"Your older brother is busy, what does that have to do with you all becoming beggars again?" Xie Xin asked Xiao Zeng with a mocking smile, watching his earnest expression.
Xiao Zeng: "Older brother is busy, so he naturally has no way to help us find work..."
"Your older brother has no time, so none of you work and continue to beg. If we go by your logic," Xie Xin smiled, "you all wouldn't be able to live without your older brother."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what do you mean? Anyway, when I came here, all I saw on the streets were beggars. To put it bluntly," Xie Xin leaned forward, meeting Xiao Zeng's eyes, "if they had their own work, they wouldn't have been killed."
"Xie Xin, you're going too far."
"Too far?" Xie Xin shook her head slightly. "I don't think I'm going too far. On the contrary, I think everything I'm saying is reasonable. Also, I'm older than you, you should call me 'sister'."
"Most of the beggars who died were older than you. What do you think of them when you say this..." Xiao Zeng's eyes were firm, "Do you respect them?" xxs壹贰
"You little brat, you're quite calculating."
"It's not that I'm calculating, it's that I'm speaking the truth."
"You..."
"Many shop owners here are unwilling to take in beggars like us, and some of them just like to beg from others to gain emotional comfort."
"Why beg from others for emotional comfort?" Xie Xin said, "Your words are contradictory, aren't they?"
"I'm just saying what I want to say."
"Then, when you deceive others for sympathy and ask for their hard-earned silver, do you think you are right?"
"I..."
"You are young, so I won't say much. But I really don't understand those adults who have arms and legs but still beg from others. Just as you said, most of those beggars are older than me. For this reason alone, I can't respect them."
"You... just don't understand."
"I don't understand. If I did, I wouldn't be trying to persuade you. Anyway," Xie Xin picked up her teacup, "I just fancy you. I'll give you time to consider."
"I would never follow you."
"That's your business."
"...." Xiao Zeng snorted lightly, glared at Xie Xin, and stood up.
Xie Xin: "Where are you going?"
"Looking at you, I'd rather go see Mu Anxiao," Xiao Zeng said, turning and walking away.
Xie Xin curled her lips and took a sip of water.
The courtyard.
Mu Anxiao pulled Wan Sha and leaned against the well together.
Wan Sha looked tiredly at the silent Yin Cha squatting by a tree and asked, "Mu Anxiao, what's wrong with him?"
Mu Anxiao: "He's looking for an entrance." She glanced at the Yin Cha.
"Then he should at least move a little."
"Whether he wants to move or not is his business. Aren't you meddling too much?" Mu Anxiao glanced at Wan Sha, then turned to look at Xiao Zeng who was walking over. "Aren't you afraid of me?"
Immediately, Xiao Zeng stopped beside Mu Anxiao, squatted down, and said, "You're not as scary as Xie Xin."
"Why do you say that?"
At the same time, Wan Sha also shifted her gaze to Xiao Zeng's face, "Kid, be careful Mu Anxiao doesn't kill you."
"...." Xiao Zeng looked at Wan Sha, hesitated for a few seconds, and said, "Do you understand what kind of person she is?"
"Why should I understand her?" Wan Sha retorted.
Xiao Zeng: "Never mind why, do you understand?"
"Of course, I don't understand."
"If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense," Xiao Zeng said, looking at Mu Anxiao, "Xie Xin looks down on us."
"What do you mean?"
"She said we are useless beggars, and she said..."
"Begging is indeed useless. What she said is not wrong. But speaking of which," Mu Anxiao chuckled, "we beggars do earn more than them."
"You..."
"Don't care about others' opinions, just be happy. Anyway, it's not easy for us; we have to deal with all sorts of people and are sometimes bullied by local ruffians." Mu Anxiao couldn't help but recall her past, sighing, "In short, whatever she says, just let it go in one ear and out the other."
"..." Xiao Zeng smiled.
Wan Sha: "Mu Anxiao, you have such a good mindset. Even when people look down on you, you're still like this."
"Who is born without being looked down upon? Dare you say," Mu Anxiao said seriously, "that everyone looks up to you."
"...." Wan Sha was rendered speechless by Mu Anxiao.
Xiao Zeng nodded, "You're right."
"Don't be angry anymore, sit down." Mu Anxiao waved her hand.
Immediately, Xiao Zeng consciously sat beside Mu Anxiao and said, "She said she wants to take me with her and recognize me as her younger brother."
Back then, when Mu Anxiao was begging, she wished someone could help her escape that kind of life.
Finally, she met Shen Yan, and her life changed drastically. To this day, she still didn't know if it was luck or misfortune.
In short, for her, the only way to escape danger was to meet a benefactor, and what kind of person that benefactor was, she had to experience herself.
Therefore, as someone who had been through it, she thought this might be an opportunity for Xiao Zeng.
Thus, she said excitedly, "Agree!"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because," Xiao Zeng lowered his eyes slightly, "what if my mother comes back and can't find me?"
"Your mother abandoned you. Do you think she'll look for you?"
"I don't know, but," Xiao Zeng's eyes darkened, "I just want to wait for her."
Unrealistic hope would eventually bring stinging disappointment.
In the past, Mu Anxiao had fantasized countless times about meeting her parents again, about their joyful reunion.
She had also fantasized countless times about waking up with her mother sitting beside her, saying, "Where have you been? You worried me to death."
She had held onto those hopes in her heart for a full year, even giving up the chance to be adopted during that time.
But what she finally received was a burden too heavy for her small body to bear.
Now, whenever she thought of herself back then, her nose would sting.
Who knew that Xiao Zeng was just like her back then.
Thinking about it, her heart sank, and she said resolutely, "Your mother won't come."
"She will," Xiao Zeng said excitedly.
Then, Mu Anxiao recounted her past to Xiao Zeng in detail, saying, "This is my past. Isn't it very similar to yours?"
"You waited for a year?"
"Yes. I originally planned to wait for two years, but... I grew taller, and my clothes became too small. So, in order to get new clothes, I started a new life."
"You are so pathetic."
"Not as pathetic as you."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I brought it upon myself. You, on the other hand, were completely abandoned." Mu Anxiao had long since grown indifferent to all of it, so she said these words without any emotional turmoil.
Xiao Zeng: "...." He lowered his head.