CHAPTER 492: CHAPTER 492: DOING A SMALL FAVOR

"Definitely not, Dad loves her so much. Plus, it’s the Wan Family who treated her wrong, it’s only fair if she takes a little something from the Wan Family."

"But that’s a golden hairpin. There’s no reason not to take it, and bringing it back can also be used for her dowry and save Dad some money."

Thinking this, Gu Yumei said to Lu Shuiwa, "Since Wan Lifang is so eager to see me, then I’ll go meet him. Lead the way."

Then she sternly warned Lu Shuiwa, "Don’t you dare tell anyone about me going to meet Wan Lifang. If my dad and my uncles find out, you’re in trouble with me!"

Lu Shuiwa just wanted to trick Gu Yumei into going out to save his sister, he wouldn’t dare contradict her. He immediately promised, "Miss Gu, rest assured, I won’t let it slip. May lightning strike me otherwise."

Saying this, he pulled Gu Yumei aside and ran toward the small path.

Gu Yumei, disliking his dirty hands, shook him off and said, "Don’t touch me, just lead the way from the front, you’re filthy."

"Yes, yes," Lu Shuiwa apologized and bowed, then pointed to a small path on the right-hand side that villagers seldom used, "Miss Gu, we go this way."

The two traversed narrow paths, crossed field ridges, and went through wild grasslands. After another quarter of an hour, they arrived at the same old pond.

The pond was about two acres large, not small at all, but it was filled with mud and weeds, and the water emitted a foul smell. Gu Yumei, covering her nose, asked, "How much longer? Once we pass the pond, we will be leaving the village."

Lu Shuiwa pointed to a wild grassland not far from the pond and said, "Just ahead, we have to pass through the thorn fence."

Due to an incident in Yushu Village, the village chief had recently stationed village men at the entrance, forbidding strangers from entering. This pond, however, was situated to the right of the main road at the village entrance, about thirty yards away, so the villagers couldn’t guard here. They could only add a circular thorn fence to prevent people from crossing arbitrarily.

Gu Yumei turned pale, "We still have to cross the thorn fence, what a hassle. I’m not going any further. Tell Wan Lifang to bring the golden hairpin and meet me himself. If he doesn’t come, I’m heading home."

Lu Shuiwa, feeling helpless, knew Miss Gu’s temper was not to be underestimated. Having no choice, he crossed the thorn fence himself, ran to the wild grassland, found Wan Lifang, and conveyed what Gu Yumei had said.

"Little wench, thinking so highly of herself," Wan Lifang cursed Gu Yumei, and got up to jog towards her.

From afar, Gu Yumei saw Wan Lifang running towards her, looking quite anxious, and she felt somewhat proud. Hmph, serves you right for wronging me; now you come running to grandma, just desserts!

After Wan Lifang left, Lu Shuiwa quickly picked up his sister, who had swollen eyes from crying, and ran. But they had not run far when a group of people burst from the brush behind them, caught them, and dragged them deeper into the dense grass. They were tied up and gagged, making it impossible for them to shout for help.

Soon, Wan Lifang reached Gu Yumei, "Sister Mei..."

Gu Yumei interrupted him, tilting her chin up arrogantly, "Don’t talk to me, me coming out here isn’t me forgiving you. Where’s the golden hairpin? Let me see it, if it looks good, I might keep it."

After getting the golden hairpin, she would head home.

In the morning at the workshop, Dad had told her that they were having roast duck for dinner, and he would save a duck leg for her. She needed to hurry back home for the meal, or else her aunt would certainly give her duck leg to Brother Wang and Brother Fa.

Wan Lifang looked at Gu Yumei’s dismissive demeanor and got angry. He coldly said to her, "Come here, and I’ll give you the golden hairpin."

Gu Yumei sensed something wrong in his tone and got scared. She didn’t want to go over, but then she thought that they were in her own village and what could Wan Lifang, an outsider, do to her? Gathering her courage, she took two steps forward and reached out her hand, "Hand over the golden hairpin."

Slap!

Wan Lifang gave Gu Yumei a slap directly across her face and then kicked her, spitting at her, "Pah, you want a golden hairpin? Look at who you think you are? You ungrateful wretch, do you really think you’re some wealthy young lady?"

Gu Yumei was stunned by the slap, and tears instantly welled up and fell in big drops, "Wh-why... You hit me... you dare hit me... you are dead meat, I’m going to tell my dad and have him bring people to beat you to death!"

Gu Yumei, crying, tried to get up and run towards the village, but Wan Lifang tackled her from behind. He covered her mouth with one hand to stop her from screaming, while dragging her towards the wild grass field with the other hand.

Yang Laosan came running out from the wild grass field, helping Wan Lifang drag Gu Yumei into it. Along the way, he took the chance to grope Gu Yumei several times, which frightened her to the verge of fainting, trembling all over in fear.

"Hey, is this the Miss Gu? Well, not bad to the touch. Come on, let me have a good look at you?" Yang Laosan pinched Gu Yumei’s chin, turning her face straight, and examined her, "Wow, she has a pretty nice face, quite handsome. If we send her to Jiangnan, she could sell for at least fifty taels."

Gu Yumei was so scared that her tears wouldn’t stop flowing, repeatedly pleading, "Don’t sell me, please don’t sell me, I’m worthless..."

She didn’t want to be sold; she wanted to go home. She knew she had been wrong and vowed never to be greedy again.

Yang Laosan scoffed, "Tch, as if it’s up to you whether you get sold or not. Now it’s us who have the final say."

Yang Laoda and Nanny Yao walked out, "Old Three, step aside."

After hearing this, Yang Laosan reluctantly moved aside but groped Gu Yumei one more time before leaving, causing her to scream out loud, her body breaking out in goosebumps, almost vomiting from disgust.

Nanny Yao, looking at Gu Yumei, smiled and said, "Miss, don’t be afraid, with nanny here, these men won’t dare do anything to you. But you have to help nanny with a small favor. If you are willing to help, nanny will let them release you, otherwise..."

Nanny Yao’s smile in the dim light appeared as terrifying as the demon from Gu Yumei’s nightmares when she was a child; she was so scared that she couldn’t speak, only managing to nod her head in agreement.

Seeing this, Nanny Yao said, "You know Gu Dashan’s family, right? Just pretend to be her kin, and trick the two daughters of Gu Dashan’s family to come out, then we’ll let you go."

Gu Yumei was shocked, and after a moment, steadied her voice, "You, you, you want to capture Gu Jinxiu and Gu Jinli? No, that won’t work... Gu Jinli is very clever, and she doesn’t have a good relationship with me — she won’t believe what I say."

Nanny Yao laughed, "So, you’re saying you don’t want to help, are you? Then there’s no choice, we will have to take you to Jiangnan."

She continued, "Don’t be afraid, although you’ll be sold to serve clients as a prostitute, Jiangnan is a place of blooming flowers; being a prostitute there is better than being a farmer’s wife here."

Gu Yumei felt dazed and upon grasping the reality, her vision went white, and she almost fainted. After calming her mind, she wept desperately, pleading Nanny Yao, "Granny, please don’t sell me, I won’t go to Jiangnan, I won’t... My home is just in the village, I’m willing to farm..."