Qi Yuanshan felt his son's tall image was utterly ruined, looking like a little bride.
He almost couldn't help but rush forward and scold his son a few times. But he wasn't reckless. Thinking it was a matter between the young, unmarried couple, he, as the father, decided to pretend he hadn't seen anything and went inside with Uncle Meng.
Yu'er felt that Brother Qi had shielded him from trouble and wanted to say a few good words for Brother Qi to his elder sister.
However, he found that Brother Qi, who was so tall, was still acting spoiled with his elder sister. He felt he had grown up in the past two years and no longer acted spoiled with his elder sister.
Especially now, Brother Qi was actually holding his sister's sleeve and rolling his eyes at her.
Yu'er really couldn't stand it anymore. He'd better leave. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would be so agitated that he would bite his own cheek.
The bothersome younger brother-in-law finally left, and Qi He was determined to continue his lament.
Fu Xinci's eyes also ached from watching. It was the first time she had known this guy had such a side to him.
She said nothing more and gave her crossbow to Qi He.
Qi He recognized the crossbow. Seeing that Sister Fu had given it to him, he was a little confused. "Sister Fu, if you give me the crossbow, what will you use?"
"Master told me a few days ago that he wanted to make me a new one."
Only then did Qi He understand why Sister Fu had given the crossbow in his hand to Yan Yi.
Thinking of Sister Fu's good intentions, Qi He's face turned slightly red.
The shy, pure youth made Fu Xinci's old face blush as well.
The next day, the weather was beautiful. After breakfast, Ning'er begged his elder sister to take him out to play.
Fu Xinci was just about to avoid Fang Shi's request to embroider her dowry, and Ning'er was simply an angel saving her from the fire.
The siblings hit it off immediately and, carrying Fang Shi on their backs, slipped out.
After the siblings slipped out the door, Fu Xinci finally remembered to ask Ning'er, "Ning'er, where do you want to play today?"
"Elder sister, let's go play in town."
"Okay, alright." Fu Xinci agreed and prepared to take Ning'er to wander around town and buy some trinkets.
The siblings walked enthusiastically across the small river and saw a middle-aged couple in their thirties leading a donkey from the north. Two burlap sacks were also carried on the donkey's back.
The burlap sacks were bulging, as if they contained a lot of things.
Fu Xinci didn't pay much attention at first. It was only when the couple walked past her that she inadvertently caught a glimpse of an unusual glint in the man's dead-fish-like eyes.
As she felt disgusted by the look, she heard the man lower his voice and discuss with the woman beside him, "Madam Boss, did you see? This is good merchandise. And the little boy she's holding is also good-looking. If we... hmm? This would be a big deal."
The woman had already spotted the beautiful girl walking down from the small bridge. Her peach-colored spring dress outlined the girl's slender waist, making her seem softer than the green willows by the clear river.
Even if the man hadn't said anything, she was already tempted. How could she let such good merchandise go?
Seeing the man's reminder, she gave him a look and then, turning her body, walked towards the siblings.
Fu Xinci held Ning'er's small hand, remaining still, and subtly observed the kidnappers' methods.
The woman wore her hair in a bun, a ginger-yellow cross-collared jacket on her upper body, and a dark green horse-face skirt below. In her right hand, she held a handkerchief the same color as her jacket.
In just a dozen steps, the woman walked in a winding path.
The more the woman observed, the more she liked it. She hadn't expected that such good merchandise could be found in such a remote and poor place.
Thinking of the two children earlier, and then of this girl, and the little boy she was holding.
Oh my, it seemed she would have to come here more often in the future.
The woman was lost in her thoughts and didn't notice that the "good merchandise" in her eyes was contemplating how long she should throw her into the small river.
"Miss," the woman's restless eyes appraised the "good merchandise" in her eyes several more times before she spoke.
Fu Xinci remained silent, her seemingly harmless eyes blinking at the woman.
The woman thought, "My heavens, those stinky men love this kind of look the most. I'm going to get rich!"
As the woman was dreaming of getting rich, she heard chaotic footsteps approaching from a distance. She also heard a young woman shouting a child's name loudly: "Jin Zhong, Xiao Nan, where did you go to play?"
"Xiao Nan, Jin Zhong, answer me if you hear me! I'm so worried!"
"Jin Zhong, Jin Zhong, answer your mother if you hear me!" Madam Zhong looked like she was about to cry.
"Xiao Nan, Xiao Nan." Meng Yulian looked even more miserable than Madam Zhong, her hair was messy, she seemed to have fallen, her skirt was covered in dirt, and one of her embroidered shoes was missing.
Fu Xinci saw Madam Zhong and her cousin Yulian from afar, running and calling the children's names like headless flies.
Her gaze fell on the burlap sacks on the donkey's back, and she understood everything.
Seeing the two young wives looking for their children, the woman glanced guiltily at the man. Their eyes met, and the woman, disregarding the "good merchandise" in her eyes, was about to flee with the man.
"Wait."
The young girl spoke slowly. The woman turned back in surprise. The man glared fiercely at the girl in front of him and said, "Little girl, you'd better mind your own business, or we'll break your bones and use them as oil lamps."
"Heh heh, such big talk. I'd like to see who becomes the oil lamp first."
Ning'er was scared but did not cry. He held his elder sister's clothes tightly with his small hand, his big eyes glaring fiercely at the two bad people.
They dared to bully his elder sister, Ning'er would bite them to death.
Seeing that she couldn't leave for the moment, the woman glared fiercely at the little girl in front of her.
"Since you refuse the path to heaven and insist on entering hell, you old dog, let's grant her wish."
"Alright."
The man grinned wickedly and rushed forward, his greasy hands itching to grab the girl.
However, in the previous moment, the man was baring his yellow teeth, looking like he was about to take full advantage. The next moment, he was tightly bound to a large willow tree by a vine, headfirst.
The woman was also scared out of her wits by the sudden turn of events. She turned around and bolted, but didn't notice a vine quietly tripping her. Then, with a "crack," the woman fell face-first into the mud.
Oh my, her good set of front teeth had directly bitten into the dirt. The woman cried out in pain and forcefully lifted her head.
"Ow, uh, ah." Her front teeth were all broken in the dirt.
There was also a bloodstain on her nose, and her upper lip was bruised and swollen from the impact.
Oh my, her entire face didn't seem like her own anymore.
"Wuwu, ooh, ah."