Chapter 531 - 531 The Vagabonds
531 The Vagabonds
“Let’s go and take a look.” Chu Ning walked towards the homeless people.
Chu Yuen quickly followed.
“This is… Why did the fellow who came two days ago bring a woman here?” A vagrant looked at the approaching Chu Ning and Chu Yuen and asked with a puzzled expression.
“I don’t know. It’s good that it’s not the city enforcement officers. It wasn’t easy for us to find a place to sleep here. Once they come, it’ll all be gone again,” another tramp muttered softly.
“It shouldn’t be, right?” The grimy face of the tramp who first spoke instantly showed a hint of panic. The iron bowl in his hand almost fell to the ground.
The city enforcement officers were their natural enemy. In their eyes, these people were the unstable factors of society. Although most of the vagrants indeed displayed bad conduct, there were also some who had been forced to wander, who had been forced to leave their hometown for various reasons.
When they saw Chu Ning, the stranger, they only felt nervousness and fear.
“Old Fang, why are you so nervous? I came to see you again, right?” Chu Yuen said with a smile to a slovenly middle-aged man with a rather robust figure.
Although Old Fang was burly, he was almost totally bald. His facial pallor showed that he had experienced long-term malnutrition.
At this moment, Old Fang fell silent when he heard Chu Yuen’s greeting.
He merely looked quietly at Chu Yuen and Chu Ning. The homeless people behind him did the same. They had different demeanors. Although they did not speak, the anxiety and fear in their eyes were self-evident.
“Old Fang, why aren’t you saying anything? The last time I came, you told me that you wanted to teach me survival skills.” Chu Yuen looked at the silent Old Fang and felt a little anxious.
He was the leader here. If he didn’t speak now, the rest of the tramps wouldn’t speak.
“Er, Sis, he’s not usually like this. Maybe he’s a little embarrassed that I brought you here today.” Chu Yuen’s face turned slightly red. Before he came, he had hyped up his relationship with the tramps to Chu Ning. The current scene made him very embarrassed.
Chu Ning also knew that these homeless people were very vigilant about her sudden appearance.
“Your surname is Fang, right?” Chu Ning looked at the homeless man and asked with a smile.
Old Fang remained silent, but this time he nodded.
Chu Ning and Chu Yuen had completely different temperaments. As the leader recognized by these tramps, Old Fang’s intuition told him that Chu Ning was not simple. This could be seen from Chu Ning’s dressing and her mannerisms when she spoke.
“Can we talk over there?” Chu Ning asked as she looked at the river bank not far away.
Old Fang nodded again and put down the iron bowl in his hand.
“I don’t have any ill intentions, so you don’t have to be nervous,” Chu Ning said softly, looking at the middle-aged Old Fang who was cowering in front of her.
“If we can’t stay here, we’ll leave immediately. But please give us some time. We’ll leave this afternoon and clean up this place before we leave. We won’t cause you any trouble.” The bald Old Fang suddenly knelt down and unhesitatingly kowtowed.
Even though the ground beneath his feet was filled with uneven gravel, and his tattered pants were almost worn through at the knees.
His years of wandering experience told him that a stranger in clean clothes in a place like theirs was most likely looking for trouble.
Regardless of gender, they would all be in trouble.
Old Fang had been beaten up countless times on the streets in the past. Although he had not offended anyone, the people who beat him up might have just wanted to vent their anger. It was all because of his identity as a vagrant. He had no one to rely on. Even if he was beaten to death, the government would not interfere.
Chu Ning’s appearance made Old Fang subconsciously think that they might be targeted again. Whether it was the city enforcement officers or other forces, anyone could bully them, and they could only endure it.
Old Fang’s forehead was pressed against the pebble-paved river bank. His skillful and sincere kneeling posture made Chu Ning’s heart tighten.
This was a subconscious action that he had had no choice but to do in order to survive, one that he was only too used to doing from being constantly bullied.