The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

The short, stocky prison guard stepped forward, squatted down, and held two fingers to the side of Liu Siye's neck for a moment.

It was ice-cold to the touch, and the pulse had disappeared.

He looked up and nodded to the tall prison guard.

The tall prison guard released his hand from Liu Siye's mouth and nose, and wiped his blood- and saliva-stained palms on the prison uniform.

His face remained expressionless, as if he had only completed a trivial task.

The two stopped looking at the rapidly cooling corpse on the ground, quickly checked the scene, kicked the blood-stained shards of porcelain next to the body, and faked that the person had slipped and fallen while drunk and was stabbed by the porcelain shards.

Although this facade was so crude that it couldn't withstand any scrutiny, in the police station's cell, who would care how a "deserving" prisoner actually died?

They quietly left the cell and locked it again. The corridor remained silent, save for the faint groans coming from some distant cell.

The stench of blood was firmly locked behind that iron gate, as if it had never existed.

On the other side, deep within Lingjing Hutong, lies the Liu residence.

Night had fallen, and the courtyard was quiet.

The lights were still on in the main room, and the dim yellow light shone through the window paper, casting a blurry halo in the courtyard.

Xiao Fuzi carried a basin of just the right amount of warm water for washing feet and walked lightly into the east wing.

Liu Jiaxiang was sitting in a grand chair, flipping through an official document he had brought back that day by the light of an oil lamp. His brows were slightly furrowed, as if he were pondering something.

"Sir, it's time to wash your feet."

Xiao Fuzi's voice was soft and respectful.

She placed the wooden basin beside Liu Jiaxiang's feet, tested the water temperature, and then squatted down to carefully remove Liu Jiaxiang's shoes and socks.

Liu Jiaxiang grunted in response, his gaze remaining fixed on the official document, as he simply placed his feet into the basin.

The warm water enveloped my feet, dispelling some of my fatigue.

Xiao Fuzi rolled up her sleeves, revealing her slender yet nimble wrists, and began to gently wash him. Her movements were somewhat clumsy, but extremely earnest, with just the right amount of pressure from her fingertips, carefully cleaning from the instep to the sole, and then between each toe.

The room was quiet, with only the occasional rustling of papers and the soft sound of water.

The light from the oil lamp cast the shadows of the two people on the wall, which swayed slightly.

Xiao Fuzi lowered her head, focusing intently on the movements in her hands.

For her and her mother, Wang Xiue, these days at the Liu residence have felt like a dream.

No longer do we have to worry about where our next meal will come from, no longer have to endure our father's beatings and scoldings and the cold stares of our neighbors, and no longer have to shiver in the cold winter.

They had warm houses to live in, clean clothes to wear, and were well-fed at every meal. Their chores were nothing more than sweeping the courtyard, washing clothes, and serving the master.

Although Liu Jiaxiang was not talkative and always had a calm expression, he never spoke harshly to the mother and daughter, nor did he ever treat them with any disrespect or abuse.

This kind of stable, well-fed, and dignified life was something they never dared to dream of before.

But it is precisely this "goodness" that, amidst their happiness, gives rise to a strong sense of unreality and a hidden fear.

Mother Wang Xiue secretly wiped away countless tears, always pulling Xiao Fuzi aside to murmur:

"My dear daughter, life is too good, so good it makes me uneasy. Why is the master so good to us? We're just two poor, helpless women; what can we do to repay him besides our bodies? What if he gets tired of us one day and kicks us out? How will we survive then?"

After much deliberation, one night, while Wang Xiue was mending her daughter's clothes, she blushed and stammered as she taught Xiao Fuzi the little tricks on how to please men.

She spoke in a very subtle and difficult way, but Xiao Fuzi understood.

My mother meant that only when they truly became someone of the master, even if they were just a maidservant, could they and their daughters have a foothold in this house, and only then could this hard-won stability be considered secure.

At this moment, Xiao Fuzi squatted at Liu Jiaxiang's feet, feeling the warmth of the old man's feet under his palm, and her heart beat faster involuntarily.

She glanced up and caught a glimpse of the old man's focused profile. His features were distinct and appeared somewhat cold and hard under the light, yet he exuded a reassuring composure.

She remembered her mother's words, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

After washing Liu Jiaxiang's feet, Xiao Fuzi carefully dried them with a clean cloth, then took the basin of water out to empty it.

When she returned, Liu Jiaxiang had already closed the official document and was stretching his somewhat stiff neck.

Xiao Fuzi nimbly walked to the inner bedroom and began making the bed.

The brand-new cotton quilts and mattresses smelled of sunshine. She carefully straightened the corners of the quilts and arranged the pillows.

After everything was tidied up, she did not leave quietly as usual.

Liu Jiaxiang stood up, preparing to undress and rest, but saw Xiao Fuzi still standing at the bedroom door with her hands hanging down. The dim light illuminated her thin figure, her head lowered, and her expression was not visible.

"Is there anything else?"

Liu Jiaxiang asked, his voice calm.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fuzi's body trembled almost imperceptibly.

She slowly raised her head, her delicate face now flushed with a blush that spread all the way to her ears.

Those big eyes, which always seemed timid, were now glistening with tears, and their eyelashes trembled nervously.

She dared not look directly at Liu Jiaxiang, her gaze darting away, finally settling on her tightly clasped hands, her fingertips turning white from the force of her grip.

"master……"

Her voice was barely audible, trembling noticeably, yet it came with the greatest courage she had ever mustered.

"This servant...this servant wishes to stay...to serve you."

After saying this, she seemed to have used up all her strength. Her head drooped even lower, her neck turned pink, and her body was tense, awaiting the judgment of fate.

Upon hearing this, Liu Jiaxiang's gaze lingered on her for a moment.

The girl's shy and timid demeanor, like that of a frightened fawn, certainly possessed a unique charm that evoked pity.

The corners of his mouth twitched slightly upwards, as if he found it somewhat amusing.

"Serve me."

Liu Jiaxiang repeated the word, his tone devoid of any emotion.

Do you know what service is?

Xiao Fuzi felt even more flustered when she heard the question, but thinking of her mother's instructions and the possible storms in the future, she bit her lower lip and nodded almost imperceptibly.

The movements were minimal, yet they carried a sense of resolute determination, as if they were making a desperate gamble.

Then, as if she had made up her mind, she raised her hand with trembling hands and began to unbutton the clothesline of her faded blue cotton jacket.

Xiao Fuzi's fingers trembled violently, and it took her several tries to untie the first one.

The fabric rustled softly as it rubbed against each other.

He took off his padded jacket, revealing a cotton-padded shirt underneath.

She paused, her breathing quickened, closed her eyes, and then went to untie the belt of her cotton-padded shirt.