The short-jacketed youth asked Chen He, "How did he die?"
How did the young beggar die?
How would I know?
As a disabled person with no strength, Chen He couldn't have possibly killed him, right?
So the fact is, the death of the young beggar has nothing to do with Chen He!
He brainwashed himself for a moment, then pretended to be frightened, bowing his head and stammering:
"I... I don't know, last night, he... he suddenly clutched his chest, shouting for help. I was scared, I... I didn't dare to look. Sir, I really don't... don't know, spare me, please, waa... waa... waa!"
After stumbling through his words, he sobbed deeply.
Seeing this, the short-jacketed youth looked helpless, and had to let it go.
How could a disabled person who can only crawl like an animal kill a normal person?
He grumbled: "Damn crippled, not even a wretched one has the guts, bah!"
Perhaps hearing the commotion inside the house, a voice from outside asked, "Xiao Li, what's going on?"
"Chen Boss, someone died, what a waste. Chen Boss, this is going to be troublesome again!" Xiao Li replied from inside.
Chen Boss from outside responded, "Don't worry, postpone until tomorrow at the snake hour, I'll go back to the city and explain to the Second Young Master. Take some men and go to the neighboring village, grab two people, one to replace the dead one and the other as a backup. Give some extra buns to the one still alive, so he doesn't end up dead too!"
Xiao Li grunted in agreement, then dragged the young beggar's corpse out of the house, closed the door, and locked it.
Shortly after, Xiao Li returned, stuffing six buns and a leather pouch through the three-finger-wide gap in the round wooden door.
Chen He didn't move, remaining huddled in the corner.
Seeing this, Xiao Li sneered, "You damn cripple, hurry up and eat! It's not poisoned. If it weren't for your luck, someone as lowly as you wouldn't even qualify to eat these big white buns in your lifetime. Hurry up, eat fast, choke on it, bah! Useless!"
After venting, Xiao Li turned and left, muttering obscenities and curses under his breath, words unfit for decent ears.
He resembled a menopausal hag.
Chen He remained silent, focusing on listening to Xiao Li's receding footsteps, quietly laughing to himself.
After a while, he moved to pick up the buns, wiping them off and eating.
The texture of the buns couldn't compare to those of his previous life, but they were fragrant and sweet to taste.
Moreover, according to his memory, ever since his predecessor was abandoned by the gang, he never ate buns of this level again.
Chen He finished the buns, took a few sips of water from the leather pouch, and finally satisfied his hungry stomach.
Through the cracks in the wooden boards, Chen He quietly observed the surroundings.
It was a dilapidated courtyard, covering approximately seventy square meters.
There were three grass huts in a row, with the middle one repaired by the servants of the Eastern family, looking cleaner.
The one he was confined to was the small hut to the left of the courtyard gate. Not far away, two servants dressed in gray short jackets were guarding the gate, while three others were wandering inside the courtyard. Seeing this situation, Chen He felt a headache.
Trying to slip away unnoticed was clearly impossible. Not only did he lack the ability, but the prison-like hut itself kept him trapped.
It was futile to scheme; he might as well rest and regain his strength.
"Clang!" The sound of the iron chain lock being dismantled echoed.
Chen He opened his eyes, pushing his body into the corner of the wooden wall, sitting cross-legged, and bowing his head.
His pitch-black pupils looked towards the wooden door behind his dirty, unkempt hair. The wooden door had been pushed open, revealing two bound farmers being dragged in by the servant Xiao Li.
The first farmer was older, probably in his late forties or early fifties, short and skinny.
Both of them were bound hand and foot, with bruised faces and a weary appearance, clearly having endured a beating.
Servant Xiao Li locked the wooden door and warned through the gap in the wall, "Don't yell and scream, or you'll suffer even more."
Then he pointed to Chen He in the corner and sneered, "Learn from that disabled guy, and stay quiet!"
With that said, he didn't care about the reaction of the two farmers and turned to leave.
Time passed quietly, and the sun reached its zenith.
Servant Xiao Li came to bring food and water to the two farmers.
To make it easier for them to eat, he untied the gray hemp rope binding their hands.
The two farmers picked up the buns from the straw and ate them hungrily, expressing gratitude to Xiao Li.
Chen He licked his lips and silently took out the leather pouch from his pocket to drink some water.
Two meals a day, and his second meal today was probably at the end of the You hour.
In his past life, he used to have four or five meals a day!
Damn it!
At the Rooster hour, servant Xiao Li would deliver the buns on time. After finishing his portion, Chen He retreated back into the corner of the wall.
"Please spare me, sir, I'm just a farmer, I don't know anything else," pleaded the elderly farmer, kneeling and knocking his head on the ground.
"Sir, have mercy, I'm willing to serve you as a slave," the young farmer followed, also bowing to Xiao Li, begging for his mercy.
Xiao Li grinned sinisterly and heartlessly tied their hands behind their backs.
He locked the door and left!
At the foot of the Blue Mist Mountain, a wild courtyard surrounded by three grass huts was lively at that moment.
In the middle of the courtyard stood a square wooden table, covered with several dishes of food and a jug of wine.
Several men dressed in gray short jackets were drinking and eating meat, chatting and laughing.
The spicy aroma of food and drink in the wild courtyard mingled with the cool autumn breeze.
Chen He was peering through the cracks, his nostrils flaring, his face grim under his unkempt hair, his heart shrouded in gloom.
If nothing unexpected happened tonight, by tomorrow morning, when the second young master of the Eastern family arrived, he would have no chance of escape.
He glanced slightly to the side at the two farmers bound hand and foot, wriggling helplessly like maggots.
Then he turned his head to look at the banquet outside.
Should he orchestrate another "two short" delay tonight?
"Little brother, where do you think they're planning to take us?" Suddenly, Chen He heard a deliberately hushed inquiry.
Turning around, he saw that it was the old farmer inching closer to him.
He straightened up, lowering his head, his unkempt hair covering his face as he muttered, "To be used as bait, to lure ferocious beasts!"
"Eh! To lure... ferocious beasts?"
The wild beast, a fierce predator that even the village hunters would flee from upon sighting.
The young farmer couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
The old farmer straightened his leg and gave him a barely audible kick, whispering, "Keep your voice down, you bastard!"
Although the young farmer disagreed, he fell silent.
These two farmers seemed like father and son by age, but their facial expressions and the indifference between them suggested otherwise.
Chen He discreetly observed the two.
The old farmer whispered again, "Friend, do you know when we depart?"
"Tomorrow at rooster's hour!" Chen He replied, and the two farmers suddenly seemed to lose their vigor, collapsing onto the straw with despair.
"They originally only needed two live baits. If we can pretend to be dead until they pass, we won't meet the bait criteria!" He said casually.
The young farmer's eyes suddenly lit up: "Friend, do you have the ability to feign death?"
"No," Chen He replied, if he did, why the hell would he be waiting here to die?
The old farmer sighed.
After some thought, Chen He continued:
"When they're deeply asleep, I'll untie your hands and feet, will you take me with you to escape?"
The old farmer raised his head. "They aren't keeping watch?"
Chen He asserted, "They're not."
Indeed, the servants of the Eastern family didn't keep watch. They genuinely believed that a few small grasshoppers couldn't escape.
At that moment, the sound of cleaning dishes and utensils echoed from outside.
Chen He turned his body and pressed his face against the door crack, seeing the servants of the Eastern family tidying up the leftovers and then taking their positions.
He cursed under his breath.
He had thought these people would revel all night, get thoroughly drunk, and then he could find a way to escape.