Sylvie, the Slave Girl (Lily Futa) - Chapter 3

A person stood with a slender figure, pale skin, and a lowered head.

She had long, silver-gray hair that should have been beautiful but looked dull due to malnutrition.

Her specific age was unclear, but she probably wasn’t an adult yet.

The man pinched her chin and lifted her face upward, displaying her like a product.

She didn’t struggle at all.

Her chin was sharp; the man’s rough fingers rested on it, almost covering her entire face when extended.

Her cheeks were so thin they sank inward, making her eyes appear large.

Her pupils were a gray-blue color, rare even in Western countries.

Her eyelids were thin and drooped downward, giving her a silent appearance.

Scars of various sizes and some bruises covered her exposed skin menacingly.

She looked pitiful, almost shocking to see.

Wei Qing frowned slightly.

Thankfully, this wasn’t the 21st century, or this man would have been locked up in minutes.

Wei Qing saw such severe injuries on a living person for the first time in reality.

Some scars were thick and dark; it was clearly old and untreated for years, yet this girl appeared quite young.

The man said slowly, “Here’s the thing: a capitalist died unexpectedly in an accident recently. Since he had no close relatives, some people claiming to be government officials, relatives, or friends divided his assets among themselves.”

He observed her expression carefully.

He continued, “Because I had some connections, I got to pick through some leftover things.”

His expression turned troubled gradually.

He rubbed a green gemstone ring on his thumb with his right hand.

“Of course, as a price, I was saddled with some troublesome things… this girl is one of them.”

The man paused here, and Wei Qing cooperated and responded promptly.

She asks, “What are you trying to say?”

He exhaled heavily.

“As a poor merchant, I sell anything usable. Business has always gone smoothly. For slave trading, if it’s strong laborers, that’s understandable, but a kid like this? I can’t find a trustworthy buyer quickly. Selling her off hastily might mean a loss, since human trafficking is somewhat tricky.”

He smiled and said, “I considered just getting rid of her or abandoning her, but some conscience nagged at me. Then I remembered you, Doctor, and how you saved me once.”

He patted the girl’s shoulder, signaling her to step forward slightly.

Wei Qing observed her closely.

The girl looked excessively frail.

The man’s hand on her shoulder seemed oppressive.

The girl remained silent and obedient beside him while he spoke.

Her head lowered; she didn’t move even when he mentioned “getting rid” or “abandoning” her.

He continued, “Since you still live alone, like back then, I might be meddling, but I think your life must feel somewhat lonely, right?”

His voice paused, probably dry from talking.

He licked his lips and went on, “This is sudden, but would you take her in?”

Wei Qing’s eyelids twitched slightly.

She felt he hinted at something.

He adds, “If you need an assistant for your work, that’d be even better. These scars are troublesome, but luckily her face is untouched. If she covers up properly, no one would notice.”

The girl’s eyelids stayed lowered.

Her bare feet were red and swollen, with tiny cuts from rubbing.

The man’s glossy black leather shoes shone brightly beside them.

What a bizarre situation.

Wei Qing squinted her eyes.

Wei Qing’s mind wandered briefly.

She felt like a giant screen appeared before her, displaying two big options: accept or reject.

This felt familiar, increasingly so.

Honestly, based purely on personal morals, she didn’t have much kindness.

She certainly wasn’t compassionate enough to take in a random person.

In the past, she might have helped by calling the police or offering financial aid if needed, but now…

That sense of familiarity grew clearer.

After pondering for a while, she finally had a dawning realization.

She asked softly, “What’s your name?”

Her gaze swept over the girl’s head.

She noticed the girl’s skull looked nicely shaped.

While distracted, she tried to meet the girl’s always-lowered eyes, signaling she was speaking to her.

She asks again, louder this time, “What’s your name?”

Her signal worked.

The frail girl’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

She met Wei Qing’s eyes silently and slowly.

For a brief few seconds, Wei Qing noticed her long, light-colored eyelashes.

She finally saw the full view of those gray-blue eyes.

They were beautiful, with a unique misty gray color, deepening outward into a profound gray-blue, lovely and mysterious.

Wei Qing blinked her eyes.

She sensed something odd in the girl’s gaze, though she couldn’t name it.

They stared at each other silently for a while.

She almost thought the question would go unanswered.

She frowned slightly and prepared to stand up.

The girl moved her pale lips slowly as Wei Qing stood.

At first, no sound came, but then a very faint, hoarse voice emerged softly.

She says, “Hello… my name is…”

“…Sylvi.”

Wei Qing strained to hear her faint voice.

She barely caught the words.

Syl…vi?

Wei Qing’s expression turned subtle, but she kept her composure.

She smiled at the girl gently, stood up, and took a deep breath.

She smiled at the man and said, “I might actually need an assistant.”

Good grief, she realized where she was.