Qi Jiao could tell that Mrs. Lin exuded a gentle yet resilient strength.
After just a brief conversation, she had already decided to keep Mrs. Lin.
Even if the stewardess hadn't told her about Mrs. Lin's background, Qi Jiao would have made the same decision.
What she valued was Mrs. Lin herself.
Qi Jiao's attitude was gentle, with a warm smile on her face. "There are two side rooms and a small kitchen behind the shop. They've all been cleaned. You can stay here today."
Mrs. Lin was extremely grateful, but she maintained her composure on the surface. She simply bowed deeply to Qi Jiao.
Since the shop had a female shopkeeper, it still needed at least one assistant.
The stewardess suggested to Qi Jiao that instead of hiring someone, it would be more convenient to buy a servant girl.
If she was lucky enough to find one who had received training, it would save a lot of trouble compared to recruiting a new person.
Qi Jiao took note and that very day, she asked Ye Pa to drive the cart to the tooth shop.
A few days ago, she had asked Pei Xia to buy a mule and get a cart. It was convenient for carrying people and goods on a daily basis.
She couldn't afford a horse, but she could still buy a mule for more than ten taels of silver.
*
In the tooth shop, there were tooth brokers and tooth women.
The tooth shop had many branches and a complex range of business.
There were those who brokered cattle, those who brokered donkeys and horses, and those who introduced houses and land...
Qi Jiao and her companions chose the well - known Tooth Woman Chen.
Tooth Woman Chen had a good reputation. Unlike those unscrupulous human traffickers who exploited both sides, some of whom even caused families to fall apart.
Ye Pa tightened the reins and stopped the cart steadily.
Hearing the sound of the cart outside the door, Tooth Woman Chen came out smiling. "Greetings, madam."
She led Qi Jiao into the house. "May I ask if madam is here to look for a young servant or to buy a servant girl?"
Qi Jiao nodded. "I'm here to see if there are any suitable servant girls. They don't need to be too old. Just healthy and smart."
Tooth Woman Chen said it was fine and led her to the backyard.
"These days, young servant girls are in high demand. According to what you've described, I only have two here. Why don't you take a look and see if they suit your fancy?"
Tooth Woman Chen had placed the two young servant girls in the back room.
Qi Jiao followed her in.
The two young servant girls were sitting quietly on the wooden bed.
Although their clothes were tattered, they were clean and there wasn't a speck of dirt on them.
Tooth Woman Chen gently nudged the two girls. "Why don't you greet the madam quickly?"
The implication was that they should behave well. Maybe this madam would take pity on them and buy them.
The girl on the left was a bit taller. She was probably twelve years old, but half of her face was swollen, as if she had been beaten.
The girl on the right still had a childish look on her face. She must have been just ten years old.
Hearing Tooth Woman Chen's words, the two girls immediately bowed and greeted Qi Jiao.
On their different faces, there was both nervousness and uneasiness - nervous that Qi Jiao wouldn't buy them, and uneasy about what would happen to them tomorrow.
Tooth Woman Chen said one after another, "Younger Sister You is a bit older. She's twelve this year, but she has a good temper and can do needlework and cook. This child has had a hard life. Her two older brothers are getting married, so her parents betrothed her to an old bachelor in the local area. Younger Sister You refused and ran away.
Her family chased after her to bring her back and gave her a good beating at the door. I happened to be in their village and saw it.
I, Tooth Woman Chen, also have a daughter. I can't bear to see these people selling their daughters, so I spent five taels of silver to buy her."
As Qi Jiao listened, she felt a bit dazed.
Younger Sister You.
What kind of name was that for a girl? One could tell just by the name that there were brothers in her family.
Even her name was for the sake of her brothers...
Qi Jiao herself had been sold by the Qi couple for three taels of silver, which was similar to Younger Sister You's situation.
Qi Jiao felt sad. She said to Tooth Woman Chen, "There's no need to say any more. I'll take her."
Tooth Woman Chen was delighted. After a pause, she asked again, "Madam, don't mind my nagging. May I ask if you're buying Younger Sister You to be a servant girl at home or...?"
Qi Jiao glanced at Tooth Woman Chen and knew that she meant well.
Asking clearly about Qi Jiao's purpose for buying the girl was a way of being responsible for Younger Sister You.
What if Qi Jiao was a middle - man and resold the girl to a brothel or a kiln?
Wouldn't that be a sin!
Qi Jiao couldn't help but smile and reassured her, "You can rest assured, Tooth Woman Chen. I'm the owner of Jiaoniang Wine Shop in Pomegranate Lane. I've just opened a cosmetic shop and I'm short of hands."
Tooth Woman Chen understood. This was for a proper job.
She said with a smile, "I'm blind, old woman. So you're the big owner of Jiaoniang Wine Shop. If you buy Younger Sister You, there's no doubt it'll be a good thing!"
She turned to Younger Sister You and said with a smile, "You're a lucky girl. Going to the owner's shop is a hundred times better than going to those deep mansions!"
For Younger Sister You, Tooth Woman Chen and Qi Jiao were the ones who had saved her from the fire and water.
No matter where she went, it was better than staying in that cannibalistic family.
Tears welled up in Younger Sister You's eyes. She wiped them with her hand. She came up to Qi Jiao. "Madam, from now on, Younger Sister You will be your servant girl. I'll do whatever you tell me."
Qi Jiao's heart ached. She patted her hand.
Seeing that Younger Sister You had found a good place, March beside her couldn't help but shed tears.
Tooth Woman Chen secretly glared at March, telling her to behave herself.
Qi Jiao looked over. March stopped crying, but her baby face was all red from holding it in. She looked both pitiful and funny.
Actually, just looking at her appearance, March was more beautiful than Younger Sister You. Her cheeks weren't as sunken as Younger Sister You's. She must have had a comfortable life before. It was just a pity that she didn't know why she had fallen into such a difficult situation.
Qi Jiao thought so and just asked it out.
Tooth Woman Chen sighed as she looked at March. "March's father was a convicted official. The whole family was sentenced to exile. Unfortunately, her father died of illness on the way. The official escorting them drove them to Zhuozhou and then ran away. March secretly ran out to sell herself in order to raise money for her mother's illness.
She's also quite brave. She didn't know that people outside were so evil.
Fortunately, there was a tooth woman I knew in Zhuozhou. She thought that Yulin County was richer than Zhuozhou and March would fetch a higher price here. So she sent her to me."
For every word Tooth Woman Chen said, March would sob once.
Finally, she was so sad that she turned around and lay on the bed, crying loudly.
Qi Jiao felt extremely pity for her. March was still a child and so filial.
It was really unpredictable. Misfortunes always came to those who were already in a difficult situation.
March was very envious of Younger Sister You.
The madam just now was as beautiful as a fairy and also very gentle. If she bought herself, she would be very willing.
It was a pity that she couldn't cook, let alone do needlework. In the past, she only knew how to have fun beside her parents...
March was a bit tired from crying. When she looked up, she found that she was the only one left in the room.
March felt like she had been abandoned by the whole world. She cried even louder.
Qi Jiao and Tooth Woman Chen came to the front hall. Tooth Woman Chen's daughter served tea to Qi Jiao and Ye Pa.
Qi Jiao waited for Tooth Woman Chen to calculate the expenses for Younger Sister You these days and then pay the money together.
Tooth Woman Chen skillfully used the abacus on the counter.
Qi Jiao sipped her tea absent - mindedly.
Younger Sister You, who was standing beside Qi Jiao, opened her mouth but swallowed her words silently.
She wanted to beg the madam to buy March as well.
Although March was young, she was lively, sensible, and cute.
After getting along for these few days, Younger Sister You had already regarded March as her younger sister.
When March cried just now, how could she not feel reluctant and sad?
But what right did she have to ask the madam to buy March as well?
No one's money came easily.
Moreover, Tooth Woman Chen was here to make money.
It had cost five taels to buy herself. She didn't know how much Tooth Woman Chen would ask the madam for March...
Five taels. The betrothal money the old bachelor in the village had given her parents was only two and a half taels.
Just when Younger Sister You was struggling and feeling nervous, Qi Jiao put down her teacup and softly said, "Tooth Woman Chen. I'll take March as well."