"Cough...cough cough..." He coughed loudly a few times on purpose, his voice hoarse and painful, "Ouch...old bones...no good anymore...this road, this road is too difficult to walk on..."
He stopped, gripped the edge of the car, gasped for breath, his face deathly pale, as if he were about to collapse at any moment.
"Little Peach...Little Peach...look at Grandpa Zhou's health, I'm afraid...I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on..."
He looked at Xiao Tao, his eyes filled with pity and pleas, "I'm getting old... my legs won't obey me anymore... my chest feels so tight... if this continues, I'm afraid I'll... I'll die on this road..."
As he spoke, he secretly observed Jiang Chan's reaction, and seeing that she still kept her eyes fixed straight ahead, he knew he couldn't count on her.
His implication couldn't be clearer: he couldn't push it anymore and wanted Xiao Tao to push it.
Looking at Grandpa Zhou's painful, swaying figure, and then at Grandma Zhou on the cart who was also looking at her with equal anxiety, Xiao Tao's heart clenched. Grandpa Zhou looked so pitiful... What would happen to Grandma Zhou if he collapsed? Her little heart was filled with reluctance and worry.
Jiang Chan finally paused, turning her head to look at Old Master Zhou's face, which was filled with "pain." "If I had known I wouldn't be able to walk, why did I come along to flee the famine?"
Grandpa Zhou's entire performance froze on his face instantly. His pitiful expression was frozen, his mouth was open, and he made two "hoarse" sounds in his throat, but he couldn't utter a single word. All that was left was a face full of astonishment and embarrassment.
Using your age to bully others or morally blackmailing them won't work on her!
Grandpa Zhou was so choked up that his face turned red, and he almost passed out. Looking at Jiang Chan's cold eyes, he knew that this road was blocked, but the cart could not stop, or he would really be unable to catch up!
He abruptly turned his gaze to the soft-hearted Xiao Tao, his face instantly contorting with even deeper pain and despair, his voice even cracking with sobs:
“Girl…Grandpa Zhou…Grandpa Zhou is really not going to make it. Look how my hands are shaking…my legs…my legs are weak. If I push him any further, I’m afraid I’ll fall headfirst! What will happen to your Grandma Zhou then…?”
As he spoke, he made an even weaker, more frail gesture, as if he were about to collapse at any moment, as if he were about to die.
"Grandpa Zhou... I! I'll push!" Xiao Tao's voice trembled slightly, but was unusually firm.
She released her grip on Jiang Chan's clothes, quickly walked to the back of the cart, and stretched out her thin, withered hands, pressing them firmly against the rough cart surface.
A glint of triumph flashed in Old Master Zhou's eyes, but his face immediately transformed into one of overwhelming gratitude. "Oh! Oh! Good girl! Good girl! Grandpa Zhou... Grandpa Zhou will remember your kindness for the rest of my life!"
As he spoke, he immediately let go of the cart, leaning weakly against the side of the cart, panting heavily, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
The heavy cart suddenly lost its main thrust and sank sharply!
Xiao Tao felt an immense force pressing down on her! Her small body staggered, and she almost fell over!
She frantically used all her strength, bracing her feet firmly against the ground, arching her back, and unleashing astonishing power from her thin arms to hold onto the handlebars!
"Hmm—" A suppressed groan escaped from Xiao Tao's throat.
Jiang Chan was right next to her and saw everything clearly.
Looking at Xiaotao's tender figure, swaying precariously under the weight of the burden, and at her face turning red and the veins in her neck bulging with effort, an irritated rebuke almost burst from his throat—Stop! Don't push! You idiot!
But the words caught in her throat, and she swallowed them back. Her lips pressed into a straight line, but she didn't say anything to stop it.
"Oh my! Look at our little Tao! She's so capable! And she's really strong!"
Old Zhou leaned against the side of the cart, panting heavily even though his hands were empty, as if he were more tired than Xiao Tao who was pushing the cart. His face was full of exaggerated praise, "Kind-hearted and skillful! Grandpa Zhou saw it long ago, you are just like your grandma, with the heart of a bodhisattva! God bless you, you will definitely have good fortune in the future! Great good fortune!"
His praises came like cheap candies, popping out one after another.
"Wow, you push this cart so steadily! Much better than Grandpa Zhou! Little Tao, you're really great! In our Willow Tree Village, you're the most sensible and caring person!"
Xiao Tao was overwhelmed by the barrage of praise. The fatigue and soreness in her body seemed to be lessened by these words. She gritted her teeth, tried to straighten her back, and forced a smile onto her face. Her eyes sparkled with affirmation. "No...it's nothing...Grandpa Zhou..."
She was panting, and responded softly. It seemed as if she had suddenly gained a little strength in her legs, and the cart moved a little faster.
Jiang Chan took it all in, and the corners of her mouth turned down very slightly, the curve of which was cold and sarcastic.
Stupid! She's being sold out and still helping them count the money! She looked away, no longer looking at Xiao Tao's face, which was lit up by cheap praise, and found that smile irritating.
However, the weight of the cart and the bumpy road quickly exhausted Xiao Tao's strength. Her speed slowed down to a visible degree, her small body trembled violently, and her steps were unsteady and unsteady, as if she would collapse at any moment.
They were gradually left further and further behind by the main group ahead, who were rushing on their way. From a few meters, to a dozen meters, and then to twenty meters... The blurry figures of the group ahead swayed in the sweltering heat, like an unattainable mirage.
The smile and admiration on Old Zhou's face vanished instantly, replaced by undisguised anxiety and panic. He frequently tiptoed to look ahead, then turned back to look at Xiao Tao, who could barely move, as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
"Hey! Little Peach! Hurry up! Hurry up!" His voice lost its previous sweetness and became urgent and sharp. "Look ahead! Everyone's gone! If we keep dawdling like this, we'll be left behind! And if we're left behind, we're doomed!" He pointed to the increasingly distant group ahead, his tone full of reproach.
Xiao Tao panicked and tried her best to quicken her pace, but her legs wouldn't obey her commands. Instead, because of her anxiety, she tripped and almost fell, and the cart shook violently.
"Hey! Be careful!" Grandma Zhou cried out in alarm from inside the car.
"Sigh!" Old Zhou sighed heavily, his face full of disappointment and impatience. "Little Tao, it's not that Grandpa Zhou is criticizing you... but you're too weak... this can't go on!"
He complained while urging, "Push harder! Push harder! Stop dawdling! Look at Gou Dan's mother, she can walk faster than us even with her child on her back! You're so young, how come you don't even have this much strength?"
Each urging and complaint was like a cold whip lashing at Xiao Tao's already exhausted heart. The praise that had just made her so happy seemed to still ring in her ears, but in the blink of an eye, it turned into harsh accusations.
She opened her mouth, wanting to explain that she really had no strength left, wanting to say that she had tried her best, but her throat was filled with grievances and a suffocating feeling of not being able to breathe, and she couldn't utter a single word. Tears welled up uncontrollably.
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