Chapter 142 Sister Jiang saved me, so I will naturally take the surname Jiang from now on.
"Okay, from now on I'll be called Xiao Yi, Jiang Yi. Thank you for naming me, sister."
Jiang Ling was a little taken aback. So he also had the surname Jiang?
Never mind, it's not important anymore.
Jiang Ling took some biscuits and bread from the shelf, and then took two bottles of milk.
He pointed to the tables and chairs outside the shop.
"Have breakfast outside the shop first. After you finish eating, Xiao Ran, take him to take a bath and get him a set of old clothes from your house."
She gave Xiaoran a lot of fabric; they should all have finished making their new clothes.
Xiao Yi's clothes were really tattered. And his face was all dirty.
The thought of him rolling around in a pile of rats made Jiang Ling not want to get close to him.
Since the shop is already open, she doesn't plan to close it today, but she's going upstairs to sleep.
After giving them instructions, Jiang Ling went upstairs.
Only Xiao Ran and Xiao Yi remained in the shop.
Xiao Yi's mouth watered as she looked at the pastries in Xiao Ran's hand.
He saw these strangely packaged things in the shop last night. So they're edible?
Now that I smell it, it actually does smell quite nice.
Apart from eating half a bowl of rice at noon yesterday, he hasn't eaten anything else.
He even threw away the mouse he had painstakingly snatched from the wild cat's mouth. Now he was starving.
"Brother Xiaoran, what is this?"
Xiao Ran, however, gave him a wary once-over, scrutinizing look. Her tone was cold and hard.
"You're dirty and smelly. Take a shower first, and you can eat after you're clean."
Although Sister Jiang said to take a bath after breakfast, he really couldn't stand Xiao Yi's filth and unpleasant smell, and he didn't want him to dirty the tables and chairs at the shop entrance.
Xiao Yi was starving, but seeing the unfriendly and disgusted look in Xiao Ran's eyes, he didn't dare to argue and could only nod.
"Then...where should I take a shower?"
Xiao Ran said expressionlessly, even with a hint of sarcasm, "Where else can a homeless person go to wash? Of course, by the river."
He casually placed the food on the table by the door, turned around and walked out without even glancing at Xiaoyi.
Xiao Yi glanced reluctantly at the food on the table, swallowed hard, and had no choice but to obediently follow Xiao Ran's footsteps towards the river at the edge of the village.
Upon reaching the riverbank, Xiao Ran pointed to the gently flowing, cool autumn water.
"Wash your clothes here. I'm going back to get my clothes. You must wash them clean, or you won't get anything to eat. You're not allowed to go ashore until I'm back."
After saying that, he didn't look at Xiaoyi again and turned to walk home.
Xiao Yi took off her straw sandals, which were worn down to the point of exposing her toes, and tentatively put her feet into the water.
The icy river water instantly soaked into his skin, making him shiver and quickly pull his feet back.
It was early morning, and it was autumn again; the river water was incredibly cold.
But then I think of that pretty older sister who loves cleanliness and likes clean children.
If they're not washed properly, there'll be nothing to eat, and they can't stay in the shop anymore...
He steeled his resolve, stripped himself naked, gritted his teeth, endured the biting cold, and submerged himself in the water.
Having no cleaning tools, he could only desperately rub his entire body with his hands.
Thinking of his sister's cleanliness and beauty, even though the river water was freezing cold, he still used all his strength to clean himself from head to toe, even picking the mud out of his fingernails.
It wasn't until he was so cold he was almost unconscious, shivering as he climbed out of the water and stood on the shore, shivering, that Xiao Ran slowly walked back carrying a set of old clothes.
Xiao Ran didn't hand him the clothes immediately. Instead, she crossed her arms and scrutinized him from head to toe as if examining an object.
"Your hair isn't clean. Go wash it again."
Xiao Yi's body, which had just warmed up a bit, cooled down again, but she didn't dare to say no, so she could only dive back into the water.
She buried her hair in the river, rubbing it vigorously with her little hands until each strand was distinct and free of any mud or dirt, before finally getting back ashore, her lips frozen purple.
"Brother, is it... clean this time?"
Xiao Ran still held the clothes, examined them carefully one last time, and then reluctantly handed them over.
Those were Xiao Qi's old clothes from when he was a child. They were faded from washing and covered in patches. They were originally intended to be taken apart and used as rags.
Xiao Yi put on her clothes, trembling.
Although the clothes were the size Xiao Qi wore when he was six years old, they still looked too big and loose for him, who had been suffering from long-term malnutrition.
Xiao Ran glared at him, annoyed. "Hey! Why do you say your surname is Jiang? You clearly don't have the surname Jiang!"
He was a child once too, and he could tell he was lying at a glance!
After Xiaoyi finished dressing, she finally felt a bit of warmth.
Although it was an old piece of clothing, it was still much thicker than his original one.
He looked up at Xiao Ran, his eyes revealing a calmness and stubbornness beyond his years.
“I didn’t have the surname Jiang before, but I will have it from now on.”
"You know your own surname, so why do you still choose Jiang?" Xiao Ran pressed.
“My parents are both dead, so my original surname is no longer important to me. It was Sister Jiang who gave me a name and allowed me to live. So from now on, I will naturally take the surname Jiang.”
He actually has a name, and he remembers his name.
But none of that matters anymore; surviving is the most important thing now.
Hearing him say that, Xiao Ran seemed even more hostile towards him.
"It's no use having the surname Jiang. Sister Jiang said she's only taking you in temporarily, and you'll have to leave sooner or later."
Hearing Xiao Ran say this, Xiao Yi looked bewildered, revealing the ignorance and worry that one would expect at his age.
He clutched his stomach and whispered, "Brother Xiaoran, can we go back and get something to eat? I'm so cold and hungry..."
Looking at his face, which was pale from the cold, Xiao Ran's hostility lessened somewhat, perhaps because she realized that they were all suffering people.
"Let's go."
Xiao Yi's eyes lit up, and she quickly followed, her steps becoming lighter.
Back at the entrance of the grocery store.
Xiao Ran picked up a meat floss bread and a bottle of milk from the table with a bad temper, shoved them into his hands, and then took all the remaining snacks for herself.
Xiao Yi happily picked up the bread, but was at a loss as to what to do with the transparent layer wrapped around it.
He tried to tear it, but he couldn't break it no matter how hard he looked, and he couldn't find any opening no matter how many times he turned it over.
He was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead; the more he couldn't get his hands on it, the more alluring the faintly sweet aroma became.
Xiao Ran completely ignored his predicament and, while he was studying the packaging, she had already deftly torn open the packaging of her own bread.
He inserted a milk straw and started eating heartily by himself.
Xiao Yi stared at the food in Xiao Ran's hand, swallowing hard. The aroma of pork floss wafted over, making him even hungrier.
He grew increasingly anxious, and finally, unable to contain himself any longer, timidly turned to Xiaoran for help:
"Brother... how do I open this?"
Xiao Ran rolled her eyes at him, her tone disdainful: "You're so stupid!"
Even so, he still reached out and grabbed Xiaoyi's bread, finding the serrated edge of the packaging.
"Sizzle—"
She tore it open with a crisp sound, then shoved it back into his hand with a huff.
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