Upon hearing Jiang Yuwei's words, Manager Li was immediately in a dilemma. It was clear that Li Huarong wouldn't care about him now, as Brother Gui had made it clear when he left yesterday.
If he doesn't see the money by the afternoon, he'll have to deal with it properly. Gui Ge's ruthless methods are well-known on that gambling street. If he really can't come up with the money now, forget about going to the government, whether he can even survive tonight is another matter.
Thinking this, Manager Li couldn't help but shudder, and quickly looked at Jiang Yuwei with a forced smile, saying:
"Madam Jiang, please don't be angry. I was just confused and didn't think things through. I'm going to sell this shop sooner or later anyway, so it'll save me some trouble if I sell it sooner. Come on, let's transfer the ownership now!"
With that, he closed the shop door and headed towards the government office with Jiang Yuwei. The people who had gathered there dispersed when they saw that the matter was resolved and there was nothing more to see.
Soon the two finished the house deed, and Jiang Yuwei also settled the money. Manager Li was unwilling to return to the shop, saying that he was afraid of being reminded of the past. He simply gave the key to Jiang Yuwei and went to find Brother Gui to pay off his debts.
Jiang Yuwei looked at the keys and property deed in her hand and was very happy. Now she owned a property and a shop in the capital, and they would no longer have to set up a stall outside in the wind and sun.
Jiang Yuwei wanted to quickly tell Aunt Zhou and the others the good news, so she took Xia Yue and headed straight for the stall.
The two were walking down the street when they suddenly heard a "thump" sound coming from the alley entrance.
"Madam, there seems to be a sound. I'll go check it out."
Just as Xia Yue was about to go into the alley to check, Jiang Yuwei grabbed her hand and instructed her:
Be careful.
Xia Yue nodded and ran into the alley. There she saw a boy lying on the ground. He looked about the same age as Ning Zhao, but his clothes were dirty, his body was thin, and his face was pale and emaciated.
Xia Yue stepped forward with some concern and asked:
"Hey, is there something you need?"
Seeing that the boy remained silent and his eyes were tightly closed, Xia Yue quickly knelt down and reached out to check his breath. After trying for a while, she finally detected a faint breath and called out to the outside:
"Madam, Madam, please come in quickly, a child inside has fainted."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuwei quickly walked in. Seeing the boy before her, she immediately pulled out a silver needle from her bosom and instructed Xia Yue:
"Hurry up and go across the street to buy him a bowl of rice porridge. He looks like he's starving."
Xia Yue nodded hurriedly and ran out.
Jiang Yuwei then ripped open the boy's clothes and used silver needles to perform acupuncture on him. She couldn't let him remain unconscious for too long, or he would starve to death here.
She couldn't understand how there could be starving beggars in the capital. They could probably survive by just standing outside restaurants and picking up scraps that others didn't want.
After Jiang Yuwei finished inserting the last needle into the boy's body, he suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing Jiang Yuwei's concerned expression, and then looking down at the silver needles in his body, he said:
"Thank you so much, Madam, for saving my life."
At this moment, Xia Yue also returned with a bowl of rice porridge. Seeing that the boy was awake, she hurried over and squatted down beside him, asking:
"Can you drink this rice porridge by yourself, or do you want me to feed you?"
The boy looked at the glistening, golden rice porridge in front of him and couldn't help but swallow, but only for a moment before turning his head away and waving his hand, saying:
"You saved me today, which is already a great favor. I can't accept anything more from you. My grandmother said that one should not accept favors without having done anything in return. I haven't helped you at all, yet I'm expected to continue receiving your help. I..."
Jiang Yuwei and Xia Yue exchanged a glance, then Jiang Yuwei reached out to remove the silver needles from the boy's body and said with a smile:
"Did your grandma teach you that when you're starving, you can drink a bowl of rice porridge that someone gives you?"
The boy turned to look at Jiang Yuwei, shaking his head in confusion.
My grandma didn't mention that.
Xia Yue couldn't help but burst out laughing upon hearing this.
Jiang Yuwei smiled and put the silver needles away.
"Drink it. Only by drinking this rice porridge can you live and then help me."
The boy looked up at Jiang Yuwei, his eyes filled with hope, and said:
"Do you...do you need my help?"
Jiang Yuwei nodded.
"Drink it first, then we'll talk."
Upon hearing this, the boy quickly took the rice porridge from Xia Yue's hand and, ignoring the fact that it was too hot to drink, began to gulp it down.
"Hey, hey, drink slowly. If you're not full, I'll go buy you another bowl."
Xia Yue looked at the boy and couldn't help but worry.
The boy quickly finished the bowl of porridge, even licking the last few grains of millet off the bottom of the bowl clean with his tongue.
The boy handed the bowl of porridge to Xia Yue with a smile and said:
"Thank you."
Xia Yue took the bowl of porridge and asked:
"Is that enough? Would you like another bowl?"
The boy quickly waved his hand and said:
"No, that's enough, I've had enough."
Xia Yue then got up, took the bowl, and went to the stall across the street to deliver it.
The boy then turned to look at Jiang Yuwei and said:
"Madam, what can I do for you?"
Jiang Yuwei looked the boy up and down. He spoke with great tact and didn't seem like a sly person. Although he looked thin and pale, it was clear that his facial features were not bad.
His words just now made Jiang Yuwei understand why this child could faint from hunger in such a bustling place as the capital.
So Jiang Yuwei had an idea and wanted to take him in as Ning Zhao's page.
These days, which young master in the capital doesn't go out with servants and guards? I can't give Ning Zhao too much right now, but if I can find him a suitable page to serve him, Ning Zhao will have less to worry about.
So Jiang Yuwei asked:
"Why are you here all alone? Where are your family?"
When the boy heard Jiang Yuwei mention her family, his nose tingled, and he choked up as he said:
“My family originally lived in Shilipu, outside the capital. My parents and grandparents lived there, and we were very happy. But one night, our house suddenly caught fire, and my whole family died in the fire trying to save me.”
As he spoke, the boy raised his hand and wiped away his tears with his sleeve.
“I was the only one left alive. I had planned to stay in the village and rely on my uncles and elders, but when they saw that my parents were gone, they despised me as a burden and refused to take me in. They left me to fend for myself and even seized my family’s land.”
The boy sighed and continued:
"So I came all the way to the capital, hoping to find a job, but they all refused to hire me because I was too young and too weak. So I wandered the streets all day."
The boy looked up at Jiang Yuwei gratefully.
"I was so hungry today that I fainted, but luckily I met a kind person like you who saved my life."
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