Chapter 4 Going East
There was a sudden and rough knock on the door!
The sound was so loud and urgent that it made the door panels rustle and dust fall.
The smile on old Kane's face suddenly froze and he jumped up from the stool.
Grandma Kane shuddered, the gentleness vanished from her face, and she nearly dropped her spoon.
"Open the door! Stop playing dead!" A gruff male voice pierced through the thin door. "You know what day it is! Come on!"
Fine beads of cold sweat oozed out of old Kane's forehead. He rubbed his hands nervously and looked at his wife for help.
Grandma Kane quickly turned sideways, using her entire body to block the low mat tightly, trying to completely cover An Zhi and the little mushroom in her arms. Like a hen protecting her cubs, she hurriedly said, "Be good, little one, hold the mushroom tightly and don't make a sound."
Old Kane walked to the door, hesitated on the bolt, and finally pulled it open with a trembling hand.
The door was suddenly pushed open a crack from the outside, and a cold wind with the smell of cheap tobacco and sweat rushed in.
Two tall figures were standing at the door. Against the dim light outside, one could only see that they were wearing dirty leather vests, with muscular arms and malicious grins on their faces.
The leader had already unceremoniously stepped one foot into the threshold, cursing: "Stop dilly-dallying! As usual, this month's share of the money."
His fierce gaze habitually swept across the room, and the first thing he encountered was the little face exposed on the low cushion—
An oriental baby face stained with dust, but with exquisite features that could not be concealed.
At this moment, the little face was full of fear. The big, round, amber eyes, like the best honey candy, were filled with tears. They looked at him wetly and timidly, with pure, unadulterated fear in them, like a little animal that was forced into a desperate situation.
The scarred man's feet suddenly stopped.
The fierceness on his face seemed to have been paused. His fierce eyes met with clear eyes filled with tears of fear, and the hostility within them was like hitting an invisible, extremely soft wall, melting away at an incredible speed.
He instinctively felt soft-hearted and a bit guilty.
Grandpa Tian...
This kid looks so, so touching, doesn't he?
Those eyes... those tears... it makes one feel uncomfortable...
At the moment when the scarred man was shaken by these eyes, his gaze involuntarily moved down along An Zhi's little arm that was tightly holding something.
He saw the object An Zhi was holding tightly in his arms—a plump little mushroom that had grown from nowhere. It was spotless, without a speck of dust, and radiated a warm, soft glow in the dim light, forming a stark contrast to the dilapidated surroundings.
This feels so weird!
How could there be such clean, beautiful and pleasant-smelling mushrooms in such a shabby house?
The young follower behind him, who was holding a metal baton, also saw An Zhi.
He was also struck by the pair of big, deer-like eyes filled with tears. The ferocious expression on his face collapsed instantly, leaving only a silly expression of "so cute and so pitiful".
When he followed the boss's fixed gaze and saw the little mushroom in An Zhi's arms, which was so beautiful that it seemed extraordinary and so pure that it was dazzling, he opened his mouth in surprise and completely forgot what he should do. The stick in his hand dropped down.
Just looking at this thing makes people want to touch it, and it makes them feel strangely calm.
The air is quiet.
The scarred man's Adam's apple rolled and his expression changed.
He retracted his gaze and tried hard to regain his momentum, but his voice was dry and awkward:
"Ahem... Old... Old Kane..."
The young follower behind him was still staring at the little mushroom stupidly, and was awakened by the scarred man poking him hard with his elbow.
He no longer looked at any part of the room, but only at the toes of his muddy boots. His voice was low and quick, with a sense of haste:
"Well... that share of money... this month... forget it!
Let’s talk about it in two days! In two days!”
He was eager to escape from this unsettling place.
After saying this, he growled at the still confused follower:
"Go! Go!"
There was a hint of irritation in his voice, and he stumbled again before rushing out the door in embarrassment.
The young attendant shuddered at the shout and hurried to follow. Before leaving, he couldn't help but quickly turned back and muttered unconsciously. The sound floated clearly into the hut:
"That cub is really pretty, and that mushroom is also quite rare..."
The sound faded away with the sound of their hurried footsteps.
Old Kane's legs went limp and he fell back onto the stool, gasping for breath, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
Grandma Kane also slowly lowered her stiff arms, her body swayed, and she held on to the small table next to her to stand steadily.
She lowered her head and looked at An Zhi's frightened little face under the blanket.
"You little thing..."
She reached out and touched An Zhi's head. An Zhi relaxed and yawned loudly.
She carefully lifted some of the mushroom from An Zhi's arms. The little creature was very well behaved, just twisting it slightly in her hands.
She untied the blanket wrapped around An Zhi a little and wiped An Zhi's cat-like face with a warm, wet cloth.
The warm touch made An Zhi hum comfortably. His little head tilted and he leaned completely into Grandma Kane's arms. His long eyelashes trembled, his breathing became even and long, and he actually fell asleep.
"Go to sleep."
**
"Old lady, look how sweetly my son laughs..."
Grandma Kane turned off the lights. "Those two bastards are gone, but if word gets out that they were muttering 'Mushrooms are so rare'..."
The smile on Old Kane's face faded a little, and he nodded silently. On this garbage planet, things that were too "rare" often meant trouble.
"Let's focus on the present first."
Grandma Kane shook her head, shaking off those heavy thoughts.
She remembered how An Zhi's little head began to doze off little by little after he had eaten and drunk his fill, and how his big eyes tried hard to open but became increasingly heavy. Her heart instantly softened into a pool of water.
"Old man... go to the old cripple at the east end early tomorrow."
"Old Cripple?" Old Kane was stunned. "Why are you looking for him? He only does some repairs..."
"Why are you asking so many questions?" Grandma Kane interrupted him. "I remember he used to hang out in Starport when he was young. He was a bit unconventional and knew some people who could get 'clean' identity chips."
She paused, her eyes sweeping over the sleeping An Zhi again, "No matter where this child... and this little thing... come from, we have to find her an 'identity' first.
Only with an identity can I get the cub rations from the relief station, and only then can I... hide."
She said the last three words lightly and heavily, and they fell on old Kane's heart like a stone.
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