Quick Transmigration Hoarding: My Selfishness Leads to a Killing Frenzy

Chapter 17 I Worked as a Madam in a Brothel 4

Bai Ruirui had an exceptionally difficult time living in the Zhang family.

When she first came back with Zhang Ran, they had a few days of intense romance.

The Zhang family rented a small courtyard. Zhang's mother and Zhang Ran each had a room. The courtyard was very dilapidated. In the room, besides a wooden bed, there was a desk with some of Zhang Ran's books.

That very night, Bai Ruirui had sex with Zhang Ran. At first, she was unwilling; she wanted Zhang Ran to marry her first. Even if she was love-struck, she knew how important it was for a woman to be a virgin.

However, when a man and a woman are alone in a room, some things won't happen just because she doesn't want them to.

After being coaxed into a state of bliss by Zhang Ran, who promised to marry her once she passed the imperial examination, she reluctantly agreed.

Zhang's mother heard the commotion last night.

She didn't know that Bai Ruirui came from a brothel, but that didn't stop her from disliking Bai Ruirui.

She casually went home with a man, shared a room with him, and that night they did those shameless things.

With that unbelievably beautiful face, it's obvious at a glance that she's not from a respectable family.

The next day, Zhang Ran told his mother that Bai Ruirui would be staying at their home from now on, and asked her to treat her as her daughter-in-law. He also told her that she could ask Bai Ruirui to do anything that needed to be done at home. After saying that, he went to the academy.

Zhang's mother was a widow with a mean-spirited appearance. She was also quite formidable; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to raise her son and support his education on her own.

Starting from the second day, Zhang's mother would wake Bai Ruirui up early every morning and then instruct her on chores.

Zhang's mother earns money by washing clothes and doing other ordinary laundry work. In households without women, people who are too lazy to wash their clothes, sheets, and blankets will hire someone to wash them.

After Zhang's mother took the items home to wash, she would deliver them to each household. She would also help with cooking and cleaning.

She did anything that could earn money and was very hardworking, but the family remained destitute as they had to support a scholar's education.

Starching is different from ordinary washing. Starching is more delicate and involves several steps. Since Bai Ruirui came, she has taken over these tasks, and the two of them can take on more work.

Zhang's mother also did some cooking, but she gave most of it to Bai Ruirui. If Bai Ruirui didn't do it well, Zhang's mother would scold her and even pinch her.

Did Bai Ruirui want to do it? She didn't, but Zhang Ran would always coax her gently, saying that he would do it when he passed the imperial examination.

When Zhang's mother scolded or beat her, Zhang Ran would say that it wasn't easy for her mother to raise her, that every mother-in-law would find fault with her daughter-in-law, and that her mother was getting old, so she should be filial to her mother and give in to her more.

Every night, Zhang Ran would stroke her hand and say he felt sorry for her. Whenever this happened, Bai Ruirui felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey.

Zhang Ran's gentleness lasted only a month before he lost patience. What he was after was Bai Ruirui's beauty and money.

Although he had lost his money, he was still captivated by Bai Ruirui's beauty for a while.

If Zhang Ran were a wealthy man, he would naturally remain devoted to such a beauty for a long time.

But he was a poor man, barely making ends meet, and had to coax her every day. Even the most beautiful woman would become tiresome after a while, and besides, he had already slept with her, so he no longer cherished her.

From then on, Bai Ruirui had endless work during the day and had to satisfy Zhang Ran's physical needs at night. Zhang Ran also became very rough and only cared about his own comfort.

I will never again coax her, talk to her about poetry and dreams of the future.

Within two months, Bai Ruirui became haggard and her smile disappeared. She didn't want to live like this, but she was penniless and had nowhere to go.

Qingmo was aware of Bai Ruirui's situation, of course, since she had sent people to keep an eye on her. However, she didn't have time to deal with the female lead for the time being; she needed to cultivate.

Six months later.

Qingmo has finally reached the peak of Qi Refining, and she can finally deal with that bastard Prince Duan.

She's been feeling really frustrated lately; there are always a few days each month when that bastard Prince Duan takes advantage of her.

She also has to give him the money she earns every month, but it's okay, she'll get it back with interest.

The male lead will be back soon, I'll give him a little something to see him off then, hehehe...

A knock on the door.

"Come in"

The maid Chunmei came in. "Mother, Bai Ruirui is outside and wants to see you."

"Oh?" She tapped her index finger on the table with amusement. She was curious; what did the female lead want with her? Interesting.

"Take her to the main hall."

Chunmei left, and Qingmo went to the hall half an hour later.

When Bai Ruirui saw her, she immediately stood up, looking a little uneasy, clutching the hem of her clothes with both hands.

Qingmo sat in the main seat, staring intently at Bai Ruirui's belly.

Bai Ruirui was unusually thin, except for her large, pointed belly, which looked quite strange.

I lifted my eyelids and took a look. Bai Ruirui's skin was slightly yellow, her hair was messy and dry, her chin was so sharp it looked like a snake spirit, and she was so thin she looked unrecognizable.

Those once bright and sparkling eyes are now as still as stagnant water. His face is sallow and pale, making him look several years older. His eyes and the corners of his mouth are bruised, and his exposed hands are incredibly rough.

Dressed in a dark, linen outfit, no one would guess that she was once the most beautiful courtesan.

"Miss Bai, is there something you need from me?" His tone was flat and indifferent.

“Aunt Qing, I…” She didn’t know how to start, feeling a little ashamed.

After hesitating for a while, I finally mustered up the courage to say it.

"Mom, please take me in. I want to go back inside the building. I have nowhere to go right now."

"Is that so? Hasn't your Zhang Lang treated you well? Forgive my bluntness, Miss Bai, but you are currently six months pregnant. Qingfeng Tower is not a charity. What do you think you can do?"

Qingmo's tone was light and airy, with a slight smile on her lips and a contemptuous look in her eyes, which made Bai Ruirui feel humiliated, but she still wanted to stay.

“Zhang Ran lied to me. He’s a scoundrel. Ever since I went home with him, I have endless chores and tasks to do every day. I also have to suffer at night because of him. I stay home to do laundry and earn money to support him, but he still goes out and plays around with other women.”

"Later, it got even worse. If I didn't do something right, he would punch and kick me, leaving me covered in bruises that never healed. His mother also beat and scolded me every day and wouldn't let me eat much."

“Until I found out I was pregnant, I thought things would get better, but no, I was still at the bottom of that family, still being beaten and starved. I felt like I couldn’t go on living.”

"Aunt Qing, please take me in. I'll do anything for you, just give me a place to stay and some food. Please!" Bai Ruirui cried as she spoke.

"Ha, Miss Bai, I admit you're pitiful, but what does that have to do with me?"

Qingmo was thinking about a question. This should be a plot point, right? The female lead has to meet the male lead at Qingfeng Tower. Can't they meet somewhere else?

The male lead is about to return to the capital, and at this moment, the female lead comes knocking on his door demanding to come back. Why did she have to come now of all times?

Who gave her the courage to think that Chunfenglou would want her, looking like that?

Is Chunfenglou some kind of lowly place?

(=tェt=) This... guess what?

"Mom, it was all my fault before. I really have nowhere to go now. I ran away this time, and Zhang Ran will definitely beat me to death when I go back. Please, Mom, take me in. I really will do anything. I can work as a cleaning maid, and I can entertain guests after the baby is born."

Bai Ruirui had a feeling that she had to stay. She didn't know why, but she just felt that she had to stay.

"You're about five or six months pregnant, aren't you? People come and go in this building. If someone bumps into you, it could be a double tragedy. It's not a big deal if you die, but if you cause me trouble, it'll be several months before you give birth. During that time, you can't earn money for me. Do you think I'm a kind person?"

Qingmo turned the jade bracelet on her wrist, somewhat absentmindedly.

Bai Ruirui fell silent. She knew that Qing Mama only cared about whether she could bring her value. If she couldn't, she wouldn't keep her.

I felt I had to stay; I had a feeling that if I didn't, I would lose something very important.

Bai Ruirui thought for a long time, so long that Qingmo was about to get up and leave, before she heard her voice.