The group had been traveling for several days under the blazing sun, which made the narrow mountain paths shimmer with heat.
Since Lin Sisi and Lin Zheng had handled the refugees last time, Village Chief Li had come to trust and follow Lin Sisi’s advice.
Now, the group moved as she had arranged: the able-bodied walking on the sides, the old, weak, and children safely in the middle—ready to respond to any danger.
Niannian had been walking for a while and was now resting on the donkey cart.
The cart carried a lot of supplies, so Lin Sisi didn’t want to burden the donkey further. She and Lin Zheng were trudging along under the scorching sun.
The heat was unbearable.
Many streams had already dried up over the past two days, and if the temperature continued to rise, even drinking water might become scarce.
Lin Sisi kept moving, one careful step after another, while calculating the next steps in her mind. Still, sweat streamed down her forehead, dripped along her jawline, and fell onto the dry earth.
Suddenly, a soft call came from the middle of the group:
“Wait.”
It was Gu Qinglin.
Lin Sisi paused slightly, but didn’t step forward to interfere.
From the events of the past few days, she had gained a deeper understanding of Gu Qinglin’s temperament—this man always wanted to do good deeds, always compelled to act on what he saw as injustice. Surely enough, a gentle, coaxing voice soon floated over with the wind.
She slowed her pace, and out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Gu Qinglin crouched beside a patch of grass, speaking softly.
Curious, she drew closer and saw a thin, timid boy of about thirteen or fourteen, watching Gu Qinglin cautiously.
Gu Qinglin’s voice softened further, careful not to scare him:
“Here, take this. Eat slowly, don’t choke.”
The boy lunged forward, grabbing the bread and shoving it into his mouth. He ate so quickly that he began to cough violently, his face turning red, tears almost streaming.
“Slow down, slow down.” Gu Qinglin quickly handed him a flask of water, his eyes full of pity. “Drink first, don’t rush.”
After gulping down a few sips, the boy lifted his head and whispered, “Thank you…”
“Come with us,” Gu Qinglin almost blurted out, his tone firm.
“We are a group fleeing famine. Though we don’t have much food, we can share a portion with you. It’s safer than being alone—you could be hurt by wild animals or bad people.”
The boy’s eyes flickered with a moment of surprise, but he quickly masked it with hesitation, timidly asking,
“Really… really okay? You… won’t mind me?”
“Of course not.” Gu Qinglin reached out and gently stroked his head. “From now on, follow me. I’ll protect you. No one will harm you.”
Lin Sisi watched silently, her gaze sharp.
The boy, now dressed in rags, had washed his face as best he could, but the more she looked at him, the more familiar he seemed.
Back then, his face had been smudged with mud, and he kept his head down, drawing little attention. Now, even in tattered clothes, his small frame and especially his eyes made her almost recognize him.
“Big sister, is that little boy the same one who tried to steal food that day?”
Gu Qinglin, now at the middle of the group with many villagers around, had inadvertently blocked the rear, so most of the people ran over to see what was happening.
Niannian, resting on the donkey cart, hadn’t seen the confrontation with the refugees but had glimpsed the boy when he was released. She whispered in confusion,
“Brother Gu is usually so gentle… why is he acting like this now?”
Lin Sisi patted the little girl’s head and smiled. “Niannian, just remember clearly. But don’t follow Brother Gu’s example too closely.”
Normally, in times without famine, no villager would take in an unknown person. Now, during a food shortage, no one would willingly share life-saving food.
Fortunately, Gu Qinglin wasn’t part of their family, or she would have been exasperated to death.
At that moment, a soft voice interrupted:
“Brother Qinglin, why are you lingering here so long? I was worried you hadn’t kept up and thought something might be wrong with your health.”
Of course—it was Lin Qingqing.
She pushed through the crowd, thin sweat on her forehead, her eyes quickly flicking with dislike at the boy beside Gu Qinglin.
Then she changed to a worried, gentle expression. “Oh, this child… how pitiful! So young and already suffering so much—it’s heartbreaking.”
She handed Gu Qinglin a handkerchief, lightly brushing his palm, and softly wiped the sweat from his brow. “Brother Qinglin, you’re far too kindhearted. You just can’t bear to see others suffer.”
“Yes… and you can’t just watch such a small child starve by the roadside—it would be cruel.”
The boy, startled by her attention, shrank behind Gu Qinglin, clutching his clothes tightly as if holding the last lifeline.
Gu Qinglin accepted the handkerchief, relaxing his furrowed brow. “Don’t worry, I’ll watch over him. He won’t trouble the group.”
Seeing him pleased, Lin Qingqing’s smile widened, and she smoothed his wrinkled collar. “Of course I trust you, Brother Qinglin. Let’s hurry before everyone gets impatient.”
“If we keep Sisi waiting too long, she’ll be upset,” she added, mentioning Lin Sisi with careful flattery, as if afraid of displeasing her.
Gu Qinglin didn’t overthink it. He nodded, took the boy’s hand, and rejoined the group.
The boy’s small, thin hand was ice-cold, despite the heat, as if holding a piece of frozen stone.
Lin Sisi watched as Gu Qinglin approached with the boy, pretending not to notice.
Meeting her gaze, Gu Qinglin’s expression was slightly embarrassed, a little pleading:
“Sisi, this child is too pitiful. I just can’t leave him behind.”