"The child left?"

"Hmm. Master, I don't understand. Doesn't the county government have a place to take these children?"

"Alas, there are so many orphans in this world who have no parents or have been abandoned by their parents and sold at a low price. Even if the county government has a temporary shelter, how can it take care of them all? Girl, I know you have a kind heart, but poverty has never spared these suffering people."

"Yes, I've experienced years of famine, and I should have thought of this a long time ago. But if everyone gives them a little help, they won't be left without clothes or food. Children are the hope of the country."

"In the city, General Huo took in many orphans. These orphans were educated and became soldiers to defend their country. If someone had given them a hand, they wouldn't have ended up like this."

"There has to be someone to take the lead, girl. Just do whatever you want to do. Master supports you."

“Master…”

"Everyone has a responsibility to fulfill in this world. If you're poor, you should take care of yourself; if you're rich, you should help the world. There's nothing wrong with that. If you don't spend your money, it's like wasted land, meaningless."

"People should live by their hearts, girl, just do what you want."

"I understand, Master. I will think it over carefully."

…………………………

Liu Yuhan and his parents who came over went to pick up Liu Guang and others. The tests on the first day were relatively simple, and they all said they were able to complete them smoothly.

These days, Doctor Liu and Fuwa slept in one room, leaving two rooms free for Liu Shinan and the other five. Liu Yuhan and her mother slept in the soap shop.

They prepare what they will need for tomorrow in the evening and continue the exam the next day.

Liu Yuhan had shared her thoughts with Mrs. Liu last night. Mrs. Liu had given the same advice as Dr. Liu. She told her to do whatever she wanted without hesitation, and that her family would fully support her. She would tell the other adults when she got home tomorrow.

Liu Yuhan's heart calmed down.

The next day, her parents and she sent them to the examination hall. Liu Yuhan returned to the pharmacy, and her parents returned to the village.

The master said that the boy had woken up last night and had a high fever, so he took medicine. This morning he was fed some porridge, took the medicine, and went back to sleep. His condition is gradually improving, but I don’t know if he can move normally after his arm heals.

Ku Wa hurried over at noon. He was dirty and had a strange smell on his body. The straw sandals he wore revealed his restless toes, just like his whole body. He spread out his dirty hands, and there were more than 10 copper coins in them.

"This is what we earned this morning, and I'll give you a little bit every day."

"Ku Wa, who are you working for?"

"I... the older ones like us are helping the wealthy families pour out their nightshades."

"Yeah. Your brother's awake. Do you want to go check on him?"

"Great, I want to go see him."

"Come with me first."

Liu Yuhan filled a wooden basin with water for him and asked him to wash his hands first so as not to disturb his sick brother. He then took out warm food from the pot and gave it to him to eat.

"Eat up. Here's a bowl of porridge. When you're done, go feed your brother some porridge. I'll be busy now."

"Thank you, doctor..." Kuwawa's voice was choked with sobs.

When Kuwa finished feeding the injured child and was about to leave, Liu Yuhan stopped him.

"Can you take me to where you live?"

"Doc, I… the place we live in is very dirty."

"It's okay. My family fled here from the north two years ago. We've experienced all kinds of dirt and chaos. It's okay."

"How old are you?"

"I'm thirteen."

"If you don't mind, you can call me Doctor Liu or Sister Liu."

"Sister Liu, thank you Sister Liu."

"Let's go, is it far?"

"It'll take about two-quarters of an hour."

Liu Yuhan said hello to his master, who, worried, asked Fuwa to follow him. Passing by a bun shop, he bought all the remaining buns, about fifty or sixty in total.

After walking for nearly two quarters of an hour, we walked further and further away. This was an alley close to the city, far away from the downtown area. The area nearby should be full of slum houses, some of which were tiled houses made of adobe, with cracked walls, and most of them were thatched houses.

Liu Yuhan and Fuwa followed Kuwa into a small courtyard with an old wooden door and a low wall. Inside were several thatched houses. At the sound of the door opening, two children, a boy and a girl, about six or seven years old, ran out.

"Boss, you're back. Is Lao Wu awake? Is he okay?"

"Xiaojiu and Xiaoshi, this is Sister Liu, the doctor from the pharmacy, and Brother Fuwa, you should be polite and call them by name."

"Hello, Sister Liu, and Brother Fuwa."

"Hello."

"Where are grandma and Xiaoyi?"

"Where are the others?"

"Grandma carried Xiaoyi on her back to wash clothes for someone else."

"My second brother and the others went to help move bricks. I heard they can earn five copper coins for moving a pile of bricks."

“Where do you move the bricks?”

"It's in the village outside the city."

"Is it the Lan family?"

"Um…"

"Didn't I warn you not to enter the Lan family's manor again? Have you forgotten how Xiaowu was injured?!"

"You two, go call them back! Do you hear me?"

"Boss, don't be angry. We'll call them back right away."

"Fuwa, you go with them."

"Okay, miss."

"Ku Wa, can you tell me about your situation here?"

Ku Wa brought a wooden stool for Liu Yuhan to sit on in the yard, as those rooms were not big enough to welcome guests.

There are twelve people in this small courtyard. The oldest is the one they call Grandma, who is fifty years old. They call her Grandma Zhang, and the youngest is Xiao Shiyi, who is only one and a half years old.

It turned out that they were all brought together by Kuwa. They were originally beggars in the city.

There was a Ci Ruo Hall in the county government office, which would regularly provide some rice and grain to the people there, but the personnel there were complicated. Ku Wa was 9 years old at the time and was often bullied by older people. He had no food or drink, but was still allowed to steal and rob. If he disobeyed, he would be beaten. He was just a child and had no way to complain.

The steward who managed the Ci Ruo Hall also turned a blind eye. Every few days, someone would die of illness in the hall. He was afraid that he would die quietly, so he took to begging for a living...

Four years passed like this. Some of the children also came from the Tzu Ruo Hall, and some were met on the street. Later, he grew up and met his current grandmother who lives alone. His grandmother took them all back home.

Xiao Shiyi was a baby girl who was abandoned in a pond. She was probably only two months old when he rescued her.

Xiao Wu was helping out at the Lan family farm when he accidentally blocked the young master's path, so the young master injured Xiao Wu with a sharp blade. The Lan family had some relatives with the county magistrate, so they only threatened and intimidated them.

Although this shabby yard is old and dilapidated, it is their home where they have lived for three years. It can shelter them from wind and rain. Although life is hard, they will not starve to death by working for others.

It's just that life is hard, it's hard to get enough food, there are no thick clothes to wear or thick quilts to cover yourself with in winter, and there is no money to treat illnesses.

Liu Yuhan saw that he spoke calmly, but he saw the vicissitudes of life in the boy's eyes that shouldn't be there for his age.

It's been a hard journey, but it's hard to live a peaceful life.

A hemp rope breaks at its thinnest point, and misery finds its way to those who suffer...