Aquari City - Aurora Country
In the road of a low-income neighborhood, a young man was walking with a calm steady step, wearing a dark sweater, black student pants, short dark blue hair, slim face with sharp features, thin pale lips, a pair of black plastic glasses hiding a pair of blue eyes, overall the young man was very handsome giving a mature feeling with his natural stern face, the gaze of the young man was focused on the road, pondering in deep thought.
''Boss Han offers to work tomorrow night shift with extra pay if I stay long enough for the morning shifter to arrive… but grandpa isn't feeling well enough lately to leave him alone without supervision...''
A helpless sigh escapes from the young man's mouth, raising his head to look at the dark sky, complicated emotions passed on his eyes.
''It's a good chance, but, since I'm working there, my time in home is decreasing, I can't let it take more.''
The young man quickly lets go of his thoughts and continues his way to an old dilapidated house, taking from his pocket the key of the door, the young man enters the house to be received by a loud coughing sound. Startled, the young man throws his backpack at the side and runs to the kitchen, where the sound came.
''Grandpa!''
Entering the kitchen the young man suddenly froze looking ahead.
''Heh, kid, good to know that you care about this old man, now, help me get this to the table''
In the kitchen, a strong-looking old man was signaling with his chin towards a cake, with a smug smile decoring his bald head, the old man approaches the young man, and says while patting his shoulder.
''Happy Birthday, Heng'' Then he went to the table that was in front of the kitchen and sits on a chair. ''Hurry up, you should thank me, that I endure it long enough to leave the cake full''
The young man, Zhou Heng, with a helpless look, takes the cake and carries it to the table, sitting down in another chair, he looks at his grandpa, Zhou Qiang, and couldn't help but say.
''Leave it full? what about the cream at the top? Could it be that you wanted to write on it using your fingers?''
''Yes, how did you know? I wanted to write your name on it, but it seems that calligraphy isn't my thing'' Zhou Qiang says with an innocent face.
Rolling his eyes, Zhou Heng looks at his grandpa's fingers and curses inwardly. Grandpa Zhou may as well be mistaken as an old bear with his size, comparing Zhou Heng that is a thin youth, any person will be far from the idea that the two of them are biologically related.
''All right, is almost midnight, any wish you want to say before eating?'' Grandpa Zhou says while lighting a candle with a small smile.
Zhou Heng looks at his grandpa, even if the old man looks healthy and is smiling without any problems, he knows very well how bad the condition of his body truly is. Since child, Grandpa Zhou taught him, about how having balls down there, didn't make him a man, he needed to be strong and endure the burdens of life, a family may be a place with people you can relax with, but a man should protect it physically and emotionally.
Having a small family of two, grandpa and grandson could only take care of each other back, Zhou Heng learned to help at home since he started walking around. Cleaning rooms, washing clothes, cooking, he tried his best to lessen the burden of the old man in-home, Grandpa Zhou was a military man, with a stubborn temper, he often scolded Zhou Heng for treating him like a handicapped, luckily Zhou Heng learned from him his organized methods and simplicity.
Recalling his childhood, Zhou Heng looks at the slowly burning candle and sighs.
''A chance, to improve our lives...'' Zhou Heng blows gently the candle.
[Host has arrived at the determined age]
[Integrating Villlainous Lives Management System]
[Congratulations to the Host]
''Eh?'' Zhou Heng blinks in confusion, taking off his glasses, his vision blurred, but even with that, a clear line of blue words appears in his sigh. rubbing his eyes, the words are still there.
''Heng?'' Grandpa Zhou calls out.
''Ah, yes?'' Zhou Heng put his glasses on and looks at Grandpa Zhou, but his eyes couldn't help but focus from time to time on the blue floating words.
''I said happy birthday, you're already 16. Could it be that are you feeling tired?'' Grandpa Zhou asks in concern.
''It's okay, I just was a bit emotional.'' Zhou Heng says with a small smile.
Hearing that, Grandpa Zhou's eyes, couldn't help but soften, Zhou Heng as a result of his hard childhood, develop a stern serious attitude, trying hard to mature quickly and help him out. Only on occasions like this, he could see his grandson revealing his emotional side.
''Good, now let's eat'' Grandpa Zhou takes a knife that was on the table and starts cutting the cake in big portions.
Zhou Heng nodded in a daze, and frowns a little while focussing on the blue words, he says inwardly ''Can I focus on this later…?'' The words suddenly disappeared from his sight. A bit startled, he tries to think about the words again, and the words appeared. When a look of realization flashed in his eyes, he puts the 'System Off' and focuses on the portion of cake that his grandpa gave him on a plate.
For the rest of the night, Grandpa and Grandson Zhou enjoyed silently the birthday cake. After eating, cleaning the table, brushing their teeth, and wishing the other a good night, Zhou Heng went to his room and changes his clothes, to throw himself to the bed.
Looking at the ceiling above his bed, and wondering how he is still alive with the bad condition of it, Zhou Heng takes off his glasses puts them on a chair at the side of his bed, and mumbles.
''All right, my chance, let me see what are you about...''
Familiar blue words appear on his sigh and an expectant light flashes on his eyes. Unknown to Zhou Heng, outside, above the sky, a pair of beautiful golden eyes are shining with more expectation than his while looking at the dilapidated house.
''Finally is time...'' A melodic female mumbling sounds and disappears along with the golden eyes in the dark of the night.