Journey to the West: Starting by taking Sun Wukong as my disciple!-Chapter 429 Human Conditions

The shopkeeper scrutinized Chen Nuo’s attire carefully; both the material of his clothes and his demeanor seemed out of place for their small town, suggesting he might be there on business.

"I may look old, but I’m not foolish. Don’t think you can pull the wool over my eyes with just any words," the shopkeeper said.

Chen Nuo gave a resigned smile, thought for a moment, then pulled a few taels of silver from his pocket and placed them on the table. "It’s real, shopkeeper. If you don’t believe me, I can give you a deposit now. Someone will come to collect it in a couple of days. Does that sound alright to you?"

No one would refuse silver. The shopkeeper picked up and felt the silver, examined it to make sure it was genuine, then took out a piece of paper and wrote down how much grain was required.

"I misunderstood you earlier. Here, take this slip. When someone comes to take the grain, have them give me this slip with my seal on it. I’ll give them the grain once I see my seal," he suggested.

Chen Nuo didn’t object; although he had only given the shopkeeper the silver to ask for a price, since the shopkeeper had provided a slip, he naturally wouldn’t refuse. He could simply not collect the grain later.

"Alright, shopkeeper, I’ll keep this slip and have someone from my home come and collect it later," Chen Nuo agreed.

"Great," the shopkeeper waved his hand at Chen Nuo. "My legs aren’t what they used to be, so I won’t see you out."

"Alright," Chen Nuo nodded, preparing to leave the store when something suddenly occurred to him. He hesitated then said, "Shopkeeper, is that little girl outside your granddaughter?"

The shopkeeper looked up, "Eh? Which one?"

Chen Nuo gestured with his hands, "About this tall, big-eyed little girl. I saw her when I came in earlier. There are so many people on the street; you shouldn’t let her run around outside. It would be terrible if she were taken by traffickers."

"Which one are you talking about?" asked the shopkeeper, unable to picture who Chen Nuo meant from his description.

Chen Nuo described her in greater detail, "Her hair is a bit messy, her clothes and face somewhat dirty. Your shop seems to be doing well, so why dress the child in such old clothes? She’s a girl after all."

The child seemed both well-behaved and shy, which made Chen Nuo realize why she looked so familiar to him.

Yesterday, Jin Zha had bought two skewers of candied hawthorns, but finding them unpalatable, he casually handed them to a street child.

That child was the same one who had clung to his clothes today, perhaps because she recognized him, which was why she held so tightly to his robe.

But the child wore the same clothes as yesterday—dirty and unkempt—suggesting that no matter how busy, the parents should have changed her clothing.

Always wearing the same clothes, she looked like a little beggar, her large eyes inevitably evoking a sense of pity from onlookers.

The shopkeeper pondered for a moment before realizing who Chen Nuo was talking about. He laughed, "Oh, that child. She’s not my granddaughter. I’m too old for that; my granddaughter is married off. I thought you were referring to my great-granddaughter."

"She’s not your child?" Chen Nuo was taken aback, "Then why is she at the entrance to your shop?"

"I’m not sure myself. That child often roams around our area, and I occasionally give her a handful of peanuts," the shopkeeper explained, "It’s a shame, such a small child running around the streets."

"Where are her parents?" Chen Nuo inquired, "Why would they let such a small child run around by herself? Doesn’t anyone look after her?"

"That child is an unfortunate soul."

The shopkeeper said, "Her father was a gambler who, a few years ago, was killed by someone because of gambling debts. Her mother, it seems, fell ill and, without money for treatment, eventually wasted away. Some kind-hearted person buried her not long ago, and then the child started wandering the streets."

Chen Nuo hadn’t expected the young child to have such a backstory; it truly was too pitiful. "Why hasn’t anyone taken her in?"

"Alas."

The shopkeeper sighed and continued, "Easier said than done. One more person means one more mouth to feed. Although this place isn’t poor and isolated, we can only meet our basic needs and still have to pay taxes. Barely enough to live on, who could then take care of another child? Only occasionally, out of pity, someone might give her a bit of food, or some clothes that their own children have outgrown."

"Such a small child, it really is sad for her," Chen Nuo also let out a sigh, "If she manages to grow up safely, she surely will become someone remarkable."

"A girl can’t become much of a ’someone,’" the shopkeeper sighed, "She’s just pitiable for now, but as she grows up, it won’t be as tough."

Chen Nuo was somewhat puzzled, "Shopkeeper, what do you mean by that?"

"You see the child out on the street, looking pitiable enough to arouse sympathy, but have you noticed, how few are truly good to her?" The shopkeeper looked outside as he spoke.

"Most of those who are kind to her have sons at home. She’s still young and doesn’t understand anything. They don’t want to take on her support now, but as she grows older, who knows, she might just be taken into someone’s home."

"Taken in, wouldn’t that be a good thing?" Chen Nuo asked, "Doesn’t that mean someone wants to raise her?"

"You can tell, young master, that you’ve never paid much attention to the ways of the world," the shopkeeper glanced at Chen Nuo.

He had always stayed in Chaos Residence and had indeed not noticed the ways of the world, but he couldn’t understand how the young child being taken in wasn’t a good thing. Why did the shopkeeper seem to suggest otherwise?

"I’m not one for going out, so I haven’t really noticed these things. What is it, shopkeeper? By the sound of it, the child being adopted isn’t a good thing."

"Whether it’s good or bad depends on the kind of family," the shopkeeper said, "When the child’s mother died, it wasn’t as if no one mentioned taking her in. The child, though young, is sharp. She knew why those people wanted to adopt her, and she didn’t agree. As she grows older, especially since girls don’t leave their women’s quarters, it wouldn’t be impossible for someone to take her away quietly."

"You mean..." Chen Nuo seemed to begin to understand, "The people here want to take her in as a child bride?"

"You’ve finally got my point," said the shopkeeper, "That’s exactly what I mean."

"As I listen to you, it seems that when her mother died, there were people who wanted to adopt her, but I presume her mother must have instructed her, and so the child refused. Those who wanted to take her in had no choice but to give up," Chen Nuo was slowly grasping the shopkeeper’s point, "But whether to take her in or not is for the child to decide, isn’t it?"

"When night falls and all is quiet, even if someone takes her away, who would know?" The shopkeeper spoke slowly, "Besides, why bother with more trouble? Even if people notice the child’s disappearance, no one will care."

"How can such things happen." Chen Nuo found it hard to believe, "Could it be, shopkeeper, that you are overthinking it? Regardless of the situation, shouldn’t there be consent? How can anyone forcibly take the child away?"

"You, young master, haven’t seen enough of the world."

The shopkeeper gave Chen Nuo a meaningful look, "Taking a wife requires a dowry, but which family’s daughter would simply be given away for free? People always want something in return, be it a person or money. Those wealthy families naturally aren’t worried about finding a bride, it’s the poor and wicked ones that are desperate."

"That’s true," Chen Nuo too sighed.