At this time, Peng Xiaohai was huddled in the corner of an abandoned temple, surrounded by several homeless beggars, each of whom had a look of bitterness and despair written all over their faces.

The blow of losing his father made his little world seem to be shrouded in a thick haze, and light and hope became out of reach.

Among this group of beggars, there are also some people with malicious intentions.

Liu Fei, a villain who often enjoys bullying the weak, took advantage of the night and set his greedy eyes on Peng Xiaohai.

"Hey, Peng Xiaohai, I heard that your father suffered this misfortune because he was doing something for someone else. Where is the compensation money? Do you want Uncle Dagou to help you 'keep' it, so that you, a little kid, won't lose it by accident?"

Faced with the provocation, although Peng Xiaohai's face was full of tears, there was unquestionable determination in his eyes. He shook his head and expressed his refusal with silence.

By the stream, a seemingly fragile girl showed unexpected bravery at this moment. She stood up, her thin body seemed to contain infinite power, her eyes wide open, staring straight at Liu Fei, and a silent but fierce confrontation filled the air.

A cunning smile appeared on Liu Fei's lips, and it was obvious that he had already figured out a plan.

He suddenly stepped forward and grabbed the worn-out quilt that was the only thing that Peng Xiaohai and Xiaoxi relied on for survival, and used it as a bargaining chip.

"You two kids don't need such a nice quilt. I suggest we make an exchange."

Before he finished speaking, he picked up a dirty rag from the ground and threw it at the two of them. The rag drew an arc in the air like a sarcastic mockery.

Although the beggars around were indignant about this behavior, no one dared to speak out in resistance under Liu Fei's tyranny.

Liu Fei's notoriety has long frightened people on this street, and the weak have no choice but to endure and avoid him.

At this moment, Xiaoxi rushed forward desperately, trying to take back the thin warmth that belonged to them. His thin figure looked particularly frail in the cold wind.

However, Liu Fei's brute force easily pushed her away, with a look of triumph on his vicious face.

But Xiaoxi did not give up. Her cry echoed in the empty abandoned temple. It was a resistance to injustice and a persistence in kindness.

"Xiaoxi, be sensible!"

Liu Fei's voice echoed in the empty fields, like a sharp blade in the cold night wind, easily cutting through the already fragile peace of the land.

His threats were like invisible chains, trying to bind every soul that tried to struggle.

"Your father is no longer in this world to protect you. From now on, if you don't want to suffer in this land, your best choice is to listen to me."

His words revealed unquestionable arrogance and cruelty.

Xiaoxi's lips trembled slightly, and the rebuttal that was about to come out was instantly frozen by the cold reality.

Her eyes flashed with unyielding spirit, yet also with helplessness.

She and Xiao Hai were just two young seedlings that had not yet grown up. How could they contend with Liu Fei's tyrannical and unreasonable strength? Finally, she slowly sat down beside a pile of dry straw and hugged the thin Xiao Hai tightly in her arms.

This hug is not only a warm protection for his younger brother Xiaohai, but also a bit of comfort and strength for himself in this cruel world.

Liu Fei witnessed the brother and sister surrendering to each other, and a smug smile inadvertently appeared on the corner of his mouth. He then began to tidy up the quilt that he had just taken through threats and force.

It was a thick quilt covered with traces of time. Although old, it was a carrier of the family's warm memories. But now it has become a symbol of his showing off his power and trampling on the weak.

Not far away, Xu Liyun's footsteps unconsciously stopped in front of a dilapidated temple.

"Lao Zhang, why don't we go in and take a look?"

she suggested.

The temple was in ruins, and the wind blew through the broken doors and windows, making a harsh creaking sound, as if whispering unknown secrets, tempting Xu Liyun to explore its depths.

"Okay, let's go!"

Zhang Laoer held her hand tightly and pushed open the old temple door with firm strength.

The door hinges whined as they were dry and had not been oiled for years. A cold breath rushed towards me, like a sigh of time, carrying with it the coldness and heaviness of the past.

Under the cover of night, the temple was silent. Only the flickering candlelight in the main hall was like a faint but stubborn hope, flickering tenaciously in the endless darkness.

"Xiao Hai, are you in there?"

There was a mixture of trembling and courage in Xu Liyun's voice, and it was the maternal tenderness that dispelled the fear in her heart.

As Zhang Laoer knocked lightly on the wooden door, a one-armed homeless man staggered out.

The scene inside the temple gradually came into view: the ancient Buddha statues were silently guarding, the candlelight was gently swaying in the wind, and dry straw covered the ground, forming a temporary shelter for these homeless people.

More than two dozen ragged beggars coexist in this cramped space, barely making ends meet.

Peng Xiaohai curled up in the darkest corner, with only a little girl of similar age by his side.

Compared with those beggars who at least had a tattered quilt, the two of them seemed particularly lonely and helpless.

At this time, a beggar named Maoluzi came forward and begged flatteringly, "Great sir, please be kind, at least give me a little food or a few copper coins."

When Xu Liyun witnessed this scene, she felt mixed emotions, and was overwhelmed with sympathy and compassion.

Zhang Laoer took out two copper coins from his pocket and handed them to the donkey. Unexpectedly, this action instantly ignited the greedy desires of other beggars.

They swarmed over like hungry beasts, with flames of desire burning in their eyes.

"Great man, please give me some more..."

Zhang Laoer was caught off guard by this sudden torrent of greed, and the dark side of human nature was laid bare before him.

In desperation, he hurriedly grabbed a handful of copper coins from his arms and threw them into the air at random. Everyone immediately leaned over to scramble for them, and the scene became chaotic.

"Xiao Hai, go out with Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang for a while."

Zhang Laoer called out hurriedly, took Xu Liyun's hand, and hurriedly left this chaotic place.

Peng Xiaohai's gaze switched back and forth between the beggars fighting for the food and Uncle Zhang and his wife. It seemed that at this moment, he understood something.

He resolutely took his sister Xiaoxi's hand and walked towards the light outside the temple.

Zhang Laoer knew clearly that in order to prevent the beggars from causing greater trouble due to their greed for money, they had to leave quickly for safety.

The beggars were so engrossed in the fight that they had no time to care about others leaving.

On the other side, Liu Fei and his group were staging ugly struggles of human nature for a few copper coins, completely abandoning the so-called brotherhood.

"If anyone is willing to hand over a penny, I can let you go. If you hide it and refuse to give it, don't blame me, Liu Fei, for turning my back on you."

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