It didn't take long before little Ling Si was set free--
A week, perhaps? Or was it two weeks?
Xiu Lin completely forgot about him as he enjoyed the silence in his mind for days until the crying started again. [Wuwuwuwuwuw! Host, when are you going to get me?! I don't want to be stuck with this person anymore!]
That's when Xiu Lin realized that his unreliable system was still in the body called Ling Si. So He decided to talk to Mo Xunian about it.
The big lemonade stand was rebuilt in a few seconds and began to sell, and Xiu Lin was spanked to tears. But Xiu Lin didn't back down and decided to use his forgotten golden finger: The loveliness.
Xiu Lin cried pitifully and beautifully.
So pitiful that Mo Xunian both felt distressed and half of him felt tempted to press him down and bully him more. However, he still chose the former as his heart became softer and softer. He let it go and released the mutt called Ling Si. Xiu Lin was overjoyed.
As the two were reunited once again, the pitiful system cried seeing the child he hadn't seen for a while. Xiu Lin ran closer and closer while behind him followed the man reeking of vinegar perfume. 1204 was filled with joy. It seems like his host is happy to see him--
"So, where was the restaurant you were talking about? Come on, open the map!" This was the first ever sentence that Ling Si heard.
His positive image towards his heartless host immediately shattered, thrashed on the ground, and stepped on to no return. His trust issue reached the peak and promised himself never to trust the host's innocent face ever again.
"Come on, Si ge my good brother." Xiu Lin still urged the traumatized system.
1204 breathed in and glared at the heartless host.
"Due to the mental stress and trauma that I experienced during my stay in that person's place, the data had been corrupted." He responded flatly. "If the boss took me sooner, I would have been saved."
"Hey, I didn't treat you badly!" Hawk defended. In fact, that brat was treated like a master at his own house, given the finest food, his finest bed, his TV, his finest couch, and all you can think of.
Xiu Lin also didn't believe this and also deadpanned at him. "Seeing as you've gotten fat, I don't think you suffered either."
1204 still didn't back down. The system of millennium years older didn't like what happened to him one bit. Even his host didn't sympathize! "You're too much! I shared my food with you but you didn't even care if I was eating well!" The baby Ling Si complained full of fat tears.
Xiu Lin was taken aback.
The system was shedding big fat tears.
"Hey... calm down for a bit." Xiu Lin raised his arms as if surrendering. Mo Xunian stood beside him now, staring at the small boy who couldn't hold his own tears.
Now, after observing the small interaction between these two, he felt sudden relief thinking that this kid doesn't seem to be romantically involved with his lover. The three people in the scene stared at the system who still cried.
"Wuwuwuwu. You're so cruel. Why am I even with you." 1204 complained, holding grievances like the world has done him wrong.
Xiu Lin knew that the system was a crybaby. But never realized that it was to this extent in reality. He sighed, pats the sensitive system, and coaxed. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry my good brother. I never thought that bastard who took you would make you suffer like this."
Hawk, the bastard kidnapper who treated his victim like a king: "..."
Xiu Lin's change of face was truly unbelievable.
"Now, now. Who's my most reliable person?" Xiu Lin spoke as if coaxing a child. 1204 sniffed and still kept pretending to have a heart of stone. His host is so good! The best way to coax a system is to give them a satisfactory performance and do the task well! Also, respect their rights as systems!
"Come on Ling Si, I'll buy you a lifetime's worth of sunflower seeds."
"And popcorn." 1204 added, glancing at the host and then looking away.
"Deal."
Xiu Lin let out a sigh of relief after coaxing the crybaby system as if he had won a very complicated game in the amusement park somewhere. Seeing that Ling Si had calmed down, Xiu Lin was about to enquire about the food again but was stopped by the person behind him, abruptly being pulled away without any questions.
Xiu Lin didn't refute this time but was still confused. "What's wrong with you?" he decided to ask.
"Do you know what day it is?" Mo Xunian asked back.
"Well, today's about the time you take me for breakfast." Xiu Lin replied with all confidence bursting out of his hungry self.
But the look on the older became a bit ugly. His mood soured but didn't say anything. The two made their way to a nearby restaurant and as soon as Xiu Lin grabbed the menu, he began to read out the dishes he liked without missing a breath to the waiter who came to them. After him, Mo Xunian ordered less, watching Xiu Lin's bored look while the waiter left to fulfill their orders.
"You sure, you don't know?" he asked again.
Xiu Lin looked back at him and hummed. '1204, what day is it anyway?'
[Well, it's Tuesday. 12th of September.] 1204 replied.
12th of September? 'So, is it his birthday or something?'
[No, host.]
'Then what is it?'
[It's... the day your father died.]
'Excuse me, what?'
1204 didn't seem to be joking as he said this. He began to explain. [In the original timeline, it took a few months before the underground was able to overthrow Big boss Xiu and exactly on this day, the big boss died and was dumped.]
'Oh...' Xiu Lin hummed. 'So, what does it have to do with Xunian? It's not like my father is dead, right?'
[Yes, boss Xiu is still healthy.]
The process of their breakfast was quiet. Xiu Lin really had no idea and was bored to think for himself so he let the system go and gather information. After an hour, the two left the restaurant and went to the cafe they frequented to eat desserts only then did the system come back with a happy tone.
[Guess what, host!] the enthusiastic 1204 spoke.
'Guess what, what?' Xiu Lin responded.
[The day today.]
'Don't know. What day is it?'
[Think back host. Tinker through the original's memories and you'll know.] 1204 logged off and Xiu Lin was left to wonder what is going on.
He decided to give up and went through the memories. Going back then back trying to sift through any important thing. September 12, huh... September...
Xiu Lin paused. Last year, Mo Xunian and he had established their relationship. On the exact 12 of September. The happiest time of Xiu Lin's life before it ended three months later.
"Oh..." Xiu Lin looked at his lover and smiled. A chuckle escaped out of his thin moist lips. "I see."
Mo Xunian, who was watching Xiu Lin's reaction was expectant. It's been a year, although the first quarter was him deceiving Xiu Lin's feelings, but now that their relationship bloomed, of course this anniversary is important.
Xiu Lin placed a palm on his chin with a fox-like smile. "So, what did my sweet darling prepare for me?" he asked.
Watching hid deliberate provocation, Mo Xunian swallowed hard. Grabbed his teacup and took a sip. Of course, aside from a dinner date and a gift, he prepared for the long-awaited night to make sure his baby was comfortable with the exercise. "What do you want to do today?" he decided to ask back.
"Well, sleep for the most part. And eat for the most part." Xiu Lin replied simply.
Mo Xunian has a lot of opinions, of course. So he suggested a simple date which they haven't done in a long time. Xiu Lin didn't refute and followed along. The two first went to the cinema to spend two hours sitting on a chair staring at the screen blankly. Mo Xunian had nothing to do and simply sneaked a hand to intertwine with Xiu Lin's soft cold paws. Satisfied, he decided to just stare at his lover until the movie ended.
The movie was a good show tho...
The two strolled. Hand in hand to smack people's mouth who passed by them with an armful of dog food. Two unparalleled bigshots of different businesses are actually holding each other's hand harmoniously.
Xiu Lin, the rising name in the flag of the mafia who no one in the underground could match looked very obedient beside the man holding his hands and leading him randomly. The image of his fierce and merciless fight during his career in the business suddenly deflated. As of mistaking a kitten for a big lion.
Mo Xunian, the big boss behind the development of JiXian company. His business prowess was a powerhouse in the country and also built an intelligence that was after the mafia who was obstructing his business at that time. But looking how he dotingly watch his lover with soft eyes, his powerful aura dissipated like smoke.
It seems that these two, both by face value and affection was quite compatible.