Little Beggar

  The two walked side by side for a while before Xiao Yu broke the silence and said:

  "Guo Ye, let me treat you to dinner!"

  If this were in the past, Guo Yi would definitely be overjoyed and ecstatic, but for some reason today he's a bit down. Perhaps it's because he's realized something. Xiao Yu wanted to go to a high-end restaurant, but Guo Yi insisted on going to a small shop by the road. Xiao Yu couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she found a clean little shop by the road instead.

  Two people ordered a few dishes. Guo Yao unusually ordered a bottle of Erguotou, while Xiao Yu ordered a cup of fruit juice.

  Xiao Yu looked at Guo Yi drinking cup after cup of Erguotou and couldn't help but ask:

  "You didn't used to drink much, did you?"

  Kuo Yeh slowly poured the wine from his hand into his throat, savoring the pungency and bitterness at the entrance, then smiled and said:

  "People will always change!"

  Xiao Yu was speechless. Half a beat later, she finally placed an envelope in front of Guo Yi and said softly:

  "It's not much money, I just want to express my gratitude, thank you so much, I never thought that my father would recover one day!"

  Kuo Yi looked at the envelope in front of him, this was an envelope that had been pushed a thousand miles away, he said bitterly:

  "Do you think it's necessary?"

  Xiao Yu fell silent for a moment, then nodded firmly and said:

  Yes!

  Kuo Yeh drained his glass in one gulp and put the envelope into his bosom, smiling:

  "Then I won't be polite, Uncle Xiao's illness you can rest assured, since I've taken the money, I'll definitely take responsibility to the end. Also, thank you for your hospitality. I still have something to do, you eat slowly, I'll leave first!"

  After speaking, Guo Yi stood up and walked out. His slender figure was lonely and stubborn. Xiao Yu stared blankly at the suddenly unfamiliar back of Guo Yi, and didn't even notice that her own tears had streaked across her cheek.

  Kuo Yeh stumbled as soon as he walked out, almost falling to the ground. He struggled to straighten his body, shook off the dizziness in his head, and took one step at a time forward. The envelope in his arms was like a thistle, not only piercing his body but also piercing his heart.

  He suddenly felt a loneliness he had never experienced before, and it was only then that he realized he didn't have a single friend to confide in, nor could he share his secrets with anyone. He inexplicably thought of Leng Qingfeng, recalling her pain, her weakness and confusion when she was unconscious, and the fact that she was being pursued and forced to flee for her life - surely she must be even lonelier than him!

  A small beggar crouched on the ground by the roadside, in front of him a broken ceramic pot with several banknotes scattered inside. Passersby hurriedly passed by, occasionally someone with a kind heart bent down and threw in a few coins. The little beggar did not get up, but nodded heavily to the person who gave him money, showing gratitude.

  Kuo Yeh took a step, swaying as he walked over, pulled out the envelope and bent down to put it in the jar. The heavy envelope caused the jar to lose its balance and fall to the ground. Kuo Yeh smiled at the little beggar, then straightened up and continued walking forward.

  He hadn't walked many steps when a figure suddenly ran in front of him, holding up that envelope from earlier.

  "Here you go!"

  Looking at the dirty little beggar in front of him, Guo Ye smiled and waved his hand.

  The little beggar shook his head and continued to hold out his hand.

  Kuo Yi no longer smiled, staring with drunken eyes and said:

  "Here you go, go buy something to eat or something you like. This kind of thing doesn't happen every day and I won't be this stupid every day either, got it?"

  The little beggar shook his head, his hand stretched out stubbornly, his face covered in dirt and grime, his eyes as black as lacquer.

  Kuo Yi couldn't bear it anymore and said:

  "Suit yourself, if you want it, take it; if not, throw it away. Don't block my way!"

  The little beggar shook his head, his hand still stretched out, but trembling slightly, perhaps from exhaustion.

  Kuo I suddenly burst out laughing and took over the envelope, patting the little beggar's shoulder, saying:

  "Alright, interesting, if you don't want to then forget it, little brother, how about I treat you to dinner?"

  The little beggar finally nodded.

  Guo Ye reached out to grab the little beggar's dirty hand, but the little beggar suddenly took two steps back and turned around to pick up his broken ceramic pot. Guo Ye stretched out his hand again to pull him, but he shook his head. Guo Ye didn't force it anymore, and the two of them walked on, one in front of the other. Up ahead was a KFC, and Guo Ye pointed at it and said to the little beggar:

  "How is this food?"

  The little beggar nodded.

  Guo Yi pushed open the door and walked in, turning back to beckon the little beggar when he found him being blocked by the security guard at the entrance.

  "What are you doing? We're together!"

  Kuo Yi angrily said.

  "He can't come in, we have rules!"

  "To hell with your rules, we're here to eat, why can't we get in?"

  Security guard saw Guo Yirong scolding someone and got angry too, saying

  "Who are you scolding? Do you believe I'll also throw you out?"

  "Go on, you try!"

  Guo Yi had already decided to try out his newly practiced Kaibyaku no Jutsu.

  At this time, a middle-aged man in a suit walked over, pulled away Guo Yao who was about to take action, waved his hand to let the security guard leave, and maintained a professional smile, saying to Guo Yao:

  "Sir, can I help you with anything?"

  Guo Yi gave him a slanted glance:

  "Help? I just want to have a meal with my friend here, can we?"

  "Sir, of course you can, but that gentleman coming in might affect other customers, please forgive me, sorry!"

  Guo Yan furrowed his brow and said:

  "What if we don't go?"

  The middle-aged man bowed deeply and said:

  "Sorry!"

  Modesty with firmness.

  Guo Yi was drunk, but he wasn't an unreasonable person. Seeing the man like this, he didn't want to make things difficult for him. He turned around and walked out the door, saying to the little beggar:

  "Since they won't let us go in, how about brother accompanies you to eat outside?"

  The little beggar nodded.

  Kuo Yeh walked into the hall again, tore open the envelope, and slapped all the money on the counter, saying:

  "Bring all the food and drinks here to the door, we'll just eat these today! Ah, by the way, bring me a bottle of Er Guo Tou!"

  Guo Yi ignored the astonished gazes of the crowd and looked at the middle-aged man saying:

  "Is it okay if we eat at the entrance?"

  A middle-aged man smiled awkwardly and said:

  "That's no problem at all."

  Guo Yi and Xiao Qi sat on the empty ground beside the door, Guo Yi drinking the Er Guo Tou that the middle-aged man had asked the security guard to buy, while Xiao Qi hugged a big bucket of food and ate with gusto, occasionally taking a sip of Coca-Cola with ice cubes, the two of them enjoying themselves immensely.

  Every few minutes, one or more dishes of food were placed before them, and they were soon surrounded by the aroma of delicious cuisine.

  "Little guy, why don't you want my money? Don't you know that with this money you can go many days without begging and eat full meals for many days?"

  The little beggar ignored him and continued eating voraciously.

  "What's your name?"

  The little beggar still didn't speak, continuing to gnaw on the chicken leg in his hand.

  Guo Yi didn't mind and continued to say:

  "You won't say it, I'll call you, let's call you Chicken Leg, Chicken Leg, is Chicken Leg delicious?"

  Kuo Yeh took a sip of wine, held it in his mouth, and slowly savored the spicy feeling. Half a moment later, he swallowed this mouthful of wine and said indistinctly:

  "Chicken leg, why do people live? Why do you live? Why do I live? What's the meaning of living?"

  The little beggar gnawed on a bone, looking at Guo Yao with shiny black eyes.

  Guo Yi's head tilted to one side, and he fell asleep. The little beggar was stunned for a moment, put down the tender beef bun he had just picked up, slowly approached Guo Yi, lay down beside him, closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep as well!

  A little girl wearing a work uniform and ponytail walked up to the middle-aged man and whispered:

  "Manager, they're all asleep, should we still deliver?"

  The middle-aged man looked out and asked:

  "How much of their money was spent?"

  "Not even half of it has been used yet!"

  "Don't send it anymore, bring me the remaining money."

  "Manager—"

  The ponytail hesitated, then turned around and handed the remaining money to the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man took the money and walked to the door, placing it on Guo Yao's body, then turned around and walked a few steps before coming back to stuff the money into Guo Yao's collar from behind. The ponytail watched through the glass, revealing a sweet smile.

  The next day, at the third watch, Guo Yao finally woke up with a splitting headache. He shook his head and opened his eyes to see someone smiling at him. He was startled and jumped up, only to find himself sitting on the street. In front of him were arranged rows of food boxes and cola cups like a miniature Great Wall.

  "What the f*** is this?"

  "You're awake, come in and have a bowl of porridge, it's on me!"

  Guo Yi looked at the middle-aged man in front of him for a long time before suddenly remembering what had happened yesterday. He quickly turned his head and found that the little beggar had also woken up and was staring at him. Guo Yi smiled at him, then said to the middle-aged man:

  "What's going on now? Let's get in!"

  "Sorry about yesterday, we still have business to attend to. It's quiet at this hour, why don't you come in and finish your congee? Eating just these things isn't good for the body."

  Guo Yi suddenly felt a tingling sensation on his chest, reached out to scratch it, and unexpectedly pulled out a wad of cash. He glanced at the middle-aged man, then turned to the little beggar and said:

  "Chicken leg, how can there still be such a rich and foolish person?"

  Guo Yi didn't go in, he and Chicken Leg each had a bowl of thin porridge with egg and lean meat, squatting at the entrance, drinking loudly. Occasionally, passersby would walk by, turning their heads to look at this strange combination. After finishing, they put the bowls at the entrance, Guo Yi handed money to Chicken Leg, but Chicken Leg still shook his head.

  "Do you know why I gave you money yesterday?"

  The chicken leg shook its head. The ponytail who came to collect the bowl suddenly perked up her ears.

  "That's because I drank too much!"

  The ponytail giggled and forgot to pick up the bowl, turning around to look at this pair of living treasures.

  "Do you know why I gave you money today?"

  The chicken leg continued shaking its head.

  "That's because I'm still drunk!"

  Ma Wei's braid couldn't help but cover her mouth and burst out laughing, two small dimples were very cute. Guo Yi looked at the little beggar very seriously:

  "But I'm telling you, my intoxication will pass soon, this is your last chance, do you want it or not?"

  The ponytail stopped smiling and cast her eyes on the little beggar.

  The little beggar's eyes as black as ink looked at Guo Yao and continued to shake his head stubbornly.

  Kuo Yi let out a helpless sigh and put the money in his pocket, saying:

  "You're an idiot! If I didn't drink so much, I'd be able to give you the money. You have no idea how hard it is for me to get money out of my pocket! Forget it, I won't waste any more words on you. In the future, if you can't scrounge up enough money to eat, go look for me at the cultural market."

  Kuo Yi brushed off the dirt on his body, stood up and looked at the sun, muttering to himself:

  "Didn't go to practice today, wonder if that old man will blow his top!"

  Guo Ye rubbed his still somewhat dizzy head, identified the direction, and then headed towards the cultural market. At this time, Lao Tou and Yi Xiao Feng had already left, so he might as well go to the office to take a look at some books.

  The little beggar stared blankly at the back of Guo Yao, suddenly took off after him, but only ran a few steps before running back to move the piled-up food. However, there was too much food and he couldn't carry much. He picked up one thing and dropped another, anxiously looking back at Guo Yao's gradually disappearing figure. With a determined heart, he threw all the things on the ground, grabbed a chicken leg, and chased after him, occasionally turning his head to look back with a pained expression.