Chapter 2, The Little Man

The middle-aged man paused for a moment and replied: "The day of the Xin Chou."

Old Sun nodded, his gaze flicking towards the concubine standing behind Chen Rong, and said: "Concubine Ping, please invite your young lady into the room, and we shall set off again in three days"

Old Master Sun issued commands one after another; as soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his long sleeves and turned to leave

The middle-aged woman had a round face, with very small eyes and gently arched eyebrows that conveyed a sense of tranquility and kindness. She cautiously glanced at Chen Rong and said, "The servants are all preparing and we can set off at any time."

Chen Rong cast a glance at Uncle Wu, who wore a proud expression, and with a composed demeanor, said, "I have met Elder Sun."

Chen Rong slowly knelt down on the low table, casually unrolling a scroll of silk, while attentively listening to the vibrant sounds all around her

It is ! ''

Chen Rong withdrew her gaze and commanded, "Close the door."

Chen Rong shifted her gaze away from the bronze mirror and fixed it on the night sky. She stared intently for a long time before leaning back, closing her eyes, and quietly waiting for time to pass

With a creaking sound, a maid carrying a basin of water entered the room, and a middle-aged woman also approached Chen Rong from behind to help her comb her long hair

She is still young and has not yet established authority. The middle-aged man looked behind Chen Rong and called out, "Ping Ni, why don't you talk to A Rong about this? The southward migration is a significant matter; how can one just leave at will?" At this point, he recalled something and raised his voice, saying loudly, "Moreover, A Rong, you have been having nightmares for several nights. Since you are not feeling well, why not rest for a couple more days?"

It was this person who colluded with thieves, breaking into her home the night before she was set to migrate south, robbing her of all her possessions and then fleeing without a trace

At this moment, a middle-aged man's voice came from outside, "A Rong, the luggage is ready, when shall we set off?"

Uncle Wu was taken aback, suddenly realizing that she was referring to him. He closed the door in shock, feeling a wave of unease: What has happened to A-Rong? Why has she changed so much?

Chen Rong stared at Uncle Wu and said slowly, "We will set off in the afternoon"

In the astonishment of the middle-aged woman, she slowly sat down again, "Are you Uncle Wu?"

Chen Rong secretly sneered, her face composed, and said: "I have stated that we will set off in the afternoon"

It is ! ''

Old Master Sun turned to the servants on either side and instructed, "This matter must not be taken lightly. Keep a close watch on A-Rong; if she continues to act stubbornly, lock her up!"

It is Uncle Wu's voice

The middle-aged man outside was even more surprised, and he replied loudly, "Yes, I am Uncle Wu. A-Rong, what happened to you?" As he spoke, he pushed the door open directly, revealing a thin face that appeared somewhat pale, with a few sparse whiskers on his chin, in front of Chen Rong.

The person before her was originally a scholar whom her father had rescued during his travels. All along, he had been treated as a friend by her father, raised in the household with respect and honor, and she was even required to address him and the servants in the household with the term 'uncle'.

The round-faced, kind-hearted woman quickly stepped forward and said to Chen Rong, "Miss, Uncle Wu's words are reasonable..." As soon as she began to speak, Chen Rong interrupted her, exclaiming, "I have said, we will set off in the afternoon!"

Old Sun furrowed his brows, and upon seeing this, Uncle Wu immediately said from the side: "Old man, you should quickly persuade A-Rong. In her current situation, how can she say that she will set off after noon? The journey to the south is incredibly long. If anything goes wrong, wouldn't it be too late for regrets?"

Chen Rong nodded

The sound of footsteps echoed, and the gentle, caring voice of a middle-aged woman came through last night, "A-Rong, have you gotten up?"

It is unclear how much time has passed when a loud voice came from outside the door, "Is A-Rong in the study? Old Sun has come to borrow some books."

Uncle Wu's loud voice echoed again, "Ping Yu, is A-Rong in the study? After Old Man Sun learned that she was unwell, he came to visit. Quickly inform A-Rong and have her come out to greet him"

Chen Rong made a sound of acknowledgment

A middle-aged woman's voice hurriedly said: "Come forward and help A-Rong with her washing up"

At the moment when Chen Rong was grooming herself, it was indeed impolite for a man to barge in so brazenly.

Chen Rong shook her head and replied: "No."

The middle-aged woman, seeing her spirits lifted and her expression not as dazed as it had been in the past two days, felt a surge of joy in her heart and said, "A-Rong, do you understand now? You should not have any nightmares tonight."

Slowly, a thin mist rises between heaven and earth, slowly, the voices of one or two people emerge, resonating in the fresh morning air

What? Departing in the afternoon? A-Rong, why not wait a few more days

Outside, the sounds of "ding ding bang bang" are incessant, as the servants are busy tidying up. The courtyards have been nearly organized, and soon they will move on to the study.

Uncle Wu cast a glance at Chen Rong and the others, and, noticing that no one was paying attention, smiled triumphantly before stepping forward to catch up with Old Sun

Uncle Wu was rebutting, and when he met her bottomless black eyes, for some reason, he shivered uncontrollably, and the words he was about to utter were stuck in his throat

It is ! ''

As soon as Uncle Wu left, Chen Rong entered the study. The study was filled with thick bamboo slips and silk books. In the past, after her family fortune was completely robbed by Uncle Wu in collusion with thieves, she, feeling desperate, remembered what her father had once said: in case of an emergency, one could go to the study to take a look. After a fit of frantic crying and throwing things in the study, she inadvertently discovered that these bamboo slips and silk books concealed a large number of gold leaves. It was these gold leaves that allowed her to survive a desperate situation. After a fit of frantic crying and throwing things in the study, she inadvertently discovered that these bamboo slips and silk books concealed a large number of gold leaves. It was these gold leaves that allowed her to survive a desperate situation

On the day of the Metal Ox, Chen Rongteng stood up abruptly. Yes, in the midnight three days later, she would face the first calamity of her life.

Chen Rong looked up at the middle-aged man. In this new life, she was finally able to see the hidden malice behind that seemingly gentle and kind face!

Outside the gauze window, the starry sky stretches high and far, its chill palpable. A few sparse and faint stars hang in the vast expanse, appearing exceedingly lonely

The voices of those people, the clamor, the shouts of the coarse men, are truly delightful. How did she not notice this before?

Why haven't you invited both the shaman and the doctor yet

Hearing the familiar voice of the man, Chen Rong suddenly asked: "What day is it today?"

At first, there was only one or two sounds, but gradually they increased in number, and eventually, the sounds turned into a cacophony

Old Sun nodded, he walked in front of Chen Rong, sizing her up from head to toe, "I have heard that you have nightmares every night, have you sought the help of a doctor or a shaman?"

In these past few nights, every time she awakens from nightmarish memories, she always sits there in a daze until dawn. It is not out of nostalgia, nor is it because of an overwhelming hatred, but rather because she enjoys sitting quietly like this, gazing at the sky, experiencing the surprise of being reborn again and again

Chen Rong responded with a soft "Hmm." Seeing her expression calm, the middle-aged woman felt relieved and continued, "A Rong, this place is no longer safe; we must migrate south. Our Chen family is better off compared to other prominent families, after all, we have branches in various regions of the south."

Chen Rong stood up and, before Ping Yu could respond, she answered crisply, "I have arrived." After saying this, she pushed open the study door

Chen Rong's expression darkened: He is still not giving up, and he even brought in Old Sun!

At the entrance of the courtyard stood an elderly man with white hair and beard; he was Old Sun. Before her father departed, he had instructed Old Sun to look after and discipline Chen Rong. In front of this old man, she had no voice!

Chen Rong stood up and said "It has begun"

If it were not for her father secretly keeping some gold in his study, she would have never been able to reach the south in her previous life and would have long since become a beggar