The Literary Hero of the Republic of China (民国之文豪) [MTL]

Chapter 65- 66

　　Chapter 65

　　After all, it's New Year's Eve, and I have to go home to watch the new year. After chatting with Wei Ting, Mu Qiong left.

　　When I went back, the night was darker, but the lights of every house were on, and there were some faint laughter coming from it.

　　In the distance, there were a few muffled noises from time to time—it was someone setting off firecrackers.

　　The corners of Mu Qiong's mouth curled up, and he quickened his pace, wanting to go back quickly to accompany Zhu Wanwan and Mu Changyu.

　　As a result, when he reached a corner, he tripped and almost fell.

　　On the night of the New Year's Eve, the moon could not be seen at all, and the road was very dark, but there was a street lamp far away, and coupled with the lights streaming from the windows of every house, Mu Qiong could not see the road clearly.

　　But there are things on the road, and he can't see clearly.

　　Being tripped, Mu Qiong felt unlucky at first, then suddenly realized something, his face changed.

　　It didn't look like a stone was tripping him, this feeling... Mu Qiong looked at the dark mass on the ground.

　　When he came out for a night walk, he prepared some things. He took out a box of matches, and Mu Qiong lit one.

　　In the faint light of the match, he saw a skinny child lying on the ground in a shabby singlet.

　　The kid's head is a little too big for his body, he has no shoes, and he's missing a few toes...

　　The match burned to Mu Qiong's hand, and Mu Qiong let it go.

　　Standing where he was, he took out another match and lit it.

　　The child on the ground may be six or seven years old, maybe a little older. He has injuries and his body is already stiff. He is curled up on the stone-paved road.

　　Mu Qiong was burned to the finger by the match again.

　　After traveling for so long, it's not that Mu Qiong has never seen poor people, even dead people.

　　When he went to the free clinic before, a child died in front of him. Later, he saw many patients who were dying and saw all kinds of tragedies.

　　But on such a day of family reunion, I saw such a child on the road who didn't know whether he died of freezing or starving...

　　Mu Qiong stood in the dark, motionless for a long time.

　　After a long time, he continued to walk forward.

　　Not long after arriving home, Mu Qiong knocked on the door, and Zhu Wanwan came to answer the door.

　　"Qioner, is Principal Wei okay at school?" Zhu Wanwan asked curiously.

　　"Very good." Mu Qiong said.

　　"That's good." Zhu Wanwan walked into the room and said as she walked, "Qioner, I cooked some water chestnuts, do you want to eat them?"

　　"Mother, no need...I want to take a bath." Mu Qiong said.

　　"Brother, you need to take a bath! I'll boil water for you!" Mu Changyu said immediately.

　　In summer, it is hard work to light a fire in the kitchen, but it is a good job to light a fire in the kitchen in winter, it is the warmest.

　　Mu Changyu went into the kitchen, lit a fire to boil water, found a newspaper, and read it by the light of the stove.