The night fell like a huge black curtain, covering the entire village.
Shen Qiqi's figure was like a gust of wind, shuttling between the houses.
Her eyes, which were usually bright and cunning, were now bloodshot with fatigue, but there was an unquestionable determination flashing in them.
"Uncle Li, don't you have an unused cart at home? Can you lend it to me?" Her voice was a little hoarse, but her tone was still so straightforward that it could not be refused.
"Aunt Wang, can you donate your old quilt to the nursing home first?" She turned to look at another family and forced a bright smile on her face, but that smile could not hide her fatigue.
She was like a tireless spinning top, shuttling through the streets and alleys of the village.
The cold wind blew on her face, scraping like a knife, but she didn't care. She was only thinking about how to get more benefits for those lonely elderly people.
Occasionally, the barking of dogs could be heard in the village, which further accentuated the silence of the night and her persistence.
Some villagers watched her busy figure and whispered, "What is this third daughter-in-law doing all day long?"
"Exactly. Just because your family is doing well, you want to be the savior? Is it really necessary to go to such great lengths to save that shabby nursing home?"
"I think she's just too idle. If she has that much time, she might as well have more kids!"
These harsh sounds pierced Shen Qiqi's ears like needles.
She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh, but she still suppressed the anger in her heart and said to the crowd who were talking: "You may not understand me, but every family has elderly people, and everyone will grow old. If we don't do something for the elderly today, who will help us tomorrow?" Her words were loud and clear, and her tone was passionate, like a sharp sword, cutting through the whispers in the crowd, but failed to stir up much waves.
"It sounds nice, but you just want to mess around! You've ruined all the belongings of us old guys!" An old man shouted sarcastically in the crowd, and the crowd echoed him.
Shen Qiqi's heart went cold, and a feeling of powerlessness surged in her heart.
She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She looked around, trying to find a glimmer of understanding, but the only responses she got were cold faces.
She felt her throat tighten, as if she had a thousand words to say, but couldn't utter a single word.
She looked at her rough hands, then at the still dilapidated nursing home in the distance, and a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes.
She staggered towards the village entrance.
Suddenly, she stopped, turned around abruptly, and looked at the crowd with sharp eyes, "Do you really think this is enough?" As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around and walked away quickly.
Shen Qiqi dragged her tired body and sat down on a stone by the roadside.
The night wind grew colder, like countless tiny needles pricking her face.
She rubbed her frozen hands and exhaled a breath of white air.
"Oh, these old stubborn people are really killing me!" She muttered softly, her tone full of helplessness.
Cold faces flashed through her mind, and those harsh words echoed in her ears like a tape recorder.
She shook her head vigorously, trying to get rid of these negative emotions, but found that they were stuck in her mind like chewing gum.
The moon hid in the clouds and the world became darker.
The surroundings were quiet, with only the occasional chirping of insects, which further highlighted her loneliness.
Shen Qiqi sighed, feeling like a huge rock was pressing on her heart, making it hard to breathe.
She looked up at the sky and felt like an abandoned star, small and helpless.
Suddenly, she stood up abruptly and dusted herself off, "Hmph, I just don't believe it!" She clenched her fists, as if to cheer herself up.
She strode briskly to the loudspeaker at the village committee, took a deep breath, and shouted into the microphone, "Good evening, fellow villagers! I know you all have objections to the renovation of the nursing home and think I'm meddling in your affairs. But I want to ask you, who doesn't have elderly people in their family? Who can guarantee that they won't grow old?"
She paused and continued, "I know it's not easy for everyone, but little by little, a mountain of sand can become a tower! I, Shen Qiqi, will take the lead in donating 100 yuan today! I don't believe that even with the efforts of the whole village, we still can't transform a nursing home!"
Her voice echoed in the silent night sky and reached every corner of the village.
The sound from the loudspeaker suddenly stopped, but the village was in an uproar.
Some people talked in low voices, while others remained silent.
At this moment, an old voice came from the crowd: "I'll donate fifty!"
"I'll donate twenty!"
"I...I'll donate ten dollars!"
More and more villagers came out of their homes, holding money in their hands, and walked towards the village committee.
Shen Qiqi looked at the scene in front of her, the corners of her mouth slightly raised.
At this moment, a tall figure appeared behind her, "Are you tired?"
Lu Qing gently hugged Shen Qiqi's shoulders from behind, his tone full of heartache.
Shen Qiqi tilted her head slightly and leaned on Lu Qing's chest, a tired smile on her face.
"It's okay, just a little cold." She sniffed and felt a warm current coming from Lu Qing's body, dispelling the coldness in her body.
"Let's go home and warm up." Lu Qing said, taking off his coat and putting it on Shen Qiqi.
The two hugged each other and slowly walked towards home.
The dim street lights stretched the two people's figures out long, interweaving into a warm picture on the ground.
The next morning, the village became lively.
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