After provoking the holy maiden of Miao territory, she was infected with a love curse.

I heard someone wanted to make a payment.

The man finally calmed down. He put his hands on his hips and said helplessly, "Young lady, you mean well, but I have to warn you, this guy is a habitual thief."

He took out the QR code clipped to his waist and handed it to Zhao Huining.

"Ten yuan, that's the price at tourist attractions."

Although he didn't know what the boss's intentions were in saving the pickpocket, Tan Yun still opened WeChat and scanned the other party's QR code.

After the uncle turned and left, Jiawan glanced back furtively. She quickly picked up the sausage, intending to wipe it clean with her sleeve and take a bite.

But Zhao Huining grabbed her wrist.

"Little friend, don't eat this."

"There's so much dust on the ground, eating it will give you a stomachache."

Facing Zhao Huining's gentle gaze, Jiawan swallowed hard and said pitifully, "But I'm so hungry, sister... if I don't eat something, I'll die."

Her cheeks were covered in bruises of varying depths, a shocking sight.

"I'll take you to get something to eat."

"Tell me... what's your family situation like?"

This place used to be located in the Miao region, nestled among towering mountains. It boasts beautiful scenery, a rugged terrain, and is extremely difficult to develop.

The government abandoned the site before collaborating on the development of tourist attractions, with all the key projects located elsewhere.

Therefore, this area was designated as an impoverished mountainous region by the state. In recent years, with the rise of tourism, young people have gradually stayed, and the area has become prosperous and wealthy.

As a partner in the development of the scenic area, Zhao Huining frequently visited rural areas to inspect tourist attractions and had met children in mountainous regions who could not afford to go to school.

They couldn't even get enough to eat, let alone read and write.

A flicker of wariness crossed the girl's eyes, but she finally nodded as if resigned to her fate.

She was so hungry.

Even if the older sister in front of her brought her a bowl of rat poison, Jiawan could still drink it.

...

I found a noodle shop on the street.

Zhao Huining ordered three bowls of noodles, and Tan Yun also went next door to buy three cups of milk tea.

She placed it in front of the girl.

"Wash your face."

"You look like a little kitten."

Zhao Huining handed over a pack of wet wipes, and when she saw the girl hesitate, she let out a soft laugh.

She reached out and tore open the package of wet wipes, stood up and walked over to Jiawan, carefully wiping the black grime from her face.

After wiping my face, I also wiped my dirty paws.

Before long, Jiawan's beautiful face was fully revealed, and the two were finally able to see her true appearance.

"Thank you, sister."

A refreshing fragrance surrounded her, and Jiawan's eyes were filled with gratitude.

"Need not."

"The noodles are here, let's eat first."

The waiter put the noodles down, and Zhao Huining simply pushed the bowl in front of her over.

"Eat your food first. You'll have the energy to talk to me after you finish eating."

Smelling the rich aroma of beef, Jia Wan wolfed down her food with chopsticks, while Zhao Huining watched her with a smile.

"Cough cough cough..."

Perhaps I ate too quickly.

Jiawan choked on her noodles, coughing until her eyes turned red and her eyelashes were wet with tears.

Reaching across the table, Zhao Huining gently patted her back.

"Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you here."

"How about I take you to the snack shop later?"

For Jiawan, the word "snack shop" is both the place she most wants to go and the place that is most out of reach.

She nodded.

Tan Yun, however, sensed something was amiss.

This kid looks quite mature; he's definitely not a junior or senior high school student.

Logically speaking, she should be able to work part-time after turning 16, so why is she still in such a miserable state?

There's a lot more to this than meets the eye.

Tan Yun didn't want his boss to get too involved.

The noodles were quickly finished, and Zhao Huining handed over the tissues she had prepared beforehand. Her gentle and meticulous manner was almost as if she wanted to wipe the corners of Jiawan's mouth clean.

The more Tan Yun looked at it, the more bizarre it seemed; she was in a mental whirlwind.

It's one thing that this kid's background is unknown, but why is the boss acting so strangely today?

Jia Wan looked at the tissue in front of her and was about to reach for it when Zhao Huining folded it up first and used it to wipe the brown liquid from the corner of her lips.

"Kid, don't your parents care about you?"

The word "parents" reached her ears, and Jiawan bit her lip, feeling aggrieved, with large tears welling up in her eyes.

She was about to burst into tears.

As a ruthless businessman, Zhao Huining is accustomed to pointing out problems in the business world with incisive insight.

Everyone's here to make money, so we don't have much free time. This way, we can be more efficient and faster.

Seeing Jia Wan like this, Zhao Huining felt a pang of guilt and awkwardly withdrew her hand.

She coughed lightly: "If it's inconvenient for you to say, then I won't ask."

To everyone's surprise, Jiawan answered her question while crying.

"Sister, my parents are both dead."

"I'm all alone at home now, but... my uncle took all the money my parents left behind, and I can't get it back..."

"Sister, I really didn't steal anything on purpose, I... I was just too hungry."

Jiawan originally had 10 yuan left in her pocket, which she was reluctant to use. She kept it in her pocket, planning to buy something to eat when she could no longer bear it.

But the 10 yuan was also stolen.

She was completely penniless.

When she got to the heartbreaking part, Jiawan burst into tears, causing everyone else in the noodle shop to cast accusing glances at Zhao Huining and Tan Yun.

Tan Yun hurriedly waved her hands, her face filled with terror: "Oh, my goodness, don't cry!"

"Let's talk this out!"

Hearing this, Jiawan had no choice but to suppress her tears.

Zhao Huining sat silently opposite her; she had seen too many people like Jia Wan with similar backgrounds.

She was already numb.

When I first arrived in this remote rural area, the scenic area hadn't been developed yet. The village was beautiful, and the villagers were kind and honest.

But... the saying "bad people come from poor and remote places" isn't just for show.

When Zhao Huining first arrived in this place, he was swindled out of money by the seemingly "honest" villagers quite a bit.

Later, Zhao Huining learned her lesson and, no matter how much these elderly people, all over fifty years old, pestered her, she simply dodged their advances.

They will no longer offer assistance.

But this time, Zhao Huining couldn't quite explain her feelings for Jiawan, and she even had the idea of ​​helping Jiawan.

She's probably gone mad.

I couldn't bear to see the child in front of me cry.

Although the two had clearly never met before, Zhao Huining felt a pang of heartache whenever she cried.

It felt like being pricked by countless needles.

...

"You must feel very uncomfortable wearing such dirty clothes, right?"

"I'll buy you two sets of clothes first, then we'll find a place to take a shower."

"Change your clothes and you'll be clean."

As Zhao Huining led Jiawan out of the noodle shop, she kept talking to her, acting as if they were complete strangers.

She's clearly eager to be someone's older sister.

As for which "older sister" it was, Tan Yun, a working-class person, dared not speculate.

Jiawan listened and nodded.

She looked up at me with innocent, pitiful eyes and asked, "Sister, can I ask you a question?"

Zhao Huining was stunned.

She subconsciously released her grip on Jiawan's hand and replied softly, "What's the problem?"

Jiawan wept with joy.

"Why are you so good to me, sister?"

A small silver snake was coiled inside her sleeve, and a cunning glint flashed in Jiawan's eyes.

She thought to herself... a humanoid container suitable for cultivating Gu worms has finally appeared.

It was truly a case of finding something without even trying, after searching high and low.