Two tea eggs could make a meal, and with two yuan, if spent carefully, it could last two or three days without issue.
The woman’s surname was Mo, and those around her called her Aunt Mo. After tidying up her things, she headed home.
With Aunt Mo gone, Zuo Cao had nowhere to go and wandered aimlessly along the street.
From the perspective of an adult from a later era, Zuo Cao could see many opportunities, but that was all she could do—just see them.
This body of hers couldn’t assert any rights. Even when Aunt Mo gave her two yuan as wages, it had to be done secretly.
Zuo Cao subtly inquired about the guesthouse and confirmed that there was absolutely no chance they would let her stay.
She wasn’t an adult, had no identification, and no household registration.
As a five-year-old girl, the permissions this world granted her were far too limited.
After wandering for a while, at the corner of the street’s end, a malicious gaze lingered faintly.
Zuo Cao frowned, paused her steps, turned a corner, and headed to the security office.
Zuo Cao called out, “Uncle Chen.”
The trailing gaze vanished.
Uncle Chen looked up, furrowing his brows at this unfamiliar little kid, and walked over with a gruff voice, “Whose child are you? Where are your parents?”
Zuo Cao spoke clearly, “My aunt is Zuo Caiyun, and my uncle is Wei Changzhi.”
Uncle Chen nodded, recalling the factory employees vaguely, “Are you looking for your aunt?”
Zuo Cao shook her head, “Aunt is at work, contributing. I can’t disturb her.”
Hearing this, Uncle Chen and the young man beside him both chuckled.
Uncle Chen’s voice softened as he advised, “It’s not safe outside lately. Don’t play alone.”
Zuo Cao didn’t hesitate to air the Wei family’s dirty laundry, “My aunt said my surname is Zuo, so I can’t eat the Wei family’s rice. Today, I helped a lady, and she treated me to an oil pancake.”
Zuo Cao pulled the two tea eggs from her pocket, “You’re also contributing. These were given to me by the lady. I’d like to share them with you.”
She didn’t mention the two yuan.
Uncle Chen and his colleague exchanged an amused glance.
“This Wei family really…” He didn’t finish the sentence in front of the child, but his gaze toward Zuo Cao held a touch more pity.
Uncle Chen crouched down slightly, softening his tone, “You eat them yourself. What’s your name?”
“I’m Zuo Cao.”
“If you have nowhere to go, you can stay at Aunt Qin’s recycling station. Look, right across the street. Don’t run around, and don’t take shortcuts, understand?”
Zuo Cao nodded.
Uncle Chen led Zuo Cao across the street and briefly spoke with Aunt Qin, “When her aunt gets off work, I’ll have her aunt come pick her up.”
Zuo Cao flashed a sweet smile at Aunt Qin, “Auntie, I’m here to help you.”
“Oh, you little thing,” Aunt Qin pulled two glass marbles from a drawer, “Go play with these. Don’t eat them, okay?”
Zuo Cao didn’t refuse Aunt Qin’s kindness and tucked the marbles into her pocket.
She began gathering the scattered cardboard around, flattening it out.
If she didn’t have enough strength, she’d climb right on top, pressing it down bit by bit until it was firm.
Before long, the scattered paper around her had been piled into a tall stack by Zuo Cao.
Unable to move such a large pile, Zuo Cao started learning from Aunt Qin, sorting used toothpaste tubes.
Aunt Qin tied up the stack of cardboard Zuo Cao had gathered with a string and carried it inside.
“Such a capable girl! Don’t tire yourself out. Auntie will take you for an ice pop later.”
Aunt Qin had initially thought Zuo Cao was just being childish, that she would work for a while, lose interest, and naturally stop playing around.
Unexpectedly, Zuo Cao patiently worked diligently at the recycling station for the entire morning.
“Take a break, take a break.” Aunt Qin pulled Zuo Cao onto a stool. “Rest now, there’s hardly any work left.”
Zuo Cao obediently sat on the bench while Aunt Qin went to the small shop nearby to buy a salted ice pop and grabbed a few sugar cubes. “Here.”
The salted ice pop had a gritty texture and was very sweet.
Zuo Cao sat on the stool, nibbling it slowly in small bites.
Aunt Qin asked a few questions.
Zuo Cao continued to spill the beans about the Wei family.
“Ah, your aunt really has it tough, poor thing,” Aunt Qin said.
What a good child—efficient at work, not slacking off in the slightest.
That old woman from the Wei family was truly hard to get along with. No, she had to talk to her sisters about this later.
During lunch, Aunt Qin picked some bean sprouts she had grown at home, heated a few slices of cured meat in oil, and stir-fried them until fragrant.
Uncle Chen brought over a meal from the factory, which included stewed chicken, and gave it to Zuo Cao.
Zuo Cao shared the tea eggs with Aunt Qin, her belly now full and round.
“Your aunt gets off work late. Once the school lets out, you can go play, but don’t run too far,” Aunt Qin said, fanning herself with a palm-leaf fan.
“Okay.”
Zuo Cao nodded. “Auntie, can I have these pieces of wire? And these bottle caps—I want to make something to play with.”
Aunt Qin waved her hand dismissively. “These little things, take them if you like. No need to be polite—they’re not worth much.”
With Aunt Qin’s permission, Zuo Cao rummaged through the pile of scrap, squatting on the ground and tinkering away.
Aunt Qin leaned back in her recliner and began to doze off.
Zuo Cao took the blanket from the chair and draped it over Aunt Qin before continuing her tinkering.
In those days, school let out early.
Once school was over, the streets came alive with the chattering voices of children.
Aunt Qin sat up. In Zuo Cao’s hands, the wire had been shaped into a hoop the size of a washbasin.
There were also a few rod-like things with small hooks at the ends.
The bottle caps had been flattened, with strings threaded through their centers.
Aunt Qin recognized them as children’s toys. These two items were rarely seen among city kids but were more common among village children.
She smiled. “You’ve got good skills.”
Zuo Cao said, “Auntie, I’m going to play now.”
“Mm, don’t run too far.”
Of course, Zuo Cao wasn’t going out to play.
She wasn’t really a child, after all.
She rolled the hoop, racing noisily toward the elementary school gate.
It was a wire hoop, guided by a small iron hook. With the right technique, it could roll smoothly along the ground.
This little toy quickly caught the attention of the elementary school students.
Many children stopped heading home, watching eagerly as the hoop rolled along the road.
Zuo Cao made the hoop dance, jumping and twirling, leaving many children envious.
A bold one ran over. “Hey, over there, can I play with that?”
A smile curled at the corner of Zuo Cao’s lips. “This costs fifty cents each.”
“That’s way too expensive.”
Zuo Cao’s price scared off many, but there were still those with a bit of pocket money to spare.