CHAPTER 525: CHAPTER 509: I OBEY

"You’re looking for Feng Na? What’s your relationship with Feng Na?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao didn’t want any trouble, but they stopped her. She had a good relationship with Feng Na; among classmates, they were considered good friends.

Feng Na had a very easygoing personality, so Jiang Xiaoxiao was willing to be friends with her.

Although they couldn’t become friends like Jiang Shu, she was definitely willing to help Feng Na when she could.

"I am..."

The man was about to speak when the boy spoke softly.

"Dad, I want some water."

The man quickly took out a battered old military canteen, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to the boy.

"Hu Zi, drink slowly, slowly."

A dirty handkerchief was placed on the boy’s chest.

Beneath the lifted scarf, a deformed child’s lips were revealed.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was shocked inside.

It’s... a cleft lip.

This child was born with a congenital cleft lip deformity.

Watching the child struggle to swallow water while it continually leaked out,

Jiang Xiaoxiao suddenly understood why Feng Na didn’t want anyone to know she was married and had a child.

Being a country bride as an educated youth was already something people didn’t want widely known, let alone having given birth to such a child.

In everyone’s eyes, children with cleft lips were discriminated against and despised, and this was likely an additional burden for Feng Na.

She naturally wouldn’t want anyone else to know.

Now, abruptly asking the man about his identity and learning about the child’s defect made Jiang Xiaoxiao feel she should withdraw from this as a friend.

"It’s not appropriate for you to wait with the child under the dormitory building, so take the child outside the school gate to wait, and I will notify Feng Na to find you there."

The man and child were too conspicuous with so many people around.

It was hard for people not to notice.

The man shook his head, stubbornly refusing.

"I’m not leaving. I’ve finally found Feng Na, and I’m not leaving. I must see Feng Na today."

His tone was not good.

It seemed Feng Na’s departure had left anger in the man’s heart.

Which makes sense; if Jiang Xiaoxiao also couldn’t leave easily,

things could easily escalate.

Jiang Xiaoxiao looked at the child’s handkerchief gradually getting soaked.

"Dad! I’m hungry."

The child said softly.

The man’s face immediately showed an awkward smile, "You’re hungry, huh? Just wait."

He rummaged through his bundle.

Nothing dry came out.

His face was a bit embarrassed.

The man glanced at Jiang Xiaoxiao, "Classmate, do you know Feng Na?"

The expression seemed unkind.

Jiang Xiaoxiao regretted not walking away sooner.

"I don’t know Feng Na, I’m leaving now."

If not leaving now, when would she?

Jiang Xiaoxiao didn’t want to be involved in this.

Yet, the man grabbed Jiang Xiaoxiao.

"Classmate, can I ask you for a favor?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao didn’t want the situation to become too ugly, as it might adversely affect Feng Na.

In this era, words are powerful.

Rumors can be deadly, and if the matter escalated, the gossip around campus could be fatal for Feng Na.

"If you need help, just say it clearly, don’t be physical. This is a school, be careful, or I’ll go to the school’s security office."

The man was startled and loosened his grip.

"I wasn’t being physical, I was just anxious, I really have no other intentions."

"You’re Feng Na’s classmate, right? You see how hungry the child is now. I’ll go find something for the child to eat. Can you watch the child for a while?"

The man wore a sincere expression, and looking at the child’s rumbling hungry belly, Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but feel moved.

Her own Tang Yuan compared to this child had nothing to worry about.

Both children, yet this boy struggled even to have a full meal.

Jiang Xiaoxiao nodded, "Then quickly go and return, there’s a canteen up front, I’ll wait with the child on the bench by the roadside."

The man was delighted upon hearing this, knelt down, and urged the boy, "Hu Zi, listen carefully to this aunt, she can take you to see your mom. Dad’s going to find food, you have to be good."

The boy nodded sensibly, "Dad, I’ll be good."

Jiang Xiaoxiao stood beside the boy, watching the man leave awkwardly with his bundle.

The boy wore clothes made from adult clothing filled with patches, his body thin and small, but his black eyes appeared very cute.

Of course, if not seeing beneath the scarf, no one would think there was anything wrong with this child.

The little guy quietly followed Jiang Xiaoxiao, his short legs trailing her to the bench!

He didn’t need Jiang Xiaoxiao’s care; he climbed onto the bench himself, sitting uprightly.

His eyes curiously watched the crowd of people passing by, those wearing colorful clothes chatting and laughing—sights from a world he had never seen.

"You’re called Hu Zi?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao gently touched Hu Zi’s hair.

The child’s hair was slightly yellow and dry, which felt heart-wrenching.

Hu Zi looked up and nodded, "Yes."

"How old are you?"

"Five years old!"

"Was that your dad earlier? Where are you from?"

"Dad and I are from Tiger Ridge. We walked day and night to the county, rode a bus for day and night to the city, took a train for three days and nights to get here. After getting off the train, Dad asked for directions while bringing me along, and it took us three days to find this place."

The child’s words spoke of such hard travels.

Such a small child didn’t complain.

"What is Feng Na to you?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn’t resist asking.

Hu Zi looked up cautiously at Jiang Xiaoxiao, his eyes full of vigilance.

Jiang Xiaoxiao chuckled.

Such a young child, what kind of look is that? It’s as if she was a trafficker.

"She is my... sister."

Jiang Xiaoxiao smiled gently, sister huh.

They chatted randomly while waiting for the boy’s father to return.

From their conversation, Jiang Xiaoxiao gathered that their village was at least over a thousand kilometers from here.

It was a very poor small mountain village, Hu Zi lived with his father Liu Daniu.

There were elderly grandparents, uncles, and sometimes Liu Daniu had borrowed quite a bit of money for this trip.

Unconsciously, an hour passed, but Liu Daniu hadn’t returned yet.

Meanwhile, Feng Na and the others returned.

Feng Na, Jin Xiaomei, and the others came back after having lunch at the canteen, spending a long time there discussing Jiang Xiaoxiao’s performance in class today.

Everyone vowed to practice diligently when they returned, agreeing to buy needles for disinfection back at the dormitory and start practicing.

Who doesn’t have ambition?

No one wants to be inferior to others.

Jin Xiaomei in particular was filled with determination.

If Jiang Xiaoxiao could do it, so could she.

As Feng Na and the others returned, they immediately saw Jiang Xiaoxiao sitting with a child dressed in ragged clothes on the long bench.

Feng Na’s face immediately changed when she saw the child’s face under the scarf.

Jin Xiaomei was full of curiosity.

"Jiang Xiaoxiao, who is the child you’re with?"

Everyone knew Jiang Xiaoxiao had a child, but this child clearly wasn’t hers—the age didn’t match.