Chapter 15: Double Skin Milk

Chapter 15

Ding Sha sat up straight with her bulging belly at the table, slapping the small ledger to make it go “snap snap”, and said, “Let’s settle accounts and see how much money we’ve earned!”

Xiao Jun did not like this kind of detailed and tedious work, so he pulled over a stool and sat to one side watching Ding Sha as she frowned and bit her pen, with a serious and solemn look on her face as she carefully calculated the income and expenses of their little family.

Xiao Jun was very familiar with the way Ding Sha wrote, because for the past ten-odd years, he had countless times secretly watched Ding Sha in the not-so-outstanding village school.

At that time, he had just been abandoned by his mother. He was thin and small, dirty all over. The children of other families avoided him and threw rocks at him, calling him "little trash", saying that nobody wanted him.

The adults were superficially kind to him, but secretly called him a jinx behind his back, saying he brought misfortune on his parents and had a tough fate.

Xiao Jun didn’t understand back then, and felt wronged. Even when others snatched his hard-earned belongings, he silently hoped that they would forgive him afterwards and play with him.

It was so scary to be alone in the dark and vast room.

Xiao Jun smiled at the thought, suddenly feeling that he was quite funny when he was little.

A little bunny that nobody wanted, who cared about you?

Ding Sha looked up, "What's the matter?" RêAd lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only

She looked at Xiao Jun in confusion, "Did you say something just now?"

"No," Xiao Jun fondly stroked her head, "Hurry up and calculate, we’re going shopping tomorrow after you finish, remember?"

Watching Ding Sha continue to concentrate on the tedious calculations, the once cold gaze due to memories became warm again.

He had no good memories from his childhood experiences, except for meeting Ding Sha.

The day he met Ding Sha, he was so hungry. It was a bad harvest that year, and no one in the village had extra food to give him. He had to climb the hills behind the village to dig for wild vegetables and fruits to fill his stomach.

But all the edible stuff had been dug up by the village women, even scraping off a layer of the ground.

Little Xiao Jun felt dizzy from hunger.

In the end, he couldn't stand it and burst into tears sitting on the hillside.

Perhaps he cried so sadly that it attracted a beautiful, fair and clean little girl.

Little Ding Sha asked him, "Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?"

The little man also had his pride. Little Xiao Jun wiped his tears and stopped crying, even hiccupping from the crying.

Before he could speak, his stomach growled loudly.

Ding Sha deliberately pressed the swollen corner of his eye.

"Owww!" Xiao Jun almost jumped up.

Only then did Ding Sha lighten her actions, "I've told you I don't care what they say, don't keep getting yourself hurt."

Xiao Jun didn't agree, "Their mouths are as filthy as cesspools, have to wash them out to stop the stench."

Ding Sha knew Xiao Jun wouldn't listen, she could only buy more medicine and keep it at home.

The year Ding Sha graduated from high school, her stepmother brought up a marriage proposal, wanting to marry her to a widower in the village, so that she would have money to send the son she bore to study in a big city.

Ding Sha knew that man, not only was he much older, but also beat his wife.

Ding Sha knew she had to leave, or her life would be ruined.

She secretly took out her household registration and split households, then at the village gate saw Xiao Jun holding a bag, smoking with a somber expression, seemingly lost in thought.

Ding Sha walked up to him, before she could speak, tears streamed down her face.

Xiao Jun threw away the cigarette. His rough fingers smelling of tobacco gently wiped away her tears and took her into his arms, "Don't cry, I'll take you away."

They immediately took the midnight train to unknown places, buying tickets randomly.

The train was crowded. Xiao Jun held Ding Sha and let her sleep in his arms. He didn't dare fall asleep, vigilantly watching this completely unfamiliar world like a wolf cub.

The only thing accompanying them was the tobacco smell on Xiao Jun gradually becoming stronger.

Only when they arrived at Nanjiang City did they breathe a sigh of relief.

Getting off the train at the bustling station, they were somewhat at a loss. Xiao Jun saw many young women holding cups of white liquid that looked like egg custard. Turning his head, he saw it was sold in the shop beside them. He let Ding Sha sit down while he went to buy a cup of something called Double Skin Milk.

Ding Sha had an expression of delight and blame.

The two of them shared this cup of soft, cold, bean curd-like but far tastier, sweet and creamy treat.

The red beans were soaked in sweetness.

Xiao Jun snapped back from his reminiscing, stood up and went to the kitchen.

Ding Sha looked up to see Xiao Jun with a warm and gentle smile at the corners of his mouth, handing her a cup of Double Skin Milk.

"Still remember this?"