After leaving the stall, Grandmother Que next brought them to a food stall. There, displayed a bunch of fruit and skewered meat. Foreign with some of the fruits present, Xiao Zhuo'er pulled his sister towards it.
Since Grandmother Que was just a few meters away, she let her little brother pull her directly.
"Elder Que! It's been a while since I last saw you. I thought something happened to you. " Lin Mei, a merchant, said in a worried voice as she spotted a familiar figure in the distance.
"Oh, no worries, I'm just busy with some things. " Grandmother Que spoke with a reassuring cadence as her eyes linger on the freshly picked fruits.
"Is that so? But no matter, you still have to be careful. Don't you know, something big had happened recently." Lin Mei looked at Grandmother Que, seemingly enticing her with the latest gossip.
Captivated by her, Grandmother Que expressed her interest, which was seen by Lin Mei and continued. "It's about the annihilation of a small village near Jiaju. I heard that the massacre was done by a Zhuo state General named Tang Guo. He has a poster pinned in the hall."
"The villagers were brutally killed, even setting all the houses on fire. It's a pity that no one was able to escape." Lin Mei expressed her sorrow as she told the unfortunate news.
Fei Wanrou, who was busy looking out for Xiao Zhou'er, froze. Memories from that night crashed like waves as she unintentionally relived those painful moments. She felt her wounds reopened, even though it had barely healed. The vivid recollections etched themselves onto her soul, creating an ache that transcended time.
"Zhuo State General, Tang Guo..." Fei Wanrou whispered his name, echoing as it rang through her ears. Learning the name of the culprit, the man who caused her to have a never-ending nightmare, a constant torment, fueled inextinguishable flames of resentment in her heart.
Fei Zhuo felt the tightening grip of his sister's hand. He tried to cast his gaze to her face, but only a cold, blank look was seen.
Fei Zhuo couldn't help but be afraid, as this was the first time he had seen his sister look that way.
Grandmother Que was also worried after hearing the sad news and glanced at Fei Wanrou, but she did not detect any changes except her blank look.
Seeing that Grandmother Que had kids brought with her, she closed her mouth immediately and apologized. "Sorry for scaring you, girl, I didn't notice you both. I am Lin Mei; you can call me Aunt Lin."
Fei Wanrou, who was lost in her thoughts, heard Lin Mei's apology, bringing her to clarity. She shook her head and replied, "It's okay, Aunt Lin, I was not scared by it." She then also introduced herself. "My name is Fei Wanrou, while my brother is named Fei Zhuo."
Lin Mei assumed she was simply concealing her fright, which made her feel even worse about her lack of awareness.
"How about this? You and your little brother can get a fruit of your choice, all for free."
"Really?" Fei Zhuo, who was uncomfortable earlier, returned to his vibrant demeanor. He was bubbling in excitement as he stared at Lin Mei for confirmation.
Lin Mei laughed at his cuteness and nodded with her lips curling upwards.
She then turned her gaze to Grandmother Que and asked. "These kids are lovely. Are they your grandchildren?"
"Yes, they are." Grandmother Que smiled, looking at the two who were busy choosing fruits.
"It's good that you have them." Lin Mei said, not asking about their origins. She knows that Elder Que is all alone, and she often feels sad whenever she sees her strolling by herself. Now that she has these kids to accompany her, Elder Que will be less lonely.
After choosing each of their own fruits and buying some goods from the stall, they bid farewell to Aunt Lin.
Fei Wanrou was still thinking about Tang Guo. She already had some guesses as to who he was. However, she still needed to confirm it. Knowing that he had a poster pinned, she asked Grandmother Que to visit it, gaining a worried gaze in the process.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Don't worry, Grandmother, I can handle it." her voice filled with affirmation. Grandmother Que could only sigh as she patted her granddaughter gently on the shoulders.
It didn't take them long when they arrived outside of the Main hall, where a wooden board stood. The wooden board was plastered with numerous posters, some of which are narrations of recent occurrences.
Fei Wanrou hurriedly scanned each poster, finding the name that was already engraved in her mind.
After running her gaze from the first part, a familiar face entered her sight, locking instantly. The poster was drawn well, making it easier to identify and visualize who it was.
He appeared to be in his early twenties. Hair is jet black with a face characterized by high cheekbones and a well-defined jawline. Sharp, dark eyes beneath perfectly arched eyebrows revealed an intensity that hinted at both intellect and cruelty. Such a man gave her a dangerous feeling that she should've taken action to prevent her father's death. The man who pretended to be a coachman, Tang Guo.