The slaps Xie Pan’Er gave Zhao Fei didn’t actually contain much force. She was merely putting on a show, hoping it would appease the little Girl so she wouldn’t try to curse someone to death. Therefore, while she looked fierce when hitting him, she didn’t put much energy into it.
Zhao Fei initially thought he would be beaten to death. He didn’t expect that the beautiful girl was only making a show of punishing him, which left him confused. In the past, whenever they were starving and had to steal a bun, the bakery’s owner would mercilessly beat them half to death.
"Sweetie, are you still angry?"
Xiaosuisui shook her head. "If the beautiful sister isn’t angry anymore, then Suisui won’t be angry anymore either, because he stole beautiful sister’s things."
Xie Pan’Er sighed in relief and then snatched her medicinal herbs back from Zhao Fei with a frown. "You’re truly ignorant, even stealing medicinal herbs. Do you know that different ailments require different treatments? Even if someone in your house is gravely ill... AHEM. AHEM... too sick to hang on, you can’t just steal other people’s medicine on a whim! What if the consequences turn out fatal?"
In reality, those two sets of herbs were not expensive. Xie Pan’Er endured ostracism and rough treatment in the Xie Family. Despite this, she had managed to secretly save a few copper coins from her embroidery work and the errands she ran for Xie Yingying. For instance, today, after she helped the old shopkeeper of Zhiwei Restaurant uncover Xiaosuisui’s identity, the shopkeeper gave her many servings of preserved fruit and Dim Sum as rewards. Since these treats were free, the money allocated to her by the Xie Family for buying preserved fruit now belonged to her.
And thus, even if Zhao Fei stole her herbs, she could afford to buy two more batches. However, she was still fearful he might indiscriminately use them, potentially harming someone. That was why she chased after him and cried out for help.
"I..."
Zhao Fei watched as Xie Pan’Er took back the medicinal herbs, his heart pounding, and he dropped to his knees in front of her. "I beg you, please don’t take the herbs away. My sister is very sick. She needs these herbs to survive!"
On hearing this, Xie Pan’Er furrowed her eyebrows. She was carrying so many good things, including those treats from Zhiwei Restaurant. If he was going to steal, why not take those? Why specifically snatch her medicinal herbs? She speculated that someone in his family must be ill and, being a beggar, he couldn’t afford the medicine, so he resorted to stealing hers.
"Please, kind lady, I can see that you are as beautiful as you are kind-hearted. Please, I beg you to spare this pouch of medicine to save my sister’s life! If it could save my sister, I would offer my life to you."
Seeing the scene unfolding before her, Xie Pan’Er couldn’t help but feel moved. Here was a brother who loved his sister dearly, just like her own brother, who also loved her. But her brother, he...
Xie Pan’Er, clutching the herbs, was about to say something when she heard a RUSTLING sound emanating from the City God Temple, followed by a woman’s voice asking, "Fei’Er, is that you? Who are you talking to?"
Xiaosuisui and Xie Pan’Er looked up. A blind woman was slowly emerging from the City God Temple, holding a thin bamboo stick. Her hair was uncombed and messy, and she was dressed in torn, tattered clothes. Her face expressed deep anxiety, her ears were pricked up, and she seemed to be searching for her son.
"Fei’Er, have you come back? Is that you, Fei’Er?" As the woman came out, Zhao Fei’s eyes turned red. He looked at Xie Pan’Er pleadingly, begging her with his eyes not to speak and to give him the life-saving herbs in her hand.