Chapter 257 - Change

Shen Xiaoyan asked for a bowl of porridge and a steamed bun, and a plate of stir-fried vegetables. She was so hungry that she quickly finished her meals.

The owner brought a bowl of water and said with concern, “Girl, it looks like you are hungry enough. Take a break and drink some water.”

Xiaoyan felt sorry for seeing the owner cared about her so much. She sighed in her heart. Now she was full, but how could she pay?

Shen Xiaoyan drank water while trying to figure out how to deal with it. However, money wouldn’t come out of nowhere. What could she do?

As the saying goes, she had to face the music. She couldn’t hide the truth that she had no money. Xiaoyan must pay for it. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to leave the restaurant.

She sighed, stood up and said to the owner, “Sir, I met with a misfortune and came here. I was really hungry, so I had to eat your meal. I am penniless, so I can’t pay you, but please take this down. I’ll definitely pay you in the future. I surely will.”

She felt a little guilty and made a bow to the owner.

Hearing this, the owner was angry, “It makes no sense. I’m running a small business and I can’t earn much for a day. How can I stand that you eat for nothing?”

He saw that Shen Xiaoyan was covered with dirt and was embarrassed. He shook his head helplessly. A lonely woman was pitiful enough, and it was not good to force her for money.

He was annoyed. He couldn’t do a losing business after being busy for it, so he asked Xiaoyan to pay the actual cost.

Shen Xiaoyan looked ashamed and helpless. Her face flushed. She lowered her head and said, “Sir, I don’t have any money. How can I pay you? Sorry, my name is Shen Xiaoyan. Please write down this account first, and I’ll pay you later.”

She was embarrassed and couldn’t explain, so she could only apologize and have the cheek to leave the shop.

The owner was very angry, but it was inconvenient for him to pull a girl. He followed her out and scolded out angrily, “You are so young and beautiful, but you are actually a person who deceives others for food. You are not as good as a beggar. It’s so hateful for you to eat and drink so happily without paying!”

Shen Xiaoyan was so ashamed that she wished she could disappear. She was like a stray dog, and hurriedly left with her head down and without a word. She still didn’t know where to go. She just wanted to run away from the place of shame.

She had just taken a couple of steps, and came across to a few people who constantly looked at her.

…

Suddenly, there were children crying nearby, which sounded like more than one child, and it disturbed the silence in the dark.

Shen Xiaoyan’s narration was interrupted by the crying. She was uneasy, and she kept looking around.

Zhang Yunyan was sad for Xiaoyan’s misery, angry for the calamity she suffered, and sighed for the sister’s misfortune. Suddenly she heard the cry of children. She could not help but paused. She frowned slightly and was puzzled. She immediately stopped to look carefully.

In the dark, no one was walk, and there was no moving shadow. In the moonlight, there was a bamboo forest on the left front, which was just outside the fence of Yan Mansion.

Zhang Yunyan listened carefully. The children’s cry was in the bamboo forest, and many children were crying together.

She kept on patrolling and wondering. What was this place? How could there be children, especially more than one?

The poor people of the Yan Village would not live here, and Yan Mansion couldn’t allow outsiders to build houses here.

Could it be another courtyard of Yan Mansion?

Zhang Yunyan looked at the tall courtyard wall of Yan Mansion and felt that the real estate outside the courtyard could only be owned by the Yan family. People living here must have some relationship with the Yan family. Otherwise they would not live next to Yan Mansion.

Could those children be descendants of Yan Xiaopeng?

She quickly denied it. Yan Mansion was luxurious and well-equipped. It was rigorously managed and vigilant. It was the house of the Yan family and also a symbol of noble status. The Yan family would not live elsewhere.

Besides this, the Yan family would not live outside for safety.

Now, the children and grandchildren of Living Yama were dead. Even here was another house of Yan Mansion. There would be no descendants of the Yan family.

Zhang Yunyan was puzzled and she asked Shen Xiaoyan.

Xiaoyan came here for such a short time that she didn’t know where it was or whether the children were from the Yan family.

The children’s cries were high and low without stopping.

Zhang Yunyan was suspicious. She turned and walked towards the bamboo forest to see what was going on.

The moonlight was obscured by dense bamboo leaves. It was dark inside and could be discerned from near.

Shen Xiaoyan was nervous and apprehensive. She was constantly looking around and couldn’t see clearly in the dark. She felt uneasy and followed her sister closely.

The bamboo forest was dense with the cry of children coming out. The living beings were awakened from their dreams. They were all panicked and didn’t know what dangerous thing was happening.

Zhang Yunyan came to the bamboo forest and looked around, and then she entered the bamboo forest and walked directly towards where the children were crying. Soon she came to an open area.

The terrain here was flat and grassy, and it was surrounded by lush bamboo forests.

On the opposite side, there was a courtyard beside the bamboo forest, which looked very large. The courtyard wall was high, and inside it was a tripled courtyard. Inside the courtyard, there were trees blocking the whole picture, making it hard to be seen clearly.

The children’s cries were in this yard.

Zhang Yunyan stopped and looked carefully. The architecture here was exquisite, and the momentum was extraordinary. It couldn’t be owned by ordinary people, and it must be another mansion of Yan Mansion.

She was still puzzled. How could there be children here? This courtyard couldn’t be inhabited by servants. Could they be the descendants of Living Yama?

Yunyan still couldn’t believe it. Even if it had some relationship with the Yan family, they wouldn’t be the descendants of Yan Xiaopeng. The Yan family’s people would not live outside, let alone children.

Shen Xiaoyan looked at the dark night and listened to the children’s cry, she was terrified. She urged Sister Yunyan to leave quickly, and nothing terrible could happen again.

She told Zhang Yunyan that although she didn’t know the Yan family since she came for a short time, she heard people say that Yan Xiaopeng and his two sons lived together, and the people living here definitely not belonged to the Yan family. She advised her sister not to delay any longer and to leave right away.

Yunyan heard the words and felt it reasonable. Yan Xiaopeng and his descendants had been killed. The children here were not from the Yan family. Perhaps the relatives of the Yan family live here, and she thought too much.

Since they were not the descendants of the Yan family, she didn’t need to care about them. She immediately stood up and left with Shen Xiaoyan.

On the way, Shen Xiaoyan went on to talk about her miserable experience.

…

As mentioned previously, Shen Xiaoyan ate and drank at the restaurant in the village and had no money to pay for the meal, so she had to leave in a humble manner.

The owner was very angry. He followed her immediately out of the door and scolded her.

Just then, several people came over.

One of them looked at the owner, and then looked at Shen Xiaoyan. He asked, “Girl, what’s wrong with you? Your clothes are not tidy and covered with dust, and you are abused by him. Is that guy bullying you? Don’t be afraid, just tell the truth. I will give him a lesson.”

This man was fat and over 40 years old. He was well-dressed and rich.

Judging from the clothes, the few people around him were the accompanying family.

Xiaoyan was a little ashamed and said, “Thank you for your care, Sir. It’s not his fault. It’s me. I have no money to pay for my meals. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, that’s the case. Isn’t it just a meal? How could you be bullied for this? Well, never mind, I’ll pay your bill.” He asked the owner, “Li Er, how much does this girl owe you?”

The owner responded, “Master Li, this meal costs ten copper coins.”

“Li Er, how could only ten coins be worthy of your endless scolding? You bully a little woman. You are quite arrogant, and you should be beaten.”

The owner grinned obsequiously and said, “Master Li, I was angry, so I… Well, I am helpless. You know that I am running a small business and it is difficult to earn even ten copper coins. Never mind, I won’t ask for the money. The meal is for free.” Then he sighed.

Master Li sneered scornfully and stared at the owner again, “That meal only costs ten coins, and you said it was for free. It is ridiculous. Forget it, I won’t let you do a losing business, and I’ll give you twenty coins.”

He was a little scornful and let the family around him send the money over.

Li Er smiled and thanked him in a hurry.

Shen Xiaoyan thanked Master Li for his generous help and relieving her distress.

Master Li smiled and said, “You don’t have to, it’s not a big deal. Girl, it looks like you came down. Judging from your accent, you are not from here. Where your home is? It’s late now, where are you going?”

Shen Xiaoyan looked sad and sighed, “Master, I have been away from my hometown and I’m homeless now… I… I don’t know where to go.”

Her eyes were moist. She looked at the darkening sky and sighed silently.

Seeing her alone and very young, Master Li felt deeply sorry for her situation.

It was late. Xiaoyan had nowhere to settle down. He proposed that she could stay overnight in the Li Mansion. After breakfast tomorrow, he would give Xiaoyan some money and arrange a car to send her home.

In distress, Shen Xiaoyan didn’t expect to meet a good man. She was surprised and happy. Not only did she have a place to stay tonight, but she didn’t have to worry about going home tomorrow.

She thanked him again and again, and followed Master Li to a large house.

It turned out that Master Li was called Li Wanfu, and also known as Councillor Li. He was a well-known magnate who lived in the Lijia Village.

Li Mansion was large and had many houses. The courtyard was neat and clean with green trees and shade. Flowers and grass were everywhere with a faint scent of fragrance. Although there were people coming and going, it was very quiet.

Shen Xiaoyan looked around and admired the quiet and elegant environment, and she was also pleased to have a place to rest for the night. She was very grateful to Master Li. Otherwise, she didn’t know how to spend the night.

They turned around and came to a room behind.

Master Li asked Xiaoyan to stay here, and he left after making arrangements.

After a while, two girls served Xiaoyan with pastry and tea and brought a new dress for her to put on.

This silk dress was soft and gorgeous with delicate workmanship and beautiful style.

Shen Xiaoyan looked it and admired. She hadn’t worn such a good dress yet in her life. However, although she admired it, if she put on such an expensive dress, she would feel uncomfortable. After she thanked them, she declined again and again.

At this time, a middle-aged woman came in.

Shen Xiaoyan didn’t know who it was and immediately got up to meet her.

When the girls saw the woman, they greeted respectfully, “Mammy Huang, this is Miss Shen.”

Mammy Huang smiled while looked at her, she said in admiration: “Miss, you look so beautiful, no wonder the master likes you so much, even I am fascinated by you.” She laughed with her eyes squint, and said, “Thank you!”

Shen Xiaoyan sighed secretly. Without any food or accommodation, how could she be happy?