Zhou Qing also picked up a piece of pastry and took a gentle bite, feeling genuinely satisfied.
Elder Weng looked at Zhou Qing, his eyes full of emotion: "Are you planning to give away the money from selling fish again today? In this Vast Mansion, people with your kind heart are rare."
Zhou Qing slightly nodded and said, "They’re all having a hard time. I’m still young, so I help a bit where I can. It’s a shame today’s luck wasn’t great."
As he spoke, he pointed helplessly to the money pouch at his waist that had been slashed, a wry smile on his face.
Elder Weng, however, laughed and said, "The money was stolen when you first entered, you noticed but didn’t bother with it." The source of this content ɪs novel✶fire.net
Zhou Qing was slightly taken aback, a flash of surprise in his eyes, then quickly smiled: "Hey, for someone your age, your eyesight is pretty sharp."
Elder Weng said, "I’m not that old and blind yet. Stop eating; those people are here for you."
Zhou Qing turned his head and saw about seven or eight people at the shop’s entrance.
Leading the group was a middle-aged man, gaunt and lean, wearing a tattered shirt with so many holes it looked like a beehive, revealing filthy skin underneath.
Beside him was a woman with greasy hair clumped together, strands hanging down the sides of her face.
Two children hid behind the woman, shyly peeking out, two lines of snot hanging from their noses, occasionally sniffing.
At the back were several men, all wearing ragged clothes, their shoes either exposing toes or the heels worn to shreds.
Some had scruffy beards, faces weathered; others had vacant eyes, as if life had drained their vitality.
"Qing, no buns today?" the middle-aged man spoke first, his voice hoarse yet ingratiating.
The others stared eagerly at the pastries on the table, their Adam’s apples moving up and down instinctively as they licked their cracked lips greedily.
Before Zhou Qing could respond, Elder Weng pointed to the pastries, and the group rushed in, pushing and shoving, scrambling to grab the pastries.
Once they got them, they couldn’t wait to stuff them into their mouths, chewing voraciously without any regard for manners.
In an instant, a strong smell of sourness, sweat, and dust filled the shop, making people almost gag.
Elder Weng watched them wolfing down the food, his brow slightly furrowed, his tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction and inquiry: "When Zhou’s money pouch was stolen earlier, you all saw it, right? Why didn’t you warn him?"
The gaunt middle-aged man, mouth still full of pastry, spoke while spraying crumbs: "It’s not that we didn’t want to, but we can’t afford to provoke that thief."
The woman beside him immediately agreed, wiping the crumbs from the corners of her mouth with her dirty hand, shouting shrilly: "Yeah, that gang has always been tyrannical around here. If we meddled, they’d cause us trouble."
The others added, "Don’t be fooled by him being alone, there are at least five or six lookouts around."
"We’re people who barely make ends meet. If we got hurt, we couldn’t even afford a doctor, and death would be all that’s left."
The two children hiding behind the woman lowered their heads, not daring to utter a word. When she handed them the pastries, they quickly devoured them as if they were treasures.
Elder Weng glanced at Zhou Qing, his eyes full of pity and helplessness, then turned his gaze back to the group, speaking earnestly: "But Zhou spends all the money he earns from selling fish to help you. That thief may have stolen his money, but it’s actually your food money."
Hearing this, their faces turned red and white, showing traces of shame.
One of them muttered softly, "We’d rather skip a meal than get hurt."
Zhou Qing had not said a word from beginning to end, his face always carrying a faint smile, quietly watching everything unfold.
It wasn’t until he saw them leave that he let out a slight, bitter chuckle.
In that smile, there was helplessness, disappointment, and more reflection on human nature.
Elder Weng asked, "In these three months, what have you taught them? Or rather, what have you changed?"
Zhou Qing was slightly taken aback at these meaningful words.
He didn’t expect Elder Weng to ask such a profound question.
He quietly activated his Divine Sense again, carefully observing Elder Weng.
Once sure that Elder Weng was just a normal old man, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, he slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on the group begging on the street again, lost in thought.
Three months, neither long nor short.
In the streets of this Vast Mansion, he had poured all his efforts, fully integrating himself into the lives of the ordinary people at the bottom.
During this time, he had even used an Enlightenment Sticker, continuously comprehending the first step of Observing All Things as his second uncle had said.
Now, he had a rough direction and was working towards it.
Elder Weng, like a wise man who had seen the vicissitudes of life, spoke slowly: "I’ve been around a long time, seen a lot, and I have to say, your thinking is bold."
Zhou Qing turned around, puzzled: "Oh, what idea?"
Elder Weng’s eyes were piercing, staring straight at Zhou Qing, and he said word by word: "You’re trying to change their fate!"
Zhou Qing’s face changed instantly, but quickly returned to normal. Then, he said respectfully, "You’ve got keen eyes, Elder."
Elder Weng lightly waved his hand and laughed: "I’m just an old useless man now. I sit here all day long, with nothing to do but ponder various issues."