Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The guests at the banquet were mostly familiar faces, coming and going to express their congratulations to the Jiang Family Head for having another son, yet none of them spared a glance for the child. When Shui Su arrived, the banquet hall was nearly full, and the most conspicuous figure was still that little boy. He huddled next to his father, a small bundle dressed in red, standing out starkly among the crowd in dark clothing.
The empty seat next to Long Mei was clearly reserved for him, and as he walked over, he was met with a mix of flattering gazes and hostile stares from other children. Used to it by now, he sat beside the boy and noticed his tear-filled, red eyes. The child's nose was also flushed, and he clutched a used tissue tightly in his hand, so hard that his knuckles turned white.
Everyone around them was engaged in polite conversation with their fathers, showering each other with congratulatory remarks, but no one paid any attention to this other main character of the story. Uncle Meng was busy attending to guests and couldn’t give the child any immediate care; even his father didn’t spare him a moment's notice.
By the time they actually began eating, it was almost time for school. Having enjoyed a half-afternoon break, Shui Su sat quietly in his seat watching other children run off. After some thought, he picked up some food and placed it in front of the boy's bowl, urging him to eat.
The child looked up at him; tears brimmed in his eyes again but stubbornly refused to fall. After a while, he finally heard a small "thank you" from beside him. That pair of defiant eyes caused Shui Su to momentarily lose focus; he felt an odd familiarity with those eyes as if he had seen them somewhere before.
From then on, Long Mei attended all events related to the Jiang Family as his brother did. Yet he never heard this child speak about his biological parents or how they treated him; from his daily behavior, it seemed as if he had forgotten them entirely.
When Shui Su had just entered high school and Long Mei was nine years old, during a night out on a mission, the Ghost Messenger inadvertently revealed that Long Mei was his Destined Lover. In that moment of teenage angst, Shui Su nearly exploded with anger and shouted that it was impossible; he would never accept a male as his future partner.
After that incident, he began to deliberately distance himself from Long Mei. The elementary schooler didn’t understand why his brother suddenly ignored him, while the perceptive children around them seized the opportunity to bully him behind his back, openly hurling cruel words at him.
The hurt child returned home without mentioning these incidents, leading everyone to believe he was merely throwing a tantrum and not asking further questions. Eventually, when this bullying escalated into harassment and he found himself cornered at school with nowhere to escape, he sought out his brother for help amidst the crowd. But Shui Su ignored his plea for assistance, laughing and chatting with friends by his bicycle without even glancing in his direction.
Xiao Mei once shared with Shui Su during a drunken conversation how he felt after that incident; he expressed that he thought he should be buried alongside his parents because living was truly painful. Yet life wouldn’t allow him to die and even sent a guardian angel to protect him.
The guardian angel appeared clad in a vest from military training attire, sporting a buzz cut and muscular build as he emerged from the crowd. Without hesitation, he dealt swift slaps to those who bullied others; the sound echoed sharply against their faces. However, when he picked Xiao Mei up, he was gentle and even bought him ice cream, advising him to fight back whenever faced with such situations and not to fear causing trouble.
He also escorted him home through the courtyard and confronted Xiao Mei’s adoptive father in front of numerous subordinates, berating him mercilessly while even those who tried to intervene were scolded without reservation.
That day, when I hurried home, I faced my father's wrath, not because a stranger had barged in to insult us, but because I, as an older brother, had turned a blind eye to the grievances my younger brother faced at school. This was far more detestable than the bullies themselves.
I still remember that day when I saw Xiao Mei; her eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at Song Bunan.
"If you don't put in the effort, he might really change his mind," Ghost Messenger remarked during a nighttime mission, clearly aware of what had transpired earlier that day. I felt a twinge of discomfort and retorted that if it were meant to be, then changing one's heart would mean he wasn't her true love after all. Ghost Messenger was left speechless, and after the mission ended, he vanished without saying goodbye, leaving me with a kick as parting company.
After that, Xiao Mei became more cheerful and lively under Song Bunan's influence. Whenever she mentioned the person referred to as " Immortal Brother," her eyes would shine with an indescribable and complex admiration.
The head of our household also took a keen interest in Song Bunan. After thoroughly investigating his background, he enthusiastically invited him over and even joyfully acknowledged him as his godson. Long Mei, who was originally not allowed to stay outside, could now freely visit Song Bunan's home anytime she wished, granting them both ample opportunity to spend time together.
For a long period, Xiao Mei and I seemed to exist on parallel lines; we no longer communicated or exchanged words. When we met, it was merely to greet one another. In situations where we had to be together, I would listen to Xiao Mei chatter endlessly about how wonderful Song Bunan was as an older brother.
During this time, I went through my most turbulent and frustrated teenage years. I was constantly troubled by Xiao Mei's infatuation with someone else for reasons I couldn't quite understand. I tried to convince myself that it was none of my business whom my younger brother liked, yet I felt miserable at losing Xiao Mei's affection. I began to care about the notion of a "Destined Lover."
I even asked other Ghost Messengers about it, and they all gave me the same answer: Long Mei was indeed my Destined Lover.
Our relationship took a turn when Song Bunan suddenly went missing. He had been at school but then announced he would participate in the Multi-City Joint Training. Initially, he chatted online with Xiao Mei about his situation, but one day he just vanished without a trace. All messages fell silent as if they had sunk into the depths of the sea, leaving those who anxiously awaited replies nearly on the brink of collapse.
That year, Xiao Mei was twelve years old. The child who had just entered puberty broke down one midnight due to the disappearance of her friend. Her cries caught my attention as I pushed open the door to find her sitting on the floor with vacant eyes, resembling an abandoned little animal.
Her reddened eyes, much larger than in childhood, seemed like a key unlocking memories that had been sealed away for years—memories of countless lifetimes filled with obstacles until we finally found love amidst the chaos of war. After my death, she followed me into the Underworld, willingly giving up her chance at reincarnation just to be with me. Below granted us privileges: no matter how many times we were reborn, we would always meet, love each other, and stay together.
In this life, it was the same. Before his reincarnation, he had held the other person close and promised that he would find him at the first opportunity. Yet he broke that promise; not only did he fail to recognize him, but he also allowed him to be bullied in life.
Shui Su walked over and held the cold child in his arms, softly whispering apologies.
Comment 0 Comment Count