"Please…?"
'Widen your eyes, wobble your bottom lips, a little bit of tears for side effects.' Bai Shuyin revised the mantra over and over in her head.
"No."
'Mother! Why can't you see how pitiful these children are?! Open your heart and accept these beggars!'
Old Madam He of the tea house gave them a stinky eye, lips smeared with thick and ruby red lipstick that was formed in an ugly frown. To be frank, she wasn't old at all, it was just a term Bai Shuyin used to express her displeasure at this woman.
This Lady should be around her 40s, but Bai Shuyin called her 'Sister' instead of Madam just to get onto her good side.
Bai Shuyin quickly gave a glance at her attire. Red robes draped over her body, looking so smooth and silk like satin. Not many people could afford such luxury, especially in a small city like this. It was totally a different case if you were from the Capital City.
Her jet black hair was tied up in a bun, held up with a golden hairpin. She had the eyes of a phoenix, sharp and looked intelligent. The golden earrings she wore dangled and sparkled even brighter under the sunlight.
If Bai Shuyin had to do a comparison, this Lady looked like the Mistress who owned the largest brothel in town, one that also held power in the underground business.
After all, she fitted all the criteria.
It could be seen by how those men skittered around her without lifting their heads and obeyed every instruction she barked out.
How could this madam still be so stubborn with the highest level of adorableness inflicted on her?! Wasn't Wang Heiyue cute enough?! She might not notice it, but everything the steamed bun did, would always be cute in her eyes.
"Sister! Please consider it again!" The white-haired transmigrator practically begged this time. Puppy eyes were no longer super effective and her knees were getting numbed from kneeling for a long time.
Those dark eyes, hooded under thick lashes, looked down on Bai Shuyin. Madam He slapped the fan she was using close with a loud snap before crossing her arms under her huge twin globes.
"I don't hire little rats."
A low growl came from Bai Shuyin's right side that she immediately shut down with a small pinch to Wang Heiyue's side, receiving a hiss in response.
"I-- I will even do all the cleaning, I'm really good at it!" Bai Shuyin bluffed randomly. Honestly, she rarely even did her own laundry when she was alive. But hey, at least she knew how to do it or she would have been found buried alive under the pile of dirty clothes.
Besides, she had had a lot of experience in doing it ever since she came to this world. She needed to wash hers and that little bun's cloth daily or they would have to wear their birthday suit the next day.
"I will clean the bedsheets, clean the dirty plates, sweep the floor, anything and everything!" Bai Shuyin made a pleading and pitiful expression and she could see those dark eyes wavered, even if it's just a little bit.
Madam He clicked her tongue, toying the inside of her cheeks before exhaling loudly. The offer was just too good. Hiring a kid might be cheaper and this little girl seemed enthusiastic.
However…
This tea house wasn't just a normal tea house. But, it wasn't like these little brats would understand adult matters, right? In fact, wouldn't it be better? Since they knew nothing and even if they did, wasn't it might be easier to eliminate them considering the fact they were orphans?
The Madam in red eyed at the two innocent little kids, begging on their knees; only one though, the other boy was glaring at her with such venomous eyes.
Madam He harrumphed, her earrings dangled and clinked against each other before she reluctantly spoke.
"Fine," Madam He immediately held her hand up to stop whatever Bai Shuyin wanted to say when she saw hope returned in the eyes of this white-haired girl. "And I assume you want something else in exchange?"
"Uh…" Bai Shuyin fiddled with her fingers, opting to look like a desperate little one. She had planned to act more skittish to garner some sympathy. "Ummm…"
"Speak up." Madam He's voice cut through the buzzing of the marketplace.
"Give us a place to stay."
Bai Shuyin couldn't stop the audible gasp. She nearly slapped Wang Heiyue for running his mouth loose like that.
"You have done it before." These words trailed along a few seconds later and made Bai Shuyin blink. What?
"When in Jianghu, one cannot move freely," Bai Shuyin had to catch her jaws from dropping as the cute little steamed bun she raised spoke. "So, let's compromise. Let us stay. Me and my sister swear to the Heavens and Earth; we will turn blind eye and deaf ears--"
"Insolent little brat," Madam He wouldn't let the insult pass and her eyes narrowed as she took a step closer to Wang Heiyue, towering over his small form. "What was that again?" She growled.
That somehow made the corner of Wang Heiyue's lips curl up a little. "If you thought I was implying something, I wasn't. Not at all. I'm just stating the facts."
"You little—"
At that moment, Bai Shuyin had grabbed Wang Heiyue by his wrist and pulled him behind her back. She was baffled, bewildered at Wang Heiyue's sudden accusation towards Madam He. "S—sorry, please don't mind him, he doesn't know what he is saying." She stuttered, trying to save the situation.
All in all honesty, if she wasn't that desperate to get both of them money and a place to stay, she would have pulled a chair and snacked on popcorn to watch the drama unfold, which reminded her, she had to interrogate that little bun how he knew about that because the reaction of the Madam just justified the action.
"He's just a little kid, please, please don't mind him."
Madam He was gnashing her teeth, ready to spit fire. It wasn't helping that Wang Heiyue had peeked from Bai Shuyin's back with challenging eyes. It was then Madam he realized this brat was riling her up that she finally closed her eyes and took a deep breath, repressing her childish actions. She whipped her fan open and cooled herself down.
She had to admit, this little punk was smart to poke someone at their weak points.
Then again, why was she getting so agitated by mere words from a little kid? Did he actually know or was he just making a smart guess?
***
Jianghu: Martial World