Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

Actually, she had long wanted to escape this courtyard house. The low walls, the gossip among neighbors, and the ever-present poverty were like a net, suffocating her. Over the years, she had secretly saved some money. Every time she earned money mending, washing, copying books, or running errands, she would secretly hide half of it, stuffing it into the cracks of her bed frame and wrapping it layer upon layer with old cloth. If this job worked out, and if she really couldn't stay at home, she would take the money and leave to make a living elsewhere, even if it meant becoming an apprentice in a factory. That would be better than being at the mercy of others in this courtyard. But she couldn't rush things now. She was too young, had no one to rely on, and would only be bullied if she went out. She had to wait until she had more money.

Xiao Dang didn't go to see Teacher Wang; instead, she headed straight for the train station. She needed to meet someone—a buyer she'd met through a fellow villager. She'd heard that the couple had no son and were desperately hoping for one, willing to pay a hefty price—more than she'd saved for years.

The old green train swayed and rattled for two hours, the clanging and clattering so loud it made your ears tingle. Xiao Dang got off at a remote little station. The platform was empty, except for a few villagers hurrying by carrying hoes. The agreed meeting place was under an old locust tree at the village entrance, its shadows filtering most of the sunlight. An old man in a blue cloth jacket and his wife were standing with their backs to her. Seeing her, a young girl carrying a cloth bag, the old man's brows furrowed immediately, his tone clearly displeased: "So you're the one who wants to do business with us? So young, are you reliable?"

Although Xiao Dang's heart was pounding like a rabbit's, she forced a calm expression and tried to make her voice sound steady. She took out a yellowed photograph from her cloth bag and handed it over: "Yes, it's me. This is a picture of the child, taken when he just turned one year old. Take a look and see if you like it."

In the photo, Jia Cai is wearing a little red jacket. His chubby face is like a red apple, and his eyes are round and dark like grapes. He is indeed pleasing to the eye. He doesn't resemble Jia Dongxu's sharp and mean manner. Instead, he looks like Qin Huairu, with gentle features and two dimples when he smiles. No wonder Yi Zhonghai always pays special attention to this child, secretly thinking that he is his own son, and occasionally slipping him a piece of candy or giving him a little trinket.

The old man's wife took the photo, her eyes lighting up as if she had seen a rare treasure. She nudged her husband hard with her elbow, her voice trembling, "Old Liu, look at this child! How handsome he is! His features are so well-proportioned. Let's take him! I like him at first sight!"

Old Liu, having run a small business for several years and seen the world, was more composed than his wife. He glared at her, signaling her to be quiet, then turned to Xiao Dang, his tone cautious and shrewd: "Don't rush into a deal. Anyone can take photos; they might just be using someone else's child to fool us. Without seeing the real child, touching or holding them, the deal can't be done. We've paid money; we need to see the actual child first."

The woman gripped the photograph tightly, her fingers tightening slightly, causing deep creases in the yellowed paper and making the edges fray. She looked Xiao Dang up and down, her scrutiny like a fine sieve, examining her from head to toe as if trying to find some flaw in her patched clothes. Suddenly, she scoffed, a disdainful smile playing on her lips, her tone laced with undisguised suspicion: "This child in the photo looks quite decent, big eyes, high nose, really good-looking, and quite clever."

She paused, then loosened her grip and slammed the photo onto the greasy wooden table. Her knuckles tapped the surface, making a dull thud. "But then again," she said, "who knows if the photo has been edited? Or maybe the child was adorable as a baby, like a little dumpling, but grew up to be ugly and changed? Besides, you're just a young girl, how are we supposed to know if you're just trying to fool us with a fake photo? If we pay you and you bring back a deformed, stupid-looking child, who are we going to complain to? We can't afford to lose that."

The man next to him nodded emphatically, crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, which creaked. His eyes were dark and icy: “My wife is right. These days there are swindlers everywhere, and they’re as cunning as a sieve. We’re not so easily fooled. Don’t try anything funny.”

Xiao Dang's smile hadn't faded, and she still looked timid, but she was already prepared. She knew that the worst thing about this kind of shady deal was distrust, especially since the other party was so eager to buy the child. She couldn't help but feel more wary, as if she were carrying a stone in her heart.

“Don’t worry, Uncle and Aunt,” she leaned forward, almost reaching over the table, her voice lowered as if afraid of being overheard, yet it carried an undeniable certainty, “I know what you’re worried about. If I were in your shoes, I would also be very discerning. How about this, three days from now, in the afternoon, come back to this teahouse and find the innermost private room by the window, it’s quiet. I’ll bring the child then, so you can see and touch him in person. If you think he’s almost exactly like the picture, with features and figure that suit your taste, then we’ll settle the payment and delivery immediately, no delays.”

She paused, deliberately emphasizing each word: "If you don't like the child and feel I've cheated you, then the deal is off. I won't linger and will leave with the child immediately. But let me make this clear: if you take a liking to the child and try to lower the price at the last minute, or try to renege on the deal..."

Xiao Dang didn't finish her sentence, but her eyes suddenly turned cold, like icicles in the dead of winter, sweeping across their faces with a ruthlessness beyond her years. Although she was a young woman, she had seen a lot of the wickedness of people these days and had learned to be tough, knowing that showing weakness would only lead to being bullied.

The woman and man exchanged a glance, both seeing hesitation and weighing their options in each other's eyes. After a moment, the woman picked up the photo and looked at it again, her fingertips gently tracing the child's cheek in the picture. Finally, she nodded, as if making a decision: "Fine, we'll do it your way. We'll be there three days from now, precisely on time. But if you dare to mess with us, dare to bring the cops..." She didn't finish her sentence, but the threat in her eyes was obvious.

"I wouldn't dare," Xiao Dang interrupted her, his face plastered with that docile smile, but his eyes were devoid of warmth. "I'm still waiting to get money for my brother's medical treatment. He's still lying on the kang (heated brick bed) waiting for the life-saving money. It's not worth ruining my own livelihood and cutting off my own way out."

She stood up, smoothed out the wrinkles on her clothes, and tucked the worn-out cuffs inside: "Then I'll be going now. I won't keep you from having tea. See you in three days."