林婉儿蜷缩在树林最深处的角落，怀里紧紧抱着病弱的妹妹林晓晓。小家伙脸色惨白得吓人，嘴唇都青了，细弱的身子抖得像秋风里的落叶。她摸了摸妹妹滚烫的额头，心口一阵阵发闷，眼泪忍不住在眼眶里打转。

“晓晓乖，不疼，姐姐在呢。”林婉儿哄着，声音却带着哭腔。她摸出身上仅剩的三个铜板，递到妹妹嘴边，“喝点水，润润嗓子。”

林晓晓眼神涣散，似醒非醒，只是无意识地摇了摇头。林婉儿的心沉了下去，她掰开妹妹的嘴，把水滴进去，看着那水顺着嘴角流出来，急得直跺脚。

Suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed through the trees. A group of men clad in black emerged from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with malice. The leader, a burly man with a cruel face, stepped forward, grabbing Lin Wan'er by the collar.

“Where’s the girl?” he growled, his voice rough as sandpaper.

Lin Wan'er’s heart sank. She knew they were after her and her sister. They had been harassing them for days, threatening to harm Lin Xiao Xiao if she didn’t pay.

“Please, I don’t have any money,” Lin Wan’er begged, her voice trembling. “I’ll work, I’ll do anything.”

The leader laughed, a low, menacing sound. “Work? You’re worth more dead.”

Just then, a voice cut through the air. “Wait.”