Under the relentless blockade of the camera crew and Xavier's furious pursuit from behind, the pig was finally caught.
Xavier let out a long breath, drenched in sweat.
"Daisy, you've got some serious nerve," Xavier said darkly, grabbing the little girl by the scruff of her neck like a misbehaving kitten.
Daisy leaned back slightly, meeting Xavier's intense gaze head-on.
Her face was a mix of pure innocence and hardened resilience, as if she were perfectly used to handling situations like this all the time... There wasn't a single trace of fear.
Xavier let out an exasperated sigh. While the crew stepped in to help, he reached out and lifted Daisy down from the pig.
"If you had fallen off and gotten trampled, you'd be dead, you know that?" Xavier scolded her fiercely.
Daisy wasn't intimidated. She tilted her head up and replied, "It's okay. My life is cheap. It wouldn't cost much even if I died."
Xavier's expression instantly darkened. "Who the hell told you that?"
Daisy finally sensed the dangerous aura radiating off him and whispered, "They... they all say that..."
Xavier took a deep breath, forcing down the violent anger surging in his chest.
What the hell was wrong with this village?
Weren't there any decent adults around?
He carried Daisy off to the side, and the two of them sat on the dirt ridge, watching the crew help haul the pig away.
Xavier looked at her. "Do you have any dreams?"
Daisy shook her head blankly.
Xavier realized the concept was probably too abstract for a kid to grasp.
He changed his approach. "Do you want to go to fourth grade?"
Daisy nodded.
"What about fifth and sixth? Do you want to keep going to school?"
Daisy nodded eagerly. "I have to go to school... Mom said I have to go to school."


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