CH 22

Luo Xiao’s head slowly calmed down from the searing pain, and his sight finally cleared up enough to see the situation in front of him. Just when he was about to resist, a series of footsteps sounded, causing the owner of the hands who was covering his mouth to exert force. His expression turned tense.

“It’s my fault, that little bastard is really fucking fast. I didn’t guard him carefully and let him escape. Third Brother, what’s the situation now? Did you find anything?”

“No, Second Brother. This, what do you think we should do about this? If the boss got news of what happened, we could just…”

“Okay stop, I know what you’re talking about. This time the boss took the chance to capture that little bastard. Waiting to negotiate terms with that old man.”

“But, doesn’t that little bastard have escaped? Then what should we do? Or, Second Brother, let’s just run away.”

“Run? What made you think so? Are you not aware that the boss knows very well the family situation of each of our brothers? If we run away, how about our family? Besides, even if we really disregard our family, where can we run to?”

“Oh, what can we do! If I get my hands on that little bastard, I’ll break his legs! It really pisses me off!”

“Okay, okay, stop talking now. The first thing we need to do is to catch someone quickly, or else we two brothers will have to wait for our ending.”

“Then let’s get going, Second Brother.”

“Yeah, move quickly.”

The sounds of footsteps gradually became quiet before it completely ceased. Luo Xiao quickly struggled fiercely. He had no choice, if he don’t struggle, his life would end because of lack of oxygen!

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it, are you alright?”

Luo Xiao rolled his eyes at him. If it wasn’t for the fact that the other party was about the same age as him, plus his disheveled look similar to being hijacked and kidnapped, he would not have chosen to hold his breath and only struggled after those bad guys disappeared.

“This, I’m really sorry for what happened just now. Also, thank you.” The strange boy sincerely expressed his gratefulness.

“No need.” Luo Xiao straightened his feet and patted the clothes he was wearing. While doing so, he couldn’t stop the furrow of his brows. He thought of how his mother especially made this clothes for him, and he got it dirty upon wearing it on the first day!

The strange boy has been keeping an eye on Luo Xiao’s expression. His eyes followed Luo Xiao’s gaze, and it was clear that the other party’s new clothes had been dirtied. Seeing that, his face turned flushed without him knowing. He thought of how he crawled through the dog hole to escape, and how he purposely put on some wet mud from the ground to make himself look like a little beggar. It goes without saying that his whole body was full of dirt.

Luo Xiao shot him a fierce look then proceeded to move his feet to go back to his grandmother’s house. But after taking a few steps forward, he stopped and turned around, “Why are you following me?”

“Gu!” Loud sounds of protesting came from the strange boy’s stomach one after another. The strange boy put his hand on his stomach and looked at him with a flattering smile, “This, little benefactor, please do me a favor.”

“You…” Luo Xiao threw a look at him, turned around and continued to walk without giving him any reply.

The strange boy’s body paused for a while. His eyes stared at his departing back and he bowed his head in disappointment. It’s just that while he was still feeling down, hope appeared again.

“What are you still standing there for? You said that you were hungry before, why are you still staying there?” After taking a few steps forward, Luo Xiao didn’t hear the footsteps from behind. When he turned around, the sight of the boy standing there without his head lowered greeted him. He was standing there similar to a puppy abandoned by its owner, and the whole person looked pitiful.

But Luo Xiao gnashed his teeth inside in the next second upon remembering what he thought just now. Just how come he had become blind and assumed that this bastard looked pitiful? To be stupid enough to bring a stranger back for dinner, it’s better not to pay attention him!

“Hey, here I come, here I come.” The boy said with his mouth curved, and he quickly moved his legs to follow. “Thank you a lot!”

“No need.”

“Right, my name is Ye Lan. What’s your name, little benefactor?”

Luo Xiao glanced at him, “Luo Xiao.”

“Luo Xiao? Is it the Xiao of small?”

“It’s the Xiao of spring dawn.”

“Oh, so that’s Xiao. But I think the Xiao of small suites you more.”

Can he still regret what he did just now? Luo Xiao narrowed his eyes. To be honest, his fists were itching for a bit.

Luckily, the distance from their location from his grandmother’s house was not far. After ten minutes of walking, the two arrived at Luo Xiao’s grandmother’s house. “Grandma, I’m back.”

“Xiaoxiao is back?” Her son’s voice from the outside travelled to Luo Qian’s ear, and her expression quickly turned into concern when her eyes laid on her son’s appearance, “Xiaoxiao, what happened to you? Are you bullied by someone? How did your clothes turn dirty?”

“Mom, I’m alright. My feet accidentally slipped on the road.” Luo Xiao hurriedly opened his mouth to explain.

“Are you sure? You didn’t lie to mom?” Luo Qian’s concern for Luo Xiao climbed to a higher level after her divorce with Yu Jun. She had to because some children from other families liked to bully other children who came from single-parent families.

“No, mom. You don’t have to be anxious.” Luo Xiao reassured her again and again.

“Is that so.” Luo Qian heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that Luo Xiao was fine except for the dirty clothes on his body, then her eyes moved and she saw another child beside him, “Xiaoxiao, this is?”

“This is the one I picked up at the intersection of Bajiao Street.”

“Picked up?” The corner of Luo Qian’s mouth twitched upon hearing his words. She thought: son, this is not a kitten or puppy, this is a real person. Do you think using the words picked up is right?

“Hi, auntie! My name is Ye Lan, and it’s true that Xiaoxiao really picked me up.” Ye Lan moved one stop forward and replied with his mouth lifted.

Luo Qian smiled at him. When he saw his pitiful state, her brows furrowed and concern appeared in her eyes, “That, Ye Lan, are you alright?”

“I’m alright, it’s just that…”

Luo Qian quickly understood what he meant when she saw his manner of actions, “Auntie understands. The dinner will be ready in a while. How about you go with auntie first to take a bath? After washing, the dinner will be ready to be served.”

“Okay, then sorry for bothering you auntie.” Ye Lan bluntly inhaled the scent around, the food really smells good!

Luo Xiao fixed his eyes on Ye Lan who was following his mother, and black lines appeared on his forehead. This guy is really polite ah? Also, what does he mean by talking with his mother happily? Really!

“Xiaoxiao, what happened?” Luo Qian escorted Ye Lan to the bathroom, gave him a new set of clean clothes, and inquired straight away after exiting the door.

“That’s right. Xiaoxiao, who was the person you took with you after coming back from the outside on Chinese New Year? That child doesn’t look like he was your classmate?” The little uncle said while chewing on the roasted potatoes beside him.

“Yong, eat less food. Dinner will be served in a while.” Grandma Luo glanced at him and shook her head helplessly.

Luo Xiao looked his eyes at the adults present and described to them how he met Ye Lan. This made Le Yan almost scared at the enthusiasm of several adults after he exited the bathroom.

“Is Xiaoye done washing?” Grandma Luo motioned for him to come, “Come here, come and sit with grandma, we can begin dinner.”

“Okay, grandma.” Ye Lan briefly looked at Luo Xiao, and he instantly understood that the other party must have told them what happened a while ago.

“Come on, taste this. This is your grandma’s specialty.” Grandpa Luo has always been kind and soft-hearted, so when he got news of the possibility that Ye Lan was kidnapped and had run away after struggling hard, he quickly felt distressed for him.

“Yes, okay, thanks a lot grandma.” Ye Lan laid his eyes on the big piece of braised pork sitting in his bowl and his eyes quickly became moist. Despite the fact that people in this era were still relatively simple and soft-hearted, his feelings was still moved by the good intention they showed to a child like him who came from nowhere.

Additionally, he became an orphan while he was still a child, and he only had his grandpa with him. It was a pity that due to his grandpa’s work, he was always alone inside the house, so this was the first time he felt such warmth.

Grandpa Luo looked at him and let out a sigh inside. This child really didn’t have it easy, especially when a thing like that happened to him. Thank God that he was able to run away smartly, or else he wouldn’t know what would be the next course of events.

After finishing his fifth large bowl of rice, Ye Lan burped and put his hand on his tummy, “Yeah, it’s really comfortable to have a full stomach!”

Luo Qian glanced at his expression of satisfaction and said with a smile, “Xiaoye, are you really full? There’s still some in the pot if you want more.”

“Auntie, it’s enough, it’s enough.” Ye Lan hastily waved his hands, “If I eat any more, my stomach will definitely burst.”

“Is that so? Then it’s okay. You can stop eating.”

Luo Xiao’s eyes turned to look at him and he couldn’t help but roll his eyes. This guy actually finished five bowls of rice? Did he really do it! Isn’t it just two days of eating nothing? Moreover, the rice bowl was not the small one in the house, but a big bowl twice as big as the small bowl.

After done eating, the men sat around the fireside.

“Xiaoye, where are you from? Your accent sounds like you’re not native here.” Grandpa Luo was the first to open his mouth.

“Grandpa, I came from City B.”

“City B? That’s quite a distance away from here. If that’s the case, do you have the intention of finding ways to get in touch with your family? Otherwise, I’m afraid your family will be worried.”

“Yes, I’ll contact them later.” Ye Lan nodded, “By the way, grandpa, do you have a place in your mind where I can make a call?”

“Call ah?” Grandpa Luo thought deeply for a while. After all, in this time and age, the telephone was still a strange thing. People have heard of it and actually seen it, but never used it. “Then wait for a while. I’ll take you to the town government located in our town. I recalled that there was a telephone installed there.”

And Luo Xiao, who stood at the side, lifted his brows upon hearing that he wanted to make a call. Really, from his knowledge as an adult, this guy surnamed Ye either came from a wealthy or big family. He didn’t expect that he would be able to pick up a rich second generation kid or a second generation kid of an official.

“Alright then, thank you grandpa.” Ye Lan honestly didn’t think that this small town would have telephones installed inside. It must be known that telephones either came from above, or when people buy them from foreign countries. But the problem is, one needed to spend a large sum of money to buy it, and only those people who were really wealthy would go to buy it.

He thought of how he can get in contact with home soon, and a wave of eagerness struck Ye Lan’s heart. He just wished that his grandma wouldn’t be too stimulated after he got news of what happened to him. After all, he only had him as his family.

But thinking of the information he heard from the two kidnappers, a solemn expression fleeted across his eyes. He didn’t expect that this incident would have a connection with them. Are they really feeling good to see him, a young one, together with his grandpa, and an old man, being bullied? He will definitely settle this account with them once he goes back!