CHAPTER 8

Fending for myself in the open, was a little scary. Within two weeks, I was nearly caught four times, going either in or out of the kitchen. Being small had its advantages to quickly hide, but I didn’t like this at all!

I never used to like to dwell on ‘what if’s’, but these days I wonder, ‘What if I wasn’t born on a black Friday and wasn’t the thirteenth daughter?’. Feeling myself slowly getting depressed, I knew I needed to act, to fix my hunger situation. I never liked the idea of getting upset, so the next best thing was just to find a solution to what was bothering me in the first place…

Even though I missed my kitchen home, I had to move on and survive!

This was my thoughts as I carelessly walked around the wall of the estate, in trying to work things out.

And in doing this…I found the process of the food…Before it came to the kitchen!

Dam! I’m really an idiot! Shudda thought of this before!

Snagging food, while the delivery person wasn’t looking, I couldn’t help but lick my lips in antic.i.p.ation!

Meat! OmiG.o.d meat!

I found myself very possessive over this little piece of meat and ran away towards a back corner of the estate.

I was still quite tiny, so making a fire became impossible!

…I couldn’t believe my misfortune!

Mumbling my sorrows, I didn’t hear someone come out and see me standing there foolishly, still with meat in my hands.

“Who are you?”

His words stunned me into silence. Actually, in this life, I hadn’t spoken to anyone. Besides my mumbling sorrows, no one but me had heard my voice before…

Looking at the man in front of me, I remembered him from his courtyard.

He’s the guy with that awesome book!

My eyes brightened, and I smiled happily at him.

Thanks for the book!

The man smiled back at the charming, tiny girl and bent down beside her, “Are you lost?”

That question stomped me…I wasn’t lost…But, if I said that…

When he saw the little girl blink several times and put her head to the side, he lightly laughed, “I’ll take you back home.”

In a swift moment, I was already picked up and was in his embrace. “You’re lucky I’m the one that found you. Otherwise…”

Looking at the man, I was honestly glad too!

This guy is pretty cool! Besides having great books, he seems really sweet.

“Big brother…” My voice was crackled and weak. I a.s.sumed it’s because I’ve rarely used it.

The man laughed and pinched my cheeks, “You’re adorable. What is your name?”

As I was lost in my thoughts, the man suddenly stopped and looked at me in astonishment. “You…”

His voice held such surprise, so I looked at him quizzically.

His stare and silence, started to make me feel uncomfortable…

“Tell me, girl. How is it that you’ve opened your meridians?”

Oh…So, it seems I can’t conceal it…Shame.

With my silence, the man asked my name again, remembering that my age was still very young.

Shaking my head, I answered simply, “No name.”

It was no lie! In my eyes, ‘Thirteenth young miss’ was not a name!

“Family?” He asked.

I put my head down.

What family! Seen ‘mother’ once and was dragged out by a boy that’s presumably my brother!

“Father? Who’s your father?”

Yours

But I wondered how to answer this question with my mouth, and decided upon saying, “Never seen.”

I was young, only about two. I shouldn’t know many words, so I wasn’t surprised when he accepted my answers easily. Honestly, in my past life, I wasn’t much of a talker, so this was all pretty normal for me…And I wasn’t about to start becoming a chatter box now!

Unwaveringly, I stared back at his stunned face.

“Mother?”

I put a small, toddler finger up, “One time.”

The man couldn’t believe it.

For someone so small and to have already started to cultivate, should be from a big, well off family! This little girl must be a wandering slave!

The second young master felt like he’d found a miracle! Especially since slaves didn’t have the means to really start cultivating in the first place…Without the know-how, how was someone supposed to learn? Yet, this little one…

“Are you willing to become my child then?” He asked, very seriously and without thinking too much about it. He couldn’t let this little one go!