"Cry! What's the use of crying!"
When Old Zhou saw the tears in Xiao Tao's eyes, he felt no pity whatsoever. Instead, he became even more agitated and raised his voice, "Will crying make the cart move faster? Will crying make the people in front come back? Hurry up and push! Stop crying! Save your energy pushing the cart! Oh my God, at this speed, you won't catch up even when it gets dark! What will we do then!"
He became increasingly agitated and his tone grew more and more harsh, as if all the responsibility lay with Xiao Tao.
Feeling wronged, guilty, under immense pressure, and utterly exhausted, Xiao Tao's last defenses crumbled like a torrent, and she could no longer hold back, bursting into tears!
She cried as she futilely pushed the cart with her last bit of strength, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind.
"Waaah...waaah...I...I can't push it anymore...I really can't push it anymore...Grandpa Zhou...waaah..." she sobbed uncontrollably.
"Cry, cry, cry! All you do is cry!!" Old Zhou continued to grumble incessantly.
Just then, Xiao Tao's vision blurred from crying, and she was completely exhausted. She couldn't see where she was standing, and the wheel suddenly ran over a protruding stone!
"Clang!"
The cart jolted violently and tilted sharply to the side!
Caught off guard, Grandma Zhou let out a terrified scream as she was thrown to one side and nearly fell off the car!
Fortunately, she instinctively grabbed the edge of the car platform, preventing her from falling completely, but she was terrified and her gray hair was disheveled.
"Oh my goodness!" Old Zhou was so startled by the sudden jolt that he stumbled and almost fell.
"You little slut! Are you trying to kill yourself?!" Old Mrs. Zhou, still in shock, unleashed a sharp, piercing curse. Pointing at Xiao Tao, her fingers trembled with anger and fear, "Can't you watch where you're going? Do you want to drop this old man and kill me? Useless thing! You can't even push a cart properly! What a waste that we were thanking you for!"
Old Zhou steadied himself, his face ashen. Looking at Xiao Tao, who was frozen in fear and had even forgotten to cry, he was furious. "That's right! Clumsy! You almost killed your grandma Zhou! How did you push the cart? Or were you trying to harm us? If I'd known you were this useless, I shouldn't have..."
Foul language, like filthy hailstones, rained down on the small figure, whose face was streaked with tears and filled with terror.
Xiao Tao was completely stunned. The vicious curses that Zhou's parents suddenly unleashed, along with the overwhelming sense of grievance and helplessness that almost drowned her, left her small body frozen in place, like a puppet whose soul had been taken away.
Just as Old Zhou's foul language was about to reach its peak, a cold figure silently stepped forward and blocked the dazed Xiao Tao.
It's Jiang Chan.
She strode over to Xiao Tao and pulled the child aside, saying, "Stand aside."
Seeing this, Grandpa Zhou immediately put on a smiling face, "Yes, yes, you should have pushed her away a long time ago, this girl is too useless..."
His words came to an abrupt end.
Jiang Chan's hands, like iron clamps, gripped the edge of the cart's plank with precision and ruthlessness, and with a sudden jerk—
Meanwhile, Old Mrs. Zhou, who was on the bus, was thrown out like a tattered sack, landing heavily with a "thud!" She let out a piercing scream, "Ah—my back—!"
Old Zhou was so frightened by this sudden turn of events that he couldn't dodge in time and was hit hard on the calf by Old Mrs. Zhou who was thrown over!
"Ouch—!" He let out a pig-like scream, wincing in pain.
Amidst the swirling dust, Jiang Chan slowly straightened up, patting non-existent dust off her hands with a gesture as calm as if she were merely brushing away a fallen leaf.
She didn't even glance at the Zhou family elders wailing on the ground; her cold eyes turned to Xiao Tao, who was so terrified she had forgotten to cry.
"Let's go." Her voice was calm and even, offering no explanation or comfort.
"Oh my God... Murder! This is outrageous!" Old Mrs. Zhou clutched her waist and let out a bloodcurdling scream like a pig being slaughtered.
Old Zhou howled, swearing, "Ouch! My foot! My bone is broken! Jiang Chan! You wretched little brat! How can you be so vicious! You'll get your comeuppance!"
Jiang Chan pushed the cart forward quickly, her steps never faltering, as if the wails and curses behind her were merely annoying buzzing flies.
Old Zhou watched Jiang Chan's resolute back, then glanced at Xiao Tao, who was terrified beside her. Suddenly, he raised his voice, no longer cursing Jiang Chan, but instead crying and shouting at the easier target:
"Little Peach! Look! Look at what your Sister Jiang has done! She's killed us old folks in this desolate wilderness! Little Peach... Grandpa Zhou and Grandma Zhou have always treated you well... That year you were crying from hunger, and your Grandma Zhou even gave you the last half of her wild vegetable bun! How could you bear to watch us die here? Talk to your Sister Jiang and ask her to have some mercy and help us, even just push the cart for us... Little Peach! Where is your conscience!"
He wept bitterly, pounding his chest and stamping his feet, repeatedly replaying the kindness of "half a steamed bun" in his mind, trying to use the heavy hammer of morality to shatter Xiao Tao's already faltering psychological defenses.
Grandma Zhou immediately cooperated, reaching out her hand towards Xiao Tao and wailing, "Xiao Tao, save Grandma! Grandma's in pain... For the sake of the steamed buns, please say something..."
The heavy sense of guilt brought by that "half a steamed bun" entwined her heart like cold vines. Xiao Tao subconsciously stopped in her tracks, looked at Jiang Chan with teary eyes, her lips trembling as if she wanted to plead for mercy.
Jiang Chan didn't even turn around. She just suddenly grabbed Xiao Tao's wrist. The force wasn't strong, but it carried an irresistible determination.
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