The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

I hope you're not lying to me.

Xu Nian carefully put away the fake certificate, gave him a warning glare, and turned to leave the black market.

After getting the certificate, Xu Nian only had a few coins left in her pocket.

I need to find work today, otherwise I'm afraid I won't make it to tomorrow.

Xu Nian rubbed his aching stomach. He had only eaten a little bit each day for several days in a row, and his stomach had been protesting for days.

The black market in Yuncheng is huge, and all sorts of strange and wonderful things are sold there.

Whether it's something that can be made public or something that can't, as long as you have money, you can get it here.

It is said that the black market boss has a very powerful backer.

However, Xu Nian was not interested in these things. He only glanced at them briefly before heading towards the job market.

Along the way, he saw many homeless people kneeling on the ground begging.

Begging is not allowed in the city, so they can only huddle in this gray area where someone is protecting them, begging for a little kindness from passersby.

There are elderly men with graying temples, disabled people who have lost their ability to work, and seriously ill patients.

They are both genuine and fake, making it difficult to discern who truly needs help.

Xu Nian heard that some elderly people who own several properties and collect rent would pretend to be poor and beg.

And even more of them are children who earn money by performing.

"Okay! Okay! One more!"

Xu Nian was drawn to a lively scene and pushed his way through the crowd.

A little girl who had lost both arms was seen biting a stone pillar fixed to the ground, spinning her body in the air.

A man who appeared to be her guardian was standing nearby, smiling and begging for money from the surrounding crowd.

"Bosses, life is tough for our kids, please give us some food. If you give us fifty dollars, we'll give you ten more minutes of free time..."

The sound of coins being tossed into enamel bowls was incessant, accompanied by cheers and applause.

They cheered and applauded, completely captivated by this bizarre performance.

On the other hand, the little girl performing had her forehead soaked with sweat, and her mouth, which was tightly gripping the stone pillar, was trembling uncontrollably.

But the middle-aged man kept urging her to perform quickly and not to spoil the interest of the onlookers.

Xu Nian felt a wave of nausea.

He heard that many children abducted by human traffickers are forced to perform on the streets.

In an effort to grab attention, they even went so far as to cut off a child's hands and feet.

The little girl was about the same age as Xu Xi, and it was unclear whether the middle-aged man beside her was her biological father.

Xu Nian sighed and turned to leave.

Fortunately, Xu Xi won't end up busking on the streets.

Two days ago, the fat policeman called to tell him that he had found Xu Xi's grandfather and that Xu Xi had been sent to her grandfather's place.

Upon learning this, Xu Nian felt relieved, as it was a weight that had been lifted from her shoulders.

He was also a little curious as to why Xu Xi, who clearly had other relatives, would follow him.

Forget it, I should focus on supporting myself first.

Xu Nian gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Forklift operator wanted. Certified applicants only. 200 RMB per day, pay after completion!"

"XX Restaurant is hiring waitresses/waitresses. Females only, good-looking preferred!"

"Master Kang is recruiting assembly line workers. 15 yuan per hour. Must be an adult with good physical strength!"

The job market is never short of positions, and job seekers come in droves.

Larger factories hire buses directly here. You can get on the bus right after the job interview and be taken straight to the factory to work.

"You're thirty-seven this year?"

The HR person wearing glasses glanced at the information on the ID card, then looked up and sized up Xu Nian.

He wore a badge from XX Construction Group on his chest.

Xu Nian nodded.

"Go, carry this bag of bricks on your back, let me see your strength."

Following the direction the HR was pointing, Xu Nian saw a sack full of bricks.

He lifted the bag of bricks slightly and estimated that it weighed almost as much as he did.

Xu Nian exerted a sudden force, his veins bulging, and the bag of bricks slung over his shoulder with a loud thud.

His breathing was regular and his body was steady. Even though he hadn't eaten enough for several days, the bag of bricks posed no problem for him.

"good!"

The HR person gestured for Xu Nian to put down the brick and nodded in satisfaction.

"Our construction site pays 200 yuan a day, from 9 am to 9 pm, with meals and accommodation included. Come with me in a bit to verify your identity information online and you'll be officially hired..."

"Sorry, something came up, I can't go."

Xu Nian snatched the fake ID and quickly left the recruitment booth.

"Hey, hey, don't go, buddy! Two hundred isn't enough? How about two hundred and twenty?... "

"Little Bird Logistics Park is hiring sorters! 8 yuan per hour, paid daily, two shifts. Good eyesight and strong hands preferred. No time-wasters, please!"

"Damn it! Eight yuan an hour? Are you trying to fob me off like a beggar?!"

"Fuck you! You think you're so great? Take it or leave it! If you don't want to do it, plenty of others will!"

The burly man with the megaphone angrily berated the man who was questioning him. Upon seeing the man's imposing physique, the latter quickly shut up and stepped aside.

Does it include meals and accommodation?

Xu Nian leaned forward and asked him.

"No room and board included. You're the first one to inquire today. If you come and work here, I'll give you an extra ten dollars a day as a meal allowance. How about it?"

When Xu Nian asked, the burly man quickly replied.

"Okay, I'll do it. Do I need to register my identity information?"

"Register my ass! Try working for two days straight before we talk about your identity."

The burly man chuckled and patted Xu Nian on the shoulder, then turned and gave the man who had questioned him a provocative look.

See? People still come to do it for eight yuan an hour.

The man glanced at Xu Nian with disdain and spat.

"This is my phone number. You'll start work tomorrow. Add me on WeChat, and I'll send you the factory address."

......

With her work problem resolved, Xu Nian's steps home were much lighter and more cheerful.

As dusk fell, a light rain began to fall.

A light drizzle falls, and the city of Yun at dusk has a unique and beautiful scene.

When he passed by the alley where he met Xu Xi, he paused for a moment, and then, as if possessed, he went inside.

The alleyway looked the same as it had a few days ago; the pile of junk remained exactly as it had been when I left, untouched.

He sat down beside the pile of junk and silently smoked a cigarette.

Xu Xi's image reappeared in his mind.

"Can...can I go with you?"

"I...I have nowhere to go. Uncle, you saved me. You are a good person. I want to go with you."

He shook his head frantically, trying to strip her of her memories.

They're all from the past, why bother thinking about her again?

Was it because she was like a wild child like him? Or was it because she clung to him stubbornly like a leech?

......

"It's you, Xu Nian."

The portly police officer sat at his desk, and when he saw the visitor, he cleared his throat.

Xu Nian nodded and walked to his workstation.

"What difficulties have you encountered?"

Xu Nian shook her head: "Officer, could you tell me where Xu Xi's grandfather lives?"

"Do you want to go see Xu Xi?"

Xu Nian nodded.

The chubby policeman hesitated for a moment, as if he was thinking about something.

He clicked on a few web pages on the computer and entered some information.

"According to regulations, we cannot disclose other citizens' personal information, so I cannot tell you."

"Oh, never mind then, sorry to bother you."

Xu Nian had just gotten up to leave when the fat policeman pushed her back down.

"I'm going out to get a glass of water. Don't look at my computer, those are confidential documents."

He specifically emphasized the words "Don't look at my computer".

Xu Nian only realized what had happened after the fat policeman left.

He rushed to the computer, where the screen displayed the address of an elderly man with the same surname, Xu.