TKDG 001: A Frigid Town, Part 3

Translated by Star'sWish

Edited by Caz

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Ya Tou sighed softly, "Marry, it means I want to be your wife and take care of you for the rest of your life! I'll take it as you promised, no regretting it, from now on, I, Ya Tou, am your, Ah Dai's, fiancée. Next time you must treat me well."

Ah Dai nodded, "Fiancée? Oh, okay, I'll give you an extra mantou every day."

Ya Tou rolled her eyes, speechless.

After a while, with the help of the cotton jacket, Ya Tou felt much warmer. She placed the cotton jacket around Ah Dai's shoulder, "Big Brother Ah Dai, quickly catch some fish, otherwise you will be scolded by Uncle Li. I... I'll go with you."

Ah Dai nodded and helped Ya Tou up, asking, "Ya Tou, why do you have better skills than me, but you return the fish every time?"

Ya Tou sighed, "Big Brother Ah Dai, don't you think that stealing is wrong?'

Ah Dai shook his head, "But... but if we don't catch fish, we'll starve!"

Ya Tou knew that she wouldn't be able to explain it to the silly and naive boy, so she might as well not talk about it. She lead Ah Dai out of the alley, both of them walking towards the most prosperous district. Only there will they find good targets. Ya Tou decided that no matter what, she will help Ah Dai catch a few fish today to repay him for his kindness.

They had barely exited the alley, when suddenly someone called out from behind them, "Young lady, stand there."

Ah Dai was alarmed and he turned around together with Ya Tou.  In front of them was a very luxurious carriage and an elderly lady's face was peeking out from the small windows. Ya Tou recognized her, she was the owner of the purse she returned today.

"Young lady, is that really you?" The old lady let out a pleasantly surprised smile. The door to the carriage opened and the old lady got down with the help of her servants. She was lavishly dressed, her dress made out of materials that Ah Dai and Ya Tou wouldn't even dare to think about. She even had a mink shawl draped over her shoulders.

Ya Tou timidly asked, "What... What do you need?"

Ah Dai thought that the old lady was here to create trouble for Ya Tou and immediately blocked Ya Tou with his body, cautiously looking at the old lady in front of him.

The old lady beamed, "Children, don't be scared. Young lady, I haven't even thanked you for returning my purse to me. Such a cold day, how can you be wearing such sparse clothing!"

Ya Tou shook her head, "Don't thank me, I was the one who stole your purse."

Ah Dai was shocked, even though he might be slow, but he is very clear that if you get caught catching fish, nothing good will come out of it. He immediately placed a hand over Ya Tou's mouth, quickly saying, "Ya Tou, don't simply talk!"

The old lady did not order her servants to beat Ya Tou as Ah Dai initially imagined, she continued to smile, "Then why did you return my purse to me?"

Ya Tou pushed Ah Dai's hands away, gathered her courage, and said, "I... I saw you looking really anxious, so I returned it to you. Please don't blame him, if you want to hit someone, hit me."

The old lady lightly smiled, "En, you truly are an honest and kind child, I know that although you steal, you don't really want to do it, isn't that right? Where are your parents?"

Ya Tou's eyes reddened, "I don't have parents, I'm an orphan."

The old lady frowned and sighed, "A good child such as you should not be left here to suffer, come, come here, let granny take a look." She waved at Ya Tou.

Ah Dai was scared that Ya Tou would get into trouble and immediately said, "Don't go, Ya Tou, we should quickly run."

Ya Tou didn't listen to Ah Dai's advise, and vaguely felt that perhaps the elderly lady in front of her will change her life. She lowered her head, walked to the old lady's side, and stood there slightly shaking.

The old lady lifted Ya Tou's dirty little face and tucked her messy hair back. She then took out a clean white handkerchief to wipe Ya Tou's face, and nodded, "En, child, you must have suffered quite a lot. Are you willing to follow granny? Granny is able to provide you with a good life, and give you a normal education."

Ya Tou's eyes widened, she turned her head to look at Ah Dai, he was clearly slightly anxious, standing there rigidly with a blank face.

"What's wrong? Child, you aren't willing to leave with me? My husband is the Viceroy of Yunmu Province, it borders the Empire and the Holy Church and there it is spring year round. Here, it is really too cold."

Ya Tou turned around to look the the old lady's beautifully luxurious and neat attire, and tried asking, "Granny, could you please bring my brother along?"

The old lady looked at Ah Dai, and right at that moment, Ah Dai was using his hands to wipe off his runny nose, a silly look on his face. A look of disgust flashed across the granny's face, and she shook her head, "That's not possible, he tried to lie to me just now, he doesn't seem like an honest child. I can only bring you alone. Quickly make a decision, it is very cold here."

Ya Tou hesitated for a moment, stared at the carriage and the old lady before her eyes, took a look at the poverty-stricken Ah Dai, and resolutely said, "Okay, I'll go with you."

The old lady gave a satisfied smile, "En, that's a good child, let's go, get into the carriage. Let's first find a place to get your clothes changed, wearing so little, you'll freeze."

"Granny, wait for me for a little while." Ya Tou turned around and ran to Ah Dai, "Big Brother Ah Dai, I'm leaving now, please don't blame Ya Tou, okay? I really don't want to continue living this type of life where we lack food and clothes. Big Brother Ah Dai, remember what we said just now, wait for me to grow up, I will definitely come back to find you."

Ah Dai said, "Ya Tou, are you really leaving? If Uncle Li finds out, he will beat you."

Tears fell from the corners of Ya Tou's eyes, she sobbed, "Big Brother Ah Dai, don't worry, next time no one will have the chance to beat me again. I'm leaving now, remember what we said just now. If you get the chance, leave Uncle Li, he is not a good person.  Don't continue being a thief." At that, she didn't wait for Ah Dai to ask how to get mantous if he wasn't a thief, Ya Tou already left and ran towards the old lady. The old lady entered the carriage first, then with the help of her servants, Ya Tou also got onto the beautiful, warm carriage. Before closing the curtains in the carriage, Ya Tou took a deep look at Ah Dai, as if she was trying to remember the way he looks.

The carriage sped off, leaving Ah Dai standing there alone, staring at the carriage in the distance. Deep in his heart, Ah Dai started feeling a slight sense of disappointment. To Ah Dai, in his heart, Ya Tou is the only thing that is more important than mantou.

.....................

"Pa--" Uncle Li slapped away the purses in Ah Dai's hands, scolding, "You dumbass, you just watched Ya Tou leave with other people? Damn it, wasted so much of my food, she hasn't repaid me and she dared to leave, pisses me off, seriously pisses me off." Uncle Li kicked Ah Dai to the ground, and started pacing in the tiny house.

Ah Dai curled up in pain, and sobbed, "No... I didn't ask her to leave, she wanted to leave on her own."

Uncle Li was right in the middle of a fit of anger, hearing Ah Dai's words made him ever angrier, he forcefully kicked Ah Dai a few times, scolding, "She wants to leave and you let her leave! Dumb till you can die. Let you be dumb, let you be dumb." Wretched cries emitted from Ah Dai's mouth, while the other little thieves gleefully watched his misfortune by the side, no one standing up to help.

After quite a long time, Uncle Li was finally less angry, and suddenly thought, Ah Dai is still his main source of income, where is he going to find such an obedient follower if he beats him till he breaks? He angrily picked up the purses on the floor, and stated, "Next time be smarter." Then he walked out on his own, the little thieves all knew that he was going out to drink.

Ah Dai curled up in pain in a corner, he didn't understand, this had nothing to do with him, why does Uncle Li want to beat him? Ya Tou's words before she left kept resounding nonstop in his mind.

The other little thieves were having leftover soup and rice that Uncle Li brought back from some unknown restaurant, happily chatting away about today's happenings. When Ah Dai finally remembered that he hasn't had anything to eat today, not even scraps were left. He felt heavy hearted, and started missing Ya Tou more and more. Ya Tou was right, living is really very painful.

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En : a sound signifying agreement. It means yes.

Yunmu : mica. Decided to stick with the pinyin name.

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