Chapter 571: What Can You Think of?
Chapter 571: What Can You Think of?
Say he’s strong? The moment he got into Hexi, several beggars clung to him begging for crystal cores—what’s that about? Say he’s weak? He can produce as much firewood, fireplace charcoal and coal as you want; Fatty could supply it all.
So nobody could figure out exactly how powerful this Fatty was. Even those who tried to pry it out couldn’t get any clear answer.
“Oh, I really hate this.” An Ran, carrying Doll, stepped outside that morning after the snow and wind had finally stopped.
She wanted to take Doll out for some air. What she saw in the open square made her frown.
A crowd of old people and children had gathered, each clutching a broken bowl. They trailed after the Hedong people who came to buy charcoal, chanting “Give me some, give me some!” over and over again.
The racket grated on her nerves.
Behind her, Zhao Ru stumbled stiffly, her whole body trembling. “I get it now,” she said. “Fatty has gone and founded his own Beggars’ Sect.”
“You’ve read too many martial arts novels,” An Ran scoffed. She sighed, shifted Doll in her arms, and trudged across the thick snow.
Two steps later, she froze.
A woman sat on the ground, hair disheveled, wearing patched but thick clothes. Beside her was a wheelchair. In front of her, a bowl rested on a cloth where her “story” had been written: mentally impaired since childhood, unable to care for herself, begging for alms from kindhearted souls.
An Ran’s frown deepened. She didn’t finish reading—her gaze had already moved to the woman’s vacant, dazed face. Recognition struck. She grabbed Zhao Ru and pulled her closer.
“Look. Xu Li’er.”
“What? Why is she here?”
Zhao Ru’s eyes widened. They hadn’t seen Xu Li’er since Little Mint had taken her brain tissue. No one had thought much about her fate—but now, she had fallen into Fatty’s hands and was being used as a tool for begging.
Beside her sat the third brother, the one whose arm An Ran had severed. He too was huddled in the snow, a cloth spread out before him. Written in thick red paint: Harmed by a traitor since childhood, lost an arm, unable to survive. Seeking alms…
“Harmed by a traitor?!” An Ran stopped before him, staring down at the cloth with a half-smile.
The third brother gave a nervous chuckle, then quickly flipped his broken bowl upside down to cover the word traitor. A few crystal cores clinked inside as he pressed it down. “Hello, out for a walk today?” he asked awkwardly.
“I’m asking you, did that fat guy force you into this, or did you volunteer?” An Ran turned and dropped herself into the wheelchair placed between Xu Li’er and the third brother. Walking in the snow while holding a baby was exhausting, and she was in no hurry.
The third brother shook his head, looking serious. “Brother Fatty didn’t force us. We did it voluntarily. It’s actually kind of fun. From this spot, you can see the world in all its forms. You can come up with a lot of ideas.”
“What can you come up with?”
“Human nature. Philosophy. Things like that.”
“…Crazy, really…” An Ran was speechless.
Sitting there in the wheelchair, Doll in her arms, she found herself at a loss. Human nature? Philosophy? Could begging really bring out things like that?