Cheng Su's expression softened upon hearing the word "orphan."
"What's your name?" she asked gently.
Qi Taiguo was somewhat surprised, amazed at the instantaneous change in her tone. She had just been talking about not hiring child labor, and now it seemed like she was ready to take him in?
The boy was also pleased, saying, "Zhao Da, my name is Zhao Da." Then he asked, "Are you willing to take me in now?"
"What can you do?" Cheng Su smiled, looking at his arms, not knowing whether it was from lack of food or what, but his arms were very thin.
"Anything you ask," Zhao Da said loudly.
Cheng Su thought for a moment, "You said you're an orphan, who else is in your family?"
Zhao Da hesitated, then said, "There's my grandmother, she's very old. If it weren't for her age, and my sister being so young, if I left, there would be no one to take care of them, otherwise I would have gone out to work long ago."
Cheng Su felt a pang of heartache.
