Xiaoyun's journey began in an orphanage near Guangzhou. His parents left behind only a star-shaped necklace bearing his name.
His childhood wasn't uneventful or anything, but he was always quiet and sat in the back.
Everything was going smoothly until he began his first year of middle school.
The orphanage suddenly shuts its doors, and Xiaoyun is only told that it is facing financial woes.
Xiaoyun was now homeless, with nowhere to turn to as he walked back to school with all his belongings inside his backpack.
Soon, the sky was getting dark as the sun settled on the horizon.
Uncle Li, the school security guard, noticed Xiaoyun sitting still for several hours despite school having been over for five hours now.
Concerned, he approached Xiaoyun and asked, "Why are you sitting here? Why are you not going home?"
"I don't have anywhere to go," Xiaoyun replied softly, looking up into the sky.
Seeing Xiaoyun looking up in the sky, Uncle Li also looked up to see what Xiaoyun was looking at.
It was a bright, full moon. A symbol that represented families being together.
Suddenly, Uncle Li's heart dropped as he recalled his life and family.
"If you don't have a place to stay, you can stay at my place for the night."
---
The invitation soon became permanent after Xiaoyun was seen sitting in front of the school the next day and the day after.
When Uncle Li asked the same question, Xiaoyun always responded the same way. After a while, Uncle Li finally learned that Xiaoyun was an orphan.
He decided to take him in as his own.
As they spent more time together, Xiaoyun slowly shifted from being a quiet kid to being more open as Uncle Li pushed him to accept as many challenges as possible.
His strictness and caring presence were a novelty that Xiaoyun had never experienced before.
It was his first time having someone who cared about him.
During summer break, Uncle Li brought Xiaoyun back to his village, where the two spent endless time hitchhiking and experiencing the rural lifestyle.
Soon, Xiaoyun began calling Uncle Li Grandpa since everyone in the village treats him as his grandson.
It was the best time Xiaoyun had ever had, but all good things must end as high school started.
---
Xiaoyun was now in high school, living in the dorm and working part-time in a restaurant.
Although Uncle Li could no longer see Xiaoyun daily, he still called Xiaoyun to check up on him and even financially supported him despite having no obligation to help.
Soon, Xiaoyun finally graduated from high school, and the result of his Examination for Admissions returned.
To everyone's surprise, Xiaoyun qualified for the prestigious university nearby.
Xiaoyun was ecstatic when he saw the result and threw a celebrated party the same night with his friends.
Everything was going perfectly for him, but it took an unexpected turn.
As he returned to the dorm from the party and was just about to call Uncle Li about the news, he suddenly got a phone call.
It was a call from his junior high school teacher, who delivered the news of his critically ill Uncle Li.
---
Uncle Li was lying on the hospital bed, his gray hair and wrinkles defining his face.
His once firm demeanor now cast a shadow of its former self.
"You're finally here." Uncle Li put on a kind smile on his wrinkled face.
"Grandpa, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Xiaoyun ran to Uncle Li's bed as tears fell out of his eyes.
Uncle Li didn't answer Xiaoyun's question but posed one of his own.
"Do you remember what I taught you about being a man?"
"To be a man, you must be upright, honest, and not cry easily," Xiaoyun replied, his tears subsiding as he tried his best to hold them in.
"Good. That's my, ahem, my good grandson." Uncle Li patted Xiaoyun's head as he coughed intermittently.
"Grandpa, wait for me. I'll call the doctor." Xiaoyun tried to get up, but Uncle Li held him back.
"I know my time is short. The doctor had already come earlier and told me it was terminal... I just wanted to see your face one last time." Uncle Li gently touched Xiaoyun's face.
"Remember, you can ask Teacher Liu to help if you face difficulties. Now go to Teacher Liu's house, okay?" Uncle Li let go and waved Xiaoyun away.
As Xiaoyun walked out of the room, Uncle Li sighed.
"So this is how it feels to have someone care about me. What a strange feeling..."
---
Xiaoyun walked briskly through the quiet streets, his mind filled with sadness and determination.
The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the pavement as he walked toward Teacher Liu's house.
The sky was cloudy as if it was about to rain, almost as if the sky wanted to cry alongside him.
When Xiaoyun arrived at Teacher Liu's house, he gently knocked on the door and patiently waited.
The door swung open, revealing a little girl in a long pink shirt with reddish hair and blue eyes, giving her an appearance that hinted at a foreign origin.
"Is Teacher Liu home?" Xiaoyun inquired.
"Dad! Someone is looking for you!" The little girl promptly closed the door and darted back inside.
After a brief wait, a middle-aged man opened the door and stepped out. He held a cooking spatula in one hand and regarded Xiaoyun with a curious expression.
"Ah, Xiaoyun, you're finally here. Come in and sit down."
"Thank you, teacher Liu." Xiaoyun entered and looked at Teacher Liu's living room.
Maps in various languages were hanging on the walls, and a wedding photo featuring Teacher Liu and a red-haired woman caught Xiaoyun's attention.
"You must have come from Old Li, right? And did he tell you everything?" Teacher Liu inquired.
"Yes, Grandpa told me to come over here," Xiaoyun replied with still a sad tone in his voice.
"Really? Did he mention the time him being a playboy in the village and his wife's difficult childbirth that led to both of them passing away when he was young?"
Xiaoyun looked at Teacher Liu in bewilderment as Teacher Liu retrieved a box from the cabinet.
"You've finally changed your expression. You should have checked the mirror earlier. You looked so angry that you scared my daughter away...
Don't bring your anger toward those who haven't done anything to you. Did he tell you that men can't cry?"
Xiaoyun nodded as he remembered what Uncle Li said in the past.
"Ha! That's the dumbest take from him, as usual. You wouldn't believe how much he cried on the battlefield."
Xiaoyun was slightly offended by Teacher Liu's remark, but it was quickly dropped after hearing the next part.
"Anyway, if you are sad, just cry it out. I did the same thing when all my friends died on the battlefield. There's nothing to be ashamed of. Being able to move past it is what makes you strong."
After consoling Xiaoyun, Teacher Liu opened the box, unveiling a bank card and a piece of paper.
"Take this card. It's the deposit your grandpa left. It has fifty thousand in it, and the password is his birthday. He wants you not to worry about money when going to college.
Also, spend the money carefully, and call me if you need more. This is the real estate certificate for your grandpa's house."
As Teacher Liu tries to hand the box over, Xiaoyun pushes it back into Teacher Liu's hand.
"You should keep it, Teacher Liu. I trust you, and I'm afraid I might lose it in college." Xiaoyun accepted the card but rejected holding onto the paper.
Teacher Liu wanted to object, but observing Xiaoyun's serious expression, he relented.
"Okay, then. Besides that, why don't you stay and have a meal? I just cooked lunch..."
Suddenly, Teacher Liu froze for a second.
"Shit! I forgot to turn off the stove!" Teacher Liu rushed back to the kitchen.
"I'm good. I'm going home first!" Xiaoyun yelled as he walked out of Teacher Liu's house.
---
It had been two years since Grandpa passed away, and he was now in his sophomore year at the prestigious university.
Every day, it seemed to follow a monotonous routine - attending classes, working part-time, completing homework, and then going to sleep.
However, this all changed when, one day, his roommate Mingxu, who had just passed his driving test, invited him to a BBQ celebration.
"Hey Xiaoyun, lighten up! Why the long face?" Mingxu asked, slapping Xiaoyun on the back.
"I'm fine, Brother Ming. Just a bit tired." Xiaoyun yawned as he stretched his arm.
Mingxu eyed him curiously. "I don't get you Xiaoyun. While everyone is partying and enjoying life, you work part-time every day after class.
I mean, I get it if you need money. But then you loaned so much money to help Pinli's father see a doctor. You clearly don't need the money that badly, so what's the point?"
Xiaoyun remained silent, unsure of how to respond. He found himself questioning the purpose behind his relentless work.
"I don't know..." Xiaoyun responded as his face looked a little lost.
"You know what you reminded me of? Those ascetic monks that don't enjoy life at all." Mingxu said with a shrug as Xiaoyun remained silent.
A few minutes later...
"Here, Brother Ming." The other two roommates waved toward the two.
"Hey! You guys started eating without waiting for me!"
Mingxu and Xiaoyun rushed to the table and ate with the other two.
"Was Pinli's father's operation successful?" Xiaoyun asked, glancing at the roommate on his left as he swallowed a mouthful of mutton.
"Yeah, it was a success," Pinli replied, finishing the mutton on a stick. "He said he wants to meet you to express his gratitude. And after two weeks, once his business turnaround is complete, the first thing he'll do is transfer the money back."
"No need to rush it. Your father's health is the top priority... Besides, I'm not in a hurry to use the money."
As Xiaoyun responded, he reached for more, only to find the plate had already been wiped clean.
"Brothers need to settle accounts. Pinli's father is right. The sooner he returns the money, the better.
Xiaoyun, you truly have such a big heart. You just lent him so much money," Chengyi, sitting silently on the right, finally spoke up.
"Okay, okay, let's stop talking about these things. My girlfriend is coming later, so don't talk nonsense, okay?" Mingxu reminded the three.
"Pinli, don't hunch your back, and Chengyi, don't look so scary—people might think you're in a gang. Look at Xiaoyun. He's always so serious..."
As Mingxu glanced over the three, he noticed Xiaoyun wasn't as serious as usual. Instead, it was Xiaoyun who was trying to hold in a laugh.
After Mingxu finished speaking, someone suddenly patted his shoulder.
Turning around, Mingxu saw two girls standing behind him.
The girl in front was an absolute unit, boasting more muscle than Mingxu. However, her face presented a gentle expression in stark contrast.
Meanwhile, the other girl, delicately pulling the sleeves of the muscular one, radiated a different charm.
Her physique was still impressive, characterized by well-proportioned curves showcasing a fitness dedication. But it wasn't as extreme as the one in the front.
"Geez, you scared me..." Mingxu stood up from his seat.
"Uh-huh, how did I scare you if you've got nothing to hide?" The girl in the front teased, her eyes narrowing as she questioned Mingxu.
"Ha ha, I've got nothing to hide. Anyway, this is my girlfriend, Xue Ningjing. You all can call her Jingjing.
We've known each other since we were young." Mingxu explained as he awkwardly smiled.
"Brother Ming, who's more impressive, you or sister-in-law?" Chengyi discreetly compared Jingjing's and Mingxu's muscles in his mind.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Pinli knocked on Chengyi's head.
"I'm just asking," Chengyi replied innocently.
"Okay, no more joking around," Mingxu declared as he introduced his roommates individually.
As they shared embarrassing moments, everyone gradually became more familiar with each other.
Hours flew by as they chatted casually, and Mingxu took care of the bill before rejoining the group.
As he returned to the table, he couldn't help but notice the quiet girl, Yueyue, who rarely spoke.
Ningjing caught Mingxu's glance, prompting her to introduce Yueyue to the group.
"Oh, forgot to introduce you guys. This is Xiaoyue, but everyone calls her Yueyue... And don't get fooled by her petite size. She's almost just as strong as me." Ningjing gave Yueyue a friendly nudge forward.
"Hey, Xiaoyun and Xiaoyue are pretty similar, aren't they?" Pinli suddenly mentioned it as he glanced over the two sitting beside each other.
All eyes turned to Xiaoyun and Yueyue.
"Both have round faces, a small dark spot on their necks, and even in height too..." Ningjing commented on their resemblance.
"The more you look at this, the more you two resemble a husband and wife. It's a clear sign that they must be destined to be together——ouch! Why are you hitting me?"
Chengyi's attempt at wingman was cut short by a knock on the head from Xiaoyun.
"Chengyi always speaks nonsense. Sorry about that," Xiaoyun apologized as he noticed Yueyue's face blushed red.
"I-It's okay." Yueyue awkwardly looked down at the table as she fell back into silence.
The atmosphere grew tense as the table fell into silence as well.
"Well, it looks like the celebration is over. I won't go back to the dormitory tonight."
Mingxu got up along with Ningjing, and the two held hands as they left the restaurant.
"Oh snap, it's night o'clock. I have a tournament to play in later. See you,"
Chengyi quickly excused himself and ran out, then Pinli followed suit with the same excuse.
Only Xiaoyun and Yueyue remained at the table as the two awkwardly sat in their seats.
"Um, I'm going back to the dormitory. It was nice meeting you, Yueyue."
---
As Xiaoyun strolled down the street, a growing crescendo of footsteps caught his attention.
Turning around, he discovered that Yueyue was trailing behind him. But he didn't think much of it as he thought she was just heading in the same direction.
Approaching the dormitory entrance, Xiaoyun glanced back and noticed Yueyue was standing right behind him.
"Um, aren't you headed home? This is the men's dormitory." Xiaoyun pointed out.
"The road is too dark, and I-I'm a little scared."
Seeing Yueyue look a little nervous and stuttering, Xiaoyun decided to help.
"Where do you live?" Xiaoyun asked.
"My home is in Luoping District, about a 20-minute walk from here."
Xiaoyun thought briefly, then concluded that he could walk Yueyue home and return to the dorm before the gate became locked.
"How about I walk you home?" Xiaoyun suggested.
Yueyue bowed down slightly, expressing her gratitude.
---
The road was dark, the wind was calm, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds.
Fortunately, the street lights illuminated their path as they continued walking toward the Luoping district.
However, as they approached closer, the once brightly lit road became shaded by overhanging trees, casting a dim atmosphere.
The silent city behind them felt like a city in a horror game.
When they finally arrived at the Luoping community gate, Xiaoyun was taken aback by the luxury surrounding him.
"Wow, that house is luxurious. Yueyue, do you live in such a rich place?" Xiaoyun commented as he pointed towards several mansions in various styles.
Yueyue remained silent, but she nodded in response.
After walking for a few more minutes, they reached a small hillside where Yueyue stopped.
The house before them was noticeably ordinary compared to the nearby mansions.
It lacked the imposing fences at the front like the other estates. From the front, it looked more like a single-family house and gave a more homely feeling than the other mansions.
Still, it was a departure from the typical condos and apartments that most people lived in in the city.
"It's here," Xiaoyue announced.
"Well, then I'll leave——"
Just as Xiaoyun was about to bid farewell, the door swung open abruptly.
A woman slightly taller than Xiaoyun stood before the two as she elegantly held a wine glass.
Despite her innocent smile mirroring Yueyue's, the woman's transparent pajamas revealed a voluptuous and alluring figure.
"Yueyue, you came home late today," the woman remarked, welcoming Yueyue warmly.
"Mom, didn't I call to tell you that I went to the gym with Jingjing to exercise and come back later? And don't call me Yueyue; I'm not a child anymore,"
Yueyue tries to push the woman away, which makes the woman hold onto her even closer.
"Oh, don't be so fussy... I guess my baby is all grown up."
Yueyue's mother finally releases Yueyue from her arm as she looks at Xiaoyun.
"Ah, it's Yueyue's turn to fall in love. She even brought her boyfriend home. Come on in. " Yueyue's mother chirped, taking Xiaoyun's hand and guiding him into the house.
"Um, Miss, I'm just a——" Xiaoyun faltered as he didn't know if Yueyue considered him a friend or a fellow schoolmate.
"Mom, you're talking nonsense again. This is Xiaoyun, Mingxu's roommate. You know Jingjing's boyfriend, Mingxu, right?" Yueyue's voice suddenly got a little angry.
"Of course, I know that."
As Yueyue's mother replied, she took a sip from the wine bottle and sat on the sofa.
"Xiaoyun, please take a seat. I'll get some water." Yueyue swiftly snatched the wine bottle and glass from her mom's hands before leaving.
"Not my wine, please! How can I live now? Yuqi doesn't like me anymore, Nami doesn't like me anymore, and now even my precious baby doesn't love her mother anymore."
Yueyue's mother complained out loud as she lay flat on the sofa.
"I won't give it to you even if you say that!" Yueyue yelled out from the kitchen.
Lying on the sofa, Yueyue's mother turned to the right, unconsciously revealing a slither of her breast on the side.
Xiaoyun couldn't help but glance a few times as his eyes moved on its own.
"It's so big... Is this Yueyue's mother? Her personality is like the opposite of Yueyue." Xiaoyun thought to himself in his head.
Xiaoyun quickly forced himself to look up at the ceiling, attempting not to appear rude. But Yueyue's mother suddenly moved closer.
"Hey, Xiaoyun, do you like to drink?" Yueyue's mother asked in a seductive voice.
"Auntie, I have never drunk alcohol..." Xiaoyun nervously answered as he could feel Yueyue's mother's breathing beside him.
"Don't call me auntie. I'm still young. You can call me Leyan."
Leyan finally moved away from Xiaoyun, got off the sofa, and started walking toward the TV cabinet.
"You can never truly be an adult if you've never had a drink, you know. I'll fetch you a bottle just for you to bring home."
Leyan's steps wavered as she could barely walk in a straight line.
Just as Xiaoyun was about to say no, she finally got to the cabinet and bent down a little to reach inside.
Xiaoyun's eyes immediately noticed Leyan's leggings were almost transparent on the bottom to the point where he could even see the pinkish entrance underneath it.
"Miss Leyan is drunk. It's inappropriate for me to stare at her like this."
As Xiaoyun struggled to shift his gaze to another direction, Yueyue finally returned with two glasses of water in her hands.
Noticing Xiaoyun staring at the blank TV screen, Yueyue got a little confused and looked in the direction where Xiaoyun was looking.
Immediately, Yueyue rushed over to Leyan and took off her jacket.
"Mom! You're showing everything!" Yueyue angrily yelled.
"So? Who would like this old woman that no one wants?" Leyan retorted back as she stood up with a wine bottle in hand.
Xiaoyun suddenly realized Leyan knew he was looking the whole time and looked down at the floor in embarrassment.
"Mom! You are too drunk! How did you even find where I hide the wines?" Yueyue asked as she grabbed the bottle away from Leyan's hand.
"Yueyue, are you jealous?" Leyan playfully patted Yueyue's head as she avoided Yueyue's question.
"Mom! You're talking nonsense again. I told you not to drink, and you still drink! And Xiaoyun is just my classmate! I don't have a boyfriend, okay!"
Yueyue pushed Leyan's hand away from her head and raised her voice much higher as if she was fed up with Leyan's comment.
"Ha ha, Yueyue is jealous. She is such a shy little girl." Leyan teased Yueyue again.
"Shut up!" Yueyue finally yelled directly into Leyan's face in anger.
Seeing Yueyue getting seriously mad, Leyan finally stopped teasing her.
"Okay, okay. Now that you're home, I'm going to sleep."
As Leyan headed to the stairway and went upstairs, Yueyue and Xiaoyun awkwardly sat on the sofa.
After an entire minute of awkward atmosphere in the living room, Yueyue finally broke the silence.
"Sorry about that. I didn't know my mom would be drunk today." Yueyue apologized.
"No, don't worry about it... Well, I got to go back to the dorm now. It's a pleasure meeting you today."
Xiaoyun finally gathered the courage to get up from the sofa and walked toward the door.
"It's almost nine o'clock. Do you still have enough time?" Yueyue asked as she took a glance at the clock.
"Shit! I'll just go to the hotel and spend the night. Don't worry about it."
Just before Xiaoyun opened the door, Yueyue suddenly spoke up again.
"Why don't you stay here for the night? We have a vacant room in the house."
Within seconds, Yueyue immediately regretted offering the place. Her mind realized she had just invited a stranger to stay at her home. But it was too late for her to take it back, as she had already said it out loud.
Xiaoyun was surprised by the offer but shook his head as he held the doorknob in hand.
"I shouldn't stay here. We just met each other today——"
Seeing Xiaoyun rejecting it, Yunyun suddenly felt the urge to ask him to stay again.
"No, if it weren't for me, you would have been in the dormitory already. Please let me make it right."
Yueyue couldn't believe the word coming out of her mouth as she doubled down on her suggestion, but she felt relieved after saying it aloud.
After contemplating for a moment, Xiaoyun finally turned around and accepted Yueyue's offer.
---
After walking up the stairs and passing through five different rooms, they entered the one with the room with an "office room" sign hanging on the door.
"This is my dad's home office. It hasn't been used since he had a car accident. The bed is just around this bookcase, and the toilet is in the first room you walked through..."
After introducing the office room, the two walk back to the doorway.
"If you have any questions, you can come to my room. I-I'm in the third room——" Yueyue rushed out of the room before she could finish her sentence.
After seeing Yueyue rushed out of the room, Xiaoyun moved over to the bed and tried to fall asleep, but the bed was too soft.
Unable to fall asleep, Xiaoyun got up and got a little curious about the office room he was staying in.
Various cool decorations caught his eye, especially several landscape paintings on the wall. It was almost as if the person who picked the decoration had the same taste as him.
And over at the office desk were two photos on either side of the corner.
On the left was a family photo, presumably Yueyue's family, as Xiaoyun recognized Leyan and Yueyue in the photo.
To the left of Yueyue, a much taller girl held her hand, and to the right, a boy who looked extremely similar to Yueyue.
"That must be Yueyue's older sister, whom Miss Leyan mentioned earlier. And that must be her brother." Xiaoyun thought to himself.
Behind the children stood Leyan, holding a little girl in her arms, along with what Xiaoyun assumed to be her husband on the right.
"The girl in Leyan's arms should be Yueyue's younger sister," Xiaoyun noted in his head as he now looked over to the photo on the right.
It was a wedding scene, with the same man in the family photo earlier in a suit, holding Leyan's hand as she wore a beautiful wedding dress.
"They look like they really love each other..." Xiaoyun suddenly felt a little guilty as he recalled his actions earlier.
After finishing looking through the photos, Xiaoyun walked over to the bookshelf next to the table.
Several rows of academic books were on the shelf, and a random Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel was barely visible in between all the academic books.
With nothing to do, Xiaoyun decided to pick up the book to read it.
Opening the book, he noticed it wasn't an ordinary Three Kingdom book.
Instead, it was a diary disguised as a Three Kingdom book, with the label "Chen Songming" on the front.
"I shouldn't read other people's diaries. It's an invasion of privacy..."
Despite murmuring that, his curiosity got the better of him as his hand opened the diary instinctively.
The first few pages were just a detailed company economic report, depicting fluctuating profits over the years until a sudden surge.
Just as Xiaoyun was about to get bored and put the book back down, the diary's final pages held a completely different content.
It was an apology.
"I'm sorry for my wife and daughters. I'm sorry to myself. But the time is up, and I have to go back. Password: 9651422XX."
"Huh, strange. Why does this number seem so familiar? Wait, isn't this my password with two numbers missing?"
Xiaoyun put the book back on the bookshelf after he finished reading it before heading back to bed.
"It's probably just a coincidence... When did I become so nosy?"