Even though the little girl was dirty and skinny, she still behaved very politely.

Everyone could see that she was already hungry, but Cai Xuefei ordered Butler Qiu to bring out some food, but the little girl didn't gobble it up immediately, and even said "thank you" first.

"Don't leave in a hurry, just eat here." Seeing the little girl taking the food and leaving, Cai Xuefei hurriedly said: "Otherwise, it will be cold outside and you will get a bad stomach."

Meng Shaoyuan could only shake his head after hearing this.

How can these beggars be so particular? They are really hungry, what can't they eat? How can they care whether it's hot or cold?

"To tell you what, my body is dirty," the little girl said.

"It's okay, it's okay." Cai Xuefei didn't mind it at all: "Listen to me, just eat here. Butler Qiu, ask the cook to make a bowl of hot soup."

"Thank you, madam." The little girl then started to eat in small bites.

She didn't talk when she was eating, and she didn't eat fast, but not slowly either. At this speed, it was obvious that she had eaten this way at home before, and even when she became a beggar on the street, she still maintained her original good habits.

"What's your name? Where are your adults? How old are you?" Cai Xuefei waited until she finished eating, feeling sorry for the girl in front of her, and asked in a confused voice.

"In reply to Madam, my surname is Xie, and my name is Han Yu. They are originally taken from two words in Li Yu's poem "The forest flowers have withered the spring red, it is too hurried, but the cold rain comes in the morning and the wind comes in the evening." The little girl Xie Hanyu's answer was clear.

Expressing that she has received a good family education: "I am from Zhenjiang, I am eleven years old, my parents..."

When the word "parents" was mentioned, Xie Hanyu, who had been calm just now, suddenly turned red in his eyes and choked up: "Last year, the Japanese occupied Zhenjiang and killed people and set fires everywhere. My parents were all..."

She could no longer speak, and tears flowed out "puffing".

When Meng Shaoyuan heard this, his heart became clear.

On December 8, 1937, Zhenjiang fell. The Japanese army massacred Zhenjiang. The number of victims in Zhenjiang reached more than 10,000, and thousands of women were humiliated.

It’s called the “Zhenjiang Massacre”.

It's just that the later "Nanjing Massacre" had such a huge impact that very few people knew about the Zhenjiang Massacre.

Xie Hanyu's parents were both middle school teachers. On the day Zhenjiang fell, they took Xie Hanyu with them and tried to escape. However, they soon encountered Japanese troops entering the city and hid Xie Hanyu.

When Xie Hanyu came out of the hiding place at night, she looked everywhere for her parents, but all she found were their bodies.

Xie Hanyu was very sensible. She knew that she was unable to bury her, so she kowtowed to her parents. When the Japanese army was burning, killing and looting everywhere in the city, she actually ran out of Zhenjiang by taking advantage of her young age.

She begged all the way and slowly entered Shanghai.

When Cai Xuefei heard this, tears rolled out of her eyes involuntarily, and she took Xie Hanyu's hand: "My poor child, since we are here, it means we are destined. You can stay here with me and call me 'aunt' from now on, okay?"

?”

If it were anyone else, how could they not be overjoyed once they were able to get out of trouble?

But Xie Hanyu just said: "Madam, I thank you for your kindness. It's just that both Hanyu's parents are dead, and the ominous person will not dare to bring uncleanness to Madam's house again."

Where can I find such a sensible child?

Meng Shaoyuan sighed in his heart.

In my own time, an eleven-year-old girl was treated as the apple of her parents' eye and pampered, but in this era, girls of this age have long been very sensible.

Especially the Xie Hanyu in front of me, whose parents have both died, is still so strong. He would rather beg than trouble others.

Seeing that Cai Xuefei wanted to speak, Meng Shaoyuan jumped in and said, "I'm not taking you in. We just need a maid here to be responsible for my wife's daily life and do some chores. I see that you can read and be educated, so I want to hire you."

For the first three years, I will take care of food and housing, and my wages will be paid after three years."

The same purpose can be said in different ways, but the results will be very different.

Sure enough, Xie Hanyu hesitated for a moment and bowed deeply: "Thank you sir, madam for your kindness."

Cai Xuefei admired her husband in her heart, so she settled the matter simply: "Steward Qiu, ask Sun Ma to take Han Yu to take a bath, and then change her into new clothes."

"Madam, please give me half a day." Xie Hanyu said: "When I first entered Shanghai, there was an old beggar who was very good to me and always took care of me. Since Hanyu has found a place to live today, I must say goodbye to him.

.”

"Where is he?"

"We are beggars and have no fixed abode. We just recently found a temporary residence on Liuhe Road."

"Someone, send Han Yu there."

Cai Xuefei just spoke, and Xie Hanyu said again: "Madam, don't bother. He doesn't like to see outsiders. If someone comes with me, I'm afraid he will panic."

Cai Xuefei did not force herself and asked Butler Qiu to bring two hundred yuan and gave it to Xie Hanyu to give to the old beggar to repay his kindness.

Xie Hanyu took the money, knelt down on the ground, and kowtowed three times to Cai Xuefei respectfully: "Madam's kindness is unforgettable. Hanyu will definitely come back as soon as possible and serve Madam without any slack."

"Get up, get up, get up quickly."

Cai Xuefei quickly helped Xie Hanyu up: "Go quickly, come back quickly, I'll wait for you here."

Asking Butler Qiu to send Xie Hanyu out, Cai Xuefei wiped away her tears: "She is only eleven years old, and her parents are gone. How did she survive?"

Meng Shaoyuan has seen too many such things, and his heart is always harder than Cai Xuefei: "Since the war broke out, families have been broken up and displaced, and the public concessions are full of beggars and orphans. If you can help one, how many can you help?

ah?"

After saying that, he sighed: "I'll go out for a while."

Cai Xuefei was startled: "I just came back and are going out again?"

"I still have something to do. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

…

Meng Shaoyuan walked into the cellar where Peng Bilan was imprisoned again.

This cellar is actually located in Meng Shaoyuan's own home, under a warehouse at the back that only has Meng Shaoyuan's key.

No one can come in.

Go into the cellar and open the iron door.

Inside, a dim electric light was always on.

The prisoner cannot be left alone in the dark for a long time, otherwise, the prisoner will quickly go crazy.

Peng Bilan is reading a book inside.

She didn't know many words, so Meng Shaoyuan prepared a lot of illustrations for her.

In the same way, the prisoner cannot be left idle for a long time. There must be recreational projects, otherwise her spirit will also be on the verge of collapse.

As soon as she saw Meng Shaoyuan come in, Peng Bilan blurted out: "You... why did you come just now?"

More than half successful.

She went to Xuzhou by herself, but didn't come for several days. She couldn't see anyone else. Peng Bilan, who was in loneliness and despair, had already begun to miss the person she used to see for a few minutes every day.

Meng Shaoyuan looked at Peng Bilan, his face became paler because he hadn't seen the sun for a long time.

The bread and water I left for her before leaving were almost gone.

Meng Shaoyuan took out his lunch box and put it down with a bottle of red wine: "Let's eat."

Peng Bilan's eyes lit up when she opened the lunch box and smelled the aroma of the food inside.

She greedily picked up the lunch box and stuffed it into her mouth desperately.

For so many days, it was bread and water every day, and the temptation of hot food to her was self-evident.

While she was eating, she would occasionally pick up a bottle of red wine and take a sip of it for herself, wolfing it down.

Meng Shaoyuan lit a cigarette and stared at him calmly.

"What if you don't come back and all my food is gone?"

Peng Bilan took the initiative to ask this question.

"Starving to death is the only option." Meng Shaoyuan replied calmly: "No one can come in here except me. I am your only support."

I am your only support.

At this time, Peng Bilan was completely desperate and had long lost the idea of ​​leaving here.

When Meng Shaoyuan heard these words, he felt that they were natural.

Yes, if he doesn't come, no one will bring him food.

You will starve to death yourself.

If you want to survive, all hope lies in this man.

In Peng Bilan's heart, she already had a strong recognition of Meng Shaoyuan's words.

In fact, after Meng Shaoyuan's renovation of this cellar, the environment is still good.

After he purchased the house and discovered the cellar, Meng Shaoyuan immediately renovated it to provide a temporary emergency escape in case of an emergency.

The cellar is fully equipped with lighting and ventilation facilities. The British "Clapper" brand siphon valve flush toilet is even installed to solve the physiological problems when hiding here.

Peng Bilan ate the whole box of food without leaving anything left, feeling very satisfied.

"I gave you all these." Meng Shaoyuan stared at her: "I gave you food, water, and life. Everything you have is given to you by me."

Peng Bilan didn't say a word in rebuttal.
To be continued...