Abnormal Gourmet Chronicle

Chapter 1312 629: ?? (Part 5)

The little beggar had been following Qin Wan all along. Wasn't it he who had a conflict with Chen Huihong at the entrance of Qin's Steamed Bun Shop? Why hadn't he realized it before, or even remembered this, when clearly the timeline had already reached this point?

Indeed, spending too much time with philosophers, occasionally pondering life's philosophy with them, can make one foolish.

From Chen Huihong's perspective, the little beggar seemed crazy. But from the little beggar's perspective, it was Chen Huihong who seemed crazy and ill-intentioned.

The little beggar immediately recognized Chen Huihong as a spirit.

At this time, Chen Huihong wasn't good at hiding. Any normal person could tell she had something wrong with her brain at a glance, and spirits could easily see she hadn't yet learned the rules of the human world.

Not understanding implies danger.

The little beggar had followed Qin Wan for months, never revealing himself at the entrance of Qin's Steamed Bun Shop. Yet Chen Huihong stood boldly and brazenly at the entrance, staring at the buns inside, igniting a strong sense of crisis in the little beggar.

The cautious little beggar chose to take the initiative, entering the scene. He let the shop staff notice him, prompting them to chase him with a stick.

This chase continued until Qin Wan and Qin Yanxing came down from upstairs, at which point the little beggar took advantage and hid under a table, crouching, looking up, peeking at Qin Wan. His face was expressionless, but Qin Huai could see his thoughts through his eyes.

The little beggar looked at Qin Wan, his eyes saying one thing: Miss Qin, would you despise me?

All these years, you have done so many charitable deeds, given so many buns to beggars, yet you've never truly interacted with one. Now there is a beggar right in front of you, would you despise him?

Everything was unfolding just as Qin Huai had seen in Chen Huihong's memory.

Qin Wan ignored the staff and Qin Yanxing's words and walked straight down the stairs towards the little beggar hiding under the table. She bent down gracefully, her smile gentle, without any hesitation, reached out and took the little beggar's hand, pulling him out from under the table, and softly said, "Perhaps he's just hungry and wanted to come in to ask for something to eat after smelling the aroma."

Then Qin Wan looked at the little beggar, smiling tenderly as if speaking to her own child: "But sneaking into someone else's shop isn't right. Shops open to welcome guests, and your intrusion affects their business."

The little beggar said nothing.

Qin Huai knew he was in shock.

He was shocked by Qin Wan's attitude toward him, confused and bewildered. To this day, he still couldn't understand why Qin Wan would give buns to beggars, or why she once gave him that cotton coat, or why she spoke gently to him today, teaching him principles, helping him out from under the table.

Why would anyone say such things to a beggar? The most common words directed towards beggars are to get out.

No one cared about the little beggar's daze.

Qin Wan didn't notice either; she was turning her head, talking to Qin Yanxing: "In my opinion, he's just too young to understand, just drive him away. Lately, there have been many refugees in the city; he's probably escaped with his parents, already quite pitiful."

After speaking, Qin Wan gently patted the little beggar, and only Qin Huai and the beggar knew how gentle her touch was, very light, afraid to use force because the little beggar was still a child.

The little beggar reluctantly left, leaving meant the first encounter with Qin Wan would end just like this.

Qin Wan had said many things to him, but the little beggar hadn't said a word.

But he left nonetheless, reluctantly leaving, glaring viciously at Chen Huihong on the way out, signaling for his kind to stay away from Qin Wan.

Chen Huihong gave the little beggar a "are you crazy" look and continued playing with the wooden toy in her hand.

At that moment, Qin Huai understood Chen Huihong's speechlessness.

Empathizing with Chen Huihong, indeed, she felt at a loss, for as a Plant Spirit, she wasn't the one with the biggest problem here.

The plot progressed in the direction Qin Huai knew; Qin Yanxing wanted to drive Chen Huihong away. After an explanation from the staff, he had them give Chen Huihong two black steamed buns to send him off. During this time, the little beggar stood at the shop entrance, staring at Chen Huihong, waiting for her to leave.

Seeing Chen Huihong get up to leave, he ran to the street corner to continue observing silently.

As he glanced away for a moment, Chen Huihong almost collided with the pregnant Qin Wan; the little beggar, who had already run to the roadside, was so furious he could only glare at Chen Huihong again, fists clenched tightly.

Realizing she was at fault, Chen Huihong tried to offer the black steamed buns to Qin Wan as an apology. Qin Wan did not blame her; she simply smiled and crouched down, opening the food box, exchanging the black steamed buns for white flour steamed buns from it.

The little beggar watched the scene from afar, gritting his teeth in anger.

It was the first time Qin Huai saw such an obvious emotional outburst from him, pure jealousy, without any other emotion mixed in.

Qin Huai felt as though he could hear the little beggar's inner roar.

Why? You damn spirit, who do you think you are? I've followed Miss Qin for years, and only ever eaten her black steamed buns. Why is it that you, having met her just once, almost collided with her, get to eat white flour steamed buns?

Qin Huai felt the little beggar was like a child seeking attention from his mother, yet silent and not fond of speaking. He had been doing many things quietly, hoping to be the one his mother loved most, but he never said so. Even if his mother didn't know, he hoped she would love him most. When she looked at other children, he gritted his teeth in hatred but still said nothing.

Qin Wan looked up, saw the little beggar on the street corner, and smiled, waving at him.

At that moment, jealousy vanished.

The little beggar ran forward with joy, running quickly. Qin Wan handed the black steamed buns wrapped in a cloth to the little beggar and also gave him a white flour steamed bun, gently closing the box.

"In the future, remember to ask for food at the entrance, not inside. You'll be beaten. Remember?"

The little beggar lowered his head, not daring to raise it, because his expression was too obvious now. Raising his head would reveal his joyful and shy expression to Qin Wan.

The little beggar could only nod, and said very quietly, "Thank you."

This was the first time he spoke to Qin Wan.

Also the first time he said thank you.

It was the first time Qin Huai heard him say thank you since entering his memory; he never said thank you before, whether begging or otherwise, always with an air of "take it or leave it, I won't starve." When Shi Tou led him to wealthy families to beg during New Year, he only kowtowed without saying thank you. The head could bow, but thank you would never be spoken.

This was the philosopher's last stand.

After saying so, the little beggar ran off, running back to his corner to continue observing secretly.

He ended his first encounter, his first conversation with Qin Wan, holding tightly the buns she gave him.

At that moment, Qin Huai realized the little beggar might just be a child.

He was a spirit with overwhelming abilities, capable of granting wishes, a formidable fighter, who could walk from outside the border to Beiping on bare feet, who carved out his own territory within Beiping's begging circles, and who, unable to understand why Qin Wan did what she did, followed her day after day for years, like a stalker.

But he truly was just a child.

A child whose mental age matched his outward appearance of eight or nine years old.

He would be happy, shy, jealous, joyful; his emotions would all change according to Qin Wan's attitude towards him.

Most of the time, he was an emotionless, indifferent spirit, but facing Qin Wan, he was a child trying to learn how to be human, exploring the world.

Every spirit has a way to enter the world; perhaps this was the little beggar's method.