Free Web NovelChapter 362: Chapter 362: The Boy Who Steals Rice Ears
Finally... during class, she watched the boy lick up the "noodles" of snot that were running into his mouth. He did it with relish, savoring the taste a few times. Then he wiped away what was left, smearing it all over his sleeve. freёwebnoѵel.com
Tang Xiaonan finally understood why the boy’s sleeves were so crusty. It was all from the snot he’d wiped on them.
"GAG..."
Tang Xiaonan dry-heaved a few times. She deeply regretted paying so much attention to the boy. ’If I hadn’t looked, I’d be fine,’ she thought. ’Now I’m completely grossed out.’
The boy seemed to sense her staring and turned to give her a wide grin. He was actually a pretty cute kid, but the snot... it was beyond description.
Tang Xiaonan forced a smile. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and offered it to the boy, pointing at his nose to show him what it was for. The boy froze for a moment before he understood. He scratched his head, embarrassed, but didn’t take it.
Tang Xiaonan placed the handkerchief in his desk drawer and smiled at him. The boy whispered, "I... I’ll wash it and give it back to you."
’A pretty handkerchief like this must be expensive,’ he thought. He’d never used a handkerchief before. He just wiped everything with the back of his hand—it was so much easier.
But he wanted to be clean, too. Tang Xiaonan always smelled so fragrant. Her clothes and hair were exceptionally clean, unlike some of the other girls who had lice and never combed their hair, running around like wild things. Tang Xiaonan’s hair was always tied up neatly, and she wore pretty hair ties. He thought she was beautiful. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
"Don’t worry about it. It’s for you!"
Tang Xiaonan shook her head vigorously. The image of the boy wiping his nose flashed through her mind, and her stomach churned again. ’Even if he washed it spotless, I could never use a handkerchief after someone else,’ she thought.
She hadn’t used this particular handkerchief today. She had washed it herself with scented soap, so it smelled extra nice.
The boy grew even more embarrassed. It didn’t feel right to just take it for free. But he understood. Tang Xiaonan was probably disgusted by the idea of him using it. A pang of sadness hit him. He didn’t want to be this way.
"Thank you."
The boy used the handkerchief to blow his nose. His face looked much cleaner, revealing a boy with delicate features—if only his face were washed a bit more, too.
Tang Xiaonan smiled. She thought the boy was from Xavier Village. His name was Mark Xavier. His family was clearly not well-off. His clothes were more patches than fabric. In the winter, he didn’t wear socks, just tattered cloth shoes on his bare feet. Now, he was just going around barefoot.
Lunchtime arrived, and everyone headed to the cafeteria to get their food. Tang Xiaonan and Amanda Chapman went as well. Mark Xavier, however, went home to eat. At ten years old, he was the oldest in the class. He should have been in third grade by now, but he was still in first.
"Cousin, let’s eat outside."
Tang Xiaonan didn’t want to eat in the classroom; she wanted to go out and enjoy the sun. Amanda Chapman, of course, had no objections. The two of them carried their lunch boxes outside and found a spot to sit near the school gate. The sun felt wonderfully warm and comfortable.
"Cousin..."
Just as Tang Xiaonan was about to share some of her food with Amanda Chapman, she caught sight of Mark Xavier from the corner of her eye. He was walking alone by the edge of a paddy field, appearing to strip grains from the rice stalks. Thinking no one was watching, he’d pull off a handful, stuff it in his mouth to chew, and then grab another.
’Can you even eat unripe rice stalks?’
Tang Xiaonan was confused. ’And they’re raw, too. Won’t that scratch your throat?’
"What do you think you’re doing?!" someone spotted him and bellowed.
Mark Xavier bolted like a startled rabbit, running at full speed toward Tang Xiaonan and her cousin. He was still clutching a handful of rice stalks, chewing nonstop. As he neared them, he quickly shoved the remaining stalks from his hand into his mouth, chewing as if he were eating the finest delicacy in the world.
