Wang Bu had lived in an orphanage and was bullied so badly that he ran away to become a homeless person. He had experienced almost every kind of hardship.
But since the Wen siblings joined him in the bamboo shed, he suddenly realized that life wasn’t all suffering.
Every morning, the early-rising girl would drag them to the market, and after a round of shopping, they would have a good haul, so they no longer needed to steal or rob for food and drink.
Wen Shuying could read. He would read the news from newspapers he found and read them to Shutong every night to teach her to read.
At first, Wang Bu found it boring, but later, he became addicted to listening.
Inspired by his little sister, Wen Shuying would go to construction sites to collect scrap materials to sell, and occasionally, he could work as a bricklayer to save some money. Wang Bu followed him along.
Although Shutong’s forehead injury had healed, she was still thin and small. She stayed by the two boys’ side like a little follower every day.
In this era, most people still had simple and honest thoughts. Gradually, people in the market and nearby construction sites came to know about this poor trio and showed them more kindness, often taking care of them.
Wen Shuying felt heartbroken every time she saw his little sister staring silently at the newspaper. His sister seemed to have really lost her mind, spending most of her time in a daze like this every day.
Shutong, who was racking her brains for ways to make money: “?”
On a clear, sunny autumn day, amidst the rumbling construction site, a small figure had a rope tied around her waist, with a magnet hanging from the other end.
Shutong walked through the ruins. The magnet quickly attracted iron nails and pieces of iron on the ground. She bent down, picked up a few iron nails with her small hand, threw them onto the small bag at her waist, threw the magnet on the ground, and continued walking.
She always walked in the shade. This area of shacks was where the workers lived. A few children, slightly older than her, had probably just finished school and were quickly approaching her with their schoolbags on their backs. They called her ‘Tongtong’ affectionately.
Shutong had become very familiar with the children in this area.
In a distant open space, Wen Shuying and Wang Bu were carrying bricks, glancing at Shutong’s direction from time to time with great satisfaction.
Shutong secretly took the snacks from a group of little kids and stuffed them into her pocket with a grin on her face.
“Tongtong, help me with this homework, and I’ll give you a piece of bubble gum.”
A chubby little boy handed over the homework book, holding a round piece of bubble gum in his other hand.
Shutong slowly shook her head: “I don’t want bubble gum. I want something that can fill my stomach.”
The chubby boy was getting anxious; all he had today was bubble gum!
He grabbed Shutong’s clothes from the shoulder: “Hurry up and help me with this!”
Shutong pushed him away, successfully freeing herself from his grasp, and met his gaze: “I said no, and that means no.”
The chubby boy was frightened by her gaze and didn’t dare to be violent. Watching Shutong quickly help others with their homework, he became even more anxious.
Finally, he took out a tin frog toy and said, “I’ll give you this!”
Shutong looked up, reached out, and took it: “Give me the homework.”
The chubby boy, feeling a pang of regret, stuffed the workbook into her hand.
The elementary school students’ homework was nothing to Shutong; she could finish it quickly without even thinking.
After returning the chubby boy’s homework, Shutong glanced back at the bustling construction site and headed toward the workers’ living quarters.
In the only mailbox, she checked the recipient names one by one.
Last week, she saw poems written by children in a newspaper that her brother had picked up, so she also sent some to several local newspapers.
The newspaper said that there would be a reply after the manuscript was accepted, so Shutong checked this mailbox every day so as not to miss it.
“Tongtong, what are you doing?” Wen Shuying’s voice came from behind.
Shutong closed the mailbox, turned around, and shook her head. Then she took his hand and asked, “Brother, are you still going to move the bricks?”
Wang Bu approached from behind, sweating profusely, and said, “That’s all for today.”
They were still children, and homeless at that. Even if the contractor sympathized with them, he wouldn’t dare to let them do too much heavy work, for fear of being held responsible if something happened.
Upon hearing this, Shutong reached out and took Wang Bu’s rough hand, asking in a clear voice, “Shall we go home for dinner?”
Wang Bu looked down at the little hand that was clasping his fingers, his heart feeling as if enveloped in warm sunshine.
“All you ever think about is food, you little glutton.”
Shutong pouted but didn’t argue. She was still growing…
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Maria Lian On CFRFGC Chapter 113