Chapter 90: How Could There Be a Child Here?

Some people are just born with a hard fate. A five-year-old child had been brutally beaten and was now utterly weak all over. Meanwhile, outside, it had started raining quietly, though no one knew exactly when.

Winter in Haicheng isn’t as cold as in the north, but a rainy night like this—how could a thinly dressed little child possibly withstand it?

Xiao Wei was so cold he was nearly losing consciousness. Clinging to the last bit of will to survive, he suddenly ran out of the residential compound! It was already past eight at night. The weather was cold, and everyone went to bed early, so no one noticed such a tiny child.

Inside the tube-shaped apartment building, Xie Yunshu was watching TV. Hearing the patter of rain outside, she grabbed an umbrella and stood up. “Mingcheng, come with me to check the courtyard. Since it’s raining, it’ll probably get colder. We have to cover the buns well, or they’ll get frozen and won’t taste good tomorrow.”

Also, the fire in the courtyard stove was fueled by firewood. Rain would make lighting it a hassle. The stove and cooking area needed to be covered tightly so no water could get in.

Xie Mingcheng replied, putting on his raincoat: “Sis, you watch TV inside. I’ll go by myself.”

“I don’t trust you to handle it alone.” Xie Yunshu snorted, then glanced at a bag of clothes still untouched. “Who knows if you’ll sneak off to the mall?”

Xie Mingcheng hadn’t dared tell her about the clothes he’d returned. Neither had Xie Yunshu brought it up. After a whole afternoon of work, Xie Mingcheng felt guilty.

Now, with her sudden question, he didn’t dare say a word. Putting on his raincoat, he lowered his head and went out—his tall and slim figure looking a bit like someone fleeing. His sister was sharp-tongued and even fiercer when it came to hitting…

The siblings quickly covered the stove and firewood again with tarps. There was a canopy above, so as long as the wind didn’t blow hard, it would be fine.

Xie Yunshu tightened her clothes and shivered. “This weather’s really cold. Tomorrow morning when we sell buns, we’ll have to wear two layers or we’ll freeze to death.”

“I’ll go with you tomorrow. Two of us will be faster.” Xie Mingcheng followed behind. In the rainy night, his handsome face looked like cold jade but with a faint, subtle plea—somewhat amusing.

Xie Yunshu glanced back at him. “Don’t think I won’t hold you accountable just because you do more work!”

Embarrassment flickered in Xie Mingcheng’s dark eyes. He weakly called out, “Sis…”

The two walked towards the tube building one after another. Fine rain fell from the sky like countless silver needles under the dim streetlight, stinging the face painfully.

Suddenly, Xie Yunshu stopped. She frowned tightly. Under the building’s eaves, a small figure was curled up. A child? But so late at night, why would a child be here?

Xie Mingcheng clearly saw it too. He quickened his pace to get a better look. The child was only about four or five years old, dressed thinly, tightly closing his eyes. His lips were frozen purple. It was unclear whether he was alive or dead.

Trembling, he reached out to feel the child’s nose and found a faint breath. He quickly lifted him up: “Sis, he’s freezing to death! Hurry and get him inside!”

No matter who this child was, staying out in the cold all night like this could kill him!

Xie Yunshu didn’t see the child’s face clearly but heard Xie Mingcheng’s words and felt her heart tighten. She hurried inside: “I’ll get some hot water to warm him up first!”

Inside, Li Fenlan was sitting on the bed knitting by weak light. Only two sleeves left before the sweater was finished—ready for Yunshu to wear for the New Year. Hearing the door, she smiled: “After all this fuss, go to sleep soon. You have to get up early tomorrow to sell buns, right?”

Then came Xie Mingcheng’s urgent voice: “Mom, bring the quilt from my bed quickly!”

Li Fenlan looked up and was immediately shocked. Putting on her shoes, she hurried down, both worried and alarmed: “Where did this child come from? Oh heavens, why is he so frozen? Wrap him up quickly! His clothes are wet too; we have to take them off first!”

Xie Yunshu poured hot water over and brought a bowl to the child’s frozen lips but stopped midway, her face complicated: “Mom, this child is…”

She had seen this child more than once. He was Zhou Xinyue’s son, now called Lu Xiao Wei…

Li Fenlan poured some hot water near Xiao Wei’s lips. When she saw him twitch his eyelashes from the warmth, she sighed with relief. Frowning, she looked at Xie Yunshu: “Who is this child? You know him?”

Neither she nor Xie Mingcheng had ever seen Lu Xiao Wei before, and both silently asked Xie Yunshu with their eyes.

Xie Yunshu’s mood was complicated. She moved her lips and sighed: “Take off his wet clothes first. If this continues, he’ll get sick.”

Such a young child—how could Zhou Xinyue and Lu Zhi let him wander out alone? Didn’t they worry? Especially with this cold rain, even if he didn’t meet any bad people, he would freeze to death.

Regarding Lu Xiao Wei, Xie Yunshu wasn’t really resentful. In the dreamlike ten years, her impression of this child wasn’t deep. She just remembered he was often sick, didn’t speak much, didn’t dare to look at people, always timid and shrinking.

He ended up very ill. At that time, her relationship with Lu Zhi was already bad, so she didn’t pay much attention to the child.

Li Fenlan’s eyes were full of pity. She took a warm towel and wiped the child’s face and hands, sighing: “Why is this child so skinny? He must be one of those poor kids without parents to take care of him.”

Xie Mingcheng frowned, taking off Xiao Wei’s wet clothes. The bare upper body was all skin and bones, making everyone’s heart ache.

But this wasn’t the most surprising thing.

Xie Mingcheng gasped and looked at Xie Yunshu in disbelief: “Sis, this…”