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Chapter 1: Please, Kind Stranger, Spare Some Food

In July, under a heavily trafficked bridge in the slums of City C, two rows of beggars huddled beneath the overpass.

These beggars were filthy, in ragged clothes, their hair matted and greasy, reeking of foul odors. They slumped on the ground pretending to be disabled, trying to scam sympathy from passersby. Each of them delivered Oscar-worthy performances, wailing dramatically with tears streaming down their faces, begging for help from kindhearted people.

Little did the pedestrians know that once they left after giving alms, these beggars would curse at their backs, spitting and complaining that the donation was too little—even while scratching at their dirty feet.

Among this group of filthy scammers, one stood out like a sore thumb. A woman, wearing soiled and tattered clothes, sat cross-legged silently on the ground, pinching her nose. Her small face was darkened with grime, with smudges of mud on her cheeks and messy hair covering her features. Still, her delicate facial structure faintly revealed her beauty.

Unlike the others who howled and sobbed, she sat there in silence, her expression gloomy, exuding an unusual aura in the noisy chaos.

Next to her, a man named Sheng Jun knelt with clasped hands, his face full of misery as he pleaded:

“Please, Sheng Xia, don’t be like this. You don’t look like a beggar at all! If those two suspects start getting suspicious, our whole plan will fall apart.”

“Please, your big brother is stupid. I’ve been in the force for two or three years and haven’t even made team leader. Every time my boss sees me, he sighs. This time he finally gave me a big case. I can’t mess this up!”

“I swear I didn’t trick you into coming on purpose. My teammates didn’t believe in my plan and none of them volunteered to help. We’ve been close since we were kids, and you’ve got skills. You’re the best person I could think of. If something goes wrong, at least you can back me up!”

“Sheng Xia, Xia Xia, come on, you wouldn’t want to see your brother get beaten to death by a bunch of thugs, right…”

The woman named Sheng Xia finally responded. She let go of her nose and rolled her eyes at him. As if overwhelmed by the stench, she gagged involuntarily, then said coolly, “Thanks a lot. You don’t want to die alone, so you dragged your baby sister along to die with you. Wow. So generous of you.”

“It won’t come to that! As long as we’re careful, we’ll be fine.”

“If we’re going to be fine, why drag me into this?”

“Well, better safe than sorry. Heh… You’re strong, the pride of our family dojo since childhood, gifted and skilled. Those petty thieves wouldn’t stand a chance against you. With you here, I feel safer.”

He continued, “Anyway, we’re not trying to confront them directly. The plan is simple: over the next two days, get close to those two suspects, then on the third day, pretend we want to join their crew. When they take us to their hideout, I’ll secretly send the location to the station. That’s it. No conflict.”

Sheng Jun felt proud of his “flawless” plan, but Sheng Xia picked out one key detail: “You mean… I have to sleep under this bridge with you tonight?” she asked, sneering as she pointed to the filthy, tattered quilt from the trash.

Sheng Jun smiled sheepishly. “It’s summer, we won’t be cold even without covers. And this spot under the bridge blocks sun in the day and rain at night. I paid 500 bucks to a kid for this prime location!”

He even flashed her a proud ‘5’ with his fingers.

Proud? Proud of what?

Proud of paying 500 yuan for a begging spot?

Sheng Xia’s chest burned with rage. She closed her eyes, biting her lip, face even gloomier.

Seeing her about to explode, Sheng Jun quickly soothed, “Don’t be mad, Xia Xia. Once you help me through this, I’ll give you my entire paycheck and bonus for this month, okay?”

Her face still dark, her eyes cold and sharp as blades, Sheng Jun nervously added, “Okay… how about this quarter?”

Sheng Xia replied, “The entire year. I want it all.”

Sheng Jun thought for a moment and agreed, heart bleeding: “Deal.”

“Since I’m taking your salary, I expect you to work like an employee. Are you even taking this beggar act seriously? If it’s not convincing, I’m docking your pay!”

Sheng Xia flicked her dirty hair arrogantly and scoffed, “Tch, let me show you what real acting looks like. Watch and learn.”

Then she suddenly started bawling loudly. Not enough? She shoved Sheng Jun to the ground, threw herself onto him, and howled, “Brother! Oh, my poor brother! You’re paralyzed and starving! Please forgive me, I can’t feed you anymore!”

“Please, kind soul, have mercy! I’ll kneel if I must—save my poor brother!”

“My brother, I don’t want you to starve so young! You’re all I have left in this world, wuwuwu…”

Seeing how into it she was, Sheng Jun joined in, lying limp on the ground, twitching his face, mouth lopsided, eyes slack—looking utterly disabled.

Their realistic act soon drew sympathy. A few passersby tossed coins into their metal bowl with clinks. One even asked if they had a payment QR code.

Sheng Xia, crying into her hands, refused, saying she had no phone.

That’s when the two suspects approached eagerly, QR code in hand: “They don’t have a code, but we do! We’re their close friends—scan mine and I’ll convert it to cash for them…”

These two were barely seventeen or eighteen. On weekdays, they pickpocketed phones and wallets at bus stops. On weekends, with fewer rich targets around, they’d beg under the bridge for some shade and easy money.

Sheng Jun had selected them as ideal targets—young, new to the criminal world, a great entry point into the organization.

Back to the payment code: the good Samaritan was put off by the aggressive approach, but couldn’t back out of donating now. They reluctantly aimed to scan the code—until Sheng Xia stepped in.

“I don’t know them. Don’t scan it.”

The passerby smiled and hurried away.

The two young men were enraged. They kicked over the metal bowl. Coins spilled and scattered. Three or four nearby beggars pounced to collect them.

Sheng Jun, the “paralyzed” man, had no choice but to stand and smooth things over. “Sorry, sorry, brothers, please don’t be mad. My sister’s not all there, mentally.” He gave Sheng Xia a warning glance not to act rashly.

“Ah, that explains it,” one of the punks sneered. “She’s a pretty little thing. If she wasn’t crazy, she’d fetch a high price on the market…”

They stared at her body, leering.

Sheng Xia clenched her fists, veins bulging.

Sheng Jun grabbed her shoulders and whispered, “Let’s make peace. All the money we make these next few days—yours.”

Surprised by his generosity, they backed off, returning to their spots to play dead again.

Sheng Xia brushed off Sheng Jun’s hand and snapped, “You’re the one who’s not all there. You’ve never been right in the head.”

He just laughed it off and lay back down.

In the sweltering afternoon heat, sunlight filtered through thick leaves by the bridge, casting dappled shadows. Sheng Xia raised a hand to block the blinding rays, squinting.

Just then, a black Bentley approached slowly.

The driver seemed to realize too late that the crowd was full of beggars. But turning around now was impossible—too many “wolves” had already surrounded the car.

Among them, the highest-paid actress: Sheng Xia. She rushed ahead, slapping the black-tinted window and howling:

“Please, kind sir, spare some food! Save my paralyzed, starving brother! I swear I’ll repay you in my next life!”

Behind her, Sheng Jun sat up. He heard Sheng Xia’s description of him—paralyzed, starving, mentally disabled—and broke into a cold sweat. Her voice rang louder than the rest.

He wiped his forehead and thought: “Never mess with a woman. Women and petty men—both impossible to handle!”

Meanwhile, Sheng Xia was fully immersed in her performance when—suddenly—the luxury car stopped.

“…?”

What’s going on?

She froze. The car was nearly out of the underpass—why stop now?

No rich person in their right mind would let beggars touch their million-dollar ride. Wasn’t he afraid of being robbed?

Just then, the heavily tinted window rolled down.

And the moment Sheng Xia saw the man in the back seat, her face froze like she’d been struck by lightning.

Can I die now? That was her only thought.