Hanging

"What kind of spectacle is this, in broad daylight?"

Chen Mu strode straight up to the two Red Gold Gang men and spoke to them in a low voice.

Though Chen Mu was not wearing his yamen uniform at the moment, both men recognized him. After all, he was the only Yamen Runner in the two nearby alleys, and the Red Gold Gang had occupied this area for quite some time. They were all familiar with one another by now.

"Brother Chen, debts must be repaid. Surely you can't forbid us from collecting what we're owed?"

The two men gave hollow, skin-deep smiles. There was not much fear in their voices.

If they had encountered a Head Runner, it would have been entirely different. But Chen Mu was only a low-ranking Yamen Runner. Their relationship was one of well water not offending river water; usually, they simply nodded at each other and passed by.

"How much does he owe?"

Chen Mu asked flatly.

The two men exchanged a glance. One of them shrugged. "Not much. Just half a tael of silver."

"Fine. Put her down, and you can leave."

Chen Mu raised a hand and tossed out a Silver Bean, worth roughly half a tael.

The two men were immediately startled. But after looking at each other, they still picked up the Silver Bean and clasped their hands toward Chen Mu. "Since Brother Chen has spoken, naturally we have to give you face. We'll leave the girl with you."

They could have made more money by dragging Old Man Wang's granddaughter off to sell to a human trafficker, but they were only bottom-rung thugs of the Red Gold Gang. If they clashed with Chen Mu, they might not gain anything in the end.

They dared bully the common folk in these alleys at will, but a Yamen Runner was ultimately different.

As they spoke,

the two men released Old Man Wang's granddaughter, nodded to Chen Mu, then turned and left.

Chen Mu stood where he was and watched quietly. Those two were at least sensible, so he had no interest in pursuing the matter further.

"Brother... Brother Chen..."

Old Man Wang's granddaughter stood there blankly, her face still streaked with tears, completely at a loss.

Chen Mu waved a hand at her. "It's all right now. Go home."

The little girl stood there dazedly. Hearing Chen Mu's words, she turned around stiffly, only to see Old Man Wang in the alley behind her. He had retrieved his crutch and was hobbling toward them with it.

"Grandpa..."

She finally came back to herself, threw herself into Old Man Wang's arms, and burst into tears.

But Old Man Wang had no time to comfort his granddaughter. Tears streamed down his aged face as he dropped to his knees before Chen Mu, trembling as he said, "Little... Little Chen, thank you so much this time..."

Chen Mu sighed inwardly, stepped forward, and helped Old Man Wang up. "Uncle Wang, there's no need for this."

Old Man Wang's hands shook as he took Chen Mu's hand, then pulled his granddaughter's hand over and forcibly placed it in Chen Mu's. Tears ran down his face as he said, "I'm old, and I'm lame. I truly can't afford to raise this granddaughter anymore. If your household needs someone to tend the fire and cook, then keep her. This old man only trusts you now..."

His children were gone, his livelihood was gone, and he could no longer work. He could not even afford food. It was not as though he had never considered arranging a way out for Wang Ni, but those distant relatives were nothing but wolves and jackals. If he handed his granddaughter over to them, who knew what fate awaited her?

He had truly reached the end of the road, yet what had just happened gave him a faint glimmer of hope. Chen Mu's life did not seem prosperous either, but he had stopped the Red Gold Gang men, saved Wang Ni, and brought her back without demanding anything in return for the favor. A man's heart was seen in times of danger.

"This..."

Seeing Old Man Wang like this, Chen Mu hesitated.

To be honest, this had never occurred to him before. In the past, he would most likely have refused outright. He could barely support one younger sister; where would he find the means to raise an unrelated little girl as well? But now, on one hand, money was no longer a concern. On the other, before long, once he had the means and moved into a new home, the household would indeed need a maidservant or helper of some sort.

Chen Mu was not the sort to stand on ceremony. What made him hesitate was, first, that Wang Ni was a little too young, only around ten; second, he did not know what kind of temperament she had or whether she might bring trouble.

When Old Man Wang saw Chen Mu hesitate, his resolve only grew firmer. If Chen Mu had any other intentions, he could simply agree first, then turn around and sell his granddaughter elsewhere for a tidy sum. There would have been no reason to hesitate.

"Little Chen, this old man knows that in times like these, life is hard for everyone. I have no money to offer, but I still have the deed to those two old houses. They're worth a few taels of silver. Once this old man dies, they'll all be yours..."

Old Man Wang spoke in broken phrases through his tears.

Some nearby neighbors, crouching by their doorways and listening to the commotion, could not help feeling a little envious at the sight. At Old Man Wang's age, he did not look like he had many years left. Once he died, Chen Mu would not only get the house deeds, but his granddaughter would grow up as well. With a turn of the hand, all of that could become silver.

Yet they could not bring themselves to be jealous. If it were them, they could not have driven off the Red Gold Gang. All they could say was that this poor Yamen Runner, Chen Mu, had finally stumbled into some luck.

"There's no need for that."

Since Old Man Wang had already said this much, Chen Mu thought for a moment and made up his mind. Since he had helped, he might as well see it through to the end.

Whether Wang Ni became Chen Yue's sister or a maidservant, in any case she could keep Chen Yue company. There was no need to fuss over such a matter like an old woman.

"No, no... it is necessary, it is."

Old Man Wang trembled as he placed Wang Ni's little hand into Chen Mu's, then staggered back toward home on his crutch.

Chen Mu thought about it and said nothing more. He had no intention of coveting Old Man Wang's two old houses. He could leave them for Wang Ni in the future. Much could change down the road; matters of the future could wait for the future.

Wang Ni had been standing there trembling the whole time. By now, she had stopped sobbing, and her tears were gradually drying. She said nothing about Old Man Wang's earlier words. She was still too young, accustomed to letting him decide everything. When he placed her little hand in Chen Mu's, she had not even dared pull it back.

"Yue Er, how would you like to live with Sister Ni Er from now on?"

Chen Mu released Wang Ni's hand and turned to look behind him, where Chen Yue was peering through the gap of a half-open door, though no one knew when she had appeared there.

Chen Yue blinked, looked Wang Ni over, and said, "Sure. Whatever Brother decides."

"Mm."

Chen Mu nodded, then looked at Wang Ni, whose emotions had calmed considerably. He said gently, "What about you, Sister Ni Er?"

He had not actually met Wang Ni before. The time he had eaten at Old Man Wang's home was before he came to this world. Wang Ni had been even younger then, only six or seven, but she still remembered him.

"I... I'll listen to Grandpa..."

Wang Ni lowered her head and spoke softly.

Behind the door, Chen Yue smiled a smile no one noticed when she heard that answer. If Wang Ni had said, "I'll listen to Brother in everything," then she would have needed to be more wary of this little sister. This answer was very good.

Chen Mu also nodded slightly at the answer. Taking someone in was no trifling matter. Though she was still young, it was best if she had no schemes or calculating thoughts. That also made her suitable company for Chen Yue.

He waited at the door for a while.

But after waiting and waiting, Old Man Wang never appeared.

Gradually, Chen Mu sensed that something was wrong, and his expression changed at once. He immediately headed for Old Man Wang's house. At the entrance, the door was only partly shut. When he pushed it open, the first thing he saw was a pair of legs dangling in midair. One exposed ankle was withered and purpled, and on a battered chair beside it lay a yellowed house deed.

Chen Mu froze in place and looked up, a complicated expression appearing in his eyes.

"Grandpa!!!"

Wang Ni's shrill cry came from behind him.

The little girl rushed into the house, clutched Old Man Wang's dangling legs tightly, and wailed as if her heart were being torn apart.

Old Man Wang was dead.

Why did it have to come to this?

Chen Mu sighed inwardly.

Perhaps he had simply been unwilling to think that way before. Old Man Wang truly could not go on living. His children were gone, he had no livelihood or income, and his leg was crippled. But Chen Mu had not expected him to be so resolute.

Perhaps he feared Chen Mu would not take Wang Ni in, so he chose to end his life and leave the house deed to him as well.

Perhaps Chen Mu had been too selfish. If he had said a few more words and given Old Man Wang some silver, perhaps Old Man Wang would not have chosen death... Three years in this world had changed him completely in the end.

Chen Mu patted Wang Ni's shoulder, apology in his eyes. "I never imagined Uncle Wang would take things so hard. If I'd come over to check sooner, it might have been better."

Wang Ni did not speak. She only kept crying.

After crying for a long while, she finally rubbed her reddened eyes hard and said, "No, it's not Brother Mu's fault. Brother Mu saved Ni Er. Brother Mu is a good person..."

A good person?

Perhaps.

Chen Mu shook his head, stroked Wang Ni's little head, then stepped forward and lowered Old Man Wang's body.

Old Man Wang's funeral was exceedingly simple. His body was merely wrapped in a straw mat and carried beyond the city, where they found a place to bury him. The only difference from the Mass Burial Grounds was that wild wolves would not gnaw on him, and there was a small mound of earth marking the grave so they could recognize the place when they came to pay respects in the future.

After Old Man Wang was wrapped in the straw mat, Wang Ni did not cry again. Her eyes remained red, but afterward she listened to Chen Mu in everything, including the silent funeral and his instruction for her to stay with Chen Yue instead of following him out of the city.

In truth,

people in this world had great endurance.

Even a ten-year-old child could accept, in merely half a day, the fact that her parents and grandfather had all departed.

After all, among ordinary families, living to fifty was considered a joyous funeral. Old Man Wang had lived to fifty-nine, an age that counted as advanced even in the nearby alleys.

At home.

"All right, don't be sad anymore, Sister Ni Er. From now on, you'll have to sleep with me."

Chen Yue sat by the bed, observing Wang Ni with her wide eyes.

Wang Ni nodded lightly.

Chen Yue smiled slightly. "But you must remember a few things. Listen carefully. First, don't cause trouble for Brother. Whatever Brother says goes. When Brother isn't home, listen to me."

"Second, don't ask about anything. If you see something strange, pretend you didn't see it. As long as Brother doesn't mention it, don't ask and don't meddle, understand? Otherwise, I'll get angry."

Even as she said the last sentence, Chen Yue was still smiling sweetly, her two little canine teeth showing, yet she was somehow a little frightening.

"Sister... Sister Yue..."

Wang Ni was a little frightened and shivered faintly.

But Chen Yue immediately wrapped an arm around her, stroked her head, and said softly, "All right, don't be afraid. Sister is only telling you in advance. As long as you listen to Sister, everything will be fine. Brother works very hard. We can't cause trouble for Brother. Brother is very capable too. If you follow Brother, you'll live a very good life in the future."

"Mm."

Wang Ni's nose stung. Perhaps she had thought of something, for a few more tears slipped down her cheeks.

Chen Mu knew nothing of what happened at home.

After dealing with Old Man Wang's body, he continued on to the City Guard to patrol and carry out his duties.