Living Corpse (7.)
Qingfeng is not a special person who fell into the Wangchuan River. Like other ghosts, she came to the ghost doctor for treatment. She wanted to swim across the Wangchuan River, but was corroded by the Wangchuan River. She struggled in the river. She touched the shore, but she didn't have the strength to go ashore, so when she heard footsteps, she asked happily: "Is it Mr. Wangchuan?"
"No, I am Mr.'s maid, Xue Hu." Xue Hu replied. She was ordered by Mr. Wangchuan to pick flowers from the other shore, but she didn't expect to find a ghost struggling to get ashore.
Qingfeng was very happy after hearing this. He stretched out his hand and asked, "Can you give me a hand? I'm here to see the ghost doctor."
"No, sir, there are rules. All ghosts seeking medical treatment must swim ashore by themselves." Snow Fox replied softly, using his hands to pick the other shore flowers growing on the shore.
"...Then I've swum over now, right?"
Xuehu didn't answer. Qingfeng thought that Xuehu had acquiesced. She heard the ghost doctor mentioned the three rules of the ghost doctor and told her own story, so she asked: "Then I will tell you my story now. You lead me Can we go find Mr. Wangchuan? I can’t see him anymore.”
Snow Fox still didn't respond, because there were too many such ghosts and she was not in the mood to pay attention to them. She continued to pick the other shore flowers and let Qingfeng talk to herself...
Ten years ago, Qingfeng was a little girl, only nine years old. Unfortunately, Qingfeng's family was not rich, and she had a father who was addicted to gambling. When his father gambled, he even forgot his own last name and always lost. In the end, his father even lost his wife and children. His wife was sold to a prostitute, and his daughter was sold to a wealthy family named Geng as a maid.
What a little maid from a wealthy family can do is wash clothes and sweep the floor. It's not Qingfeng's turn to do the kitchen work. Therefore, Qingfeng knew how to endure hunger at a young age. If he did one wrong thing, he would be punished. To be hungry all day long, in her opinion, the clothes of wealthy families could never be finished washing, and the floors could not be swept cleanly. In this Shenmen compound, absolutely no one would sympathize with her, not to mention the nine-year-old girl, there were many five or six-year-old girls, and no one would sympathize with Qingfeng, except the second young master of the Geng family. The second young master is eleven years old and is the son of Mr. Geng's third wife. Because the eldest brother of the Geng family drowned, the second young master became an only son, so he cherished him very much. Speaking of which, this second young master is not like other members of the Geng family, but he has a good heart. When he sees Xiao Qingfeng unable to hold the wooden basin, he will smile and stretch out his hands.
"Let me help you."
"Thank you, Second Young Master." Qingfeng replied with a smile.
Unexpectedly, this scene made the second young master's nanny look at her. This nanny was not a good person either. She was mean and mean. She wanted to please her superiors and bully those below her. All the servants had been punished by her, but because she was the second young master's nanny, she dared to get angry. Dare not speak.
"Ouch, Second Young Master, how could you touch such a dirty thing." The nanny screamed, took the basin from the Second Young Master's hand, put it on the ground, and wiped the Second Young Master's hand.
The second young master pointed to the basin filled with clean clothes and replied: "This basin is clean."
"Hey, little ancestor, don't worry about whether it is clean or not. This thing is taken by the servants. The second young master's hands are used for writing and playing chess." The wet nurse said flatteringly. When she turned to look at Xiao Qing When the wind blows, her expression changes, like a mother-in-law. "Why are you still standing here? Take the clothes to dry!"
"Yes." Xiao Qingfeng bent down to hold the wooden basin. Just when she was about to touch the wooden basin, the wet nurse kicked her on the butt.
How could a nine-year-old child withstand an adult's kick? Qingfeng threw herself to the ground after being kicked by her nanny. Her palms were scratched and she started whimpering with tears. When the nanny heard this, she said fiercely: "Why are you crying?" , why don't you go hang the clothes? Next time I see you letting the second young master do your bidding, be careful with your skin!"
After hearing this, Qingfeng didn't dare to cry anymore. He used all his strength to pick up the wooden basin and walked slowly step by step towards the yard where the clothes were hung.
At this time, the nanny looked at the angry second young master and apologized with a smile: "Second young master, I'm not talking about you, I'm talking about her. As a servant, she should do the things of a servant, and she always hangs out with their servants. , didn’t you dirty yourself?”
"You're a servant too!" The second young master was young, but he still had his own opinions. He didn't like this nanny to begin with, so he waved his hands and ran away angrily.
The wet nurse would definitely be unhappy if the second young master did this. She couldn't do anything to the second young master, but she could file a complaint. When she got back to the third wife, she said that there was a little maid who ordered the second young master to do rough work, so Qingfeng was arrested by the steward. She came out, knelt in the yard, and punished her not to have dinner or sleep until dawn.
The moon was shining brightly in the sky, and the children on the ground missed their parents. Qingfeng knelt in the yard, not daring to bend his waist. He could only shed tears in the dead of night when everyone else was asleep.
"Mother..." Qingfeng couldn't help crying. Although her family was poor before, her mother never let her do so many things. Now she has become the maid of the Geng Mansion and will never see her. Damn it, I feel sad just thinking about it.
At this time, suddenly a hand gently patted Qingfeng's shoulder. Qingfeng turned around and saw that it was the second young master.
"Second Young Master..."
"Shh..." The second young master gestured and took out a steamed bun from his clothes. "This is what I specially left for you tonight."
Looking at Bai Shengsheng's steamed buns, Qingfeng's stomach growled. After thinking about it, he shook his head: "I can't have it."
"Why? Aren't you hungry?" The second young master looked at the steamed buns and then at Qingfeng.
Qingfeng bit her lip and replied, "It's not that I'm not hungry. I'm afraid that the wet nurse will find out and she'll beat me again."
"How disgusting!" The second young master frowned and said fiercely: "One day, I will fix her." After saying that, the second young master saw Qingfeng pulling on his clothes and asked hurriedly: "She always Bullying you, don’t you want me to fix her?”
"Second Young Master, you should go back to your room and sleep. If you fix her, she will beat me." A nine-year-old child who has been beaten many times can see things clearly. Qingfeng understood that the nanny was trying to It hurt to take it out on herself and get hit, so she didn't want to get hit again.
The second young master froze on the spot, the steamed bun in his hand was crushed into powder...he ran away in anger.
From then on, the second young master never spoke to Qingfeng again. Despite this, Qingfeng was still scolded and beaten. Whenever this time, Qingfeng would think, fortunately, he did not do anything wrong, otherwise he would be beaten. Worse.
For the poor, life is just a matter of getting through it day by day. Nine years have passed and the little maid has grown up. She is eighteen years old and has become a tall girl. However, this kind of life of working day and night is still not there. Leave her.
One day, when she was drying clothes in the yard, the steward of the Geng family came over and said with a smile: "Qingfeng, come with me to the street in a moment."
"Going to the streets? Didn't my wife say that we don't have to go shopping for groceries these two days?" Qingfeng pulled the clothes on the clothes drying pole, smoothed them, and wiped the sweat from his face.
The manager of the Geng family was a middle-aged man in his forties. He smiled and said to Qingfeng, "It's not about buying vegetables."
"What's that for?"
"Why are you asking so many questions? Why don't you just go with me? I will sell you."
"Then do you want to ask your wife for instructions?" Qingfeng wiped his hands on his clothes.
The steward's reply: "No need."
"Oh." Qingfeng nodded, without thinking too much. After finishing the work in hand, he went to the street with the manager.
The street was bustling with everything, and Qingfeng was very happy to go out for a walk. He walked and looked around. Suddenly, he saw a red gong on a stall selling handicrafts, which looked like it was carved from wood. Not considered expensive.
The steward had sharp eyes, turned around and noticed it, so he smiled and asked, "Do you like it?"
"Hmm..." Qingfeng shook his head. She didn't dare to say that she liked it. As a maid and without money, the word "like" was beyond the reach of poor people.
The steward said nothing and led Qingfeng around the long street to a silk and satin shop. The owner of the silk and satin shop knew the steward of the Geng family and greeted him with a smile.
"Hey, Butler Geng is here. What do you want today?"
"Tear a piece of fabric and make some clothes." The manager nodded and answered, looking at the colorful materials.
Qingfeng reached out and touched the pieces of fabric placed on the counter. They were so slippery and comfortable. He could tell at a glance that they were worn by the upper class, so he quickly put his hands away for fear of damaging them.
After a while, the person in charge selected the materials. After whispering a few words to the owner of the silk shop, the owner of the silk shop took out a rope and drew it on Qingfeng's body. Qingfeng was puzzled and asked hurriedly: "What is this?" What?"
"Here, I'm making new clothes for you." The owner of the silk shop replied with a smile.
new clothes? Qingfeng has never worn new clothes since she was a child. She once thought about it when she was a child, because her father always told her, Qingfeng, when father makes money, he will make you new clothes... This promise was not made by her father. cash.
Qingfeng looked at the manager blankly, why would such a good person make new clothes for himself? Could it be... Qingfeng thought of her mother. She thought that her mother was wearing new clothes the day she left. According to neighbors, her mother was sold into a brothel. Qingfeng didn't know where the brothel was. He was thinking in his heart whether he would be sold into a brothel like his mother. Thinking of this, Qingfeng didn't say a word, but felt happy in his heart. Maybe she went there. You can see your mother.
After measuring the size, the steward took Qingfeng back to Geng's house. When Qingfeng was about to go to the kitchen to help, the steward suddenly stuffed something into her hand. She took it out and saw that it was the red one. bracelet.
Qingfeng was both happy and puzzled. She didn't understand why the manager was suddenly so nice to her. Is it because she is going to the brothel? Or something else? But she accepted the bracelet and waited day by day, waiting to wear new clothes, waiting to be sold into a brothel.
A few days later, the news came. It turned out that Qingfeng was not going to enter a brothel, but was going to be betrothed to the steward as his wife... This news was like a thunder blowing over Qingfeng's head. The steward was already in his forties. , he can be her father...