"Could it be someone’s purchased bride?" Lin Caisang asked.
Since it was not possible that she came from another village, there was only one possibility left—that this young girl was someone’s purchased bride in their village, kept hidden at home, and somehow managed to escape tonight.
However, due to her panic, she ended up running here.
"Madam, this young girl looks so small, like a baby sprout, who would buy such a young girl as a bride?" one of her subordinates asked, his words brimming with slight disdain.
"She must be around my age." Lin Caisang retorted.
That subordinate was rendered speechless.
The madam’s words made it seem like he was voicing criticism about her. He stealthily glanced at their own master, only to find his gaze fixed on Lin Caisang.
He had brought this awkwardness upon himself.
After Lin Caisang inserted a needle, the young girl finally calmed down, and the vacant look in her eyes gradually regained some clarity. Seizing this opportunity, she took the girl’s pulse again.
"Tsk, her pulse feels weak and unstable. She has been starved for days and shows signs of dehydration. Also, the constant fear for several days has damaged her heart pulse. It seems that it would take quite some time to nurse her back to health."
As she spoke, she reached out to feel around the girl’s waist and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper. She unfolded it in her hand to take a look.
"This is a contracts of servitude."
She raised her eyebrows, looking at the girl in front of her.
This young girl was truly capable. Even when she had fled in panic into the mountains, she did not forget to steal her contract from her owner.
"Have you woken up? If not, I’m going to order them to throw you into the woods to feed the wolves." She slapped the young girl’s face lightly and questioned her.
"No, no, please, no."
Upon hearing her words, the young girl screamed in fright. However, from her voice, it was evident that she was conscious and knew where she was.
Lin Caisang let out a soft chuckle and stood up, pulling Ya Molian with her to sit on the chair. They watched as this terrified young girl was hauled out by Zhe Jue and dumped in front of them.
"Now tell us, what’s your name, and which family did you run away from?"
She put the contract in her hand on the table, questioning the young girl.
"That’s... that’s mine..."
Upon seeing the contract, the girl gulped, her eyes shrinking.
"Is it really yours? Or did you steal it from your master’s house?" Lin Caisang asked her.
The young girl didn’t dare to respond to Lin Caisang’s question. She simply shrank down and knelt on the ground.
"Speak up. What’s your name? Which family did you escape from?" One of the subordinates behind her shouted when she didn’t answer.
The young girl shivered, her trembling lips staring fearfully at Lin Caisang and Ya Molian. She clenched her teeth, unwilling to speak, but the man behind her didn’t allow her to keep silent.
"My name is Feng Lvzhi. I... I ran away from the... Liu Family."
At the mention of the "Liu Family," Lin Caisang was taken aback.
Was Liu Baixiao—the man confined to his bed, with only Liu Rumei to tend to him—not satisfied and purchased another servant girl to attend to him?
Or perhaps, was this young girl purchased to be his son, Liu Qingshui’s bride? That wouldn’t be possible. Such a little girl, although with nourishment her face could turn out pretty, would Liu Qingshui actually be interested in her?