I Became the Devil Queen's Heart Demon

Chapter 552 - 214: When Three Walk Together, One Must Be My Senior Sister! Ye Henshui’s Brilliant Moment! _4

The Melody Avenue was bustling with traffic, and carriages filled the mouth of the alley.

The brightly lit pavilions resonated with the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments, accompanied by the clinking of cups and cheerful laughter, painting a picture of opulence and indulgence.

However, passing through the narrow path at the end of the alley, reaching the backstreet alleyway, revealed a completely different scene.

Here the environment was chaotic, with dim lighting, sewage flowing over the bluestone tiles. A group of skinny women wearing leather aprons were washing clothes, with a mountain of dirty laundry piled in the nearby wooden basins.

"Hurry up, these clothes have to be ready for the day after tomorrow. If you can’t finish washing them tonight, none of you are allowed to sleep!" A middle-aged woman, wielding a whip, had a face full of menacing flesh.

Clang—

A female worker was drawing water from a nearby well, but being too weak and due to the slippery ground, she lost her balance and fell to the floor.

Her forehead hit the edge of the well, splitting her brow, as blood gushed forth, and the bucket rolled away into the distance.

Smack—

Before the female worker could stand up, the whip had already landed, lashing ruthlessly onto her back.

Soon, blood began to seep through the cloth on her back.

"Useless thing, can’t even carry a bucket of water!"

"Get up quickly, stop playing dead on the ground. If you delay proper work, it won’t just be a flogging!"

The fat woman’s voice was sharp and shrill.

The female worker struggled to get up, fetching another bucket of water, the blood from her forehead streaming unchecked, yet she seemed unaware, her expression indifferent and emotionless.

The others were much the same, as if this scene was an everyday sight.

In the weaving room at the back, over a hundred women were bent over doing needlework by the dim candlelight.

Moreover, some were carrying wine and some handling chamber pots... it was through their blood and sweat that the luxurious, dazzling tableau of the main street was sustained.

Tap, tap, tap—

At this moment, a series of light footsteps approached.

The fat woman turned to look, only to see a graceful figure emerge from the alley.

The woman wore an open coat and embroidered shoes, her clean silk attire starkly contrasting with the filthy surroundings.

"Miss Yu’er, it’s a busy time right now, what brings you here?" the fat woman asked, puzzled.

Yu’er walked up to her and said, "I wish to see Liu."

"Which Liu?" the fat woman frowned.

"The Xu Family lady, Liu Miaozhi." Yu’er took a few silver notes from her sleeve and slipped them into the fat woman’s hand, "Could you please accommodate me."

The fat woman’s thick fingers pinched the notes, breaking into a wide smile, "She should be lying in her room, come with me, I’ll take you there now."

"Thank you," Yu’er nodded slightly.

The fat woman led her through the narrow alley to a dilapidated courtyard, pushed open the door, and said, "Please go in, Miss Yu’er, Liu Miaozhi is in the innermost room."

Yu’er lifted her leg and walked in.

The small courtyard was divided into more than a dozen rooms; such a cramped place, squeezing eight to ten people into each room.

Arriving at the room at the end of the corridor, Yu’er hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door and entered.

The room was dark and cramped, filled with a moldy, rotten smell. A slender figure lay on the bed with her back facing the door, motionless, seemingly asleep.

"Liu... Aunt."

Upon hearing her name called, the person slowly turned over, her somewhat cloudy eyes scrutinizing Yu’er for a long time, her voice slightly hoarse:

"Ruoyan?"