He'd rather run than be turned into a cannon fodder for the broken engagement.

The child: "..." What bad luck.

He suffered internal injuries and could only hold his breath, unable to speak, for if he did, the blood stuck in his throat would spurt out.

Looking at the tips of a pair of cloth shoes that had stopped in front of him, the child slowly raised his head and looked at Leng Huan's dark, grimy... pitiful face, which was rather ugly.

Leng Huan can draw as ugly as she wants now. When she gets up early to work, she just draws randomly in front of a small mirror.

Completely unaware that he was in an eyesore, Leng Huan squatted down and poked the child's shoulder, asking, "Are you alright?"

Seeing that he didn't speak, Leng Huan asked again, "Do you want me to take you to see a doctor?"

"..."

The two remained silent for a moment, then Leng Huan suddenly realized: "So you're mute?!"

"Come on, let me help you, let's go see a doctor..." He reached out his hand, but the child seemed to have a complicated expression. He moved his lips and made a whimper. The next second, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Leng Huan: "..."

"Cough cough... I'm not mute..." The child coughed until he could cough it up before uttering this sentence.

Leng Huan chuckled awkwardly, watching the child slowly use the wall to push himself up... "Thump—"

The child, trembling, didn't last a second before falling down again.

“…Don’t push yourself.” Leng Huan helped him up, only then realizing that he looked to be less than ten years old and only reached her shoulder.

The child struggled for a moment, but was subdued by Leng Huan's force. She couldn't help but laugh, deliberately lowering her voice to tease him:

"You're quite stubborn, little brother..."

Child: "..."

—

There weren't many people in the clinic, and it was soon Leng Huan and his group's turn.

The child didn't want to see a doctor, saying he would be fine after resting. Leng Huan saw that he was vomiting blood and was afraid that he had internal injuries, so he dragged him here.

The doctor took her pulse and his eyebrows relaxed: "It's not a big problem, just a minor internal injury. Go home and rest well, avoid strenuous activity, and take a couple of doses of medicine to regulate your Qi and blood..."

The child's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything.

Leng Huan breathed a sigh of relief. Tsk, he thought, "I've gone all the way."

"I have no money," the child said indifferently.

"It's alright, I'll pay for you first. Your health is a big deal, we can't delay!" Leng Huan paid the medical bill, which totaled 250 yuan.

Leng Huan, who was no longer an unconventional person, immediately gasped. Medical treatment was so expensive!

The two walked out of the clinic.

They went to a tea stall, ordered two bowls of water, and Leng Huan took out the cornbread he had bought earlier and handed it to the child, saying, "Make do with this, I don't have much money left."

After looking at the multigrain steamed buns for a while, the child hesitated for a moment, then took one, imitated Leng Huan, took a bite, drank some water, and slowly ate it.

Leng Huan looked up at the rising sun, then at the child he had just met, and realized that the child's face was swollen, ruining his once handsome appearance.

She borrowed some cold water from the shop owner, wet a cloth, and handed it to the child: "You can apply a cold compress to your face to reduce the swelling."

The child didn't say anything this time, only looked at her with his clear eyes, and silently took the cloth and placed it on the side of his face.

He looked childish, but his eyes were calm. He sat still, his whole being as serene as a blue stone. His features were outstanding. Leng Huan thought to herself, "This little boy has some of my style back then. He'll be a handsome guy when he grows up!"

"Uh..." Lost in thought for a moment, Leng Huan choked on the steamed bun. He quickly drank a lot of water, pounding his chest with his fists. It took him a while to swallow it down. Then he gulped down several more mouthfuls of water.

"..." The child seemed to be staring at her with a look of disgust, his gaze landing on her chest. He paused almost imperceptibly for two seconds before naturally looking away.

Leng Huan let out a long sigh, "It's like even drinking water can cause problems..."

You could choke to death even eating a cornbread!

Ignoring the child's gaze, Leng Huan asked, "Let's get to know each other. What's your name?"

“...Ah Xun”.

"Ah Xun? What's your surname?"

Ah Xun paused again: "Following my mother's surname, Yin."

Finding his name rather pleasant to pronounce, Leng Huan nodded. "Yin Xun, my name is Leng Huan."

-

After a simple lunch, Leng Huan paid the bill, and the two crossed the river bridge. They stopped; it was time for her to return to Lin Family Village.

"I work at Li's Restaurant and I'm going back to Linjiazhuang now. Where are you going?"

Yin Xun shook his head: "There's nowhere to go."

Leng Huan asked in surprise, "You're so young, where is your home?"

Yin Xun shook his head again: "Both parents are dead, family is destroyed and people are gone."

“…” Leng Huan paused for a moment, “Then, do you want to come back with me?” She was alone now, and she was at ease wherever she was.

Yin Xun's eyes flickered slightly: "Okay, you don't mind taking me along as a burden?"

"What burden? Listen to me, little brother, we're going to be big shots in the future! Be confident." Leng Huan patted his shoulder, the highest form of affirmation a straight man can offer.

Yin Xun twitched the corner of her mouth, looked at the slender hand on her shoulder, and ultimately said nothing more.

"Let's go buy a roast chicken and go back to see Granny Zhou and Sang Biao!"

-

Carrying their belongings, Leng Huan had the child ride in the oxcart, and she rode in as well. The two of them paid three copper coins for the fare.

She didn't want to take the bus. She had been going back and forth so many times every day, working and walking all this way, and her feet had developed thin calluses. She had already developed them.

The original owner never experienced the harsh winters or sweltering summers because he didn't train his body. There are huge differences between people. Leng Huan gets up earlier than the rooster and goes to bed later than the dog, all for a few more copper coins.

However, she refused to take the car, and Yin Xun also refused to take the car, as he was still injured. Leng Huan had no choice but to take the car back with him.

Leng Huan sighed silently, never imagining that he would ever be short of money.

Yin Xun had been subtly observing her, and after some observation, he concluded that she had changed a lot—her personality, temperament, and behavior were all completely different from before. She must have suffered a lot; her courage in running away from home alone without hesitation was commendable.

He suddenly asked, "Leng Huan, are there only two people in your family? Who is Sang Biao?" The name sounded like a bad person, and Yin Xun frowned.

Leng Huan patted his shoulder: "You have to call me Brother Huan." No, Leng Huan with his full name.

"Grandma Zhou is my neighbor, and she's been very kind to me. As for Sang Biao... you'll find out when you get there."

Yin Xun stared at her suspiciously.

Seeing that she didn't say anything, he couldn't help but feel a bit curious about Sang Biao, as well as a strange dislike for him.

—

The oxcart was slow; it took them sixty li (about 30 kilometers) to reach dusk.

Linjiazhuang boasts beautiful scenery, with green waters reflecting green mountains and fields interspersed with green and yellow hues. Occasionally, a white water bird takes flight, adding a finishing touch to the picturesque landscape.

The sun was already setting in the west, and wisps of smoke rose from the farmhouses as they began cooking, while travelers slowly made their way home from afar.

"Grandma Zhou, I'm back!" Leng Huan shouted into the bamboo fence yard. Her voice was clear and melodious, and anyone could tell that it belonged to a beautiful woman.

Yin Xun remained silent, as if he hadn't noticed anything amiss.

"Woof woof! Woof woof woof..."

A little while later, a chubby little dog ran out of the yard and ran towards Leng Huan, affectionately circling around her feet. Leng Huan squatted down and rubbed the dog's head, and she heard it happily call out, "Sang Biao, did you miss me? I missed you so much."

She picked up the chubby dog ​​again, raised a paw and waved it at Yin Xun: "Sang Biao, look, we have a guest!"

Yin Xun's expression froze, then gradually went blank: "..."

What a scoundrel!

Just then, Granny Zhou finally came out. "Xiao Huan, you're back." She paused for a moment when she saw Yin Xun, then asked, "And this is...?"

“Grandma, his name is Yin Xun. He was bullied today and had nowhere to go, so I brought him back… Um, let him stay in my little house today, and I will…” Halfway through her sentence, Leng Huan suddenly remembered that she was still pretending to be a man, and she should be staying in the same room as Yin Xun.

She was suddenly stunned...

Yin Xun looked over with calm eyes, then suddenly smiled, "I can stay with Huan-ge."

Grandma Zhou glanced at Leng Huan: "...Alright then."

Yin Xun was just a child who hadn't even grown up yet, so staying one night wouldn't be a problem. She wiped her hands, hunched over, and went back to the kitchen to serve the dishes.

"Xiao Huan, you guys get ready for dinner. I remembered the date; I specially made crucian carp and tofu soup since you're coming back today. Eat more."

Grandma Zhou was so thoughtful, and Leng Huan was very touched. The old woman would always wait for Leng Huan to come back so that she could eat the food that she herself couldn't bear to eat.

Leng Huan smiled and said, "I can smell the aroma, Grandma Zhou! Your cooking skills have improved even more!"

"Grandma, I also brought a roast chicken, just in time for our guests today."

Which cook doesn't like to be praised for their culinary skills? Grandma Zhou smiled broadly and repeatedly said, "Great!"

The food was served, and surprisingly, there was white rice today. Leng Huan felt even more heartbroken. How long had it been since she had a proper meal? Looking at Granny Zhou's aged face, Leng Huan felt that she was truly kind and compassionate.

This old man was more like a bodhisattva than the kind-faced bodhisattvas in temples; he was her savior.

"Grandma, try this roast chicken. It tastes great, the meat is tender and not dry at all..."

Leng Huan personally picked up a chicken leg for the old man and gave the other chicken leg to Yin Xun, who was a child and still injured, so he should have some nourishment.

Grandma Zhou took a bite and suddenly exclaimed, "This must be from Luo's Roast Chicken Shop, right? It's been decades. I can't believe the shop is still around..." Some of the people are no longer here.

Leng Huan didn't understand what she meant: "Yes, it's a time-honored brand."

"Yin Xun, come here, Grandma's cooking is excellent, try the fish soup."

"..." Yin Xun glanced at her silently, feeling a little overwhelmed by her enthusiasm. Looking at Leng Huan now, she felt like a different person. The once aloof young lady had become considerate.

"Why are you looking at me? Go eat your food." Leng Huan glanced at him and continued picking fish bones from Granny Zhou's bones.

Leng Huan, who used to be carefree and never cared about others, has finally learned to pick fish bones for others.

Grandma Zhou smiled and looked at Yin Xun: "Hey, little Xun, you should eat too. Don't be shy, eat more and take good care of your injuries."

"..." Yin Xun nodded politely to her: "Thank you, Grandma."

The banquet was simple, but both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves.