Chapter 80: Chapter 080 Late! (One more)
Translator: 549690339
“How lucky of you, old lady, to come today when there’s still some left. How much do you want? I’ll cut it for you,” Zhuang Qingning said with a smile.
“Amitabha, finally, I can buy some.” The aged woman pulled up the corners of her mouth, revealing her only remaining tooth. “Any amount will do. Just one pound of tofu, I suppose. I’m the only old lady left at home, so I can’t eat much…”
“Speaking of which, this morning, the uncle next door gave me some spinach. When I get home, I’ll stew some spinach, tofu, and glass noodles. Not only for lunch, I figure, but there should also be enough for dinner.”
“As you age, you eat less and less. If you eat more, your stomach easily gets bloated, which is uncomfortable…”
Just like before, the old lady was muttering and saying some nonsensical things.
Zhuang Qingning had worked as a volunteer in a nursing home in her previous life, so she understood the situation when such lonely old people saw people and were eager to talk. She didn’t interrupt the old lady, just listened quietly, occasionally nodding and smiling, being a very qualified listener.
The old lady, speaking so much, started laughing, even slapped her forehead. “Look at me, I forgot what I was supposed to do when I started talking. Could you cut me a pound of tofu?”
Zhuang Qingning quickly cut the tofu and picked up the steelyard. After weighing, she said, “A pound and a half, so just take one coin, please. There isn’t much tofu left at the end, so if I sells it out earlier, I can close the stall earlier.”
“Then this old lady thanks you.” The old lady grinned, took the tofu, put it into her bamboo basket, and carefully took out a neatly folded handkerchief from her bosom. She unfolded it layer by layer, took out a coin, and handed it to Zhuang Qingning. “Here you are.”
“Alright, I’ve taken your coin. Take care.”
“Don’t worry, dear. I don’t live far, I’ll walk slowly, it’s okay,” the old lady picked up the bamboo basket and stepped forward.
However, she had just taken two steps when she let out an “ow” and fell to the ground. The bamboo basket in her hand also fell to the ground, and two potatoes rolled out from the basket, stopping next to Zhuang Qingning’s feet. “Are you alright?” Zhuang Qingning and Zhuang Qingsui rushed to help the old lady up.
“It’s alright, I seem to have sprained my ankle,” the old lady patted the dust off her body and stood up, reaching for the bamboo basket.
She said it was ok, but looking at her frowning and not daring to put force onto her left foot, it didn’t seem like it was alright.
Zhuang Qingsui picked up the potatoes and put them back into the bamboo basket. “Are you really alright?”
“It’s fine, it’s fine…” The old woman limped a few steps. “See, it’s fine, you go on. My house is not far away, just inside this alley, just a few steps away.”
“You guys go on with your work…”
“How about this,” Zhuang Qingning said. “Since you said your house is not far, I’ll help you carry the basket and see you home.”
“This…” The old lady hesitated for a moment and said, “Alright, then I’ll trouble you, young lady.”
“You’re too polite.” Zhuang Qingning responded with a smile, then told Zhuang Qingsui, “You watch the stall here for a while, I’ll be back soon. If I’m not back when all the tofu is sold, wait a little while for me. If anything happens, go to Fushun Tower to find Uncle Zhang or Brother Rong.”
“Okay, sister, don’t worry.” Zhuang Qingsui nodded vigorously.
She couldn’t help her sister much, but she thought she was pretty good at this kind of thing.
Zhuang Qingsui was also very adept at selling tofu, and since the stall was diagonally across from Fushun Tower, it was broad daylight and there were people coming and going on the street. She would be back soon, and there should be no problem with the tofu stall.
Zhuang Qingning replied with a “Hmm”, picked up the bamboo basket, and assisted the old lady. “Let me take you home.”
“Good girl, thank you so much.” The old lady’s face was full of smiles, and she was escorted by Zhuang Qingning into the alley.
“My house is right up ahead.” As the old lady walked tremblingly, she pointed ahead. “Just walk through this alley, turn a corner up ahead, make another turn, and then another one, and you’ll be there…”
So, according to her, we’ll be turning so many corners. The ‘not far’ she speaks of might not be the same ‘not far’ as she thinks it is.
However, since I have decided to send her home, how can I worry about whether the road is far or not?
I just want to safely take the old lady home.
Zhuang Qingning focused her mind and slowly walked with the old lady.
As they reached the end of the alley and turned a corner, they walked a long way in. They were getting farther and farther away from the bustling main street, and they could no longer hear the cries of the vendors.
The alley was also gradually quieting down. The majestic blue-bricked tile-roofed houses were gradually turning into some old houses that seemed somewhat rundown.
So this is what it looks like inside the alley.
In the past, she had always set up a stall in town. After selling the tofu, she would usually buy some things and then go home. She rarely walked into this part of town. It turns out that this place is no different from an ordinary village, devoid of the prosperity and bustle of the street.
After turning two more corners, Zhuang Qingning asked, “Old lady, have we arrived?”
“Almost there, just a couple more turns,” the old lady replied.
A couple more turns?
Zhuang Qingning was stunned.
Where had she come from just now? With all these twists and turns, if she goes the way the lady said, wouldn’t that mean she would end up at the other end of town? In that case, wouldn’t it be better to walk straight down the street?
The street is even flatter, and there’s no need to weave around so many houses and take a longer route.
“Hurry up, we’re almost there…” The old lady urged, pointing ahead. “It’s just up ahead, not far.”
She seemed to have heard the words ‘not far’ many times before.
At this point, you couldn’t say the journey was ‘not far’. It should be described as ‘far’, but the old lady kept saying ‘not far’; it seemed as if…
It was as if she was constantly tempting her to move forward.
Could it be that…
Zhuang Qingning let go of the old lady’s arm and put down the basket. “Since it’s not far, I think you can make it home by yourself. I’m worried about my little sister, so I will go back…”
“You want to leave now?” The old lady, who had been kind and gentle, suddenly hardened her face. Her previously benevolent eyes were filled with severity. “I think it’s too late!” she snapped.
As soon as her words fell, the old lady suddenly stood up straight. Her hands, which previously appeared shaky and weak, were now like iron clamps, grabbing Zhuang Qingning’s wrist.
It was really like that.
Zhuang Qingning felt a sudden sinking feeling in her heart.
Just as she had suspected, this woman turned out to be a kidnapper who abducted girls of suitable age and sold them for money.
First, she pretended to be a pitiful old woman. She frequently appeared in front of Zhuang Qingning, familiarizing herself, and trying to ingrain the concept that her home wasn’t far. All of this was to decrease Zhuang Qingning’s vigilance, and induce her to feel sympathy..
