Peaceful Jianghu

Chapter 120

That's just how people are. The kind are often bullied, and the wicked are often punished by other wicked. The more you yield, the more you appear to be afraid of others. Xiaoyue, who never talks back, spoke up today, only to realize that one doesn't need to always feel inferior. Those who bully the inferior are usually inferior themselves, regardless of whether you are truly inferior. There is no inherent hierarchy among people, yet some are always eager to categorize themselves as lower to highlight those above them. It's not that people are inherently inferior, it's that they demean themselves.

While I was eating breakfast, Su Ji gracefully walked over. "Bei Fan, do you have any news about your elder brother?"

Xue Beifan shook his head.

"Oh..." Su Ji nodded, said a few casual words to everyone, and then left with a heavy heart.

Xue Beifan and Yan Xiaodao exchanged a glance—something was strange!

At this moment, a servant came in to report to Xue Beifan that Wang Bibo had brought a person from the Western Regions.

Everyone tensed up. Could it be that the human trafficker from back then had come?

Xiaoyue, however, remained focused on eating her breakfast, her expression unchanged.

A moment later, Wang Bibo strolled in from outside with a middle-aged man from the Western Regions. Seeing breakfast on the table, he quickly ran to Xiao Dao's side and said, "Give me a steamed bun."

Before Xiao Dao could even make a move, Xue Beifan shoved a steamed bun into Wang Bibo's mouth, nearly choking him to death.

After gulping down a cup of water, Wang Bibo pointed at Xiaoyue and then at Shen Xinghai to the Western Regions man.

The middle-aged man looked at the two of them blankly and shook his head in confusion.

Wei Xinjie frowned slightly and asked Shen Xinghai, "Brother Shen, do you know this uncle?"

Shen Xinghai could only sigh inwardly and shake his head. "I don't know him. The human trafficker back then was a big fat man with a red face and a full beard. It wasn't like this."

Xue Beifan frowned, "Could it be that you've lost weight, shaved your beard or something..."

Shen Xinghai shook his head.

Liu Ruyue smiled slightly, while the little maid behind her said smugly, "What a pity, she's still destined to be a servant."

Xiaoyue shook her head. "I am no longer a servant. I am a free person."

Liu Ruyue looked at Xiaoyue in surprise, then at Shen Xinghai, "Isn't Miss Xiaoyue your bodyguard?"

Shen Xinghai nodded, "Yes, but I've already returned the indenture to Xiaoyue. From now on, she can make her own decisions."

Liu Ruyue breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "That's perfect! Should I introduce Xiaoyue to a potential husband? She's at the age where she should be getting married."

Xiaoyue quickly shook her head, "No need, I already have someone I like."

Everyone was startled as Xiao Dao held a cup and gulped down the ginger soup.

"I wonder, who is Miss Xiaoyue's beloved?" Liu Ruyue asked with a smile, but the smile did not reach her eyes.

Xiaoyue finished her breakfast, put down her chopsticks, and replied, "It has nothing to do with you."

Liu Ruyue's lips twitched slightly, thinking to herself, "She's not a servant anymore, and her temper has grown!"

Xiao Dao tried to suppress his laughter, lest he spray ginger soup all over the table.

"Xinghai," Liu Ruyue turned to look at Shen Xinghai, "when are we going back? Madam Shen is worried about you."

Shen Xinghai remained silent and looked up at Xiaoyue.

Xiaoyue was talking to Hao Jinfeng beside her. It seemed that Hao Jinfeng wanted to ask about the techniques of hidden weapons and light craftsmanship. Xiaoyue was good at this, so he humbly asked for her advice.

“I…” Shen Xinghai suddenly looked up and said to Liu Ruyue, “Princess, why don’t you go back first? I still have things to do.”

Liu Ruyue was astonished, and the others present also looked at Shen Xinghai with surprise.

Wang Bibo, with a steamed bun in his mouth, tried to whistle but couldn't make a sound.

"If you don't go back soon, it will be almost New Year's." Liu Ruyue clutched a handkerchief in her hand. "When is the wedding?"

Shen Xinghai smiled, "Actually, we weren't engaged."

Liu Ruyue stared wide-eyed at Shen Xinghai, "You want to call off the engagement?"

The maid behind her jumped up, "Shen Xinghai, what do you take our princess for? Do you think you can compare our princess to a servant?"

Shen Xinghai let out a long sigh and slammed the cup down on the table. "I've had enough."

Everyone was looking at him.

"Have you had enough of what?" Liu Ruyue asked him.

Shen Xinghai smiled faintly, suppressing his anger, "Princess, please go back. There are so many men who are at your feet, one more won't make a difference. I am not worthy of you."

Liu Ruyue gritted her teeth, her face flushed. She had never suffered such humiliation. She, a princess, had traveled thousands of miles to find him, only to be told she had had enough and sent away! And she had lost to a servant who was called a human trafficker!

Just as things were getting tense, Wang Bibo suddenly slapped his forehead. "Oh dear, look at my memory! This is my coachman, the one who picked out the horse for me from the Western Regions. Oh, let that big fat guy at the door come in!"

Everyone looked towards the doorway in surprise, only to see a tall, fat man walk in. He had a fiery red face and a full beard. As soon as he entered, he seemed a little confused, asking, "Who am I supposed to recognize?"

"See if you recognize anyone here." Shen Xinghai had already recognized the Western Region trafficker; he was too easy to spot—it was the one who had sold Xiaoyue to him years ago. Xiaoyue, who also had memories from that time, recognized him at a glance and asked, "Uncle Wu?"

The fat man was stunned for a moment, stared at Xiaoyue carefully, and slapped his thigh, "Oh, it's you, little girl! You've grown so much, I almost didn't recognize you."

Wei Xinjie frowned, grabbed the fat man's hand, and pointed at Shen Xinghai, "Wasn't it him who bought Xiaoyue with you back then?"

The trafficker glanced at Shen Xinghai and nodded. "It's him, that arrogant kid, acting all high and mighty."

Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief; so that's how it is.

Xiaoyue looked up at Xiaodao and saw her smiling. Xiaodao was indeed happy—unexpectedly, it seemed that Shen Xinghai and Chonghua were both people she could entrust her life to; it was just a matter of how Xiaoyue would choose.