After that, everyone looked at him differently. People he’d helped before stayed away to avoid being involved.
Just from a few small incidents, he beca soone everyone despised.
“That kid has a rotten heart. Not honest at all.”
“Who knows? I never liked him anyway.”
“You should stop talking.”
“What, you feel sorry for him?”
“No… it’s not that…”
People avoided him. So even attacked Gou’er.
That day, over ten people surrounded Gou’er. They snatched his Dry Cake and tore off his clothes.
“Beat him to death!”
“Kill this fake do-gooder!”
Gou’er was pinned to the ground. In his gaze, he saw many figures in the distance – people he had once helped.
They didn’t dare look his way. So even turned away, eating their Dry Cake silently, like they wanted nothing to do with him.
Gou’er was beaten until he was barely breathing, covered in blood.
He coughed, facedown, and said weakly, “This fighting… it will only keep going. Today you rob others, tomorrow others will rob you… Maybe soday you’ll be pinned down and beaten half to death too.”
“Why not think about changing all this? If everyone…”
Before he finished, a foot stomped on the side of his face.
Then ca more blows.
Gou’er couldn’t speak. He was kicked around like a ball.
“Hahaha…”
They laughed loudly, seeming to enjoy it.
Only when they were tired did they stop. Gou’er was left lying bloodied on the sandy ground.
No one stepped forward to help him.
Not those he’d helped, nor those he hadn’t. None spared him a glance.
Tears welled in Gou’er’s eyes. With great effort, he crawled up, hunched over, and staggered away.
Every step felt heavy.
…
Chen Changsheng saw the bloodied Gou’er on the path outside the woods. His breathing was faint, like it could stop any mont.
Chen Changsheng took Gou’er back to the lakeside. He drew lake water and washed away the blood.
The Taiqing Sword seed excited by the sll of blood and appeared.
Chen Changsheng glanced at it. “Interested in soone nearly beaten to death?”
The Taiqing Sword seed to lose interest and vanished.
Chen Changsheng guided a wisp of Golden Light into Gou’er’s body, healing his wounds.
Gou’er slept all afternoon.
When he woke, only a slight ache remained. No trace of blood could be seen.
Looking up, he saw the Blue Robe sitting by the lake, holding a bamboo fishing rod.
Gou’er stared at himself in disbelief.
Could he really be alive after such bad injuries?
He froze, then asked, “I…”
“Go back if you’re awake.”
Chen Changsheng spoke without turning. “This is the last ti I help you.”
Gou’er lowered his head. He knelt down.
He kowtowed twice towards the Blue Robe’s back.
Thump. Thump. A red mark appeared on his forehead.
After this, Gou’er stood and left. He didn’t look back. He felt ashad.
Chen Changsheng looked at the lake.
Gou’er had the power to change things. He had people’s respect and ideas. But he didn’t want to be the one to set the rules. He hoped everyone would just be good, and things would improve.
Chen Changsheng thought he would understand. Instead, he seed to take the path of monks and Buddhas.
Was that trace of Buddha’s Light really so powerful?
…
Gou’er returned safely. Everyone was surprised. They thought he was surely dead.
Gou’er hadn’t given up. He still thought about it all.
He talked with people in the crowd, sharing his ideas. He hoped they would show rcy and kindness.
But without fail, no one cared to listen.
Every day, soone ca to grab his Dry Cake.
Gou’er didn’t resist. He just said, “Take it if you’re hungry.”
He handed the Dry Cake to the person before him.
The one who ca to rob him just laughed scornfully. “You know what’s good for you.”
People said he’d gone crazy or beco a fool.
Mocking voices reached Gou’er constantly.
He said nothing. Without Dry Cake, he went to the dense woods outside the City Platform to find food.
He ate grass. Chewed bark. Even ate bugs.
Every day soone ca demanding his Dry Cake.
Gou’er grew thinner. During work, he got whipped by the overseers, leaving bloody welts across his body.
Again, soone ca for the Dry Cake today.
Gou’er looked at the person and paused.
The person seed hesitant, standing before him but slow to speak.
Gou’er recognized him. It was the little brother who took his cake before, called out “Big Bro,” and said he was a good person.
Gou’er closed his eyes and held out the Dry Cake.
The person took it and walked away without a backward glance.
“That kid is truly mad.”
At first, people laughed at him.
But slowly, the voices grew quieter.
“How many days has he not eaten?”
“Several.”
“I see him with his cake. He doesn’t eat it. Just holds it, like waiting for soone to take it.”
“…”
People murmuring these things exchanged glances. They didn’t know what else to say.
A trace of pity stirred within them that mont.
That night, Gou’er went again to the woods outside the City Platform.
Skillfully, he used a rock to chip off tree bark.
After crushing it, he stuffed so grass into his mouth.
Not far away, soone watched all this closely.
It was one of the workers from the City Platform. He watched for a long ti, unmoving. Under the moonlight, a look of sha ford in his eyes.
The next day, when the Dry Cake was handed out.
Gou’er once more gave away his Dry Cake. An old man took it.
As usual, Gou’er said nothing. He just sat quietly.
Then, a figure walked up to him.
Gou’er opened his eyes.
He recognized the person. This man had taken his Dry Cake before.
“Take it!”
The man thrust the Dry Cake into Gou’er’s hand.
Gou’er stared blankly. “Why give it to ?”
The man kept a cold expression. He just said, “Eat it!”
He forced the Dry Cake into Gou’er’s mouth. Once done, he turned and walked off.
Gou’er stared at the man’s back for a long ti.
He suddenly realized… things seed…
Different.
…
That night, he didn’t go to the woods to chew bark.
But almost a hundred people went there.
Under the night sky, they saw the trees stripped bare of bark. Saw the scraped-bare patches of grass.
Several hundred eyes just watched. No one spoke.
Finally, a voice broke the silence among the crowd.
“Is this how he avoided starving…?”
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