After a long silence, he finally spoke in a simple, dry voice.
“At that time, strictly speaking, I was forced to accept it. Sheng Zhiyuan was covered in injuries, and the wound on his abdomen was bleeding profusely. He should have known that he didn’t have much time left, so he didn’t even let me bandage him. He directly entrusted the child to me and asked me to raise the child for him.”
You tell me, how desperate must he have been at that time to entrust his child to a complete stranger?
Isn't he worried that I'll take the money and then abandon the child somewhere? Or, to be even more ruthless, could I find a family without children to send the child to? Wouldn't that be much easier?
Cheng Chao looked down at the soft top of his head, paused for a moment, and then reached out and rubbed it.
Don't get stuck on a single point.
Like a drowning person, they won't give up as long as there's a straw to grasp, even if they know the hope is slim.
At times like these, what is tested is humanity and the human heart.
The fact that you were able to rescue a child from a chaotic street, amidst a group of ill-intentioned people, clearly indicates you're not a bad person.
His judgment was indeed excellent; he didn't misjudge her. Look how well you've raised your child. If he were really, really gone, he would surely be at ease knowing that his daughter would be living such a peaceful life.
Poor people hope that God will be kind to them, that the weather will be favorable, and that they will be able to eat their fill.
But people like this have the exact opposite desires.
For them, in this turbulent world, just a few days of peace would be enough.
He chuckled softly.
"Just like you, do you still remember your original intention when you went to the countryside?"
He paused for a moment, then pursed his lips.
"Heh, it seems our situations are similar, except I ran away earlier. Back then, apart from that family, no one else was watching me. I guess it has something to do with my dad being a martyr."
Cheng Chao nodded.
"That's right, the South may be different from here, but here, the people value relationships and believe in the gods."
Especially in families with elderly members, people believe that martyrs are on the same level as the gods who were revered in ancient times, and should not be desecrated.
Regardless of whether they know each other or not, regardless of age, the respect, or rather, the awe, for martyrs is the same. Even those who cause trouble or betray their teachers and ancestors would not dare to offend them on this point.
Having a martyr in one's family is something most people wouldn't dare to touch; it's like a protective charm.
Simple surprise,
"Is it that amazing? How come I didn't know that before?"
"...no one dared to say it,"
Ah, right, what kind of deity is this? Isn't this going against the grain? It's blatant feudal thinking.
"Another point is that both the Jian and Su families donated their family property in a grand manner at the time. Moreover, in the following years, they lived almost like ordinary people. Look, even your mother is just an ordinary worker. She has to rely on ration coupons to buy grain and meat, just like the neighbors. It is obvious that she has become one with the poor people."
People are inherently resentful of the rich. If you have money, they envy and are jealous of you, thinking you are superior and dare not do anything.
But when you're poor, people will look at you like, "Oh, she's just like us, but she's pleasing to the eye in every way."
Think about it, isn't that how it always is?
With a sigh, Jian Dan then spoke of the things Sheng Zhiyuan had left behind.
“There are quite a few things there. Calling it a treasure trove might be an exaggeration, but it’s still a considerable amount. Now that we’ve confirmed that Uncle Jian is a member of the Sheng family, ask him. If he has a suitable place, I can return it to its rightful owner right now.”
Simple and confident, she could accept other people's things without a guilty conscience, no matter how good they were. But she really disdained things that already had an owner.
Cheng Chao wasn't one to be easily swayed, so he reached out and ruffled her hair again.
"Okay, I'll tell him, but I don't think he'll want it."
"Whether you want it or not, it's because Sheng Zhiyuan was desperate before that he entrusted the child and his belongings to me. Now that the Sheng family has a new owner, it's only right to return the things to their rightful owner."
"Okay, don't worry, our family still has quite a bit of wealth. When we have time, I'll dig it all out for you."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"No, I have my own. Keep yours for when you get married."
Cheng Chao was very insistent.
"No way. Grandpa was thinking about Little Grandpa before he passed away. Even the family property has been divided up. Putting aside everything else, it's only right that you take Little Grandpa's share."
Besides, I'm the older brother, so what's mine is yours, isn't it?
"What kind of logic is this?"
"No problem, what's mine is yours, and what's yours is yours, sis. Girls in our family should be cherished by the whole family, you know?"
Unaware of the sudden pang of sadness, Cheng Chao continued rambling on.
"You have no idea, when I called my second uncle and said I'd found you, he was so excited he practically fell over. Haha, I could hear those two boys laughing. My second uncle was also eager to come see you."
His place is remote. Although it's not the very edge and not as chaotic, the climate there is harsh, and life is actually worse than here. It's far from the river, water is scarce, the wind is strong, and crops don't grow well. Most of their food has to be traded with outsiders, making the problem of feeding them even more difficult.
This is a simple question that's hard to answer; she can't exactly say I have food, can she?
I simply chose a topic.
"Brother, can you tell me about Uncle's family?"
"Why,"
Cheng Chao simply picked up a stool and sat down in the yard, playing with Jixiang as he did so.
"My second uncle and his two brothers: my father, Cheng Jia, sacrificed his life early on; my second uncle, Cheng Zhuo, that's him; and then there's my youngest uncle."
Now, of the three brothers, I'm the only one left in my family, my youngest uncle is all alone, and only my second uncle is considered a complete family.
His two kids are only about ten years old now, I think. I saw them when I went there on a mission several years ago, and I estimate they'd be about this tall by now.”
Measuring it on the door frame
"One is named Cheng Rui, and the other is named Cheng An. My second uncle said they are both mischievous and have caused a lot of trouble."
Sometimes when my second uncle calls, they'll say a few words and say they want to come and visit, but they're too young, and my second uncle doesn't have time to come out. My youngest uncle still hasn't met them.
My second aunt is a doctor and is quite busy. The two of them are rarely home. Although Cheng An and his brother are mischievous, they can handle all the housework, such as washing clothes and cooking. They can do everything.
Last time they called, they asked me to come over, saying they'd roast a rabbit for me.
Simple's eyes lit up.
"They catch rabbits over there too?"
In her previous life, she simply traveled around, but that was in developed cities, where she would either visit places, complete tasks, or venture into the mountains. Now, in this primitive state, she considers herself a complete novice.
"There are plenty of mountains over there, and it's much easier to catch meat than vegetables there. Anyone with a bit of skill can catch them: rabbits, pheasants, badgers, antelopes, red deer, wild donkeys, and even less common wild horses. There are also wild boars, but not many."
"Things are a bit different over there. There aren't many vegetables there, so hunting in the mountains is much more legal than here. You can hunt for your own consumption, but you can't sell the hunted animals. This is also to prevent people from going up the mountain all day and destroying the trees."
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