Chapter 329: Keep an Eye Out for Yourself
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhao Chuchu accompanied Kang Xiuwan quietly. Once the latter had cried enough, Zhao Chuchu passed a handkerchief to her and said, “Wipe away your tears. Come, have some food.’
Kang Xiuwan looked at her with teary eyes. She asked, “Why don’t you ask what happened?”
“You will tell me if you want to. If you don’t, I won’t ask any questions to remind you of your pain. Everything will be okay. What matters is that you live on,” said Zhao Chuchu as she took out the food from the lunchbox she had brought and put them on the table. “Come, let’s eat.”
Kang Xiuwan wiped off her tears, came to the table, and sat down.
The dishes were still hot. Although they were all very ordinary, Kang Xiuwan felt warm inside.
Zhao Chuchu braved the danger of being discovered and delivered this food to her in secret. As for the members of the Kang clan, aside from ridiculing her, they had completely forgotten about her existence. They did not care whether she lived or died.
As Kang Xiuwan ate, she felt as though her throat was blocked. She found it hard to swallow the food.
Her tears began to flow again.
Zhao Chuchu sighed and said, “Are you made of water? How is it that you haven’t run out of tears yet?”
“I am sorry. I am sorry…” said Kang Xiuwan as she sobbed. “It is just that I…”
“Alright, alright. I am here. Don’t be afraid. I will check up on your mother later. I will remember everything that you did for me,” said Zhao Chuchu as she patted Kang Xiuwan’s head.
Kang Xiuwan suddenly looked up and asked, “What do you mean?”
“I know that you and your mother were beaten up by your father because you didn’t want to trick me and make me come to Guangqing Province. I heard about everything on my way here. You also didn’t tell the Xia clan that I was in the province. I will remember what you did for me.”
“Chuchu, I… I just think that the members of the Xia clan are horrible. I merely didn’t wish for you to be in trouble. I didn’t do anything.”
“Regardless, you have helped me.”
Zhao Chuchu was a grateful person. Although it would not affect Chuchu much even if Kang Xiuwan told the Xia Clan that she was in Guangqing Province, the latter had chosen to keep this fact hidden. She had helped Chuchu.
This young maiden was a good person who was hard to come by. Zhao Chuchu was naturally willing to aid her.
The only problem was the Kang clan.
Zhao Chuchu was not in a position to advise Xia Chengxuan to get a divorce.
After all, the women of this era were different from those of the future. They married for life and could only endure any injustice they faced.
“Thank you,” said Kang Xiuwan. “Actually, I didn’t do anything, yet from your perspective, I’ve helped you. No matter how much I contribute to the Kang clan, they will not see it as such. How can there be such a difference between people?”
“Don’t expect much from them. Eat first. It is getting late. Your mother’s injuries should be more severe than yours. We should not dawdle.”
“Yeah, we shouldn’t.”
Kang Xiuwan’s stressed emotions were eased greatly by Zhao Chuchu’s guidance. Her appetite gradually improved.
Zhao Chuchu waited for her to finish before she began her examination properly.
“How did your leg injury worsen compared to earlier today? Did your father beat you again?” asked Zhao Chuchu as she frowned. She had not seen the handprint on Kang Xiuwan’s cheek during the day. The latter must have been hit after returning to the Kang clan’s residence!
“No,” Kang Xiuwan replied as she lowered her head and recounted the events at the gate earlier to Zhao Chuchu.
Zhao Chuchu was speechless.
This brute Kang Liang was actually so biased toward the daughter of a concubine.
These major clans of the Guangqing Province. Did they treat others like trash because they were too rich?
“It is dislocated. You’re gonna have to bear with the pain. Try not to cry out,” Zhao Chuchu instructed Kang Xiuwan. She pondered for a moment and folded the handkerchief that Kang Xiuwan had used to wipe her tears. She then passed it to the latter to bite on.
Zhao Chuchu advised, “If your father would find fault with you over the daughter of a concubine, then he might sell you off for his son. Keep an eye out for yourself for as long as you remain in the Kang clan. Don’t end up trusting the wrong people and getting yourself hurt. When that happens and no one comes to your aid, then all will be over for you.”
Although Zhao Chuchu was working on Kang Xiuwan’s dislocated foot, she kept discussing the matters of the Kang Clan with her.
Kang Xiuwan listened. She felt wronged and hopeless. For a moment, she forgot the pain in her legs.
Zhao Chuchu took the opportunity to relocate her foot with a loud crack.
Kang Xiuwan’s aching leg was instantly better, and she didn’t feel any pain at all.
“That’s it?” She did not dare believe that it was over so quickly.
“It is just a minor injury. However, do be careful for the next few days. Don’t make any big movements. Otherwise, it will easily dislocate again,” said Zhao Chuchu. “I have seen the rest of your injuries earlier during the day. I have already prepared your medicine before coming over.”
Zhao Chuchu passed Kang Xiuwan the medicine she had prepared and said, “Apply it once every two hours. Your injuries will be completely healed in less than three days. Be smart and don’t go against the members of the Kang clan if you can. There is no harm in staying out of their sight.”
She continued, “Don’t just foolishly clash with them. When you get injured, your mother will worry. Now, both of you don’t have any standing in the Kang clan. The Xia clan won’t also stand up for you. You need to learn to protect yourself. Besides, giving in isn’t bad. Being mocked by others is better than throwing your life away. Only by living can there be endless possibilities. As long as you’re alive, there is hope. Now that your father won’t do anything to you, this is also an opportunity.”
Kang Xiuwan fell silent for a moment. She then asked, “Then, what do I do if they cause trouble for me?”
Zhao Chuchu explained, “Face their rudeness with a flattering smile. They just want to see you resist and then use the opportunity to bully and put you down. Since that is the case, if you play along, act soft-spoken and subservient, they will grow tired of it and will naturally not be interested in causing trouble for you.”
How was it that Kang Xiuwan had no way of retaliating against those people’s schemes even after growing up in this clan?
If Zhao Chuchu were her, even without her current abilities, she had ways to make them fall in line.
However, Kang Xiuwan didn’t have her scheming mind and means. Even if Zhao Chuchu taught her to do so, she would not necessarily be able to achieve anvthing.
Hence, Zhao Chuchu could only teach Kang Xiuwan to protect herself for now.
As for her future, if the Xia clan was gone, the Kang clan would not end up in a good place either.
After recent events, Zhao Chuchu did not believe that Old Mrs. Yuan could continue her current lifestyle.
These clans would most likely be swallowed up.
“I will try to endure.”
“There is no such thing as trying. You must endure. Think about the situation you and your mother are in!”
Kang Xiuwan fell silent for a while.
Zhao Chuchu did not know what else to do. She gestured for Kang Xiuwan to remove her clothes so that she could apply medicine to her.
When she saw the shocking bruises on Kang Xiuwan’s fair skin, Zhao Chuchu could not help but silently curse the brute, Kang Liang.
Kang Xiuwan was his daughter. How could he treat her so cruelly?
No matter how cruel a person was, he wouldn’t hurt his own child!
When Zhao Chuchu applied just the slightest pressure, Kang Xiuwan subconsciously trembled. She even drew in cold breaths.
“Does it hurt a lot?” asked Zhao Chuchu.
“Hmm. It was so painful that I couldn’t sleep last night,” said Kang Xiuwan as she nodded her head.
“Then, I’ll be gentler.”
After applying the medicine, Zhao Chuchu secretly used her healing power so Kang Xiuwan could sleep without pain at night.
Kang Xiuwan suspected nothing. She believed that Zhao Chuchu’s medicine was so incredible that her pain vanished..