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墨書 Inktalez
Heaven showed mercy; after just half an hour, they encountered signs of life—a small town. The city gate was already closed, and the grandfather and granddaughter huddled in a small alley by the gate for the night.
"Grandpa Zhang, wake up."
Old Zhang opened his eyes; the ice and snow had begun to melt, and he believed that in a few days, spring would return.
"Niuniu, what’s wrong?"
"Grandpa Zhang, I brought you some buns. I just went inside and asked for them. The people here are very nice; they gave me five buns, enough for us to eat for two days."
Old Zhang squinted as he took the buns and started to nibble on one; it was truly delicious.
"Niuniu, you should eat too."
"Yes, Grandpa Zhang."
"Call me Grandpa. From now on, we will rely on each other."
"Grandpa."
Old Zhang's rough hand patted her withered hair, and his old eyes couldn't help but become a bit moist. For them as beggars, it didn't matter where they were, as long as they could fill their stomachs and find a place to shelter from the rain and wind.
Old Zhang finished one bun while she only ate half of hers, putting the rest back into the oiled paper bag. Then Old Zhang led her through the city gate.
"This little girl is so pitiful, walking barefoot in such cold weather, her feet must be frostbitten."
"Oh my, she's even bleeding."
In the Heavenly Xuan Empire, beggars are rarely seen. Even poor families can sign a contract to sell themselves to wealthy households, and as long as they work, they will have enough to eat and wear. Seeing such a miserable grandfather and granddaughter, many people showed sympathetic expressions. Not long after entering the city, the landlady of an inn couldn't bear it and called the waiter to invite them inside.
"Little sister, you are truly a good person," Old Zhang quickly bowed in gratitude.
Looking at the dishes on the table, although there weren't many, she had never eaten before and felt an urge to cry at the smell of food. However, no one noticed her tear-filled eyes due to her dirty face.
"Old man, where are you from? How did you end up in such a situation?"
Upon hearing the landlady's question, Old Zhang put down his chopsticks. She saw her grandfather swallow the food in his mouth and hurriedly put down her chopsticks as well.
"Little sister, we are from Beijing. I worked hard to support my son’s education, but that ungrateful child drove me out."
"Beijing?" The landlady was unfamiliar with this place, but given how many regions there were in the Heavenly Xuan Empire, she assumed Beijing was quite far away. She didn't know that upon hearing Old Zhang's plight, those around them were filled with indignation.
"How can there be such a scholar in this world who abandons his own father? He deserves to be punished by everyone."
Although they were all unfamiliar faces, Old Zhang felt heartbroken and choked up.
"Thank you all for your concern; Old Zhang is grateful."
She also had tears welling up in her eyes.
"Thank you, sister." She lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone, but she really wanted to thank the kind Landlady.
The Yellow Oriole's voice was like a gentle breeze passing by, and those around felt a wave of affection for the dirty little girl.
"The little girl's voice is so lovely. Hurry up and eat; you must be hungry." Seeing Grandpa pick up his chopsticks again, she also lowered her head to eat. She had only eaten half a steamed bun and was still hungry.
The customers in the inn were discussing the beastly scholar and the Landlady's kindness. Some advised Old Zhang to find a family to serve, which would ensure he would have food and clothing.
"Once a servant, always a servant. Even if I live in poverty, I do not wish to be enslaved for generations; I want to be my own master," Old Zhang said firmly, and everyone regarded him with newfound respect.
She heard everything he said and made up her mind that even if she starved, she would not go against Grandpa's words; she vowed never to be a servant.
"Sister-in-law, we have finished eating. Thank you for your hospitality; even a drop of kindness deserves a fountain of gratitude in return."
"Who hasn't been lost at some point?" The Landlady waved her hand. "You should find a place to stay; my husband is away, and it's not good to keep guests."
"I understand it’s difficult for you, and I am deeply grateful for your kindness today," Old Zhang said as he took her out of the inn. She looked back one last time.
"Grandpa, what is the name of this inn?" She wanted to remember it for future repayment.
Old Zhang looked up at the wooden sign.
"Yue Lai Inn." He continued, "Niuniu, we are no longer in Beijing; we have come to ancient times."
She nodded. No matter what era it was, her Grandpa and Mute Mother were here with her; she had no objections.
"Young Master, what's so interesting about this small town?" A White-Clad Young Master approached, appearing to be around eleven or twelve years old. At such an age, he already bore a resemblance to Pan An, with eyebrows like Gentle Breeze and eyes like bright moons. He was refined and handsome but not overly delicate, truly a graceful youth, ethereal as if he were a celestial being. One could only fear that even the Celestial Maiden would be tempted by his charm. Beside him was a young attendant dressed in Blue, and as they walked together, they caught the attention of passersby, who couldn't help but admire how handsome the Young Master was. Fortunately, the local customs were simple and honest, preventing any trouble.
"Young Master, what are you looking at?" Lin Ke asked as he noticed his master stop in his tracks.
"Go buy her a pair of shoes." The Young Master was observing Old Zhang and his granddaughter, who were walking along the road asking if there were any jobs available. However, the old man was too old and the little girl too young. Although they faced no ridicule, their inquiries were politely declined.
"Old Man, we really don’t need your help. Keep this little bit of spare change and look for something else," they said.
Old Zhang bowed in thanks while feeling grateful for the simplicity of the local people; without needing to find work, they could walk around for days without going hungry.
The little girl stood beside her grandfather, curiously surveying the world around her. Suddenly, a young man dressed in Blue, about twenty years old, handed her a pair of shoes. She looked at him but hesitated to take them.
"Just accept them," a clear male voice said. Though youthful, it felt refreshing like Gentle Breeze.
She dared not look up and kept her head bowed low.
Old Zhang turned around and saw the White-Clad Young Master. He hurriedly bowed in gratitude. "Thank you for your kindness, young sir. My granddaughter has never seen much of the market." He then took the shoes from Lin Ke's hands.
"My Young Master's judgment is very accurate; they will definitely fit."
"Lin Ke, mind your words," the white-clad youth said with slight irritation as he turned away, his handsome face slightly flushed. Lin Ke always spoke too freely; how could one mention a girl's feet so openly?
Old Zhang didn't mind and thanked him again before letting his granddaughter try on the shoes. They fit her perfectly; although gray and not particularly beautiful, they were practical and easy to clean—just right for her needs.
"Thank you." Though she kept her head down, her gratitude was sincere. Lin Ke waved his hand dismissively as Old Zhang turned to leave with her.
"The young master, that dirty little girl's voice is really nice," the White-Clad Young Master said as he turned to look at the old man and the young girl disappearing around the corner.
"Do you think that once they leave, life will get better? Lin Ke, go find them and bring them back. Give them a job in the manor."
"Alright, young master." Lin Ke was used to being the errand boy, especially with a young master like this. However, he didn't mind running around; at least he knew that following the young master meant he would have a good life.
After a while, Lin Ke returned, panting. "Young master, I couldn't find them. I was worried you would be waiting too long, so I came back."
"Then forget it," the young man in white said as he glanced toward where they had disappeared, resigning himself to the situation.
Meanwhile, Old Zhang had taken her out of another shop, once again rejected.
"Niuniu, grandpa can't find a job."
She patted her grandfather's hand, her dirty little face breaking into a smile.
"Look at your face; it's as dirty as a little bottom."
She rubbed her hands on her face, only to make it even messier.
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