Xu Wan lazily glanced at him and said, "Fine, then I'll just take Zong Wenxiu out. Anyway, Young Master Zong Jincheng doesn't like meeting people, so he can stay home and guard the house."0
As she spoke, she left with Cui Zhi, and Zong Wenxiu obediently followed behind her.0
Seeing this, Zong Jincheng panicked.0
This woman wasn't playing by the rules. Didn't she always stick to her word?0
Why was she being so obedient now!0
The little devil quickly found a way out for himself and hurried after them in two steps: "No way, I'm coming too! Zong Wenxiu has no experience of the world, is obedient and easily fooled. If you have ill intentions and sell him off, where would I find another companion for reading?"0
Xu Wan walked while coolly adding, "If we could sell people, you'd definitely be the first to go."0
The little devil's tail immediately perked up: "Of course, this young master is priceless, worth even more."0
Zong Wenxiu: "..."0
Xu Wan's mouth twitched, and finally, she turned to him with a smile, asking, "You really know how to justify yourself. With your weak shoulders and hands that can't even lift a thing, if someone bought you to the countryside, you wouldn't even be able to raise a pig, a complete waste of food. I'm genuinely curious, where does this unfounded confidence of yours come from?"0
Zong Jincheng's happy face, upon hearing this blunt remark, immediately fell, and his beautiful black eyes began to burn with anger: "Who would go to the countryside to raise pigs! Even if I went to the countryside, I'd be the young master!"0
Xu Wan concluded: "Oh, blind confidence."0
Zong Jincheng: "..."0
The little devil, feeling humiliated and angry, continued to nag, clearly determined to persuade Xu Wan.0
The three of them got into the carriage.0
Xu Wan took out a prepared lunchbox from the carriage and handed it to Zong Wenxiu: "It's a bit of a long journey, so if you get hungry, have some food to tide you over."0
Zong Wenxiu, flattered, nodded: "Thank you, Madam."0
The completely ignored Zong Jincheng: "?"0
What about me? What about me?0
Am I not a person too!0
He glared furiously at the two, trying to evoke some guilt, but Xu Wan completely ignored him, handing over the lunchbox and then closing her eyes to rest.0
Zong Jincheng: "!!!"0
But the boy was desperate to get up, and upon hearing Xu Wan's words, he became even more frantic, using all his strength to crawl up and run into a nearby alley without looking back.0
"Kid, why are you running?"0
"Come back, we'll take you to see a doctor."0
"Slow down, hey..."0
Two servants from Marquis Manor chased after the boy, causing the merchants on both sides to think a big official was causing trouble, and they all began preparing to pack up and go home, leading to chaos on the street.0
Zong Jincheng completely failed to understand this situation. Puzzled, he thought, "Why is this kid, covered in wounds, in such a hurry to run? Could he be a fugitive the authorities are after?"0
Xu Wan kindly reminded, "Our laws state that children under seven, even if they commit murder, are not guilty."0
Judging by the boy's age, he certainly wasn't over seven, so he couldn't be a fugitive.0
Zong Jincheng frowned and honestly said, "What about those implicated in a nine-family extermination?"0
Xu Wan: "..."0
She was actually speechless for a moment by the little devil.0
She had overlooked that there was such a crime in ancient times.0
Taking a deep breath, she said, "In recent years, the current emperor hasn't exterminated anyone's nine clans. Can't you think of something positive?"0
Zong Jincheng defended, "Is it my fault for not wanting to be positive? It's obvious he's acting suspiciously. Who runs away after being hit? It looks like he hit us."0
"The kid is covered in blood, how did you see he's acting suspicious? Judging others with petty thoughts." Xu Wan sharply evaluates.0
Zong Jincheng, with an air of righteous indignation, said, "I... I just saw it, anyway, he's not normal!"0
"Slandering people without evidence, what if you wrong him?"0
"Hmph, impossible! I've seen all kinds of people, if he's innocent, I'll write my name Zong Jincheng backwards!"0
"Hehe, let's wait and see."0
Xu Wan then had the two sit back in the carriage and headed in the direction the boy had disappeared.0
Zong Jincheng and Xu Wan, having just argued, didn't speak to each other, but Zong Wenxiu, looking at the familiar uneven road outside, nervously tightened his fingers. He glanced at Xu Wan, seemingly understanding where she had brought them.0
It was the slum where he had lived with his mother for nine and a half years...0
A place no noble in the Capital City would ever want to visit.