Soon two months went by since that small conversation at the dining room, during this time Zhou Heng and Alisa become more close, almost staying together all time.
This wasn't that unexpected, Zhou Heng was mentally older than Alisa and had much knowledge that the contemporary didn't, he also had working experience in his real life, as long as he put effort, he could be more sociable than her, gaining her attention was quite easy.
Currently, the two of them were resting from their diary exercise. Alisa joined enthusiastically after that day, the promise of growing taller was tempting for any child, she also could have more conversations with him, it was always interesting and he amazed her every time.
Zhou Heng took advantage of her naivety and her small age, after all any adult will surely ask him about how a four-year-old knew so much, it also helped that she kept secret their conversations, that's youth, secrets are very interesting after all.
''...I'm gonna die, I wonder how did you kept up with the pace with those small limbs you have.'' Alisa said while resting on the ground reminiscing a starfish.
''It's called willpower, you use it every time you share steak with me.'' Zhou Heng said after rolling his eyes, no matter the mind, in the body she was far older than him, how could he win in physical performance? at most he followed, and when he was tired she also acted like she reached her limits.
''Really? how unpleasant, how can I get it out of me?'' She said while enjoying the breeze with closed eyes.
''You also use it every day at training to not remain as small as you are, so start weighing what do you value more, steak or being tall.''
''...You're smaller than me brat... steak... being tall... ugh, why I have the impression that you are taking advantage of me, I will grow anyway.'' With a pout Alisa said.
''But not as much as when exercising.'' Zhou Heng didn't exactly lie, but he also didn't tell her about the DNA, training will add a bit to her growth but not much. ''Now get up, it's time for your other training.''
''Ugh...'' With a pitiful face, Alisa started getting up from the ground.
Seeing her like that, he was indifferent, the girl had the potential to become an emotional manipulator, her gentle eyes add innocence to her face and she knows how to use them.
After she got up, she started doing sit-ups with the help of Zhou Heng.
It has been a month since he taught her to do that and other kinds of physical training, he told her that it will help her on becoming more beautiful, his real purpose was quite simple, he wanted her to be more hungry and make the personnel of the orphanage feel heartaches upon seeing her like that, indirectly he told them about what kind of food would help her have more energy and with her goals.
So the diet of Alisa and her 'good friend' become more nutritive and varied. He didn't feel that guilty about using her, he wasn't lying, the exercise was good for her and would certainly give her a better figure and a more healthy body so it was a good exchange for the 'resources' he needed.
Zhou Heng also started helping the orphanage, he didn't want the adults to think that he was using her, he wanted them to have the impression that it was her the one that changed him into a good leaf and he was worth the food they were giving him.
Adults were more difficult than the naive girl, they treated her like family so it will be concerning if her most close friend was an opportunist, they will surely cut him from her life, and by consequence cut him from his resources.
So he was more sociable now, he also did it in a way he felt conformable, working wasn't anything new to him, talking to them certainly feel better than with kids, and his already established image as a weird boy, help him when maintaining a calm disposition and mature actions.
''...27, 28, 29 and 30. With that, you end this one.'' After finishing the second exercise, squats, Alisa felt tired and wanted to throw herself onto the ground, now she really feel like dying.
''Let's go time to clean ourselves.'' Zhou Heng said without caring too much.
''Tyrant! let me rest a few minutes!'' Alisa growled, he wasn't cute like other kids that shyly asked if she was okay. She was older than him and far taller but he was always bossing her around.
In Zhou Heng's eyes, she was a mild masochist, she received a lot of love from other people, and when she meet someone that didn't care too much for her like him, she tried to get his attention and followed him. Of course, this was with the premise she felt good about him, and his treatment wasn't to the point of hurting her.
Zhou Heng considers her a child so he was glad to find a way to get along without acting like a kid like her, it also wasn't like he hated her and didn't care about her, she was pleasant and he quite enjoyed their conversations.
The two of them after resting for a few moments before moving towards the public bathroom at the side of the orphanage, the nobles may have their own bathrooms with a warm tub but here it was a medium-sized room with a well connected to the river.
The two of them took a bath together, Zhou Heng treated it like a bath with a younger sister and she took him as a younger brother, his body was four years he didn't have the hormones nor the interest in her body, same could be said for her.
He gave her many tips about personal hygiene, those were part of the knowledge she appreciated the most.
After washing themselves the two started walking to have dinner. When walking toward the dining room they heard something coming from a closed room near the bath.
''...Agh... stop...'' A muffled voice could be heard when the two of them paid attention. Zhou Heng and Alisa looked at each other and approached silently to the door of the room.
Bang.
From inside the two could hear struggles and the sound of an object falling to the floor. Alisa without hesitation opened the door to see what is inside.
Three young kids were looking at another young kid on the floor, startled by the sudden entrance of Alisa, the four kids turned their eyes towards the door. The face of the three that were standing became visible dark, as for the one on the floor his eyes shone with hope.
The three were naturally the trio of bullies, named George, Harry, and Evan, while the kid on the floor was the self-called Jin Qian. Zhou Heng didn't know their names until recently, he truly didn't care too much about them, it was Alisa that after scolding him a bit for not caring about other people and remembering them for their hair, that she almost dragged him around the orphanage presenting him different people.
There was also the 'name' he uses in this world. Alisa was surprised that he knew to speak so fluently, so when she asked him about what name will he use he only answered 'Heng' without any surname, those that look for a surname are the ones that have a longing for a family, he already has one so he decided to only use his name on this world.
He doesn't plan on having children, so he doesn't need to create his Zhou family on Bausmat.
After entering the room, everyone fell in deep silence, the atmosphere was quite tense. Zhou Heng observed and understood what happened.
The clothes of Jin Qian were disorganized on his shoulders, which means that he was dragged here by those three, near a few stored baskets with clothes there was a small broken wooden box on the floor, where he can even see a few coins near it. Remembering the incident two months ago it seems that these three didn't give up on the money.
Judging by the fact that Jin Qian looked well in these two months and that he was a frequent visitor of the bath, it seems that he hides his money here and the trio took two months to find out, but why they seem more interested in threatening that in grabbing the coins?
For the observations that Zhou Heng had in these three months, he regained his consciousness he understood that these three bullies didn't have that many grudges against Jin Qian, nor the southerners, it was more like copying what they had seen from outside, there are also other southerners in the orphanage, older or younger, even Alisa 'humiliate' them in the past and they had more resentment against her than him.
The only conclusion that he could reach with his vague information is that the money is too little and they think he is hiding more, but with his experience talking with the personnel of the orphanage he somehow understood the 'economy' of Ariethis City. So for a kid, the money on the floor is considerable, even an adult of this district will be moved. The little noble needs money?
While Zhou Heng was looking at the room and the four kids Alisa didn't think too much, she broke the silence and screamed with a loud voice.
''What are you doing to him!?'' She was at the door, so she wanted to take advantage and see if any adult could come after hearing her.
''Shit! Why is this...'' Harry cursed with an anxious and enraged face.
''Let's go.'' Evan was smarter and understood what she wanted, so he quickly made Harry shut up and started walking quickly to the door, on the way his gaze went to the coins for a moment.
George realized too about Alisa's intentions and he ran toward the door in an attempt of scaring her from the door.
Alisa was fearless, she understood that if they hit her they were on bigger problems so she stood there and didn't plan to move, but at this moment Zhou Heng took her hand and called her softly.
''Let them go.'' He said.
Alisa was startled, she wanted to refuse but Zhou Heng pulled her hand and looked at her eyes with a serious expression, seeing this, she was a bit unwilling but in the past two months Zhou Heng gained a high status in Alisa's mind, he was very mature and wise so she often did what he wanted. The two of them moved at a side outside the room, and let the three escape.
The trio was surprised but they didn't think too much, maybe the little boy was scared about how they were three and the other side only had a girl and a little boy.
In just a few seconds, the trio went away afraid that someone from the orphanage came and see what happened.
''Why did you let them go?'' With a frown, Alisa asked after the trio disappeared.
''Who are you waiting for to trap them? It's dinner time, most of the people in the orphanage didn't take baths at night, they are eating and there is no room near. Are you going to keep them here until someone from the personnel notices your absence? like in half of an hour?'' Rolling his eyes, Zhou Heng answered her.
Alisa was silent, he was right, the two of them for their training took bath at night, but the others weren't like that, most of them done it many time ago. Her uncles and aunties care for her and the ones in the kitchen will wait for them to give dinner, but they also know about their routine so it will not be until long that they notice if the two didn't come back. How was she going to keep those three here?
''But, they also can't do anything extreme, so we just need to tell about what happened here.'' Alisa said.
''It's better if you don't.'' Zhou Heng told her, there were a few things he learned in these months that made him decline her offer.
''Tsk...'' Alisa frowned, but seeing him maintaining his serious gaze she clicked he tongue and went inside to help Jin Qian.
Zhou Heng shook his head and followed, at this moment he wished that she wasn't that naive and stop getting into trouble.