I relied on a system to prolong my life in ancient times.

Chapter 82 Mute Slave

After Manager Bai left, Xiao Siyue smiled and said, "Uncle, wasn't it quite simple?"

Xiao Qiren laughed and said, "It's really not difficult, it's easy to get started, and this Manager Bai is quite good. He explained things in great detail, and I already understand about 80 or 90 percent of what's going on in the store."

He had met Manager Bai before, but since he hadn't been involved in managing the shop, he didn't know him very well. After spending time with him today, he found that this person was quite good and a useful person.

"Yes, Manager Bai is indeed quite good; he can be entrusted with important responsibilities," Xiao Siyue agreed wholeheartedly.

"Now that we've finished here, let's head to North Street Alley. It's getting late."

"Okay, let's go then."

It was the first time that Old Lady Xiao and Xiao Qiren had been here, and they were very curious, looking around constantly.

"I never imagined there was such a secluded place in our town!" Old Mrs. Xiao exclaimed.

"These children are so pitiful!" Old Mrs. Xiao couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted when she looked at the children who had been sold. Some of them looked about the same age as her granddaughter, but they were so thin and small.

Xiao Siyue recalled that when she first came here, she also felt very uncomfortable and found it hard to accept, but now she can take it in stride. She couldn't help but sigh that she was also being assimilated by this world!

"Grandpa, young lady, you're here again!" Old Chen greeted them warmly upon seeing them.

"Yes," Grandpa Xiao said politely. He had been here several times before and was already quite familiar with Old Chen.

"Do you still want the same person as before today?"

"No, we want someone who knows some martial arts. Do you have any, Old Chen?" Old Master Xiao said, glancing behind Old Chen.

"Knows martial arts?"

Old Chen thought for a while, then said with some difficulty, "I do have such a person here, but he... is mute."

"A mute? May I take a look?" Xiao Siyue was a little curious. It didn't matter if he was mute, as long as he knew some kung fu.

After Old Chen brought the person out, Xiao Siyue finally saw what he looked like.

He was very tall, but very thin. He looked frail and seemed like he could be blown away by a gust of wind.

He was somewhat expressionless, as if nothing could arouse his interest. After being brought out by Old Chen, he ignored everyone and just stared straight ahead.

"What's his name?" Xiao Siyue asked.

“The people in their village have always called him the mute slave,” Old Chen said.

"I see. Do you know why he was sold?"

“I do know that. The mute slave is from my hometown. He was three years old but still couldn’t speak, so his family abandoned him. Later, he was adopted by an old bodyguard. The bodyguard treated him very well, not only teaching him kung fu but also taking him around to see doctors, hoping to cure his muteness.” Old Chen sighed and continued.

"But the old镖师 (bodyguard/escort) was getting old, and his savings were almost gone, so he had to bring him back. As the mute slave grew up, the old镖师 could no longer move, and the mute slave, because he couldn't speak, was disliked by people and couldn't find any good jobs to earn money."

"Some time ago, the old镖师 (bodyguard/escort) passed away. The mute slave had no money for his burial, so he sold himself to get some money to bury the old镖师."

"This family is heartless! So what if he's mute? How could they abandon him? He's such a young child! They're trying to kill him!" Old Mrs. Xiao looked at the mute servant with heartache.

"Isn't that right? How could there be such heartless parents?" Xiao Siyue was also very angry. She was also an orphan in her previous life. She didn't know if she had been abandoned, but at this moment she seemed to empathize with her.

"How old is he now?" Xiao Siyue asked after she had calmed down.

"I'm only twenty years old now," Old Chen replied.

Xiao Siyue glanced at the mute slave again. So he was only twenty years old, but he looked like he was thirty.

"Didn't the old bodyguard give him another name?" Xiao Siyue thought that the old bodyguard had been very good to the mute slave, so he probably wouldn't keep calling him that.

"It was taken. Of course it was taken. It's just that everyone is used to calling it that."

"Oh, I see. What's his name?"

"The old bodyguard's surname was Zhou, and he named him Zhou Ming, hoping that the mute servant would be able to speak one day." Old Chen couldn't help but think of the old bodyguard. He was truly a good man. He spent all the money he had worked hard to earn in the first half of his life on the mute servant in the second half.

Fortunately, the mute servant was a good person; although he couldn't speak, he was very filial.

"Grandpa, I think this person is quite good. Although he can't speak, he is loyal and righteous, and he knows kung fu. He would be a good match for us." He was willing to sell himself to bury the old镖师 (bodyguard/escort), doesn't that prove he's a loyal and righteous person?

"It's really good." Old Master Xiao agreed with Xiao Siyue's words.

After Old Master Xiao agreed, Xiao Siyue asked the mute servant, "Zhou Ming, hello, would you like to come back with us? Don't worry, we're not asking you to do anything immoral, we just want you to be our guard."

Seeing that Zhou Ming ignored her, Xiao Siyue continued, "If you become a guard, we will also give you a monthly salary. Don't worry, we won't bully you. Just nod if you're willing."

Zhou Ming finally reacted, looking at them and nodding at Xiao Siyue.

Xiao Siyue looked at Grandpa Xiao happily.

"Old Chen, now that Zhou Ming has agreed, can we take him with us?" Old Master Xiao asked Old Chen.

"Yes, of course, give me 25 taels of silver," Old Chen said.

Grandpa Xiao took out some silver and handed it to Old Chen.

Old Chen took the silver and said to Old Master Xiao, "You must treat him well in the future. The mute servant is a very honest and hardworking man."

"We definitely will."

After completing the handover procedures, Xiao Siyue and the others took Zhou Ming home.

"Father, you're back?" Xiao Qili greeted them as he saw them return.

"Hmm, did you go to check on the fields today?" Old Master Xiao asked, frowning, when he saw his son at home.

"Father, I've gone," Xiao Qili quickly replied.

Grandpa Xiao relaxed his brow and asked again, "Hmm, how are the crops?"

"Not bad, they manage it quite well," Xiao Qili said.

Old Master Xiao nodded, satisfied, and said, "That's good."

"Father, who is this?" Xiao Qili asked curiously when he saw an unfamiliar person following behind them.

"This is Zhou Ming. He'll be part of our family from now on. Arrange a room for him. He'll be coming with us to Qianyuan County in a couple of days," Old Master Xiao introduced, then gave instructions to Xiao Qili.

"Okay, I understand, Dad."

After saying that, she led Zhou Ming to the room.