Chapter 159: I’m a Professional at Acting Pitiful
Gu Fei’s mind raced.
’This young master might seem domineering, but he must have a good heart. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lent me Silver back then, and he wouldn’t have helped my father and me when we were being beaten at the entrance of the Imperial Music Bureau.’
’After all, some nobles, like the Marchioness, wouldn’t even deign to give poor people like us a glance, as if just looking at us would dirty their eyes.’
’Besides, a man who can afford to wear Kesi silk must have an extraordinary status. He could have easily captured me in secret and forced me to hand over the spear. But he didn’t. Instead, he’s sitting here negotiating with me.’
’That means he’s not the type to just take things by force.’
Gu Fei’s eyes darted about. She pulled out a handkerchief, covered her face, and started sobbing. "If you want my life, Young Master, then take it! Even in death, I will not betray the promise I made to my master."
’Damn it, what do I do if I can’t squeeze out any tears?’
Gu Fei reached a hand under the table and viciously pinched her own thigh. Tears instantly gushed out.
She quickly lowered the handkerchief, looking at Xiao Yu with tear-filled eyes. "I know you’re a nobleman, Young Master. To people like you, a small life like mine is worth nothing. You can take it whenever you please."
"Go on, do it, Young Master! WAHHH... Father, Mother, I’m so sorry! Your daughter can’t be there to take care of you anymore."
"And my eighty-year-old grandmother... after I’m gone, you have to stay strong! Please don’t be too sad."
"And my three-year-old niece... your auntie can’t dote on you anymore! WAHHH..."
A vein throbbed on Xiao Yu’s forehead. ’Is she trying to play the pity card, talking about having the old and the young to care for?’
’I was just trying to scare you a little, and you start crying just like that?’
’As if I’m some kind of bully.’
’Is this really necessary?’
’Weren’t you so brave before? How can you be so easily frightened?’
Gu Fei’s crying left Xiao Yu completely flustered. He roared, "Stop crying! I didn’t say I was going to kill you right now."
Gu Fei obediently stopped crying. She just blinked her damp, glistening eyes at Xiao Yu, her gaze seeming to say, ’I’m so pitiful. I’m so very pitiful. Please let me go.’
Xiao Yu couldn’t stand being stared at with such a pathetic expression. His heart skipped a beat, and he flusteredly averted his gaze from hers.
Standing in the corner, Stone’s eyes grew moist again.
Gu Fei looked a lot like his younger sister, who had also been sold off at a young age. Every time Stone saw Gu Fei, he was reminded of his sister.
He hesitated for a moment before saying to Xiao Yu, "Young Master, why don’t we... put this matter aside for now?" It wasn’t right to pressure a young girl like this.
Xiao Yu was at a loss for what to do. The girl wouldn’t respond to threats or persuasion. He couldn’t actually kill her, could he?
’Ever since he was a child, his mother, the Imperial Consort, had taught him to be kind, to never use his power to bully others, and above all, to never treat human life as worthless.’
Hearing Stone’s words, Xiao Yu waved his hand impatiently. "Fine, fine! Stop crying! Go, go, go! This young master hates women who blubber all the time!"
’When his mother, the Imperial Consort, cried, he would panic. When this girl cried, he panicked too, and even felt a little guilty, as if he’d become some villain bullying an innocent commoner.’
Feeling as if she’d received a royal pardon, Gu Fei quickly stood up and curtsied. "Thank you, Young Master. You really are a good person."
After handing Xiao Yu the "good person card," Gu Fei curtsied to Stone, gave him a grateful smile, and then quickly made her exit.
Lian’er was waiting outside the door. Seeing Gu Fei emerge with slightly red eyes, she hurriedly asked, "Miss, what’s wrong?"
Without a word, Gu Fei grabbed her hand and pulled her away.
It wasn’t until they were out the door of the teahouse that Gu Fei finally breathed a sigh of relief.