"Dear folks, just think about it. All the food items this Li Ying brought out, like chili peppers and fish sauce, are things none of us have ever heard of or seen before," said a vicious servant, looking at the crowd seriously and pretending to be earnest.
His companions beside him nodded vehemently and vividly described how they had seen Li Ying make all those bottles and jars disappear into thin air in the alley today.
"This is clearly sorcery! This woman is of unknown origin. Who knows what kind of magic she's using? We ordinary folks stand no chance against her!"
"You're right! I heard that both Li Ying and her daughter are very strange. Her child was born after a difficult labor and was on the verge of death. It was even thrown into the mass grave by her in - laws. How could the child survive without a midwife? This woman might not even be one of us!"
Hearing the shouts of those vicious servants, Li Ying's face grew colder and colder.
This Inspector Lin really paid great attention to her. He even dug out all the details of her past.
The servants of Yunlaixuan got more and more excited as they shouted, full of words like "demons and evil spirits".
The common people were confused, but their looks at Li Ying unconsciously became more wary.
They had never heard of the matter of the washing woman. But Mianmian was so intelligent, not like an ordinary child. And there was also the little cat Maomao, who followed Li Ying around and was scarily intelligent.
All these things were not a big deal on a normal day. But now, after hearing what those servants said, the common people looked at each other and couldn't help but feel a bit of fear.
"All we need is a basin of black dog blood, and we'll surely make this demon show its true form!"
Someone shouted first. Those servants were well - prepared. They rushed forward with a copper basin and were about to pour it over Li Ying's head!
Even if they couldn't do anything to this woman, it would be good to embarrass her and vent their master's anger.
Just as the stinking dog blood in the basin was about to pour down, Shopkeeper Wu couldn't bear it and reached out to stop it.
Li Ying felt a blur in front of her eyes. She stumbled and then fell softly into a warm embrace.
"Why didn't you send someone to find me when something like this happened?" Lu Xunguang held her tightly and whispered in her ear, reproaching her gently.
Li Ying stuck out her tongue. "Master Lu is so busy. This is just a small matter. It's not worth bothering you."
Lu Xunguang frowned and sighed. "For me, anything related to you is a big deal."
He held Li Ying in his arms and quickly leaped back a few steps as if there was no one else around. Then he kicked out and hit the hand of the servant holding the copper basin.
The servant lost his balance and staggered to one side. He couldn't hold the basin anymore, and it fell straight onto Li Yun's face!
The on - looking crowd let out a scream and scattered in all directions.
Li Yun had nowhere to retreat. He only felt a blackness in front of his eyes, and the stinking and warm liquid dripped down his hair and beard.
The common people avoided it in a hurry. Li Yun, who always liked to be clean and considered himself a decent person, felt a rush of blood to his head at this embarrassing moment and almost fainted.
"Tsk, this so - called black dog blood is nothing special. It didn't even make you, this beast in human form, show your true form," Lu Xunguang said, holding Li Ying tightly and looking at Li Yun with disgust from a few steps away.
Li Ying couldn't help but smile secretly. This man usually seemed like a serious and silent person, but now when he provoked others, he was really infuriating.
Sure enough, Li Yun, who had never suffered such humiliation before, rolled his eyes and fell backward, really fainting this time.
Those servants struggled to lift Li Yun up.
After they were far away, Li Ying gently broke free from Lu Xunguang's embrace. She stood in front of everyone with teary eyes and curtsied.
"I'm sorry for making you all laugh today.
"I'm just an ordinary woman doing some small business. I really don't know why I have to suffer such an unexpected disaster today.
"Confucius said not to talk about strange, violent, chaotic, and supernatural things. If this basin of black dog blood had really been poured on me today, my reputation would have been completely ruined. I really don't know how I could have the face to live on! Shopkeeper Li has been targeting me again and again. Today, he almost wanted my life. I'm really scared!"
Li Ying looked at the on - looking crowd with teary eyes and continued, "Think about it, folks. If I were really a demon, why would I work so hard, getting up before dawn and going to bed late at night to make a living? Wouldn't it be better for me to just use some illusions and magic to turn stones into gold and live a luxurious life?"
Her words were sincere. Although the language was simple, the truth was there. With her tears and weak appearance, the common people immediately forgot their doubts and instead gritted their teeth with hatred for Li Yun.
After everyone had left, Li Ying bowed to Shopkeeper Wu several times to thank him for his protection just now. Then she simply gave him some seasoning packets for the red - oil stewed chicken and hot - pot base as a favor.
Shopkeeper Wu was, of course, overjoyed. He also reminded Li Ying that Li Yun was a narrow - minded man. After suffering such humiliation in public today, he might not let it go easily in the future.
Li Ying and Lu Xunguang glanced at each other and didn't take it seriously.
Anyway, they would just face whatever came their way.
After they bid farewell to Shopkeeper Wu and were on their way back to Li's residence, Lu Xunguang just silently led the horse Wu Zhui without saying a word. Li Ying couldn't figure out what he was thinking and felt a bit uneasy.
Finally, after a long time, she couldn't hold it in anymore. Sitting on the back of Wu Zhui, she carefully asked, "Lu Lang, do you have anything you want to ask me?"
Lu Xunguang stopped and turned around. His deep eyes were full of calmness.
"If you want to tell me, I'll listen. If you don't want to mention it, I won't ask."
His calmness surprised Li Ying. She deliberately asked reluctantly, "Aren't you afraid that I'm really the demon they said I was?"
Lu Xunguang looked up, and her face was clearly reflected in his pupils.
"I only know that you're the one destined for me. Whether you're a human or a demon, I only want you."
He said it so casually, as if he was just talking about the weather. Li Ying felt a warmth in her heart. She softly called out "Lu Lang" and secretly made a decision in her heart.