Chapter 835: Chapter 835: Captured Again
Before Xiao Lian Hua could make sense of what was happening, she noticed that something was amiss with Xiao Hua Mei.
She called out to Xiao Hua Mei several times, and only then did the bowed Xiao Hua Mei respond, but her voice was as thin as a mosquito’s, barely audible unless one leaned in to listen closely: "Xiao Hehe, I’m cold..."
Xiao Lian Hua leaned her ear closer to hear clearly, then lowered her head to look at Xiao Hua Mei’s expression.
Xiao Hua Mei appeared very dazed, her eyes unfocused, in a dreamy state, and at some point the flush in her cheeks had faded, returning to pallor, her lips turning blue and black. Her consciousness seemed unclear, mistakenly calling Xiao Lian Hua back Xiao Hehe.
Xiao Lian Hua was startled, anxiously feeling the person’s forehead, oh, it was quite cold.
A heavy sense of unease floated through her heart. The person was just fine earlier, how did they suddenly become like this? Is she sick again?
She was anxious but didn’t know what to do.
Suddenly she remembered how after sweating and being blown in a windy place, one could easily become chilled all over. Xiao Lian Hua had experiences before, having fallen ill in a similar situation due to her playful nature.
So now, unable to think of another reason, she reckoned that Xiao Hua Mei might also be like this. Hastily she dressed Xiao Hua Mei in the clothes she had been carrying from home, not willing to discard them, then she rubbed Xiao Hua Mei’s hands vigorously, trying to warm her up.
Xiao Cui pretended to show some concern but kept her distance, while the other two girls were genuinely caring to some extent.
One of the girls sniffled upon smelling the aroma from a food vendor ahead, swallowed and said, "Ah, if only there were a bowl of hot soup, it might help."
The other said, "Unfortunately, none of us have any Silver...," traveling thus far had left them hungry, and anything of value they had was already taken away by Cui Sanniang.
Although they didn’t have any, it didn’t mean that Xiao Lian Hua didn’t. She was an exception, arriving like a little Beggar, and Cui Sanniang to appease her, contemptuous of her filthy clothes, believed Xiao Lian Hua had become a Beggar, thus hadn’t searched her at all.
That remark now reminded Xiao Lian Hua, she immediately made up her mind, telling Xiao Hua Mei she would take her to eat something delicious.
At noon she had made up her mind to run away, during lunch she ate solidly, and Cui Sanniang, like usual, ate along with her, hence she wasn’t hungry yet.
Like a puppet, Xiao Hua Mei followed her, Xiao Cui and others seemed puzzled, unsure where Xiao Lian Hua got such confidence, and hurriedly followed her.
Getting closer, Xiao Lian Hua asked Xiao Hua Mei what she would like to eat while looking towards the nearby food stalls.
She saw a pregnant woman busy at one stall, her husband wiping sweat beside her, and she was momentarily lost, unconsciously touching her belly, heading towards that stall, until Xiao Hua Mei’s voice awakened her:
"Xiao Hehe, I want to eat the soup my mother used to make."
Xiao Hua Mei’s eyes sparkled slightly, with a happy smile on her face, seemingly immersed in some wonderful memory.
Xiao Lian Hua felt quite troubled, there was no soup made by Xiao Hua Mei’s mother here. Just when she was about to persuade Xiao Hua Mei to eat something else, she noticed Xiao Hua Mei’s unusual demeanor and couldn’t help but call out, "Xiao Hua Mei, what’s wrong with you?"
Calling out twice with no response from her, she opened her eyes wide, her mind buzzing, instinctively wanting to pull the person away, saying, "Let’s go, we’ll find a doctor first, Xiao Hua Mei, I’ll find you a doctor, I have Silver..."
Before she took two steps, Xiao Hua Mei, who had been tightly holding her hand, suddenly loosened her grip, her body slumping down, her last glimmer was already at its end.
Xiao Lian Hua was suddenly thrown into panic, her small body trying hard to hold onto Xiao Hua Mei, unexpectedly cushioning beneath Xiao Hua Mei, causing both of them to fall directly onto the ground.
Not caring about the pain, she propped the person up to sit against her, in a panic: "Xiao Hua Mei, what’s wrong? Do you want to eat soup? I’ll find it for you, I’ll find it..."
She didn’t understand why Xiao Hua Mei, who was fine just moments before, would suddenly collapse, her anxiety almost bringing her to tears.
Suddenly filled with a bad premonition, she was incredibly scared. Even facing the pitch-black night alone wasn’t as frightening as this.
After calling out several times, the person finally reacted, Xiao Hua Mei’s eyelids seemed heavy and slowly opened, seeing Xiao Lian Hua, she weakly showed a faint smile: "Xiao Hehe, I can’t walk anymore, I want to go home..."
Her voice was very light, easily carried away by the wind, but Xiao Lian Hua heard it.
Her nose felt sore, nearly shedding tears, she suppressed them and said: "Mm, I’ll take you home, I’ll definitely take you home."
Xiao Hua Mei held a satisfied smile, slowly closing her eyes.
Xiao Lian Hua was shocked, calling out several more times but Xiao Hua Mei did not wake, her heart filled with panic to the extreme, searching desperately for help, someone to assist Xiao Hua Mei.
She saw Xiao Cui and the others a few steps away, not coming over to help, she glared angrily and shouted: "Didn’t you say there was a doctor? Go find a doctor, quickly!"
It was they who said there would be a doctor!
Xiao Cui stepped back, avoiding eye contact, while the other two girls stood still, their mouths agape, terror-stricken watching behind her.
Xiao Lian Hua immediately sensed something, turned her head to look, seeing a pair of cunning and poisonous Shaded Eyes staring straight at her, a sinister smile on the narrow face.
It was Cui Sanniang!
In an instant, Xiao Lian Hua’s mind went blank.
By now, it was nearing dusk, and at the other end, several tall horses sped past a intersection, heading north towards the largest dock in Dangtu Town.
This group seemed very imposing, rapidly passing by, and the leader looked ferocious, clearly a wicked type, causing carriages and people on the road to dodge hastily.
Cui Sanniang and the others remained unaware of the impending disaster.
She spat angrily: "Little brat, no matter how you run, you can’t escape from my clutches."
The moment Xiao Lian Hua spotted Cui Sanniang, she quickly shoved the nuisance Xiao Hua Mei from Xiao Lian Hua’s embrace, tightly grasping Xiao Lian Hua, one hand gripping her firmly, the other covering her mouth with a handkerchief to prevent her from screaming, avoiding trouble.
Upon seeing Cui Sanniang, Xiao Lian Hua was filled with terror and dread, violently struggling, yet each time she was about to break free, she was restrained again.
Cui Sanniang exerted all her strength to subdue her, this little brat looked small, but who would have guessed she was so strong!
She looked sharply at Xiao Cui and the others, her voice heavy: "Why are you still standing there? Hurry and carry the one on the ground, do I have to teach you everything?"
Xiao Hua Mei lay on the ground, uncertain whether alive or dead, yet even if dead, Cui Sanniang wanted her carried away; attracting government officers would be an issue, and seeing how much Xiao Lian Hua cared for Xiao Hua Mei, she had a plan in mind.