"You're punishing me now? That's completely unfair," Xiao Qi immediately retorted with displeasure.
"It's because I am currently under the Young Madam's orders to supervise your punishment. Since you are defending her, I shall grant your wish and have you punished alongside her. If you are not satisfied, then go ahead and make a fuss to the master, let the master decide who is right."
"You... you're bullying me too much..."
"Xiao Qi, no nonsense!"
Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of her control, Zhen Zhu sharply berated her and pulled Xiao Qi behind her.
"Miss, please forgive us. My sister is ignorant. I hope you will not hold it against her."
"Sister..."
Glowered at by Zhen Zhu, Xiao Qi swallowed the words that had already reached her lips, her fair face flushing red with anger.
"It's good that you know your place. I am also under the master's orders to supervise your punishment. As long as you don't cause trouble for me, I will naturally not point out your faults to the master."
"Thank you, Miss."
Cai Qing waved her hand, "Alright, you two hurry up and get back to work, don't waste time."
With Feng Jin's lifespan, Cai Qing happily worked as a supervisor for an hour before moving to leave.
Xiao Qi's gaze restlessly darted left and right. Only when she saw Cai Qing's figure leave did she start to slack off.
Cai Qing watched them for a while as per Feng Jin's instructions, then found an excuse to leave.
Once they were alone, Xiao Qi simply stopped working altogether and even pulled Zhen Zhu to a spot to sit down.
"Sister, please listen to me and rest for a bit before continuing."
Xiao Qi forcefully pulled Zhen Zhu to sit down. The sun was so scorching; if they continued to work so recklessly, they would either be worked to death or die from sunstroke.
"No, we're being punished, so we have to continue. What kind of sense does it make to slack off the moment the supervisor leaves? You've been dragged down by me, after all. If you're tired, you can rest here; I won't blame you."
After speaking, Zhen Zhu was about to get up and continue working when Xiao Qi grabbed her wrist.
"Sister, please rest. Look, your skin is already sunburnt."
Zhen Zhu touched her swollen and painful cheeks. Without looking in a mirror, she could guess that her cheeks were likely badly sunburnt.
"Sister, how long have we been working? Look at the pond, is there any difference from before? Even if you work yourself to death, you won't finish."
If it would be worked to death and still not finished, then why bother doing it at all?
Since they wanted to punish them, they could find any excuse. Why endure such torment?
Zhen Zhu also began to waver. Both her hands were trembling with fatigue, and even standing now required all her strength.
"Sister, rest for a moment."
Xiao Qi pulled Zhen Zhu to sit down and handed her some water.
"Sister, do you think Cui'er and the others are free and at ease now that they've left? Don't they have to live in fear every day? Are they happy and joyful now?"
Zhen Zhu's hand holding the water cup paused slightly. She looked at Xiao Qi with surprise in her eyes, "Why do you think that, Xiao Qi? You mustn't have such thoughts. You're only thirteen; your life has just begun. Things will get better in the future. At least we've left that dark underground palace now."
Compared to being confined in the underground palace every day, they could at least live in the sunlight now.
"Perhaps in the future, if we receive a favor from the master, we might truly be able to leave here and live a peaceful life."
All of them fantasized about the day they would perform a great deed, receive a favor, and then leave this place.
"Will that day really come?" Xiao Qi felt that day was incredibly long. Could she really wait for that day in her lifetime?
"It will, it definitely will. Haven't people left after achieving merit before? We can definitely leave too."
Such things were not without precedent. Before them, several people had been rewarded with departure for achieving merit.
"But I miss Sister Cui'er so much now. Sister Zhen Zhu, do you miss them?"
Zhen Zhu's lips stiffened. The softest part of her heart was fiercely pricked. She felt as if Cui'er was standing beside her, calling her sister.
Her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes. She forced herself not to let them fall, took a deep breath, "Miss them... how could I not miss them!"
She was her own sister, her only kin. How could she not miss her? Every night she was sleepless with longing.
Zhen Zhu couldn't help but touch the half piece of jade pendant. Cui'er had always wanted to leave this place. Now that she was completely free, she should be happy... Kuaishuge.
"I miss Sister Cui'er too. I should have gone with Sister Cui'er that day; I was too cowardly and scared..."
Only Sister Cui'er had been the kindest to her. She should have gone with Sister Cui'er.
"Xiao Qi, don't think about it anymore. We must live well. Only by living do we have hope of leaving."
Zhen Zhu reached out and hugged Xiao Qi tightly, whispering comfortingly.
After a moment's pause, Xiao Qi suddenly grabbed Zhen Zhu's hand and whispered in her ear, "Sister Zhen Zhu, let's escape."
"Xiao Qi, you..." Zhen Zhu's eyes widened in shock. She looked at Xiao Qi incredulously, finding it hard to believe that Xiao Qi had said those words.
"Sister, let's escape. I really don't want to stay here anymore, living in constant fear, not knowing when I'll lose my life. I even dream of how Sister Cui'er and the others died. I get scared as soon as it gets dark. If this continues, I really can't take it anymore. Sister, why don't we just run?"
She was truly at her breaking point. If this continued, wouldn't she also be driven mad by the torment?
As long as she could leave this place, she was willing to beg for food outside.
"Xiao Qi, you know that if we run out and get caught, it's a dead end."
"I know, but I want to take a gamble. What if... what if we run out? Sister, shall we try?"
Zhen Zhu lowered her eyes and hesitated. She hadn't not thought of escaping, but she had personally witnessed the fate of sisters who ran away and were caught – it was more terrifying than death.
"Xiao Qi, we can't escape. Perhaps when we achieve merit, we will be pardoned. Then, Sister will definitely beg Granny Sun to let you leave."
"Sister, I..."
"That's enough, Xiao Qi. I know you're upset, but with me here, I will protect you."
Zhen Zhu tried her best to dispel Xiao Qi's thoughts of escaping. She couldn't bear to witness Xiao Qi suffer the same fate as Cui'er; she truly couldn't.
If she couldn't save Cui'er, she had to do her utmost to save Xiao Qi.
"Okay, Sister. I believe you."
Xiao Qi nodded solemnly. Zhen Zhu was the only one she could trust.