Qiang Zhi looked up, startled.
Su Jiyai bent down a bit, speaking in a low voice. "It's okay. They're nice. No one's going to hurt you here."
Qiang Zhi hesitated, then peeked at the crowd properly for the first time. A girl around his age gave him a shy wave.
He blinked.
Then, just as a smile began to twitch at the edge of his lips—
"Wait a second!" a sharp voice rang out. "Are we sure he's really her biological brother?"
The entire crowd froze.
All heads turned toward the speaker: a man in glasses standing near the back. He crossed his arms.
"I mean, we don't know for sure, right? What if he's not? Shouldn't we do a DNA test before assuming things?"
Gasps and murmurs broke out.
"Whoa, that's harsh."
"Kind of sudden, don't you think?"
"But... he has been through a lot. Maybe we shouldn't jump to conclusions either?"
Su Jiyai's smile faded, but her tone stayed cool.