The girl did not grow ashamed or angry at the mockery. She kept feeling around on the ground.
She was just about to find her stick.
Then one of the children jeering at her kicked it far away again.
Lin Feng and Lin Mo watched calmly.
Hong Xuan stormed over and chased off the children bullying her. Then he retrieved the stick, helped the girl to her feet, and handed it back.
"Thank you," she said politely.
Hong Xuan huffed. "There are always people who look down on others. Don't take what they said to heart. Just pretend they were farting."
The girl burst out laughing. "You're funny."
Hong Xuan paused, then scratched his head with a grin. "I didn't expect you to take it so well."
She shrugged. "I'm used to it, so it's nothing. But thank you all the same."
With that, she leaned on her Wooden Stick and started to leave.
Hong Xuan thought for a moment, then followed her. "I'm Hong Xuan. What about you? What's your name?"
"I'm Xiao Ling," she said brightly.
"Do you live nearby? Want me to walk you home?"
"No need." Xiao Ling sounded unconcerned. "I'm an orphan. I don't have a fixed place to live, so you don't need to worry about me."
"What? You're an orphan?" Hong Xuan hesitated, then asked anyway. "Then... your eyes..."
Xiao Ling's expression stiffened for a moment, but her smile soon returned. "I went blind when I was eight. I've wandered ever since. Luckily, I met plenty of kind people along the way, or I wouldn't have survived this long."
"No wonder," Hong Xuan murmured thoughtfully. "No wonder you're so thin... Where are you going?"
"I don't know." Xiao Ling sounded lost. "It feels like there's no place for me in this world anymore.