Chapter Eight: The Hearts of Men

Li Zecheng was satisfied with his wife’s tact and understanding. Li Zelin, on the other hand, was overjoyed and hurried to bow in gratitude to Madam Luo.

Madam Luo’s expression remained unchanged. She stepped aside to avoid the gesture, then patted her eldest son, fourteen-year-old Li Changming, who stood beside her. After whispering a few words of instruction, she pushed him toward her husband and led her eldest daughter, twelve-year-old Li Wenxin, to stand behind her mother-in-law.

As Madam Luo moved, Li Zecheng’s concubine, Madam Zhou, cast a lingering, reluctant glance at her ten-year-old son, the second young master Li Changxiao, her eyes filled with silent pleading as she looked at her husband. Madam Wen took it all in, keeping her head lowered in silence as she took the hand of her own ten-year-old daughter, the second miss Li Wenyue, and followed behind Madam Luo. Seeing this, Madam Liu quickly pulled her nine-year-old daughter, the third miss Li Wenyun, to follow closely behind.

Chaochao paid no mind to the flurry of changes. Seeing that her "silly dad" was acting strangely, she stepped forward and tugged at his sleeve. "Daddy."

Li Zelin looked down at the dear little girl gazing up at him. His heart was heavy with reluctance and worry. He crouched down, gently smoothing her disheveled hair, and stroked her head tenderly. Leaning in close, he lowered his voice to whisper urgently.

"Chaochao, be good. Don’t be afraid. When we are separated, stay close to Grandmother and your eldest aunt. Don’t wander off. Protect yourself. Keep the item on your wrist hidden. If someone tries to take it, give it to them obediently. Your safety comes first—it’s just a material object, and nothing is more important than you, do you understand?"

Chaochao nodded, then shook her head. Even without her father telling her, she knew to keep it hidden, but as for Grandmother and her aunt... the little girl curled her lip. Li Zelin knew exactly what she was thinking, but there was no other choice. She was still so young, and with the entire household now imprisoned, he feared what might happen if there was no one to watch over her.

"Damn it! Stop dawdling in line! If you don’t hurry up, I’ll whip you to death!"

The sound of a whip whistling through the air startled Li Zelin’s younger half-brothers, Li Zefeng and Li Zekang, who hurriedly called out in concern. "Second Brother!"

Li Zelin nodded to acknowledge his brothers' concern. He pulled his gaze away, gave his daughter’s small shoulder a firm pat, and gently pushed her toward his mother and sister-in-law. With a look of earnest desperation, he bowed low to them. "Mother, sister-in-law, I entrust her to you."

The sharp crack of the whip sounded again. The jailer and his guards shoved and urged them forward, allowing no time for sentiment. Before Chaochao could even look back at her father, she was shoved harshly into the line of female prisoners by a rough hand.

Off-balance, she stumbled and was about to fall when she heard her father’s urgent cry: "Chaochao, watch out!"

It was too late! Chaochao’s mind flashed back to her mother’s old teachings. Instinctively, she tucked her arms to protect her head and chest, bracing for the impact to minimize injury. She waited for the pain, but instead, she felt a warmth against her arms, and her fall was broken.

*Huh?*

Surprised, Chaochao looked up and immediately met the gentle gaze of her third aunt, Madam Song.

"Chaochao, watch out."

Chaochao regained her senses and stood up straight. "Oh, thank you, Third Aunt."

Madam Song shook her head with a faint expression and, having steadied Chaochao, pulled her hand away. Li Zelin, who was at the end of the male prisoners' line, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his daughter steadied by his sister-in-law, and he bowed to Madam Song in thanks. Madam Song shook her head, clutching her five-year-old son, Silang Li Changying, tightly. Her gaze, however, drifted past her brother-in-law to her husband, Li Zefeng, who stood behind him holding their seven-year-old eldest son, Li Changmao. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and worry.

Li Zelin wanted to speak, to beg his sister-in-law to look after his precious child, but the jailers' brutal shoving cut him off. He had no choice but to watch helplessly as his daughter’s small figure walked to the end of the line and disappeared into the dark tunnel ahead, leaving him filled with anxiety.

*Snap, snap, snap...*

"Keep moving! Don't drag your feet!"

The dungeon was truly dark. Even in the daytime, it was a hollow abyss, lit only by the faint light filtering through the narrow, high-up windows on either side. Combined with the vicious shouts and the constant cracking of whips, the sound of whimpering and soft sobbing began to rise from the ranks.

"Wuu wuu wuu, Mommy, Jiaojiao is scared." That was the voice of the fourth uncle’s five-year-old daughter, Li Wenjiao, followed quickly by the wailing of her two-year-old brother, Wulang Li Changzhuo. "Mom, Mom, wuu wuu..."

"Don’t cry, don’t cry. Be good, Mommy is here, Mommy is here."

Chaochao, trailing at the back, heard her fourth aunt, Madam He, comforting her children, followed by the shrill scream of the "proud rooster" Li Wenxin up ahead. "Ah! There’s a rat! Mother, there’s a rat! I saw it..."

Once a rat was spotted, the line descended into chaos. Cries and screams echoed through the deep tunnel, and Chaochao shivered. She instinctively covered her ears and backed away. Suddenly, the whip cracked in the dark passage—no longer a crisp snap, but a dull thud, indicating someone had been struck. The jailer’s roar followed.

"Damn it! It’s just a rat, not a tiger! What are you making a fuss about? You’re in jail now, you aren't noble ancestors anymore! You’re all so fragile and pampered. Let me tell you, this dungeon has nothing if not an abundance of rats and cockroaches. If you’re going to scream every time you see one, how will you survive living with them every single day? You’ll go mad!"

They were indeed going mad. Upon hearing that they would have to live with rats and cockroaches, the female relatives, who had been as quiet as quail since the house was raided, finally broke down. Shrieks and wails filled the air as they resisted in terror.

"Ah! No, I don’t want to! Let me out..."

"Mother, I don’t want rats! I’m scared!"

All their struggling and resistance were in vain. Chaochao watched coldly, her hand instinctively brushing the invisible bracelet on her wrist. She knew this was only the beginning. Her AI had used pictures, text, and videos to teach her all about this. She had to be good, keep a low profile, and try her best to survive.

The little girl clenched her small fists. While the other women were still chattering and weeping, she kept her eyes and ears alert. Seeing that the jailer had opened one of the cell doors, she nimbly slipped through the crowd and darted inside. She decisively avoided the foul-smelling latrine and the damp, freezing walls, instead crouching in a corner behind the wooden bars, far from the cell door. This would be her little world for the days of imprisonment to come.

Chaochao curled her small body against the wooden bars, watching the "fools" outside being whipped and driven. As they continued to wail and complain, Chaochao smacked her lips and sighed, shaking her head.

Once everyone was inside, the cell door clattered shut with a heavy lock, and the jailers cursed as they walked away. The whimpering behind her didn't cease, and Chaochao felt annoyed—more annoyed than she ever felt with her pet bird, Huahua. She had a headache.

She leaned her head against the wooden bars, but instead of hitting solid wood, her head went straight through a gap. Chaochao tilted her head, her eyes wide with wonder. She moved again, and her head pulled back without any resistance. Slowly, a grin spread across her face, her eyes sparkling.

*Fine, fine. Let them scream. It’s best if they scream until they’re exhausted.*

Having discovered this "new continent" and beginning to hatch her own little schemes, Chaochao no longer felt they were more annoying than Huahua. She was filled with anticipation. Just then, a strange, familiar sound rang out.

"Chaochao, Chaochao, Chaochao..."

The cell fell silent. Everyone looked toward the source of the sound, only to see a familiar little head peering in through the narrow, high-up window.

*Whoa!* Who else could it be but Huahua?

Just as she was thinking of her, Huahua appeared. Chaochao was delighted and waved at the bird above. Huahua bent its body, struggling to squeeze through the narrow window, then flapped its wings and landed on Chaochao’s shoulder. It pecked at her hair with its hooked beak, looking completely aggrieved.

"Scared the bird to death! Scared the bird to death..."

It had flown for so long, followed for so long, and searched for so long before finally finding its hateful owner! It was exhausted!