The scar hidden on the cuff was only seen by Chaochao recently; netizens didn't notice it, and everyone was expressing their feelings.
Wow, this little girl is so thin! She must be malnourished.
The other children who appeared before were all quite robust.
[Perhaps the conditions weren't good...]
[Sorry, the villagers of Hongyao Village receive a monthly living allowance; that's my hometown.]
Of course, some people also criticized the little girl for running away without saying a word.
Not saying a word is a bit rude.
[She looks so quiet and reserved, not very likable.]
[Don't be like that, sis. Do you even know this person? Do you think you can just like them?]
As Leo and Changchang finished packing up the tomatoes and were about to head to the next house, they turned around and found Chaochao squatting in front of a house, staring intently at the dog hole with a serious expression.
"Chaochao, this dog hole is too small for you to squeeze through."
Leo blurted out the answer without thinking, not finding anything strange about Chaochao's sister wanting to crawl through the dog hole.
"Can we ask this company?"
Chaochao pointed to the door and asked in a childish voice.
"This place?" Leo looked up and glanced around. The double wooden doors, patina-covered to a dark brown, were tightly closed, and it didn't look like anyone was home.
But since Chaochao's sister said so.
"Can!"
Leo straightened his back and knocked on the door. "Is anyone home?"
No one answered.
Chaochao tilted her head; she clearly heard the sound.
Leo knocked on the door again and asked loudly once more.
"..."
Just as he was about to tell his sister to forget about it, the door opened from the inside.
A thin, medium-height man stood in the middle of the doorway, with a simple and honest appearance, and asked, "What is it?"
The three children all looked up at the same time.
Leo: "Uncle, do you have any carrots at home?"
The man immediately shook his head: "No."
"Do you have any celery?"
Changchang grabbed the straps of the basket and asked him.
No, not at all.
While the two friends were asking questions, Chaochao blinked and looked over the man's legs into the dimly lit inner room.
A dog was tied to the corner of the wall, a heavy iron chain around its neck. It sat there quietly, its hind legs twitching almost imperceptibly. Its eyes were dark and dull.
For some reason, Chaochao thought of the girl from earlier.
Suddenly, the man and the dog locked eyes.
"...Woof!"
The sudden barking of the stray dog behind him startled the man. He turned around and angrily yelled at the dog, "What are you yelling about!"
"!!!"
The sudden change in expression made Leo and Changchang shrink back in fear.
Under the man's glare, the dog retreated back into the corner, its head bowed low, emitting a weak whimper—a gesture of submission.
Seeing the two children take a step back in unison, the thin man's face stiffened, and he said with an awkward smile, "This dog always likes to bite people, I have to teach it a lesson."
"Oh, I see."
Leo let out a breath; that uncle was really scary.
It feels like it could eat a child.
Just then, an old man passing by happened to see the man and casually called out, "Old Qian, aren't you going to the factory today?"
The man, Qian Lao Er, laughed and said, "I'm on the night shift today, so I'll rest at home first."
The man chatted casually with his neighbor for a couple of minutes, then closed the door.
This was the first time their team hadn't gotten any food. Leo sighed, but quickly cheered up. "Let's go to the next place. We have to get the carrots!"
"Wait, Chaochao, where's your food?"
Leo noticed that the vegetable basket that the little dumpling was carrying was gone.
Changchang looked around and saw an old lady's empty space in front of her house, with her basket standing alone, isolated from the world.
"Ah, there it is!"
Leo ran over to help Chaochao lift up, "Chaochao, let's go—"
As a result, the basket was put back on the ground less than a second after it was lifted up.
It's so heavy!
Then Changchang saw Leo walk back empty-handed and nonchalantly, and asked Chaochao, "What are you looking at?"
Changchang: "..."
The little boy frowned and said sullenly, "That uncle is a bad person."
"He hit children...and he also hit puppies."
Chaochao heard it.
The dog, curled up in the corner, cried out in pain for help.
The little dumpling made a surprising remark, leaving his friends and the cameraman stunned.
After all, they thought the man seemed quite honest and normal.
Most netizens don't believe it either.
[Is Chaochao overthinking this? This uncle doesn't seem to have any problems.]
A dog that bites needs to be disciplined severely.
[How can you tell someone hit a child? You can't just say things like that.]
Children speak without restraint.
Leo swallowed hard in shock and asked what everyone was thinking, "Chao Chao... how did you know?"
The little dumpling said earnestly, "The dog said so."
Everyone: "..."
It was just something he said offhand.
Leo, who firmly believed in the existence of Ultraman, scratched his head in bewilderment. "Huh? Then why didn't I hear anything?"
Changchang hesitated before speaking, "Actually... I think this uncle is a bit strange..."
It gave him the creeps.
"Shall we... leave?"
Changchang said somewhat uneasily, "If this uncle really hits the child, then they'll be the ones who come out to beat him."
Leo took the pumpkin out of Chaochao's basket, put it in his own basket, helped Chaochao carry it on his back, and then led the little dumpling out, saying, "Chaochao, let's go."
Chaochao, forced to carry the mountain again: "?"
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