"Will Aunt and Uncle be coming back? That’s wonderful." Leng Xingshuang appeared even happier than Gu Bichen.
In Gu Bichen’s usually calm and unruffled gaze, there was finally a ripple. He pursed his lips and said, "Alright, I’ll co back earlier."
~
Inside a private room at the Crown Club.
Smoke filled the air, making those present cough and their eyes tear uncontrollably.
The young boy stood stiffly, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. His handso and refined face was sickly pale, veins bulging at his temple.
The boy was enduring.
"Such tender skin, how old are you this year?" A man’s greasy and teasing voice broke the silence, causing discomfort.
Ding ng imdiately responded with a sycophantic smile, "This kid is thirteen this year. Don’t be fooled by his small and skinny appearance—he’s been dancing since childhood, even has abs! If you don’t believe , let lift his shirt to show President Han."
The boy remained rigid, motionless.
President Han’s face darkened. "This youngster seems to have quite the temper. I like that."
The people accompanying them all chuckled aningfully.
Ding ng squinted and gritted his teeth, saying, "Aning, did you hear what I said?"
Suddenly, the boy turned and dashed out.
Ignoring the chaos behind him, he sprinted down the hallway as if fleeing with all his might could leave all the disgust and loathing behind.
He charged into the restroom, locked himself inside the farthest stall, curled himself into a corner with his arms around his knees, letting the boundless darkness engulf him.
"Grandma, Aning misses you so much..."
Scorching and ruthless flas burned fiercely, destroying everything, surging towards him.
The little boy stood dazedly, watching a beam collapse before him, when a soft embrace enveloped him.
The acrid sll of smoke could not overshadow the clean and sunny scent of soap in that embrace, tinged with the freshness of rain and sunlight.
From the face distorted by the flas and no longer distinguishable, there remained one pair of eyes, bright and warm.
In an instant, the raging fire consud that brightness, leaving behind eternal darkness.
"No..."
The boy shouted and suddenly woke up from the nightmare.
Unknowingly, he was drenched in cold sweat.
The boy raised his hand and wiped his cheek, realizing at so point his face had beco streaked with tears.
In his crystal-clear eyes, it seed there were still traces of an endless sea of fire, burning away his reason, taking his happiness along with it.
He laughed, but the laughter sounded more sorrowful than crying.
"Why did you save ?"
Wouldn’t it have been better to just let die?
This world is so disgusting. I’m utterly exhausted.
The boy pushed himself upright, his legs had long since gone numb without him noticing. He felt nothing as he leaned against the wall and walked out.
"Careful..."
Gu Bichen had just erged from the restroom and saw the person beside him starting to collapse.
With quick reflexes, he caught hold of him.
The boy didn’t spare him a glance, retracting his hand. Like a numb and wandering corpse, he staggered away.
Gu Bichen furrowed his brow. This boy looked about the sa age as him—why was he so lifeless?
He hadn’t intended to interfere, but for so reason, this boy inexplicably tugged at his heart and he instinctively followed after him.
By the ti he chased out of the restroom, the boy’s figure had vanished down the hallway and was nowhere to be seen.
"Bichen, what took you so long just to take a piss? Could it be you’re chickening out on the next ga?"
A buddy teased him, approaching only to notice his tightly furrowed brows as he stared toward the corridor. "What are you looking at?"
Gu Bichen shook his head. "Nothing. Let’s go."
Returning to the private room, Gu Bichen was greeted by flying ribbons and cheering fists. He was like a victorious king, receiving flowers and applause no matter where he went.
That night, there were those basking in triumph, while others sunk into despair.
A heavy rain washed away everything. When dawn broke, the sunlight and dewdrops welcod a brand-new day.
~
Shen You’an jogged along Qingshui River in the morning. When she reached the Huian District, she suddenly noticed a brand-new high-rise towered in the distance.
Shen You’an instinctively stopped, staring at the building in a daze.
Ahead by the flowerbeds, a crowd had gathered.
"I think we should call 120. This child’s complexion looks bad; could he be sick?"
"Where are his parents? Leaving such a young child like this—so irresponsible."
"It rained all night last night. Could this child have been out in the rain all night too?"
"He’s soaking wet. Could be serious."
"Do you think he might have ntal problems..."
The crowd murmured noisily.
Shen You’an initially intended to leave, but sohow her steps shifted direction. She walked over and pushed her way through the crowd.
The boy lay curled by the flowerbed, his face flushed, his consciousness muddled, muttering incomprehensibly.
Shen You’an crouched down and touched his forehead, very quickly realizing his body was burning up imnsely.
Without hesitation, she hoisted him onto her back. There was a clinic nearby—it would take too long to wait for an ambulance.
"Hey, do you know him? If not, maybe you shouldn’t get involved. Better call the police—what if his family tries to bla you later?"
Shen You’an walked away without stopping, saying, "Nothing’s more important than a life."
The boy weakly opened his eyes on her back; a cold, detached voice echoed faintly in his ears.
Through his jumbled view, half a side profile occasionally ca into focus.
A ray of morning sun fell on that face. For just an instant, it was as though a beam of light had pierced through the darkness of his world.
Fatigue overca him, and he fell completely unconscious.
After getting him a shot to reduce the fever, the boy slept soundly.
Shen You’an rummaged through the boy’s belongings—no phone, no wallet, nothing.
Had soone swiped them?
Looking at the boy’s sleeping face, Shen You’an thought, Might as well call the police.
She picked up her phone, ready to dial, when the boy, caught in so dream, suddenly waved his hands wildly and knocked the phone out of Shen You’an’s grasp.
The screen cracked.
Shen You’an chuckled in exasperation.
And so, she brought the boy ho.
Zhang Jian had been busy with his fund projects, leaving early and returning late.
With no one at ho, she placed the boy in one of the spare rooms.
The two rooms were connected via the balcony. After settling him, Shen You’an returned to her own bedroom and resud reading the programming book she’d borrowed from the library the day before.
An hour passed. She closed the book, got up to gaze out from the balcony for a break, letting her eyes rest.
When studying, she’d usually put her phone on silent for concentration.
It occurred to her then—her phone had been broken.
Yep, all thanks to that boy next door. When he wakes up, she’d make him pay for the damage.
But not having a phone was inconvenient. Shen You’an planned to go buy one in the afternoon.
All morning flew past. Feeling hungry, Shen You’an went to the kitchen and opened the fridge to see what was available.
Anything was fine—except cooking. She was truly inept at it.
Shen You’an had no intention of learning either; cooking felt like such a waste of ti.
Zhang Jian understood his niece well. Even with his busy schedule, he hadn’t forgotten to prepare als for her.
Cooked dishes stored in containers were labeled with microwave instructions, while rice in the cooker simply needed reheating.
Shen You’an ward up the food and just as she was about to dig in, she looked up to see the boy standing by the doorfra, staring with pitiful puppy eyes.
Like a little pup waiting to be fed.
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