to lean on the table for support, but there was simply no room to do so with all the food on the table.
She raised an eyebrow at the table of familiar faces, then watched them wolf down their food, before beckoning to the waiter beside her.
"Keep the roast chicken and these soups. Take away the oily dishes; you can keep them for yourselves. This is enough."
Waiter: "Alright, coming right away."
The waiter worked quickly, and in no time, half of the table full of fish and meat was left. Although even half was more than the few kids could possibly finish, it was meat, meat that they only ate once or twice a year.
Now they're gone, and the little puppies are all hanging their heads, looking like stray puppies on the street.
Yang Yanjun sat opposite Song Jin, with Ningning, whose little face was covered in dust, next to her.
The little guy was thin and small, holding a big chicken leg in his hands and gnawing on it diligently, his big, bright eyes fixed on the dish being taken away.
Yang Yanjun looked at them with pity: "Just let them eat it, it's not worth much money."
"A bunch of people who usually drink plain porridge, are you really afraid they'll have diarrhea from eating such greasy food all of a sudden?" Song Jin rolled her eyes, then looked at the little brats who were hurrying to eat, and said coolly.
"Yes, yes, eat more, then we'll go stage an accident at the clinic tomorrow."
The little rascals, who had never eaten such a feast of meat in their lives, froze, staring at the meat in their hands. With a determined heart, they still took large bites.
Never mind, let's eat first, at worst we'll sleep in the outhouse.
Judging from his appearance, he must have gone hungry a lot during this time.
Song Jin asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Haven't you eaten anything for the past few days? Aren't you running a stall? Did you run out of money from last time?"
Ningning, munching on a chicken leg, said, "It got stolen! I'm starving!"
Song Jin raised an eyebrow and looked at Brother Fu, the leader, who was standing to the side: "What's going on?"
Fu was a little embarrassed. He was the oldest and most composed of the children, and his table manners were decent; he didn't snatch or grab food, and he ate in a respectable manner.
"It's nothing, I just didn't notice someone saw the money and it was stolen. It was only a little bit, and we still need to buy wood and other things to redo it, so we saved a bit. We're used to it now."
Ningning: "Our territory has been taken over too!"
Brother Fu: "...That doesn't count. They didn't kick us out; we were all selling together."
Ningning said in her childish voice, "We can't sell them!"
Brother Fu patiently explained, "That's because our skills aren't as good as others'; we need to practice slowly."
Ningning, looking adorable: "I'm hungry!"
Brother Fu became worried, and even the other children slowed down their wolfing down of their food, each of them looking distressed.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "Is it that difficult? I remember you guys did a pretty good job."
Brother Fu said bitterly, "But they're better. They have more variety, are cheaper, can talk, and are all very clean..."
In comparison, their competitiveness is much smaller.
While not all of them are unsellable, the difference compared to before is still quite significant.
Song Jin suddenly realized that if that was the case, it wouldn't be surprising why they looked so miserable.
Having lost her life savings and facing fierce competition in her career, she shook her head, about to speak.
Yang Yanjun frowned: "You were robbed? Why didn't you report it to the authorities?"
Brother Fu and the others looked at each other in bewilderment.
Song Jin looked at her with a complicated expression: "Leaving aside how much money they could have, if you send a few beggars to report to the authorities and have them arrested, how will they ever be able to make a living?"
The biggest taboo for those at the bottom is reporting to the authorities.
Besides, these little beggars are from the streets and they have skills. Can they really withstand scrutiny?
Hearing Song Jin's words, Brother Fu and the others breathed a sigh of relief. What they feared most was officials; what if they were arrested?
Song Jin watched them exchange glances, and seeing that they looked like they wanted to run away, she tapped the table and curled her lips into a smile.
"Should we help you get it back?"
Brother Fu was stunned: "Take it back?"
Brother Fu immediately recalled the scene at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet where Song Jin easily won over several people. He was overjoyed, but his mood quickly turned sour.
"We can't get it back; they've definitely spent it all."
Song Jin clenched her fist, exuding confidence and arrogance: "Don't worry, if he doesn't have money, I'll make him pay with his body."
Brother Fu was still somewhat hesitant.
Ningning, who was gnawing on a chicken leg, suddenly clenched her fist and said in a childish but fierce voice, "Blood for blood!"
Song Jin chuckled, bent down, and flicked her forehead: "Oh, so young, yet so arrogant. Didn't you say life was tough? You seem a bit fatter than last time?"
Ningning grinned: "Stealing offerings, tsk tsk!"
Song Jin chuckled twice, took out a few coins from his pocket, and handed them to her, placing them in the cloth pouch hanging around her neck.
"The money I used to buy sunflower seeds"
Ningning tilts her head
She remembered that this older sister had given her a lot of money last time, bought them many things, and taken them to release beautiful lanterns.
She patted her chest, then took money out of her cloth bag, saying in a childish voice, "Not for sale, friend, it's a gift."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "So generous? But we're not friends, so you can't give it away, you can only sell it."
Ningning was stunned: "Is...is that so?"
As she spoke, her head drooped, and the money in her purse and the chicken leg in her hand lost their appeal. She looked utterly dejected.
Yang Yanjun couldn't stand it anymore. She glared at Song Jin, patted Ningning's back, and coaxed her softly, "Don't be sad, don't be sad. Sister is bad, Auntie is good. Auntie will be your friend, okay?"
Ningning hung her head: "No, Brother Fu said there are many bad people outside, they'll kidnap me and make me their maid."
Yang Yanjun retorted, "...Do I look like a bad person? I even treated you to food."
Ningning kept her head down and didn't say anything.
Song Jin burst into laughter: "That's right, that's right! There are too many bad people outside, you have to be careful!"
Ningning nodded her head and said in her childish voice, "Ningning knows."
Song Jin smiled even more broadly and waved her hand, "Waiter, come and settle the bill. This meal is on me."
Yang Yanjun said resentfully, "You're clearly the one who's the bad guy."
Song Jin said smugly, "Children have the sharpest eyes; they can see right through the surface. Alright, everyone, eat up, and I'll go settle things for you."
Fu and the others nodded quickly, a mix of nervousness and excitement in them, and they ate faster. They were all at a crucial stage of growth, and in the end, the entire table of food was completely devoured.
Fortunately, the oiliest dishes have been removed, so there shouldn't be any major problems.
After finishing her meal, Song Jin stretched lazily and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to get revenge. As for you..."
She looked at Yang Yanjun beside her.
As a young lady with little martial arts skill, Yang Yanjun naturally wouldn't come out alone; her maids and guards followed her at a distance, in case anything unexpected happened.
Although Yang Yanjun had been somewhat indulgent lately, she was still very aware of her surroundings. It was already dusk; if she went out again, it would be dark by the time she got back.
She bit her lip slightly, hesitated, then looked at Song Jin with hopeful eyes: "You'll take me home, right?"
She didn't bring many people with her this time, and she was a little worried about going back late at night, but with Song Jin around, she instantly felt safe.
Song Jin's lips twitched: "Do I owe you anything?"
Yang Yanjun pleaded earnestly, "I owe you, please. Look at me, I'm a newly divorced woman, without a husband, without children, and without a mother."
Song Jin wasn't swayed by anything else, but this was something else entirely. She waved her hand impatiently, "Stop, stop, stop. Fine, I'll go. It's on the way back anyway. But your guards and maids can't come along; it'll be too much trouble."
Yang Yanjun immediately smiled and said, "Wait for me, I'll go tell them."
With that, she lightly lifted her skirt and ran happily outside.
Song Jin pursed her lips, then looked at Ningning, whose mouth was covered in grease, ignoring her dirty face: "You look a bit like her, but you're much cuter."
Ningning happily exclaimed, "Ningning is so cute!"
Song Jin smiled, picked up a handkerchief and handed it to her. The handkerchief was embroidered with delicate patterns and made of the finest material. Ningning took the handkerchief and promptly wiped her face with her sleeve.
Song Jin was both amused and exasperated, but she ignored her and led them to their feet. Looking at Ningning's bouncy movements, another person came to mind. She held up her hand to compare Ningning's height.
How old is she?
Brother Fu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Four years old, I guess? She was two or three months old when I found her."
Song Jin raised an eyebrow: "You weren't very old back then, were you? How dare you be so bold?"
Brother Fu scratched his head: "If we don't take care of her, she won't survive."
Song Jin: "Is someone chasing her?"
Brother Fu: "How did you know?"
Song Jin: "...Just a casual question"
When it came to the possibility of not surviving, her first thought was to hunt them down. How accurate her prediction was!
However, this capital city is truly a treacherous place; there are problems at every turn.
Song Jin clicked her tongue twice, not intending to get involved in the matter. Even if she were to get involved, she would wait until things were settled on her mother's side.
She shook her head, changing the subject: "You've got guts, and she's lucky to be alive. Let's go, I'll take you to find some money."
Seeing that she didn't intend to ask any more questions, Brother Fu breathed a sigh of relief, but was also somewhat disappointed, and reluctantly gave a soft "hmm."
As for Ningning, she was happily munching on a sweet fruit, clearly being well taken care of by her parents.
...
Yang Yanjun's situation went very smoothly. After all, she wasn't some little girl who needed adult supervision, and although the servants were worried, they couldn't control her.
She excitedly followed Song Jin and their group, winding her way through the streets, becoming increasingly remote and secluded. Her voice even softened considerably as they walked.
"Are you sure you can manage on your own? Or should you bring some people with you?"
Song Jin said disdainfully, "Aren't you human?"
Yang Yanjun whispered, "I can not be like this at a time like this."
She really knows how to bend and stretch!
Song Jin rolled her eyes and continued swaggering down the street.
The streets are becoming increasingly narrow, and the surrounding area is becoming increasingly deserted, filled with dilapidated little houses. The number of beggars wandering the streets and alleys has increased, and there are also many more of those messy little shacks.
This was Yang Yanjun's first time encountering such a chaotic place. Looking at the group of teenagers, she became more suspicious. She lowered her voice and whispered...
"Do you think they're doing this on purpose, trying to sell us out?"
Song Jin's lips twitched: "...You'd be better off worrying about me selling you."
Yang Yanjun shut her mouth
Although this place looks chaotic, the people here are actually quite perceptive.
The two women were clearly wealthy and influential, and with so many people watching, no one would want to cause them trouble. However, whispers among themselves were inevitable.
Yang Yanjun became increasingly uncomfortable and began to realize that she had acted impulsively by coming along. She could only hold tightly to Song Jin's clothes.
Song Jin couldn't shake off the person, but compared to the worried Yang Yanjun, she was extremely excited.
The more chaotic and disorderly a place is, the more scoundrels it has, the more troublemakers it attracts, and the more fights it's easy to get into.
She loved fighting. Back in Si'an County, she would go into town every now and then to pick fights. At first, it went quite smoothly, but later, as she gained experience, those people would run away as soon as they saw her, never giving her any excuse to cause trouble.
Tsk
coward
The people here are the same; those few weak women and brats, none of them dare to come and cause trouble.
Song Jin shook her head regretfully, looking down at Brother Fu who had stopped: "Found it?"
Brother Fu nodded and pointed to the sixteen or seventeen-year-old boys opposite him. Compared to Brother Fu and his group of disheveled children, they looked to be better off; they were even wearing ramie clothing.
Song Jin: "How much money did they rob you of?"
Brother Fu kept his mouth tightly shut: "Three taels, seven mace, and thirty-five cash. We originally planned to save up to five taels to rent a small room."
They're basically sleeping anywhere now. If they're lucky, they can stay for half a month, but if they're unlucky, they'll be kicked out in the afternoon after entering in the morning. This has drastically slowed down their work and earning efficiency.
Song Jin nodded: "Wait here, I'll go get the money for you."
As she spoke, she strode over.
As soon as she left, Yang Yanjun's sense of security vanished instantly. She subconsciously grabbed Ningning, touching her small shoulders, and felt a little relieved.
Ningning raised her head. She had a small face and big eyes, and a dimple when she smiled. Even though her face was dirty, you could still tell she was a beauty in the making.
Yang Yanjun couldn't resist taking out a handkerchief to wipe her face, but the dry handkerchief wasn't very effective, only removing the surface oil.
She shook her head, tossed the handkerchief aside, and reached out to poke Ningning's dimple, her voice softening considerably: "My mother has dimples too."
Ningning's eyes widened, and she said in a childish voice, "I'm not your mother."
Yang Yanjun was both amused and exasperated: "You're definitely not, my daughter! My daughter is already as big as you!"
Ningning remained wary: "I'm not your daughter."
"You certainly can't be her."
Even if they look alike, they are also similar in age.
Thinking of her young daughter, Yang Yanjun's expression gradually darkened. She sighed, "Of course you can't be her. My daughter passed away long ago."
She was 23 years old, married for seven years, and had three children: one died in the womb, one died of an epidemic, and one drowned.
Thinking of all this, Yang Yanjun's expression turned pained.
Just then, a pair of thin, small hands hugged her.
Ningning looked up at her with a troubled headache and a little embarrassed, and said in a childish voice, "Y-yes, you can be my pawn for now."
Yang Yanjun's eyes stung with tears. She tilted her head back, suppressing her urge to cry. If only her daughter hadn't contracted the disease.
She was only a little over a month old when a plague suddenly broke out in the capital. Although it was quickly brought under control, those who were infected could not return.
Yang Yanjun's eyes stung with tears: "Thank you, thank you."
Ningning covered her face shyly: "You're welcome."
When Song Jin returned with the person, the two were much closer than before.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow, didn't ask any further questions, and threw the boy that Brother Fu had pointed out to the ground, swinging his money bag in her hand.
"Let me see, three taels and seven mace, four taels it is. This little rascal has quite a bit of money on him. How many people did he rob? But whatever, you guys take yours first. First come, first served."
Song Jin muttered to herself as she handed the money to Brother Fu, then threw the remaining money bag at the boy's face and stomped on his chest.
"These little brats are under my protection, understand?"
The man looked at Song Jin with terror in his eyes, and nodded frantically upon hearing her words: "I, I, I understand, I'll never dare to do it again."
Too lazy to bother with anything else, Song Jin kicked the man again, then let go. The man scrambled away, and she turned back to raise an eyebrow at Brother Fu.
"how?"
Fu Ge's eyes immediately turned red as he looked at the loose silver in his hand.
Although he has a skill, he has only been able to make a living in the last two years. Before that, he mostly begged to support himself and his younger siblings, save money to buy materials, and save even more money. His life was anything but easy.
And most of these were obtained through good luck by begging; it would take who knows when one could save them up on their own.
His voice choked with emotion: "Thank you."
Looking at these teenagers, Song Jin's heart wasn't made of stone; she couldn't remain completely indifferent.
This time it's a stranger, so I'll just give them a token gesture. There are plenty of miserable people in the world, who can care for them all?
But having met twice, we were somewhat connected by fate, and I found them agreeable.
Song Jin scratched her head in frustration, sighed, and made up her mind: "Let's go."
Brother Fu quickly said, "Oh, this way, it's closer to get back this way."
Song Jin crossed her arms and looked down at him arrogantly: "Let's go to your place to get our luggage. Didn't you say you wanted to rent a house? I have one available, I'll rent it to you cheaply, 300 wen a month, payable monthly. It's just a bit small, do you want it?"
Three hundred a month, that's ten coins a day. There are five of them, so each of them gets two coins for their quota.
Double Ninth Festival and Horse Racing Festival
Brother Fu's eyes lit up instantly: "Rent, rent, rent! We'll rent!"
At this price in the capital, it's clear that Song brocade was offered at a significant discount.
Seeing Song Jin's nonchalant attitude, Brother Fu didn't say much. In their current situation, any further words would be meaningless.
He gritted his teeth, making a certain decision in his heart.
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