After walking through the street, the dirt roads were bumpy. Ah Fa walked through the dilapidated alley and finally came to his more dilapidated home.

The courtyard gate was tilted, and a door shaft had fallen off, as if it was about to fall off as soon as it touched. Ah Fa frowned and stood in front of the door hesitated. More memories made it difficult for him to move his steps. It was not a timid feeling near home, but a bit of a painful childhood experience.

Afa's father, people called him Hei Pi Ergui, who was tanned and had a bad temper. He was good at drinking. He was particularly frustrated when drinking too much, and he was even less serious when he started. After Tangqiao fell, Ergui, who was carrying work on the dock, had to find another job. Anyway, it was not easy to do anything and it was difficult to make money. He was sad. If he was sad, he would drink, and if he drank too much, he would vent his wife and children.

Afa can't remember how many punches he got when he was a child. Even if he was beaten for several days, he couldn't figure it out. His mother's premature death and hunger were one aspect, and frequent beatings were also an important reason. Although Afa's runaway from home was due to his unlearning and stealing, after all, his family education and living environment since childhood were also the main aspects that forced him to change.

After standing there for a long time, Ah Fa stood up and carefully flashed through the courtyard gate. Two dilapidated rooms were not even lights inside. I don’t know if it was abandoned or not at home.

Carrying two packs of snacks I just bought from the town, Ah Fa walked carefully in the yard, feeling a little regretful, thinking that his choice was a mistake. Perhaps, he should turn around and leave and just find a hotel to stay for a few days.

At this time, there seemed to be a low voice in the room, which immediately attracted Afa's attention. He walked over and listened under the broken window.

"Sister, I'm hungry." The voice of a weak child was mixed with a rustling sound.

After a pause, another voice sounded, first sighing, then pitiful comfort, "Xiaozhi, bear it, don't move around, you won't be hungry when you fall asleep. Tomorrow, we will be able to have a meal by beating a deacon for the Sun family."

The serene voice stopped, and then it rang again, and the boy muttered in a low voice.

Xiaozhi, well, it's called this name. Ah Fa didn't know what it felt like in his heart, so he took a step back and coughed.

"Is it my father?"

"No, no. Who is outside?" The question seemed weak.

Ah Fa's throat choked, he coughed again before speaking, "Xiao Xi, I am your brother, Ah Fa."

The room suddenly became silent, and it seemed that I couldn't believe it. Perhaps the name was too long, Xiao Xi and Xiao Zhi needed to think about it and recall it.

"Brother" Xiaoxi finally made a surprise scream, and the sound of a flint hitting the scintillation was very rapid.

…………

A bean-like light reflected Ah Fa's face light and dark, and the cigarette butts were clear and gone, and the smoke was shining. It was even more impossible to see whether his expression was anger, sadness, or something else.

Xiaoxi and Xiaozhi were surrounding a table with few legs, eating snacks voraciously, and taking turns drinking cold water from a large bowl with broken edges so that they would not choke anymore.

Xiaoxi is already thirteen, but she is thin and looks at least two years younger than her actual age. She is so dirty that she is so small that she is no longer suitable for her body. She turns her thin and pale face to look at Ah Fa, as if she is repeatedly confirming a small scar on Ah Fa's left cheek, and she is timid and can't say anything.

The ten-year-old Xiaozhi was a little unfamiliar with this brother. After all, five years later, he was still young at that time and was only concerned about bowing his head and eating hard.

There was almost no furniture in the house, and straw was covered on the ground, which was the bed for sleeping. Ah Fa put out the cigarette butts. This was the thing on the foreigners' bodies and matches. It wasn't like this just now, I wonder when the flint scythe will be knocked!

Xiaoxi stopped and began to speak in a low voice. Afaduo was listening and occasionally asked a few brief questions.

Ergui is still like that, doing odd jobs, drinking some money whenever he has some money, and occasionally buying some food for the children to eat. When he has no money or has a bad temper after drinking alcohol, he doesn't care what the children eat.

Xiaoxi and Xiaozhi had no choice but to find a way out. First, they sold things, but the family sold nothing, so they looked for work everywhere and made some food. They would beat deacons for those who did business and funerals, pick up some broken copper and iron, and sometimes they could make leftovers outside, sometimes they cook some sweet potatoes and radishes given by their neighbors, and sometimes they would have to starve for two or three days.

"Brother, are you still leaving?" Xiao Xi looked at Ah Fa, with a look of humility, fearing that he would be rejected.

Xiaozhi raised his head when he heard the sound, but just looked at Ah Fa, then lowered his head and stuffed the last piece of dessert into his mouth.

"Well, you don't have to worry about whether you can leave or not." Ah Fa paused and said confidently: "In the future, I will support you and will not be hungry again."

Xiao Xi smiled, and her heartfelt relaxation, the hard days, and her brother who always shouted hungry almost crushed her persistence and struggle.

The light shook a few times, and the oil was about to burn out. Ah Fa knew there was nothing to add, and it was dark, so he had to wait until tomorrow if he had anything to buy or what he wanted to do.

"Sleep, sleep, let's talk about it tomorrow." Ah Fa, who had been busy all day, was really sleepy, so he got up and put his straw.

Xiaoxi also came to help and gave Afa one of the two broken quilts.

"You cover it, I have a jacket." Ah Fa thrust away, holding a straw in his hand and twisted it, holding it as a torch, put it on the oil lamp and lit it. He turned around and left the house, and said as he walked: "Let me look at the room next to him. You can blew the light out and go to bed first!"

"Brother" shouted reluctantly and worriedly.

"Don't worry, I won't leave." Ah Fa paused and walked again.

…………

It was a bright morning, and the sky was bluer and clearer than usual. This was the feeling from the bottom of Xiao Xi when she woke up and saw that Ah Fa was not leaving.

Ah started it very early, mainly to replace the pistol that he hid last night to a safer and hidden place. Then, he wandered around the house and the yard, thinking about adding something. When Xiaoxi and Xiaozhi woke up one after another, he washed his face and took the two out for dinner.

Duck noodles are considered a specialty food in Tangqiao, and they are also good as breakfast. The two children were having fun, regardless of the amazing gazes from others.

Although the sparrow is small, it has all the internal organs. Tangqiao Town is also a small society. You can basically buy everything you want, and you don’t have to run far to the city.
Chapter completed!