The Anarchic Consort (Book 1)

696-700

"Liu'er, why are you out at this hour?" Old Lady Wang's silhouette was shrouded in darkness. She was carrying a wooden basin, looking like she was about to throw out some water.

Yan Liu'er held onto Old Lady Wang's arm immediately. Making a shushing gesture, she whispered while panting, "I, I think there's someone chasing after me."

"Then get in here quickly, you can hide for a while," Old Lady Wang said calmly as she pulled Yan Liu'er through the door.

Yan Liu'er had no doubts and stepped in right away, even closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door and sighed, the shock still lingered in her heart. "That's too dangerous, good thing you appeared just in time."

Old Lady Wang shook her head, still standing in the dark. In a hesitant tone, she spoke, "I think that person outside won't be leaving anytime soon, why don't you follow me into my house, and I'll ask my son Ling to send you back later."

"Sorry to trouble you." Yan Liu'er was greatly terrified, beads of sweat had covered her forehead.

She followed Old Lady Wang toward her yard. Unsure whether it was because she was sweating, Yan Liu'er felt the air around her was freezing cold.

It was the same even in the house. All of the Wang family's savings went toward supporting their son's education, and since Old Lady Wang was a widow, she was usually very frugal. Hence, they did not light any fires for warmth.

Yan Liu'er rubbed her arms. She then realized that Old Lady Wang was wearing only a thin shirt in such a frigid winter, did she not feel cold?

"Have some tea." Her low voice passed over Yan Liu'er's head.

Yan Liu'er shivered in the cold. Initially, she wanted to hold the teacup in her palms to warm herself up, but when she took it, she noticed that even the tea in the cup was cold.

How strange, maybe Old Lady Wang was reluctant to boil any water.

Yan Liu'er held the teacup and thought about it, she really did not want to drink the cold tea. In such a cold winter, even her breath was frosty, who would want to drink cold tea?

What she did not expect was that Old Lady Wang actually drank it.

Furthermore, she downed it very naturally, as though the temperature of the liquid did not bother her at all.

The atmosphere froze for a split second.

Old Lady Wang sat on her rocking chair as she stared at Yan Liu'er, the expression on her face unreadable.

Without knowing why, Yan Liu'er felt a sense of unease that could not be described. Maybe the shock that she felt just now had yet to dissipate, causing her to fear everything she saw.

The quieter the room was, the more terrified she felt.

Yan Liu'er tried to start a conversation. "Old Lady Wang, I still have some unused charcoal at home, I'll send some over to you tomorrow. I have outerwear of cotton robes too, if you don't mind, I can bring them to you as well."

Old Lady Wang did not reply.

Just when Yan Liu'er thought that she had fallen asleep, Old Lady Wang's voice rang out huskily. "In this alley, you have the kindest heart, you don't hate the poor nor fancy the rich. You take such good care of both of us as well. Liu'er, whoever marries you, he will be a lucky guy."

"I'm not as good as you think." Yan Liu'er smiled shyly. "You've helped me a lot in the past as well, and we're all living in the same alley, these are things that I should do, other people would have done the same as well."