High-class maid

Chapter 272 Buy Me

The next day, Shen Xing'er and Shan Tao, dressed in their new clothes, got up early. They first went to the street for breakfast, and then went to the nearest brokerage firm.

"Do you two ladies wish to rent or buy someone?"

The broker did not look down on them because they were young girls. He looked Shen Xing'er and Shan Tao up and down and saw that they were wearing brand-new clothes and were graceful in every move. He guessed that they were young ladies from some gentry family and became even more respectful.

"We want to buy someone, preferably someone around our age. Do you know anyone like that?" Shen Xing'er said.

"Yes, yes, but the price for a young girl is a bit higher than for an older one," the shopkeeper said cautiously.

"Why? Is there a difference?" Yamamoto asked, puzzled.

"My two young ladies, you may not know this, but younger servants are less prone to illness and work more efficiently than older ones. Also, some families buy young girls to be raised as child brides, so their prices are higher," the shopkeeper explained with a smile, afraid they might hesitate to buy.

Shen Xing'er nodded, indicating her understanding.

"It doesn't matter, as long as they're pleasing to the eye, that's fine. Please help us find some with good intentions, not the cunning and deceitful ones," Shen Xing'er said.

"Alright, ladies, please have a seat. I'll go to the backyard to call someone." After saying this, the boss beckoned to the young girl behind him. The girl tactfully placed the tea and pastries on the table and then stood aside to wait for instructions.

"Looks like we'll be able to sell them today," the girl thought.

The boss was stingy. He would only signal to serve tea and pastries to the customer if he felt a sale was possible. Ideally, the food would sell, so that he could have meat for the day.

The little girl kept swallowing as she thought about the meat that didn't even exist yet; she was so hungry!

"Stop what you're doing and change into clean clothes. A customer wants to see you," the boss said as he walked into the backyard and looked at the girls washing clothes.

The girls exchanged surprised glances, quickly put down their tasks, and went inside to put on their best clothes. Whether they could catch the master's eye depended on today!

This boss is harsh and stingy. Not only does he not allow them to eat meat, but he also gives them jobs such as washing clothes. They do the work, but he doesn't pay them a single penny!

Just as Shen Xing'er took a bite of the pastry from the dental shop, the little girls lined up and came out from the backyard.

"Young ladies, all the young ladies in our brokerage are here. Please take a look and see if there's anyone you like," the boss said, bowing and scraping.

He glanced at the plates on the table, and his face instantly turned ashen. How could that chubby little girl, so young, eat so much? She'd finished all the pastries?!

Looking at the row of thin, pale girls standing in front of her, Shen Xing'er suddenly felt that all the grievances she had suffered were nothing. They were all women, but because of their family background and fate, they had two different lives.

She put aside her pity for them and asked, "Those who can read, step forward."

As soon as she finished speaking, the two little girls looked dejected. It seemed they wouldn't be able to sell anything today! They would have to go back to the backyard to do laundry again later!

They had been begging the boss to teach them to read for a long time, but he was always reluctant to spend the two taels of silver to hire a tutor for them! When they got back, they were going to make a scene with the boss, saying, "I want to learn to read too!"

Shen Xing'er watched as the number of people standing in front of her decreased from ten to eight, and then asked, "Those without relatives, please step forward."

Two more girls looked dejected; well, they were eliminated too!

The brokerage owner nodded to himself. This girl was shrewd; it seemed he couldn't just brush her off. He would have to reconsider his offer later.

The number of people in front of Shen Xing'er decreased from eight to six. The remaining girls curiously peeked at Shen Xing'er. They were all about the same age, yet they had such different fates. It was truly ironic.

“My family is just ordinary people, not some high-class family. If any of you are bought by me, you will have to do hard labor every day. If you think you can’t handle the hardship, then step back now. Otherwise, if you are unwilling to be chosen by me, neither of us will be happy, right?”

After Shen Xing'er finished speaking, she quietly observed the reactions of the women in front of her.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, a pretty woman bit her lip. She looked at Shen Xing'er and then at the owner of the dental clinic. Without even looking, it was clear that she was having a fierce internal struggle.

When the boss saw her like this, he secretly thought to himself that something was wrong. This girl was the most ambitious. She relied on her good looks and always fantasized about being chosen and bought by some young master.

But she didn't consider that respectable young masters wouldn't come here to buy concubines. And even if they did, why wouldn't they buy child brides for the same price?

The girl hesitated for a moment, then took a step back without hesitation. The other girls in the row seemed unsurprised, as if it were expected.

Shen Xing'er nodded. Luckily, she had spoken up today. Otherwise, if she had accidentally bought her home, what difference would it have made from buying a time bomb?

"How old are you all? What made you get into this dental practice?" Shen Xing'er asked.

This is also an important part of the buying process. If the other party was fired by the original owner, then you don't want them!

“I am twelve years old this year. I live in Lotus Village, east of the capital. My father was a gambler. He lost money and couldn’t pay it back, so he sold me.”

“I am eleven years old this year. My hometown is Cangzhou. Last year, there was a big flood and my family was flooded. My parents were separated by the water. I fled here with the help of kind neighbors.”

“I am eleven years old this year. I used to be a slave in the mansion of Lord Li, a salt merchant in the capital. But his property was confiscated, and I was sold here with him.”

Shen Xing'er nodded. She had heard about Lord Li's story. Because he was too wealthy, he had incurred the displeasure of his superiors, who then plotted against him. Lord Li sold his property and returned to his hometown. Presumably, this girl had been sold here to raise money.

"And what about you?" Shen Xing'er asked the fourth girl.

"I, my family is from Luoyi. My stepmother wanted to sell me to an old man in the village, and my father didn't care about me either. I had no choice but to run away from home. Luckily, Boss Fu was willing to take me in. Miss, please buy me. I may have suffered a lot."

The little girl smiled and introduced herself. Her dark face had a shallow dimple when she smiled, which made Shen Xing'er feel better.

"I...I'm nine years old this year. I used to work in the Marquis's mansion, but I was punished by my master for committing a crime," the last little girl said, biting her lip.

Shan Tao secretly pinched Shen Xing'er's arm, implying that this person shouldn't be bought. Shen Xing'er squeezed her hand back, indicating that she wasn't stupid.

"You used to work in Lord Li's household, so you're practically a servant girl in an official's household. My family are just ordinary people. I only need one person to go home and do hard labor. If I were to buy you, would you be willing to accept that?"

Shen Xing'er walked up to the third little girl and asked.