NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 18
People who have been rained on are always willing to hold umbrellas for others.
Jiang Sheng squatted down. Not only did she not take the two cotton quilts away, she even tucked the corners of their blankets.
She couldn't help but wonder if these children would starve to death following Pang Dashan.
Zheng Ruqian didn't know when he had walked over. Seeing the children, his pupils contracted for a moment. "Jiang Sheng, you can't be thinking of taking more people home with you."
If taking Xu Mo was kindhearted, taking Fang Heng was currying favor, and taking Wen Zhiyun was to repay kindness.
Zheng Ruqian absolutely did not want to accept another child.
The dilapidated temple could not accommodate a sixth child.
"I don't have that intention," Jiang Sheng stood up, her eyes glancing over the beggars. When she saw the last beggar, she was stunned.
The other beggars' skin was dark and disheveled, only this beggar had fair skin and handsome features, even his eyelashes were half a section longer than others'.
It was also because of his paleness that Jiang Sheng could clearly see the flush on his face and the chapped lips.
She couldn't help reaching out to feel the beggar's forehead. It burned her in shock.
This beggar had a fever. If not treated, it could be problematic.
Jiang Sheng couldn't sit still and kept calling out for Fourth Brother.
Wen Zhiyun thought his little sister was hurt. He came staggering in holding silver needles.
Seeing the flushed little beggar, he frowned and took his pulse, "High fever, if the fever doesn't go down, he'll be gone by tomorrow night."
But they didn't bring the medicine box, and there was no clinic in town.
Jiang Sheng gritted her teeth and made a decision in her heart, "Second brother, give me a hand."
She struggled to lift up the little beggar.
Although Zheng Ruqian was unwilling, he still reached out both hands and the two of them arduously carried the little beggar onto the donkey cart.
Xu Mo and Fang Heng were both shocked. Weren't they going to get the cotton quilts? Why didn't they bring the quilts back but brought back a little beggar instead?
Jiang Sheng had no time to explain. She just called out to Pang Dashan, "The quilts are for you, this child is mine now."
Then she told Fang Heng to hurry back to the dilapidated temple.
All the bumping and jostling along the way, they finally arrived.
Fang Heng carried the beggar back and laid him next to Xu Mo on the only remaining cotton quilt.
Wen Zhiyun went to prepare medicine while Jiang Sheng took a new cotton jacket to cover him, both warming him up and constantly feeding him water.
The little beggar tried to speak several times but couldn't get a word out.
Fortunately, after being fed two bowls of medicinal soup, his temperature gradually dropped, no longer burning hot.
Night fell.
The tired brothers went to sleep wearing their new cotton jackets.
Jiang Sheng also wanted to sleep, but Zheng Ruqian solemnly pulled her outside.
The siblings whispered in hushed voices, "We can't keep another child. When his fever goes down, send him away."
"Send him where?" Jiang Sheng asked, "Back to Pang Dashan?"
Zheng Ruqian closed his mouth.
Although Pang Dashan had established the "Beggars' Sect", he did not treat his little brothers well. He only put himself in the position of "Gang Leader" and demanded that food and clothing be given priority to him first.
As a result, in the four or five years since the Beggars' Sect was founded, he only had two little followers.
Sending the little beggar back, he might get bullied away or even bullied to death.
Just like that... nine-year-old boy slowly collapsing in the snow.
Back in the dilapidated temple, the new jacket was still warm, but Jiang Sheng still tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Whenever she closed her eyes she saw the dying gaze of the nine-year-old boy. She could only stay awake counting sheep.
When she finally fell into deep sleep at the two hundredth sheep, Jiang Sheng didn't notice the little beggar suddenly opening his eyes, revealing bright black pupils.
The next day.
The little beggar still had his eyes closed as Jiang Sheng put on her cotton jacket and hopped to cook porridge.
The brothers were already used to her cooking skills, expressionlessly taking the bowls and drinking them.
There was no other choice even if they weren't used to it. Wen Zhiyun didn't know how to light a fire. Fang Heng and Zheng Ruqian didn't know raw from cooked. Jiang Sheng's porridge was still better.
Xu Mo was a bit knowledgeable, but was unable to move. He could only swallow the porridge and teased Jiang Sheng, "Weren't these cotton jackets for selling? How come we're wearing them first?"
Jiang Sheng stood with hands on hips, "We'll wear them first and sell the rest."
But where to sell was a problem.
Jiang Sheng had originally wanted to sell in town, but the brothers were quite tired after the traveling yesterday, so she thought about it and took two cotton jackets to the village entrance.
"Selling cotton jackets! Cotton jackets for sale, cheap sale! Twenty coins in town, only fifteen coins here."
The seven-year-old girl's shouts attracted several aunties over.
"Jiang Sheng, where did you pick up these cotton jackets and pants?" Someone joked deliberately.
Jiang Sheng explained in a hurry, "Don't talk nonsense, Auntie Liu. These were bought wholesale from the county seat, clean and crisp, still with that new smell."
The unique scent of new clothes couldn't be faked.
Auntie Liu embarrassedly rummaged through the clothes, "It's really fifteen coins here? Town is clearly selling for twenty coins, why are you five coins cheaper?"
Jiang Sheng was a beggar, people didn't trust clothes sold by beggars and didn't dare buy them.
But the low price was tempting, a full twenty-five percent off, so the aunties crowded around Jiang Sheng, picking at flaws hoping to find some problems.
Jiang Sheng defended and explained, "It's cheaper because my boss sold it to me cheap. We're neighbors, I bought them for fourteen coins, selling to you for fifteen, auntie, let me earn a coin from you too."
"Oh my, little beggar knows how to do business now."
"A bit cheaper, fourteen coins, I'll take it."
Jiang Sheng bought twenty jackets total from the county seat. Five were worn, one was kept, the remaining fourteen were sold out.
She bought them at twelve coins each and sold at fourteen coins each, earning two coins per jacket.
In the dilapidated temple, Jiang Sheng happily squatted on the ground counting the twenty-eight coins in her hand.
Zheng Ruqian had been upset with her the whole night. Now he awkwardly came to her side, still trying to persuade, "Jiang Sheng, there are many parentless children in this world, you can't save them all."
Jiang Sheng understood this rationale, but with a living life right in front of her eyes, she couldn't pretend not to see.
Just like when she had saved Xu Mo.
"Second brother, I promise you this is the last one, okay? He's the very last," Jiang Sheng tried to coax him.
Zheng Ruqian was about to say something more when there was a sudden whimper.
The two snapped their heads over to see the little beggar opening his eyes. His small, fair face was flushed with charm. At first glance he was so handsome he seized one's gaze.
Jiang Sheng was stunned.
Zheng Ruqian was also dumbfounded.
The words he had brewed all night now evaporated and dissipated. Zheng Ruqian stammered open-mouthed, "Jiang Sheng, this really is the last one."
It wasn't that Zheng Ruqian had softened, but he knew what would happen to such a handsome boy.
Outsiders only knew Yihong Academy to be a place for men to seek flowers and willows, but they didn't know there was also a group of handsome youths raised in the inner academy, specially selected for those with money and power.
Zheng Ruqian had also been sent there before, but was screened out in the end for being too uncouth. His mother had stamped her feet in anger, "If I had known, I would have found you a more delicate father. I raised you for so many years yet you're useless."
After that, Zheng Ruqian was kicked out of Yihong Academy.
A child abandoned by his mother wouldn't accept reality so easily.
Zheng Ruqian had known from the start that he was his mother's useless trash.