"Sir! Sir! Are you all right?" A girl yelled as she shook an unconscious person, hoping he would awaken.
In response to the violent shaking, the unconscious man slowly opened his eyes. There was a cute, little girl sitting in front of him, sobbing uncontrollably. "Young lady?"
"Ah Sir! You've finally woken up! I was terrified to see someone unconscious here in front of the woods. I thought that something happened to you. Anyway Sir, it's getting late. Do you have somewhere to go?" The sweet girl inquired as she smiled at the half-conscious man. But before the man could reply, a throbbing pain struck the man's head, as a memory flashed through his mind.
["Xiao Quan! You're already 22. Are you ever going to get married?" Yelled a woman, in her mid-50s, at her son.
"Nope. Not happening, mom. I have my business to run. There's no way I'm marrying someone. I'm not ready to take responsibility or make time for someone else when I can't make time for myself." Xiao Quan replied as he finished his dinner, gulping down the last piece of carrot on his plate.
"You!" exclaimed the woman, furious at her son's disregard for his own life. But before she could continue, Marie Edwin's song cut her off.
"It's only worthwhile if you make yourself befitting of what you own."
"What a song for a ring tone!" Ignoring his mother's comment. Xiao sipped on his glass of water as he glanced at his phone.
The name 'Christian' flashed across the phone. He set his glass down gently. As he thanked God for the delicious food, he picked up his phone.
"Christian, what's the matter?" Xiao inquired, his voice calm and collected.
"Sir! The factory!" On the other end of the phone, a panicked voice answered.
As if Xiao knew what the next words were gonna be. He jumped up from his seat, grabbed his coat, and dashed outside. He heard his mother calling him as he walked out, but he couldn't bother himself to turn around and look at the figure of his mother.
"Christian, take a deep breath. I'll be there." He said as he hung up the phone, and threw it at the passenger's seat He sat down in his car and drove at full throttle.
"Life is a fickle mistress," as the saying goes. As if to emphasise the point, Xiao's car crashed. Pain coursed through his veins, regret overtook his mind as he wished he had turned around to see the loving figure of his mother, whom he might never see again, and finally exhaustion from every single responsibility he had to bear as a child with no father figure in his life was felt by his entire being as he was engulfed by darkness.]
"Sir? Why are there tears in your eyes? Do you have a place to stay?" As she wiped Xiao's tears away with her long sleeve, the girl inquired.
"No, young lady. I suppose I don't. Could you tell me where are we at the moment?" He inquired, gradually regaining his composure.
*This under no circumstances looks like a hospital. Neither does it look like the place where the accident occurred. So where am I?* He thought as he looked around, desperately trying to figure out if he was in a neighborhood area or somewhere near home.
"You have no clue? This is the Great Quinn Empire's periphery." The girl replied as she tilted her head, looking closely at Xiao as her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
*Quinn Empire? Isn't it the 21st century? Then Empires? Or maybe...Have I transmigrated? But no matter how I look my body feels quite familiar to me. Except this throbbing pain.* With that thought in his head, he turned to the little girl.
"I see. Could you please assist me in finding a place to stay for the night?" He asked the little girl politely, even though he anticipated her to reject his idea, but she nodded her head furiously.
"Of course! My grandma always tells me to help lost souls."
"Thank you very much, little girl." Xiao expressed his gratitude to the little girl, who appeared to be no older than 15 or 16.
*Such a personality at such a young age is admirable.* As he stared at the back of the little girl who had already stood up, Xiao thought to himself.
"Sir? Let's get going. The sun is about to go down."
"Ah yes!" Xiao stood up and followed the little girl, dusting his clothes as he went. "Where are we going to?"
"My house! It's a bit shabby but it should be fine for your stay." As she led Xiao to her house, the girl chirped happily. "Won't your parents be upset that you brought a stranger home?"
"I only have my grandmother." She said, her movements had slowed down and her head was hung low. The atmosphere had somehow become stuffy. Xiao felt extremely guilty about asking that question. To change the subject, he decided to introduced himself. "My name is Xiao Quan. What about you?"
"My name is Inos." She said, as she smiled again. Upon seeing her beautiful smile return, Xiao felt a sense of relief wash over him.
"It's a beautiful name." Xiao said making an unintentional remark.
"Hehe. Thanks. My grandma told me that it was the name engraved on the basket in which I was found. So... I guess, you can say it's the only thing my parents left for me? Oh look! Here we are. Granny! Granny! I am back home." She yelled, taking off her sandals as an old woman appeared from behind the wooden door of the cottage.
"Inos! My little one! And who might this be?" The elderly lady coughed as she looked at Xiao, probably wondering who was it, taking advantage of her precious granddaughter.
*I wonder why I am getting the feeling of meeting my girlfriend's family? Shut up, Xiao Ling. That's a freaking kid!*
"This gentleman's name is Xiao Quan, Granny. In the woods, I discovered him unconscious. Can we please let him spend the night here, granny?" Inos begged her grandmother. She couldn't refute much upon seeing her granddaughter plead so much.
"Please come in, young man." As she coughed, the lady said. Her health did not appear to be very good in shape.
Xiao couldn't help but bow in front of them to express his heartfelt gratitude with those two words, feeling utmost grateful for receiving this act of kindness.
"Thank you."