In his hands, unexpectedly, was half a cold and hard taro, its surface still bearing clear teeth marks.
He silently held the taro in his palm, his feelings complex.
Qing Jun was trembling all over like a shaken sieve, and plopped down to kneel on the ground:
"Master, I was wrong! This was saved for my sister..."
Before finishing the sentence, her voice was choked back in her throat, and she sobbed while wiping away tears.
Sigh.
Women are really made of water; this little girl looks so thin, yet her tears flow so much.
Chen Ye skewered the cold taro onto a branch, pinched a bit of spiritual fire with his fingernail, rekindled the extinguished fire pile, and began simply roasting.
As the aroma of charring spread gradually, Chen Ye handed the branch to Qing Jun: "Eat! Later I will bring Zhiwei back."
Qing Jun's stomach growled uncontrollably, yet she dared not move despite holding the food, she understood.
Master wants to sell her, so he plans to fatten her up, only feeding her without wasting food on Sister.
It must be like this!
If she doesn't eat, Master won't sell her, right?
Sister said, definitely cannot become a furnace, even if it means death...
Chen Ye suddenly turned around, the shadow enveloping the trembling white-furred ball: "Don't eat, and you'll be sold today."
The little girl was scared and quickly started eating, her tongue burnt and hissing, yet afraid to make noise fearing scolding, her face blushing red.
She steals glances at Master's hand resting on the door latch, feeling curious, why is Master hesitating and not going out?
Chen Ye closed his eyes slightly, hardened his heart to push open the door.
The morning light was dim, the sky still held lingering clouds.
In the rain-drenched slums, the air carried a fresh scent of mud and grass.
Yesterday's storm had made the dirt road before Chen Ye's door muddy, animal hoof prints intertwined with tracks.
This was the first time Chen Ye clearly saw the surrounding environment.
So ordinary, ordinary like the rural areas of the past life.
Inside the house behind him, the little girl was still gobbling the roasted taro.
Chen Ye's tense shoulders inexplicably relaxed a little.
On both sides were crowded, leaning houses, next door an old Taoist with a patch-covered Taoist robe squatted on the threshold spitting, casting a sidelong glance at Chen Ye:
"Hey, Old Chen is lively today."
The old Taoist was as slovenly as him, the Taoist robe greasy.
He squinted his triangular eyes slyly glancing behind Chen Ye.
Unfazed, Chen Ye kicked the door shut.
In previous memories, the old Taoist was named Zhang Hong, fond of women.
Even if he couldn't fill his belly, he would go to a brothel for pleasure, having a mediocre relationship with the previous self.
From the view, this slum was mostly middle-aged low-level cultivators like the old Taoist and Chen Ye.
Unwilling to strive further, too lazy to wander, surviving day by day in the slum.
A few cultivators, disheartened, even returned to the secular world to become wealthy men.
But the secular world lacked spiritual qi, greatly reducing the lifespan they obtained through cultivation.
If stayed long, cultivation might even decline until becoming ordinary mortals.
Such costs were unacceptable to most low-level cultivators.
"Taoist Zhang, dare look again and I'll gouge out your eyes!" Chen Ye's face darkened, thumb flicked open the bone-scraping whip on his waist.
Sweat trickled from his palm, but his previous memories told him, in this slum mire, the more one shows weakness, the more others inch forward.
This point was just like certain backward places from his previous life...
The so-called cultivators, no different than people.
Taoist Zhang's face momentarily froze, chuckling wryly, sucking on his pipe, his muddled eyes turning behind gray-white smoke:
"That disciple of yours, anyway, she's to be sold. Why not directly sell to me, one spirit stone deal?"
"Scram!"
A surge of nameless fury burnt, Chen Ye almost wanted to whip Taoist Zhang.
How old was Qing Jun?
The little girl's so skinny and pitiful like this, yet Taoist Zhang had such thoughts!
Taoist Zhang seemed somewhat wary of Chen Ye, he drew back his trembling pipe, shrugged helplessly:
"Tsk, Old Chen don't rush, I was just joking, taking it seriously is your fault."
Chen Ye had no interest in tangling with the shameless old man, he turned back into the house.
The little girl was staring blankly holding the unfinished taro, clearly heard the conversation outside.
"Master, don't sell me, Qing Jun will obediently listen..."
She pitifully raised her little face, mouth dirty, filled with taro crumbs.
"I said I won't, I won't sell."
Chen Ye lifted the little girl's nape, tucked her under his arm, looking annoyed,
"Don't overthink, coming with me simplifies things, prevents that old Taoist from scheming."
"Oh."
Qing Jun's limbs dangled foolishly under Chen Ye's arm.
She stared at the unfinished taro, gradually pouting her lips.
If not sold, why take her out?
Master always liked deceiving Qing Jun...
Crushed by sadness, the little girl furiously gnawed the taro.
Upon leaving, Taoist Zhang still grinned with yellow teeth, kindly said: "Little Qing Jun, going out with Master? Careful, Master might sell you, better yet take refuge with Grandpa Zhang?"
Qing Jun instinctively buried her face in the taro, dared not meet the old man's gaze.
Chen Ye's temple throbbed with veins; he truly hadn't learned how to deal with such rascals.
Frankly, he was a young man from a peaceful environment.
While his predecessor was an indolent drunk, shamelessly indifferent to others' opinions.
Unless... wipe out entirely, once and for all!
Chen Ye was shocked; he breathed deeply, clamped Qing Jun tightly, passed through crooked houses before shaking off Taoist Zhang's lustful gaze.
Yet the earlier thought still lingered in his mind.
Yesterday he was a plain and simple employee, today why are such murderous thoughts creeping in...
The slum was close to the market; nearer to the market, the surroundings improved, spiritual qi relatively more abundant.
Correspondingly, Yunxi District charged rent based on area, but much lower than the residences inside the market.
Those short on cash but aspiring to cultivate usually lived here.
Dark Old Man resided in this area, Chen Ye happened to pass by his house.
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey, unlucky, so unlucky!"
Granny Li, sunning beast hides in the yard, spat several times on the ground.
No need to think, Chen Ye knew it was directed at him, he could only chuckle awkwardly.
The old woman suddenly saw the white fur ball under his arm, her relaxed eyelids abruptly widened:
"You rascal! Broke the child's leg the other day, today where are you stuffing her?"
Granny Li's gaze swept across Qing Jun's wrists peeking from sleeves, blue and purple marred, a held breath spun in her chest.
Chen Ye smiled sheepishly: "Granny, don't misunderstand, I'm going to fetch Zhiwei, I don't feel safe leaving Qing Jun alone."
Upon hearing Chen Ye's words, Granny Li thought she misheard.
This rascal worrying about Qing Jun?
Despite feeling sorry for Qing Jun and Zhiwei, she was ultimately an outsider.
Powerless to intervene in Chen Ye's decisions.
Merely watched helplessly as Chen Ye carried the white fur ball away.
"Heaven-killed son of a turtle! Sooner or later thunder will strike your heart!"
The old woman couldn't help but stamp her feet, as for Chen Ye's words?
She would rather believe the sky is falling than trust this rascal's nonsense!