Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I shamelessly gritted my teeth and threw away my tattered bamboo hat.

Then I quickened my pace and tried to leave.

His voice instantly rose. “Yes, that one-the woman with hair like a chicken coop who’s walking away really fast.”

The crowd burst into laughter and shoved me back.

The owner pushed the man toward me and said generously, “Young lady, you really are loyal and devoted. I’ll knock two taels of silver off the price!”

But even with two taels off, I still couldn’t afford him!

Cursing up a storm in my head, I dug half a tael of silver out of my sleeve.

Then I took another half tael from a hidden seam in my trousers.

Finally, under the owner’s disgusted gaze, I pulled out the last of my money from inside my boot.

When I handed over the silver, I wanted nothing more than to stab that bastard Li Kuo to death.

We hadn’t seen each other in years. He’d passed the imperial exams and gone off to serve as an advisor in a prince’s manor.

I hadn’t benefited from a single coin of his success. The first thing I got was a letter breaking off our engagement.

And now look at this. I hadn’t managed to extort a single tael from him, and I’d even paid eight taels out of my own pocket.

But now wasn’t the time to settle accounts with him.

In a flustered hurry, I dragged him all the way to the city gate.

The Escort Leader spotted me and immediately flew into a rage. “Women are such goddamn trouble! Everyone’s been waiting on you! Drag your feet again next time, and I’ll kick you out of the escort agency on the spot!”

I nodded and bowed with a fawning smile, pulled out two steaming meat buns, and said obsequiously, “Brother, these are Cangzhou’s famous sauced meat buns. I had to fight tooth and nail to get them. Have a taste.”

The Escort Leader took the buns, glanced at Li Kuo, and rolled his eyes. “You’re so poor you’re practically jingling, yet you still went and bought yourself a slave. If you’re that desperate, why not find some of the brothers in the escort agency to put out your fire?”

I pretended not to hear him, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Li Kuo take a step forward.

I immediately grabbed him and shoved him onto the escort cart.

Li Kuo seemed to think I was spineless. He looked at me with a frown.

While gnawing on a dry flatbread, I drove the cart.

Casually, I said, “Once we’re back in Qingzhou, you pay me back the silver, and we’ll be even.”

Li Kuo said nothing. He lowered his head gloomily and ate his flatbread.

The journey back to Qingzhou was startling at times but ultimately safe. I turned in the job and collected my pay.

Then I hurried home.

The broken door to my house was wide open.

Old Woman Wang stood inside, kicking one thing and shoving another.

I quickly went in to pay the rent.

She looked me up and down. Perhaps I really did look too wretched, because she finally held back that sharp tongue of hers.

With a sigh, she said, “While you’re still young, hurry up and find someone to marry. Working yourself to the bone every day-what’s the point?”

I walked over and righted the flower stand, smiling at her.

When I saw her out, I said good-naturedly, “Auntie, next time I’m not home, please don’t open the door and come in by yourself. If this happens again, I won’t rent this place anymore.”

Old Woman Wang glared at me. “Oh! A rotten persimmon like you, dropped on the ground for anyone to step on, actually has a temper now?”

I scratched my head and smiled foolishly.

She curled her lip, which counted as agreement.

Then she said with disdain, “If you really can’t manage, find yourself a live-in husband! Get a man to take care of the housework. This courtyard is such a mess I can barely find a place to put my foot.”

She turned to leave, then paused mid-step.

Old Woman Wang said quietly, “I wasn’t the one who smashed that lock. Your mother came by around noon. Take a careful look and see if anything’s missing.”

I smiled amiably. “Thank you, Auntie.”

After exchanging a few more bits of small talk, I saw Old Woman Wang off.

When I turned around, Li Kuo had entered my courtyard.

He looked at my cramped little yard with resistance written all over him.

I said leisurely, “This is called order within chaos. Don’t go touching my things.”

Li Kuo’s gaze landed on an empty patch by the wall. He said, “Could I borrow some hot water to wash up?”

I bent at the waist and made an inviting gesture. “The door is this way. Please get lost.”

Li Kuo said patiently, “Actually, I own a two-courtyard residence in Qingzhou. It’s just that I’ve now fallen to the status of a convict slave, so I need to find someone with a free household registration to transfer the deed to.”

Before he could finish, I immediately grabbed his arm and dragged him inside. “Aren’t I a ready-made free citizen? The two of us were betrothed since childhood, and we know each other inside out. Who could be better than me? Come on, let’s get you a bath. We can talk while you wash.”