TRT – Chapter 11 Little Shou

“Hey…” The beautiful boy in my arms called me in a muffled voice, tinged with the nasal sound of someone who’d just been crying.

“Hm?” I softened my voice as much as possible to answer him.

“You sound like my mother…”

…What—the—hell?!

Who is this? Who the hell is this?! Who is this arrogant, willful, unreasonable brat?!

I swear the one I saved back then was clearly a delicate, gentle, obedient beauty! I must’ve been blind!

My hands and feet trembled as I stared at the breathtakingly beautiful young “lady” in twelve-layer robes in front of me, smiling like she could topple nations.

Time rewinds one month earlier—

On the boy’s name: “My name is Minmin. What’s your name?”

The boy: “Xiao Shou.”

(Shocked) “You’re called Xiao Shou (Little Bottom)?!!”

The boy: “Mm.”

I gave him a look that screamed no wonder. Did you hear that? No wonder he’s destined to be the “uke”! With a name like “Xiao Shou” (肖壽), of course you’re going to be the bottom—whether you want it or not!

The boy shivered under my stare…

On the boy’s stay:

I shook off his octopus-like grip furiously. “Let go!”

Xiao Shou: “I won’t.”

(Angry) “I already saved you! What more do you want from me?!”

Xiao Shou: “Since you saved me, you have to raise me!”

(Enraged) “What kind of twisted logic is that?!”

Xiao Shou: “When you treated my wounds just now, you saw my whole body. You must take responsibility!”

I threw my head back and howled: “Is there no justice left in this world—?!”

On the boy’s aftermath:

1. We spread the word that the local thugs had knocked out the gang boss and kidnapped Xiao Shou. —For a time, Autumn Leaf City was thrown into chaos. Everyone, men and women alike, lived in fear.
2. Rumors outside said Miss Minmin of Cangchun Pavilion had taken in a new maidservant—supposedly a beauty beyond compare, outshining Minmin herself. Out of jealousy, Minmin forced her to hide behind a fan, never to show her face. (Minmin: “Who said that?!! Beat him up!”)
3. Makeup and disguise:

Xiao Shou: “Why are you shaving my eyebrows?!”

Me: “Endure hardship, and you’ll rise above the rest! Young Master Xiao, can you really not sacrifice a pair of eyebrows for the sake of your grand revenge?”

Xiao Shou (solemnly): “…Shave them.”

Inside, I smirked wickedly. I’d been itching to try out a proper Japanese painted-brow style—finally, a test subject!

Xiao Shou: “Why are you putting rouge and lipstick on me?!”

Me (serious): “Endure hardship, and you’ll rise above the rest! Young Master Xiao, can you really not sacrifice—”

Xiao Shou (weak): “…Fine, do it.”

Inside, I cackled. Oh, those red lips, that little touch of vermillion~ How I longed to see him pushed down by a man and kissed breathless!

Xiao Shou: “I don’t want to wear this many layers! What kind of outfit is this?! I’ve already got eight layers on! And there’s more?!”

Me (serious): “Endure hardship, and you’ll rise above the rest…”

Xiao Shou (half-dead): “…Fine, wrap me up.”

The twelve-layer robe perfectly hid the differences between male and female figures. Plus, it restrained his movements so he couldn’t resist or run away… and was very convenient if he needed to be pushed down.

“From today on, you’re my maidservant. Let’s call you Shou’er~”

Xiao Shou (pouting): “No! What’s with that girly name?!”

I beamed, pulling out a long list. “Fine, then would you prefer Little Shou? Weak Shou? Underage Top? O-number…”

Xiao Shou (cold sweat all over): “…I’ll just be Shou’er.”

Time shifts back to the present—

The “young beauty” in twelve-layer robes sprawled lazily on the ground.

Xiao Shou: “Don’t care~ I can’t walk anymore. Who told you to put me in these heavy clothes? Carry me!”

Me (furious): “No!”

Xiao Shou: “Then… hug me.”

Me (roaring): “That’s not the point!!”

As we bickered, the bushes beside us rustled. Suddenly, a sturdy young man burst out. The moment he saw me, his face lit up with joy.

“Finally found you, Miss Minmin!”

Looking closely, I recognized him—Little Tiger, the foreman in charge of stage props.

“What’s wrong?” I shifted my body to block Xiao Shou and quietly handed him a fan.

“It’s bad!” Little Tiger grabbed my hand and dragged me away.

I’d hung out with these prop guys so much that formality went out the window. Letting him pull me along, I quickened my pace. “The props we rushed overnight to finish… somehow burned this morning! The performance is tonight! Everyone’s panicking…”

As he spoke, a shadow streaked past us, cutting right between me and Little Tiger. Someone yanked my wrist back.

Xiao Shou, face dark, glared at Little Tiger. “If it’s urgent, hurry up! How long do you plan on tugging and pulling?!” Then he seized my hand and dragged me off at full speed.

…And this was the same brat who just said his clothes were too heavy to walk in?! Little rascal, you’re running faster than me!

Since the props had burned, we all had to go out and buy materials again. Naturally, that clingy brat stuck to me like glue.

Though Autumn Leaf City lay on the western frontier, it was a hub for trade between east and west—bustling beyond belief. Especially now, when my monthly performance was approaching. At this time of the month, nobles and elites from all over flocked here, just to see the top beauty of Houming perform! This time, even the Third Prince, Princess Cangle, and Lord Luo—His Majesty’s favorite—were among the audience. The entire city’s economy practically revolved around me. A single ribbon I’d used on stage could sell for a thousand taels!

And yet here I was, disguised as a ragged errand boy, carrying a mountain of supplies, tugging along a veiled beauty through the crowd.

“You little bastard… damn brat! Can’t you help me carry a little? How can you just watch a weak girl suffer?!” I panted angrily, venting my frustrations at a certain “beauty.”

“Nope~” The “beauty” fanned herself delicately. “You’re disguised as my servant now. How could a servant let their lady carry the load? …Ah! Look! So many people gathered over there~ Come on, let’s join the fun!”

Staggering under the mountain of supplies, I was dragged helplessly into the thickest crowd. My heart wailed in despair:

Heavens—strike him with lightning already—!

When we got closer, I realized it was an illegal stone-trading stall. The mustached vendor was waving a jade pendant, shouting:

“Fine Lantian jade! Only five hundred taels! Miss it and you’ll regret it forever!”

I never could tell the difference between fine jade and green glass, nor could I understand why anyone would pay huge sums for a rock to hang on their body. I was ready to leave when suddenly Xiao Shou snatched the pendant, turning it over in trembling hands.

Alarmed, I cupped my hands under his, afraid he’d drop it—five hundred taels of silver!

“Shou’er… Miss! What’s wrong? Don’t tell me it’s fake? Even if it is, you don’t have to get so worked up!”

“…Grandmother…” Xiao Shou’s eyes were blank, fixed on the pendant, his body shaking.

“Grandmother?” I steadied him quickly.

“…This pendant belonged to my family,” he whispered.

“What?!”

“I bought it as a seventieth birthday gift for my grandmother… spent a hundred taels of gold.”

A hundred taels of gold?!! This brat used to be that rich?!

“Never thought I’d see it here…” He sighed, gently set the jade back down, and walked away.

“My grandmother loved me most. When she got this pendant, she was delighted. The ‘shou’ character on it, I carved myself. I cut my hand then, and she fussed over it for so long… Later, when the entire family was executed, Grandmother bribed the executioner to bury this pendant with her…”

His voice grew fainter as he walked to the street corner. Hugging his shoulders, he sank slowly against the wall, head bowed. Behind the veil, I couldn’t see his expression.

The mustached vendor was still yelling, “If you’re not buying, don’t stare so long! Don’t waste my time if you’ve got no money!”

Standing at the windy corner, I felt, for the first time, the bitter sorrow of a noble family’s downfall.

People change, things fade, only tears remain…

Buried with her—that meant even his grandmother’s grave had been desecrated…

I couldn’t truly comprehend the weight of that for someone of this era. But I knew whatever pain Xiao Shou felt in his heart… it had to be a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times heavier than what I was feeling. So heavy he could barely stand…

……

I held out the jade pendant to him. “Something this important, you have to keep safe. Don’t let bad people take it again.”

He didn’t take it. Instead, he looked up in shock, eyes flashing with a hint of anger. “You…”

“I’m not giving it to you! It cost five hundred taels of silver. When you make it big one day, you must pay me back double! There’s no ink here, but once we’re back at Cangchun Pavilion, you’ll have to write me a promissory note—”

Before I could finish, he pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Minmin…” His voice trembled, his breath brushing my ear, making me shiver too.

“…Thank you…”

“…You’re welcome.” I answered honestly, leaning into his arms.

Once we finished our little emotional outburst (emotional, okay! Don’t get any dirty ideas, you perverts), dusk had already fallen. Poor Little Tiger was probably spitting blood waiting for our supplies…

We picked up the things again (this time, someone actually helped me carry most of it), and were about to head back when suddenly—out of the corner of my eye—I caught a glimpse of an impossible figure!

The supplies tumbled from my hands with a crash!

“Minmin?!” Xiao Shou’s alarmed voice didn’t even register.

In disbelief, I spun around and bolted toward the man in black in the distance!

Impossible! This can’t be!

But that face, that face—

It was unmistakably—

Zhiyuan—!!

I cried out, grabbing the man’s arm with all my strength!