Chapter 96: Your Person in Life, Your Ghost in Death
Gu Fei got up, measured out half a measure of millet, and took it to Ms. Qian. "Here, it’s yours. From now on, Lian’er belongs to my family. Don’t make a fuss."
Ms. Qian took a pouch, filled it with the millet, and handed the measuring cup back to Gu Fei. She chuckled awkwardly. "Of course not. It’s not like I’m an unreasonable person."
As Gu Fei turned back with the measuring cup, Lian’er suddenly dropped to her knees before her. "Miss Xiao Fei, my life is yours from this day forward. I’ll serve you in life and follow you in death—"
’She knew Gu Fei’s family didn’t actually need a maid. The only reason Gu Fei had spent that half measure of millet to buy her was out of pure kindness. She couldn’t stand to see Ms. Qian abuse her and was saving her from a living hell.’
Mrs. Chen, who was nearby, began to laugh. "You silly girl, don’t say such things. Now, get up."
Gu Fei pulled her up. "Just call me Little Fei. You haven’t eaten, have you? Here, this is for you."
She pulled a white-flour flatbread from inside her robes and handed it to Lian’er. Lian’er anxiously pushed it away. "I can’t eat this! I’ll be fine with coarse grains."
Gu Fei grabbed her hand and pressed the flatbread into it. "When you’re part of our family, you follow our rules. And in this family, everyone eats the same thing."
The old grandmother muttered from the side, "A bought maid is worthy of white flour? At this rate, we’ll eat through a mountain of gold!"
Gu Fei shot her a glance and led Lian’er away.
Ms. Qian saw Gu Fei hand Lian’er a flatbread and snorted, giving the servant girl she’d just bought a steamed cornbread bun.
The girl had a silver tongue, and quickly said, "Thank you, Ma’am."
Gnawing on the cornbread bun, the girl said, "Ma’am, my name is Xiao Hong. I don’t have any family left. Since you’ve given me food, you’re my savior. I’ll work hard to repay your kindness."
Ms. Qian felt a bit gratified. ’This girl knows how to talk,’ she thought. ’She’s far more likable than Lian’er.’
Mrs. Chen sneered from a distance and said to Li Chunhua beside her, "Just you watch. That girl is a slippery one. It’s only a matter of time before Ms. Qian gets taken for a ride."
Just then, Gu Sanlang, having had his fill of the spectacle, got up to relieve himself in the shadows. Just as he was finishing up, a dark shape scurried past his eyes.
The shadow’s size and shape looked like a rabbit’s, so without a second thought, Gu Sanlang dove forward, pinning the creature firmly beneath him.
He reached down; it was furry. He lifted it and carried it into the light. Sure enough, it was a gray-furred rabbit.
"Little Fei! Little Fei!—"
Gu Sanlang yelled at the top of his lungs, "Hurry, come look! I caught a rabbit!"
Everyone turned to look.
Boss Zhang couldn’t help but mutter, "How is Second Brother Gu’s family so damn lucky? First a snake, now a rabbit. Why can’t any other family catch anything?"
He’d been craving meat for ages.
Aunt Liu chimed in from nearby, "Isn’t that the truth. Fortunes rise and fall. Back in the day, Gu the Second was on his deathbed and only survived because they sold off Little Fei."
"But the moment Little Fei came back, their family’s fortune started to turn. That girl brings good luck. Catching a rabbit is nothing—you just watch, life for their family is only going to get better and better."
Gu Fei came running over. "Wow, what a big rabbit! That’s enough for a meal."
Little Cao ran over too, hugging Gu Sanlang’s leg. "Uncle, can I play with the bunny?"
Li Chunhua quickly placated her. "Little Cao, we can’t play with it. Rabbits eat grass, and we don’t have any to feed it. It wouldn’t survive."
Little Cao asked, "Then what will happen to the bunny?"
Gu Sanlang chuckled. "Little Cao, did you think the snake meat from the other day was good? I guarantee that if we let your auntie cook this rabbit, it’ll be even more delicious."
Little Cao nodded emphatically. "It was yummy! I want to eat the bunny."