After transmigrating into the body of the Jade Rat Spirit, I became Nezha's adopted sister.

Holding up the glistening sugar butterfly, she took a lick. Sweet!

As she walked and looked around, she bought a bag of freshly roasted chestnuts, wrapped in oil paper, and held them warm in her palms.

I found a relatively quiet street corner and squatted down, peeling and eating chestnuts while watching the passersby.

There were well-dressed wealthy men strolling around, fanning themselves; women hurrying along with baskets; porters leading donkeys laden with goods; craftsmen carrying loads and shouting "Sharpening scissors and knives!"; and farmers, dressed in shorts and tanned from the sun, squatting against the wall to rest, puffing on their pipes.

Each person's face tells a different story, whether joyful or sorrowful, hurried or leisurely.

After finishing the chestnuts in her hand, Bai Yeying patted the dust off her hands and strolled over to a stall selling clay figurines.

The clay figures were sculpted with remarkable realism, including a chubby baby holding a carp, an old man stroking his beard, and a military general dressed in theatrical costume and striking a pose.

She was hesitating whether to buy one to show the little demons in her cave when she suddenly heard a commotion and crying nearby.

Turning my head, I saw an old man selling vegetables squatting on the ground, a few greens scattered in front of him and an overturned tattered basket. He was crying to a fat man in a silk shirt, "Uncle Liu, Uncle Liu, please have mercy! Please pay for these vegetables! This old man is counting on this money to buy medicine for his granddaughter!"

The fat man, known as Master Liu, kicked away the radish that had rolled to his feet, spitting everywhere: "Pah! You dare to ask me for money with a few rotten vegetable leaves? I'm doing you a favor by eating your vegetables! If you keep yelling, believe me, I'll smash your stall!" Behind him were two crooked-eyed servants, arms crossed, looking fierce.

A crowd gathered around, but most dared not speak out, pointing and whispering things like "Liu the Skinflint is bullying people again" and "This old man is pitiful."

Bai Yeying was furious. In broad daylight, they forcibly stole... a few vegetables? This was outrageous!

She squeezed through the crowd, walked to the old man's side, bent down to help him pick up the scattered vegetables, put them in his basket, and then stood up and looked at Fatty Liu.

"Hey Mr. Liu? How much did this old man's vegetables cost? Are you making a big deal out of it?"

The fat man, Liu, was acting arrogantly when a voice suddenly rang out. It was a rather pretty young woman who startled him.

Upon seeing Ye Ying's coarse cloth dress, he immediately became arrogant again: "I like to eat free food, so what?"

His small eyes scanned Bai Yeying from head to toe. He noticed that although she wore simple clothes and a plain hairpin, her beauty was undeniable, even surpassing the most beautiful courtesans he had seen in the county town's brothels. A surge of lust arose within him, and he chuckled:

"Young lady, you feel sorry for this old man? Fine, why don't you come with me to the teahouse across the street for a cup of tea? I'll not only pay for the food, but I'll also give you a few pocket money to buy some rouge, how about that?"

As he spoke, his fat hands reached out to put them on Bai Yeying's arms.

Bai Yeying took a step back, her brows furrowed.

It wasn't fear, just disgust. She had only wanted to watch the show and didn't want to cause trouble, but this Liu the Skinflint had gone too far.

"Give me the money for the groceries." She didn't bother with any more words and simply reached out her hand, her voice crisp and clear.

Seeing her back down, Fatty Liu assumed the young lady was just shy and scared, and became even more smug. He stepped forward and said, "Oh, you've got quite a temper, haven't you? I like that! Come on, come with me..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Bai Yeying then stretched out her foot and kicked him in the knee.

Fatty Liu felt a sharp pain in his knee, his legs went weak, and with a "thump," he knelt straight down in front of Bai Yeying!

The hard flagstones on the ground throbbed, making his knees ache. He screamed like a pig being slaughtered, "Ouch! My leg!"

The two servants behind him were startled and rushed forward to help him up.

Bai Yeying kicked them a few more times, and the two servants fell flat on their faces as soon as they took a step, one on top of the other, unable to get up for a long time.

The surrounding crowd fell silent for a moment, then burst into low laughter and murmurs.

"Heavens have finally caught up with Liu the Skinflint! He's finally met his end!"

"Serves him right! He's always been a bully and monopolistic operator!"

"This girl seems to know some martial arts!"

Fatty Liu knelt on the ground, his face turning a deep purplish-red from pain and shame. He pointed at Bai Yeying, trembling with rage, "You—you dared to kick me!"

Bai Yeying squatted down to look him in the eye, her face expressionless, but her round almond-shaped eyes held a hint of coldness: "Cash for vegetables."

The voice wasn't loud, but it sent a chill down Liu the Fat Man's spine. He realized that this girl was no ordinary person.

He roared, his voice trembling with fear, "Do you...do you know who my brother-in-law is? My brother-in-law works for the county government..."

"The cost of the vegetables." Bai Yeying interrupted him, clenching her fist, which made a cracking sound.

Fatty Liu's words trailed off, cold sweat instantly breaking out on his brow. He frantically reached into his pocket, pulled out a crumpled money pouch, and without even glancing at it, grabbed a handful of copper coins and shoved them at the old vegetable vendor beside him, his voice trembling: "Here, here, here! Take it all! Get lost!"

The old man was so frightened that he took the money, bowed repeatedly, and without daring to linger, he picked up his basket and staggered out of the crowd and ran away.

Bai Yeying then stood up, dusted off non-existent dust from her hands, and without glancing at the disheveled Fatty Liu on the ground, turned and left.

The crowd automatically parted to make way for her, their eyes fixed on her back and on the still kneeling, unsettled Liu Pangzi and his servant, all with expressions of eager anticipation for a good show.

Bai Yeying walked quickly, disappearing in just a few steps. She listened intently; it seemed no one was chasing her.

It seems that Fatty Liu is just a coward who bullies the weak and fears the strong; he was scared out of his wits by her.

"However, it's best not to cause any more trouble." She straightened her dress and hair, adjusted the silk flower in her hair, and touched the few copper coins she had left in her pocket.

We haven't finished exploring the market yet! I was so busy watching the excitement and doing some chivalrous deeds that I didn't get to see many of the interesting stalls properly.

Bai Yeying stood on tiptoe outside the circle of street performers watching the fire-breathing and bowl-balancing acts.

I bought a freshly baked sesame seed cake from a snack stall and ate it as I walked.

As the sun began to set, the crowds in the market started to thin out. Vendors began packing up their goods, preparing to go home.

Bai Yeying had finished shopping and had a small, painted clay figurine in her hand. It was a cute little God of Wealth holding a gold ingot, which she planned to take back to show Huang Wu and the others.

She walked back out of the city along the same route, feeling relaxed and happy. Today's trip was worthwhile!

Once outside the city gates and onto the main road, there were even fewer pedestrians. The distant mountain silhouettes were bathed in a warm golden glow under the setting sun.

Bai Yeying walked briskly, pondering whether to use her movement technique to continue her journey or walk a little further to avoid being seen. Suddenly, she stopped.

At the fork in the road ahead, several people were standing, blocking the way.

Leading the group was none other than the limping Fatty Liu! Beside him, besides the two equally disheveled servants, were three more men dressed in short-sleeved shirts with sharp eyes, clearly trained fighters, carrying sticks in their hands.

Upon seeing Bai Yeying, Fatty Liu immediately pointed at her and shrieked, "It's her! This little bitch kicked me! Instructor Zhang, Instructor Li, Instructor Wang, seize her! Bring her back, and I'll reward you handsomely!"

The three men, referred to as instructors, exchanged glances, their eyes lingering on Bai Yeying's slender figure and pitiful face, and they hesitated. Did they really need all three of them to deal with such a young girl?