"It's the woodworker's shop on East Street in town," Meng Yao said.
Hundred Herbs Hall was bustling with people, and the doctor was a warm-hearted person, certainly, he wouldn't keep such a matter to himself.
"That shop! I was planning to get some furniture made there for my home. But now, there's no way I'll let him earn a Silver Coin from me," the doctor said. "Don't worry, ma'am. In the future, I'll make sure to spread the word about the woodworker's crimes so that everyone in town knows his true face!"
This could be counted as a warning for the woodworker, big or small.
Meng Yao asked the doctor to properly treat Zhao Xiaoshu's wounds and then told Zhao Dahe to watch over Zhao Xiaoshu while she went to the woodworker's shop.
Initially, when Zhao Xiaoshu was sent to be an apprentice, a contract was signed.
Although she didn't know what was written on it, Meng Yao felt it was more reassuring to annul the contract.
This time, the shop's door was wide open.
A scruffy-looking man with a bristly beard was drinking from a liquor gourd.
Seeing Meng Yao enter, he put down the gourd and greeted her with a smile, "Madam, are you looking to buy ready-made furniture or custom-made?"
He didn't recognize her at all.
"I'm the Meng from Shanghua Village. I've been here once before, wanting to see our Xiaoshu," Meng Yao came straight to the point.
The woodworker put away his smile and picked up the liquor gourd again, "Oh, it's Xiaoshu's mother! Didn't I say, before the child finishes his apprenticeship, I'm in charge."
"True, but as a mother missing her child, coming to see him is only natural, right?" Meng Yao said with a calm expression.
"Alright, let me call him out for you right now." The woodworker pretended to shout towards the back of the shop, "Xiaoshu, Xiaoshu, come out quickly, your mother is here to see you. Didn't you tell your master you miss your mother?"
How could anyone come out when they weren't there?
He was just putting on a show.
The woodworker called for Ya'er, who came running over at just one call.
She stopped at a distance from the woodworker and asked softly, "Dad, why did you call me?"
"Xiaoshu has gone out to play and slack off again, hasn't he?" the woodworker asked.
Ya'er glanced at Meng Yao, then quickly looked away, "Dad, I haven't seen Xiaoshu today. I still have laundry to finish. I'll go do that first."
Saying that, she ran off hurriedly.
Meng Yao gritted her teeth. The woodworker had a wicked heart; his earlier words were clearly telling her that Zhao Xiaoshu often sneaked out.
If Zhao Xiaoshu hadn't been beaten or starved, Meng Yao might have believed it.
Children his age naturally have a tendency to play around.
But since Zhao Xiaoshu was beaten like that, how could he dare to sneak out?
"How about I go out and look for him?" the woodworker said with a grin.
This person was truly despicable to the core. No wonder Zhao Xiaoshu tortured him to death in his past life. After throwing Zhao Xiaoshu into a mass grave, he felt no guilt on his face and could even smile so comfortably.
"Alright, I'll go with you," Meng Yao said.
"Let me inform the family first, so they don't worry when they can't find me," the woodworker said, hanging the liquor gourd at his waist, and swaggered to the back.
In no time, he came out, surprisingly having changed clothes, and his messy hair was slightly tidier.
"Come on, ma'am," the woodworker beckoned, "Xiaoshu usually loves going to nooks and crannies. It might take a while to find him."
Meng Yao remained silent, following behind the woodworker.
The woodworker indeed took Meng Yao to the nooks and crannies.
"Ma'am, it's been several years since your big brother passed, hasn't it? Raising the kid alone, really not easy. I adore Xiaoshu dearly, treating him like my own son. In the future, I intend to pass this woodworker's shop on to him," the woodworker slowed his pace.
Treating him like his own son?
Remembering Ya'er's expression when she saw the woodworker, her eyes were clearly filled with fear. Surely, under those clothes, her body was not without various scars.
So, treating her own son was beating him to death then.
"I wouldn't dare," Meng Yao replied casually.
"These years, it must be lonely for you, ma'am?"
Upon reaching a deserted alleyway, the woodworker stopped, turned to face Meng Yao, and his murky eyes had a disgusting look.
Meng Yao stared at him coldly, "Why have we stopped?"
"My wife's an invalid; she doesn't have many days left. If you're willing to be with me, don't worry, I'll ensure you live in comfort," the woodworker was getting closer as he spoke with a mouth full of yellow teeth, bits of a blackened vegetable stuck between them.
Meng Yao felt so nauseated she nearly vomited her previous meal.
In her past life, the original body didn't go through such an encounter, so maybe this was the gift from the transmigrator auntie for her to unleash her anger?
Meng Yao sneered, unexpectedly elbowing the woodworker in the pit of his stomach.
The original body wasn't a delicate and frail person; on the contrary, she had been strong since childhood, as strong as several grown men.
In other words, the physical condition of this body was impressive.
Meng Yao herself had practiced close combat skills for many years. Her technique was flawless, just lacking in strength. Now, the original body made up for that shortcoming. The power of that elbow strike was imaginable.
The woodworker was sent flying two zhang away. (Note: based on the calculation of zhang being 3 meters each)
He landed heavily on the ground.
Meng Yao walked over unhurriedly, tore off a piece of cloth from his clothes to stuff in his mouth. Although this place was secluded, the noise might still scare someone.
How kind she was, unwilling to frighten innocent people.
After a bout of wild thrashing, the woodworker was already a pitiful sight.
"Beating my son and making moves on me, who gave you the right? Just because your neck holds up a pig's head? Don't think I don't know what you did to my son. You should thank my son; he's blessed with great fortune, so that's why you managed to keep your life," Meng Yao said dominantly from above, "Today, I'll take Xiaoshu home. As for the apprenticeship, consider it void. If you're not reconciled and wish to retaliate, you'd better carefully consider the consequences. Next time, if you fall into my hands again, I won't be so lenient!"
The woodworker could only whimper under his gag.
"As for the contract we signed, I'll go to the woodworker's shop and take it." Meng Yao added, "You can stay here and reflect."
After giving the person a beating, Meng Yao felt elated and refreshed.
By the time she returned to Hundred Herbs Hall, Zhao Xiaoshu had already woken up. The two of them, Zhao Xiaoshu and Zhao Dahe, were staring wide-eyed at each other.
"Mom, you're finally back." Seeing Meng Yao, Zhao Dahe was relieved, "This little rascal didn't even call out to me after waking up. I asked him what happened, and he didn't utter a word."
"Xiaoshu, are you still in pain?" Meng Yao asked tenderly.
Oh my, even though she had seen Zhao Xiaoshu's appearance in the original body's memories, watching a movie couldn't compare to seeing a real person directly. Even though Zhao Xiaoshu's face was bruised and swollen, it couldn't hide his fine features.
After Zhao Xiaoshu grew up, she only saw him in her dreams once, because the resentment in his eyes affected his looks, Meng Yao didn't find him especially handsome. Unlike now, his eyes were filled with grievance, not at all affecting his looks, instead, it aroused Meng Yao's overflowing maternal love, wishing to give him all the good things in the world.