Erniu opened her eyes and saw Shitou's bewildered expression. She quickly explained, "Actually, strictly speaking, it's not about predicting the future. It's just that my intuition is exceptionally sensitive, and I know a lot of things. For example, the year my grandmother was sick, my mother was going to visit her. I was only two years old then, and I cried and begged her not to leave. It wasn't that I didn't want to leave my mother, but I suddenly had a feeling that if I let her go, she would never come back."
"And then what?"
Erniu's face showed a sad expression: "I was only two years old at that time, and I couldn't even speak clearly. My mother thought I was just throwing a tantrum because my grandmother was very ill, and in the end she still passed away. Later, about ten days later, my uncle came to my house, and he also brought my mother's... body."
Stone gasped, too shocked to speak.
"Later I found out that my mother encountered thugs on her way to my grandmother's house. The thugs wanted to rob my mother of her belongings, but my mother resisted, so..." Erniu was already sobbing when she got to this point.
Shi Tou reached out and touched her cheek; unknowingly, tears were already streaming down her face.
“Serena, I can’t describe the feeling, but I just know, I just know, that my father and brother are not dead.” Erniu’s voice choked with sobs as she pleaded with the stone once more, “Please, help me find them. I’m willing to do anything for you.”
Wiping away her tears, Shi Tou steadied herself and was about to speak when Bao Zi's voice suddenly appeared in her mind: "Gaga, Master, hurry up and say yes to her! Hurry up and hurry up!"
Stone paused for a moment, then replied, "Okay, I promise you. However, I have one last question."
Erniu was initially overjoyed, but after hearing Shitou's next sentence, she became a little more reserved and asked seriously, "What question? I can guarantee that I will be loyal to you for life."
“That’s not it,” Stone said calmly. “I’m just a little curious, why did you insist on coming to me?”
Erniu was taken aback at first, then casually flashed a big smile at Shi Tou: "Because I know that as long as you are willing to help, I will definitely be able to find my father and brother."
Stone looked at her speechlessly. Okay, you're the best, fortune teller!
“By the way, Master, I am now your servant. We can go and sign the contract.” Erniu took a step back and bowed slightly to the stone, her face full of respect.
Stone stared at her dumbfounded: "You really want to sign a contract?"
“Of course, the contract must be signed; it’s related to whether I can find my dad and brother,” Erniu said very firmly.
"Okay, let's just treat this as signing a contract. It's no big deal. It's an employment contract, we've signed them before." Shi Tou mentally reassured himself as he followed Er Niu toward the mayor's house.
“Master, my father used to be the mayor of this town, but since he hasn’t come out this year, the town has elected a new mayor.” Erniu explained to Shitou as they walked, “His house is not far from here, just at the end of the street.”
As they approached the mayor's house, Shi Tou felt it necessary to make a deal with Er Niu: "Er Niu, if you're going to sign a master-servant contract with me, I have one more request." Seeing Er Niu's expression change again, Shi Tou quickly said, "My request is very simple: you can't call me master anymore. I don't like hearing it."
Erniu breathed a sigh of relief at first, then asked in confusion, "If we don't call you Master, what should we call you? Should we still call you Serena? How can that be?"
"Okay, that's easy. Just call me Miss Beth!" Stone said without hesitation. After all, compared to the ridiculous title of "Master," "Miss" was more acceptable.
"Gah! Gah! Master is so mean! Baozi will never talk to Master again!" But before Erniu could speak, Shitou's head exploded.
My dear steamed bun, what are you up to now?!
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Second update...
Wait patiently ╮(╯_╰)╭
☆, Chapter 107: The Yuelong Family's Experiment
Because Erniu was present, Shitou couldn't communicate with Baozi, so she had to deal with the contract matter first.
Upon arriving at the mayor's house, to the mayor's utter astonishment, Shi Tou and Er Niu signed a master-servant contract, as follows:
Owner: Serena Beth
Servant: Linda Beth
Bathed in divine light, Serena Beth and Linda Beth voluntarily signed a master-servant contract, with Serena Beth as the master and Linda Beth as the servant. The servant must never betray her master for life; if she does, she will be abandoned by both gods and men!
Finally, after both Shi Tou and Er Niu pressed their handprints, the master-servant contract was established. Er Niu also received a new name—Linda Beth.
“Miss Beth, from now on I will be your servant, and I am willing to give you everything.” Erniu, who should be Linda now, was looking at the stone with a serious expression: “But, Miss Beth, may I ask when we will be heading to the Crimson Forest?”
You're really direct!
Stone couldn't help but purse his lips. But then again, wasn't the reason she was willing to be a servant for her father and brother? Stone carefully read the master-servant contract. It only contained the servant's obligations to the master, but had no constraints on the master whatsoever.
"Alright, let's go look for them at the market again. Hopefully, they haven't entered the Crimson Forest yet." Even so, Stone didn't intend to go back on her word. Even without Baozi's reminder, she knew that a prophet was extremely valuable. Besides, for her, the Crimson Forest was truly not dangerous.
Returning to the market via the same route, Shi Tou circled around but didn't see Lin Yao and his group: "Er Niu, have they already gone inside?"
“Impossible. I just saw that they only had two children with them. Usually, they would have at least three or four children with them. Also, Miss Beth, please call me Linda,” Linda reminded her very seriously.
Stone glanced at her dejectedly. Why had she signed a master-servant contract? And how did this child turn out like this? "But they're no longer at the market. What are we going to do now?"
Linda hesitated for a moment: "Miss Beth, should I go to the taverns and inns to inquire?"
“That works.” Stone nodded. “Then you go by yourself! I’ll just wander around here. You can bring them back to me later.”
Linda nodded in agreement, then turned and left the market.
As soon as Stone saw Linda leave the market, he quickly slipped into a side alley, then, after checking that no one was around, he "whooshed" into the space.
After so many days of training, Stone can now enter and exit the space at least twice a day without any adverse effects on her body. So, since she decided to have a serious talk with Baozi, she immediately slipped into the space.
"Baozi, what's wrong?" Shi Tou took the ring out of his pocket and looked at the black diamond on it with a puzzled expression.
"Gah! Master is so mean! Why does Master make Baozi call Master 'Master' but not the other child?"
Dizzy and confused by Baozi's string of "master" calls, Shi Tou sighed and rubbed his forehead: "Baozi, you are my dear Baozi. In this world, only you can call me master! That child doesn't deserve it!"
"Huh? Really?" Baozi was slightly taken aback by Shitou's words. "Master didn't lie to Baozi, did he?"
"Of course I wouldn't lie to Baozi! Baozi, you have to remember, in this world, you are the only one I love!" Shi Tou said these sickeningly sweet words, but in his heart he was cursing.
Clearly, she couldn't accept someone calling her "master," but if it were Baozi (a nickname for a dog), Shi Tou (another nickname) would be completely unfazed. Seriously, you can accept a dog as your pet, but can you accept a person as your pet? Please, she doesn't know about others. Anyway, Shi Tou doesn't think she's that thick-skinned.
As for owners, Baozi (steamed bun) is more suitable as an ornamental pet.
At least this way, she doesn't have any psychological burden.
╮(╯_╰)╭
"By the way, Baozi, what about Erniu? Um, is what Linda said true? Are there really prophets in this world?"
Speaking of Linda, Shi Tou felt utterly exasperated. Actually, Shi Tou hadn't intended to change Er Niu's name. But Er Niu wouldn't have it, insisting that after signing the master-servant contract, the servant must take the master's surname and be given a name by the master. Shi Tou couldn't help but deeply suspect that this child had been resentful of her name for a long time and was taking this opportunity to change it entirely?
Stone was saddened. She had always believed that only the silly bird at Grandma Qiongyao's house would do something like changing someone's name! Alas, she had fallen so low, actually stooping to be just like that silly bird…
"Hehe, of course there are prophets! But Baozi thinks that child probably isn't a prophet!" Perhaps out of jealousy, Baozi refused to call the girl by her name, calling her "child" smoothly all the time.
"If she's not a prophet, then how can she predict the future?" Stone asked curiously. Could it be some kind of special ability?
"Hehe, Baozi also finds it strange!" Baozi has been quite well-behaved lately, staying obediently on the ring and not twisting its waist wildly like a steamed bun. This made Shi Tou quite suspicious. Had this guy twisted too wildly a few days ago and hurt its old back?
"Then why are you asking me to sign a contract with her!" Stone protested. To be honest, she hadn't really intended to agree to it. Being moved by her filial piety was one thing, but actually getting her to do her best to help Linda was another. She didn't think she had any saintly qualities.
Baozi was silent for a while, probably thinking about the problem, before finally speaking again: "Gaga, Master! Do you still remember Yuelong?"
"Yuelong? What is that?" Shi Tou scratched his head. Could this be another pet kept by that god-like former owner?
"Gah... Yuelong is no good!" Baozi's voice was incredibly mournful. What's the most painful thing about chatting with someone who has amnesia? It's that she's forgotten everything, but you remember everything: "Yuelong is a prophet!"
It's a piece of trash...
That statement is incredibly profound.
Stone silently wiped his sweat: "So what? Is that all you're using to determine that Linda isn't a prophet?"
"Hehe, Master really forgot everything! Yuelong is a prophet; she can grant others temporary prophetic abilities! Baozi thinks that child's situation is similar to Yuelong's test subjects!"
Test subject...
Stone was filled with deep reverence for its god-like former master! What kind of people do you know? Anyway, she would never admit it; she could never be that former master! Yeah, definitely not!
"But you can't make me sign a master-servant contract with her for this reason, can you?" Stone was still depressed. It seemed that there would be no benefit for her to sign this contract, unless Linda could help her avoid misfortune in the future.
"Gaga, a master-servant contract! Master, you're not losing anything! Besides, maybe we can find Yuelong through that child!" Baozi suddenly became excited, and the dark diamond suddenly flashed with dazzling brilliance: "Yuelong is a good child, Baozi likes Yuelong!"
Stone gave Baozi a disdainful look: "Hey, you better not forget that you've been asleep for hundreds of years. Maybe that Yuelong is already long gone!"
Baozi glanced at Shitou with dissatisfaction and said with utter contempt, "Hehe, Master, you can't think that just because you're useless, everyone else has to be useless too. Obviously, Yuelong isn't as stupid as you. She wouldn't have died so quickly! Baozi thinks she should still be alive!"
"Should? So you're not sure either? Hmph, hundreds of years have passed, who knows what might happen? Baozi, wake up, stop dreaming!" Hearing Baozi's disdainful tone, Shitou was immediately enraged and retorted without any politeness.
So, does lifespan have anything to do with intelligence? Einstein was known for his high IQ, but he still didn't live past 100!
Unexpectedly, Baozi was truly angry this time. The black diamond dimmed, and Baozi fell silent.
Stone glared at Baozi with a depressed expression, then finally shrugged helplessly. Sigh, pets are so hard to take care of, especially a proud and demanding little Baozi like this!
Actually, this time you really can't blame Baozi. You see, for a stone, the death of people hundreds of years ago is perfectly normal. But for Baozi? It simply obeyed its owner's orders and obediently took a nap, only to wake up to find the world completely changed. This is indeed a very cruel thing for Baozi, which has never experienced any setbacks.
Even more cruelly, the stone actually reminded it that everyone it knew was dead...
Poor Baozi, mwah.
Unfortunately, Stone had no idea what Baozi was thinking. After confirming that Baozi wouldn't pay attention to her for a while, Stone decisively slipped out of the space.
Walking along the alley to the market, Stone immediately spotted Linda, who was sweating profusely and pacing around looking for him.
"Linda, I'm here." Stone waved to Linda and slowly walked over. Actually, Linda's abilities were quite good; she found the person in such a short time.
Compared to Stone's calm and composed demeanor, Linda rushed over rather unceremoniously, her large eyes already brimming with tears: "I...I thought you had left."
Well, Stone indicated that she was incapable of comforting a child: "Um, I went to pee."
Lin Yao, who was standing not far from Linda and about to speak, immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
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It's time for the second watch!
To give you a little spoiler, Yuelong is Shitou's best friend from his past life.
Besides, they're still alive and well...
Chapter 108 A Journey That Won't Be Lonely