ebookland Chapter 289 Humiliation
Chapter 289 Humiliation
"Master, don't worry too much."
Deng Lihua felt distressed as she watched her husband's increasingly haggard face. She softly consoled him, "The Second Miss and I earn five or six work points every day. While we can't exchange them for refined rice or flour, we can still get some coarse rice. With the occasional subsidies from Master Chu and the Eldest Miss, we can still provide for our family for the time being."
As Deng Lihua spoke, she gently tidied up Huo Jianjie's somewhat messy clothes, her eyes full of concern and worry.
"Dad, Mom is right."
Huo Zihao also echoed, his young face full of determination, "I can get two centimeters now. Mom, my second sister and I can all earn centimeters. We won't let anyone go hungry."
The little guy clenched his fists tightly, as if swearing his determination to his father.
Huo Jianjie looked at his sensible wife and son, and felt a pang of sadness in his heart. He reached out and gently rubbed his youngest son's hair, which was roughened by the sea breeze, and sighed heavily.
As the head of the family, he felt like an utter failure. Ever since he left the capital, a land of luxury and wealth, he had been like a fish out of water. No matter where he was, he found it difficult to adapt and his heart was filled with endless torment.
Huo Shuixian followed them silently. Looking at her father's lost look, she wanted to say something several times but stopped herself. In the end, she chose to remain silent. She knew that nothing she said at this moment could ease the pain in her father's heart. She could only stay with her family silently.
On the other side, Murong Ling'er was holding Murong Chen's hand and walking slowly back.
The mother and son looked relaxed and at ease, forming a sharp contrast with the exhausted and worried-looking prisoners around them.
Along the way, they attracted countless envious and jealous gazes, but Murong Ling'er seemed unaware and walked forward calmly.
"Miss Murong." Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind.
Murong Ling'er stopped and looked back, only to see Sun Ying, wearing a dress as white as snow, standing quietly not far away.
Her eyes were fixed on Murong Ling'er, with an elusive gloom in her eyes.
The dusk was heavy, and the afterglow cast the last ray of warm light on the mottled stone road.
Murong Ling'er just raised her eyes nonchalantly, her cold gaze like the farthest stars in the night sky, lightly sweeping across Sun Ying's face, then she lowered her eyes again and fell into silence.
The two stood facing each other, as if separated by an invisible barrier, with a clear boundary between them.
"Miss Murong," Sun Ying forced a smile, her voice deliberately gentle, "May I have the honor of chatting with you for a few minutes?"
She had been expecting Murong Ling'er to be the first to speak and break the deadlock, but as time passed, the other party was like a cold statue, showing no sign of speaking.
Sun Ying took a deep breath, trying to suppress the growing annoyance in her heart, but her smile seemed increasingly forced.
"Miss Sun," Murong Ling'er finally spoke, her tone as calm as a clear mountain spring, without a single ripple. "You and I don't seem to have much in common. I wonder what you would like to discuss?"
Her face was as calm as water, and there was no interest in her eyes, as if Sun Ying in front of her was just an insignificant passerby.
Sun Ying's chest felt like it was hit suddenly, and she felt suffocated. For some reason, Murong Ling'er's seemingly ordinary words made her feel indescribable displeasure in her heart, but when she thought of the mission she was shouldering, how could she dare to get angry easily?
She pursed her lips subconsciously, and her originally delicate lips now looked a little dry.
"Miss Murong, please don't misunderstand me. I mean no harm," Sun Ying leaned forward slightly, her posture extremely low, and her voice became increasingly gentle. "I just want to discuss a deal with you that will be of great benefit to both of us."
"Deal?" Murong Ling'er raised an eyebrow, a subtle hint of sarcasm flashing in her eyes. "The master behind you sent you here, right? If you want to discuss a deal, why doesn't he come in person? He's so secretive. Does he think I, Murong Ling'er, am easy to fool?"
Her words were like a sharp blade, stabbing straight at Sun Ying.
Sun Ying felt a surge of blood rushing to her head, as if she had been slapped hard in public. The feeling of humiliation instantly spread throughout her body. Her eyes were slightly red, and her hands hanging by her side were tightly clenched into a silk handkerchief, her knuckles turning white from the force. The grief and anger in her heart was like a surging tide, almost drowning her.
"If you want to talk, have your master come in person."
Murong Ling'er didn't even want to give her an extra glance. After saying this, she gently took Murong Chen's hand, took light steps, and passed by Sun Ying.
The faint orchid fragrance drifted slowly in the air, but it seemed like another ruthless mockery of Sun Ying.
Sun Ying stood there blankly, looking at the two figures walking away, until they disappeared at the corner of the courtyard, then she slowly turned around. Her eyes were empty and deep, as if they could penetrate the walls and see a place farther away.
After a long time, she dragged her heavy steps and walked towards her own courtyard step by step.
After returning to the courtyard, Sun Ying had just closed the door when she felt as if her spine had been pulled out. She collapsed against the door, her face instantly falling as fatigue and despair surged into her heart like a tide.
She never expected that getting close to Chu Lingfeng would be as difficult as climbing to the sky. She thought that as a second best option, getting close to Murong Ling'er would be easier. However, she didn't expect that Murong Ling'er was even more unpredictable than Chu Lingfeng, and she ruthlessly trampled on her face.
Sun Ying slowly walked to the bed, her legs softened, and she fell stiffly onto the bed behind her. She covered her eyes with her hands, and tears slipped quietly through her fingers, dripping onto the quilt beneath her, leaving a dark mark.
After an unknown amount of time, a gentle knock on the door broke the silence in the room.
"Sister, sister, are you there?" Sun Shaojie's childish and somewhat anxious voice came from outside the door.
Sun Shaojie shouted several times outside the door before he finally heard a faint response from inside the house. He pushed the door open carefully, walked in gently, and saw his sister sitting at the table at a glance.
"Brother, why are you here?" Sun Ying sniffed quickly, trying to hide the traces of her crying. She didn't want her younger brother to see her so vulnerable.
Sun Shaojie lowered his head slightly, looking a little frightened. His little hands nervously tugged at the corners of his clothes, and for a moment he didn't notice anything unusual about his sister.
"Sister, I don't want to leave you," he said with a hint of tears in his voice, "I don't want to go to the He Mansion, I just want to stay on the island with you."
After all, Sun Shaojie is only a six-year-old child. His parents passed away suddenly, and now his sister is the only relative left. How can he bear to leave?
After hearing this, Sun Ying felt a sharp pain in her heart. She shook her head firmly, reached out and hugged her brother into her arms. Although her voice was soft, it revealed an unquestionable firmness: "Brother, listen to me, you went to the He Mansion for a better future. I will take good care of yourself here."
She gently stroked her brother's hair, her eyes full of love and reluctance, but deep down, she hid endless sadness. She devoted herself to He Jinyan, firstly to escape the tragic fate of becoming a military prostitute, and secondly to send her brother away so that he could have a stable future.
As for her own fate, she had already seen it clearly. She was just going with the flow in this chaotic world.