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aishangotome · 3 months

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Main Story Chapter 16-07: Before the Storm (暴雨來臨前) | Light and Night 光與夜之戀

Chapter 16-05

♡———♡

I quickly got in touch with the fabric supplier. Mr. Shao told me that the factory was mass-producing filament lyocell and could provide it all to us at the same price.

After confirming the fabric via video, I immediately went to the purchasing department and remotely signed the contract with him.

However, strangely, the purchasing department asked me to keep this matter confidential and to announce to the public that the fabric was out of stock and production was suspended.

It's probably because they're afraid the fabric will be snatched up again. I didn't pay much attention to it.

As I walked back to the office, I mentally calculated the arrangements for the next five days. Although the time was tighter, my steps were lighter than ever before.

Pushing open the office door, I was startled. Manman, Mao Ge, Jiang Lai, who had returned from a business trip, and even Hao Shuai were all sitting at their workstations.

You: Why are you all here? Didn't I tell you to go home and rest?

I rubbed my eyes, thinking it was my own illusion.

Mao Ge: Well, the water heater in my house broke, so I came to the company to take a shower. Now I'm full of energy and ready to work.

You: ?

Li Manman: I left my earring at the company and came back to get it. But since I'm here, I might as well do some work.

Mao Ge: What do you mean, "since I'm here"? Who would believe that?

Li Manman: As long as she believes it, it's fine. Keep your voice down.

Hao Shuai: I'm not like them. I just happened to be passing by after working out. Handsome guys never make excuses.

Hao Shuai pointed to his bulging gym bag and suddenly noticed Mao Ge blinking frantically at him. However, he couldn't understand at all, so he had to ask Manman for help, constantly asking "What does that mean?"

Mao Ge and Manman both put their hands on their foreheads at the same time, with an expression of "I don't know him."

Hao Shuai: You guys didn't come back on purpose, did you?! And you didn't even bring me!

Li Manman: Forget it, forget it, I'll confess. It was Mao Ge's idea for everyone to come back to work and share some of your pressure.

Li Manman: Who told you not to say anything? You're truly Director Qi's student, with the exact same temper.

Mao Ge: We had no choice but to secretly report to the director.

Although I had already understood from their clumsy acting that they had come back to help me, when I heard it, my heart still felt a pang of bitterness. I wanted to say something but felt that nothing was enough.

"No friends in the workplace" is an old saying. So I'm so lucky to have met them.

You: Thank you, everyone.

Mao Ge: You want to dismiss us with just a thank you? We want a big meal.

You: My treat today.

After that day, time still flew by like a rocket, but the principle of "things will turn around when they reach their worst" seemed to have come true for me. The work in this stage progressed exceptionally smoothly.

I don't know if it's because the fabrics were finally complete or because I finally regained my confidence. I think it's probably both.

On the weekend, I took advantage of the rare free time to go to the flagship store to prepare for the new product launch.

Based on this theme, I re-planned the store layout, from the main color to the floor stickers, and worked until the afternoon to finally complete it.

Saleswoman: Um, what should we call you? Director?

You: I'm not the director. I'm the manager of Pristine. You can call me Y/N.

The girl's mouth opened wide, and she quickly extended her hand, excitedly shaking mine several times, introducing herself as Xiaoyu.

Xiaoyu: You're so amazing. So young to become a manager. I want to be like you too.

Xiaoyu: The new products this time are all super beautiful. I also like design. I've even drawn design drafts. Can you help me take a look?

You: Of course.

Store Manager: The food is here, the food is here. We've been busy until now. I'm so sorry to have the Pristine manager eat boxed lunches with us.

You: It's my job. Thank you for treating me to a meal.

Opening the lunch box lid, I saw Xiaoyu picking out all the stir-fried lamb with scallions and putting it into a paper cup.

You: You don't eat this dish?

Xiaoyu: This? I'm preparing it for a little beggar.

You: A little beggar?

Xiaoyu: Yes, he's still a child. He's been appearing here these past few days. I guess he sleeps under the bridge over there at night.

Xiaoyu: You don't know how kind that child is, a bit silly too.

Xiaoyu: I've seen him several times feeding the big black dog next door, even though he's so thin himself.

Store Manager: Isn't it because the child is good-looking that you noticed him?

Xiaoyu: Who doesn't like good-looking people? If he were born into a rich family, he could debut and act in movies.

You: Is he that good-looking?

Xiaoyu: He's super good-looking. I'll take you to see him.

My curiosity was completely piqued by Xiaoyu.

He was a boy of about fifteen or sixteen, with messy hair and a white T-shirt stained with grayish-white dirt at the hem. It was unclear whether it was wall dust or dried cement, but it looked like it hadn't been changed in days.

He squatted on the ground, his head lowered, looking at something unknown. From afar, his entire being blended into the dirty wall.

Xiaoyu: When he raises his face, you'll definitely be amazed.

As if hearing our words, the boy quickly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over us. His messy bangs couldn't hide those turquoise eyes.

You: …… Osborn?!

His face was filled with vigilance and fierceness, but it couldn't conceal another kind of natural innocence.

No, he should be the other half of Osborn's soul.

Looking at him, the chaotic scene from that day rushed into my mind.

I woke up in an unfamiliar room, forced to make a life-or-death choice between two Osborn's. When I rushed to the explosion site, I didn't see either of them....

Although Osborn later sent me a text message to say he was safe, no matter how I asked, he always remained silent about the situation of that other half of his soul. I didn't expect to encounter him here.

Should I tell Osborn? No, no, if they fight again, it might be even more intense than last time. I planned to pretend I didn't see anything and turn to leave, but there had always been some questions in my heart that I couldn't let go of.

Can souls really exist apart from the body? Why did he do that that day? And is it really okay for him to appear on the street like this?

While I was hesitating, the boy had already recognized me and was clearly startled.

He stood up, his expression becoming a bit complicated. I couldn't describe it, but I could be sure he didn't have any hostility towards me because his eyes no longer had the madness of that day, but were instead calm.

The kind soul... shouldn't do anything to me, right? I remember he was quite friendly at the convenience store.

I let Xiaoyu go back first and gestured for him to follow me with my eyes, intending to ask about things Osborn wouldn't tell me.

I was thinking about how to start the conversation along the way, and before I knew it, I had walked a long distance.

Looking back, the boy had already stopped, his eyes fixed on me, vigilant like a small animal in the jungle that had smelled gunpowder.

I didn't think much of it and only felt that it was inconvenient to talk from afar, so I walked towards him. To my surprise, he immediately took several steps back, his face filled with wariness and warning.

Come on, you were the one who kidnapped me last time. If anyone should be wary, it should be me, right?

I was a little confused, but also afraid of angering him, so I stopped where I was.

You: Is this okay?

The boy hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Then there was a minute of silence. I hadn't figured out how to ask yet, so I just kept looking at him until he frowned uncomfortably and his eyes darted away.

You: Um, do you remember me?

Boy: No.

You: ???

But he clearly remembered me just now, so why is he denying it now!

You: I just have some things to ask you.

Boy: If you just have something to ask me, why did you walk so far?

It took me a while to react.

So he thought I had ulterior motives and deliberately walked such a long distance to lure him to a deserted place? Do I look like a bad person?

And isn't he the kind part of the soul? Why was his first reaction to think the worst of people? He wasn't like this at the convenience store.

You: Since you think I have other intentions, why did you come with me?

You: You could have left halfway. Or do you also have other intentions towards me?

I took a big step closer and looked up at him, actually just wanting him to taste the feeling of being misunderstood. To my surprise, a clear panic flashed across the boy's face. He immediately turned his head, his bangs covering most of his expression.

Boy: I don't!

His tone was serious as if he was taking an oath, afraid I would convict him, but his ears turned bright red.

I was stunned for a moment and then burst out laughing. I never expected that fifteen-year-old Osborn would be so easily teased. But at the same time, I was relieved. It seemed he had just misunderstood me.

You: I know you don't. I was just kidding.

The boy was a little annoyed and looked at me sullenly until I stopped smiling.

Boy: What do you want to ask?

You: It's nothing major, just a few questions. What exactly--

However, the words reached my lips, and I suddenly lost my direction. Should I ask him why he's on the street? He wouldn't go to Osborn's house, would he?

Should I ask him why he doesn't return to Osborn's body? It's obvious there's a huge conflict between them. Or should I ask how Osborn was doing after the explosion that day?

Boy: You want to ask about that person, right?

You: Uh....

Boy: Then you should go find him. Why are you looking for me?

The boy showed a "I knew it" expression, and his face immediately turned cold. He dropped this sentence and turned to leave.

You: Why are you suddenly angry? Wait a minute--

However, he didn't turn back and walked away quickly, no less fast than the current Osborn. I chased after him, panting. As I stopped to catch my breath, the boy in front had already walked a long distance.

His back looked particularly thin, his entire being almost squeezed into a trembling flag by the oncoming wind, but his back was still straight.

The heavy, setting sun smoothly slid over his shoulders, leaving a fuzzy edge.

I suddenly felt a little dazed. In that dreamlike late night, Osborn also pulled me forward like this.

He held his head high, his back straight, looking so carefree. No one knew how much weight he was carrying that he shouldn't have to bear.

The boy in front, who never let down his guard, must have also experienced the violence and humiliation of Yuda Academy, the abandonment, and the moment of having his self-esteem crushed. And he seemed to be even more deeply trapped in the pain of the past than Osborn.

My heart suddenly felt a little sour. Seeing that he was about to disappear from my sight, I couldn't help but call out to him loudly.

You: Osborn!

I don't know if it was an illusion, but the boy seemed to pause for a moment before continuing forward. But this time he slowed down a lot, and I finally caught up to him.

You: You run too fast.

To prevent him from turning and leaving again, I immediately grabbed the corner of his clothes. The boy's body stiffened, and then he grabbed the hem and pulled it back forcefully.

I saw a pair of arms covered in veins and light pink scars.

He was too thin, although maybe it wasn't right to describe a soul that way, but the T-shirt hung loosely on him. Suddenly, I remembered Xiaoyu's words - he didn't have enough to eat himself, yet he fed the puppy.

Noticing my gaze, the boy immediately retracted his arms behind his back and tensed his face, but his expression was a little hurt.

Boy: What do you want?

You: I... I actually just wanted to ask if you're hungry.

Youth: No.

He spat out the two words expressionlessly, but his stomach growled the next second.

You: But I'm starving.

You: Let's go, I'll treat you to a meal.

It wasn't dinner time yet, and I figured he wouldn't like crowded places either, so I found a noodle shop on the street. There were only a few people in the shop, and it was clean and tidy.

You: What do you want to eat?

The cashier auntie looked at him warmly, but the boy seemed unused to such a scene and stood far away.

Boy: Anything is fine.

You: Then I'll have two bowls of mutton noodles. Can one of them have more meat?

Cashier Auntie: Yes, yes, that's 70 yuan in total.

After taking the receipt, we sat down facing each other, and there was another long silence.

I looked around and eventually my eyes fell back on him. I noticed a few red marks on the bridge of his nose, like scratches that hadn't scabbed over yet.

They must have been covered by his hair earlier, so I didn't notice.

I took out a band-aid from my bag and handed it to him. But before I could speak, he swatted my hand away.

Boy: What are you doing?

He seemed to subconsciously think of me as someone with bad intentions again.

You: You have a wound here. Here's a band-aid.

I pointed to my nose and then put the band-aid on the table, pushing it towards him.

The boy looked at the table and realized his reaction had been excessive. He opened his mouth and whispered an apology.

You: It's okay.

I shook my head.

After all, he's the kind part of the soul. No matter how much he puts up his defenses, he doesn't have much malice at heart.

If I invited him to dinner because of a sudden pang of heartache, then now, looking at fifteen-year-old Osborn sitting in front of me, a strange feeling slowly rose in my heart.

I used to feel guilty and regretful for breaking the promise all those years ago, countless times wondering if our lives would have been different if I had gone to the appointment.

Maybe it would be completely different from now, or maybe fate is too stubborn and nothing would change. But at least I would always remember him, and when he was abandoned or betrayed, I would stand by his side.

And now, as if time had heard my wish, it rewound back to many years ago.

I quietly looked at the boy in front of me. He was different from the Osborn in my memory. The boy who helped me melt the window with fire had now become agitated, more silent, and resistant to anyone's approach.

I don't know what happened in these three years, and I don't know if he still remembers that day. I really want to ask him.

Boy: Why do you keep looking at me?

You: You're good-looking.

The words came out of my mouth without thinking, and the boy's face turned red again. Fifteen or sixteen-year-old Osborn, it turns out, was so easily embarrassed.

I was about to ask him about what happened back then, but before I could speak, a boy suddenly rushed to our table and pinched his nose with both hands.

Child: Mom, it must be the smell from this person. He looks so dirty.

After saying that, he stuck his tongue out at us and ran away.

I was stunned for a moment. Did he say the boy smelled? But why couldn't I smell anything?

I sniffed hard, but I could only smell food and cooking fumes.

The noodle shop was quiet for a moment, and then whispers started, with the few gazes all turning towards us.

The boy's face suddenly turned pale. I thought he would stand up and scold the child, do what I imagined Osborn would do, but he didn't.

He remained silent, his head lowered. His eyes were completely hidden by his hair, and I could only see his tightly pursed lips, his lower lip bitten white.

Even though the anger surging around him was about to explode, he was still enduring it.

I looked at the instigator. The child saw me looking and arrogantly pinched his nose, even making a face.

What an ill-mannered child.

☾ Night: Angrily retort

☼ Light: Come to his defense

☼ [Light Choice: Come to his defense]

I stood up and quickly walked to the window, opening all of them.

You: This is a noodle shop. It's normal to have cooking fumes. Opening the windows for ventilation will do.

The breeze brought in the rich scent of camphor trees from the street, dispersing the accumulated smell in the noodle shop.

☼

☾ [Night Choice: Angrily retort]

I stood up abruptly and walked quickly to the window, opening all the windows.

You: This is a noodle restaurant, it's normal to have oily smoke, just open the window for ventilation.

You: I didn't smell anything. Child, you can still smell it from so far away, your nose is really unusual.

After finishing speaking, I took out a bottle of perfume from my bag, walked up to the boy and sprayed it a few times in the air around him.

You: Child, does it still smell like this?

The boy immediately covered his nose and stared at me.

The boy seemed unconvinced and wanted to say something, but his mother sternly scolded him.

Child: Mom, look at her--

Before the boy could finish his sentence, the middle-aged woman across from him closed her laptop, scolded him, and gave me an apologetic smile.

☾

Child's mom: I'm sorry, I didn't discipline my child well. I apologize.

The farce ended just like that.

I returned to my seat with satisfaction, but then I realized that I had stood up without asking him and had taken it upon myself to lecture the child. Would he feel offended?

Although we've only met three times, my intuition tells me he wouldn't be grateful for this.

I sat down nervously and, as expected, saw an unhappy face.

But contrary to my expectations, he wasn't angry. Instead, he was looking up at me with a confused expression, like a wronged child. The words "Why did you do that?" were clearly visible in his eyes.

It seemed like no one had ever believed in him or stood up for him.

My heart ached, and I couldn't help but reach out to touch his head, but he quickly dodged and returned to his impatient demeanor.

Boy: I didn't ask you to do that.

But even though he said that, his tone softened.

You: I hate rude kids myself. It has nothing to do with you.

Boy: Don't do that again in the future.

You: Why?

Boy: This time you were just lucky that the person you encountered didn't bother with you.

Boy: People who stand up for righteousness never end well.

Boy: Not only will others blame you, but when something happens to you, no one will stand up for you.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth, not smiling, his expression full of sarcasm.

I suddenly shivered, remembering what Osborn told me about why he was sent to Yuda Academy.

He was never understood and was labeled as hopeless. In such a situation, people either "admit their mistakes" or "have no choice but to become bad." There's no other way.

Osborn chose to "become bad" and abandoned him (the kind boy). And he, having nothing left, had no choice but to "admit his mistakes."

He learned to grit his teeth and endure, but he couldn't harden his heart or become indifferent to everything. After seeing too much filth, he finally understood that justice and tolerance couldn't solve any problems.

So that's why he changed from a purely kind soul to what he is now. I couldn't describe the feeling in my heart, only that it was a pity, such a pity.

You: If someone really gives me trouble, I'll ask you for help, okay?

Boy: Okay.

He actually answered readily.

Boy: I don't have money to repay you. But I can solve the trouble.

You: Money?

The waiter happened to bring the noodles at this moment, and the boy's face was hidden behind the rising steam, his expression obscured.

Boy: The money for the noodles.

You: I was the one who invited you to eat. You don't have to pay me back.

Boy: I don't take things from others for no reason.

Boy: So think about what you need me to do. As long as it's within my ability, I can do it.

The boy didn't pick up his chopsticks. His hands rested neatly on his lap, waiting for my answer. It seemed like he wouldn't eat if I didn't agree.

This person is even more stubborn than I thought.

You: Okay. Then what can you do?

Boy: For example, if someone bullies you, I can teach them a lesson.

You: No, no, no, it's not that serious.

You: Can it not be an action? How about you answer three questions for me.

This seemed to be beyond his principles. The boy furrowed his brows and thought for a while before nodding.

You: If it's difficult for you, I won't ask.

Boy: I didn't say it was difficult. Ask away.

You: First question, aren't you a soul? How can I see you?

You: And how come you look fifteen or sixteen? Is it because you left your body at that age?

Boy: I am a soul, but I have the blood of a god, so I can manifest a physical form.

You: The blood of a god?!

Boy: Yes, and the appearance of the physical form can be changed at will.

In addition to being surprised, I also sorted out some clues. No wonder I saw him looking exactly like Osborn before, but now he has the appearance of a teenager.

As for the blood of a god... Osborn never mentioned it to me, and I only heard the legend of gods from Sariel not long ago. I couldn't believe that there were actually "gods" in the world.

But the recent events made me feel a sense of helplessness that I had to believe.

You: You said you have the blood of a god, so are you very powerful? Besides changing your appearance, do you have any other abilities?

Boy: Is this the second question?

I thought about it and felt it was a bit of a waste, so I decided not to ask.

You: Second question, why did you do that last time? Making me choose between Osborn and those five people.

You: Actually, you didn't want me to make a choice, right? You didn't want to hurt those five people, did you?

Boy: How did you know?

You: Hmm... intuition, I guess.

Or maybe it's trust. Because he's half of Osborn's soul, I believe he wouldn't do anything to hurt innocent people. The boy looked at me, his expression seeming a little moved.

Boy: I just wanted to die with him. That way I could atone for those five people.

Boy: They died because of us. There's no other way but to give our lives back to them.

I clearly saw two flames burning calmly in his eyes.

So that's why he was so persistent and crazy.

It wasn't to take revenge on his other self. He just wanted to atone for his sins, even if it meant sacrificing his life and the freedom he had finally regained.

A pang of sorrow welled up in my chest for no reason, and I once again remembered Osborn's words from that day. He told me not to choose him, that saving those five people was helping him fulfill his wish.

I never understood why he didn't resist at all. With his power, he shouldn't have been controlled, so I always thought the so-called wish was to redeem himself.

But at this moment, I suddenly thought that maybe at that time, Osborn understood the boy's intention. After so many years, he had forgiven himself, but the fifteen-year-old him was still stuck in the past.

He wanted to save not the present himself, but the helpless Osborn who was abandoned back then.

Boy: You have one more question left.

I came back to my senses and saw the boy's frank eyes.

You: Third question--

I had already decided to ask him what he did to Osborn that day. However, looking at him, I suddenly couldn't ask.

All the questions essentially had nothing to do with him. I was just concerned about Osborn.

Boy: Ask away. It doesn't matter if it's related to him.

The more he said that, the more he looked at me with those frank eyes, the more I couldn't ask.

You: You--how have you been spending your time lately?

I ultimately couldn't bear the condemnation of my conscience.

The boy was a little stunned, not expecting my third question to be about himself.

Boy: I have a place to go.

You: Is it the bridge we saw earlier?

Boy: No.

You: Then where is it?

He looked at me, and I knew his guard was up again, so I raised my hand and swore.

You: I won't tell anyone.

Boy: A warehouse I used to go to often when I was little.

Could it be the place where we first met?!

You: The warehouse on Mingzhou Road?!

The boy suddenly looked up.

Boy: How do you know? Did that person tell you something?!

This was the first time I heard him speak so loudly, attracting the attention of several people around us.

You: No.

Boy: That's right, he wouldn't remember these things.

You: He remembers. I remember too.

You: Because the person locked in the warehouse that year was me.

Boy: Impossible.

He interrupted me flatly. I guessed he wouldn't believe me.

You: I was in fifth grade at the time. I had a conflict with a classmate and took a random bus alone, ending up in a place I didn't know.

You: There was a big warehouse there, surrounded by weeds. I walked in, and not long after, I heard fighting outside.

You: Those people said, "Just throw him here, it doesn't matter if he dies." It was something like that, and then I saw a boy.

You: It was the middle of winter, and he was wearing short sleeves, his arm bleeding. I was so scared that I hid and didn't make a sound.

As I gave more and more detailed details, his expression started to change.

You: Later, I saw him lying on the ground, his face pale. I thought he was dying, so I went over and gave him a handkerchief.

You: He was always cool, even as a kid. He didn't want my handkerchief and said he wouldn't die.

You: I couldn't bear to watch, so I used the handkerchief to bandage his wound. He even scared me, saying there would be big wolf dogs coming.

You: We talked a lot that day. He said he was a monster. He didn't know that my classmates also called me a monster at that time.

You: We were both different from the so-called normal people in this world.

You: It was getting darker and darker, and I was anxious to go home, but the warehouse was locked. In the end, he melted the glass with fire.

You: After we got out, he called out to me and asked me--

Boy: Will you come back again?

The boy said almost immediately, his eyes brighter than ever before.

You: I said yes. But I didn't go back.

You: I'm sorry.

He shook his head vigorously, almost at the same time as my "I'm sorry," and then looked at me silently for a while, lowering his eyes and briefly smiling.

It was the first time I had seen him smile.

I found that whenever he smiled, the impatient, cool demeanor would disappear from his face, and he would become a fifteen-year-old boy again.

You: Why didn't you ask me why I didn't go back?

Boy: Do you want me to ask you that?

You: Otherwise? Don't you want to know why?

Boy: I do.

The boy nodded firmly, then shook his head again, and spoke seriously.

Boy: But it doesn't matter.

You: Huh?

Boy: And, it's good that you didn't go back.

You: Why?

Boy: I fought there later. If you were there, it would be dangerous.

I was caught off guard by the sincerity in his eyes and lowered my head, realizing my heart was beating a little fast.

Boy: Did I say something wrong?

You: No... The noodles are getting cold, let's eat.

Perhaps because we were more familiar with each other, he no longer followed the three-question rule. He would answer any question I asked seriously.

I learned that he hadn't seen Osborn since that day, and that he had been running errands for others to earn money, sleeping in the warehouse at night and staying under the bridge during the day.

He seemed to have taken on a lot of work, as phone calls kept coming in for him while we were eating.

I tentatively asked him if these things were legal. He looked away and didn't answer.

Thinking of the crazy him from that day, I felt a vague unease.

I wanted to tell him not to do those things, that in the end, he would only hurt himself. But I had no right to say so. To him, I was just a stranger he had met once.

As we were leaving the noodle shop, he suddenly stopped and looked back at the troublemaking child.

The owner apologized for the incident and gave us two coupons, which I handed to him. But he didn't take them. Instead, he asked the owner for the two receipts from our order.

He carefully folded them and put them in his pocket, along with the band-aid, with a cherished gesture.

Clink-- As he withdrew his hand, he accidentally knocked something out, which rolled to my feet. Looking down, I saw a small, square, gray object with dark red stains on it.

However, before I could see it clearly, he quickly picked it up and put it back in his pocket, looking a little nervous.

I didn't ask further, as it was his secret after all.

But I couldn't ignore the large dried stains on his clothes and pockets, and once again felt sympathy.

You: Wait for me.

I ran back to the shop and picked out some clothes and pants according to his size, then quickly returned, afraid he would disappear again if I wasn't careful.

You: These are for you.

Boy: I don't have money to give you.

He repeated the same sentence, stubbornly refusing to accept them, but this time the regret on his face was clear.

You: Then you owe me. You don't need to write an IOU. If I need you to do something, I'll come to the bridge to find you.

While he was stunned, I stuffed the paper bag into his arms and took his phone to enter my number.

It was a flip phone model from more than ten years ago, probably only able to send text messages and make calls now. The blue screen flickered unsteadily, and the case was dirty. I don't know where he got it from.

You: I won't break my promise this time.

The boy stared at me in a daze for a long time before nodding heavily.

I said goodbye to him at the intersection, but just as I crossed the crosswalk, I suddenly heard someone calling me from behind.

I turned around, and the green light turned on, trucks rumbling past us, drowning out all the surrounding sounds.

This green light was exceptionally long. After what seemed like forever, all the vehicles had passed, and the boy's face appeared before me.

You: Is there anything else?

Boy: These are too expensive.

Boy: So I'll protect you instead.

You: ....What?

I was momentarily stunned. The streetlights lit up one by one, and the boy's expression was exceptionally serious.

Boy: I don't have anything else to offer, only this.

Boy: But I'm not weaker than that person at all. What he can do, I can do too.

Boy: Actually, that day was my-- forget it.

Boy: Stay away from him.

After saying that, before I could react, he hurriedly ran away.

What does he mean by staying away from him? Is he referring to Osborn? What was "that day"? I wanted to grab the corner of his clothes and ask again, but my hand grasped at empty air.

You: Hey, can you please not do those dangerous things?

I shouted loudly at his back, but this time he didn't stop and disappeared into the rolling crowd in the distance.

In a place people could no longer see, the boy stopped and gasped for air.

The warm wind blew his hair, revealing a pair of dull eyes. He raised his hand, but before his fingers touched the bridge of his nose, the red marks disappeared.

His palms were sweaty from the prolonged tension. He wiped them hard on his clothes, took out his phone, and unlocked the screen. There was only one contact in his address book.

He had only wanted to use her to get his body back.

He stared at the only name for a long time, until the phone started to vibrate.

It was the construction site man who had paid for the hemp rope and begged him to kill his boss a while ago. Hadn't they already settled their debts? The boy frowned.

Construction Site Man: Young man, didn't you say last time that someone who looked a lot like you was looking for you?

Construction Site Man: I just saw them, a group of them, on Heng'an Street.

That was where he had just eaten! The boy clenched his fists.

Boy: I got it.

His tone was vicious, the impulse made him want to rush over and take back the body that was supposed to be his. However, he did not forget the humiliation last time.

Boy: There is a noodle shop on Heng'an Street, go find a child for me and bring him here.

He was about to turn around when he suddenly remembered something, took out the gray human bone from his pocket, sneered, and threw it into the trash can on the side of the road.

Lowering his face, his bangs covered his eyes again, he hugged the paper bag in his arms and ran in the opposite direction.

Chapter 16-09

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