After all, she was still young, and the things she had experienced these two days were too complicated. Not long after Qiqi finished eating, she fell asleep again.
The light that seeped in through the small wooden window of the room was slanted.
Qiqi did not know how long she had slept. When she woke up, it was already afternoon.
There were voices of people having a conversation in the central room.
Chen Jianhe sat on a small stool near the door in the central room, frowning.
"I've asked around the surrounding villages and even went to the police station on the other side of the town to inquire. There are no families with a missing child."
He visited nearly ten villages in the vicinity in the morning, both big and small, and especially scouted along the two sides of the river. He was short of going to the other side of the town to inquire.
The answer they got was no. No one had lost a child. In fact, no one had ever seen the child in the surroundings if he described her.
Chen Jianhe couldn't understand how the child had come to their village. Could it be that she had flown here?
Zhang Xifeng sat opposite him, holding an unfinished piece of clothing in her hand. Her expression was not very good.
"I've asked the child. She said that she was an orphan. It seems to be true."
After saying that, she gritted her teeth and cursed, "the injuries on the child's body were probably from being beaten by someone on the street. The person who did this is an animal!"
Chen Jianhe was silent.
Chen Jianhe was also present when she brought the child to the clinic yesterday. He had also seen the injuries on the child.
"Aunt, what do we do now?" He thought for a while, and the rest of his words were difficult to say.
"She's such a small child. If no one takes care of her and lets her continue to wander outside alone, I'm afraid she'll be..."
She probably couldn't live for more than a few days.
"I know a welfare home in the county that takes in orphans. Should I make a trip there tomorrow and ask around?" He said.
Zhang Xifeng didn't say anything. She looked at the unfinished clothes in her hands, and the little child's face appeared in her mind.
The four-and-a-half-year-old child looked to be only three years old.
She was small and thin, and her face was the size of a palm.
She lowered her eyes and threaded the needle on her little clothes. "Qiqi, this child is so good. She ate in small mouthfuls, looking refined and elegant. I praised her on the spot. You didn't see how she was secretly shy and happy. She was so lovable."
Chen Jianhe seemed to have realized something and frowned even more. "Aunt..."
He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by Zhang Xifeng just as he started.
"Alright, I'll think about the child's matter again. You've also been delayed for a day. Go back and finish the work that you've left behind." Then, Zhang Xifeng looked at the sky and said, "it's late now. We can't make it in time. Go to town tomorrow morning and help me get a veterinarian to come and take a look at the pig. I don't know what's going on these two days, but the two piggies refuse to eat and even have diarrhea. They're most likely sick."
At the mention of the two little piggies at home, Zhang Xifeng's old face was sorrowful.
She was a widow and couldn't do much work in the fields. The family's income all year round depended on the two pigs they had carefully raised.
If the pig didn't gain weight and couldn't be sold at the end of the year, it would have to live on with a tight stomach next year.
Chen Jianhe nodded in response. "Sure, I'll go to town tomorrow morning to invite the person over."
Qiqi stayed in the room and waited until there was no sound outside before she got off the bed. She walked to the door quietly and timidly stuck her head out to look out.
Zhang Xifeng turned her head and saw a little child with only a pair of bright eyes peeking out the door. She looked timid, like a shy and easily frightened little beast. She carefully stretched out a small claw to explore the world outside.
She was so cute that Zhang Xifeng's heart softened.
"Qiqi, try this on and see if you like it." She smiled and waved at the little child, showing him the clothes she had just finished sewing.
She had modified this from her old clothes. Now that the weather was hot, she had changed it into a half-sleeve buttoned shirt and made a pair of pants for the child with the extra cloth.
The color was azure blue, which had been washed until it was white. It wasn't pretty, but it was wear-resistant and dirt-resistant.
Qiqi's eyes brightened. She held her small hand and moved in front of the old woman, her eyes glued to the new clothes.
Although the material was old, it was new to Qiqi.
Her Granny Zhang had especially, specially made these small clothes for her.
"It's so good." She quickly glanced at the old lady, and her small face blushed. "Thank you, granny. Qiqi likes it very much."
She had said the last sentence very seriously and solemnly.
Zhang Xifeng was stunned for a moment, and the corners of her eyes crinkled.
"We'll wear new clothes after Qiqi takes a bath tonight."
"Alright!"
In the countryside, there was work all around the house.
After telling Qiqi to play by herself in the yard, Zhang Xifeng got up and went to the kitchen next door. She scooped out the pig's feeds from the big iron pot on the stove and filled the wooden bucket half-full. She was going to bring it to the pigpen opposite to feed the little pigs and see if they would eat.
She lowered her eyebrows and sighed softly. Then, she lifted the wooden bucket with all her might and staggered towards the pigpen.
As soon as she came out of the kitchen, she saw Qiqi running over with her little legs and reaching out to help her carry the wooden bucket.
The little kid was not much taller than the wooden bucket, so how strong could she be?
However, this action made Zhang Xifeng feel unusually at ease, and a touch of warmth floated in her heart.
"Granny, let me help you feed the pigs, okay? I can do it."
"Oh, Qiqi knows how to feed pigs at a young age?"
"Yes, I can feed pigs, cut grass, herd cows, wash clothes, and do a lot of work." The little child raised her head and tried to sell herself. "If you want to do anything, you can let me do it."
Zhang Xifeng couldn't help but laugh. She walked to the pigpen and put down the wooden bucket. Then she patted the little child's head and said, "you're still young. You don't have to do any work here with Granny."
She had intended to comfort the little child, but she did not expect the child to be so anxious.
"Granny, let me help you with the work!"
Zhang Xifeng was puzzled. "Why does Qiqi want to work? "
Could it be that she wanted her to stay, so she wanted to work to please her?
Zhang Xifeng wanted to open her mouth and tell the child that she didn't need to do this. She had already thought of keeping the child, but the child spoke first.
The child's words shocked her to her core.
The child said, "Granny gave me food and small clothes. I helped out with the work in exchange. I can't take them for free."
The child also said, "Granny, I'm not a beggar. I'm not a little beggar."
The child's pitch-black eyes were clear and pure, with the determination of early wisdom.
No one knew that this was Qiqi's clinging and the grievance she buried in her heart.
She wasn't a beggar or the little beggar other people called her. She earned everything she ate and used.
She had never taken other people's things for free, nor had she ever begged for anything.
Even if it were given to her by someone else, she would return it in the best way possible.
She was Qiqi, the upright Qiqi who would never take advantage of others.