Niley was standing right next to the doorway when Mier suddenly walked straight toward her. Her body reacted faster than her mind—she quickly raised her hand to block him.
A sharp pain shot through her arm, and she couldn't help but cry out. After taking a deep breath to ease the pain, she looked at Mier with clear irritation.
This guy must have a death wish! He really didn't hold back!
If it weren't for the fact that she had already suppressed her powers when she realized this wasn't the post-apocalyptic world, Mier might not be standing here now.
Mier was stunned by her glare, but then he thought of everything he'd gone through that day. Tears immediately started pouring down his face.
Things had already gotten to this point—he couldn't let his mother win, no matter what. If he gave in now, his older brothers might end up suffering the same fate.
"H-Hey, don't cry! I didn't even do anything to you yet!"
Niley, who had been annoyed at first, panicked when she saw him crying.
She'd never comforted anyone before. It was always other people comforting her!
Why was this guy acting like one of the kids back at her base—crying at the drop of a hat? And crying was the one thing she couldn't handle!
"Mier, my poor son!"
Before she could figure out what to do, Mier's father rushed over in a panic. When he saw Mier was safe, he hugged him tightly and cried loudly.
Nearby, the madam let out a sigh of relief. If Mier had really died, who knows how Jiang Yu, that scoundrel, would've tried to pin it on him?
Now that Mier was okay, he relaxed. But he quickly let out a cold snort and narrowed his eyes. He'd seen many tricks like this before. Once they got him back to the courtyard, he had plenty of ways to deal with him!
He then barked at the people who had run over to help: "Hurry up and pull them apart! Take them back to the yard!"
If this kept dragging on, it would all be a waste of time. He had better things to do than fuss over one person—there was still a lot waiting for him at the courtyard.
Hearing this, Niley frowned and glanced sideways at the madam. She quietly stepped back, trying to get away from the center of the mess. But just as she turned around, she felt someone grab her sleeve tightly.
Looking down, she saw a pair of long, red, cracked hands holding onto her tightly.
When she looked up, Mier's tearful eyes were begging her. "Please… save me!"
Tsk. So now she was someone's last hope?
Yeah, some chaos really isn't worth watching.
Niley looked around—left, right, up, down—but avoided looking at Mier directly. Still, she secretly tried to pull her sleeve free from his grip.
But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake him off.
She thought about using her powers, but there were too many people around. She couldn't explain it if they saw.
She sighed and looked at Mier with a frown. "Reason."
She'd seen enough shows and dramas to know—don't just take in some random guy on the street, especially one who looks this good. Who knows what trouble that could bring?
But this was a different world, a matriarchal one at that. She was alone, still had her powers, and judging by how delicate this guy looked, he probably couldn't beat her anyway.
Besides, she wasn't just picking someone off the street…
Buying someone doesn't count as picking them up, right?
And honestly, this guy was totally her type.
It's not like she'd get another chance like this!
Niley had already made up her mind.
Mier noticed her trying to pull away and almost lost hope, but there was still a tiny bit of determination left in him. He held on tight—this was his last chance.
Then Niley finally spoke—just two words. Mier was so happy he almost burst into tears again.
But then he realized… what reason did he have to convince her to buy him? He and his brothers weren't even good-looking. That's why no one had ever proposed to them.
His oldest brother was going to be twenty-two soon. If no one proposed by then, the government would probably assign him to someone or, worse, send him to the military camp. That place was worse than a brothel. He couldn't let his brother go through that.
After a pause, he said quietly, "I—I'm obedient, I can do chores, cook, wash clothes. I don't eat much… and… and I can give you a baby…"
That last part was so quiet it was barely a whisper. Only Mier's father and Niley, with her sharp senses, heard it.
After saying it, Mier was so embarrassed his head nearly touched the ground. His ears were bright red—whether from the cold or shame, no one could tell.
Mier's father felt a bitter ache in his heart, but there was nothing else they could do. He looked at Niley hopefully.
If this girl really bought Mier, he wouldn't be sold off to a place like the brothel, and his other sons would be safe too. Plus, she was way more attractive than any woman in their village.
And she didn't look like she came from a poor family either.
Marrying her wouldn't be a bad deal for his son. He just hoped she wouldn't be the one losing out.
Niley frowned slightly at Mier's words and looked at him with a hint of pity.
The people around them started whispering as they saw Mier talking to the beautiful girl who had saved him.
The madam was getting nervous now. Seeing his men standing around doing nothing, he snapped, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and take him away! You're not trees—move!"
"Calm down! Let's hear what the girl says first."
Jiang Yu stepped forward casually, stopping the madam's people and turning to Niley.
He looked Niley up and down and smiled. "She looks like someone with money."
"Jiang Yu! We had a deal. Are you going back on your word now?"
The madam was getting annoyed. Mier might have a feminine face, but he had customers who liked that. He'd even paid two silver just to get him!
And now this girl came out of nowhere and ruined everything!
He glared at Niley—like she was some kind of homewrecker. But the second she looked back at him, he froze.
It was the dead of winter, but her gaze sent a chill straight through him. No look had ever scared him this much—not even his own boss's.
Jiang Yu didn't notice the madam's change. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at Niley like she was made of gold.
He snorted. "A deal? With you? We haven't even exchanged the money yet. She can still buy him."
Then he leaned in closer to Niley, grinning. "So, what's the deal? Did you fall for my son?"
Niley frowned and leaned back slightly. Even in the freezing weather, Jiang Yu's bad breath was unbearable.
But Jiang Yu didn't seem to notice. She just kept listing off Mier's good traits, desperate not to lose her "golden ticket."