Mia Chen deliberately came out of the factory early, her hands still sore from the contents repeated actions of her work yet she never once complained of the hardships behind it.
The sounds of the door opening woke her up from her reverie then came the familiar figure of her well-behaved daughter.
"Dove, you're here. How was school? Did anyone bully you? Have you had enough dinner?"
She took the bag from her child, the school stipulates free food from the school canteen so that the students can only focus on their nightly self-study.
"I'm fine, Mom" I was still a bit awkward at first but after calling out a few times I finally got a handle on my emotions.
Several stacks of notes were immediately taken out from my outdated bag which already has some stains on the side. Practice tests and lessons could almost bury me from head to toe but I took it as a precious thing.
Only by studying can I change my fate and be the one who manages it.
"This... Isn't this too much?" I heard the concerned tone of my mother and shook my head. I am now well versed in admitting she was my mother and a hint of selfishness and guilt mixed with those.
"I need to catch up" is what I responded before lowering my head to review and answer all of these.
Mia Chen can only brew sweet warm watered sugar for her hardworking daughter. Every mother wants to see their child be the best but some want their child only to be healthy and safe which she is in the latter.
She then gave the warm sweetened water to her daughter's desk without interrupting her train of thought and walked to her room to rest.
...
Yuan Shen landed on the wet, broken cobblestones and found blisters in his arms. The pain never went to his head, only the money that he had worked so hard for the past few days made him wide awake.
"Yo! This kid is a stubborn mule huh?"
One of the older stray kids tries to snatch the cloth in his hand but he kicks him.
"Ah! You bastard! Go and beat that wild seed for me!"
Soon kids ranging of all ages kicked, slapped, and punched him. His body remains motionless making the kids feel like they punched cotton. With the order of their leader, they stray far away and watch as their leader spits on the kid and presses his feet on his head.
"Heh! How does the ground feel?"
The leader of the street children shuddered to see the gloomy dark eyes of the kid below him. It almost sucks him into a pool of darkness before he regains his sanity.
"Pooh! Just a wild seed, do you think you can beat me?! Your mother deserves to die- ah!"
A sharpened stone slashed the leader's leg and he cried out in pain; holding out the leg that was injured while looking at the boy on the ground hatefully.
Fortunately, before he gave out an order to kill Yuan Shen an old man carrying some cartons and cans saw the conflict and soon threatened to call the police.
The street children were afraid of those adults who always wanted to put them into orphanages and soon ran away with their tails tucked.
"Are you alright boy? Do you need-"
"Thank you"
Yuan Sheng put a small amount of money on the old man's hands and left without looking back. His thin, resolute figure vanished into the darkness.
***
YOU ARE READING
Willing Prey
Romance"I'll break your legs if you dare think of escaping" "Okay" His eyes narrowed dangerously once more, the beauty mark on the lower part of his right eye caught my attention as I ogle on it. "If you state a man's name nor be on the same space with th...
