Chapter 830: Chapter 830: Brother Zhao! She Still Has Something Important to Do...
In Xiao Cui’s family, they favor boys over girls. This year, she is fifteen, and her parents want to marry her off to a fool in exchange for a dowry to get a wife for her brother. Everything in their family is for her brother. After tricking the fool’s family out of money, Xiao Cui backed out and ran away, only to be lured away under the temptation of Cui Sanniang.
Under her influence, the other two have always rejected Xiao Hua Mei, deliberately keeping their distance from her to avoid attracting Second Master Liu’s attention. They even felt fortunate to have Xiao Hua Mei as a shield so they could avoid abuse. If not for the fact that she was mostly in a stupor, they might have bullied Xiao Hua Mei themselves.
Xiao Hua Mei shrank back, involuntarily burying her head, leaning even closer to Xiao Lian Hua. A ten-year-old child may know nothing, but she could feel the venom in the words, leaving her sad and helpless.
Xiao Lian Hua’s anger flared suddenly. She wasn’t the type to be easily bullied. Back home, she was the leader among children, akin to her second brother, someone who would stir up trouble even when there was none.
Having experienced displacement and danger, she restrained herself because of the situation she was in.
But now, hearing Xiao Cui’s mockery of Xiao Hua Mei, how could she bear it? She immediately clenched her fists, ready to rise and fight, not fearing even if Xiao Cui and her group were older.
But as she tried to rise, she found Xiao Hua Mei clinging to her, unwilling to let go. She furrowed her little brows, thought for a moment, and ultimately endured.
Xiao Cui was initially startled by her wolf-like gaze but relaxed upon seeing her sit back down, thinking that Xiao Lian Hua did not dare confront them.
They had been terrified these past few days, and facing two younger girls now, a sense of pleasure from bullying surfaced naturally.
Xiao Cui’s arrogance grew, as she pressed her voice, saying, "She’s dirty and almost dead. Am I not allowed to say so?"
Another girl softly agreed, "Exactly, who knows if her illness is contagious..."
Xiao Lian Hua could no longer hold back. Her chest heaved with anger, and her hand found the bamboo whip that Cui Sanniang had forgotten to take. She raised it and lashed out.
Xiao Cui and the other two girls instinctively hugged their heads and dodged, their bodies trembling, looking fierce but actually weak inside.
Xiao Lian Hua stopped the bamboo whip just in front of them, ultimately not bringing it down. She could have hit them, and she bet nothing would happen to her; these gossipy ones would still get punished.
In the past, she would definitely have hit them until they submitted. But the current situation had matured her greatly. She wasn’t stupid; she knew that causing a big scene would do them no good.
Xiao Cui and the others would surely be punished, possibly implicating Xiao Hua Mei. Meanwhile, the Shaded Eyes Lady and the lecherous man would only watch them more closely. What if they feared they would create trouble and decided to drug them again? How would she and Xiao Hua Mei escape then?
They were all pitiable, weren’t they meant to be on the same side?
She missed her second brother and the others. With them around, she would not have to worry about anything, retaliating against anyone who bullied her.
In an instant, Xiao Lian Hua’s mood plummeted, feeling stifled and upset inside. She retracted the bamboo whip.
Seeing Xiao Cui and the others about to start gossiping again, she angrily flung the bamboo whip out again, over a dozen times, each time stopping just before hitting them. Only after asking Xiao Hua Mei quietly if her anger had dissipated and received a nod did she stop.
Frightened, Xiao Cui and the others were angry but helpless, terrified that Xiao Lian Hua would really hit them, not daring to say anything further.
Later that day, Xiao Cui and the others dared only to curse behind their backs, saying, "Let her be arrogant, she’ll be next."
That night, Xiao Hua Mei quietly cried and asked Xiao Lian Hua, "Xiao Hehe, am I really dirty?"
Xiao Lian Hua shook her head and said no.
Xiao Hua Mei asked again, "Xiao Hehe, will I see my parents again?"
Xiao Lian Hua solemnly nodded, "Yes, you will." So would she. They would all see their parents again...
Xiao Hua Mei relaxed into her dreams, a small smile appearing on her face as if she had dreamt of the days back home.
Left with her eyes closed, Xiao Lian Hua remained worried, her mind tense, heart pounding nervously.
Tomorrow was the day to escape, tonight was crucial. She had to be ready, no mistakes could be made, otherwise...
Sigh, she couldn’t think about the consequences; thinking about them only made her scared and distressed.
She could do it. She had come this far without fear, and she would definitely make it.
Xiao Lian Hua kept cheering herself on internally, forcing herself to stay awake. Yet, she was too exhausted, having lived in fright and exhaustion these days, carrying burdens too heavy for someone her age. Her eyelids grew heavier, eventually falling restlessly into a dream.
"Nannan, are you alright? I was so worried about you, our Imperial Son was also very worried..."
"Brother Zhao!"
Xiao Lian Hua woke up in a sweat, a name surfacing in her mind: Brother Zhao!
He was the one calling her, but who was he?
And who was the Imperial Son?
She still had heavy burdens she couldn’t let go of. She had important things to do. She wanted to save Xiao Hua Mei, she wanted to change... change what she didn’t know, just following her instincts. In any case, she couldn’t give up yet.
For some reason, she felt overwhelmingly sad, staring blankly into the dark void until she heard several rhythmic breathing sounds around her, snapping her back to reality. She was still in the ramshackle dormitory, lying side by side with a row of girls.
Her consciousness returned, reminding her of the escape plan for tomorrow. She had important things to consider tonight.
She needed to think carefully, think carefully...
...
The Main Hall of Canglan Court was brightly lit.
"Brother Zhao is here, Nannan, Nannan wake up, I am right here..." The Emperor called repeatedly, his heart pounding, as his Little Concubine showed signs of response.
He thought she was waking up, but after calling many times, the person who had cried "Brother Zhao" in her dream didn’t respond again.
Her fervent joy was doused by a bucket of cold water, and the Emperor, with a trace of hope, asked, "Divine Doctor Huang, is this a sign of waking up?"
Divine Doctor Huang sat firmly on a stool beside the bed, with one hand on Lian Hua’s pulse and the other stroking his beard, as everyone watched him intently.
After a long while, sensing the patient’s steady pulse with nothing else unusual, Divine Doctor Huang finally withdrew his hand and waved it dismissively.
Only when reaching the adjacent hall did he speak, cupping his hands, "Replying to His Majesty, whether she is about to wake up, I dare not assert, but..."
The Emperor could not hide his disappointment, his expression returning to calm.
Su Ran and Nanny Qi said in unison, "But what?"
Divine Doctor Huang replied, "But she did call out His Majesty’s name, which shows that His Majesty’s and Su Girl’s efforts these days have had an effect." He felt confident about that, if nothing else.