Chapter 158: 160: Mom’s Beating
“Mom hit me.”
The young boy’s arm began to ache slightly.
It turns out, sometimes, the so-called hitting can be entirely different.
Some hits express love, some convey hatred.
Not every parent hits their child because of the saying: hitting is a sign of intimacy, scolding is a form of love.
The boy still held Tang Yuxin, walking her through the streets and alleyways. Finally, they found a small shop where they bought bread, a small cup, borrowed some hot water from the shop, and also bought a bottle of orange water.
“Eat,” he placed the bread in front of Tang Yuxin.
“Thank you, brother,” Tang Yuxin took the bread, immediately started eating, she devoured it hungrily. She was very hungry, in fact, she hadn’t eaten or drank anything since morning.
“Eat slowly, there’s no rush,” the boy stroked her head and also used his body to block the cold wind blowing at her.
He gave his only piece of bread to this child he had picked up. Yet, no matter what he asked, she would not answer, except for saying that her injuries were due to her mother’s beatings.
He touched his arm where the pain lingered, but it was no longer throbbing as before.
“Drink water,” the boy placed the cup in front of Tang Yuxin. There were not many drink options, mostly orange water, which he had warmed with his body temperature.
“Does it hurt?”
The boy asked again. Such a little child could not possibly be painless. The girls in the neighborhood, one more delicate than the other, all were the only child. If they even scratched their skin, they would cry and cause a ruckus. However, this child had been beaten to this extent and didn’t even whimper.
“What’s your name?” The boy smiled. Even in the dark, one could feel the warmth in his smile, as if it could thaw ice and melt the whole world, causing an instant blossoming of flowers.
“Brother, you tell me your name first,” Tang Yuxin tightly held the orange water in her hand. In her previous life, she was little, she didn’t know much, she only knew how to cry, how to feel pain, but she forgot to ask the name of her benefactor.
Tang Yuxin would surely jot down the grievance in her heart, but she wouldn’t forget a favor either.
The boy wrapped the child tighter in his clothes.
“Brother’s name is Gu Ning, from Beijing.”
With a thud, the orange water in Tang Yuxin’s hand fell to the ground.
A hand picked up the orange water from the ground. Fortunately, not much had been spilled.
“What’s wrong?” Gu Ning carefully touched the little girl’s swollen face, which was as swollen as a bread bun.
Tang Yuxin shook her head and started to laugh, despite knowing that the action would cause pain to her face. She lowered her head and clung tightly to the boy’s clothes.
That’s right, it’s him, it’s him. No wonder she felt so familiar with him. He was Gu Ning, who would marry Zhang Xiaomei in the future, the Gu Ning who received her kidney in her past life.
So, it’s him, it’s really him …
She sniffled, fighting back the unbearable tears that threatened to fall.
Little brother, in this life, I will repay you, no matter what, I will not let you marry someone as heartless and callous as Zhang Xiaomei.
“What’s wrong? Are you in a lot of pain?”
Under the streetlight, Gu Ning could faintly see the numerous injuries covering the child’s body, which were almost countless.
Tang Yuxin shook her head; she wasn’t in pain.
Gu Ning placed his hand on his neck. He then pulled out a necklace that he had been wearing since he was a child. “Here, I give this to you. It will protect you in the future.”
He put the necklace on Tang Yuxin. It was still warm from his body.
Tang Yuxin held the necklace, unsure whether it was made of jade or silver. It felt kind of warm and cool to touch.
She lifted her head, looking up at Gu Ning, her nose stinging with the effort of holding back her tears, but she still smiled.
“Let’s go, brother will take you home,” Gu Ning held out his hand, tightly holding the little girl’s hand, which was not even half as big as his. She was still a child, only seven or eight years old, even smaller than his own little cousin.
“Brother, I need to pee.”
Tang Yuxin stopped walking and lifted her head to tell Gu Ning.
Gu Ning squatted down, tidying her hair. Even though half her face was swollen, she was still a beautiful little girl.
“Go ahead, be careful,” Gu Ning rised and stood to one side, waiting for Tang Yuxin.
“Gu Ning,” a voice came. Gu Ning turned and saw an adult man standing not far away. The man recognized him and quickly approached him.
“Gu Ning, where have you run off to?” The man quickly advanced, gripping Gu Ning’s shoulder. “Why are you running around? Your mom is worried sick. Be careful or Dad will hit you again.”
“Brother”, Gu Ning pursed his lips, then looked towards the garden. “I found a little girl who was beaten up. I’m trying to help her find her parents.”
“Found a girl?” The man stared wide-eyed at Gu Ning, “Gu Ning, are you going from one trouble to another? Where did you find her, and she was hit?”
“Yes, she’s beaten severely. She said her mother did it.” Gu Ning nodded, thinking of the girl’s injuries made his heart ache.
“Tsk, there are still parents who can be so cruel, those are some old-fashioned practices,” The man put his hand in his pocket. His military ensemble screamed of righteousness.
He had no choice but to wait here with his younger brother.
But they had already been waiting a long time.
“I’ve been here for ten minutes,” the man raised his wrist, showing his watch. Anyone who could afford a watch at this time was definitely rich, which indicated the brothers came from a well-to-do family.
Even if one had diarrhea, by now it should be almost over.
“Go and see, did the child faint from the beating?”
At this point, Gu Ning had already begun to walk towards the flower bed.
“Tsk… ” the man sneered, “You never worried about me, your real big brother, this much. What a waste to raise you, who had to be taken care of since you were a baby.”
“Brother, that would be Mom, not you.”
Gu Ning replied indifferently.
The man widened his eyes, “Even so, who do you think carried you on his back until you grew up?”
Gu Ning ignored his older brother, walked into the flowerbed, but no one was there.
“Little sister.”
He called out, but no one answered him.