nycdaug Chapter 192 Haunted Rumors
Chapter 192 Haunted Rumors
After the broker left, Shen Li and Shen Yu couldn't wait to walk towards the mysterious three-story building.
Shen Yu was the first to arrive at the door of the small building. He stretched out his hand and gripped the rusty copper door knocker tightly. With a little force, the door knocker collided with the door, making a dull sound that echoed in the silent street.
As he slowly pushed open the door that had been closed for a long time, a stale and decayed smell came to his face, mixed with a faint smell of dust.
Shen Li followed Shen Yu and walked into the building.
What comes into view is a spacious lobby with a floor paved with bluestone slabs. The traces of time have carved shallow lines on the slabs.
The surrounding walls should have been painted as white as snow, but now they are mottled and some places have even fallen off, revealing the rough brick and stone structure inside.
There were several worn-out tables and chairs in the hall, some of which were missing arms and legs, lying crookedly on the ground, as if silently telling the story of the past prosperity and present desolation.
Shen Li's eyes slowly swept across every corner of the front hall, and then she gently lifted the hem of her skirt and walked towards the stairs.
The wooden stairs creaked slightly under her feet, as if they could not bear the weight.
She climbed the stairs carefully, taking every step with extreme caution.
There were several rooms on the second floor, most of which had their doors half-closed. Shen Li walked into one of the rooms. The room was dimly lit, with only a few rays of light coming through the cracks in the windows, allowing her to barely see the furnishings inside.
A carved wooden bed occupied a corner of the room. The bedding on the bed had long been tattered, with only a few fragments still attached to the bed board.
There was a shabby wardrobe next to the bed, the door slightly open, and it was empty inside, with only a few spiders weaving webs in the corner.
Shen Yu carefully examined the walls and windows of the room. He found that the wooden frames of the windows were somewhat rotten. If there was windy and rainy weather, it would probably be difficult to withstand.
There are some faded calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall. The content of the paintings is difficult to recognize, and only the outlines of some mountains and rivers can be vaguely seen.
They continued up to the third floor, which had a similar layout to the second floor, but with a wider view.
Looking out from the window on the third floor, you can see the bustling scene of the entire Fuxi Street.
Shen Li stood in front of the window, lost in thought. She thought to herself that although this small building was dilapidated, it would surely be revitalized with a little repair.
She had already begun to think about how to turn this place into a unique place, either her own secret base, or a place that could bring new opportunities to the Shen family.
After inspecting every room on the third floor, Shen Yu came to Shen Li and said, "Miss, although this small building is old, its structure is still stable. As long as the interior is renovated and some rotten wood and damaged objects are replaced, it should be usable. However, the project is quite large, and we need to find some reliable craftsmen."
Shen Li nodded gently and said, "Shen Yu, I'll trouble you to take care of this matter. Go back and tell the group of people at home about this matter. The craftsmen and the work are all ready. I believe that under your management, this small building will be completely renovated."
The night fell like a huge piece of black silk, slowly covering the entire Fuxi Street.
Taking advantage of the night, Shen Li, like a clever kitten, quietly came to the three-story building again.
The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the blue brick walls of the small building, outlining a hazy silver edge.
Shen Li pushed open the door lightly, and the door hinges made a slight creaking sound, which was particularly clear in the quiet night.
As she stepped into the building, her keen hearing picked up a subtle movement. She stopped in her tracks, held her breath, and slowly searched the darkness.
Suddenly, in the corner, she found several figures huddled together.
Shen Li was startled and was about to take action, but those figures moved in panic first.
With the faint moonlight, Shen Li saw their appearance clearly. They turned out to be four teenagers.
They were dressed in rags, their hair was messy like a bird's nest, their faces were covered in dirt, and only their eyes flashed with fear and anxiety in the darkness.
It turns out that these children were originally street beggars, homeless, and made a living on Fuxi Street every day.
During the day, they either beg for food on the streets, enduring people's cold eyes and scolding; or help street vendors do odd jobs just to get a bite to eat.
They stumbled upon this abandoned building and used it as a temporary shelter, hiding here at night and cuddling each other for warmth. Afraid they would have nowhere to live if the house was sold, and also afraid of being discovered, several of them secretly dressed up as ghosts at night, and the rumor that there was a ghost in the building spread farther and farther.
At this moment, when they saw Shen Li discovered them, they thought they would be driven away and trembled with fear.
One of the older boys plucked up the courage and knelt on the ground with a plop. Seeing this, the other children also knelt down.
The boy pleaded in a tearful voice, "Miss, we have no ill intentions, but we simply have nowhere else to go.
We heard that you were interested in buying this little building. Please accept us as your slaves. We will work and be very obedient. We only ask that you give us a place to stay."
The other children also kowtowed repeatedly, their eyes full of pleading.
Shen Li's heart moved slightly. She looked at these poor children and felt a surge of pity in her heart.
She thought that her own farm was short of manpower, and if she took them back and trained them, they might become useful helpers.
Moreover, these children have no one to rely on. If they are left to wander the streets, they will sooner or later encounter an accident.
So, Shen Li sighed softly and said, "All of you get up.
I can take you in, but I won't make you slaves. I'll give you a chance to work hard on my farm, learn some skills, and have a place to settle down in the future."
After hearing this, the children were stunned for a moment, and then their faces showed expressions of disbelief and surprise. They quickly stood up and kept thanking Shen Li.
Shen Li looked at them, smiled slightly, and said, "Okay, from now on, you will follow me. However, I have other uses for this small building. You will follow me back to the manor first, and I will make plans after I have arranged everything."
Shen Li gently walked up to the four children, her eyes lingering on their faces one by one, and asked gently, "What are your names? How old are you?"
The boy who looked a little older was the first to step forward. He answered shyly but loudly, "My name is Ah Fu, and I'm fourteen years old."
Then, another boy timidly said, "My name is Shitou, and I'm twelve." The seemingly youngest boy followed suit, "My name is Xiaoshun, and I'm ten." Finally, the only girl, Ling'er, raised her head slightly, her eyes sparkling as she said, "My name is Ling'er, and I'm thirteen."
Shen Li nodded slightly, looked at them carefully, and couldn't help feeling a little sympathy for their plight.
After understanding their basic situation, Shen Li turned to Shen Yu and said, "Shen Yu, let's send them to the manor." Shen Yu responded and turned to walk towards the carriage, skillfully untied the reins and opened the door.
Shen Li brought the children to the carriage. She let Ling'er and Xiaoshun get on first, and then she stood beside the carriage and said to Ah Fu and Shitou, "You two should get on too."
Ah Fu and Shi Tou looked at each other, their eyes full of gratitude and fear. They had never thought that one day they would be able to ride in a carriage.
Ah Fu said cautiously, "Miss, we are dirty and we are afraid of dirtying the carriage. We can just run after it."
Shen Li shook her head slightly and said, "It's okay, come on up." Ah Fu and Shi Tou then stepped onto the carriage tremblingly.
The carriage slowly started to move. Inside, Ling'er looked at the surrounding decorations curiously, while Xiaoshun nervously grasped the corner of his clothes. Shen Li looked at them and said softly, "Don't be afraid. When you get to the manor, we will arrange accommodation and work for you. As long as you work hard, your future will be better."
The children nodded one after another. Ah Fu said, "Miss, you are so kind to us. We will definitely work hard to repay you."
Shen Li smiled and said, "As long as you are willing to work hard, that will be the best reward."
The children nodded obediently and left this once temporary shelter, heading towards an unknown but hopeful new life.
The carriage was moving steadily on the road, getting closer and closer to the manor. Shen Li looked at the scenery outside the window, and had more expectations and plans for the new life in the manor. The fate of these children will also open a new chapter in the manor.