Hearing Fengfei call her "Auntie," the old woman's wrinkles instantly smoothed out like flowers blooming. But upon hearing Fengfei's "excuses," her brows furrowed again: "Why aren't you looking worried? Look at you, your brows are all furrowed, your mouth is drooping, and your face is rather ashen. Clearly, something's troubling you. Alright, I'm not trying to pry into your affairs, but that's how life goes. Whether you laugh or cry, it's still a day. Living each day with a heavy heart is just making things difficult for yourself, isn't it? Isn't that foolish?"
She then ignored Feng Fei completely, carefully wrapped the hairpin she had just bought in a white silk handkerchief, and slowly put it into her bosom. She then picked up her vegetable basket and walked towards the vegetable stall.
I was both amused and exasperated.
These four words best describe Feng Fei's current mood; other words seem inadequate. Touching the wrinkles between her brows, Feng Fei exhaled a deep breath. These were clearly wrinkles drawn on by her disguise, not her sorrow at all! She tugged at the corners of her mouth, patted her face, and seemed to realize that her mood wasn't actually that high.
Watching the old woman and the vegetable vendor haggling loudly back and forth, Feng Fei suddenly felt something that had been holding him back completely release. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, the world seemed clearer. Even the jade-colored spiritual energy that had been slowly circulating within him suddenly became active, rapidly circulating according to the natural cycle of Qi without his conscious guidance. Feng Fei was initially startled, but seeing nothing wrong or any potential danger, he truly relaxed and grinned.
Although Feng Fei's smile was radiant, it appeared terrifying and shocking to those around him!
They stared at a woman with thick, dark eyebrows, a face full of gray freckles, bright red lips, a large, menacing mole, many wrinkles between her eyebrows, and dull skin, laughing wildly. It was truly terrifying!
People around Feng Fei turned their heads away and stopped looking at him. Feng Fei, oblivious, continued to laugh arrogantly. Ming Feng, perched on Feng Fei's shoulder, covered its face in shame. How embarrassing! The person it was following was truly shameful!
Chapter 38 The Little Beggar
Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Little Beggar
Feng Fei laughed for a while before finally stopping.
The atmosphere around him was a bit strange. Feng Fei touched his nose and looked at the sharp eyes that kept glancing at him. Thinking about his behavior just now, Feng Fei roughly guessed the reason.
Feng Fei smiled awkwardly, told Ming Feng to hold onto his shoulders firmly, and then quickly left Xidao Street.
Feng Fei was going to Jinmanlou, the largest restaurant in Fengdu.
Jinmanlou is the most luxurious and upscale restaurant in Fengdu, catering to the city's elite and powerful figures. Therefore, it's clear from Feng Fei's current appearance and her undisclosed identity that she wasn't there to indulge in pleasure. While searching through her past life's memories, Feng Fei inadvertently learned that one of the head chefs in Jinmanlou's back kitchen had been saved by her predecessor and held immense gratitude towards her.
This is the person Feng Fei is looking for.
Feng Fei strolled freely down the street, confident that no one in Feng City would recognize her. Even if Yuan Jue stood in front of her, he might not be able to tell that the ugly woman in front of him, dressed in gaudy clothes and with exaggerated makeup, was Feng Fei.
Phoenix flowers also grow everywhere in Fengdu, just like in Qingfeng Town, blooming wildly and bringing comfort and joy.
Feng Fei closed his eyes, slightly intoxicated, but when he opened them again, his gaze was sharp.
Feng Fei walked slowly towards Jin Man Lou, keeping to her own rhythm. It was still early, and Jin Man Lou might not be open yet. Besides, although her predecessor hadn't revealed her identity when saving that person, who could guarantee that person wouldn't see through her past self's disguise? Her predecessor was a naive young girl, her mind still immature, so she needed to carefully plan how to meet that person without arousing suspicion.
As he walked slowly, making plans in his mind, Feng Fei finally arrived at the main road where Jin Man Lou was located just before noon.
Jin Manlou is located in the southern part of Fengdu. The royal palace of the Vermilion Bird Kingdom sits in the center of the southern city, which is divided in two by a north-south avenue. Jin Manlou is located on the west side of the avenue, slightly away from the royal palace.
The Vermilion Bird Kingdom is always exceptionally hot in the height of summer, and it was noon at this moment. The sun overhead was relentlessly radiating its heat, making those without martial arts skills feel as if their entire bodies were burning. However, Feng Fei, nourished by the jade-colored spiritual energy within his body, did not experience the slightest discomfort.
Looking around at the upscale restaurants, Feng Fei couldn't help but regret coming to Nancheng at this hour. Although she had some silver on her, it was all given to her by Yuan Jue; once it was gone, it would be gone, and she never knew when she would have to return it. The shops in Nancheng were all very expensive, and the things they sold were also very pricey; it was impossible to find a place that could provide a decent afternoon meal.
After thinking about it, she realized that she wasn't in a hurry to find that person anyway, so she decided to go back first and come back later in the evening. Besides, as the saying goes, it's easier to get things done when it's dark!
It took most of the day to get to the south city, but only an hour to get back to the north city.
Feng Fei suddenly had a craving for wontons. After searching for quite a while in the northern part of the city, he finally found a very popular wonton stall in a somewhat secluded alley. The owner of the wonton stall was a woman who looked to be in her early thirties. Time had left its mark on her, but her shrewdness and competence were equally evident on her face.
"Boss, a bowl of wontons, please. No cilantro, extra chili and vinegar!" Feng Fei called out loudly, watching the busy boss.
"Okay!" The boss said in a drawn-out tone, but it didn't sound offensive; instead, it gave off a warm feeling.
Feng Fei smiled slightly and found an empty table to sit down.
The stall was doing brisk business. Most of the people eating wontons were ordinary locals from Fengdu, so there were mostly women. They sat in small groups, chatting about neighborhood gossip, their faces full of smiles that reflected the joy of life.
Feng Fei listened quietly, a slight smile appearing on his face.
At her table were two elderly women, praising each other's sons and daughters-in-law, while humbly complaining about their own sons' shortcomings. This tapestry of human life slowly unfolded in Feng Fei's mind.
In the Celestial Empire, although such a life belonging to ordinary people also exists, most of what Feng Fei sees has been mixed with power and money, and has long lost its original simplicity and naturalness. Therefore, everything Feng Fei feels now gives her a dazed feeling of being in a dream.
Maybe it really is just a dream.
"Miss, here are your wontons." The owner's voice reached Feng Fei's ears, penetrating her somewhat drifting consciousness.
Feng Fei was slightly taken aback before smiling and thanking the boss.
Shaking her head, Feng Fei didn't know why she suddenly felt a lot of emotions today.
Putting irrelevant matters aside, Fengfei ate the wontons heartily, comparing them in his mind to those from the wonton shop in Qingfeng Town. The final conclusion was: they were about the same.
With a chuckle, Feng Fei finished the last sip of soup, called the owner over to pay, added a wish for the owner's booming business, and then leisurely left.
Feng Fei thought about what he was going to do that night and decided it was best not to reveal himself directly. He paused, just in time to see some little beggars dressed in tattered clothes. On a whim, he bought several large bags of steaming buns from a nearby stall before slowly walking towards the little beggars.
The group of beggars consisted of seven children, five boys and two girls. Although their clothes were somewhat tattered, they were not very dirty.
A little girl leaned weakly against the wall, panting slightly, looking as if she was about to die. However, Feng Fei could tell from her unmoving eyes that she wasn't really dying, but pretending. Another girl, even younger, followed closely behind a boy who seemed to be the leader of the group of little beggars, her face filled with a determined will to live.
A little boy stood guard beside the girl leaning against the wall, warily watching for any approaching crowd. When Feng Fei drew near, he glared at her with hatred. The last three little boys followed behind the leader, their eyes gleaming with intelligence.
At first, the four little boys and girls who were slightly away from the corner of the wall did not notice Feng Fei's approach. They were closely observing the people walking back and forth on the street, seemingly looking for a kind-hearted person so that they could go up and beg for a meal.
The first to speak was the little beggar who had spotted Feng Fei from the beginning and was standing guard next to the girl leaning against the wall. "Stop! Don't come any closer!" His childish voice carried a surprising cynicism.
Feng Fei raised an eyebrow, but didn't make any gesture towards the little beggar. Instead, he looked at the boy in the lead.
The little beggar at the head of the group frowned when he saw Feng Fei approaching, then relaxed and asked slowly, word by word, "Who are you?"
Feng Fei chuckled softly, "Who I am is not a question worth asking. You should ask me what you want by coming closer." Feng Fei gently tossed a paper package containing steamed buns into the air, causing it to open slightly and release the unique aroma of the buns.
The eyes of the seven little beggars present immediately lit up, and even the girl who was leaning against the corner pretending to be weak widened her eyes, her eyes filled with greed.
The first to come to her senses was the little girl following behind the boy in the lead.
"What do you want us to do?" The little girl's voice revealed an undeniable wisdom and composure.
Feng Fei looked at the young girl with surprise. She looked young, but she was definitely a worldly-wise and shrewd person.
Feng Fei curled the corners of his lips, spread the steamed buns in front of them, and said with a smile, "There are some things, but they're not difficult. If you can help me with that, not only are these steamed buns yours, but I'll also give you some extra money. What do you think?"
Although the question was directed at the seven little beggars in front of him, Feng Fei was actually asking about the little girl and the boy who was in the lead.
The little girl pursed her lips, her face expressionless, and took a small step back, standing precisely behind the boy in the lead. Although the boy wasn't very tall, he was tall enough to completely conceal the little girl's body.
The little boy held the little girl's hand behind his back, looked up at Feng Fei, and instead of immediately agreeing, asked, "What do you want us to do?"
"It's simple. Please help me contact someone. It's not convenient for me to show up," Feng Fei shrugged and replied nonchalantly.
The little boy glanced back at the little girl and saw her shake her head slightly. Just as he was about to refuse, the little beggar guarding the other girl suddenly spoke up: "We agree!"
After helping the little girl in the corner to sit up, the little beggar ran up to Feng Fei and snatched several paper packets containing steamed buns from Feng Fei's hands. He threw one to the other three boys, one to the leader and the girl behind him, and kept the rest of the packets, saying, "Xiao Ying isn't feeling well, she should eat more."
The other three little beggars glared at him, but he didn't care at all and actually helped the girl named Xiaoying walk deeper into the alley.
The boy in the lead stopped the three little beggars, shook his head, and said, "Forget it, they always do the same thing. I already talked to him about it last time. If he does it again next time, we'll just ignore them. This time is perfect, we'll just leave them alone from now on." The three little beggars' faces first showed anger and dissatisfaction, then elation. They had long been fed up with those two people—the man was crazy, and the woman was pretentious. They were clearly beggars just like them, but they always put on airs and never begged.
The little girl opened the paper package, scooped out three buns, and handed them to the three little beggars, saying softly, "Brothers, my brother and I don't eat much, so please accept these three buns. You work very hard."
The three little beggars initially refused, but eventually, they couldn't resist the persuasion of the little boy in the lead, and blushed as they thanked him and accepted the steamed buns.
Seeing that the three little beggars had accepted the buns, the little girl turned back to Feng Fei, her face still expressionless: "We agree. But it's just me doing it; none of them are as smart as me."
The little girl seemed to be boasting about her abilities, but Feng Fei knew she was trying to take all the blame and not involve others. Feng Fei truly admired the little girl, and her heart softened.
Smiling, he reached out to pat the little girl's head, but she turned her head away, which didn't bother Feng Fei.
"Okay, but will your brother agree?"
Sure enough, the boy in the lead refused to agree from the start.
Feng Fei just smiled, wanting to see how he would handle the little girl.
Chapter 39: Taking in Two Siblings
The little girl didn't immediately lecture her brother. Instead, she stretched out her hand to Feng Fei and said expressionlessly, "I'm sure I can do this, so you have to give me the money first."
Feng Fei didn't know where this little girl got so much confidence, but she didn't feel any aversion at all. Instead, she became even more interested in the little girl.
“This is fine.” Feng Fei scooped a silver ingot from his purse and placed it in the little girl’s hand. “This is ten taels. Do you think that’s enough?”
Without any hesitation, the little girl handed the silver ingot to the three little beggars: "Brothers, I'll be working for that auntie from now on, so I won't be able to help you anymore. Keep this silver ingot and plan how to use it wisely, don't waste it." Feng Fei raised an eyebrow slightly at the little girl's address of "auntie." Although she was a nearly thirty-year-old single woman in the Celestial Empire, in this world she was still a little girl under thirteen.
The three little beggars looked at each other, their eyes showing a mixture of interest and hesitation. Finally, one of them gritted his teeth, stepped forward, took the silver, and whispered with his head down, "Little Mo, thank you. We were able to live better than other beggars because of your and Brother Xuan's care. Thank you." Then he grabbed the other two little beggars and ran away into the distance.
The little girl watched the three beggars run away quietly, sighed almost imperceptibly, then turned to Feng Fei and stretched out her hand: "That's not enough. What you're asking me to do might cost me my life. I need more money to ensure my brother can live a good life."
"Little sister!" the little boy said, about to refuse, but the little girl waved her hand to interrupt him: "Brother, you have to listen to me on this matter."
The little boy lowered his head. Although he usually made the decisions, when it came to important matters, he relied on his younger sister, who was two years younger than him.
"You need to help my brother buy a courtyard house, and give the deed to my brother. Then leave fifty taels of silver for my brother, and help him find a job where he can learn a trade." The little girl listed her requirements one by one. Her orderly manner made Feng Fei feel that this child was also a time traveler, with an adult's mind inside her small body.
Thinking about it, he couldn't help but say, "Little girl, you've thought this through very thoroughly! Do you think your brother is just a background actor, and you're just going to dismiss him like that?"
The little girl was slightly taken aback, not understanding what Feng Fei meant. Feng Fei, on the other hand, chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself that he really had some issues. However, judging from the little girl's reaction, if she wasn't an actress of the highest caliber, then she really was just a girl from this world.
"Your request seems a bit difficult for me to fulfill!" Feng Fei suddenly had a wicked thought, wondering what solution the little girl would come up with after she said that.
Upon hearing this, the little girl frowned and lowered her head in deep thought. The little boy, on the other hand, seemed somewhat at a loss.
Suddenly, the little boy tugged at Feng Fei's clothes and whispered, "Take me with you, I'll be your servant." The little girl's face changed drastically upon hearing this. She abruptly pulled the boy closer and shouted, "Brother! You're the only son in my family! How can you be a servant! I don't agree!"
The little boy twisted the hem of his clothes, lowered his head, and murmured, "Little sister, since things started at home... you've been working so hard. I don't want to..."
"I won't listen! You can't be a servant! I'd even agree to let you be a commoner learning a trade, but you can't be a servant!" The little girl's words were fierce, and an unusual flush appeared on her face. Feng Fei sensed something was wrong, and sure enough, the next moment he saw the little girl slump backward. Feng Fei quickly caught the little girl, hurriedly told the little boy to stay close, and rushed towards the nearest clinic.
The little boy was clearly not expected to do such a thing. After a moment of stunned silence, he realized that Feng Fei had already run far away. He wiped away the tears that had just flowed and hurriedly stumbled after Feng Fei.