A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Little sister, are you mute? Your brother is asking you a question!"

Seeing that Su Nianci remained silent, the tall, thin thug who was in charge intensified his kicking of the enamel bowl on the ground with his toe, producing a harsh scraping sound. The coins and small bills inside the bowl bounced.

His companion, a man with triangular eyes, chuckled and circled behind Su Nianci, cutting off her escape route.

The audience members who had been surrounding the area all changed their expressions upon seeing this.

"It's...it's 'Skinny Monkey' and 'Triangle Eyes'!" someone exclaimed in a low voice.

"Hurry, hurry! Those two scoundrels are causing trouble again!"

"Alas, what a pity for this girl, she's been targeted by these two scoundrels."

The crowd scattered like mice before a cat. Those who had been so enthusiastic just moments before now kept their distance, afraid of being implicated. Only a few brave souls remained standing at a distance, watching with pity and worry.

this is the truth.

There are many who add flowers to brocade, but few who offer charcoal in the snow.

Su Nianci's heart grew colder and colder. But her face remained calm.

She slowly stood up, shielding the small stone behind her, then raised her head and calmly looked at the two thugs in front of her with her clear, unblemished eyes.

"Big brothers, is something the matter?" Her voice showed no fear whatsoever.

"Oh ho?" The thug called "Skinny Monkey" was taken aback by Su Nianci's calm reaction, then sneered, "You've got guts! It's alright, we brothers won't bother you. We just see that it's not easy for a young girl like you to make money here, so we wanted to 'protect' you."

"Protect?" Su Nianci asked calmly.

"That's right, protection!" the skinny monkey said matter-of-factly. "Look at this train station square, it's a chaotic mess! What if some bad guy robs you? So, you give us half of what you earn every day, and we guarantee no one will dare bully you in this area anymore! That's called 'protection money,' understand?"

The triangular-eyed man next to him chimed in, "That's right! Our Monkey King is a man of his word around here! If you know what's good for you, hand over your money obediently! Otherwise... hmph!"

As he spoke, he deliberately clenched his fist, making a cracking sound with his knuckles, the threat of which was self-evident.

Little Stone was so frightened that his face turned pale. He clung tightly to Su Nianci's clothes, his body trembling like a leaf in the autumn wind.

Su Nianci patted his hand reassuringly, but her mind was racing.

A head-on confrontation? Definitely not. The other side consists of two semi-adults; she and Little Stone combined wouldn't even be able to hold a finger between them.

Shouting for help? It was no use. Everyone around kept their distance; no one would risk offending the local bullies for the sake of two beggar girls from out of town.

Calling the police? That's even less realistic. By the time the patrolling officers arrive, it'll be too late. Besides, even if these petty thugs are caught, they'll only be detained for a couple of days before being released, and their retaliation will only be more intense.

What should I do?

The only way is to outsmart them!

We must take advantage of the surrounding environment and the rules of this era to find a place and a reason for them to be wary and dare not take action!

Su Nianci's gaze quickly swept around her surroundings.

The square was still bustling with people. Occasionally, a bicycle would pass by on the road not far away, its bell jingling. The dim streetlights cast long shadows.

Everything seemed so ordinary.

"What? What are you thinking about? Hurry up and give me the money!" The skinny monkey was getting impatient when Su Nianci didn't respond. He bent down and reached for the enamel bowl on the ground.

Su Nianci's pupils suddenly contracted!

She couldn't let the money be stolen! It was her and her brother's lifeline!

Just as the skinny monkey's hand was about to touch the bowl, Su Nianci made a move that surprised everyone!

Instead of protecting the bowl or backing away, she suddenly took a step forward, then her foot "slipped," and she "accidentally" bumped into the skinny monkey!

Her collision was both timely and sudden!

The skinny monkey was bent over and his footing was unsteady. When she bumped into him, he stumbled and fell back several steps before he could barely stand up.

Su Nianci, using the momentum of the fall, grabbed the enamel bowl on the ground, rolled around on the ground, and then quickly got up!

The whole process was so fast it was dazzling!

By the time Skinny Monkey and Triangular Eyes realized what was happening, Su Nianci had already grabbed Little Stone and, like a frightened rabbit, ran wildly in the opposite direction of the crowd!

In her hand, she tightly gripped the enamel bowl that contained all her wealth!

"Damn it! You little bitch! You dare to run away!"

Skinny Monkey and Triangular Eyes were furious! They never expected that the duck that was about to be caught would actually fly away!

"Grab her! Don't let her get away!"

The two roared and immediately took off after him!

A chase suddenly unfolded in the bustling train station square!

Su Nianci was only a five-year-old child, and her physical strength was no match for that of two seventeen or eighteen-year-old youths.

She dragged Xiao Shitou along, stumbling and falling, her lungs feeling like they were about to explode, burning with pain.

The footsteps behind me were getting closer and closer!

"Stop right there! If you run again, I'll break your legs!" Skinny Monkey's angry shouts rang in my ears!

Su Nianci's heart was in her throat!

She knew that if they caught up with her, the consequences would be unimaginable! They would not only steal her money, but they might also kill her and her brother out of spite!

Even in a state of oxygen deprivation, her brain continued to function at a high speed!

Where to go? Where is safe?

The police station? It's too far; she can't possibly get there.

Crowded places? No, as has already been proven, crowds are useless.

We must find a place! A place filled with "light" and "righteousness" that even "dark creatures" like thugs and hooligans dare not easily set foot in!

Just then, her gaze crossed the street and landed on a building across the street!

It was a two-story building with a huge red sign with white lettering hanging at the entrance. In the darkness, the words stood out prominently.

—A state-run restaurant!

In the 1970s, state-run restaurants were the absolute epitome of "high-class"! Those who could afford to eat there were either cadres or wealthy workers. The waiters were all incredibly arrogant, representing the face of the "state"!

Thugs might dare to cause trouble on the streets, but they would never dare to cause trouble in state-owned enterprises! That would be tantamount to directly challenging the authority of the state!

That's it!

A will to survive shone in Su Nianci's eyes!

She spotted a gap in the traffic, grabbed the small stone, and with her last bit of strength, rushed across the road!

"Help! Robbery!"

As she ran, she used all her strength to let out a desperate cry for help!

Behind her, Skinny Monkey and Triangular Eyes were both stunned when they saw her rushing towards the state-run restaurant, and their steps subconsciously slowed down.

"Brother Monkey, that...that's a state-run restaurant! Should we still chase after them?" The man with the triangular eyes hesitated.

A hint of hesitation flashed in the skinny monkey's eyes, but when he thought of the clinking money in the bowl, greed finally overcame reason!

"Chase her! What's there to be afraid of! She's just a little beggar, what could she possibly know about those officials? Grab her, rob her of the money, and run! Who would know it was us!"

He roared and rushed across the road, chasing after Su Nianci, heading towards the open door of the state-run restaurant!