"Mom, Mom, the child sellers are here!"
Sometimes, adults would use phrases like 'If you don't behave, I'll sell you to the child sellers' to scare disobedient children. Therefore, Zhao Zhitong was very afraid of those who sold children.
"What nonsense, where would child sellers come from?" Sun Mei dismissed Zhao Zhitong's words.
"It's true, it's true, Mom, I saw with my own eyes that Aunt gave Yaya to an old lady, and that old lady gave Aunt some silver!" Zhao Zhitong became anxious, gesticulating wildly as she recounted what she saw outside.
After listening to Zhao Zhitong's description, Sun Mei's expression changed and she understood what was happening — her sister-in-law must have sold her daughter into servitude!
In ancient times, it was not uncommon for farmers to sell their children when faced with extreme poverty, but when it happened so close to her, it was hard to accept all of a sudden.
So, she hurriedly stood up, not even bothering to dry her hands, and rushed out.
By the time Sun Mei and her daughter arrived, the human trafficker and Zhu Sanniang had already signed the Indenture Contract and were preparing to leave.
Perhaps knowing there was no turning back, the three children were no longer crying loudly; they were just sobbing quietly.
"Sister-in-law, are you really going to sell Yaya?" This time, Sun Mei didn't hold back and spoke directly: "Sister-in-law, with Brother not around, if you face any difficulties, just tell me. What kind of problem can't be solved that would make you sell Yaya, pushing her into a pit of fire? After all, she is your own flesh and blood!"
Zhu Sanniang's face looked very unpleasant, her eyes flashed with a bit of envy as she glared at Sun Mei: "What are you saying, how is it pushing her into a pit of fire? Yaya is going to enjoy life, going to a wealthy family where she'll have the best food and drink. Isn't that better than starving at home..."
Hearing this, Mrs. Sun got angry directly: "Enjoy life? You sold her, and from now on, she and her descendants won't be able to escape low status, can't study, can't take exams. Worse, if she falls into the wrong hands, the owners can beat or scold her at will; her life will be at their mercy. You call this enjoying life? Do you want this fortune?"
Before Zhu Sanniang could speak, the human trafficker chimed in: "Oh my, your words aren't right. Let me, this old woman, say a word. If she is talented and well-trained, going to a big household to serve the young master or lady, wouldn't that be a better life than in the countryside?"
While saying this, her eyes kept lingering on Zhao Zhitong: "Your girl here looks beautiful. If you're willing to sell, I'll offer five taels of silver."
Sun Mei immediately pulled Zhao Zhitong behind her and firmly said: "We are not selling!"
"Oh, if you're not selling, then don't. Why so fierce?" The human trafficker didn't get angry and said with a smile: "As the saying goes, there's fortune in disaster; who hasn't been at the end of the road? Alright, I have some gains today, I won't waste more words with you ignorant country women, I'm leaving."
Sun Mei was full of anger but didn't say anything else to the human trafficker. She just pitied the child being taken away, truly sold by her own mother, how hurt she must be.
Zhu Sanniang looked at Sun Mei maliciously and sneered: "Sun Shi, stop pretending to be a good person. Who can't just talk? The Indenture Contract has been signed. If you're truly kind-hearted, then go and redeem her! Redeem her and she's yours. Look, they haven't gone far, you can still make it if you hurry."
After saying that, she pulled her two sons and went home, cursing as she walked: "Hypocrite, I spit on you!"
Bam!
A loud sound slammed Sun Mei and her daughter outside the door.
"Mom."
Zhao Zhitong blinked her eyes at Sun Mei, not knowing why, she felt a bit sad inside.
Thinking that Zhao Zhitong was scared, Sun Mei quickly comforted her: "It's okay, it's okay, don't be afraid, Mom would never sell our Tongtong."
Zhao Zhitong nodded: "Then, what about Yaya?"
Sun Mei shook her head helplessly. The Indenture Contract was signed; to redeem her, they'd need to pay fifty times the ransom, which means they'd need a hundred fifty taels to get her back.
Their family got only five taels of silver when they split up the family, and buying vegetables and seeds halfway through had already cost quite a bit, it was indeed like a clay Bodhisattva fording a river, they truly couldn't afford to redeem her.
After this incident, Zhao Zhitong's mood had been low, and even when they reached the school with Sun Mei, she still seemed listless.
After arriving at school, as usual, Sun Mei gave Zhao Zhitong a few words of advice, then went into the kitchen.
Normally, once Sun Mei left, Zhao Zhitong would eagerly run to the front yard to find her little friends at school.
However, after just experiencing her aunt selling a child, she had some things on her mind. She sat on the stone bench by the vegetable garden, holding her little head and staring blankly at the vegetable leaves.
After thinking for a long time and still not understanding, Zhao Zhitong started chatting with Old Mr. Bai in the space: "Old Mr. Bai, Yaya is also Aunt's child, why doesn't she love Yaya?"
Old Mr. Bai stroked his beard and opened his mouth: "Girl, not all parents in this world love their children like your parents do."
Thinking a bit more, Old Mr. Bai added: "Some might have been like your parents at first, loving their children dearly, but if mixed with various interests and resentments, endless consumption can turn love into hatred. Moreover, there are many selfish people in the world who, for their own interests, betray familial affection, which is quite normal."
"Old Mr. Bai, are you saying that one day, my parents might not love me anymore or might even hate me?"
Old Mr. Bai was silent for a moment and said: "Based on my observation, your parents aren't the kind who sell their daughters for glory, but people do change, and love can vanish. Time is a magical thing that can change everything; no one can guarantee feelings will always be as they initially were."
Zhao Zhitong felt upset upon hearing this. She thought it shouldn't be this way, and the idea that one day her parents wouldn't love her anymore or wouldn't want her made her cry, though she didn't actually believe it.
"You're lying, my parents love me the most, they won't abandon me."
Old Mr. Bai remained silent and suddenly realized it might be a bit cruel to tell such a young child about these things, so he changed his approach and spoke again: "Your parents love you very much, that's for sure, but you should know that love is mutual. If you care for others, they will care for you too, and such relationships will last long."
Zhao Zhitong nodded vigorously with her red eyes: "I will care for my parents a lot, and I will care for Old Mr. Bai too."
Their affection will definitely last for a long, long time.
Old Mr. Bai laughed happily upon hearing this: "I knew you were a good child."
With Old Mr. Bai's praise, Zhao Zhitong's gloomy mood improved a bit.
Just as she wiped away her tears and calmed down, a crisp voice of a young boy suddenly came from beside her.
"Are you the Zhao Zhitong that the teacher often mentions?"
Hearing someone call her, Zhao Zhitong turned her head and saw a fair-skinned little boy standing in front of her.