Hearts of Gold: 1-3 Mortal Suffering

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Jiaojiao and Wenrou encounter the flower seller again. Their assistance attracts more children seeking help. Will they turn a blind eye or extend a helping hand?

Info

Style: No dress-up component Required: Luo Jiuhua Goodwill Lv. 4 Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Frail Spirits

Frail Spirits

Dialogue Choices

Yuan Yu: Miss, are you okay?

• I'm fine
  • No change
• I was terrified
  • No change

Transcript

Expand for script.

• After I bid Wen Rou farewell, dusk begins to settle, casting a tranquil hue over the courtyard. Yet, inside me, a spark of exhilaration lingers.
• Her words reminded me of her actions at Guhua Temple that day...

• The wind whispers secrets as it dances around the corners of the house, its voice a haunting melody against the quiet of the night.
• Watching the candlelight flicker, its warm glow battling the encroaching shadows, I find myself lost in a reverie.
• The face of the figure who fought back against the wastrel in Guhua Temple morphs from Wen Rou's into mine.
• A warmth surges through me, compelling me to stand up with a newfound resolve.
• Shen Jiaojiao: (Just this once, I'll try it on!)

• My heart races with anticipation as I carefully unearth a dress from the depths of an old box.
• It's a dress unlike any other that I happened to discover at the market.
• It is a piece I adore, yet I know it is not something Shen Jiaojiao can wear in public.
• As I run my fingers over its fabric, I feel an irresistible urge to don it now, at this perfect, defiant moment.

• Facing the mirror, the reflection that stares back is starkly unrecognizable. I clear some space for myself.
• Taking a deep breath, I recall what happened that day.
• Shen Jiaojiao: (First, stride forward with two steps to close the gap...)

• Shen Jiaojiao: (Next, anchor with the left foot and lean back slightly...)

• Shen Jiaojiao: (Then, with a swift motion, launch a kick straight into the wastrel's chest...)

• My dress billows, its elegance lost to the boldness of the action, my leg suspended in an unladylike manner.
• Yet, in this imagined confrontation, I feel exhilarated, as if truly felling a foe.
• The mirror catches my triumphant gaze, eyes sparkling with mischief and lips curled into an uncharacteristic grin.
• Shen Jiaojiao: (Is this really me?)

• My mind goes blank for a moment.
• Yuan Yu: What are you doing, Miss?!

• Like a sharp sword shattering the illusion around me, Yuan Yu's voice jolts me back to reality.
• I exhale and gently lower my leg.
• Yuan Yu: Miss, you're—

• She looks at me with a bewildered and somewhat panicked expression.
• I smooth out my dress and lower my gaze.
• Shen Jiaojiao: It's nothing. I was just trying on this outfit.

• Yuan Yu: It appeared as though someone had broken in, and you were prepared to fight them.

(Before I could ask her if I looked the part, Yuan Yu shakes her head.

• Yuan Yu: I must be overthinking it. If someone really broke in, it would be impossible for someone as dignified as Miss to strike that pose again.

• Shen Jiaojiao: Why would it be impossible?

• Yuan Yu: Miss? Did you say something?

• Shen Jiaojiao: Never mind, it's time for me to get ready for bed.

• As Yuan Yu leaves and the thrill of the moment fades, I slip out of the dress. My gaze falls on the mirror to reveal a composed and dignified smile.
• Shen Jiaojiao: (Now, this is the Shen Jiaojiao I know.)

• Ever since Wen Rou's first visit, we've made a habit of having tea together.
• Lately, she has been insistent on visiting this horse stable she discovered on the outskirts of the city. After numerous invitations, I finally agreed to accompany her today.
• Wen Rou: You won't regret this, Jiaojiao. There's nothing like the freedom of riding.

• Shen Jiaojiao: I'll reserve judgment.

• Deep down, I'm intrigued. Who doesn't yearn for freedom?
• As the carriage rolls on, I peer out, noticing Beidu's usual bustle.
• Today, it feels even livelier, and then a familiar figure catches my eye.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Stop the carriage!

• Wen Rou: What's wrong?

• Shen Jiaojiao: I think... I just saw the flower seller we helped at Guhua Temple.

• We disembark, and indeed, it's her.
• But this time, she's not selling flowers. Instead, she kneels by the roadside, the father she tried to save lying dead beside her.
• With Wen Rou by my side, we walk towards her to see a heartbreaking message scrawled on the ground—"Seeking work for burial money".
• The woman, kneeling with her head down, looks up at our approach.
• Flower Seller: Please... Miss...

• Recognition dawns in her eyes. The image of her tear-streaked face and her struggle to escape that day is still fresh in my mind. In the blink of an eye, we meet again, and this is how things are now.
• A wave of sadness washes over me. I crouch down and look her in the eye.
• Shen Jiaojiao: That day...

• The death of a loved one is a pain that pierces the heart and gnaws at the bones. I know that my words are no consolation, and I am at a loss for what to say next.
• Flower Seller: If it hadn't been for your help that day, I wouldn't have been able to be by my father's side when he passed away. It's just that my father...

• I gently touch her shoulder.
• Shen Jiaojiao: My condolences.

• In this situation, I only have one way to help her. I take out my purse from my sleeve and hand her some silver.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Bury him properly. The rest is yours.

• Shen Jiaojiao: Thank you, Miss... Thank you...

• She thanks me profusely.
• As she leans on me for support, I'm struck by her fragility. What future awaits her with just a handful of coins?
• Shen Jiaojiao: Do you have plans after the burial?

• Flower Seller: I... I...

• She raises her tear-filled eyes to look at me. In her eyes, there is nothing left but sorrow and confusion.
• I sigh inwardly.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Do you have any other relatives?

• Flower Seller: Since my father fell ill and became bedridden, our family has scattered.

• Flower Seller: They blame me for my parents' deaths, avoiding me like the plague.

• Flower Seller: That's why...

• Seeing her like this, Wen Rou, who has been silent all this time, suddenly speaks up.
• Wen Rou: The world's harsh, but we mustn't lose hope in tough times.

• Wen Rou: Since things have come to this point, it's better to make an effort and carve out a path for yourself.

• Flower Seller: But... I... I don't know...

• Wen Rou attempts to persuade the woman, but I signal her to calm down.
• Shen Jiaojiao: If you have nowhere to go, would you consider working as a maid at the Shen residence after burying your father?

• Shen Jiaojiao: It may not be perfect, but at least you'll have food, shelter, and a source of income.

• Before she can respond, a sudden commotion erupts around us, even though I spoke in a quiet voice.
• A group of orphaned children who were just sitting casually in the corner of the alley all rush over at once.
• They surround us in a circle, their desperate pleas echoing, overwhelming us with a cacophony of voices.
• Child A: Please, Miss, could you give me a place to stay? I'll do anything!

• Child B: Miss, I beg of you, please provide shelter for me!

• Child C: Help me, Miss! I'm begging you!

• ...
• I struggle to maintain my balance as the crowd pushes me back.
• Shen Jiaojiao: What's going on?!

• Yuan Yu: Miss! Miss!

• The advancing crowd pushes Yuan Yu further away. They close in to form a wall, and I can only keep retreating.
• My mind starts to blur, and even my breathing feels labored. Figures flicker before my eyes...
• Shen Jiaojiao: Help... someone... I need help...

• I clench my fists, trying to calm down.
  • thwack!*
• The loud sound of a bamboo pole hitting the ground brings the chaos to a stop. Wielding the bamboo pole, Wen Rou strikes the ground again as a warning.
• Wen Rou: Step forward if you dare!

• With those words, the crowd disperses, and the tension eases.
• I swallow hard, taking a few deep breaths as Yuan Yu rushes back to my side.
• Yuan Yu: Miss, are you okay?

I'm fine

• Shen Jiaojiao: Don't worry, I'm fine.

• I exhale slowly, wave my hand, and steady myself.

I was terrified

• The dizziness persists, and everything around me spins.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Yuan Yu! Yuan Yu!

• Yuan Yu: Miss, I'm here, right by your side.

• The dizziness lingers, and the clamor fills my ears.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Help me...

• Then, a firm voice breaks through the chaos.
• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, calm down! Everything is under control now.

• The noise fades, and order is restored.

• I collect myself and glance at the person before me. Just like at Guhua Temple, she turns to face me.
• Wen Rou: Are you alright?

• This time, I shake my head, adjust my dress, and stand beside her.
• The crowd, momentarily stunned, still edges closer. Wen Rou swiftly wields the bamboo pole she's acquired in an arc, and the crowd halts.
• Wen Rou: Anyone else thinking of coming closer?

• With just a bamboo pole, she keeps the crowd at bay. Though reluctant, they keep their distance.
• At this moment, I realize most of the crowd is made up of children, cowering and teary-eyed.
• Trying to avoid further trouble, I turn to the flower seller.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Will you come with us?

• Flower Seller: I'll come with you, Miss!

• Someone hears her and tries to approach us.
• Wen Rou: Think twice before you take a step closer.

• After all the twists and turns, we fail to visit the horse stable on the outskirts of the city.
• Wen Rou and I bring the flower seller back to the Shen residence first, while Yuan Yu stays behind to handle the burial arrangements.
• Encountering such a situation on the street is a first for me. It's only when I return home that I fully regain my senses.
• Wen Rou: Do you need to rest, Jiaojiao? You look a bit shaken.

• Shen Jiaojiao: I'm fine. I was scared, but thankfully you were there.

• Wen Rou: It might be wise to bring a couple of guards when going out in the future.

• I nod.
• Shen Jiaojiao: They came at us too quickly, and there were too many. I couldn't react in time.

• Flower Seller: It's all my fault. I'm the one who put Miss in danger. It's all my fault...

• Shen Jiaojiao: It's not your fault. They surrounded me. It's on them, not you.

• Flower Seller: Actually, they're quite pitiful...

• Shen Jiaojiao: I noticed that too. They're all children, even the taller ones barely reach our height.

• My words are directed at Wen Rou, and I'm sure she noticed.
• Wen Rou: Even if they're children, it's wrong to aggressively approach people, especially when they are trying to avoid you.

• Shen Jiaojiao: You're right, that did happen.

• Shen Jiaojiao: But later, I saw they were all wearing thin clothes despite the cold. It's hard to blame them.

• Flower Seller: Most of them are orphans, or were abandoned by their families.

• Flower Seller: Like me, they have been kneeling there for days. They can only huddle in the corner with some wooden boards to block the wind.

• Flower Seller: When it rains, they have no choice but to stand under the eaves of nearby houses.

• Shen Jiaojiao: With this winter being especially harsh, it's likely to snow...

• Those faces that were kept at bay by the bamboo pole appear before my eyes again.
• There's endless hardship in this world, too much for one person to alleviate. I can't save everyone.
• But my heart aches for these children. I can't bear to see them suffer, their once lively eyes now filled with fear and timidity.
• Flower Seller: They survive by scavenging for leftover food. I recall a time when someone bought a steamed bun, only for it to fall on the ground.

• Flower Seller: They fought over it, and in the end, only the winner got to eat the bun...

• Upon hearing her words, I can't hold back anymore.
• Shen Jiaojiao: Someone, prepare food and winter clothes...

• Before I finish, Wen Rou steps in front of me, shaking her head with a serious expression.
• Shen Jiaojiao: What's the matter?

• Wen Rou: Jiaojiao, it's not possible to do that right now.