Early the next morning…
Liu Shen found out from a few acquaintances that Wei Dafu's family was in Weijiazhuang, Xikou Town, Heyang County, about thirty miles away from the dock.
There is not much at the wharf, but there are many mules, carts and horse-drawn carriages coming and going.
After some inquiring, I spent a penny to catch a ride on my way home after unloading the goods, but at noon I arrived at the boundary of Xikou Town...
Because it coincides with the 25-80 market, nearby villages will go to the town for the market. Pedestrians coming and going are either selling home-grown vegetables or buying some daily necessities such as rice, noodles and preserved meat.
Therefore, the streets of Xikou Town are very lively...
Liu Shen was walking on the street, and he didn't know if it was a psychological effect, but he always felt that something was wrong with the way the ladies and aunts he walked around looked at him.
At a glance, the aunts and ladies who were peeking at him were too shy to look at him.
"This young man is really upright and strong. Apart from the dark spots on his skin, he is also very good-looking."
"What are the dark spots on the skin? Look at how strong those arms and waist are. If that damn guy in my family was half as strong as this young man, I would wake up laughing in my dreams."
"If he can torture me all night long, tsk tsk tsk~"
"You are beautiful..."
"..."
Perhaps because the five senses were strengthened through the eyebrows, Liu Shen could clearly hear some ladies and aunties whispering comments about him.
His face was stiff, but his temples were twitching. He cursed in his heart that this fucking person was guilty of peach blossoms. Is this how he committed the crime?
This is an illness...
Liu Shen felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly wanted to cross the crowded street and give the money bag in his pocket to Wei Dafu's family.
There were so many people on the street and he was walking so fast that he accidentally knocked down a half-grown child with a bang.
The half-grown child looked to be only twelve or thirteen years old. Not only was he thin and frail, but his clothes were also patched. He fell to the ground with an ouch after being hit.
"Sorry, sorry..."
Liu Shen felt guilty when he saw the half-grown child sitting on the ground after being hit, and hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.
"I just got lost in my thoughts and didn't pay attention and bumped into me. I'm really sorry. Are you okay?"
"it's okay no problem…"
The half-grown child stood up with a grin on his face, got rid of his support, waved his hand and said, "Let's go, let's go, I'm fine."
"It's okay."
Liu Shen secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this, and asked with some worry: "How about I take you to the medical clinic?"
"I said it's okay. Why don't we go to a medical center?"
The half-grown child seemed a little impatient. He glared at him and left with a slight snort.
"..."
Liu Shen was still lucky enough to see the simple folk customs at the moment, when he suddenly stopped with a slight frown on his face, faintly feeling that something was wrong.
He hurriedly touched his pocket, only to find that the money bag he had just put in his pocket was gone!
Lost your money bag?
No, the money bag was stolen!
Liu Shen came to his senses and turned around to take a look, just in time to see the half-grown child who had just been knocked down looking back at him from a distance.
Their eyes met in the air.
The half-grown child looked a little panicked when he saw this. Apparently he didn't expect him to find him so soon, so he ran away...
"The local gang is so rude!"
When Liu Shen saw this, he didn't know that the boy had stolen his money bag. He cursed and chased after him with gritted teeth.
"Little thief, stop!!"
The half-grown child was a local and was as slippery as a loach in the streets.
After escaping from the crowded street, he saw that the torturer behind him was still chasing him. He gritted his teeth and went into a remote and winding alley, hoping to get rid of him.
But Liu Shen had been a porter at the dock for four years. He not only had good arm strength, but also good physical strength. He was hot on his heels.
After all, the wallet that was stolen was not his own, but Wei Dafu’s!
The night before yesterday, I promised Wei Dafu that I would give this money bag back, but now it was about to be delivered to someone's doorstep, but the thief took it away!
He felt ashamed and annoyed in his heart!
The half-grown child in front didn't dare to look back, and kept running. His legs were weak from running, so he leaned against the wall and panted, glancing back.
When he realized that the man behind him was not chasing him, a relieved smile appeared on his face.
He weighed the money bag in his hand, and he was so happy that he didn't dare to stay for a moment and left for his home.
As soon as I arrived at a dilapidated thatched hut, before I could even enter the door, I felt a pain in the crook of my leg and fell to the ground with a cry of pain.
He looked back in horror, and then he saw not far behind him, the suffering master who had been chasing him was walking towards him quickly with stones in his hands...
"You little brat, you can run pretty well!"
Liu Shen gasped when he saw the stone in his hand hit the little thief's leg.
Seeing that the little thief was gnashing his teeth and wanting to get up and run again, he quickly stepped forward and pushed him to the ground.
"Still trying to run!"
Liu Shen pressed his knees on the little thief's back, grabbed his hands behind his back, and grabbed the money bag from his hand.
"Little bastard, I was kind enough to help you, but I was afraid that you would be injured and I had to take you to the hospital, but you stole my money bag? Did your conscience get eaten by a dog?"
The half-grown child was pressed to the ground and unable to move, but he tilted his head and yelled with a look of defiance on his face: "Kill or behead him as you wish!"
"You still have a tough mouth?"
Liu Shen sneered, patted his cheek and said: "I won't kill you, nor will I chop you up. According to the laws of Daqian, if the stolen goods are more than fifty guan, you can use a staff of forty; if the stolen goods are more than 120 guan, you can use a staff of 40. One hundred, three thousand miles away. You are a skilled man, and you are a habitual offender at first glance. It depends on the government’s decision whether it is a forty stick, or a hundred sticks, and a flow of three thousand miles!”
"you……"
It is natural for thieves to be afraid of officials. When the half-grown child heard this, his face turned pale with fright. After he regained his composure, he still shouted: "I won't go to the government. If you dare, kill me!"
Just when Liu Sheng was about to speak, he saw a timid little girl walking out of the dilapidated thatched house.
The little girl looked to be only eleven or twelve years old. She was limping when she walked, and her legs and feet seemed to be in bad condition. After seeing the situation outside the door, she knelt down on the ground with a timid face: "Sir...sir, Can you let me go to the government on behalf of my brother?"
"..."
When the little thief who was pinned down by Liu Shen heard the sound, his unruly expression instantly turned into panic. He struggled to turn his head and scolded with red eyes: "Who asked you to come out? Who asked you to come out!? Didn’t I say that you are not allowed to come out if you hear any noise? Go back!"
Seeing that the little girl was just pouting and shaking her head, he glanced at the person holding him down from the corner of his eye, and shouted hysterically: "One person is responsible for the work, and I stole your money. I don't care if I want to kill him or cut him into pieces." Whether it’s sent to the government or not, it has nothing to do with her!”
"..."
Liu Shen looked a little weird when he saw this and asked, "Are you two brothers and sisters?"
The half-grown man gritted his teeth but said nothing. Instead, the little girl nodded timidly and responded: "Yes."
Liu Shen asked again: "Where are your parents?"
"My parents died in the floods a few years ago."
The little girl pursed her lips and prayed timidly again: "My brother picked me up and raised me. My brother stole money to buy me food. Sir, can I go to the government on my brother's behalf?"
"Who is your brother?"
The half-grown man's eyes were red, and he scolded in a fierce voice: "You are just a skinny horse I picked up. I can sell you for a good price if I raise you. Get out of here now, and stop being an eyesore!"
"..."
The little girl lowered her head when she heard this, biting her lips and crying secretly.
Liu Shen could clearly feel the thief's voice trembling when he spoke. It was the body's instinctive stress response when he said something against his will.
This kid is lying.
Maybe the little girl's words, "My parents died in the flood," touched a sensitive point in Liu Shen's heart, or maybe it was the little girl's inconvenience that made him less defensive.
He relaxed his hold on the little thief, looked at the dilapidated thatched house behind the little girl, and asked, "Is this the house you live in?"
The little girl nodded, "Yes."
"Get up."
Liu Shen let go and straightened up, walking towards the little girl.
The half-grown boy who was lying on the ground only felt a lightness on his body. Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he jumped up in excitement, but did not run away. Instead, he stood in front of the little girl very vigilantly. He asked Liu Shen: "What do you want to do? Aren't you afraid that I will run away!?"
"You dare to run?"
Liu Shen glanced at him indifferently and said, "If you dare to run, I will break your legs."
"..."
"Take me in and see your home."
