Xiao Qi immediately retorted with dissatisfaction, feeling that being punished now was utterly unfair.
"On the grounds that I am now acting under the young madam's orders to supervise her punishment, and since you are speaking up for her, I will grant your wish and let you be punished alongside her. If you are not satisfied, then take this matter to the master to decide who is in the right."
"You... you are going too far..."
"Xiao Qi, no fooling around!"
Seeing that the situation was about to get out of her control, Zhenzhu reprimanded sharply and pulled Xiao Qi behind her.
"Miss, please forgive us. My sister is foolish. I ask that you not hold it against her."
"Sister..."
Glowering fiercely at her, Xiao Qi swallowed the words that had reached her lips, her fair complexion turning a furious red.
"It's good that you know your place. I am also acting under the master's orders to supervise your punishment. As long as you behave yourself and don't cause trouble for me, I naturally won't pick on your faults to the master."
"Thank you, miss."
Cai Qing waved her hand. "Alright, hurry up and get back to your tasks, don't waste time."
With the lifespan granted by Feng Jin, Cai Qing happily played the role of supervisor for an hour before moving to leave.
Xiao Qi's gaze flickered restlessly from side to side. Only after seeing Cai Qing's figure depart did she start to slack off.
Cai Qing, following Feng Jin's instructions, watched them for a period of time before finding an excuse to leave.
Once they were alone, Xiao Qi simply stopped working altogether and even pulled Zhenzhu to a spot to sit down.
"Sister, just listen to me and rest a bit before continuing."
Xiao Qi forcibly pulled Zhenzhu down to sit. The sun was so scorching; if they continued working like this without regard for their lives, they would die of exhaustion before being sunburnt to death.
"No, if we are being punished, we must continue. It's not right to slack off as soon as the supervisor leaves. You are ultimately being dragged down by me. If you're tired, you can rest here; I won't blame you."
After saying this, Zhenzhu was about to get up and continue working, but Xiao Qi grabbed her wrist.
"Sister, just rest for a while. Look, your skin is already sunburnt."
Zhenzhu touched her swollen and painful cheeks. Without looking in a mirror, she could guess that a large patch of her face was indeed sunburnt.
"Sister, how long have we been working? Look at that pond, is there any difference from before? Even if you work yourself to death, you won't finish it."
If they would work themselves to death and still not finish, then why bother continuing?
If they wanted to punish them, they could find any excuse. Why endure such torment?
Zhenzhu was also starting to waver. Her arms trembled with fatigue, and it took all her strength just to stand now.
"Sister, let's rest for a moment."
Xiao Qi pulled Zhenzhu to sit and poured some water for her.
"Sister, do you think Cui'er sister and the others are free and at ease now that they've left? Do they not have to live in fear every day? Are they very happy and joyful now?"
Zhenzhu's hand holding the water cup trembled slightly. She looked at Xiao Qi with surprise in her eyes. "Why do you think that way, Xiao Qi? You mustn't have such thoughts. You're only thirteen, your life has just begun, and things will get better in the future. At least we are not trapped in that dark underground palace anymore."
Compared to being confined in the underground palace every day, they could at least live under the sun now.
"Perhaps in the future, with the master's favor, we might truly be able to leave and live a simple life."
All of them harbored the dream that one day, if they rendered great service, they would receive favor and be allowed to leave.
"Will that day truly come?" Xiao Qi felt that the day was incredibly distant. Would she live long enough to see it?
"It will. It definitely will. Didn't some people leave after rendering meritorious service in the past? We can definitely leave too."
This wasn't unprecedented. Before them, several people had been rewarded and allowed to leave because they had rendered great service.
"But I miss Cui'er sister so much now. Zhenzhu sister, do you miss them?"
Zhenzhu's lips twitched. The softest part of her heart was sharply poked. She felt as if Cui'er were standing beside her, calling her "Sister."
Her nose stung, and tears welled up in her eyes. She forced herself not to let them fall and took a deep breath. "Miss them... how could I not miss them!"
She was her own sister, her only family. How could she not miss her? Every night, she couldn't sleep due to her longing.
Zhenzhu couldn't help but touch the half of the jade pendant. Cui'er had always wanted to leave this place. Now that she was completely free, she must be happy...
"I miss Cui'er sister too. I should have gone with Cui'er sister that day. I was too timid and afraid..."
Only Cui'er sister had treated her the best. She should have left with Cui'er sister.
"Xiao Qi, don't think about it anymore. We all have to live well. Only by living do we have hope of leaving."
Zhenzhu reached out and hugged Xiao Qi tightly, comforting her softly.
After a pause, Xiao Qi suddenly grabbed Zhenzhu's hand and whispered in her ear, "Zhenzhu sister, let's escape."
"Xiao Qi, you..." Zhenzhu's eyes widened in shock, looking at Xiao Qi incredulously. She found it hard to believe that Xiao Qi had said these words.
"Sister, let's escape. I really don't want to stay here anymore, living in constant fear, not knowing when my life will be forfeit. I dream of Cui'er sister and the others dying. I'm afraid every night. If this continues, I really can't bear it anymore. Sister, let's just run."
She was reaching her limit. If this continued, she would go mad from the torment.
As long as she could leave this place, she would be willing to beg for food.
"Xiao Qi, you know that if we run out and are caught, it will be a dead end."
"I know, but I want to take a gamble. What if... what if we run out? Sister, shall we try?"
Zhenzhu's eyes drooped, and she instantly hesitated. She hadn't never considered escaping, but she had personally witnessed the fate of sisters who were caught after attempting to escape, a fate far worse than death.
"Xiao Qi, we can't escape. Perhaps when we render meritorious service, we will be pardoned. Then I will definitely beg Sun Mama to let you leave."
"Sister, I..."
"That's enough, Xiao Qi. I know you're hurting, but don't worry, I'm here, and I'll protect you."
Zhenzhu tried her best to dissuade Xiao Qi from her desire to escape. 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.
"Alright, Sister. I believe you."
Xiao Qi nodded solemnly. Zhenzhu was the only person she could trust.