SFS Chapter 114 What is he after?
Chapter 114 What is he after?
"We just want to ask some questions."
Yu Wanran said with regret, "Since you're in such a hurry to leave, then let's just forget about it."
With a wink, Yanqing immediately released the boy. He put his hand behind his back and shook it vigorously. He felt like he'd touched a hand full of slippery grime that he couldn't shake off.
The boy, now free, picked up his belongings that had fallen to the ground and tried to run. But out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of something Yu Wanran was holding, and his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground.
Yu Wanran took out a large, round dry food biscuit from her small bag. She tore off a small piece and casually put it in her mouth.
The boy stared at her as she chewed on a pancake. It was made of white flour and had meat filling inside! He couldn't help but swallow hard, and suspicious tears welled up from the corner of his mouth.
His pores, which had seemed clogged with dirt, suddenly cleared. His malfunctioning nose caught the aroma of crispy bread and the rich, savory scent of meat.
If it weren't for the several sharp eyes watching him from the side, he almost couldn't resist pouncing on the white meat pie like a mad dog and snatching it away!
"You... I'm not in a hurry to leave. Ask me anything you want!"
The boy finished speaking rapidly, his eyes fixed on the pancake in Yu Wanran's hand. He seemed afraid that if he spoke too slowly, she would have already finished it.
Yu Wanran bent down slightly and handed the pancake to the boy.
The boy was emaciated, his hands and feet nothing but skin and bones. It was unknown how long he had been hiding in the cave, until their arrival caused him to cower in fear.
If this continues, we probably won't be able to hold on.
The boy gripped the pancake tightly, his ten fingers leaving conspicuous marks on the white surface. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and took a large bite, wolfing it down, only to choke immediately.
Yu Wanran gently patted his back, took out her water pouch, opened the lid, and gestured for him to drink water.
Du Hu and Qiu Yan stared in disbelief at the scene. This filthy, smelly boy was even more disgusting than a beggar. How kind-hearted was Miss Yu? Didn't she find him disgusting?
Yanqing stood silently by.
Yanbai seemed to have mentioned something to him before... The one who taught his master martial arts was a reclusive master. Back then, he roamed the world as a ragged and dirty beggar.
The young master was kind-hearted and gave the other person a cotton coat to wear and invited them to a meal.
Other martial arts instructors were all hired at great expense. Only the master's teacher was willing to enter the Duke's mansion to teach the master out of gratitude for a single meal.
Of course, this reclusive master also had a fiery temper. No matter how much the Duke of Ren pleaded, he refused to teach anyone other than his master, including the heir apparent.
Yan Qing was filled with mixed emotions as she gazed at the tenderness that inadvertently surfaced in Yu Wanran's eyes.
When did the master begin to grow increasingly indifferent? Everyone believes that people naturally change as they grow up. The master was no exception.
However, he now realizes that his master may not have changed at all.
However, there aren't many people who can be looked at so tenderly by their master anymore!
The boy ate only half a pancake and refused to eat any more. He carefully wrapped the rest in a relatively clean old garment and held it close to his chest.
As for bedding, it was not as important as food, so he carried it on his shoulder, letting one end drag on the ground.
Looking at the water pouch in his hand, which had turned completely black, he remained silent for a moment before awkwardly wiping it with his tattered sleeve. However, the more he wiped it, the blacker it became.
Seeing his embarrassed expression, Yu Wanran laughed and said, "No need to wipe it off, you can have it."
She could see that the child had nothing; he didn't even have a container for water. She decided to give it to him; after all, she could still use Yanqing's things.
The boy's eyes were inexplicably red, but he quickly recovered. He looked up at Yu Wanran with a reckless expression.
"Ask away! I'll tell you everything I know!"
He was now completely convinced that the other person was not a bandit. Although there were women among the bandits, how could they be as gentle and kind as the girl in front of him?
He was so destitute that he was worse off than a rat, and he even despised himself. But she treated him as a human being, without the slightest hint of unease in her eyes.
What could one possibly gain from such a person?
Even if there's some ulterior motive, he'll accept it!
"what's your name?"
Yu Wanran guessed that the child was a survivor from the bandits' clutches; otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state, hiding in a cave in the wilderness. It was rather strange, though, why didn't he try to find a place with people?
It's much safer to beg for food in the city than to stay in the bandit-infested Qingling Mountains.
"Song Genbao".
Song Genbao introduced himself generously: "I am twelve years old this year (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning)."
"You're twelve?"
Qiu Yan couldn't help but be surprised. He had initially thought the boy was just a little kid, but in less than two years, he was already engaged!
However, the child was so emaciated from hunger that it was difficult to determine his true age, which is normal.
"Are you from Songjia Village?"
Du Hu was even more surprised: "Wasn't Songjia Village already occupied by bandits...?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Wanran felt a sudden sense of clarity. The village mentioned earlier, wiped out by bandits, was most likely Songjia Village! But she wondered if, besides Song Genbao, there were any other survivors?
She didn't want to rub salt into Song Genbao's wounds, so she directly changed the subject.
"We want to go to Linjia Village. Song Genbao, do you know Linjia Village?"
Du Hu and his companion looked at Yu Wanran, puzzled. Weren't they here to investigate the bandits' whereabouts? Why was Miss Yu so insistent on coming to Linjia Village?
Song Genbao lowered his eyes.
"Lin Family Village... Of course I know it. Lin Family Village is right next to our Song Family Village!"
Seeing the surprise on Yu Wanran's face, he shook his head regretfully: "But you don't need to go to Linjia Village! Their village, like our Songjia Village, was ravaged by bandits. Some died, some fled, and there's hardly anyone left!"
I wondered if this kind-hearted woman was going to stay with relatives in the Lin family? It was pitiful; I was afraid she was like him, with no relatives left.
Yu Wanran was stunned for a moment.
Thinking of his carefree and cheerful subordinate from his past life, he never imagined that the man, who came from Linjia Village, had such a tragic past that he had never heard him mention it before!
"Song Genbao!"
Du Hu was impatient, feeling that the opportunity to make a contribution was just around the corner and he had to seize it.
"Do you know anything about the bandits of Qingling Mountain? If you can provide any clues, the officials... we will definitely reward you handsomely!"
Song Genbao glanced at him, his eyes filled with indifference.
"I don't know! To survive, I tried my best to avoid them, why would I deliberately look for their tracks?"
Du Hu thought about it and agreed. He immediately deflated like a punctured balloon and looked at the others.
"It seems we can only go to Songjia Village and Linjia Village, which were destroyed by bandits, to look for clues."
Who knows, the bandits might use that place as a base and still be entrenched there?
After listening to Du Hu's suggestion, Yu Wanran pondered for a moment, then casually took out a few white flour cakes and two taels of silver from her bundle and handed them to Song Genbao.
"You and your sister should go somewhere else to make a living. Don't stay in such a dangerous place."
Song Genbao trembled.
Qiu Yan opened his eyes wide in disbelief.
Du Hu exclaimed, "This kid has a younger sister? Miss Yu, how did you know that!"