Song Huaizhi noticed her gaze and sighed. "Yes, it's just as you guessed."
[Oh my god! I'm loving this so much! Yu Yu hasn't even said a word yet. How does Xiao Song know what she's going to say? Aaaaaaaaaa (screaming—)]
[Mutual understanding between childhood sweethearts! I won't say who's fangirling hard here!]
Meng Ruyi was startled and didn't notice the suddenly exploding bullet comments. After a moment of silence, she said to Song Huaizhi, "So, Brother Xiao Song didn't tell me about the Gu family because you were worried I'd soften my heart because of Mrs. Gu?"
The smile on Song Huaizhi's face froze for a moment. His expression seemed to be frozen, pausing slightly. Then, his smile gradually faded away like melting ice, leaving only a faint sense of mystery. "Yes."
Song Huaizhi's voice was very soft, sounding more like a sigh. "You can see through everything."
Neither of them said a word. The atmosphere seemed to freeze the moment Meng Ruyi opened her mouth. The air between them seemed to stop flowing, making Meng Ruyi feel suffocated.
Song Huaizhi was surprised that Meng Ruyi understood him more than he had expected. So he couldn't help but lower his head and think. His eyes were dark, with a hint of an unclear smile.
Meng Ruyi was also silent. She didn't know what to say or what to do. Should she intervene?
"Brother Xiao Song," Meng Ruyi's voice wasn't as cheerful as usual. "Do you have any grudges with the Gu family?"
"No." Song Huaizhi's expression suddenly turned cold. Looking at Meng Ruyi, he was almost angry enough to laugh. "Are you softening your heart?"
"...... I don't know." Meng Ruyi hadn't looked so lost for a long time. Her eyes were filled with a mist that gradually dissipated under Song Huaizhi's cold gaze, turning into glistening tears. "Should I... should I save her? Or rather, can I save her?"
Seeing the color fade from Meng Ruyi's face bit by bit, Song Huaizhi felt as if there were insects crawling in his chest, an itchy pain.
The two stared at each other. The next moment, Meng Ruyi sniffed and quickly avoided Song Huaizhi's gaze.
"...... I'm sorry." Song Huaizhi stared at Meng Ruyi for a while. Seeing her round, clear eyes and slightly red nose, still looking a bit childish when she was aggrieved, he realized that the girl in front of him was only ten years old.
Although she rarely showed this childish side to outsiders and always acted very steadily, Song Huaizhi subconsciously ignored her age and was too strict with her. Meng Ruyi was also worried that she was growing too slowly and would hold Song Huaizhi back, so she rarely showed her fatigue and confusion.
She was like a puppet being forced to move forward.
"I don't have any grudges with the Gu family, and the Gu family has nothing to do with my family's affairs." Song Huaizhi was telling the truth. His gaze towards Meng Ruyi softened a bit. "Whether to save or not, it's not your responsibility. A large Gu family, whether it prospers or collapses, depends on those few people. You're just a ten - year - old child, and besides, you're not a member of the Gu family. These things have nothing to do with you."
Looking at Meng Ruyi, Song Huaizhi saw himself in the past. But different from him, Meng Ruyi always had a kind of toughness and gentleness that didn't match her age, as well as that extremely rare kindness. But if she didn't have this kind heart, how could she have taken him in?
Suddenly, Song Huaizhi laughed out loud and looked at her gently.
Meng Ruyi was startled by his laughter. When she looked up, she met his deep, black pupils with a faint smile.
"There's still time." Song Huaizhi reached out and subconsciously ruffled her slightly loose hair bun. Meng Ruyi's hair was fine and soft, feeling like the fluff of a small animal. "Anyway, it's not your responsibility."
Meng Ruyi suddenly had an epiphany. Her gaze towards Song Huaizhi brightened, and she unconsciously said coquettishly, "Thank you, Brother Xiao Song."
"Okay." Song Huaizhi nodded slightly and was about to tell Meng Ruyi something about the Gu family.
...
The next day was Chinese New Year's Eve. Meng Ruyi was dragged out of bed early in the morning. Then she remembered that she had to stay up late to watch the year in tonight. After breakfast, she ran back to her room, muttering to herself, "I have to stay up late tonight. If I don't get enough sleep this afternoon, where will I get the energy tonight?"
Xu Fanglian and her husband laughed and doted on their daughter, "Only you have so many reasons, little lazy cat."
After saying that, Xu Fanglian looked at Song Huaizhi, who was smiling beside her, and said, "Xiao Song, do you want to take a nap? Yu Yu is right. We have to stay up late tonight, so you can sleep more now."
Song Huaizhi shook his head slightly and then said gently, "Thank you, Auntie, for your concern. But I really can't fall asleep now. I might as well go to the shop and have a look."
"Okay!" Meng Ruyi nodded quickly when she heard this. Then, worried that Song Huaizhi wouldn't let her go, she immediately said, "I'll go take a nap first. Brother Xiao Song, be careful!"
After saying that, she ran away in a flash.
A faint smile appeared on Song Huaizhi's lips unconsciously. He said to the couple, "Then, Uncle and Auntie, I'll take my leave first."
"You've worked hard." Xu Fanglian knew that Song Huaizhi lacked a sense of security, so she never stopped him from doing things. She just watched Song Huaizhi's departing back and told the kitchen to make some nourishing soup.
After leaving the Meng Mansion, Song Huaizhi walked towards the outskirts of the town. He looked calm and occasionally checked if there was anyone following him.
At the edge of the town, Song Huaizhi walked onto the muddy path. There were fewer and fewer people around until they all disappeared. Finally, he came to a dilapidated small courtyard and gently knocked on the door.
"Tap, tap, tap."
The dilapidated wooden door made a soft sound. Then, a surprised voice came from inside, "Is that Young Master Meng?"
"Yes." Song Huaizhi replied faintly.
The door was suddenly pushed open, revealing a dirty little face inside.
The person looked about fifteen or sixteen years old. But due to years of hunger, his face was sallow, and he was unhealthily thin. His clothes were shabby but warm enough.
"Young Master Meng!?" The person repeated again and said with a smile, "I've been waiting for you for a while! Come in quickly!"
Song Huaizhi nodded and followed him in.
There were quite a few children in the house, as well as a few equally thin adults, all with numb expressions on their faces.
These people were all beggars from the town.
As Song Huaizhi walked into the room, he saw a man sitting there. His complexion was much better than the others, but his tone was sarcastic. "Oh? So Young Master Song is here? How come a noble person like you can take a fancy to our shabby place!"
Song Huaizhi's expression remained unchanged. He looked at the man calmly.
Thinking he was being provoked, the big man directly forgot the fear he had felt when he first saw Song Huaizhi. He picked up the cup on the table and was about to smash it on Song Huaizhi's head.
The beggar who had opened the door for Song Huaizhi showed a hint of strong sarcasm and eagerness on his face. He watched gloatingly as the man lost his mind after drinking.
No!
He hesitated for a moment and took out the knife in his hand.
The next moment, the man fell to the ground. Before he could make a sound, he saw the short knife stab into his chest, then it was quickly pulled out, and a harsh cut was made on his neck.
Blood spurted out like a fountain. Song Huaizhi looked calm. He glanced at Li Ergou, whose hands were shaking and whose face was splashed with blood.
Li Ergou tightened his grip on the knife. His body went limp, and he fell to the ground. Then he knelt down and said to Song Huaizhi, "I'm willing to relieve the young master's worries."
Song Huaizhi looked down at him. The stinking blood in the room, the man twitching on the ground and only making hissing sounds, and the fierce - looking boy kneeling on the ground like a wild dog didn't change his expression at all.