Chapter 1: The Slums
Chapter 1: The Slums
As the evening sun faded, night descended upon the less-than-tidy streets, illuminated by a mere handful of street lamps emitting a dim yellow glow.
The occasional passerby hurried, as if afraid that slowing down might invite danger.
"Squeak, squeak."
An old woman selling roasted sweet potatoes pushed an old tricycle into an alleyway, the only source of light coming from the cracks of the mud brick houses on either side.
In the darkness of the alley, she could barely make out the ground beneath her feet. The shadows seemed to conceal lurking dangers.
The old woman, her hands like withered branches, gripped the handlebars tightly, feigning composure as she moved forward.
After a long walk, when the feeling of danger subsided, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
But before she could take a few steps, two figures blocked her path.
"Hey, old hag, hand over all your money."
The speaker was a young man, his body thin and pale due to long-term malnutrition, but his eyes were fierce.
"I... I don't have any money," the old woman said, her voice trembling as she looked up, fear evident in her eyes.
"No money after selling roasted sweet potatoes all day?" The young man sneered.
"Stop wasting time! Hand over the money!" The youth on the right echoed with a growl.
After speaking, he glanced around.
"I really don't have any money left. My grandson has a high fever, and I've spent all the money on medicine for him, but even after two days, he hasn't gotten any better..." The old woman's eyes welled up with tears as she spoke.
Her grandson was about the same age as the two men before her.
They relied on each other for survival, eking out a living by selling roasted sweet potatoes.
But a couple of days ago, as the weather turned cooler, her grandson fell ill with a high fever, and they had spent all their savings on treatment.
She did have some money on her, but it was for emergencies.
"Shut up!" The young man on the right snarled, pulling out a small dagger from his pocket. "Hand over the money, do you hear me!"
The old woman was so scared that she took a half-step back, speechless.
The youth with the knife cursed under his breath and glanced at the back of the tricycle.
Some sweet potatoes were stored there, the roasted ones emitting a tempting aroma.
The two men exchanged a glance and nodded.
Even raw sweet potatoes had some value, and the cooked ones could fill their stomachs.
They quickly moved to the back of the tricycle, took out a bag, and started filling it with the sweet potatoes.
"No, please, don't!" The old woman exclaimed in shock, instinctively trying to stop them.
"Get lost!"
The old woman was shoved hard, stumbling back two steps before falling to the ground with a cry of pain.
"Please, don't take them all! Leave some for us, please!" she begged.
The two youths ignored her pleas and quickly emptied all the sweet potatoes into their bag, then disappeared into the shadows.
"Those two are just little brats!"
Mutterings came from the houses on either side.
"It's better to stay out of trouble, especially with those guys carrying knives."
"Sigh, what a world we live in..."
The voices soon faded, and the area returned to silence.
After a while, the old woman managed to get up from the ground, supporting herself on the tricycle, and then turned to look at the back.
Indeed, not a single sweet potato remained.
Wiping her tears, she continued pushing the tricycle forward.
After a while, she stopped in front of a mud brick house where candlelight shone from within.
A woman in her thirties opened the door and asked, "Is it Jiang La?"
The old woman's face tensed as she glanced inside and asked, "Is Xiao Cheng there?"
(End of Chapter 1)
"The fever has subsided significantly, but he hasn't woken up yet."
A smile appeared on the woman's face.
She lived next door, and Jiang Grandma had asked her to take care of Jiang Cheng while she was out for a few hours.
Such a small favor, she wouldn't refuse.
And it didn't conflict with her needlework either.
"Really? Is it really so?"
Jiang Grandma's voice trembled as she hurried into the room, walked to the bedside, and reached out to touch the young man's forehead on the bed, then touched her own, her pupils dilating.
Immediately after, she tried a few more times, and after confirming it, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Chen Sao, thank you, thank you. If it weren't for you..."
The woman quickly interrupted her, smiling, "Jiang Grandma, this has nothing to do with me. It's all thanks to Jiang Cheng's good fortune, and your care for him."
"No, no, no..."
The old woman tightly grasped the woman's hand, overcome with emotion, and the events that occurred on her way back were forgotten, cast aside to the furthest reaches of her mind.
...
In a daze, Jiang Cheng heard someone calling his name.
He felt something was odd.
Was he on the subway?
Could it be that a colleague had recognized him? But these voices, one aged and the other young, were unfamiliar.
Curiosity prompted him to open his eyes abruptly.
The sight that greeted him was a roof made of iron sheets.
"He's awake! He's awake!"
The voice beside him grew more excited.
"Xiao Cheng, you've finally woken up. Jiang Grandma was so worried, she nearly died of anxiety."
Jiang Grandma's eyes welled up with tears.
"It's good that you've woken up. It's good that you're awake."
The young woman was also moved, her eyes glistening.
Jiang Cheng was stunned. He turned his head to look at the elderly woman before him, his pupils suddenly widening.
"Grandma?!?!"
His mouth hung open in disbelief.
He couldn't believe it.
When he was young, his parents went to work in the city, leaving him with Jiang Grandma in the countryside.
Life in the countryside wasn't easy, and meat was a rare treat.
Jiang Grandma would save any delicacies for him, never indulging herself. She would fan him with her hand in the summer heat, only sleeping after he had fallen asleep.
One of his deepest memories was of her getting bitten by a venomous snake while searching for freshwater clams to improve their diet. Fortunately, the snake's venom wasn't potent, and timely treatment at a clinic saved her life.
Time passed mercilessly. When he was about to take the college entrance exam, Jiang Grandma passed away. The family didn't want to disturb his preparation, so they only informed him after the exam.
Upon learning the news, he almost broke down. Even when the exam results came out, he wasn't very happy about being able to enroll in a key university in the province.
As he entered society and worked hard, he realized that his happiest times were in his childhood.
During those times, he not only didn't cherish it but also often caused trouble, angering Jiang Grandma. Only when he grew up and could earn his own money did he feel capable of repaying her.
But now...
He looked at the kind elderly woman before him, his mind going blank.
Could it be that he was still dreaming?
Both of them by the bed were startled by Jiang Cheng's exaggerated reaction.
But with Jiang Cheng awake, the heavy burden in their hearts was lifted.
Jiang Grandma smiled, "My dear grandson, you've finally woken up. Do you know how worried I've been these past few days? I'd give my life for yours if I could."
"Jiang Grandma, don't say that," the young woman beside her interrupted, then turned to look at Jiang Cheng, concern in her eyes, "Xiao Cheng, how do you feel? Is there anywhere you're uncomfortable?"
Jiang Cheng still couldn't grasp the situation before him until a flood of memories poured into his mind.
(End of Chapter)
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