Quenching

Why are you teasing him?

Even the middle-aged man selling them couldn't stand it anymore.

"I……"

Huang Qiaqia felt a tightness in her chest, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. Her eyes reddened. She knew the baby was hungry, but...

"Didn't you take a picture with your phone? Give it to me!"

"Didn't you buy it for the little dinosaur?"

"If you don't eat it, you throw it away, and the little dinosaur will eat it."

"You threw it on the ground, and the little dinosaur ate it. You're not responsible."

"You can throw it in the trash can, and the little dinosaur will pick it up and eat it. That's fine too, the little dinosaur is hungry."

"You little girl, how can you be so insensible?"

"What are you thinking?"

The onlookers shouted out their indignation.

An elderly figure walked steadily over, snatched the food from Huang Qiaqia's hand, turned around, took a big bite, and said solemnly, word by word.

"You bought it for the little dinosaur, but you're worried that he's too young and eating too much sweet stuff will be bad for his baby teeth."

Huang Qiaqia turned her head and looked at the old man with wrinkles on his face, who was happily eating another big bite with his back to the child.

Huang Qiaqia also turned around, leaned closer to the old man, her lips trembling, her eyes filled with apology, and stammered out the truth.

"No, I'm afraid the baby dinosaur's parents will try to extort money from me, so I don't dare to give it to them."

"hehe."

The old man took a bite with relish, the sunlight shining on him, making him exceptionally dazzling.

Huang Qiaqia noticed the old man's shiny gold badge, his pale face, and the bitter tears welling up in his eyes.

Seeing the old man leisurely eating, Huang Qiaqia's tears, which were about to fall, "plop" down. Her heart, like a piece of duckweed, found a home. Her torn emotions were like grasping at a straw for salvation.

Huang Qiaqia grabbed the old man's thin arm and cried out pitifully for help.

"The day before yesterday, at the school gate, I helped up an elderly lady who had fallen, but she said I knocked her down. Yesterday, also at the school gate, a pregnant woman grabbed me first, but her husband said I killed her. Today I saw this lost little dinosaur, he...he...Grandpa, did I do something wrong? Grandpa, was I really wrong?"

A cold wind swept by, and Huang Qiaqia's tender cheeks, so delicate they looked like they could be pinched to release moisture, were gnawed by a dense, persistent pain.

"Haha, some things can diminish, halt, or delay kindness, but hesitant kindness is not the same as indifference or apathy. In fact, both kindness and ugliness have their accomplices, child. The key is, which do you choose to be more carefree?"

"I……"

"Officer, the child is here."

A kind-faced old lady pointed to the little dinosaur, which sat steadily in the policeman's lap.

The large tears on Huang Qiaqia's cheeks were wiped clean by the handkerchief in the old lady's hand.

The old lady took it, and the old man took a bite out of the one in his hand.

"Little girl, you're all dressed up so beautifully, where are you headed?"

"I……"

Huang Qiaqia noticed the badge on the old lady's chest, which was also spotless and shone brightly in the sunlight.

"It's not your fault for not giving alms, but it's a heinous crime to betray the kindness of others. Make them pay back the price for their evil deeds."

The old man took the shopping bag from the old woman's hand, his voice booming.

"Go on a date! Don't let negativity waste your precious youth. Girl, you won't always be alone and vulnerable."

The old lady smiled and tucked Huang Qiaqia's loose hair behind her ear, revealing her pretty face.

Huang Qiaqia sniffed, smiled, and got into a taxi.

The old lady took a bite and smiled sweetly.

"It's so sweet. In my life, I've received a gift from a student."

"Haha, let's go, Professor."

The elderly couple walked together through the gates of Kong Xi University.

******

In the restaurant, Huang Qiaqia saw a man dressed in black, wearing sunglasses and leaning on a cane, being seated at the table next to her by the staff.

Huang Qiaqia's gaze was drawn to the small pocket watch in the man's hand. Tilting her head, she gradually leaned forward, looking at the engraved pattern on the watch, which resembled daisies, marigolds, and...

With a "clatter," the pocket watch in the man's hand accidentally fell to the ground. Huang Qiaqia's eyes followed the pocket watch. The man bent down to pick up the pocket watch, but unexpectedly kicked it with his toe, and the pocket watch was kicked onto the sofa.

Huang Qiaqia sat up straight, looked away, and looked back at the door. The road was slippery today, and she got into a taxi, but soon got stuck in traffic. Was Wanli Fuguang also stuck on the road?

Huang Qiaqia puffed out her cheeks and slowly held back her tears, taking a sip of water. Wanli Fuguang was still nowhere to be seen at the door.

Huang Qiaqia lightly touched the ground with her heels, spread the napkin on her lap, and glanced at the man beside her. Was he also waiting for his lover? Hmm? Where was she? A pocket watch, still nowhere to be found.

Huang Qiaqia searched carefully and found the man kneeling on the floor, groping around. His pocket watch was under the sofa. What was he looking for? He…

Huang Qiaqia's brow twitched slightly. She blinked, put the napkin back on the table, went around behind the sofa, lay down on the floor with her face pressed to the ground, stretched out her arm, and pushed the pocket watch to the man's side. Yes, a little to the left... Yes, yes... Great! The man touched the pocket watch and laughed.

Huang Qiaqia, who was lying on the ground, pulled back her arms, looked up, and bumped into a pair of feet.

The waiter serving the food bent down and asked curiously.

"Guest, you..."

Just as the shop assistant was about to speak, Huang Qiaqia quickly shook her head, put her index finger to her lips, and pointed at the man who picked up the pocket watch.

The shop assistant smiled, nodded, and brought over a warm, damp towel to wipe Huang Qiaqia's not-too-dirty sleeves.

Wanli Fuguang, who had witnessed Huang Qiaqia helping the blind person, looked at the photo on his phone of Huang Qiaqia lying on the floor with his arm under the sofa. He smiled, his face full of tenderness and affection, and strode into the restaurant.

A slight smile flickered in Wanli Fuguang's eyes.

"Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

"Roast duck, rock oysters, almond tofu, milk cake, white clay cheese, mahjong sugar cake, baklava."

After Huang Qiaqia made his order, he handed the menu to Wanli Fuguang.

Wanli Fuguang gestured to the shop assistant to take the menu, picked up his water glass, and asked Huang Qiaqia.

"Is the water cold?"

Huang Qiaqia put down her water glass.

"Not cold, lukewarm water."

Wanli Fuguang poured some water from his cup onto his hand and said softly.

"Come closer."

Huang Qiaqia leaned forward, blinking her big eyes, not understanding what Wanli Fuguang was going to do.

Why is your face dirty?

Wanli Fuguang's hand gently touched the dust on Huang Qiaqia's left cheek, and her fair face instantly turned as red and hot as if it were on fire.

"My face...that...is dirty...um..."

Huang Qiaqia rubbed his right cheek vigorously with his bare hand.

"The right cheek is clean."

Wanli Fuguang handed the water glass to the shop assistant, pulled down Huang Qiaqia's right hand that was rubbing her face, gently held it, and slowly inquired.

"Want to tell me why you were late the other day?"