September 13, 1994, Tuesday.
At 6.30 a.m., Guan Xuchen was walking back to school from home, but he was a bit listless. After nearly two months of summer holiday, he was still adjusting to the new school routine. In particular, after school started, his mother had put away his game console, saying that he as only allowed to play it during the winter holiday. He couldn't shake off the disappointment of not able to "beat" the game "Salamander" before the school year began. To make matters worse, he had to clean his assigned area today, which meant waking up half an hour earlier.
Guan Xuchen walked with his head down, kicking pebbles as he went, his sullen mood evident.
A "clang" echoed as a pebble struck an enamel object.
Guan Xuchen looked up and saw a beggar sleeping by the roadside. So the pebble had hit the beggar's enamel cup.
"Who's messing with my treasure bowl? Who is it?" Startled awake, the beggar stood up and began to shout angrily.
Seeing the situation was unfavorable, Guan Xuchen turned around and ran. But the beggar gave chase. He grabbed Guan Xuchen's schoolbag with one hand and brandishing his enamel cup with the other. "You little brat!" he snarled, "You broke my treasure bowl! Compensation, compensation!"
The beggar was dirty and smelly, and his eyes seemed glazed. Terrified, Guan Xuchen apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!"
Ignoring his apologies, the beggar tightened his grip on the schoolbag and shouted, "You little brat, I'll beat you to death! For breaking my treasure bowl! I'll beat you to death!"
With that, he raised the enamel cup in his hand to hit Guan Xuchen.
Guan Xuchen was so scared that he was about to cry. He closed his eyes and said mechanically, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
"Clang, clang, clang!" Guan Xuchen heard three loud sounds but felt no blow. He opened his eyes and saw Gao Xinglang.
Standing not far away, Gao Xinglang was banging a stainless-steel lunch box with a pebble. He then turned to the beggar and said, "You call that a treasure bowl? Now this is a treasure bowl."
The beggar glanced at the enamel cup he was holding, and then at the stainless-steel lunch box in Gao Xinglang's hand. He chuckled, then pointed at Gao Xinglang and snarled, "You little brat! That's my treasure bowl! Give it back to me!"
Gao Xinglang pointed at Guan Xuchen and said calmly, "Let him go, and I'll give you your treasure bowl back."
Saying that, he tapped the lunch box twice more with the pebble.
The beggar got anxious and yanked Guan Xuchen's bag tighter. He then continued to curse, 'Little brat, give me back my treasure bowl back. I'll beat him to death if you break it."
When Guan Xuchen heard this, he was so scared that he cried out, "Waaaaah, I didn't mean it. Don't hit me, don't hit me ......."
Hearing that, Gao Xinglang got a little panic. He hastily tossed aside the pebble and raised the stainless-steel lunch box. "Calm down," he said to the beggar. "Your treasure bowl is fine. Here, take it."
With that, he gently placed the lunch box on the ground, gesturing for the beggar to take it.
The beggar's eyes lit up. He released Guan Xuchen's schoolbag and rushed towards the lunch box.
Gao Xinglang darted from the sidewalk onto the road, dodging the oncoming, snarling beggar, and ran towards Guan Xuchen.
When he reached Guan Xuchen, Gao Xinglang urged, "Soupy, run!"
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