Chapter 186: The Guest House Collapsed

Chapter 186: The Guest House Collapsed

Xiao Chunhong and Liu Ya fetched water to wash the three little slaves. They cut the lice-infested hair short and shaved their heads. The tattered clothes on their bodies were thrown into a corner; the washable ones were patched up, and those beyond repair were cut to make shoe patches.

Old Niu brought two sets of A’shui’s old clothes, and Sui Liang provided one of his own old outfits. After some alterations by Dream Mom, the three little slaves were dressed in fitting and warm winter clothes.

“What are your names? How old are you?” Sui Liang asked.

“My name is Da Zhuang, and I don’t know how old I am.” The boy named Da Zhuang seemed a bit dull. You could tell from his voice—wooden and devoid of any sharpness.

“How many times have you seen snow?” Sui Yu asked. “Do you remember who left you in the desert?”

Da Zhuang couldn’t recall how many times he had seen snow. He mumbled, “I used to live in a village. This spring, my mother took me away with a merchant caravan. She fell ill and died. The caravan didn’t want me anymore.”

Everyone who understood the situation felt a pang of sympathy. It was likely that Da Zhuang’s mother had been a woman bought by the caravan, who left him with a farming family after giving birth. She returned to take him when he was older, only to die on the way. The caravan abandoned the fatherless and dull-witted boy in the desert to fend for himself, lucky enough to be found by a wandering knight-errant.

“He’s not too bad. He can understand instructions and work. Give him food, and he’ll grow.” Old Niu was afraid that Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping would reject the dull boy, so he chimed in, “This is your young master, called Xiao Zai. You’ll follow him. Don’t let outsiders take him away. If you take good care of him, his parents will make sure you’re fed and warm.”

Da Zhuang, who had been confused about who not to let hold him, quickly ran to Xiao Zai’s side and stared at him without blinking.

Everyone else: ......

“My name is A’qiang. I don’t have a father, only a mother. She fell ill and died, and I was thrown out. While I was fighting with dogs for food, an old man chased the dog away and asked if I wanted to go with him. So I did.” A’qiang said softly, “I’m six years old.”

“I’m six too. My name is A’shui.” A’shui squatted on the ground, cupping her face. “We’re the same age, and our names sound alike. Which month were you born?”

A’qiang shook her head. She didn’t know.

Old Niu tugged at his daughter’s little braid. Looking at A’qiang, he thought that if it weren’t for him, A’shui would also be a miserable little girl.

“You’ll be responsible for lighting fires and picking vegetables,” Sui Yu decided. This girl wasn’t suitable to be in the public eye, lest she overheard unkind remarks.

“What about you?” Xiao Chunhong nudged the other little girl.

“My name is Hua Niu. I lived in Little River Village. My brother and I went to dig for scorpions. A snake bit him, and he died. So my father sold me.” Hua Niu said sadly.

Zhao Xiping frowned. Little River Village was just outside the West City Gate. Hua Niu had probably gone into the desert with her brother to catch scorpions, where one died and the other was sold.

“Would you like to go back?” Sui Yu asked.

Hua Niu shook her head. She had run back once, only to be beaten by her father and sent back to the broker.

“Alright then, you’ll be responsible for feeding the chickens and collecting eggs,” Sui Yu sighed, having made the arrangements. She told Xiao Chunhong, “Find them a place to stay. No need for a separate guest house. Squeeze Da Zhuang onto the mud bed where Gan Da and Gan Er sleep. The two little girls will sleep with you.”

Xiao Chunhong nodded.

“I’m taking care of the children and managing the guest house, so I don’t have the energy to discipline A’qiang and the others. Teach them along the way, and make sure the girls don’t go astray,” Sui Yu added.

Xiao Chunhong and Liu Ya nodded.

When lunch was ready, the merchants came to eat, and Liu Ya and Xiao Chunhong took the three little slaves away first to keep them out of the way.

Zhang Shun returned with firewood and saw the three bald children. He asked, “Where did they come from? Did the master buy more little slaves?”

“This one is bought for the young master. These two were probably bought because the mistress took pity on them,” Xiao Chunhong explained. She tapped Hua Niu on the head and warned, “You’re lucky to have met the mistress. As long as you work hard and behave, you won’t get beaten or punished. Don’t think about your parents who sold you. From now on, this is your home.”

Hua Niu nodded repeatedly. “I understand. The old man told me that as a slave, I no longer have a home.”

Zhang Shun glanced into the kitchen yard and strode in with his bundle of firewood.

After him, ten male slaves like Qingshan and Er’hei each carried a load of branches back. They had spent half a day cutting firewood on the mountain, enough for a day’s worth of fuel for the household.

After lunch, Xiao Zai fell asleep. Zhao Xiping called Da Zhuang to guard the bedside while he sat outside the door washing clothes.

A basin of clothes was washed clean and hung in the yard to dry. By the time Xiao Zai woke up, Da Zhuang was still silently staring at him, eyes wide and unblinking.

It wasn’t until Zhao Xiping entered that the eerie scene was broken.

“From now on, when Xiao Zai wakes up, you go and call for someone. Call me, his mother, or his uncle,” Zhao Xiping patiently instructed. “Didn’t I tell you before? When Xiao Zai wakes up, you should call me. Why didn’t you?”

Da Zhuang scratched his head. “He didn’t cry.”

Zhao Xiping dressed Xiao Zai and took Da Zhuang outside. He pointed out who could hold Xiao Zai. “Remember, if anyone else tries to hold Xiao Zai, you shout that someone is stealing the child.”

Da Zhuang finally understood.

“If someone you don’t know gives you something, you can’t eat it, and you can’t let Xiao Zai eat it either,” Zhao Xiping added.

Da Zhuang nodded.

To confirm if he had truly remembered, that evening when Huang Lianzheng came to deliver supplies, Zhao Xiping mentioned it to him and asked for his help in testing Da Zhuang.

Huang Lianzheng took a chicken leg and said, “If you’re spending money to buy servants, why not buy a normal person?”

“I bought him because I happened to meet him. If I hadn’t, then so be it,” Zhao Xiping casually replied. “I just need someone to watch the child, as long as they can follow orders.”

Huang Lianzheng couldn’t understand it. Buying a fool, it would be hard to resell him later. Holding the chicken leg, he went out for a walk and saw Da Zhuang sweeping the floor. He approached him and said, “I’m full, you can have this chicken leg.”

Da Zhuang looked up, his eyes fixed on the greasy chicken leg, his mouth watering. But he remembered his master’s words—don’t eat anything given by strangers.

“Hey, you’re not eating it? Then I’ll throw it to the dog. Big Black, come here.” Huang Lianzheng called out.

The big black dog came over, wagging its tail at Huang Lianzheng. Like Da Zhuang, it stared at the chicken leg, drooling.

Huang Lianzheng painfully bit off a piece of the chicken leg and spat it out for the dog. Da Zhuang anxiously rubbed his pants, swallowing as he watched the dog eat.

“Eat it or I’ll feed it all to the dog,” Huang Lianzheng said, shaking the chicken leg.

Da Zhuang left with the broom in hand, walking so hastily that his left foot stepped on the heel of his right foot, and he tumbled to the ground with a thud.

Zhao Xiping was satisfied. To reward Da Zhuang, he let him eat the egg custard that Little Zai hadn’t finished.

"Remember, don’t let strangers hold Little Zai, and don’t let him eat anything they give him," Zhao Xiping instructed.

Da Zhuang nodded, saying foolishly, "I won’t eat either."

"Right, you won’t eat either."

...

The next morning, Huang Lianzheng brought new clothes and shoes made by Xiaomi for her parents. Zhao Xiping took along some dried chicken and duck, a hundred coins, and enough dry rations, then set out with the caravan.

Sui Yu took Little Zai to see him off. Watching the camels disappear into the distance, the waving figures gradually blurred, and Little Zai belatedly realized his father had gone again.

Hearing the child cry in her arms, Sui Yu came to her senses: "Your father has a mouth that spouts nonsense. You can’t even talk, and he pretends to consult you. Only I believed him."

Little Zai clung to Sui Yu’s neck and cried. Sui Yu didn’t comfort him but carried him back to the city on a camel. The cries of street vendors rose and fell, quickly drowning out the child’s sobs.

With tear-streaked eyes, Little Zai suddenly saw a fat black dog being sold on a leash. He pointed at it and wailed.

Sui Yu paid for the puppy. She held the child, who clung to the dog, and they slowly returned to the inn together.

Da Zhuang and the big black dog lay on a hay stack, watching people come and go from the inn. When the big black dog jumped down, Da Zhuang reacted and chased after the dog to greet the young master.

With a playmate and a puppy, the puppy also attracted A’shui and the big black dog, Little Zai quickly forgot about his father. He was busy competing with Da Zhuang in crawling and helping A’shui comb the dog’s fur, even learning from the big black dog to lick the puppy’s fur.

A’shui stopped him, saying, "Little fool, you’re human; you can’t lick dog fur."

"I’m a fool, but Little Zai isn’t," Da Zhuang stood up for him, "Little Zai is handsome."

A’shui rolled her eyes, "You’re a big fool, and Little Zai is a little fool."

"Being a fool isn’t good; no one likes it," Da Zhuang waved his hand, insisting, "I’m a fool, but Little Zai isn’t."

A’shui said nothing more and handed the small wooden comb to Da Zhuang to play with.

When Sui Yu saw the dirty Little Zai, she would brush the dust off him and pinch his little ears in disgust. When Sui Liang saw Little Zai, he would joyfully pick him up. Uncle Old Niu would tease him when he saw Little Zai, and Xiao Chunhong would call him "Young Master" in a playful tone. Merchants would call him "Little Boss" and tease him. Influenced by this, Da Zhuang learned to carry Little Zai on his back, brush the dust off him, and stop him from eating things he picked up from the ground.

Little Zai became the happiest child, even smiling in his sleep. Zhao Xiping’s departure only made him feel a bit sad when night fell.

One night, snowflakes silently fell from the sky. By dawn, the world was covered in white.

The caravans that hadn’t left yet stayed put, those that had just started their journey hurried back, and the caravans in the desert rushed to enter the pass. People scattered everywhere were forced to huddle under eaves by the snow and ice. Only the chirping of birds could be heard in the snowy fields.

With a swoosh, an arrow flew from the bow, and a black bird in the snow fell to the ground. Nearby birds fluttered up in alarm.

The big black dog led the little black dog to retrieve the prey, while the hunter moved to another spot with his bow and arrow.

Sui Yu adjusted Little Zai’s little hat and asked, "Little Zai, are you cold?"

Little Zai wasn’t cold. He was tied to Sui Yu’s chest, wrapped in a sheepskin coat, wearing a wolf fur cap, and his face was covered with soft cloth, leaving only his eyes exposed to the cold wind.

The big black dog caught up with the group, carrying the bird and the arrow. Little Zai stared down, seeing Zhang Shun take the bleeding bird, and he exclaimed in surprise.

Zhang Shun smiled and said, "When will the master return?"

"He’ll be back when the weather clears," Sui Yu kicked the snow and said, "He’ll definitely be back before the New Year."

Suddenly, hoofbeats came from the west. Sui Yu turned to look, and others also turned their heads. In the snow, someone was riding a camel toward them.

The big black dog watched vigilantly. As the camel approached, it wagged its tail twice and flicked its ears.

"It seems to be someone we know," Xiao Chunhong said.

The rider on the camel was Qingshan. Without waiting for the camel to stop, he shouted, "Master, the house across the river has collapsed."