In the distance was prosperity, below was dilapidation.
The slums were shrouded in the long night. The population was dense, yet few lights in front of the doors, everyone had closed up early.
The winding alleys were tattered, with garbage scattered everywhere, and the black ditches gave off a foul stench of feces and urine.
The little boy dragged two mismatched shoes, walking past houses, his two little hands that he had deliberately washed clean were tightly clutching two chocolate cakes bought from the market. Clutching them tightly.
One of the shoes suddenly fell off, the boy's pace dragged.
He didn't want to lose this hard-won pair of good shoes.
So he stopped, stretched his little foot back, and hooked the shoe back. His fearful eyes glanced back.
Upon seeing the weapon in the man's hand, he clutched the chocolate cakes even tighter, he was extremely afraid.
He dragged his shoes and continued walking forward.
His footsteps made a clacking sound.
Behind him the tall, dark shadow accompanied him as he walked.
The man's shadow completely enveloped the little boy in darkness. The surroundings were silent, occasionally one could hear sounds of talking from the homes they passed.
Yet all along the way, the little boy did not encounter anyone.
The dark shadow followed the little boy further and further to the right...
In the small house.
Qin Hanyue carefully washed Qiao Ying's hands and feet.
Looking at the girl's much thinner face, he felt a pang of distress.
"Tomorrow I'll have that brat go buy some meat to make soup, to supplement your nutrition," Qin Hanyue said.
Qiao Ying didn't even look at him, thinking to herself: might as well not bother.
Qin Hanyue fully understood her silence, speaking to her in a coaxing, smiling tone: "It will definitely taste better than the chicken soup from the past few days."
Qiao Ying gave him a look.
Qin Hanyue then asked her: "That brat, do you plan to keep him by your side?"
Yet Qiao Ying asked him: "Are there better places for him to go?"
Qin Hanyue: "Of course there are, but I need to consult your opinion."
Qiao Ying looked at him with a half-smile: "What does Mr. Qin have in mind?"
Qin Hanyue spoke bluntly: "Although that brat is small in size, his ambitions are big. In another three to four years, he can put them into action."
That brat was already currying favor from Qiao Ying now.
Whenever Qin Hanyue thought about how he was spending money and effort raising this brat, feeding him and educating him every day,
yet the brat was eating his food, drinking his drink, while hoping day and night that he and Qiao Ying would break up so the brat could take advantage of the opportunity.
He would spend three to four years of effort raising a handsome young man for the girl he liked? Just thinking about it made him want to crush the brat.
This was like planting landmines for himself, raising a romantic rival for himself.
Although the brat was skinny and small, his features were not bad, fair and clean, and he knew how to make girls happy and spoke bluntly.
The perceptive Qiao Ying: "Putting what kind of actions into play?"
Qin Hanyue, stewing in sourness over a mere child: "Miss Qiao is so clever, do you still need me to remind you?"
Qiao Ying: "When he went out to play this afternoon he also said he would bring back a chocolate cake for you today."
Qin Hanyue: "I don't want to eat his cake. Besides, are you sure he didn't bring two cakes just for you?"
Qiao Ying: "This kid lacks affection. If you nod your head, he would probably be very willing to call you father."
Qin Hanyue laughed, his words implied deeper meaning: "If you are willing to make up for the motherly affection he lacks, I can accept that."
After all Qiao Ying was still young, it would be inappropriate for him to directly tell her to be like a mother to that brat.
Qin Hanyue: "Then his destination can be easily arranged."
Qiao Ying didn't speak, only extended her hand slightly from under the covers, revealing the short knife.
Qin Hanyue's eyes were dazzled by the knife's glint.
This silent warning made him want to laugh and cry. Looking at Qiao Ying's fair little face, he thought to himself: how can she be so cute?
His tone was sincere, his heart itched as he made a request: "I want to make a request."
His gaze was also sincere.
Qiao Ying looked at him expressionlessly.
Qin Hanyue: "You probably won't agree to it, so..."
As he spoke, he leaned over and swiftly kissed Qiao Ying's cheek: "I'm willing to bear all the consequences."
Ever since that night when he had kissed her neck, Qin Hanyue knew that he shouldn't expect to be intimate with her for a long time.
He was also prepared to endure the cold treatment.
But suddenly a bold, affectionate little brat showed up, which truly made him want to stamp his feet in irritation, making his heart sour for several days.
Suddenly the girl he loved was stirred emotionally by someone else, Qin Hanyue really couldn't restrain his feelings and had to find some comfort despite the danger to his life.
Qiao Ying: "You really aren't afraid to die."
For the first time, Qin Hanyue was fearless and bold: "Not afraid."
He looked at her calmly, seeing that Qiao Ying's eyes seemed to be debating whether or not to stab him. Laughing gently, he waited for her verdict.
Qiao Ying withdrew her gaze from his face, ignoring him. She turned to look at the tattered little window instead, saying: "That brat still hasn't come back."
Qin Hanyue slowly wiped the smile from his face, saying: "I'll go out to look for him."
Qiao Ying: "Let's go together."
Qiao Ying was now able to get out of bed. As long as she was careful not to tear her wounds, she could move around appropriately.
Qin Hanyue carefully helped her up and put on her shoes.
After turning off the lights, the two stepped into the darkness.
Qin Hanyue held her hand, walking half a step faster in front to lead the way.
Under the night,
two silhouettes cautiously threaded through the silent slums.
And right after they had left,
another shadow appeared outside the small house.
The slums were huge. Qin Hanyue led Qiao Ying towards the market area to search, almost walking out of the entire slums without seeing anyone.
Both of them sensed something was wrong.
Qiao Ying turned around, looking to the right.
The two made eye contact in the darkness, their thoughts aligning.
To the far right of the slums, the east side, was a massive garbage dump, the place where the local children loved to come.
The garbage here had been turned over and searched through who knows how many times. Before Qin Hanyue and the others arrived, the little boy would spend most of his days at this garbage dump every day.
Even before arriving, one could smell the overpowering stench rising to the sky.
Not far from the garbage dump was an area with collapsed houses.
Those past few days, the little boy had been sleeping in one of those collapsed little houses — one that had not fully collapsed.
But it only retained some semblance of a structure. No roof, some missing walls.
Qin Hanyue led Qiao Ying to first head towards that small house that could barely provide shelter from the cold wind. As soon as they approached, they saw a mismatched shoe had fallen at the door.
That was the little boy's most satisfactory spoils of war after rummaging through the garbage heap all afternoon, which he had proudly shown off to Qiao Ying as well.
Qin Hanyue's footsteps faltered as he had an ominous guess.
Qiao Ying let go of his hand and strode forward.
Qin Hanyue hurried to catch up to her.
Inside the dilapidated little broken house, the ground was covered in mud and rocks that had fallen from the collapsed roof. The only intact triangular area had a cardboard laid on the floor, that had been the little boy's bed the past few nights —
And in front of that "bed", the little boy lay motionless on the ground, one shoe still on his foot.
The bloody scent emanating from his body was obscured by the stench of garbage.
His two little hands were tightly clutching two chocolate cakes, one of which was for Qin Hanyue.
In the distance was prosperity, below was dilapidation.
The slums were shrouded in the long night. The population was dense, yet few lights in front of the doors, everyone had closed up early.
The winding alleys were tattered, with garbage scattered everywhere, and the black ditches gave off a foul stench of feces and urine.
The little boy dragged two mismatched shoes, walking past houses, his two little hands that he had deliberately washed clean were tightly clutching two chocolate cakes bought from the market. Clutching them tightly.
One of the shoes suddenly fell off, the boy's pace dragged.
He didn't want to lose this hard-won pair of good shoes.
So he stopped, stretched his little foot back, and hooked the shoe back. His fearful eyes glanced back.
Upon seeing the weapon in the man's hand, he clutched the chocolate cakes even tighter, he was extremely afraid.
He dragged his shoes and continued walking forward.
His footsteps made a clacking sound.
Behind him the tall, dark shadow accompanied him as he walked.
The man's shadow completely enveloped the little boy in darkness. The surroundings were silent, occasionally one could hear sounds of talking from the homes they passed.
Yet all along the way, the little boy did not encounter anyone.
The dark shadow followed the little boy further and further to the right...
In the small house.
Qin Hanyue carefully washed Qiao Ying's hands and feet.
Looking at the girl's much thinner face, he felt a pang of distress.
"Tomorrow I'll have that brat go buy some meat to make soup, to supplement your nutrition," Qin Hanyue said.
Qiao Ying didn't even look at him, thinking to herself: might as well not bother.
Qin Hanyue fully understood her silence, speaking to her in a coaxing, smiling tone: "It will definitely taste better than the chicken soup from the past few days."
Qiao Ying gave him a look.
Qin Hanyue then asked her: "That brat, do you plan to keep him by your side?"
Yet Qiao Ying asked him: "Are there better places for him to go?"
Qin Hanyue: "Of course there are, but I need to consult your opinion."
Qiao Ying looked at him with a half-smile: "What does Mr. Qin have in mind?"
Qin Hanyue spoke bluntly: "Although that brat is small in size, his ambitions are big. In another three to four years, he can put them into action."
That brat was already currying favor from Qiao Ying now.
Whenever Qin Hanyue thought about how he was spending money and effort raising this brat, feeding him and educating him every day,
yet the brat was eating his food, drinking his drink, while hoping day and night that he and Qiao Ying would break up so the brat could take advantage of the opportunity.
He would spend three to four years of effort raising a handsome young man for the girl he liked? Just thinking about it made him want to crush the brat.
This was like planting landmines for himself, raising a romantic rival for himself.
Although the brat was skinny and small, his features were not bad, fair and clean, and he knew how to make girls happy and spoke bluntly.
The perceptive Qiao Ying: "Putting what kind of actions into play?"
Qin Hanyue, stewing in sourness over a mere child: "Miss Qiao is so clever, do you still need me to remind you?"
Qiao Ying: "When he went out to play this afternoon he also said he would bring back a chocolate cake for you today."
Qin Hanyue: "I don't want to eat his cake. Besides, are you sure he didn't bring two cakes just for you?"
Qiao Ying: "This kid lacks affection. If you nod your head, he would probably be very willing to call you father."
Qin Hanyue laughed, his words implied deeper meaning: "If you are willing to make up for the motherly affection he lacks, I can accept that."
After all Qiao Ying was still young, it would be inappropriate for him to directly tell her to be like a mother to that brat.
Qin Hanyue: "Then his destination can be easily arranged."
Qiao Ying didn't speak, only extended her hand slightly from under the covers, revealing the short knife.
Qin Hanyue's eyes were dazzled by the knife's glint.
This silent warning made him want to laugh and cry. Looking at Qiao Ying's fair little face, he thought to himself: how can she be so cute?
His tone was sincere, his heart itched as he made a request: "I want to make a request."
His gaze was also sincere.
Qiao Ying looked at him expressionlessly.
Qin Hanyue: "You probably won't agree to it, so..."
As he spoke, he leaned over and swiftly kissed Qiao Ying's cheek: "I'm willing to bear all the consequences."
Ever since that night when he had kissed her neck, Qin Hanyue knew that he shouldn't expect to be intimate with her for a long time.
He was also prepared to endure the cold treatment.
But suddenly a bold, affectionate little brat showed up, which truly made him want to stamp his feet in irritation, making his heart sour for several days.
Suddenly the girl he loved was stirred emotionally by someone else, Qin Hanyue really couldn't restrain his feelings and had to find some comfort despite the danger to his life.
Qiao Ying: "You really aren't afraid to die."
For the first time, Qin Hanyue was fearless and bold: "Not afraid."
He looked at her calmly, seeing that Qiao Ying's eyes seemed to be debating whether or not to stab him. Laughing gently, he waited for her verdict.
Qiao Ying withdrew her gaze from his face, ignoring him. She turned to look at the tattered little window instead, saying: "That brat still hasn't come back."
Qin Hanyue slowly wiped the smile from his face, saying: "I'll go out to look for him."
Qiao Ying: "Let's go together."
Qiao Ying was now able to get out of bed. As long as she was careful not to tear her wounds, she could move around appropriately.
Qin Hanyue carefully helped her up and put on her shoes.
After turning off the lights, the two stepped into the darkness.
Qin Hanyue held her hand, walking half a step faster in front to lead the way.
Under the night,
two silhouettes cautiously threaded through the silent slums.
And right after they had left,
another shadow appeared outside the small house.
The slums were huge. Qin Hanyue led Qiao Ying towards the market area to search, almost walking out of the entire slums without seeing anyone.
Both of them sensed something was wrong.
Qiao Ying turned around, looking to the right.
The two made eye contact in the darkness, their thoughts aligning.
To the far right of the slums, the east side, was a massive garbage dump, the place where the local children loved to come.
The garbage here had been turned over and searched through who knows how many times. Before Qin Hanyue and the others arrived, the little boy would spend most of his days at this garbage dump every day.
Even before arriving, one could smell the overpowering stench rising to the sky.
Not far from the garbage dump was an area with collapsed houses.
Those past few days, the little boy had been sleeping in one of those collapsed little houses — one that had not fully collapsed.
But it only retained some semblance of a structure. No roof, some missing walls.
Qin Hanyue led Qiao Ying to first head towards that small house that could barely provide shelter from the cold wind. As soon as they approached, they saw a mismatched shoe had fallen at the door.
That was the little boy's most satisfactory spoils of war after rummaging through the garbage heap all afternoon, which he had proudly shown off to Qiao Ying as well.
Qin Hanyue's footsteps faltered as he had an ominous guess.
Qiao Ying let go of his hand and strode forward.
Qin Hanyue hurried to catch up to her.
Inside the dilapidated little broken house, the ground was covered in mud and rocks that had fallen from the collapsed roof. The only intact triangular area had a cardboard laid on the floor, that had been the little boy's bed the past few nights —
And in front of that "bed", the little boy lay motionless on the ground, one shoe still on his foot.
The bloody scent emanating from his body was obscured by the stench of garbage.
His two little hands were tightly clutching two chocolate cakes, one of which was for Qin Hanyue.
