Chapter 191: Chains
Shang Wan seemed not to notice and continued madly poking at the breathing tube, “Your brother seems to be running out of breath. For the sake of our acquaintance, I’ll give him a coffin. No need to thank me.”
Hearing this, Yu Da, who was about to sudden attack, deflated instantly like a punctured ball.
He glanced at Yu Er, whose face was ashen as death. There was one thing he hadn’t lied to Shang Wan about: for many years, the two had truly depended on each other for survival. If not for Yu Er risking his life to save him several times, he would have died long ago.
Watching his younger brother die right before his eyes was even more painful than dying himself.
Anxiety, powerlessness, worry, anger… all sorts of emotions surged in his heart, and he finally compromised with a heavy sigh.
His voice was hoarse from being burned by rage, “As long as you can save my second brother, I’m willing to sell myself as a… servant.”
The word “servant” was spat out with difficulty. He’d only taken a murder job, never expecting to sell himself in the process.
He lowered his eyes, darkness pooling in their depths.
—So what if he’s a servant? Sooner or later, there will be a day he bites his master!
Shang Wan knew Yu Da had only submitted under pressure, but so what?
If he dared to bite his master, she’d just kill him!
She had no extra mercy for anyone who wanted to kill her.
If she didn’t mind her own people getting too tired, she wouldn’t bother keeping these two around.
Shang Wan completely didn’t understand what it meant to push one’s luck. “Good things come in pairs. You two sign together.”
Yu Da: “…”
With their lives in someone else’s hands, they had to agree even if they didn’t want to.
Shang Wan fed Yu Er two drops of spiritual spring water. Once Yu Er’s condition stabilized and he regained consciousness, she took the two to sign the deed of sale.
The deed of sale was drafted by Lu Chengjing. After the two signed and pressed their handprints, it still needed to be registered and stamped at the government.
Only then did Shang Wan realize that buying servants also required “transferring ownership” and paying taxes.
She immediately felt a bit regretful. She glanced at the two brothers standing nearby and said to Lu Chengjing, “How about we just kill them directly.”
Yu Da and Yu Er: !!!
Lu Chengjing had Shi Tou take the two brothers out first, and somehow managed to persuade Shang Wan.
In his view, with Zhong Chenghong dead, Yu Da and Yu Er were still a hidden danger. Even after signing the deed of sale, they couldn’t be kept for long, so there was no need to register at the government for now.
If things changed, the two might still have other uses, and they could register at the government later.
The deed of sale itself was a form of restraint. Taking it to the government for registration and stamping was just to guard against disobedient servants; in case of disputes, the government could intervene. If not registered in advance, the government wouldn’t care.
But Yu Da and Yu Er’s situation was special. If they really caused trouble, even if registered at the government, it wouldn’t be appropriate to involve government people in resolving disputes, so whether to register at the government wasn’t important.
After hearing Lu Chengjing’s explanation, Shang Wan finally understood.
Yu Da and Yu Er had quite a few lives on their hands and couldn’t possibly seek help from the government. If the government found out, who knew who would get in trouble first.
Shang Wan’s eyes darted, and she tapped the table with her fingers. “The deed of sale is just for show on the surface. These two won’t obediently listen, so we need to add another chain.”
·
“Big brother, are we really staying to be servants for that woman?” Yu Er said indignantly, extremely unwilling.
“Don’t be hasty.” Yu Da patted his shoulder to comfort him. “Let her be smug for a couple of days. Once your injury heals, we’ll make plans.”
Yu Er also knew the situation was stronger than the people. He nodded helplessly. Just as he sat down on the kang, the closed door suddenly rang with “bang bang bang” knocks.
Yu Da walked over and opened the door.
Outside stood a delicately carved little girl, her chubby little face like a dumpling, with thick long eyelashes curling upward like a small fan, and below them a pair of big black eyes full of spirit as if they could speak, with a cute little nose and mouth.
Beside the little girl crouched a gray big wolf, its green beast eyes coldly staring at him, as if it would pounce and bite the next moment.
Yu Da’s back went numb, and he couldn’t help stepping back. He asked the little girl, “Something wrong?”
Yuan Yuan tilted her little head, looking at the uncle as tall as the door in front of her. Hearing the question, she nodded. “Again!”
Yu Da had raised children before and understood. He continued asking, “What is it?”
“Come! Eat rice!” Yuan Yuan waved her small hand at him.
Yu Da was a bit surprised. He’d thought Shang Wan would starve them for a few days to assert dominance.
He looked up at the sky; it was indeed mealtime.
He went back inside to help Yu Er up and went to the main hall with Yuan Yuan.
Yuan Yuan had just learned to walk and had been practicing diligently these days. Though she still fell sometimes, she walked much steadier than when she first started.
Her legs were short and her steps small. She grabbed the gray wolf’s fur with her small hand and walked ahead to lead the way.
Yu Da and Yu Er, two tall long-legged men, couldn’t take big steps at all. If they thought to overtake Yuan Yuan, the gray wolf would bare its teeth at them, its sharp fangs chilling to behold.
The two were forced to switch to small shuffling steps.
The side room to the main hall wasn’t far, but under Yuan Yuan’s lead, it felt endlessly long.
Yu Er’s leg already hurt, and with repeated pulls on the wound, it hurt even more, hot and painful, sweat pouring down and gradually soaking his clothes.
He wasn’t good-tempered to begin with and irritably urged, “Walk faster!”
Yuan Yuan stopped, turned to look at him, and said in her childish voice, “Slow! Walk steady! Or… pain!”
Walking fast would make her fall, and falling would hurt.
Yu Er wanted to say more, but Yu Da pulled him back. There wasn’t much road left; better endure it.
The three finally arrived at the main hall with small shuffling steps.
“Mommy! Here!” Yuan Yuan happily pounced onto Shang Wan’s legs, tilting up her little face with a brilliant smile.
“Good job.” Shang Wan picked her up and kissed her cheek. She lifted her eyelashes, her meaningful gaze sweeping over Yu Da and Yu Er.
The two felt a chill in their hearts, an inexplicable bad premonition.
Soon they knew where the bad premonition came from.
Plates of delicious meat dishes were removed from in front of them, replaced with clear watery boiled bok choy, not even a steamed bun.
The two: “…”
Yu Da euphemistically reminded, “Only with a full stomach can you have strength to work.”
Hearing this, Shang Wan tossed a steamed bun to him. Only he got one; Yu Er didn’t.
Yu Er looked up at Shang Wan, his gaze dark.
Shang Wan picked up some stir-fried bok choy with chopsticks for Chu Xu and said coolly, “If you don’t want your eyeballs, I can dig them out for free.”
He even yelled at Yuan Yuan who still wanted good food—what was he dreaming of?
Yu Er slapped the table and stood up. “I won’t take this humiliation. If you have the guts, kill me!”
Lu Chengjing was feeding Yuan Yuan meat porridge. This sudden shout startled the little one into coughing. Chu Xu quickly reached over to pat her back.
Four deathly gazes landed squarely on Yu Er.
Yu Er felt a chill on his neck, and his raised hand couldn’t bring itself to slap down again.
“Second brother!” Yu Da was shocked and kept signaling Yu Er with his eyes. “Hurry and apologize to Madam.”
As long as the green hills remain, there’s no fear of running out of firewood. With the deed of sale signed, why seek momentary gratification?
Yu Er had only lost his temper earlier. Ever since achieving some success in martial arts, he’d only bullied others—when had he ever been so bullied?
He knew big brother was right, but looking at the clear watery bok choy in front of him, he couldn’t bring himself to swallow his pride.
He stuck out his neck. “Kill me or carve me up, as you wish!”
