Chapter 388
When he turned six, his so–called birthday gift was being sent out to beg on the streets. He felt like a caged monkey on display, tossed into the chaos for tips. Now that he was older and wiser, just thinking back to that day filled him with a deep sense of humiliation–as if it was a fate worse than death.
But luck was on his side that day.
Amidst the bustling crowd, a girl appeared. She was slender and tall, with two neat braids. Her clothes were worn, but she carried herself with a cleanliness and tidiness that was hard to miss. Her delicate face was graced by eyes that sparkled as bright as diamonds, and a sweet smile played on her slightly chubby cheeks.
The moment he saw her, his world lit up.
He’d never seen anyone so captivating before. She was like a brilliant moon piercing through the darkness of his life, illuminating his shadowed path.
d what she did next was something he’d carry with him forever. Whenever he found himself backed into a corner, he’d think of her courage that day, and it fueled him with boundless bravery to rise above adversity.
She boldly wrapped him in a hug, declaring to the passing crowd that he was her little brother.
In her arms, he felt a kind of safety he’d never known. Sure, the traffickers would hold him, too, trying to hush his cries with false kindness. But their arms left him shivering with anxiety and fear.
Her embrace, however, was a sanctuary of calm.
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She was a sharp and fearless girl, and with just a few words, she silenced the traffickers lurking among the onlookers. To challenge her, they sneered, “If you’re his sister, then what’s his name?”
“Easy,” she said, looking him straight in the eye. “Nathan.”
Without missing a beat, he nodded. “She’s my sister…”
Even though they’d just met, they were perfectly in sync. Everyone around them bought the story, convinced they were siblings.
She walked off with him, head held high.
But she’d made enemies that day. The traffickers were out for revenge. They ambushed her on her way back from school, slapped her, kicked her, and beat her. Fortunately, her quick thinking led her to signal her friends to call the cops.
She came home battered but triumphantly told him, “I got back at them for you today. Those awful people have been arrested.”
He felt nothing but admiration and aching love for her. Here was a girl who could bloom even in adversity. She was truly courageous. However, the troubles he brought her were far from over.
He stayed with her for a few months, which was the happiest time of his life. But happiness was fleeting, and eventually, her wicked mother found out.
What followed were relentless scorn and insults from her mother. He feared she’d be unable to bear her mother’s pressure and eventually abandon him. He even dreaded it in his dreams.
But once again, she proved him wrong, standing tall with her fragile shoulders to shield him.
She taught him to read, write, and do math, which were his first lessons in life. While she shone light into his life, she herself was battered by storms.
Her mother, unhappy with the scant earnings she brought home, upped the pressure for more money every day. She had to scavenge more bottles and sell more scraps to satisfy her greedy mother’s demands. Each day, she’d return later than the day before, and her body was marked with new bruises.
Chapter 389
Chapter 389
