Chapter Four: Entrusting the Artwork

“Be careful,” Bai Tiezhu warned quietly, lowering his brows.

Bai Mianmian turned her gaze away, her mood suddenly lifting.

“Not afraid?”

“My second sister always cared for us.”

“She’s not herself anymore; how could she still care?”

“…If she devours us, maybe you can be kinder to my second sister… it’s alright.”

“……”

She didn’t know whether to feel moved or to lash out.

Such words, blind and naive, stirred a touch of envy within her.

If her own spoiled brother were just half as sensible, she wouldn’t constantly be itching to discipline him.

“Don’t drag me into this, it’s annoying.” This kid was way too easy to move.

Bai Tiezhu silently took a step back.

Bai Wenwen, following closely behind, quietly took his hand.

‘System…’ Bai Mianmian wondered if she could just send these siblings away.

But the system immediately gave a negative reply.

These two must be bound to her; they have to become her trusted aides in the unfolding events.

Once again, Bai Mianmian felt the system was flawed.

These siblings didn’t seem worthless in the slightest!

Helping her?

Helping the heroine to deal with her was pretty good!

‘Can I make them earn money for me?’

‘As long as it doesn’t affect their roles, yes.’

Bai Mianmian chuckled.

In the novel, the lucky heroine was kidnapped the moment she appeared.

The original protagonist, a vicious supporting female, was sold off within days.

The heroine, just escaped and hoping to capitalize on her luck at her relatives’ tiger den, accidentally stumbled into the wolf’s den while black-toothed men were transferring piglets.

The lucky heroine was unfamiliar with the original protagonist, but the latter recognized her as the village chief’s precious granddaughter.

A brave shout from her forged the bond between the heroine and the vicious supporting female.

Now, Bai Po couldn’t sell them; their contact with the heroine was severed.

Whether the emotional entanglements would still change, no one knew.

Two days was enough time for her to kill those beasts a hundred times over.

Bai Mianmian wanted to test her suspicions and probe the system’s limits.

The black-toothed gang would be the best NPCs.

“Hurry up, no dawdling. If you’re late, good jobs will be gone.”

“You want to find work?” Bai Tiezhu was surprised.

Bai Mianmian snapped, “Not working means starving? With our family, can we even get enough to eat?”

“…I’ll go find Fat Jiang Po.”

“…Are you selling yourself or is it her?”

“I’m a boy; I can get a couple more silver taels. Just ask her to treat Wuya better.”

Bai Mianmian was speechless.

Fat Jiang Po was a notorious official slave trader in the city.

The original protagonist was sold to her by Bai Po.

She claimed to be finding a good household for the original protagonist to work as a maid in a big mansion.

But in reality, she colluded with the black-toothed gang, planning to send her to Jiangnan.

Though the sisters were small and scrawny, their bone structure was excellent.

“I don’t want a little slave brother; that’s a disgrace.”

“Fat Jiang Po is an official slave trader; she’s legitimate,” Bai Tiezhu said, blushing.

Bai Po had long wanted to sell the sisters, knowing all about their futures and prices.

Being crafty, he had already investigated their possible destinations.

“I’ll go myself. Next time, I’ll choose the household first.”

“How shameless are you?” Bai Mianmian cast a faint glance at him.

He immediately lowered his head.

“I’ll find you work. You just have to earn well. If I find out you’re making your own plans, don’t blame me for being ruthless—I'll flay you alive.”

Bai Mianmian valued efficiency and disliked repetitive nonsense.

Her tone left no room for argument.

Then: ‘Host’s siblings’ sudden surge of emotional value detected; system will reset in three seconds.’

“!!!”

“???”

Bai Mianmian felt numb.

Her heart was racing.

Could even this damn thing be moved?

What did she say?

She hadn’t uttered a single kind word!

“…Fat Jiang Po is an official slave trader; she’s legitimate.”

This time, she didn’t even get to question her.

“Legitimate my ass!” she swore under her breath. “If she’s legitimate, then I must be a saint!”

What kind of treasures were these?

These two were definitely not to be kept around.

Too troublesome.

Their emotional threshold was frighteningly low!

Compared to this inexplicable rollback, she preferred to walk her own doomed path.

“Let’s go.”

“Faster.”

“Haven’t eaten?”

Bai Tiezhu: “……”

Bai Wenwen: “……”

They really hadn’t eaten.

Not just them.

She hadn’t eaten either.

An hour and a half later.

Hexi Village wasn’t far from the city, about thirty miles.

After asking around, Bai Mianmian finally brought her siblings to the doorstep of the city’s renowned bookstore, Shu Xiang Zhai.

The brother and sister were timid and anxious.

Their stomachs growled incessantly.

Along the way, she held Ma Lian’s hand, full of complaints.

It was genuinely intimidating.

The siblings didn’t dare say a word.

Inside the shop, Bai Mianmian immediately inquired about the price of rice paper.

The lone shopkeeper, Wei Qing, didn’t peek out from the door crack to look at them.

“I’d like to buy half a sheet of rice paper. May I borrow your brushes and ink?”

A full sheet cost three taels and two qian.

The younger Zhou sister had only brought two taels and one qian, not even enough to buy a sheet.

“Please, feel free,” the shopkeeper Wei Qing generously replied.

He cut the paper, took the money, then dipped his chin towards the ink on the table.

Bai Mianmian borrowed the brushes and ink to sketch a bustling street scene.

Wei Qing, originally lazily reading, caught a glimpse of her serene and natural face out of the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but glance again.

After a few glances, he stood beside her.

She was drawing the small street in front of the shop, even including the uneasy Bai Tiezhu siblings.

The brushwork was something he had never seen before.

“This painting—would you part with it?” Wei Qing couldn’t take his eyes off it.

Bai Mianmian pointed to the little figures on the drawing, “How much will you pay?”

“?” Wei Qing was confused.

“My family is poor; my siblings need work to earn food.”

“…How about three meals a day?”

“That’s too cheap; add two wen.”

“……”

Only after Bai Mianmian vanished into the crowd, leaving her siblings behind, did Wei Qing come to his senses.

He had just been entrusted with a ward through a painting.

Bai Tiezhu was bold, but even he had never seen such a scene.

Could a bookstore really have work for these siblings?

“Gurgle~”

The little girl hid even closer behind her brother.

Bai Tiezhu lowered his head but tightly pulled his sister along responsibly.

“We… we can do anything… anything at all.”

“Come inside first,” Wei Qing reluctantly led the way.

He was a renowned old scholar in the city, from a wealthy family.

This shop was just for his convenience.

A talented man who refused to associate with corrupt officials, he had been seeking suitable students in his own way.

Unfortunately, after more than ten years, he hadn’t found a single one.

Bai Mianmian came directly to him partly out of curiosity about the heroine’s future husband, but also to test Tiezhu’s luck.

The siblings had no idea of her intentions.

Meeting Lady Wei, who was draped in fine silk and exuded restrained elegance, made their little hearts sink.

Especially when Wei Qing asked his mother to prepare some food for the siblings to fill their bellies.

The old lady happily went to prepare it.

“Fourth brother?”

Bai Wenwen was restless.

“Better to be full than starve.”

“Why does she treat us this way? Has second sister already passed away?”

“Better if she’s gone.”

“……”

Just as Bai Mianmian had suspected, the siblings, experiencing kindness for the first time, tried their best to interpret her malicious intentions.

After leaving the bookstore, she returned the way she came.

Nothing was more enticing than a girl who sneaked out alone, spending stolen money.

Compared to her seeking them out, it was easier for people to catch and take her back.