Entertainment: A song that brought his deceased wife back to life.

Winter days seem to pass especially slowly.

Especially for people who are always hungry.

Every day, besides the same few fixed routines: enduring the cold, fighting for food, and listening to Jiang Yue curse.

Er Lei's gang did indeed quiet down for two days.

They were probably terrified after being hit by that steel bar.

After all, nobody wants to actually become a cripple.

But that doesn't mean they've given up.

Bad people don't become good; they just become more sinister.

Like a rat in a sewer, if you poke it with a stick, it runs away.

Even when you turn over to sleep, it will still sneak out and chew up your rice bag.

Erlei has been observing for the past few days.

He squatted in the corner, his eyes bruised and battered, rubbing a ball of mud in his hands.

His gaze kept drifting towards Xu Qing.

He's looking for an opportunity.

When Jiang Yue wasn't around.

Even just a few minutes would be fine.

Whenever Jiang Yue goes to the toilet, or is called in by the dean for a lecture, she is always there.

He was confident he could get that mute guy who only knew how to hide behind women to go to the toilet and eat shit.

pity.

Although Jiang Yue seems carefree, she is actually very meticulous.

She took Xu Qing with her no matter what she did.

It's like having a pendant attached to your belt.

Even when she went to the toilet, she made Xu Qing sit on that broken stone stool by the door.

They also had to slip a stick into his hand for self-defense.

Er Lei was so angry he wanted to grind his teeth.

但他不敢动.

He didn't want to experience that excruciating pain, like his bones were about to break, again.

That afternoon.

The sky was overcast, and it looked like it was going to snow.

The dean's mother, wrapped in a thick military overcoat, was talking to Old Zhang, who was in charge of the warehouse, in the corridor.

Er Lei originally wanted to eavesdrop on what they were having for dinner tonight.

Then I heard even more shocking news.

"This batch of winter supplies has just arrived."

The headmistress was holding a sheet of paper, looking worried.

"They're all wearing thick cotton-padded coats, and there are also several boxes of compressed biscuits."

"It should have been put into storage and distributed."

"But the new accountant is on leave these past few days, so we can't do the inventory."

Old Zhang took a puff of his pipe and exhaled a cloud of white smoke.

"What should we do then?"

"We can't just leave it piled up in the yard, can we? It's going to snow soon."

The dean sighed.

"Let's move to that abandoned warehouse on the back hill first."

"Lock the door."

"Wait until the accountant returns before putting it into storage."

"Don't let those rascals find out, or they'll definitely tear it down."

Old Zhang nodded, then called over two caregivers to transport the items to the back of the mountain.

Erlei hid behind a pillar.

My eyes widened in astonishment.

cotton-padded coat.

Compressed biscuits.

In this godforsaken welfare home, this is like gold.

If I could steal two cotton-padded coats, I could sell them to Wang the Cripple, the scrap collector in town.

It can be exchanged for at least five yuan.

Five yuan.

That's enough to buy several packs of spicy strips, and also a bottle of fizzy soda.

Er Lei swallowed hard.

The Adam's apple moves up and down.

Greed, once it takes hold, is impossible to suppress.

but.

Go to the warehouse in the back hill?

Erlei is getting a little scared again.

That place was at the northernmost part of the welfare home, right next to a mass grave.

Even stray dogs don't usually go that way.

It is said that people have died there before, and more than one.

At night, the sound of the wind blowing through the broken window was like a ghostly wail.

None of the children in the orphanage dared to go near that side.

Even the boldest of them all, Jiang Yue, usually avoids her.

Although Erlei is wicked, he is also afraid of ghosts.

He wanted to steal something, but he was too afraid to do it alone.

This is a difficult situation.

He was scratching his head behind the pillar.

Sudden.

His gaze passed through the bare branches and landed on the other side of the playground.

There was a small, thin figure squatting on the ground playing with ants.

It's that mute guy.

Xu Qing.

A brilliant idea popped into Er Lei's wicked mind.

What if we send the mute person?

Although the warehouse windows were sealed, one of the exhaust fan vents was broken.

An adult can't squeeze in.

That mute guy is as skinny as a monkey, he can definitely squeeze in.

Let him throw the things out then.

He just stood outside and caught it.

If it's discovered, it's because the mute stole it, and it has nothing to do with me.

What if you encounter a ghost...

Anyway, a mute person can't speak, so if they get eaten by a ghost, so be it.

The more Er Lei thought about it, the more he felt that the plan was absolutely perfect.

A sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Even the injury on my cheek no longer hurts.

"Jiang Yue..."

Erlei muttered the name to himself.

"Let's see how long you can protect him."

……

the other side.

Water room.

This is the place with the most trouble in the entire welfare home.

There were only four taps, but more than thirty children were waiting to use the water.

Nobody wants to stand in the cold wind for even a minute longer.

People cutting in line, shoving, and cursing.

It's a complete mess.

Jiang Yue was also inside.

She was carrying that large tin bucket, her feet planted firmly on the ground like nails.

If anyone dares to bump into her, she'll shove them away with her shoulder.

"Why are you pushing!"

"Are you in a hurry to be reincarnated?"

Jiang Yue yelled.

The few kids who wanted to cut in line immediately shrank back.

Xu Qing couldn't squeeze in.

He stood two meters away from the tap.

He was holding that broken enamel basin in his hands.

This was a tactic arranged by Jiang Yue.

She took the lead in the work, making sure the buckets were full.

Xu Qing was in charge of keeping an eye on the supplies, making sure that the basin wasn't stolen.

Xu Qing is very obedient.

He just stood there quietly.

He didn't look at anyone else, just stared at the basin in his hand.

A piece of porcelain had chipped off the bottom of the basin, revealing blackened iron that looked like an eye.

Just then.

He felt a chill down his back.

It's not the kind of coolness you get from a breeze.

It feels like being targeted by something malicious.

This feeling is familiar.

It's like being at a fire scene, feeling that oppressive atmosphere before the main beam collapses.

Or perhaps it was the look in his eyes before Er Lei broke his bones that night.

Xu Qing subconsciously raised her head.

He quickly scanned his surroundings.

On the left is a group of girls playing around.

On the right are several older children washing clothes.

Nothing unusual.

But his feeling of panic grew stronger and stronger.

Xu Qing suddenly turned his head.

He looked at the large locust tree not far away.

The trunk is very thick, and the bark on it has long since fallen off.

Er Lei hid behind a tree, only showing half of his head.

Those bloodshot eyes were fixed on Xu Qing's neck.

Erlei stuck out his tongue and licked his dry, cracked lips.

The anger that had filled his eyes was gone, replaced by a chilling greed.

Xu Qing felt the hairs on his body stand on end.

The feeling of being targeted by a venomous snake reminded him of the flames that night.

He no longer cared about the enamel basin in his hand.

He took two steps forward and squeezed into the noisy crowd.

Jiang Yue was cursing loudly at the faucet because the water flow was too weak.

"Is there a sock stuck in this broken water pipe?"

"Is this little bit of water for the cat to wash its face?"

Jiang Yue cursed as she pounded on the cement platform.

Xu Qing walked over.

He reached out his still trembling hand and accurately grasped Jiang Yue's military green cuff.

That was a pre-arranged action between them.

Scared.

Or it could be a matter of life and death.

He tugged at it three times in a row.

Because he pulled too hard, Jiang Yue's body was pulled to the side.

Jiang Yue was stunned.

She turned her head sharply, and the tin bucket in her hand slammed heavily to the ground.

Half a bucket of water spilled out, wetting her trouser legs.

She ignored her pants.

She stared at Xu Qing.

She saw Xu Qing's deathly pale face.

And those eyes, filled with terror, constantly glancing behind the tree.

Jiang Yue's anger flared up instantly.

That protective instinct was like a lit powder keg.

In this courtyard, Xu Qing was the only thing she felt she needed to feel sorry for.

"Who?"

Jiang Yue lowered her voice, her tone stiff.

She followed Xu Qing's gaze.

Behind the locust tree, the dark figure flickered.

When Er Lei realized he had been discovered, he didn't run away; instead, he gave a provocative sneer.

He even made a throat-slitting gesture at Xu Qing.

Then he slowly turned around and disappeared into the alley behind the cafeteria.

"It's that bastard again."

Jiang Yue gritted her teeth, and the muscles in her cheeks twitched.

She turned off the tap, letting the precious tap water flow freely.

She bent down and picked up a pebble from the ground.

That was trampled out just now, and it's still covered in mud.

She weighed the stone in her hand.

"What did he just do?"

Jiang Yue looked at Xu Qing and asked.

Xu Qing pointed to her neck.

He then pointed to the spot where Erlei had just been standing.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out, yet Jiang Yue understood.

He is threatening me.

Jiang Yue took a deep breath of the cold winter air.

The cold air seeped into her lungs through her throat, making her mind unusually calm.

She reached out and touched Xu Qing's head, smoothing out the few messy strands of hair.

"fine."

"He's like a grasshopper in autumn, he won't be able to hop around for many more days."

"If he ever looks at you like that again, just tell me."

Jiang Yue put the pebble in her hand into her pocket.

That was the gift she had prepared for Er Lei when they first met.

The people in the washroom gradually dispersed.

It got completely dark.

The north wind howled past the courtyard wall, emitting a piercing scream.

Jiang Yue carried the water bucket and walked ahead.

Xu Qing followed behind, carrying the basin and keeping her head down.

His steps were precise, each step falling into Jiang Yue's shadow.

Two light bulbs in the hallway are broken.

The remaining one emitted a ghastly green light.

The sunlight shone on the uneven walls, making them appear eerie.

"Stop looking."

Jiang Yue gave a brief instruction without turning her head.

"Those people are just being stubborn now."

"If they were really capable, they would have rushed over and attacked long ago."

"This is called creating a false impression of business activity, understand?"

Xu Qing nodded.

Although he didn't know what a show of force was, he trusted Jiang Yue.

The two returned to the room where the communal sleeping area was located.

The room is noisy now.

A dozen or so children were fighting fiercely over a tattered pillow.

Jiang Yue walked over and kicked the bed board hard.

"Shut up, all of you!"

"Anyone who makes a scene again, get out and sleep in the snow!"

The room fell silent instantly.

Jiang Yue placed the bucket under the bed.

She sat down and took out the half-eaten sweet potato from her bosom.

That was money she secretly saved in the afternoon.

She handed it to Xu Qing.

"Eat."

Xu Qing took the dried sweet potato.

He broke it in half and handed it back to Jiang Yue.

Jiang Yue didn't answer.

"I'm not hungry."

"With your build, you need to eat more meat to grow taller."

"When you grow taller, you won't have to tug at my sleeve anymore."