Transmigrated Into The Book

"Are you okay now?" Xianyu brushed the kid's hair when they found an area away from the crowd earlier. The kid just glanced at him, then fidgeted with his fingers. "You d-don't n-need to do t-that, B-Brother…" he mumbled.

The embarrassment shown by the kid made Xianyu's eyes beamed, "He's cute!" he exclaimed inside his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Yuan, who was also with them, sat beside the kid. "Why are you stealing from that old man?" His question made the kid more stiff from his seat and since Yuan can feel the tension, he added. "We are not going to hurt you, don't be scared."

Xianyu slipped an apple from his pocket, then he handed it to the kid. "Here," he said. The young boy's eyes beamed in delight at seeing that apple. He grabbed it and said thanks. The two watched his cheeks bulge as he took a bite. 

"What's your name?" Xianyu wiped the youth's lips. The boy gulped the food he was chewing. "Feng!" he exclaimed that he almost choked.

When Feng finished that one piece of apple, Xianyu and Yuan decided to ask him about that old woman giving a red pill and, to their surprise, it was his grandmother. Feng led them to a small dump where he was living. 

"I'm sorry, brother Xianyu. This is where we lived." Feng showed how embarrassed he was to them. Xianyu scanned the surroundings. The place wasn't good for a kid like him. The place was tiny and only the thin slices of woods separated them from the outside world.

The kid took them to a small, and thin bench that looked like it would break any time. Feng offered them a glass of water. "This is the only clean water we have here. Please take it," he said.

Xianyu pushed the glass of water back to Feng. "Please don't mind about us, we just want to talk to your grandmother," he said with a bitter smile. Just by seeing their situation leaves a sting in his heart.

Feng then headed inside their small dump for a minute, then he came back with an old woman in his arms. Xianyu offered his seat as he supported the old woman to sit down. "We are very sorry for bothering you," he bowed to show his full respect as Yuan followed him. 

The old woman averted her gaze from the handsome men standing in front of her. "I don't have the information you are seeking," she mumbled, gripping the child beside her like she was stopping him. 

But Xianyu was quick to notice her gestures. He slightly pulled her sleeves. "Please let us ask you something," he pleaded. The old woman didn't even take a glance at him. "I don't know anything. Please leave us alone," she said.

This time, Feng was the one who stood for Xianyu and Yuan. "Grandmother! Please help them," Although his eyes were full of pity, his clenched fist was saying his stance. "They helped me earlier at the market. They caught me stealing again and I'm sorry for that, grandmother. I just don't want to see you suffering.. Please help them!" he bowed his head.

That sentence made a small impact on the old woman. She raised her head and looked at Xianyu. "Are you looking for the red pill?" she asked, which made the two handsome men snapped their strings. "Follow me," even though she was struggling, she headed inside alone.

Xianyu and Yuan glanced at each other before following them. When they reached the inside of that small shack, the old woman sat down on the wooden bed. "I don't know what your intentions are, but right now I am hiding from certain people and I don't want my grandson to be dragged into it," she stated. 

Xianyu felt the urge from his system. He clenched his fist. "Don't worry, we will protect you no matter what!" he proclaimed. 

The old woman started to tell her story. 

She was just a mere merchant finding money for their everyday life; she was raising Feng alone. One day, a male wearing a black robe approached her and told her that he would buy all of her stuff if she agreed to one thing. That one thing didn't even bother the old woman, so she agreed. The tall, mysterious man in a robe handed her a small box containing three red pills. He said that all she needed to do was to give it to random people with a bag of gold coins. At first, the old woman was dumbfounded, but the mysterious man told her that it was just a newly made medicine and they were taking a survey on different people. 

"So you didn't know the effects of those red pills?" Xianyu commented after hearing the story. He glanced at Yuan. "What do you think?" he asked. 

"Yuan?" Xianyu called out. He pulled the male's sleeves to snap him back. "Yuan? Are you okay?" he asked.

Yuan gazed at him, then he shakes his head. "Sorry, my mind suddenly got occupied," he apologized, massaging his temples. "Can you please elaborate on this mysterious man's appearance more?" he asked, turning his sight to the old woman.

The old woman paused for a while, like she was trying to remember the full appearance of the said man. "He is tall, and covered in black.. I don't know what his skin looks like because it was nighttime when he visited me," she raised her head. "But I accidentally saw his other eye when the wind blew his hood a little. It has a patch," she added. 

Xianyu frowned, "An eyepatch... hmmm" he mumbled. 

Yuan stepped forward and tapped Xianyu's shoulders. "At least we have evidence now," he stated. He again faced the old woman. "How about the direction? Where did he take his turn?" he asked.

The old woman shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't remember anymore. When I turned my back, he instantly got lost from my sight," she replied. 

Xianyu glanced at Yuan. He was telling the male that it was enough. Before they headed outside, he left two bags of gold coins for them. Feng accompanies them and stands at the door until they're gone away.