Grandmother and Granddaughter

"Granny, although I'd like to buy a maid who could deliver babies, you're too old for the job," Xian He refused. He was buying a servant, not a grandmother.

If he bought the old woman, she wouldn't just be unable to look after Yun Ling—Yun Ling would have to look after her.

He didn't want to pay to bring trouble on himself.

The old woman pulled her granddaughter in front of her and said anxiously, "She's young, and she's suitable. In the past few years, I've often taken her along when I went to deliver babies. She learned the skills a long time ago, and under my guidance, she's delivered a few herself. Buy her. She's the right one."

As she spoke, the old woman nudged the little girl toward Xian He.

"Grandma!" The girl shrank back behind her in alarm.

The old woman raised her cane as if to strike and scolded her in frustration, "Go on! Let the gentleman get a good look at you. Your father's life depends on you!"

"Don't hit her, don't hit the child. Let's talk this out," Xian He said quickly, shielding the girl.

Completely confused, he asked, "What happened to your son? Why do you have to sell yourselves to save his life? Tell me about it. Maybe I can help."

"Her father was captured by Greedy Wolf. They want a thousand Copper Coins for his ransom. There's nothing you can do for us unless you buy the two of us," the old woman said with a shake of her head and a sigh. She didn't believe anyone would lend them money for no reason.

Greedy Wolf was a gang of outlaws, made up of the most vicious criminals on the Tianyun Plateau. Even the chiefs of Obsidian-level tribes couldn't do anything about them, let alone the young man before her, who was only at the Azure level.

She'd lived all these years without learning much else, but she knew how to read people. Judging by the shape and sheen of the young man's muscles, he was undoubtedly an Azure-level warrior.

"Greedy Wolf?" Xian He's heart tightened. He hadn't expected the old woman's son to have gotten mixed up with that terrifying organization. What a misfortune.

Xian He stepped away from the grandmother and granddaughter and scratched his head. "Sorry, Granny. I can't help you."

He knew full well what he was capable of. This was beyond him.

Besides, his money hadn't fallen from the sky. He'd risked getting beaten half to death for it.

"It's all right. I don't blame you. I blame my son for being born under an unlucky star." The old woman sighed. The outcome was just what she'd expected.

No one would spend money to take home a sickly old woman, and no one would risk their life fighting Greedy Wolf for a few strangers.

The old woman took her granddaughter by the hand and hobbled over to the slave trader, leaning on her cane. She pleaded, "Boss, my granddaughter can deliver babies. Take her in. She'll definitely earn you money."

Slave traders were heartless. They wouldn't go easy on you just because you were in trouble; they'd take advantage of your misfortune instead.

"She's too skinny! I'll give you fifty Copper Coins at most." The slave trader pinched the little girl's cheek, his shrewd eyes narrowing.

"Fifty Copper Coins? Are you kidding me? I get a hundred Copper Coins for every baby I deliver, and you're offering fifty? Do you think I'm begging for alms? No! Add more! Cough, cough..." The old woman burst into a violent coughing fit from anger.

She'd braced herself to be fleeced, but she hadn't expected to be fleeced this badly.

Slave traders really were a bunch of bastards rotten to the core.

"Grandma!" The little girl cried out and hurried over to rub her grandmother's chest and pat her back.

Although her grandmother was selling her for money, she knew the old woman had no other choice.

They'd borrowed from every relative and friend, and had gathered less than three hundred Copper Coins. They still needed another eight hundred to save her father.

The slave trader folded his arms and said coldly, "Sell if you want to. If you don't, get lost. Don't waste my time. Hey, kid over there, have you picked yet? I'm trying to pack up and go home!"

"I've picked!" Xian He chose two female slaves with figures and looks that were both rather poor.

The slave trader left the grandmother and granddaughter behind and strolled over to Xian He.

The old woman followed with her little granddaughter in tow.

"Picked them? These two?" The slave trader pointed his whip at the two female slaves, one on each side of Xian He, who were clinging to his shoulders.

Xian He nodded.

"Then what are you waiting for? Pay up!" The slave trader beckoned to Xian He and rubbed his fingers together.

"Wait!"

Just as Xian He was about to untie his money pouch, the old woman suddenly spoke up.

"Young man, could I have a word with you in private?"

Xian He was taken aback. He didn't know what the old woman was up to, but he set down his money pouch and followed her across the road.

The slave trader narrowed his eyes and glared at the old woman with a hostile expression.

He thought to himself, If you dare ruin my business, I'll make you pay for it!

"Are you buying them as concubines or as servants?" The old woman asked quietly, leaning on her cane.

"Of course I'm buying them as servants," Xian He replied without hesitation. The system rated the two maids he'd chosen at four points: below average, not pretty, but not ugly either.

They didn't meet the system's requirements, so even if they gave birth to children, he wouldn't receive a reward.

Besides, looking after Yun Ling already kept him busy enough. He didn't want to add more to his workload.