The pitiful male protagonist
Jin Yuantang carried Jin Xiaoxiao and walked slowly. Anything that Jin Xiaoxiao glanced at was bought by Jin Yuantang.
"Stealing from the young master? You're asking for trouble! I'll beat you to death!" Shouts and whipping sounds came from not far away.
Jin Xiaoxiao sat on Jin Yuantang's arm and saw the male lead and the guards beside him who were whipping people.
The wind carried the crisp sound of a long whip striking flesh, and the person being whipped curled up into a small ball.
Jin Xiaoxiao's smile vanished. "He's about to be beaten to death."
A bystander coldly remarked, "Young lady, don't pity him; he's a monster."
Jin Yuantang became interested. "Why?"
"He has six fingers on his left hand. Don't you think he's a monster?"
Jin Xiaoxiao found it absurd and retorted, "It's just an extra finger, he's not like he has three heads and six arms, how does that make him a monster?"
"Normal people have ten fingers! He has one extra, isn't that a monster!"
Jin Xiaoxiao took out a silver coin and threw it at the guard's back. "Stop! I'll pay you back, but you're not allowed to hit him again!"
The guards stopped, not even glancing at the silver, and respectfully waited for Yue Xiao to speak.
Yue Xiao glanced sideways at the dying little beggar, nodded slightly to the guard, and the guard put away his whip and stepped back.
Yue Xiao turned around and came to Jin Yuanyuan's side, his voice low and gentle, "Yuanyuan, my men punished him because he tried to steal my purse."
Jin Xiaoxiao struggled to get down and squatted down to ask the motionless person on the ground, "Hey, how are you? Are you still alive?"
The person who was curled up heard the child's innocent voice, like a turtle peeking out of its shell, and slowly opened its arms to reveal a pair of dark eyes.
"They call me a monster, a thief, a beggar. Aren't you afraid?"
Jin Xiaoxiao blinked and asked in return, "I don't even know them, why should I believe what they say?"
"Everyone who has seen my left hand says I'm a monster."
Jin Xiaoxiao pried open his dirty left hand and touched his extra little finger. "It's just an extra finger, it's not like it'll bite me."
Jin Xiaoxiao's bright eyes showed no fear, nor did they look at her as an alien; they simply looked at an ordinary person.
That ordinary look sent a sudden surge of warmth through his cold body. His eyes and heart seemed to have broken down, throbbing and tingling on their own.
He was thin and small, dressed in tattered and thin clothes, with red-rimmed eyes and a red welt on his cheek from being whipped.
Jin Xiaoxiao met his beautiful eyes without flinching. "I don't judge people by their ears or eyes, and I don't care about other people's opinions. I only trust my heart. My heart tells me that you are not a monster, you are just a person."
Jin Xiaoxiao released her hand in an inviting gesture, "Would you like to come home with me?"
Yue Xiao stared coldly at the little beggar. "Little girl, he is of low character and has a barbaric and vicious nature. I advise you to withdraw your kindness and not meddle in other people's business."
Jin Xiaoxiao's phoenix eyes flashed, and she tilted her head to look at Yue Xiao, "You beat him to near death, you're not a good person either."
Yue Xiao's eyes darkened slightly, and he shook his head. "You are too young to understand right and wrong. Theft is punishable by whipping, which is written into the law. I did not do anything wrong by hitting him."
Jin Xiaoxiao scanned his clothes from head to toe, then feigned innocence and asked, "You're not wearing official robes. Are you an official?"
The gazes of those around him changed. Yue Xiao's lips curled into a cold glare as he glanced at Jin Xiaoxiao. "Even if I'm not an official, it's reasonable for me to hit him."
After saying this, Yue Xiao turned his head and bid farewell to Jin Yuanyuan.
Jin Xiaoxiao watched Yue Xiao leave. She didn't believe that the protagonist who wiped out the entire Jin clan, seized the Jin clan's property, and allowed his subordinates to whip the people was a good person. By the same token, the villain who opposed the protagonist was not necessarily a bad person. She suddenly had some other thoughts.
Despite the disapproving looks from the two parents, Jin Xiaoxiao calmly took the little beggar's hand. Pointing to the stall, she looked up at him and said, "Are you hungry? My treat!"
The little beggar stared at Jin Xiaoxiao, realizing she really wanted to invite him, and he was confused.
In his philosophy of survival, food is above all else.
Ever since he could remember, because of the extra finger on his left hand, everyone called him a monster. No one accepted him, and he wandered the world like a lost soul.
To survive, he fought with stray dogs for food, stole things, and was frequently beaten and verbally abused; no one treated him like a human being.
Except for her!
She, this otherworldly soul, and he, this lonely little monster, were kindred spirits. Jin Xiaoxiao was determined to abduct him.
The crowd of onlookers had not yet dispersed. Jin Xiaoxiao and her companions were dressed in fine clothes, and some people were envious as they watched the little monster about to step into a life of luxury.
“The child is young and doesn’t understand. You adults can’t let her have her way. This little monster is a demon. Bringing her into the house will bring disaster.”
"Yes, yes, the young ladies and gentlemen are kind-hearted; they'll accept any food they receive."
The little monster glared fiercely at the speaker. Finally, someone was willing to accept him; if he were to be abandoned because of this…
When she tried to stop her from abducting someone, Jin Xiaoxiao exploded, "Nonsense! He's not a monster! He's clearly God's favorite, otherwise why would God give him a unique mark?"
The angle was so novel that it was difficult to find a reason to refute it. "This, he..."
Jin Xiaoxiao snorted, "No taste."
Jin Xiaoxiao pointed to the surrounding stalls and waved her little hand, "Give me one of each."
After buying the food, Jin Xiaoxiao led her people back to Buquan Temple.
Looking at the refreshed and clean-uped person, Jin Xiaoxiao nodded in satisfaction.
Jin Xiaoxiao, afraid he would feel uncomfortable, chased everyone out. She rested her chin on her hand, looking at the person eating so fiercely, and asked, "Do you have a name?"
He stopped talking and shook his head.
Jin Xiaoxiao handed him a cup of tea, "Why don't we think of a name together?"
He looked up and met a pair of bright, sparkling eyes, obediently took the teacup, and quietly agreed.
Jin Xiaoxiao turned her head and glanced at the tender buds on the branches of the trees in the yard. "Your surname is Ji, the Ji of spring, how about that?"
He drank the tea in one gulp and nodded in agreement, "Okay."
Jin Xiaoxiao smiled, her eyes crinkling. Suddenly, she remembered that the other person didn't know her name. "Ah, I forgot to tell you my name. My surname is Jin, the Jin of gold and silver, and my given name is Xiaoxiao, the Xiao of smile."
He put down his teacup, straightened his posture, and stared intently at her.
Jin Xiaoxiao dipped her finger in the tea and wrote the three characters "Jin Xiaoxiao" on the table.
"This is gold, and the character for 'laugh' is bamboo on top and 'twilight' on the bottom." As she spoke, she simply drew a curved bamboo. "Look, the wind is blowing the bamboo, making it bend. Doesn't it look like a person bending over and laughing?"
"It's drawn very realistically."
Jin Xiaoxiao gave him a speechless look. How could he possibly praise such an abstract painting? She casually wiped the water stains off the table. "Alright, have you thought of a name yet?"
"bamboo."
Jin Xiaoxiao was even more speechless. You're too casual about naming things.
"The bamboo painting is excellent."
His eyes were so sincere that Jin Xiaoxiao went along with him and said, "That's fine, but Ji Zhu doesn't sound right. Yun also means bamboo, so how about Ji Yun?"
Ji Jun nodded, a bright light shining in his dark eyes.
Jin Xiaoxiao successfully persuaded her parents to allow Ji Jun to move into the west wing of Buquan Courtyard by using her charm and cuteness.
As night fell, Ji Jun suddenly opened his eyes.
He rolled out of bed, his ears pressed tightly to the ground, and after a moment he got up and left the room.
Jin Xiaoxiao felt a huge wave crash over her as she swayed and felt a strong sense of weightlessness. She suddenly opened her eyes.
There was a figure by the bed, and she stared at it blankly for several seconds.
"Someone has come in."
Hearing Ji Jun's voice, Jin Xiaoxiao was fully awake. "Hmm?"
Ji Yun pointed to the west wing, then turned to the north, "I heard a sound, someone jumped over the wall from the back and came in."
Jin Xiaoxiao was startled after understanding his meaning, "You mean someone jumped into the north courtyard?"
"Um."
Jin Xiaoxiao hurriedly dressed and got out of bed. Her aunt lived in the north, and considering what happened during the day, Jin Xiaoxiao knew even with her toes that the person who climbed over the wall could only be the damned male lead.
He really hasn't given up his evil intentions and is about to resort to crooked tricks.
Jin Xiaoxiao's first reaction was to call for help, but she quickly denied it. If they caught them red-handed, the male and female leads would end up together!
Unable to think of any good solutions, I decided to just take it one step at a time.
Jin Xiaoxiao quickly dressed and ran out the door. Ji Jun lagged behind, wrapped her tightly in his cloak, and then picked her up in his arms, saying, "Give me directions."
Jin Xiaoxiao didn't dare to delay, so she put her arm around his neck and pointed him in the right direction.
Upon encountering the tightly closed gate, before Jin Xiaoxiao could speak, Ji Jun picked her up, nimbly climbed the adjacent courtyard wall, and nimbly jumped over it.
Climbing up Jin Yuanyuan's courtyard wall, Ji Jun tightened his grip on Jin Xiaoxiao's hand, watching warily at the person standing at the base of the wall.
The man merely glanced at him lightly before scaling the wall and leaving.
Ji Jun jumped into the courtyard with Jin Xiaoxiao and put her down.
Jin Xiaoxiao carefully pushed open the door and peered inside by the moonlight; all was quiet.
Ji Jun glanced at the courtyard wall and told her, "The person is gone."
Jin Xiaoxiao had a bad feeling.
She pushed open the door, darted past the fallen fritillaria bulb, and yanked open the bed curtains.
Ji Jun held up a candlestick to light her way, and Jin Xiaoxiao carefully observed her aunt by the light; everything seemed normal.
Jin Xiaoxiao turned her head to look at Ji Yun, who put down the candlestick and turned to leave.
Jin Xiaoxiao lifted the blanket and breathed a sigh of relief after checking her aunt's body; there were no marks on her aunt's body. So what exactly did the male lead do?
As the candlelight flickered, a red line suddenly flashed across Jin Yuanyuan's wrist.
Meanwhile, Yue Xiao stood outside the courtyard wall, looking at the thin red thread in his hand in the moonlight, "Is it done?"
Standing beside Yue Xiao was a person wearing a black veiled hat whose face was obscured. She bowed her head respectfully and said, "Reporting to Master, it's done."
He stared at the courtyard wall, a hint of madness in his eyes, "Hahahaha, Yuanyuan, you'll never leave me in this lifetime!"
Jin Xiaoxiao checked Chuanbei's breathing; thankfully, he was still breathing.
After settling Chuanbei in, Jin Xiaoxiao was carried back the way they came by Ji Yun.
She sat on the bed, unable to fall asleep.
Jin Xiaoxiao began to ponder that the beginning of the Jin family's demise was the "accidental" death of Old Madam Jin, so as long as Old Madam Jin was preserved, the demise of the Jin family could be delayed.
A finger suddenly pressed against her brow, smoothing out the wrinkles between her brows. "Don't be afraid, I'll protect you."
Jin Xiaoxiao was so engrossed in her thoughts that she forgot Ji Jun was still there.
Her head was throbbing and sore. She rubbed her temples and asked Ji Yun, "Do you want to learn martial arts?"
Ji Jun's deep eyes gazed at her. "I want to."
Jin Xiaoxiao hugged the small blanket and said, "Okay, we'll hire a martial arts master to teach you martial arts."
Ji Jun's lips tightened slightly; he was unwilling to interact with other people.
Jin Xiaoxiao quickly realized the crux of the matter.
With her future uncertain, she desperately needed a companion with high combat skills. She inexplicably felt that Ji Jun would be the most suitable companion.
To survive, Jin Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth and mustered her courage, saying, "Shall I learn martial arts with you?"
Seeing Jin Xiaoxiao's resolute expression, Ji Jun's eyes brimmed with a smile. "Alright."
Jin Xiaoxiao sighed, feeling like she had dug a huge hole for herself.
Because she had been up for so long last night, Jin Xiaoxiao was yawning all the time when she woke up the next day.
The maid advised her, "If you're sleepy, Miss, why don't you continue sleeping for a while?"
Jin Xiaoxiao patted her cheeks. A comfortable life can make people lose their fighting spirit, and she dared not relax any longer.
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