Gu Lingxiao: "We haven't been married for very long, and we can both handle spicy food, so add more spice."
The boss nodded and didn't ask any more personal questions, but instead changed the subject.
"That little mute girl is really pitiful. Her mother said she ran away with someone, but she has never been seen alive or dead. The woman has never returned to her parents' home."
So many years have passed, and the child had been living with his grandfather until recently when he was brought here. Those brats, having nothing better to do, and with these parents spouting nonsense, decided to bully the little mute.
After hearing this, everyone shook their heads; they also felt sorry for the child.
However, because of their bad reputation, they dared not care too much, fearing that unfounded rumors would stick around them and they would be unable to explain themselves.
Lu Zhixia, "What kind of person is the child's father?"
The boss sighed and shook his head again, "He's a drinker, but luckily he has a skill and can earn some money by repairing cars! Such a good kid is suffering because of him."
Someone else added, "Isn't that right? The little girl may not talk much, but she's very hardworking. She gets up before dawn every day to collect things to sell for money. Compared to my sons, this child is so sensible!"
Lu Zhixia thought of the little girl's stubborn eyes; this child would grow up to be someone remarkable.
The skewers were finally cooked, so they took their packed food and headed back.
As darkness gradually fell, it was roughly dark by the time we walked back.
Gu Lingxiao sensed something was off about the footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw that the little mute girl had caught up with him. So he tugged at Lu Zhixia's sleeve, making her turn around and look.
The little mute boy quickly ran to their side, panting, and then began to gesture with his hands before taking out the money.
Seeing the child's excited gaze, Lu Zhixia spoke up.
"This money is for you."
The little mute girl shook her head, indicating that she did not want it; she could not accept unexpected wealth.
Lu Zhixia tidied the child's hair again, "This money is really for you, Auntie won't take it back! Keep it as pocket money or for emergencies."
The little mute girl looked bewildered. There really were good people in this world. They were the good people her grandfather had talked about. Tears welled up in her eyes. After living here for so many days, she felt that there was only evil in the world.
The kind where you can't see any light.
So she nodded solemnly and then gripped the money tightly.
"Hey! Why are you out here?" A man's voice came from behind.
They looked over and saw a man in blue overalls walking towards them; one of his legs was lame.
Lu Zhixia guessed that this person must be the little girl's father.
The little mute boy was very happy to see his father, and then he gestured with his hands before showing his father the money.
The man saw it was 10 yuan and quickly picked it up and handed it to the other person.
"We can't accept this money."
“Take it! It’s for the child!” Gu Lingxiao said.
How could a man accept money from a stranger? He knew he wasn't very capable, so he chose to kneel down.
Gu Lingxiao noticed his movement and immediately helped him up.
"Brother, a man's knees are worth their weight in gold; you can't kneel before us!"
The man said, "I want to thank you, but I don't know how."
Lu Zhixia said, "That's easy. You just need to take good care of the child."
The man stroked his daughter's head. "I've been trying my best. I was so decadent before, drinking all the time. After my father passed away, I felt like I was in a different world. Only then did I realize how much I had wasted these years, how I hadn't taken good care of my child, and how much I had let my parents down!"
Lu Zhixia said, "Since you know this, then you should work hard from now on to give our daughter a better life."
The man nodded to indicate that he understood, and looking at the two people in front of him, he said, "I really have no way to repay you, and I don't know what to say."
Lu Zhixia: "You don't need to say anything, just do your job well!"
The man nodded again.
Lu Zhixia waved goodbye to them, then turned and left with Gu Lingxiao.
She didn't turn back, because she knew the couple would watch them leave.
And that is indeed the case.
Once the person had completely disappeared, the little mute boy reached out and tugged at his father's sleeve, shouting with all his might, "..."
"dad!"
The man was so excited when he heard his daughter call him "Dad" for the first time that he picked her up and spun her around a few times. Then he said to his daughter,
"Try shouting again." He suspected it was a hallucination.
"Daddy!" she cried out again, and only then did the girl realize that she could speak. She burst into tears of joy.
The father and daughter embraced each other, and in that moment they both felt reborn.
——
They returned to their hotel room with so much barbecue they had bought that it almost didn't fit on the table.
Lu Zhixia reached out and touched the surface of the paper bag; it was still quite warm to the touch.
"Thankfully, the barbecue hasn't gotten cold."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
