Song Wei chewed on a mouthful of steamed bun and meat, watching the little boy throwing a tantrum with mild amusement. She had no intention of sharing her food, and neither did Heidan. He eyed the boy warily, as if afraid he’d come over and snatch his food, he pulled his meat closer to himself and Song Wei.

The old woman rolled her eyes before she looked at Song Wei, a smile plastered on her face.

“Little girl, my grandson is just so greedy for a taste of meat. Could you spare a small piece for him? Just a little, so he’ll stop fussing.”

She sounded pitiful. With a softer-hearted person, this tactic would’ve likely worked.

Song Wei had a shy smile on her face, and just as the old woman thought she’d agree, Song Wei’s voice rang out clearly.

“Sorry, but there’s barely enough for my brother and me.”

Hearing her refusal, Heidan relaxed but clutched his bowl even tighter, casting a cautious glance at the old woman and her grandson.

The woman’s face froze, unprepared for the straightforward rejection.

Song Wei calmly went back to her food, urging Heidan to continue eating. The little boy, seeing his grandmother’s attempt had failed, started wailing even louder.

“Granny, I want meat! Go get me meat!”

His loud cries began drawing attention from those nearby, who looked on with expressions of curiosity and entertainment.

The old woman forced a smile. “It’s just a bit of meat, dear. You’ve ordered so much food, surely you won’t eat it all. My grandson wouldn’t take much.”

Song Wei wasn’t moved. She could tell the woman was trying to appeal to some sense of pity and social pressure, hoping she’d be embarrassed into giving up her food. But Song Wei simply focused on her meal, unbothered by the eyes on her.

Just then, a young woman in a stylish Dacron dress, who had been watching, decided to intervene.

“It’s amazing how some people can be so unkind these days,” she said, with a sugary smile as she helped the old woman up, casting a scolding look at Song Wei.

“Ma’am, don’t worry about her. Some people are heartless no matter how much they have,” the young woman said loudly. “I’ll share some of my own braised pork with you.”

The old woman’s eyes gleamed with gratitude, showering the girl with thanks and compliments, calling her kind-hearted and generous. The praise made the young woman, Lin Rong, lift her chin proudly, feeling even more virtuous in comparison to Song Wei.

Without a second thought, Lin Rong reached across the table to take her group’s dish of braised pork.

Before her friends could react, Lin Rong carried the plate over to the old woman.

“Here, I’ll share some of our pork with you—”

But before she could finish, the little boy lunged at her, grabbing the entire bowl right out of her hands. He shoved his greasy fingers into the pork, stuffing his face greedily.

Lin Rong recoiled in shock, letting out a horrified scream. “What are you doing?!”

She tried to snatch the bowl back, but the boy clutched it tight, retreating behind his grandmother, his mouth full of meat.

Lin Rong looked on in disgust. “Give that back!”

The old woman, who had acted kindly before, suddenly turned defensive, pushing Lin Rong away.

“Leave him alone! How dare you try to take food from a child! You’ll scare him!”

Lin Rong stared in disbelief. “Your grandson took all of our food!”

Her friends had also come over, looking at the boy cramming pork into his mouth, their faces filled with frustration.

“That pork was something we all chipped in for. Give it back!”

From their clothes and demeanor, it was clear Lin Rong and her friends were educated youths, possibly visiting or working in the countryside. The old woman stood her ground, shielding her grandson.

“You said you’d share with us, so he’s doing nothing wrong,” she replied matter-of-factly.

Lin Rong’s face turned red with anger. “I meant a small piece, not the entire bowl! Now that he’s touched it, how can we eat it?”

The old woman seemed completely unbothered.

“If you’re so kind-hearted, why not give a little more? My poor grandson hasn’t had a good meal in ages, so what if he eats a bit more?”

Song Wei, who had been quietly watching, felt a smirk tug at her lips. She could barely contain her amusement. This whole scene was exactly why it paid to mind her own business. Watching others deal with the trouble was far better than being caught up in it herself.

Onlookers around them also began whispering, commenting on the unfolding scene.

“That old woman is shameless, taking advantage of that girl’s kindness like that.”

“That boy doesn’t look like he’s starving—he’s got plenty of meat on him! If anyone here is going hungry, it’s her.”

“That young woman is foolish. Who’d share meat these days? The other girl there is smarter—her own kid’s thinner than the old woman’s grandson, and she isn’t sharing with anyone. Honestly, this girl got what she deserved.”

Meanwhile, Lin Rong’s friends, realizing their food was lost and now inedible, turned on her.

“You and your generosity! That braised pork was something we all paid for, not just you. What right did you have to give it away to look good?”

“We all saved up to have something nice, and now it’s ruined because of you.”

“Lin Rong, you owe us braised pork!”

Lin Rong felt her face flush with embarrassment, surrounded by her friends’ accusations and the onlookers’ stares. Her earlier pride and satisfaction vanished. Catching sight of Song Wei, who was watching her with an amused glint in her eye, Lin Rong felt a flash of resentment.

“Fine! I’ll buy some next time,” she huffed, trying to save face.

But her heart sank at the thought. Despite her well-dressed appearance, most of her money had gone into buying her Dacron outfit, and her funds were running low. A bowl of braised pork was a hefty expense.

Still, if she didn’t buy it, her friends would never let her forget this.

The truth was, Lin Rong had thought herself kindhearted, believing that the old woman and her grandson deserved her sympathy. Now, she realized they weren’t nearly as pitiful as she’d thought, and the “kind” gesture had backfired spectacularly.