A windy, moonlit night is the perfect day for killing.
Qi Nuan suddenly thought of this sentence, and she suddenly felt a little scared. She had always treated Jiang Yu like a child.
But they forgot that he was the villain in the book.
The wind blew away the cloth covering her, and she watched as he set the house on fire.
Ancient houses were mostly built of wood, and now it was autumn, the weather was dry, and the fire grew rapidly.
From the initial shock of the first fire, to the fear of the second, and now to numbness, Qi Nuan watched as Jiang Yu set six fires, burning down seven houses.
He walked cautiously and nimbly in the night. Qi Nuan didn't know if he did it on purpose or on a whim. His calmness and ruthlessness made her feel scared.
Qi Nuan knew that if she cried loudly, the villagers would definitely find him.
But she hesitated. Maybe she wasn't a good person either. Tears streamed down her face, and she didn't know why she was crying.
He is the biggest villain, who befriended a group of vicious and desperate outlaws in the chaos of the world, occupied the fortress, and became a bandit army that didn't care about their lives. As long as there was money, they would be the most loyal army.
Royal family, refugees, rebel armies, or other military forces—they'll do anything for money; they can surrender or betray at any time.
It was both despicable and terrifying, yet this bandit army was ultimately defeated by the female protagonist, with none surviving.
Jiang Yu felt the dampness on his back, but he didn't move. He just stared quietly at the raging fire in front of him.
He remembered every single person who had bullied his mother; he never forgot them.
Flames flickered in his dark eye sockets; from then on, this place had nothing to do with him.
His back was warm, but Qi Nuan still felt cold. She gently clutched Jiang Yu's clothes with her small hands and thought, "If only I were a baby."
The greatest source of unhappiness for people is knowing too much.
Jiang Yu carried her on his back through the darkness, as if he were carrying the whole world on his back.
Qi Nuan didn't know how long they had been walking.
Jiang Yu didn't put her down until it was dark, then dawn, and then dark again.
It was a bustling, lively place, but none of that mattered to them; soldiers guarded the city gates.
They had no household registration or travel permit, so they couldn't get in at all.
The place where they stayed was just a dilapidated temple.
There were also a few beggars inside, all of them children.
When I saw them, I only glanced at them before focusing on my own business.
Jiang Yu bit her finger until it bled and then put it into Qi Nuan's mouth.
Qi Nuan glanced at his indifferent face and gently began to suckle.
The man leaning against the corner had been observing them ever since they came in, and seeing this, he found it rather interesting.
"Hey, you're pretty ruthless to yourself, aren't you? But do you know this is my territory?"
Upon hearing this, the beggars in the temple all looked at them, their eyes becoming wary.
Qi Nuan's nerves were instantly on edge; she could feel Jiang Yu's body stiffen.
The temple was full of children, except for the man who was talking.
The man huddled in the corner, watching them ask casually, his disheveled hair obscuring his face. Only his figure was vaguely visible.
Clearly, these children all revolve around him.
This reminded Qi Nuan of those who exploit children for begging. She glanced around and thankfully, there were no disabled children among them.
But this didn't put her at ease. What could Jiang Yu do?
How can a seven or eight-year-old child survive with an infant?
I wish she were a little older.
Qi Nuan felt a little sad that she had become a burden to Jiang Yu.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know this was your territory. Could we stay here for the night?" Jiang Yu could tell that the people in front of him meant them no harm. He knew very well what it was like when someone was full of malice towards him.
"I can pay you."
"Oh! What's the reward?" The man asked curiously, getting up and walking towards them.
Only then did Qi Nuan get a clear look at the man's face. He looked to be in his thirties, with a scruffy beard.
Qi Nuan was also very curious about what kind of reward Jiang Yu could offer.
Jiang Yu put Qi Nuan down, took a copper coin from the sole of her shoe, and handed it to the man.
The man's mouth twitched for a moment. Although he was a beggar, he didn't really need a copper coin.
He simply asked, "Where are you from?"
Seeing that the man didn't want it, Jiang Yu put the copper coin back into the sole of her shoe.
“In Muzi Village, we ran out of food. My mother said she would take us to seek refuge with relatives, but we encountered wolves in the mountains. My mother… my mother… she…” Jiang Yu choked up as she spoke.
Qi Nuan was stunned. She had always thought Jiang Yu was a cold and aloof little villain.
"Tsk, how pathetic." Qi Nuan couldn't tell whether his tone was genuinely pitiful or sarcastic.
Jiang Yu's blood was still on Qi Nuan's lips. Just as the man was about to touch her, Qi Nuan was pulled into Jiang Yu's arms.
"She is mine."
Seeing Jiang Yu's wariness, the man had no choice but to withdraw his hand, saying, "I meant no harm, but she's still very young; she can't survive without food."
What are you planning to do?
“I will find her something to eat,” Jiang Yu said firmly, looking at Qi Nuan.
Qi Nuan looked very thin and small, with no flesh on her face, only two big eyes looking at him. When she met his gaze, she smiled at him. The man found the brother and sister pair quite amusing.
“She needs someone to take care of her, and you can’t take care of her.” His words were very blunt, and Jiang Yu knew this too. He pursed his lips and didn’t say anything.
Do you know where your relatives live?
Jiang Yu shook her head.
"In this way, I can take you in and help you take care of your sister, but you have to do things for me."
"What is it?" Jiang Yu asked.
"I can let you into the city. You can beg for a living, or you can do other things, whether it's stealing or robbing, but you have to give me 30% of the money you get."
Looking at the boy who was deep in thought, the man continued, "At night, all the beggars in the city will be driven out. Of course, if you can find a place to stay inside, you don't have to give me any."
“You’re a smart kid, I believe you’ll know what to do, otherwise you wouldn’t have chosen this place tonight.”
Why? Qi Nuan looked at Jiang Yu.
Yes, Jiang Yu deliberately chose this place. Although he was young, he had a natural keen sense of danger. There were many beggars outside the city, in corners, under trees, and in dilapidated houses.
Only children are allowed in here. They have no wounds and all have smiles on their faces, clearly indicating that they have protectors here.
Although he didn't know what kind of people were the protectors here.
But it's better than choosing other places.
Jiang Yu looked at Qi Nuan. He could be anywhere if he were alone, but now he had her, and he wasn't sure he could take good care of her.
Finally, he looked at the man and nodded.
"I can give you half of the money I get. I'll take care of her myself most of the time. Just keep an eye on her for me when I'm not around. She's a very well-behaved girl."
"No need, just give me 30%."
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