But I couldn't ask.
Poverty and chaos breed evil; perhaps asking about her personal or family situation would only frighten her more.
So Zhou Li paused. "Have you eaten?"
Still no response.
The little girl even lowered her head and buried her face in her arms, no longer looking at him.
Zhou Li was young and good-looking, but that didn't earn him any trust from the little girl. Perhaps she saw him as one of those scoundrels who teased beggars for fun—the kind Zhou Li had seen on his way here, with beggars cowering and youths laughing.
The more life tormented everyone to the point of despair, the more some people relished tormenting the already suffering masses.
Zhou Li reached into his pocket, pretended to fumble, closed his eyes briefly, and pulled out a handful of five zhu coins, extending them towards the little girl from a distance. "Hungry? Take this and go get yourself something to eat."
