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The woman lowered her head, biting her lip, trembling as she took off her money pouch and handed it to the man.
After weighing the money pouch, he emptied it completely, then flung the cloth bag at the woman’s face, saying, “You’ve been working for days and only earned this little?”
“These days, business hasn’t been great, the price of meat has gone up, and even firewood costs more…” the woman muttered in defense.
“Business isn’t good? Look at all these people sitting here,” the burly man glared at the woman. “Seems like you’re trying to cheat your way out of paying.”
“I didn’t…” the woman hurriedly tried to explain.
“Don’t talk back!” The man raised his hand to strike the woman.
She flinched, closing her eyes in anticipation.
With a few slaps, tears streamed down the woman’s face like a flood bursting its banks.
“Do not hit her!” The girl leaped onto the burly man, attempting to intervene.
“You little brat!” The man grabbed the girl by the collar, lifting her up as if she were a small chick, then casually tossed her aside.
Amidst the fiery atmosphere of the stall selling red oil wontons, with pots and flames everywhere, the girl struggled, dangerously close to touching the scalding edge of a pot.
Jiang Mixia, closest to the scene, swiftly reached out and pulled the girl away just in time.
Terrified, the girl cried loudly.
“Don’t cry like a funeral, I’m not dead yet!” The man snapped impatiently. “Just like your wretched mother, always shedding crocodile tears. Who are you crying for? Hoping some wild man will come to your rescue?”
The woman, initially shocked, regained her composure and embraced the girl, weeping softly.
This spectacle attracted a crowd of onlookers.
While those at the red oil wonton stall carried on with their business, nearby customers eating cold noodles and noodles stood by watching, engaging in hushed conversations.
The burly man’s face displayed signs of anger, his fists clenched tight, veins bulging on his forehead. “Jinxed! I must have inherited bad luck for eight generations to end up with this woman. Just looking at her brings ill fortune!”
He launched a barrage of insults at the woman, pointing directly at her, seeming to find relief in his verbal outburst. After spitting on the ground, he pocketed the money obtained from the woman and strode off.
The arrival of the burly man disrupted the previously tranquil atmosphere at the red oil wonton stall, leaving it in disarray and an awkward tension hanging in the air.
The customers who were leisurely enjoying their wontons hastily finished their meals, paid, and hurriedly departed. Meanwhile, the onlookers lingered, unwilling to disperse.
“Poor Yunniang.”
“Indeed, stuck with such a brute. Xue Dake is no good either, idling away outside, drinking and gambling, then returning home to mistreat his wife.”
“Others pity Yunniang, urging her to take care of the business, yet Xue Dake accuses her of not upholding her duties as a wife, resorting to verbal and physical abuse. Rumor has it she’s even been left with injuries.”
“What use is a man like that? Why doesn’t she just take the child back to the mother’s home and disappear for a while?”
“Where can she hide? Once a daughter is married off, she’s like spilled water—her family may not support her…”
Listening to the gossip around her, Jiang Mixia began to grasp the situation within this family.
Domestic abuse from a useless man versus a woman enduring in silence.
But it was the child who truly bore the brunt of it all.
Observing the girl crying uncontrollably, Jiang Mixia felt a pang of empathy. Recalling the girl’s earlier attempts to attract customers, she handed over her handkerchief, saying, “Quickly wipe the child’s tears. The spring wind can be harsh, and tears can leave the skin dry.”
Embarrassed, Yunniang wiped her tears with her sleeve and accepted the handkerchief from Jiang Mixia, using it to gently wipe the child’s face clean.
The girl reached out and wiped away the tears from Yunniang’s face.
Moved by the child’s thoughtful actions, Yunniang’s heart clenched with emotion, tears flowing even more freely.
Jiang Mixia felt a sense of unease in her heart.
By the time Jiang Mixia finished her red oil wontons, the stall was empty. When she paid, she discreetly left a piece of silver under the bowl as payment.
She couldn’t meddle in other people’s affairs, nor could she control them. All she could do was offer some money to soothe her compassionate heart.
The disturbance earlier left Jiang Mixia feeling unsettled all afternoon. She refrained from strolling around and instead spent the time organizing the items she had purchased recently.
For dinner at the inn, she had a simple meal and retired to bed early.
Whether it was concern for Song Jingyun’s well-being in the examination hall or just the discomfort of him not being by her side, Jiang Mixia tossed and turned all night, unable to fall asleep.
Eventually, she sat up, grabbed a book, and read by candlelight—a tried and tested method to induce sleep.
This method proved effective, as within the span of a cup of tea, Jiang Mixia closed her eyes and drifted off.
However, when she awoke the next morning, she noticed a faint bruise under her eye.
It was inevitable.
Although she hadn’t stayed up late the previous night, she spent the entire night dreaming, finding herself back in high school during monthly exams, realizing she couldn’t solve a single question on the test…
Life is not worth it.
One morning began with a deep sigh from Jiang Mixia.
After a simple breakfast of rice porridge and vegetables, followed by a short nap, Jiang Mixia decided to take a stroll to lift her spirits as the sun rose higher.
Passing by the alley where she had eaten red oil wontons the day before, she hesitated about returning for another meal. Just then, she saw Yunniang briskly stepping out from the alley, handing over some silver to Jiang Mixia. “You dropped this yesterday. I’ve been looking for you. Please take it back.”
She wasn’t greedy.
Touched by Yunniang’s honesty, Jiang Mixia pushed the silver back. “This is an extra for you. Please keep it.”
Clearly surprised by the generous amount of silver, Yunniang hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. “This is too much. I can’t accept it. I… “
“I manage to get by…” Yunniang’s voice was soft. “Business is decent, and we can have enough to eat.”
“I know you can eat well, but it’s not just about having enough to eat; it’s about settling down,” Jiang Mixia insisted, placing the silver back into Yunniang’s hand. “Take it, even if it’s for the child.”
Lastly, she added, “After all, for a child, how their mother is treated will shape how they believe they should be treated.”
Yunniang was once again taken aback.
How a mother is treated will influence how a child believes they should be treated…
Would this mean that in the future, Liuya might think she should be subjected to daily abuse, continuing the cycle of her current life?
Shivering, Yunniang looked up, but Jiang Mixia was nowhere to be seen.
Even if it’s for the child…
Yunniang bit her lip.
—
Jiang Mixia felt like she had been wandering aimlessly for four days, and finally, in the evening of that day, as the doors of the examination hall opened, she caught sight of Song Jingyun.