Miaomiao pawned everything and exchanged it for a small bag of money, a large bag of flatbread, a large wooden cart, and several pieces of clothing.
“The pawn shop didn’t have a tael of silver, so they gave me over nine hundred coins, and exchanged the rest for a bag of flatbread, a wooden cart, and a bag of clothes! I calculated – I made a profit.”
Meng Ruji looked at the cart, flatbread, and bag of clothes, silent for a long time.
What do you mean they didn’t even have a tael of silver and had to exchange for cart, flatbread, and clothes… They just didn’t want to give more money, so they palmed off their useless items on Miaomiao.
But Meng Ruji turned and saw Miaomiao’s delighted face, so she also praised: “Indeed a profit – all very practical.”
“Right! Sister Ruji, go change into these quickly. I think these clothes suit you all.” Meng Ruji was startled. She saw Miaomiao taking out the clothes while saying, “Your clothes are all so dirty, especially yours – I don’t know what tore away your hem. This won’t do.”
Miaomiao handed the clothes to Meng Ruji: “Go change quickly. We should set off clean and proper.”
Hearing these somewhat strange words, Meng Ruji didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She took the clothes, held them for a moment, then slung them over her shoulder and said to Miaomiao:
“Come, Miaomiao.”
“Hmm?”
“You sit on the cart.”
Miaomiao blinked, not understanding.
Seeing that she didn’t move, Meng Ruji directly put her arm around Miaomiao’s waist and lifted her onto the cart.
Miaomiao was already on the cart in a daze. Her face reddened as she looked at Meng Ruji in admiration: “Sister Ruji is so strong.”
“Right? I’ll keep you safe this whole journey.” Meng Ruji responded, then turned to look at the several men who had gathered over. She first pointed at the rabbit:
“You, pull the cart.”
The rabbit was about to roll up his sleeves in fury when Meng Ruji gave Mu Sui a meaningful look: “You, coachman. Keep the cart-pulling rabbit in line.”
Mu Sui looked at Meng Ruji somewhat speechlessly, but still chose to suppress the rabbit’s “uprising” with his gaze.
The rabbit dared to be angry but not speak, stamping his feet in rage until the ground shook under his large feet.
Meng Ruji nodded with satisfaction, feeling those big feet would surely pull the cart fast and steady.
Turning around, Meng Ruji said to Mo Li and Ye Chuan, “You two, guards. From today on, Miss Miaomiao is our employer. Throughout this journey, you must serve her wholeheartedly and keep her safe. Understand?”
Ye Chuan, who had finished carving the door for free, patted the wood shavings off his hands while nodding: “I’ll listen to Miss Meng.”
“I can’t do it.”
Mo Li voiced his resistance: “I’m an old man. I should ride the cart too.”
Meng Ruji glared at him irritably: “With your long legs and arms, one step covers more ground than the rabbit’s jumps. What cart do you need?”
“I don’t care. You promised to support me in my old age. Since when do you make your eighty-year-old father work? I want to ride the cart, I want to!”
Seeing Mo Li ready to sit on the ground and throw a tantrum, Meng Ruji’s face turned iron-blue. She glanced at Mu Sui beside her, who was also watching with folded arms like he was enjoying a show.
Mo Li’s “I don’t care, I don’t care” echoed in their ears.
The words “I can manage them” that Meng Ruji had said earlier seemed to turn into slaps hitting her face with resounding “smacks.”
Meng Ruji covered her face, unable to meet Mu Sui’s gaze.
Miaomiao looked at Mo Li, who had abandoned all dignity and sat on the ground, and asked curiously: “You’re still quite young. Why do you need Sister Ruji to support you in old age?”
Hearing this, Mo Li stopped making a scene. Sitting on the ground, he propped his head up and looked at Miaomiao with a smile: “Because someone read my fortune and said I’d die alone in old age. I refuse to accept this fate.”
“Die alone in old age?” Miaomiao was somewhat surprised. “Do fortune readings come true?”
“Hard to say. Aren’t I fighting against it now?”
“If the King of Hell wants you to die at the third watch, you leave at the second watch – that also breaks fate.” Unexpectedly, Mu Sui spoke up. He looked down at Mo Li coldly: “If you die now, we’re all here with you-not alone, and you haven’t aged either.”
These words silenced everyone.
The rabbit was the first to react: “City Lord, big brother is right! City Lord big brother makes perfect sense!”
Ye Chuan also stroked his chin thoughtfully: “These words contain deep wisdom. Worth contemplating.”
Even Meng Ruji couldn’t help applauding, looking at Mu Sui and thinking: Brilliant! Brilliant!
Only Mo Li, sitting on the ground, looked up at Mu Sui while also folding his arms, smiling: “City Lord Mu, didn’t succeed in the Nai River, still want to kill me now?”
Mu Sui corrected indifferently: “Helping you fulfill your wish.”
Mo Li patted his bottom and stood up, hiding behind Meng Ruji. He grabbed her sleeve and put on the act of a delicate, wronged little wife: “Little Meng, control your husband. Look what he’s saying – so frightening. You made a pact with me – you won’t let him kill me.”
Mu Sui glanced at Mo Li’s hand, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
Meng Ruji shook off Mo Li: “I said, stop acting!”
Seeing this, Miaomiao laughed on the cart, saying with anticipation: “You’re all so interesting! I’ve been in the market for so many years, and today seems like the most interesting day! The journey to Zhuliu City will be even more fun than today.”
Meng Ruji looked at Miaomiao with heartache, then glared at Mo Li irritably: “Stop making trouble!” Meng Ruji stuffed the bag of clothes into Mo Li’s hands. “Under my watch, I can protect you, but you must follow the arrangements.”
“I’ll listen, I’ll listen. But I don’t need new clothes either. I’m injured and tired lately. Don’t make me walk – let me rest well so I recover faster.”
Mo Li said no more and transformed into a stone, trying to burrow into Meng Ruji’s embrace.
But before the black stone could touch Meng Ruji’s clothes, Mu Sui caught it.
Meng Ruji’s heart jumped, and she quickly grabbed Mu Sui’s hand: “Don’t crush him!”