“I can also do arithmetic. Before I was sold by my family, my grandfather was a Country Doctor, so I know how to recognize Medicinal Herbs. I can go up the mountain to gather Medicinal Herbs to sell for money to help you, Elder Sister. I can earn Copper Plates for you; it won’t be a loss for you to buy me.”
The young girl spoke through tears, her pitiful appearance causing a wave of pain in Shen Yu’s heart.
It was obvious that she did not want to be sent back into the hands of those Human Traffickers.
The girl had hidden injuries beneath her coarse linen clothes.
Having been influenced by her own mother, Su Lianyue, Shen Yu could tell at a glance that those wounds were of a deliberate nature.
Being struck like that caused pain so intense it felt worse than death, yet it would not be life-threatening or result in a loss of mobility.
Human Traffickers loved using such methods to control children.
Once beaten into a state of fear, the thought of escaping would never cross their minds…
“What is your name?”
Shen Yu spoke slowly.
These words made the young girl feel as though she had caught a life-saving straw, and her small body trembled violently from intense emotion.
“My name is Yin Qiu…”
The young girl spoke timidly, as if she were very insecure about this name of hers.
But to Shen Yu’s ears, the name sounded very pleasant and suited her temperament—her watery eyes, high-bridged nose, willow-leaf eyebrows, and cherry-like small mouth.
“Then come up.”
Shen Yu truly could not bring herself to say the words that would send the girl back where she came from.
Even if she gave her a sum of money and let her go, this region was not peaceful, and there were groups of Human Traffickers everywhere.
A weak young girl like her might not even walk a few steps before being snatched away by another group of Human Traffickers.
She would keep the girl by her side for now and make further plans once they reached the Capital City.
Shen Yu had not originally intended to let the young girl stay with her, because following her was too high a risk; she could lose her life at any moment.
“Thank you, Elder Sister, for taking me in.”
Yin Qiu was moved to tears.
Seeing that Shen Yu had accepted the girl, the Escort Guard also exchanged a few pleasantries before returning to patrol the vicinity.
It would still take some time for the road to be cleared.
Inside the carriage, Shen Yu continued to clean up the mess from earlier.
The snacks that had fallen on the floor were now covered in a layer of grit and dust; they were certainly inedible.
Shen Yu planned to gather them up and feed them to the livestock pulling the carts later.
After entering the carriage, Yin Qiu appeared somewhat timid, only daring to huddle in the corner.
She did not dare to look around, much less meet Shen Yu’s gaze.
The atmosphere felt a bit awkward for a moment…
“What is your surname?”
Shen Yu looked up, originally intending to chat a bit more with the girl to help her relax, but as soon as she looked up, she met the girl’s gaze staring intently at the pile of dirty snacks.
She did not dare look at the exquisite snacks on the table; instead, she stared at the dirty ones meant for the livestock, swallowing her saliva.
“My… my surname is Yan. The name Yin Qiu was given to me by my grandfather. My parents thought I was a money-losing burden and did not give me a name.”
Shen Yu nodded.
No wonder she seemed a bit lacking in confidence when she mentioned the name.
From the perspective of child psychology, the oppressive environment she had lived in could have driven her to the brink, yet she had endured.
This was enough to show that the girl’s character was indeed good and resilient… she even deserved to be called brave.
“Then from now on, I will call you Xiao Qiu. You will follow me to the Capital City, and I will find a good family to take you in when the time comes.”
“Are you hungry? Have some snacks.”
Shen Yu brought the snacks from the table over to Yin Qiu.
She did not act like those landlords who casually bestowed rewards upon servants; instead, she squatted in front of Yin Qiu and soothed her with a very gentle tone.
“I… I can just eat those. Those snacks look very delicious as well. It would be a pity if you threw them away, Elder Sister.”
“It is fine. Although I, Shen Yu, do not have great abilities, providing a bite of food for you is no problem. Do not feel burdened; eat.”
Shen Yu solemnly placed the plate of snacks into Yin Qiu’s hands, then turned around, pretending to organize the medicine box, but in truth, she was giving Yin Qiu some space…