Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Sheltering "But I couldn’t call anyone, and I didn’t have any medicine. Your father saw how distressed I was, told me he had been sick for a while, and said it wasn’t just a simple fever. He said he was beyond medical help... that he was sorry to his wife and children and told you not to wait for him anymore..." As soon as he had finished speaking, Feng Yi fainted in front of the boy named Mo Yan. The next day. When Mo Yan learned that Feng Yi had nowhere to go, he took him in to live in his own home. "Why were you sent to the farm for re-education?" "No reason." "Liar! If you hadn’t done anything, why would they send you there?" "I didn’t do anything." "So you were framed?" "...Sort of." He wasn’t framed, but betrayed by his own mother who falsely accused him to protect his older step-brother Feng Xiao, which led to him being taken away by the police and sent to the re-education farm. "Alright, if you don’t want to talk, I won’t ask. From now on, just hang out with me, Brother Yan. As long as I have something to eat, you definitely won’t starve. But, you have to help me think of ways to collect scraps; otherwise, without any money, it won’t be long before we starve to death at home." "Okay. I’ll collect scraps with you." "Right, you still haven’t told me your name." "Feng... Feng Yi, my name is Feng Yi." "I’m Mo Yan, you can just call me Brother Yan from now on." "Okay." Since then, two boys of about the same age lived together, wandering east and west during the day to find scraps. Yes, to find scraps, not just pick them up, because in that era, no household would easily throw away things, even scraps, without first sorting them together to sell to a recycling station when time permitted. Thus sometimes, after a whole day of hustle, they barely found much to salvage, yet it seemed as if their plight was worsened by repeated misfortune. One day, while out of the city searching for scraps, they were chased and beaten by a few boys their age on bicycles, who claimed they didn’t like their looks. Seeing Feng Yi’s arm severely injured, Mo Yan, disregarding his own safety, furiously fought with the few boys who were chasing and beating him and Feng Yi. As a result, he took a blow to the shoulder which immediately began to bleed profusely, and, losing his footing, he fell backward onto the ground, where his head struck a rock and he immediately passed out. Seeing Mo Yan lying unconscious on the ground and Feng Yi glaring at them as if ready to devour them, the bullies were terrified. Without further hesitation, they hopped onto their bicycles and hurriedly left the grove, riding away as if a dog were chasing them. Located in a secluded area, Feng Yi was truly in a dire situation—calling out seemingly to deaf ears both in heaven and on earth. Just when he was about to lose hope, he heard footsteps approaching. Then, he was rescued by Kang Li. "Comrade Kang, let me carry him." After stopping the car, the driver, Xiao Wang, got out and carried Mo Yan on his back. Kang Li, without making a fuss, helped Feng Yi out of the car, shut the car door casually, and followed Xiao Wang into the hospital entrance. Registration, consultation, hospital admission. After completing all the procedures, Kang Li told Xiao Wang, "Comrade, you can go on with your tasks. I’ll stay here and watch over them for a while longer." Xiao Wang hesitated, then said, "I’ll take you back to the compound!" Kang Li politely declined, "No need, it’s very convenient to take the bus from this hospital to the compound, and it doesn’t require a transfer. I can get right to the compound’s gate, so I won’t trouble you." "...Alright then, I’ll head back to the station. Comrade Kang, when you get home, remember to call our chief or Comrade Luo, so they can be at ease."