Stealing Your Heart

Lin Xinyan lifted her head and the little girl came into sight. She wore a red cotton jacket and her face was pink with cold.

“Aunt, what are you doing sitting here?”

Lin Xinyan looked at the little girl and then at the surroundings. There were no adults in sight. Her gaze returned to the little girl. “I don’t feel happy, so I am here. Why are you here and where are your folks?”

“My mother is there.” She pointed to the skewers stall not far away.

Lin Xinyan looked in the direction she was pointing. There was a barbecue stall by the roadside. A woman was there, wearing seasoned-looking cotton-padded clothes and an apron, helping guests with kebabs.

“I’m here to help my mother.” The little girl looked well-behaved. Lin Xinyan stroked her hair, saying, “You are a good girl.”

Perhaps, being a mother herself, she let her guard down around the little girl.

“Do you want to eat skewered meat? I’ll ask my mother to sell you at a lower price.”

Lin Xinyan didn’t like this type of food. Nonetheless, she took out some cash and gave it to the little girl, “I don’t want to eat but I’m giving you some money to buy food you like.”

The little girl blinked, seeing so much money. She did not dare to accept it. “Aunt, why are you giving me money?”

She looked at the little girl and through her, she saw herself in the past. When she was in country A with Zhuang Zijin, life was hard. Just like her, she stayed up late at night, braving the cold wind just to make some money to buy food.

So the little girl aroused her compassion.

“When I see you, I remember how it was when I was a little girl like you with my mother.”

The little girl blinked and asked, “Aunt, you sold kebabs too when you were little?”

Lin Xinyan shook her head, “No, but I was working for someone, helping to skewer and barbecue meat.”

The little girl smiled, showing a row of small white teeth. She took the money from Lin Xinyan and said, “I’ll get the kebabs for you.”

barbecue stall. As Lin Xinyan watched her departing figure, her

hard times,

not bear it any longer. In

did not

at him

Xinyan very deeply? How could he be

did that little girl just show

Jinghao’s gaze leave

a child. She’s curious seeing sis-in-law sitting there all alone for so long

Jinghao turned around and gave Su Zhan a look,

meant. This

he saw Lin Xinyan giving the little girl

gave the money to the little girl, she looked

thought, for sure this little girl must

the little girl came running back to Lin Xinyan with some skewers in her hands, “Aunt,

the cold for some hours. Indeed, she wanted to take a bite. So she took them, picked a skewer and ate. It had the fragrance of charcoal, not the oily smell

you,” Lin Xinyan said, smiling,

arm, “You gave me so much money; my mother wants to thank you. She cannot leave the stall. Would you

your mother,

you.” Speaking, the little girl took

not take it back. Your mother can use this money to buy you a new cotton coat. It will be very warm so when you come out with her to the stall

If I accept it, you need to accept my mother’s word

decline so she agreed. At this time of the night, presumably, He

late hour, there were still customers. The little girl’s mother was still busy. Seeing the little girl bringing Lin Xinyan, her mother rubbed her hands on her apron and said, “You

waved the skewers in her hand and replied, “Money for the barbecued

likes you so much. He insisted that my daughter bring you

and so she asked,