Chapter 3

Chen Xiaosan has two older brothers, but unfortunately, both passed away at a young age. If his eldest brother were still alive, he would be of the same age as Lin Fangzhou now

Still, a good night's dream is not mentioned

"Chen Xiaosan," she called him

Having finished the white sugar cake, Lin Fangzhou felt that she had some provisions in her stomach. She walked onto the street, contemplating how to inquire about the child's background. She sensed that the child was unusual, instinctively reluctant to act rashly, yet she wanted to earn a bit more money. She feared having her achievements snatched away by others and wished to gather information about the other party's background to negotiate a price. Hesitating, she ultimately decided to go to the casino

Yesterday, I saw Wei Guizi buying white sugar. The white sugar accidentally spilled onto an ant nest, and many ants came out to carry the sugar, which made Wei Guizi extremely anxious, and he ended up taking both the ants and the white sugar back with him

You ungrateful scoundrel, who would care for your piece of stale cake? Moreover, even if you wanted to return it, there is no way to do so... The one who made the rice cake, Wei Guai, hanged himself last night

A young monk approached, holding a begging bowl, when Lin Fangzhou stopped him: "Young monk!"

The cries startled Chen the butcher, who was tidying up the pork in the yard. He ran out with his cleaver and angrily asked, "What is going on?"

Lin Fangzhou then became completely awake

A bachelor without a partner, unable to even marry a wife, where would there be children

The young monk, ultimately soft-hearted, took a copper coin from the alms bowl and said: "This humble monk has shallow worldly connections, and today can only offer this one copper coin. If the benefactor wishes, please take it."

It is ten.

Gudu—Lin Fangzhou swallowed.

"Could it be that he has been knocked silly..." Lin Fangzhou leaned in, cradling his head as she looked at it from left to right. He did not resist, allowing her to treat his head like a ball.

Chen Xiaosan frowned slightly, lowering his head to look at the white sugar rice cake in his hand with a complex expression.

While watching the Pai Gow game, Lin Fangzhou perked up his ears to listen to the conversations around him. However, after listening for a while, all he heard were discussions about which courtesan was charming, which fellow was on a winning streak, and who was caught having an affair with a married woman... There was no mention of any family losing a child.

After observing for a while, Lin Fangzhou could not discern anything significant. She speculated, "Could it be that he is naturally mute?"

"You have finally woken up!" She was extremely surprised, sitting up abruptly and supporting his shoulder as she asked, "Who are you? Where do you live? I will take you home!"

You hairless rabbit! I have no time today and am too lazy to deal with you. Hurry and get the food box, otherwise, you can forget about doing business.

The butcher Chen's son was sitting at the door, holding a piece of white sugar rice cake, not eating it, but just staring at the ground. Lin Fangzhou, curious, walked closer and discovered that he was watching ants. He threw a grain of white sugar on the ground and watched as the ants scrambled to carry it away, finding amusement in this.

Lin Fangzhou took the coin and said, "Thank you, holy monk! When I become wealthy in the future, I will treat you to roast chicken!"

In the morning, Lin Fangzhou opened her eyes and was first greeted by a pair of eyes resembling black glass beads, clear and bright. The long eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if a slow beam of light was gently illuminating the heart.

He sat up slowly, his dark, bright eyes merely gazing at her without uttering a word

It might also be true that Wei Guizi has no wife, so he adopts a child to raise as his son and provide for him in his old age.

Lin Fangzhou: "If you won't give it to me, then I will starve to death on this street, and be eaten by wild dogs!"

Lin Fangzhou thought to himself, I fear that someone will come to find Wei Guizi for the child tomorrow. I will observe who it is before making any plans. After all, that child's lifespan is predetermined; it does not matter where he dies. Perhaps when his family arrives, he will happen to wake up? Therefore, there is no need to rush; it would be fine to wait a day or two.

What?

It must be that this fellow is so poor that he cannot afford a meal, leaving half a bowl of porridge to eat tomorrow morning... The waiter felt that he had seen the truth.

He stared blankly at the characters

Lin Fangzhou ran away in a flash, holding a white sugar rice cake, laughing as he ran, leaving Chen the butcher cursing behind him

I do not know either; it could very well be the ramblings of a beggar, driven mad by hunger

Children of wealthy families at this age must have already received some education and cannot be illiterate. Moreover, he appears to be quite intelligent... So, has he really become foolish from the fall?

Here ... ... come, I will help you pick them out

Chen Xiaosan is somewhat overweight. Upon hearing Lin Fangzhou call him, he lifted his round face and said, "Brother Lin, look, an ant."

The crowd laughed, directly offering congratulations, and creating a ruckus.

The young monk's face turned green, and he hurriedly said: "My apologies, my apologies..."

Chen Xiaosan then realized that he had been deceived and immediately burst into tears

When I just arrived, I heard a beggar by the roadside say that the vendor selling rice cakes had picked up a child

Chen Xiaosan handed the sweet glutinous rice cake to Lin Fangzhou. Without saying a word, Lin Fangzhou took the fragrant cake and bit into it heartily.

The waiter immediately changed his expression and sneered, "Ordering a bowl of porridge still requires a food box, what a grand occasion for the guest."

Not choking to death on the spot can be considered a miracle

Wei Guizi merely took it as everyone teasing him, and laughed, saying: "If I were to pick up a child, I would definitely hide him away, so that even the immortals could not find him"

Lin Fangzhou immediately felt a wave of hunger in her stomach. She had no choice but to get out of bed and go outside, intending to find something to eat first

She nudged the person next to her and said, "Have you heard?"

Lin Fangzhou pointed at his white sugar cake and said, "Look at this, isn't that black dot an ant?"

That was the voice of Chen the butcher. Lin Fangzhou had been his neighbor for so many years that he could recognize it immediately

Who are you

In the afternoon, Wei Guai Zi passed by the entrance of the gambling house with a basket on his back, and someone asked him: "Wei Guai Zi, I heard that you have picked up a son?"

She glanced at the person beside her. He was still unconscious, his position unchanged, as if he were a corpse. Lin Fangzhou could not help but check his breath; yes, he was still alive.

After a while, almost everyone in the casino knew that Wei Guai had picked up a child

Lend me a food box

Lin Fangzhou squeezed among a crowd to watch others play Pai Gow, cheering along with them. Although she felt a strong urge to join in, she had no money at all, so she could only find amusement from the sidelines

Lin Fangzhou carried half a bowl of porridge home, too lazy to find a spoon. With one hand, he pinched the child's chin to force him to open his mouth, while with the other hand, he tilted the porridge into his mouth. After several attempts, the porridge flowed into his stomach.

Silence

Lin Fangzhou had a good sleep and did not get up until the sun was high in the sky the next morning

Hmm. Xiaosan, did you buy this white sugar glutinous rice cake from Wei Guai Zi?

Lin Fangzhou used this coin to buy a bowl of porridge, and in one go, she slurped down half of it. With half a bowl remaining, she suddenly remembered that there was someone lying at home, that pale little face, tsk tsk... It is said that the resentment of starving ghosts is the strongest...

Lin Fangzhou then pulled him to the table and wrote a few characters with a wet brush—she had attended school for a few years under her mother's insistence during her childhood, so she could write some simple characters

Silence

The young monk, who had always received money from others during his alms rounds, was taken aback today when someone asked him for money for the first time. He was momentarily stunned by the other person's shamelessness and found himself at a loss for words

The white sugar glutinous rice cake from Wei Guai Zi is the most delicious

Where is it

"Benefactor, what guidance do you have to offer?"

Hello, can you speak

Here it comes! Little www. hetushucomcom ran over, "Da Lang, do you need anything else?"

She tapped the table and called out, "Waiter!"

She pulled him back to sit on the bed, just about to speak and probe a few more times, when suddenly a "bang bang bang" sound of knocking on the window came from outside.

Where did you pick it up? It wouldn't be stolen, would it? You rascal, stealing children, hahaha...

The young attendant did not dare to truly provoke these little ruffians, after all, those without shoes are not afraid of those who wear them... He went to fetch the food box for Lin Fangzhou, reminding her to return it on time and not to damage it... Lin Fangzhou placed the remaining half bowl of thin porridge into the food box and picked it up to leave

Lin Fangzhou emerged from the casino after a day of play, witnessing the sun sinking heavily behind the western mountains. She rubbed her stomach, unable to endure the gnawing hunger.

Lin Fangzhou shouted at the top of his lungs: "Who is it? What are you doing?"

Lin Fangzhou squinted her eyes, a plan forming in her mind: if others do not mention it, she can bring it up herself

It is me

Suddenly, a series of shouts came from outside the window; it was a man selling fried dough cakes

Can you understand what I am saying

I heard from a Buddhist that saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. I am on the verge of starving today; would you be willing to treat me to a bowl of porridge

Lin Fangzhou said irritably: "It's just a piece of white sugar glutinous rice cake, why do you have to chase me all the way home? I can return you a piece tomorrow! How stingy!"

Yesterday, in the pitch darkness and utterly exhausted, she had not paid attention to the child's appearance. However, upon a closer look this morning, she discovered that the child was quite good-looking, fair and tender, resembling a snowball.

The casino is a place where all sorts of people mingle, and information flows most freely