Chapter 63: Assistance

After returning with the money and the scale, Shan Shuzhen began knocking on the doors of her neighbors. Many elderly residents were at home and were happy to share in the good fortune.

When Wang Qian saw several people approaching, she quickly brought out a few more fish from her space, fearing that there wouldn’t be enough to go around.

The elderly residents eagerly selected the fish they wanted to buy and quickly paid for them. Some even rushed to pay, eager to return home to cook and to avoid being caught conducting private transactions.

Some people were eager to pay, and Wang Qian was delighted. She tried to weigh the fish for them, but the scale was too heavy for her to lift.

Seeing the child’s struggle, Shan Shuzhen felt sorry for her. “Little girl, I’ll weigh the fish. You just handle the money,” she said.

Grateful for the woman’s kindness, Wang Qian smiled sweetly and thanked her.

As Shan Shuzhen weighed the fish, Wang Qian quickly calculated the prices. The speed at which she worked surprised the buyers. “If this child goes to school, she’ll surely have a bright future,” someone in the crowd remarked.

All thirteen fish were sold, and Wang Qian’s pockets were filled with change. She even gave Shan Shuzhen a discount on the last fish as a token of gratitude for her help.

Shan Shuzhen initially wanted to pay the full price, but she couldn’t resist the child’s insistence. Before leaving, she advised Wang Qian to sell her goods in a more secluded area to avoid being reported.

Grateful for the woman’s help, Wang Qian asked for her name. Shan Shuzhen was touched by the girl’s politeness and introduced herself, suggesting that Wang Qian call her “Auntie Shan” in the future.

After giving some advice, Shan Shuzhen left. As the crowd dispersed, Wang Qian noticed a young boy standing at a distance, watching her. He had been observing the transactions from afar and had now moved a little closer. Intrigued by the boy’s behavior, she approached him.

The boy had a handsome face, with rosy lips and white teeth. He was about the same age as her older brother, but he looked a bit thin.

“Hey, what are you looking at?” she asked curiously.

The young boy looked a bit shy and said, “My grandma is sick, and I wanted to buy her some fish to eat, but I don’t have any money.” He looked at her with a pitiful expression.

Hearing his voice, Wang Qian realized that the boy was not from the local area. She didn’t know the child’s situation and asked, “What about your grandpa? And your parents? Aren’t they taking care of you?”

The boy hesitated for a moment but then said, “Grandpa was taken away by someone, and my parents are not here. I don’t know what to do. Grandma is sick.” His voice was tinged with a hint of sadness.

Listening to his words, Wang Qian had a rough idea of the situation. The boy’s circumstances were probably even more pitiful than she had initially thought.

“What’s your name? I’m Wang Qian, and I’m seven years old,” she said.

The boy, a bit shy, fiddled with the hem of his clothes and said softly, “My name is Zuo He, and I’m nine years old. You’re younger than me, so you should call me ‘big brother.'”

Wang Qian was a bit speechless. She had encountered a stubborn child today. Well, he was older than her, so it wouldn’t hurt to call him ‘big brother.’ “Okay, Zuo He, you wait here for a moment. I’ll go find my mom and bring a fish for you. Then we can go see your grandma together,” she said.

Wang Qian hid from Zuo He’s view and found a nearby public restroom. After making sure no one was around, she took out two fish from her space and also brought out some rice in her pocket. Zuo He’s grandmother was sick, his grandfather was absent, and they had no money. They probably didn’t have any food either. She decided to help them out, despite her own family not having enough to eat. At least they were all together, unlike Zuo He’s family.

Carrying the items, she walked unsteadily back to Zuo He. When he saw Wang Qian approaching with so many things, he hurried over to help.

“Qianqian, how did you get so many things?” Zuo He asked, sounding quite familiar and even calling her by her name.

Wang Qian had a good impression of the handsome young boy. “Zuo He, does your family not have any food?” she asked.

Zuo He nodded hesitantly. “Yeah, Grandma gave the grain to Grandpa. She used to earn money by making paper boxes, but she hasn’t been able to work since she got sick. You should call me ‘big brother.’ I’m older than you.”

Wang Qian was at a loss with the boy’s insistence. “Alright, I’ll call you big brother Zuo He from now on, okay?”

Upon hearing Wang Qian’s response, Zuo He’s face lit up with a happy smile. “Okay, from now on, I’ll call you little sister Qianqian. It’s a deal,” he said.

Wang Qian suspected that Zuo He’s previous life had been quite comfortable, but something had happened to change their circumstances, leaving the child unsure of what to do.

“Big brother Zuo He, I brought some rice for you. It should be enough for a few days. I’ll take these two fish with me, and we’ll cook them for your grandma. I’ll come back to see you tomorrow,” she said.

Zuo He led her into an alley and stopped in front of a dilapidated house. He pushed open the gate, revealing a small courtyard with three low, small houses.

“Grandma, I’m back. We have food to eat,” Zuo He ran into the house with the fish, and Wang Qian followed him inside.

A somewhat withered-looking elderly woman, around fifty years old, was lying on the kang.

“Grandma, look, this is the fish my little sister brought. We can have fish today,” Zuo He said excitedly, holding up the fish for the old lady to see. His face flushed with excitement.

The old lady raised her dry fingers and touched her grandson’s face. “Have you thanked your little sister?” she asked.

Zuo He stuck out his tongue and said with a silly smile, “I forgot. Grandma, let me introduce you. This is my little sister I met today, and she brought us these things.”

The old lady saw the young girl behind her grandson and noticed that she was a beautiful child, but her attire made her look pitiful. She must have come from a poor family.

“Little girl, come here. Let Grandma have a look at you,” the old lady said, reaching out her hand. Wang Qian put down the bag of rice and walked over.

“Grandma, I heard from big brother Zuo He that you’re sick, so I came to see you,” she said.

The old lady listened to the little girl speaking like an adult and felt that the child was extraordinary. She licked her dry, cracked lips and said, “Little friend, Grandma can’t accept this. Your family is also having a hard time. I appreciate your kindness.”

The old lady felt embarrassed saying this. They had run out of food in the past few days, and they had been surviving on leftovers brought back by her grandson from a restaurant. However, looking at the little girl’s attire, it was clear that her family was also struggling. Accepting these items made her feel somewhat ashamed.

Wang Qian could guess what the Old lady was thinking. She sweetly smiled and said, “Although our family’s situation isn’t great, at least we can eat our fill. Your situation is temporary. When Grandpa returns, your situation will improve. So please don’t refuse. I can only help you with this. Let’s fill our stomachs first and then think about other things. What do you think?”

Wang Qian’s words made it impossible for the old lady to refuse. “Little friend, thank you. I’ll go and cook for you now.”

The old lady tried to get up, but she felt dizzy. Wang Qian quickly supported her. “Grandma, you’re sick. Let Zuo He and I do it together. You’ll feel better soon. Don’t worry. Even though I’m young, I can cook.”

The old lady felt embarrassed by the little girl’s words. “Zuo He, take your sister to the kitchen and help her with the fire.”

The old lady was too weak to do it herself. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have let a child cook for them.

Zuo He led Wang Qian to their kitchen. She didn’t see any firewood but noticed a kerosene stove. She had heard her grandmother mention it in her previous life but had never seen one. She wasn’t sure if she could light it.

Zuo He skillfully lit the cotton wicks on the stove with a match and then turned on a switch at the bottom of the stove. The flames gradually grew.

Then, looking a bit shy, he said, “Sister, I’ve lit the fire, but I don’t know how to cook. I can’t help you.”

Wang Qian didn’t mind. “It’s okay. You can watch how I do it and learn.”

She grabbed a basin, washed some rice, and started cooking it in a pot. “Zuo He, do you have any vegetables left at home?” she asked, as she hadn’t seen any in the kitchen.

Zuo He didn’t hide the truth. “We don’t have any money, so we can’t buy vegetables. We used to eat leftovers from the restaurant.”