Cheng Xiao Kui asked, "Why are you all alone? Where are your family? Where are they? Why don't you go home?"
The girl shook her head and said, "I have no home... I almost drowned in the river when I was a child. I guess I was lucky and I floated down the river."
But I was unlucky; the person who saved me was a trafficker. After rescuing me, he took me to another province that very night and sold me...
The family that bought me was from the village. They had a mentally challenged son, and they wanted me to be his wife!
I ate worse than a dog at his house, worked harder than an ox, and couldn't even go inside to sleep at night; they made me sleep with the cows.
A few years ago, they wanted me to consummate my marriage with the mentally challenged man, but unexpectedly, the man fell seriously ill and died after burning up for several days!
My mother-in-law cursed me, saying I was a jinx to my husband! She tied me up and hung me up, beating me until I was covered in bruises. But a mentally challenged person is dead once they're dead; even if you beat me to death, the mentally challenged person won't come back to life.
They were afraid I was a jinx and dared not let me marry their other sons, so they sold me off for a high price.
They waited for several years, and last month they finally met a disabled old bachelor from a neighboring village who gave them the price they wanted.
They then sold me to that disabled old bachelor, and they tied me up and took me to the old bachelor's house.
That old bachelor would beat and curse me. When he tried to bully me at night, I don't know where I got the strength, but I pushed him hard. Who would have thought he would fall down and hit the back of his head on the corner of a chair.
I saw him stop moving, with a lot of blood flowing from the back of his head. Terrified, I grabbed a few coins from his house, ran in the dark to town, and boarded a train.
The girl cried and wiped away her tears, covering her already dusty face with mud streaks.
Cheng Xiaokui asked in surprise, "You didn't have a letter of introduction from the village, so how did you buy a train ticket and get on the train?"
The girl cried and said, "I didn't have a train ticket, so I took advantage of the fact that there was no one on the platform and crawled into a freight car."
The train was carrying coal, and I didn't know where it was going. I thought it didn't matter where I died, it was better than dying at an old bachelor's house!
After the bus stopped, I sneaked off and quietly hid to the side, listening to the people talking on the platform.
I heard them say that a truck was going to the capital, so I ran onto the truck and got to the capital.
Cheng Xiao Kui gave the girl a thumbs up and said, "You're really capable! You managed to escape all this, but why did you go all the way to the capital?"
The girl said, "I remember my home is in the capital city... although I can't remember my family members' names or our address."
But I really remember that my home is in Beijing. I ran away this time because I wanted to come to Beijing to find my relatives!
Cheng Xiaokui said, "My family is short-handed for work, why don't you come to my house? I'll provide food and lodging, and I'll even pay you!"
The girl knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Cheng Xiao Kui, "Thank you! You are my savior!"
Cheng Xiaokui pulled the girl up and said, "You don't need to kowtow to me! I didn't do anything. It's just that my family really needs someone to do the work."
Also, now that you're free, think carefully about what your family members are called. Even a nickname will do, or can you recall any hutongs (traditional alleyways) in Beijing?
If you can remember the name, your family probably lives in that alley!
The girl kept nodding, sobbing uncontrollably.
Cheng Xiao Kui told the girl to wait outside the bank while she and her mother-in-law went inside to deposit the money.
Bank counters in those days were very high, and children couldn't see inside them.
The countertop reached up to an adult's chest and had iron bars on it.
People had to pass the money and bankbooks they were holding through the window under the iron bars.
The teller, sitting behind the counter, sits on a high stool and takes the money and passbook.
The money was counted out one bill at a time by hand; there was no money counter or calculator, only the simplest abacus.
After counting the money, the teller wrote the amount on the passbook and then stamped it with his personal seal.
Because counting money takes a long time, the efficiency of doing business is not high, and long queues have to be formed in the bank.
Cheng Xiao Kui and Lin Qiu Ru lined up to deposit money.
Lin Qiuru lowered her voice and said to Cheng Xiaokui, "Are you really going to take that girl in? She... killed someone..."
Cheng Xiao Kui said, "If she didn't kill anyone, was she supposed to just wait to be bullied? It's a pity she was born at the wrong time. If it were a few decades later, her actions would be considered self-defense, and she wouldn't have to bear any legal responsibility."
Besides, we don't even know if that crippled old man is really dead.
If I don't take her in, where can she go? How will she survive in the capital?
Cheng Xiao Kui knew very well that if she didn't take this girl in, the girl would starve to death in the capital sooner or later...
Lin Qiuru sighed and said, "That's true... This girl is too pitiful... Let's take her in and see how it goes."
However, you still need to be careful. We may not have the intention to harm others, but we must be wary of them!
Cheng Xiao Kui nodded in agreement.
After finally getting to the front of the line, Cheng Xiao Kui and Lin Qiu Ru managed to deposit their money.
The two checked the amount written on the passbook. They put the passbook in their pockets and left the bank.
Cheng Xiao Kui told Lin Qiu Ru to take the two children home first, while she took the girl to a public bathhouse.
The staff member who opened the door to the public bathroom clearly didn't want the girl to go in.
She pinched her nose and said, "What kind of crap are you bringing into the bathhouse?! She can't go in!"
Cheng Xiaokui smiled and said to the waitress, "Big sister, who doesn't know you have the kindest heart?"
This girl is in a terrible situation. Her husband died, and her in-laws kicked her out, hoping she would starve to death outside.
She finally managed to beg her way here and met me. After all, it's a human life. In our new society, we can't just ignore it, right?
Have you ever had barbecue skewers at my house? My fried chicken frame skewers are delicious! Come over after work and grab a fried chicken frame! It's on me!
She made up a story that would instantly evoke sympathy in any woman who heard it, and then promised the waiter a fried chicken frame.
The waiter's eyes lit up. "Oh my! That's your place that sells fried chicken frames! Is it the place that has karaoke at night?"
Cheng Xiao Kui nodded and said, "Yes, this is my house! You must come and try my chicken frames!"
The waitress smiled and said, "Okay, okay! I'll definitely try it! You know, that girl is really pitiful."
Okay then, let her go in and wash up. Even if she washes herself clean, she can't wear those clothes anymore; it would be a waste of time if she did.
Cheng Xiao Kui said, "Let her go in and shower first. I'll go buy her toiletries and new clothes!"
The waitress nodded in agreement.
Cheng Xiaokui watched the girl go in to take a bath. She went to the cooperative and bought a full set of toiletries, medicine to get rid of head lice, and a full set of clean clothes from head to toe, and sent all of these to the bathhouse.
Looking at the clean and neatly dressed girl, Cheng Xiao Kui couldn't help but think that the girl looked just like her!
The waitress exclaimed, "Wow! This girl looks just like you. Could she be your lost sister? Hahaha!"
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