Su Mu was too embarrassed to look up. He couldn't help but remember that he had cried several times in front of Lin Mo.
I could only swear in my heart that I would never cry again.
"I won't cry anymore. Let's...let's go pick up Yanzhi first."
Lin Mo chuckled softly, looking at Su Mu who was trying hard to adjust his expression. He held the other's slightly trembling hand tightly, threw the tear-soaked pancake back into his pocket, and said, "Let's go now, otherwise Yan Zhi will be waiting anxiously."
Su Mu nodded shyly, and followed Lin Mo's footsteps with his head hung down. Looking at the other party's tall and broad back and the faint soap fragrance emanating from him, he felt an indescribable sense of peace.
The two of them walked around the end of the street, and before entering the alley, they saw Fu Yanzhi and ten little boys of different heights at the intersection.
At this time, Fu Yanzhi was sitting at the entrance of the alley with Nanxing and a group of children. His luggage was piled on his side. The children were each guarding a small package. They all squatted in a small row with their heads in their hands, whispering to each other, and occasionally looking towards the street.
Fu Yanzhi was also unable to remain calm. He looked into the distance from time to time, thinking of Lin Mo's words that he would come to pick him up today, and that after today he would start teaching and educating people. He felt a little excited and a little dazed.
Looking at the pedestrians passing by from time to time and the group of children chattering non-stop, I felt that all this seemed like a dream.
Although he didn't know what the future would be like, he was full of anticipation. No matter what, it wouldn't be worse than hiding in this small house in the back alley and struggling to survive every day.
Nanxing was the oldest and understood Fu Yanzhi the best. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his little hand and grinned, "Brother Yanzhi, are you nervous? Don't be afraid. There are not many people passing by here. They are just looking at us out of curiosity and will not talk to us."
Sanqi nodded her little head repeatedly, and her crisp, childish voice excitedly said, "Brother Yanzhi, you don't have to worry about going hungry when you go to Boss Lin's shop. Boss Lin and Brother Mu are very kind and will definitely treat you well."
Fu Yanzhi rubbed Ling Xiao, who was closest to him. Ling Xiao was the youngest and snuggled up to Fu Yanzhi, his big round eyes filled with reluctance.
The little fellow pouted and hugged Fu Yanzhi tightly with tears in his eyes. His milky voice was filled with tears: "Brother Yanzhi, from now on, you must come back to play with us often. Don't forget Lingxiao."
Fu Yanzhi's eyes flashed with pity, and his expression was filled with love. He said softly, "No, Ling Xiao, I'm just moving to work for Boss Lin. It's not like I won't be back. I'll come to see you when I get some time off. If you miss me, you can find me at the shop."
Several children nodded. Knowing that Fu Yanzhi was not going far away, they did not cry like snotty babies, but they were still reluctant to let him go.
Seeing Ling Xiao's eyes filled with tears, Nan Xing, as the eldest brother, immediately comforted him, "Ling Xiao, don't cry. Let's beg more often in West Street so that we can visit Brother Yanzhi more often. When I grow up, I will also find a job in town to make money. Then we will move to a place closest to Brother Yanzhi.
Fu Yanzhi's eyes flickered. He was relieved and moved. After moving to this remote alley, he suffered torture every day and almost couldn't stand it several times. The double blow of academic and family problems made him lose all hope and longing for life a long time ago.
It was only after he met these children that life slowly returned to normal. During the days they spent together, he had already regarded these children as his family.
"Nanxing, Sanqi, after I leave, you can move out of this shabby house and live in my house. Although it's simple, it will be enough to shelter you from the wind and rain."
"When I'm not here, the study won't be used. You can turn it into a bedroom. We can all live together and take care of each other."
These children were all homeless beggars. They lived in an old house that was more than half collapsed. It was barely livable in the summer, but when it rained, the house would be flooded, leaving them with no place to stay.
He had wanted to ask the children to squeeze in with him before, but they were unwilling. Now that he has moved out, the children have no reason to refuse.
Little Nanxing nodded: "Don't worry, Brother Yanzhi, I know everything."
Fu Yanzhi looked at the sensible children and said with a smile: "No matter what happens, remember to come to me. Don't treat me as an outsider."
Nan Xing's eyes moistened when she heard this. The little fellow who had always been strong and made a living with his younger siblings couldn't help but hugged Fu Yanzhi: "Brother Yanzhi, from the moment you gave us a name, we regarded you as family."
The children swarmed around Fu Yanzhi, ten children stacked on top of each other and hugged him, all with tears in their eyes, especially the youngest Ling Xiao, who cried the loudest.
They were all abandoned by their parents and have been struggling on the streets to make a living since childhood. Sometimes they would even fight with street dogs for a bite of food.
Although they are all children, they are not stupid and know who is truly good to them, especially Nanxing and Sanqi. They are not bad looking and are the oldest among the group of children. Over the years, they have met many adults who approached them in the name of doing good for them.
But all of them were deceived and sold to brothels. The two had seen many of their companions being sold to brothels or mines, being beaten and tortured all day long, and their lives were even more difficult than begging on the streets.
Only Fu Yanzhi would give them nice names, teach them how to protect themselves when begging, teach them to read and write, and even secretly save money and live frugally to give them food.
Fu Yanzhi is not only a family member to them, but also the salvation of their lives. He is a ray of shining and never-fading sunshine in their short and dark life.
Lin Mo immediately saw the stunning beauty sitting at the intersection, surrounded by children and a pile of luggage.
"Not really, not really. What did you tell the kids? I took you back to the shop to be a teacher. Look at the situation. I thought you would never come back." Lin Mo pursed his lips, his voice full of sarcasm.
The children who heard the sound turned around, and when they saw Su Mu and Lin Mo, they all wiped away their tears, and surrounded Su Mu and called out with smiles.
Fu Yanzhi's calm and handsome face also quietly flushed a little. He gathered his scattered hair and said stiffly: "Brother Mo, Mu Mu, you are here."
Su Mu nodded and said with a smile: "I was delayed on the street for a while. Sorry to have kept you waiting. Yanzhi, are all your things here?"
Fu Yanzhi glanced at the bag and nodded. He didn't have much stuff of his own, mostly books and manuscripts.
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