Feb 7, 2024
—
by
Juno
in Fight for Peace and Love
If that shadow isn’t a ghost, it shouldn’t be human either.
Because its estimated height is at least two meters tall, standing under the dim light, like a dark abyss leading to nowhere.
Bai Luoluo stood still and tentatively took a step back.
The black shadow didn’t move, still silently staring at Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo silently counted to three, then turned around and ran as fast as he could. But before he could run far, he felt a strong gust of wind behind him. Bai Luoluo tried to dodge to the side, but Xu Ruichuan’s physique was too poor to react in time.
With a heavy whip to his back, Bai Luoluo fell to the snow.
The moment Bai Luoluo fell, the shadow wrapped around his ankle, dragging him backward like a sack. The cold snow hit his face, making it hard for him to breathe.
Bai Luoluo tried to grab onto something nearby. Finally, he managed to grab onto a lamppost, but the shadow’s strength was overwhelming.
“I can’t…,” Bai Luoluo exclaimed in terror to the system, “I’m going to be turned into a chicken!”
The system, still correcting him, said, “That’s a bird, it’s a bird!”
Bai Luoluo retorted, “So what’s the essential difference—?” His hand was slowly pulled away from the lamppost, and he was about to be engulfed by the shadow’s embrace.
The system thought for a moment and admitted there didn’t seem to be one.
Bai Luoluo sighed inwardly. Although he was unwilling, he was out of strength. As he let go, he was quickly dragged backward.
“I’m done for,” Bai Luoluo thought, seeing the shadow so close.
The shadow was pure black. Normally, objects cast shadows under light, but there were none around it, as if it absorbed all the light.
Finally, Bai Luoluo was pulled into the shadow. It felt like being forcibly submerged in icy water, suffocation rushing over him. A faint laughter came, fingers slowly stroking his neck, then tightening instantly.
Bai Luoluo struggled like a madman, but his strength was nothing against the shadow. He couldn’t even grasp the hand choking him, only clutching at his own neck, making choked noises.
Just when Bai Luoluo thought he was going to die there, a dazzling light appeared before him. The shadow emitted a sharp cry, as if severely injured, and instantly released Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo fell to the ground, eyes unfocused.
“Go away,” a voice said coldly. It sounded somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar, but Bai Luoluo didn’t have the energy to pay attention. His eyes were covered by a pair of cold hands, and then everything plunged into darkness.
When Bai Luoluo woke up again, he was still lying in the snow.
A thin layer of snow had accumulated on him. He numbly sat up and asked, “Didn’t I log out?”
The system said, “Someone saved you.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “Who?”
The system replied, “I don’t know. He… has been hiding in the shadow, so I couldn’t see his appearance.”
Bai Luoluo sat for a while before getting up and asking, “What time is it? How long have I been out?”
The system said, “Not long, just over ten minutes.” With this temperature, if you’re unconscious for over half an hour, you’re likely done for. However, the system was puzzled, saying, “But your body temperature has been very stable… it’s a bit strange.”
Bai Luoluo checked and indeed found his body maintaining its temperature, completely unlike someone who had just passed out in the snow for over ten minutes. He remarked, “Indeed strange.”
He slowly walked over to his dilapidated bicycle, bent down to pick it up, and brushed off the snow before getting on. Neither he nor the system noticed that as he mounted the bike, a inconspicuous black shadow slipped out from his pants cuff, quietly lying on the ground, seemingly staring at Bai Luoluo as he rode away.
By the time Bai Luoluo arrived home on his bicycle, it was already 11 p.m.
He hurriedly took a shower and unsurprisingly saw the red marks on his neck in the bathroom mirror. The marks were peculiar, not like those made by a human hand, more like a collar forcibly placed around someone’s neck and gradually tightened.
Bai Luoluo coughed a few times, feeling his throat sore.
The hot water eased the cold from the snow. Bai Luoluo dried his hair and walked out of the bathroom, sitting by the brazier.
“These assailants must not be human,” Bai Luoluo said. “They must be from some other race.”
The system asked, “Not ghosts?”
Bai Luoluo helplessly replied, “There are no ghosts in this world—”
The system said, “Oh, I see.”
Bai Luoluo could sense the relief in its voice. He pondered for a moment and said, “But it should’ve been easy for him to kill me. Why did he let me go?”
The system said, “It seems like there was some accident. I don’t know the specifics…”
Bai Luoluo said, “Wait, before I passed out, did you hear someone talking?”
The system said, “No.”
Bai Luoluo said, “…You didn’t pass out from being scared again, did you?”
The system fell into a mysterious silence.
Bai Luoluo sighed. “Alright.”
The system was clearly trying to maintain composure. “Okay, my bad this time. Now that we know it’s not a ghost, I’m not afraid anymore. Next time, I’ll make sure not to pass out.”
Hearing the trembling tone in the system’s voice, Bai Luoluo inexplicably felt a bit of pity. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Nothing happened. Worst case, I’ll just log out. It’s no big deal.”
The system whimpered twice.
Bai Luoluo couldn’t understand why he was suddenly targeted. With one more year left until Xu Ruichuan died in the original timeline, he rested his chin on his hand, his eyelids slowly drooping.
The system said, “Go to sleep. We’ll think about it tomorrow.”
Bai Luoluo yawned and agreed.
The next day, Bai Luoluo woke up to find his neck swollen and speaking somewhat difficult. As he got out of bed to go to the bathroom, he felt a slight pain in his ankle. Looking down, he saw what looked like a black ring around his ankle.
His body was already thin, his ankles frighteningly slender. The ring adhered to his skin, appearing somewhat like a black tattoo at first glance. But upon touching it, he felt a slight protrusion.
Bai Luoluo asked the system, “Doesn’t this look like a pork chop ring?”
The system felt despair at Bai Luoluo’s imagination.
Luckily, it was winter, everyone was dressed warmly, and Bai Luoluo managed to cover the conspicuous wound on his neck with a turtleneck sweater. Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to explain it if anyone asked.
Because his throat hurt, Bai Luoluo didn’t talk much all day. Fortunately, he didn’t attract much attention since he usually kept a low profile. At lunchtime, Bai Luoluo hesitantly told Li Ruyuan that he had an accident yesterday and didn’t have time to make lunch, so he would make it up to him next month.
Li Ruyuan smiled and said it was okay. His gaze lingered on Bai Luoluo for a moment, and he softly asked, “Is your throat uncomfortable?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Ah, I caught a cold.” His throat was still swollen, making talking uncomfortable.
Li Ruyuan took out a box of throat lozenges from his pocket and handed it to Bai Luoluo, saying, “Take these, it just so happens that my throat hasn’t been feeling great these past few days.”
Bai Luoluo accepted it and thanked him, putting the lozenges in his pocket.
Without bringing lunch, the two went to the cafeteria for lunch. After they finished eating, they bid farewell. Li Ruyuan smiled and reminded Bai Luoluo, “Remember to take your medicine.”
Bai Luoluo nodded obediently.
After taking a nap, Bai Luoluo still felt a severe sore throat. So, he took a pill and, whether it was his imagination or not, he distinctly felt the pain in his throat ease after swallowing the medicine. The burning sensation significantly diminished.
After finishing the pill, Bai Luoluo hesitated for a moment and then found a secluded corner to call Jiang Chao and tell him about what happened last night.
After listening to Bai Luoluo’s description, Jiang Chao remained silent for a long time. Just when Bai Luoluo thought he wouldn’t say anything, Jiang Chao uttered, “Xu Ruichuan, you might have caught the attention of the killer.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “What do you mean?”
“Do you have time tonight?” Jiang Chao asked. “Let’s meet up.”
Bai Luoluo glanced at the weather; it was still snowing heavily outside. There probably wouldn’t be many people buying candied haws in this weather; everyone would likely stay home after work, avoiding going out for shopping.
“Sure,” Bai Luoluo agreed.
“What time do you get off work? I’ll pick you up tonight,” Jiang Chao said.
Bai Luoluo replied, “I get off at six. Meet me at the hospital entrance.”
And so, the plan was set. The surveillance business would be put on hold for a day; after all, preserving his life was more important.
In the afternoon, at the agreed-upon time, Bai Luoluo got into Jiang Chao’s car at the hospital entrance. Jiang Chao looked more exhausted compared to before, perhaps from being anxious or tired. His eyes were red, his breathing ragged, and there were a few large blisters on the corners of his mouth.
As soon as Bai Luoluo got into the car, Jiang Chao spoke, “Another person died.”
Bai Luoluo was stunned.
Jiang Chao continued, “Last night, near your home. The incident hasn’t been publicized yet, but it’s getting hard to contain.”
Thinking about what happened last night, Bai Luoluo felt a slight chill down his spine.
“Do you mind if I smoke?” Jiang Chao asked.
“It’s fine,” Bai Luoluo replied.
Jiang Chao lit a cigarette, started the car, and slowly said, “After encountering what happened last night, you should have an idea that the killer isn’t human.”
Bai Luoluo was aware of the existence of other races in this world, but Xu Ruichuan wasn’t, so he pretended to be surprised and asked, “What are those things?”
“They are a new type of human,” Jiang Chao said. “They possess stronger abilities than humans, but most of them keep a low profile. So, not many people are aware of their existence. I just don’t know…” he trailed off. He didn’t know why they were suddenly going on a killing spree.
“Why would they target humans?” Bai Luoluo asked.
Jiang Chao sighed bitterly. “I wonder the same thing.” He then took out a few photos from his pocket and casually tossed them to Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo picked them up and frowned when he saw… several blurred images. “(°▽°)System, what’s on these?”
The system probably wanted to cry like a puppy, but it tried to stay strong and described the contents of the photos carefully with a quivering voice. Bai Luoluo felt a pang of pity for the system again and imitated its tone, saying, “S-so scary.”
The deceased from last night weren’t arranged like pieces of art; instead, their bodies were horribly mutilated, as if they were venting their anger. There was a large pool of blood on the ground, shocking anyone who saw the brutality of the killer.
Jiang Chao had been observing Bai Luoluo’s facial expressions. When he saw tears welling up in his eyes, he casually averted his gaze. Taking a drag from his cigarette, he said, “Last night, it was a shadow that attacked you, right?”
Bai Luoluo nodded, saying, “Yes.”
“Actually, every member of a different race is registered with the government,” Jiang Chao explained. “Their abilities, appearance, names, addresses—everything is strictly documented throughout their lives. After hearing your description, I checked the records.”
“And what did you find?” Bai Luoluo already had a guess about the outcome.
Jiang Chao replied, “There’s no record of a race with such abilities.”
“So…” Bai Luoluo trailed off.
Jiang Chao listened to Bai Luoluo’s conclusion.
Bai Luoluo said, “(⊙v⊙) So, is that race from another country?”
Jiang Chao almost choked on his cigarette after hearing this. He coughed for a long time, his face turning red, before finally saying, “…And you came to that conclusion?”
Bai Luoluo asked innocently, “Then what else could it be?”
“…You’re not cut out for this,” Jiang Chao sighed.
Bai Luoluo remained silent, thinking to himself, “You’re right, I’m only suitable for a harmonious, prosperous, democratic, and civilized socialist society.”
Seemingly at a loss with Bai Luoluo, Jiang Chao sighed again and slowly said, “That race is probably composed of high-ranking individuals, so their identities are shrouded in mystery. At least, people at our level won’t be able to find any information about them.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “So what do we do?” If they couldn’t catch or investigate them, they could only guess at their identities, and the investigation had hit a dead end.
Jiang Chao didn’t answer Bai Luoluo’s question directly and continued, “And now we’ve discovered something even more serious.”
“What?” Bai Luoluo inquired.
Jiang Chao said, “The perpetrators from this race might not be just one person.”
Bai Luoluo fell silent.
“At least two or more,” Jiang Chao added.
As they spoke, they arrived at a bustling area in the city. Jiang Chao glanced at a restaurant ahead and asked, “How about some lamb?”
Bai Luoluo nodded obediently, thinking, “As long as you’re paying, I’m up for any kind of meat.”
Bai Luoluo hadn’t eaten out in a long time, so when he saw the lamb hotpot brought to the table, all thoughts of the other race vanished from his mind. He stared at the pot with a (⊙v⊙) expression the entire time, making Jiang Chao unsure of what to say. Although it wasn’t as delicious as the lamb he made himself, the taste here was still good. After Bai Luoluo had eaten half his fill, Jiang Chao finally broached the topic again. He asked if Bai Luoluo had witnessed any strange occurrences before the attack.
Upon hearing this, Bai Luoluo’s mind immediately flashed to Li Ruyuan’s face, but after a moment’s hesitation, he shook his head and said no.
“Is that so?” Jiang Chao sounded somewhat disappointed.
Bai Luoluo looked at his bowl, feeling hesitant. He thought Li Ruyuan probably wasn’t the culprit, but the way his shadow looked was hard to relate to anything else.
“I’ll apply for police protection for you, but I have to tell you, it won’t be of much use,” Jiang Chao said, rubbing his tired eyes. “Do you remember the third victim? The online influencer? She called the police before she died, and they dispatched many officers, but she still died in the end.”
“She died?” Bai Luoluo asked in surprise.
“Yeah, she died,” Jiang Chao confirmed.
Looking at Jiang Chao, Bai Luoluo struggled to swallow the food in his mouth before speaking again. “Monkey.”
Jiang Chao was a bit impressed with Bai Luoluo. Most people would panic in such situations, but Bai Luoluo remained composed throughout.
Finally feeling full, Bai Luoluo sat back in his chair, his face plump from the meal, looking much healthier.
“Are you full?” Jiang Chao asked.
Bai Luoluo nodded.
“Let’s go,” Jiang Chao said.
Bai Luoluo followed Jiang Chao out, and just as they were leaving, Jiang Chao suddenly remarked, “If we ignore height, my son actually looks quite a bit like you.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “And if you consider height?”
“You’re a bit shorter,” Jiang Chao replied.
Bai Luoluo felt a bit annoyed at Jiang Chao’s way of speaking, wondering if he wasn’t afraid of being complained about. But since Jiang Chao had treated him to lamb, Bai Luoluo decided not to make a fuss
. As Jiang Chao dropped him off at home, he warned Bai Luoluo not to go out selling on the streets at night, at least for the time being. Bai Luoluo said, “But Officer Jiang, I feel like my safety at home is lower than on the streets.”
Jiang Chao glanced at the dark cylindrical building where Bai Luoluo lived and fell silent.
Finally, the two bid farewell, and Bai Luoluo, rubbing his round belly, headed upstairs to his home.
The house was still chilly. After lighting the fire pit, Bai Luoluo went to the kitchen to prepare lunch for the next day. Then, after a quick wash, he prepared to go to bed. Before sleeping, he popped a throat lozenge given to him by Li Ruyuan and felt content with life. However, as he lay in bed, Bai Luoluo noticed something wrong with the black ring on his foot. He poked it, and to his surprise, it sluggishly moved.
“This couldn’t be a part of that different race, could it?” Bai Luoluo wondered aloud.
The system replied, “Please don’t entertain such horrifying thoughts.”
“Okay,” Bai Luoluo acquiesced.
So, he snuggled into his blankets, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep like a carefree piglet.
The next morning, as usual, the system woke Bai Luoluo up. “You really sleep like a baby,” remarked the system.
Bai Luoluo retorted, “Not like a baby, more like a father of one. Even the child’s mother can’t get me up.”
The system fell silent.
Outside, the heavy snow had stopped, and the sky was clearing up. Bai Luoluo unexpectedly found his mood lifting a bit.
At work, just as Jiang Chao had predicted, news of the case had leaked to the media despite efforts to suppress it.
Moreover, the situation was more severe than in previous instances. Somehow, unblurred photos had leaked online, causing a huge uproar.
The case had been ongoing for months, with the perpetrator using exceptionally brutal methods, leaving the city in a state of fear. With the increasing frequency of crimes, it was safe to say that no one dared to venture out at night anymore.
Bai Luoluo’s business had suffered a severe blow as a result.
At lunchtime, Bai Luoluo carried two lunch boxes to the cafeteria. To his surprise, Li Ruyuan, who usually sat alone, was sitting with another girl dressed in pink nurse attire, who also appeared quite attractive.
Approaching them cautiously, Bai Luoluo said, “Dr. Li, your lunch.”
“Thank you,” Li Ruyuan replied, taking the lunch box from Bai Luoluo’s hand. Bai Luoluo intended to leave after delivering the lunch, but Li Ruyuan’s next words caught him off guard. “Sit across from us,” Li Ruyuan said.
Bai Luoluo was about to refuse, but then Li Ruyuan smiled and said, “Didn’t we agree to go out together this weekend? Let’s discuss the details.”
Bai Luoluo, not too slow on the uptake, hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing, “Sure.”
He sat across from Li Ruyuan. The girl beside Li Ruyuan gave him a somewhat resentful glance, making Bai Luoluo shiver involuntarily.
“Dr. Li,” the girl’s voice was pleasant to the ears. She continued, “Do you really have no time on Sunday?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “I’m sorry, I already made plans with Ruchuan.”
“But… can’t you change the time?” The girl’s voice took on a pleading tone, her expression so pitiful that Bai Luoluo felt sorry for her.
However, Li Ruyuan’s voice remained gentle, with no intention of relenting. He said, “Sorry.”
The girl looked like she was about to cry. Seeing Li Ruyuan’s firm stance, she shifted her attention to Bai Luoluo. “Xu Ruchuan, can you please persuade Dr. Li? A dozen of us have planned to go mountain climbing this weekend, but Dr. Li insists he’s busy.”
Bai Luoluo, stuffing rice into his mouth, looked up dumbfoundedly at this remark, his expression akin to a hamster struggling to swallow the food in his mouth.
Seeing him like this, Li Ruyuan’s eyes showed a hint of helplessness. He said, “Slow down when you eat.”
Bai Luoluo almost choked himself to death.
After managing to swallow the rice, Bai Luoluo, faced with the girl’s gaze, was about to speak up to persuade Li Ruyuan. However, he saw Li Ruyuan smiling at him, and though it was still a smile, Bai Luoluo could detect a hint of threat from it.
In the end, Bai Luoluo could only muster, “I… can’t persuade him. He made plans beforehand, and everything’s already prepared.”
Upon hearing this, the girl sighed, and her tears receded. She said, “Fine, next time then. Dr. Li, you can’t bail on us next time.”
Li Ruyuan looked helpless. He said, “I just asked you to speak nicely.”
The girl snorted and said, “No fun being either soft or tough. I’m leaving. Have fun, you two.” With that, she left with her tray, her demeanor completely different from her previously charming appearance.
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Li Ruyuan tapped the table and said, “Close your mouth, you’re about to drop your food.”
Bai Luoluo hurriedly closed his mouth.
Li Ruyuan opened his lunch box and saw the food inside.
Bai Luoluo had prepared stir-fried diced lotus roots, sweet and sour spare ribs, and braised chicken with taro. Li Ruyuan’s expression softened visibly at the sight of the dishes. He said, “Looks delicious.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Well, try it. Let me know if there’s anything you don’t like, and I’ll adjust.”
Li Ruyuan picked up a piece of taro and tasted it earnestly. “Delicious.”
The taro was stewed in a pressure cooker until tender, juicy, and infused with the flavor of the chicken. Bai Luoluo felt that of all the dishes, he preferred the braised chicken with taro.
“I like this too. Oh, I brought some fruit for you,” Bai Luoluo said, taking out an apple from his pocket and handing it to Li Ruyuan. “It’s washed and ready to eat.”
Li Ruyuan asked, “Is this for me?”
Bai Luoluo replied, “Yes.” It was the most expensive type of apple he had bought specially from the fruit shop. He had only taken a bite himself, intending to give the rest to Li Ruyuan as a post-meal fruit.
Li Ruyuan asked, “What about yours?”
Bai Luoluo lied, “It’s in the office. I’ll have it later.”
Li Ruyuan didn’t probe further.
After finishing their meal, Bai Luoluo was about to leave when he suddenly heard Li Ruyuan say, “You’re free on Sunday, right?”
Bai Luoluo asked, “Yeah… why?”
Li Ruyuan said, “Didn’t we agree to go out together?” He spoke with such openness, as if he didn’t know Bai Luoluo had just helped him lie.
Bai Luoluo said, “But—”
Li Ruyuan interrupted, “Is there something else going on?” He took a bite of the apple, and his lips, red and white, left a neat tooth mark on the intact apple. Bai Luoluo, seeing him like this, inexplicably thought of Snow White from the fairy tales. He swallowed hard and said, “No, there’s nothing.”
Li Ruyuan said, “Okay, then. I’ll pick you up on Saturday. Where do you live?”
Bai Luoluo said, “My place is not accessible by car. Let’s meet at the hospital entrance.”
“Sure,” Li Ruyuan agreed without much fuss.
Bai Luoluo watched as Li Ruyuan left, feeling a bit uneasy inside. He didn’t feel the anticipated joy from Li Ruyuan’s invitation; instead, he felt oddly hollow.
“What does he want? Why suddenly invite me out?” Bai Luoluo returned to his office and said, “System, any thoughts?”
The system said, “…Maybe he wants to find a secluded place…”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
The system said, “To kill you!”
Bai Luoluo said, “Oh, I see. Well, that’s a relief.”
The system: “…Are you serious?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Hahaha, I’m just kidding. Why would I want to be killed? I still haven’t bought a house.” With that said, he set up a scheduled email on his computer. If not canceled, it would be sent to Jiang Chao’s inbox on Monday morning about what he knew about Li Ruyuan. Bai Luoluo thought this was the extent of what he could do.
The next day was Saturday. Bai Luoluo woke up early, had breakfast he made himself, and then walked to the hospital entrance.
He and Li Ruyuan had agreed to meet at nine in the morning. When Bai Luoluo arrived at the designated spot, he found Li Ruyuan already there.
Li Ruyuan waved at Bai Luoluo, who walked over and sat in the passenger seat.
“Where are we going to play?” Bai Luoluo looked at Li Ruyuan eagerly. With a height difference of twenty centimeters, sitting in the car felt like a father taking his child out for a spring outing.
“We’re going to play in the snow,” Li Ruyuan said.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Is there a snow resort nearby?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “Yes, it’s in the suburbs.”
Bai Luoluo thought for a moment but couldn’t recall any such place in his memory. Xu Ruchuan’s living environment was too limited; he hadn’t even ventured beyond this city.
The car moved forward slowly, not too fast.
You can roughly understand a person’s personality from their driving habits. Bai Luoluo could tell that Li Ruyuan was very steady and mild-mannered, even when being aggressively cut off by others. Bai Luoluo commented, “Dr. Li, you have a really good temper.”
Li Ruyuan glanced at Bai Luoluo and said, “What do you mean?”
Bai Luoluo said, “I’ve never seen you get angry.”
Li Ruyuan smiled and said, “We’ve only known each other for a little over half a month, and we don’t usually see each other much.”
That was true. After all, Li Ruyuan didn’t know that the person sitting beside him was a pervert who even recorded the brand of his underwear.
Bai Luoluo had already sensed that saying too much would be a mistake, so he shut up obediently. Little did he know, Li Ruyuan started asking him questions, such as what he usually did for work, whether his job was tiring, and how he came up with the idea to sell candied haws.
Bai Luoluo answered honestly, without intending to lie about these matters.
Li Ruyuan didn’t ask very sharp questions, but the more Bai Luoluo answered, the colder he felt inside because he realized that Li Ruyuan understood him very well.
This understanding was unconsciously expressed, such as when Li Ruyuan asked when Bai Luoluo got off work. Bai Luoluo said six o’clock, and Li Ruyuan casually remarked, “Oh, so you’re still going to sell candied haws at seven thirty in the evening. You’re quite busy.”
At first, Bai Luoluo didn’t think much of it, but later, he realized, how did Li Ruyuan know when he sold candied haws?
The scenery outside the car became increasingly unfamiliar, and all they could see around them was endless snow-covered landscapes.
Bai Luoluo had initially wanted to tell the system that he felt uneasy, but considering the system’s personality, he imagined it would cry and say, “What can I do? I’m scared too.”
So Bai Luoluo kept quiet.
However, apart from these details, Li Ruyuan had been behaving very normally all along. In fact, if the two of them stood by the roadside and asked passersby to pick who was the weird one, Bai Luoluo would undoubtedly get the majority of the votes.
As they got further and further away from the urban area, Bai Luoluo started to feel anxious. He asked, “Where are we going?”
Li Ruyuan slowly said, “Xu Ruchuan, do you think we’re quite familiar with each other?”
Bai Luoluo fell silent for a moment and then said reluctantly, “Not particularly.”
Li Ruyuan turned his face slightly towards Bai Luoluo and flashed a smile. It was different from his usual gentle smile; it had a hint of wickedness. He tilted his head and said with a grin, “Didn’t anyone tell you not to go to unfamiliar places with people you don’t know well?”
Bai Luoluo’s forced smile froze on his face. He said, “Dr. Li?”
Li Ruyuan seemed very serious. He said, “Even if you disappear, no one will notice, right? Except for your mother in the nursing home.”
At this point, his face lost its smile.
Bai Luoluo’s face was filled with horror. He asked, “Dr. Li, what do you mean by that?”
Li Ruyuan remained silent with a cold expression for three seconds. Then he burst into loud laughter and said, “Hey, Xu Ruchuan, you don’t actually think I’m some strange person, do you?”
Bai Luoluo said, “…”
Li Ruyuan seemed a bit aggrieved. He said, “I was just joking around, and you actually believed it?”
Bai Luoluo said, “…Well, you seemed quite convincing.”
Li Ruyuan said, “Oh, come on, I was just making a casual joke. Don’t take it too seriously.”
As he spoke, the car turned a corner, revealing the scenery ahead: a ski resort appeared before Bai Luoluo’s eyes. Coupled with what Li Ruyuan had just said, it seemed like nothing more than a harmless joke. However, only Li Ruyuan himself knew the truth behind the joke.
Regardless, Bai Luoluo found it hard to laugh. This Li Ruyuan, not only was he an outsider, but he also seemed less friendly than Bai Luoluo had imagined.
After parking the car, Li Ruyuan got out and gallantly opened the door for Bai Luoluo. He had always been very good at these gestures, which easily won people’s favor. Unfortunately, Bai Luoluo, along with the timid system, was still immersed in the atmosphere from earlier and couldn’t feel Li Ruyuan’s kindness.
But Li Ruyuan didn’t seem to mind. He reached out to Bai Luoluo and said, “Come on, be careful stepping out.”
Bai Luoluo didn’t take Li Ruyuan’s hand; he didn’t think he was fragile enough for that.
However, his shoes seemed to disagree with his thoughts. As soon as Bai Luoluo stepped out, his shoes slipped on the ground, causing him to stumble and fall directly onto the ground.
Seeing this, Li Ruyuan couldn’t help but chuckle softly. He said, “Come on, get up, it’s not Chinese New Year yet.”
With that, the eerie atmosphere from before dissipated completely, leaving Bai Luoluo blushing and wishing he could bury himself in the snow and never come out.
Feb 7, 2024
—
by
Juno
in Fight for Peace and Love
If that shadow isn’t a ghost, it shouldn’t be human either.
Because its estimated height is at least two meters tall, standing under the dim light, like a dark abyss leading to nowhere.
Bai Luoluo stood still and tentatively took a step back.
The black shadow didn’t move, still silently staring at Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo silently counted to three, then turned around and ran as fast as he could. But before he could run far, he felt a strong gust of wind behind him. Bai Luoluo tried to dodge to the side, but Xu Ruichuan’s physique was too poor to react in time.
With a heavy whip to his back, Bai Luoluo fell to the snow.
The moment Bai Luoluo fell, the shadow wrapped around his ankle, dragging him backward like a sack. The cold snow hit his face, making it hard for him to breathe.
Bai Luoluo tried to grab onto something nearby. Finally, he managed to grab onto a lamppost, but the shadow’s strength was overwhelming.
“I can’t…,” Bai Luoluo exclaimed in terror to the system, “I’m going to be turned into a chicken!”
The system, still correcting him, said, “That’s a bird, it’s a bird!”
Bai Luoluo retorted, “So what’s the essential difference—?” His hand was slowly pulled away from the lamppost, and he was about to be engulfed by the shadow’s embrace.
The system thought for a moment and admitted there didn’t seem to be one.
Bai Luoluo sighed inwardly. Although he was unwilling, he was out of strength. As he let go, he was quickly dragged backward.
“I’m done for,” Bai Luoluo thought, seeing the shadow so close.
The shadow was pure black. Normally, objects cast shadows under light, but there were none around it, as if it absorbed all the light.
Finally, Bai Luoluo was pulled into the shadow. It felt like being forcibly submerged in icy water, suffocation rushing over him. A faint laughter came, fingers slowly stroking his neck, then tightening instantly.
Bai Luoluo struggled like a madman, but his strength was nothing against the shadow. He couldn’t even grasp the hand choking him, only clutching at his own neck, making choked noises.
Just when Bai Luoluo thought he was going to die there, a dazzling light appeared before him. The shadow emitted a sharp cry, as if severely injured, and instantly released Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo fell to the ground, eyes unfocused.
“Go away,” a voice said coldly. It sounded somewhat familiar yet unfamiliar, but Bai Luoluo didn’t have the energy to pay attention. His eyes were covered by a pair of cold hands, and then everything plunged into darkness.
When Bai Luoluo woke up again, he was still lying in the snow.
A thin layer of snow had accumulated on him. He numbly sat up and asked, “Didn’t I log out?”
The system said, “Someone saved you.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “Who?”
The system replied, “I don’t know. He… has been hiding in the shadow, so I couldn’t see his appearance.”
Bai Luoluo sat for a while before getting up and asking, “What time is it? How long have I been out?”
The system said, “Not long, just over ten minutes.” With this temperature, if you’re unconscious for over half an hour, you’re likely done for. However, the system was puzzled, saying, “But your body temperature has been very stable… it’s a bit strange.”
Bai Luoluo checked and indeed found his body maintaining its temperature, completely unlike someone who had just passed out in the snow for over ten minutes. He remarked, “Indeed strange.”
He slowly walked over to his dilapidated bicycle, bent down to pick it up, and brushed off the snow before getting on. Neither he nor the system noticed that as he mounted the bike, a inconspicuous black shadow slipped out from his pants cuff, quietly lying on the ground, seemingly staring at Bai Luoluo as he rode away.
By the time Bai Luoluo arrived home on his bicycle, it was already 11 p.m.
He hurriedly took a shower and unsurprisingly saw the red marks on his neck in the bathroom mirror. The marks were peculiar, not like those made by a human hand, more like a collar forcibly placed around someone’s neck and gradually tightened.
Bai Luoluo coughed a few times, feeling his throat sore.
The hot water eased the cold from the snow. Bai Luoluo dried his hair and walked out of the bathroom, sitting by the brazier.
“These assailants must not be human,” Bai Luoluo said. “They must be from some other race.”
The system asked, “Not ghosts?”
Bai Luoluo helplessly replied, “There are no ghosts in this world—”
The system said, “Oh, I see.”
Bai Luoluo could sense the relief in its voice. He pondered for a moment and said, “But it should’ve been easy for him to kill me. Why did he let me go?”
The system said, “It seems like there was some accident. I don’t know the specifics…”
Bai Luoluo said, “Wait, before I passed out, did you hear someone talking?”
The system said, “No.”
Bai Luoluo said, “…You didn’t pass out from being scared again, did you?”
The system fell into a mysterious silence.
Bai Luoluo sighed. “Alright.”
The system was clearly trying to maintain composure. “Okay, my bad this time. Now that we know it’s not a ghost, I’m not afraid anymore. Next time, I’ll make sure not to pass out.”
Hearing the trembling tone in the system’s voice, Bai Luoluo inexplicably felt a bit of pity. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Nothing happened. Worst case, I’ll just log out. It’s no big deal.”
The system whimpered twice.
Bai Luoluo couldn’t understand why he was suddenly targeted. With one more year left until Xu Ruichuan died in the original timeline, he rested his chin on his hand, his eyelids slowly drooping.
The system said, “Go to sleep. We’ll think about it tomorrow.”
Bai Luoluo yawned and agreed.
The next day, Bai Luoluo woke up to find his neck swollen and speaking somewhat difficult. As he got out of bed to go to the bathroom, he felt a slight pain in his ankle. Looking down, he saw what looked like a black ring around his ankle.
His body was already thin, his ankles frighteningly slender. The ring adhered to his skin, appearing somewhat like a black tattoo at first glance. But upon touching it, he felt a slight protrusion.
Bai Luoluo asked the system, “Doesn’t this look like a pork chop ring?”
The system felt despair at Bai Luoluo’s imagination.
Luckily, it was winter, everyone was dressed warmly, and Bai Luoluo managed to cover the conspicuous wound on his neck with a turtleneck sweater. Otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to explain it if anyone asked.
Because his throat hurt, Bai Luoluo didn’t talk much all day. Fortunately, he didn’t attract much attention since he usually kept a low profile. At lunchtime, Bai Luoluo hesitantly told Li Ruyuan that he had an accident yesterday and didn’t have time to make lunch, so he would make it up to him next month.
Li Ruyuan smiled and said it was okay. His gaze lingered on Bai Luoluo for a moment, and he softly asked, “Is your throat uncomfortable?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Ah, I caught a cold.” His throat was still swollen, making talking uncomfortable.
Li Ruyuan took out a box of throat lozenges from his pocket and handed it to Bai Luoluo, saying, “Take these, it just so happens that my throat hasn’t been feeling great these past few days.”
Bai Luoluo accepted it and thanked him, putting the lozenges in his pocket.
Without bringing lunch, the two went to the cafeteria for lunch. After they finished eating, they bid farewell. Li Ruyuan smiled and reminded Bai Luoluo, “Remember to take your medicine.”
Bai Luoluo nodded obediently.
After taking a nap, Bai Luoluo still felt a severe sore throat. So, he took a pill and, whether it was his imagination or not, he distinctly felt the pain in his throat ease after swallowing the medicine. The burning sensation significantly diminished.
After finishing the pill, Bai Luoluo hesitated for a moment and then found a secluded corner to call Jiang Chao and tell him about what happened last night.
After listening to Bai Luoluo’s description, Jiang Chao remained silent for a long time. Just when Bai Luoluo thought he wouldn’t say anything, Jiang Chao uttered, “Xu Ruichuan, you might have caught the attention of the killer.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “What do you mean?”
“Do you have time tonight?” Jiang Chao asked. “Let’s meet up.”
Bai Luoluo glanced at the weather; it was still snowing heavily outside. There probably wouldn’t be many people buying candied haws in this weather; everyone would likely stay home after work, avoiding going out for shopping.
“Sure,” Bai Luoluo agreed.
“What time do you get off work? I’ll pick you up tonight,” Jiang Chao said.
Bai Luoluo replied, “I get off at six. Meet me at the hospital entrance.”
And so, the plan was set. The surveillance business would be put on hold for a day; after all, preserving his life was more important.
In the afternoon, at the agreed-upon time, Bai Luoluo got into Jiang Chao’s car at the hospital entrance. Jiang Chao looked more exhausted compared to before, perhaps from being anxious or tired. His eyes were red, his breathing ragged, and there were a few large blisters on the corners of his mouth.
As soon as Bai Luoluo got into the car, Jiang Chao spoke, “Another person died.”
Bai Luoluo was stunned.
Jiang Chao continued, “Last night, near your home. The incident hasn’t been publicized yet, but it’s getting hard to contain.”
Thinking about what happened last night, Bai Luoluo felt a slight chill down his spine.
“Do you mind if I smoke?” Jiang Chao asked.
“It’s fine,” Bai Luoluo replied.
Jiang Chao lit a cigarette, started the car, and slowly said, “After encountering what happened last night, you should have an idea that the killer isn’t human.”
Bai Luoluo was aware of the existence of other races in this world, but Xu Ruichuan wasn’t, so he pretended to be surprised and asked, “What are those things?”
“They are a new type of human,” Jiang Chao said. “They possess stronger abilities than humans, but most of them keep a low profile. So, not many people are aware of their existence. I just don’t know…” he trailed off. He didn’t know why they were suddenly going on a killing spree.
“Why would they target humans?” Bai Luoluo asked.
Jiang Chao sighed bitterly. “I wonder the same thing.” He then took out a few photos from his pocket and casually tossed them to Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo picked them up and frowned when he saw… several blurred images. “(°▽°)System, what’s on these?”
The system probably wanted to cry like a puppy, but it tried to stay strong and described the contents of the photos carefully with a quivering voice. Bai Luoluo felt a pang of pity for the system again and imitated its tone, saying, “S-so scary.”
The deceased from last night weren’t arranged like pieces of art; instead, their bodies were horribly mutilated, as if they were venting their anger. There was a large pool of blood on the ground, shocking anyone who saw the brutality of the killer.
Jiang Chao had been observing Bai Luoluo’s facial expressions. When he saw tears welling up in his eyes, he casually averted his gaze. Taking a drag from his cigarette, he said, “Last night, it was a shadow that attacked you, right?”
Bai Luoluo nodded, saying, “Yes.”
“Actually, every member of a different race is registered with the government,” Jiang Chao explained. “Their abilities, appearance, names, addresses—everything is strictly documented throughout their lives. After hearing your description, I checked the records.”
“And what did you find?” Bai Luoluo already had a guess about the outcome.
Jiang Chao replied, “There’s no record of a race with such abilities.”
“So…” Bai Luoluo trailed off.
Jiang Chao listened to Bai Luoluo’s conclusion.
Bai Luoluo said, “(⊙v⊙) So, is that race from another country?”
Jiang Chao almost choked on his cigarette after hearing this. He coughed for a long time, his face turning red, before finally saying, “…And you came to that conclusion?”
Bai Luoluo asked innocently, “Then what else could it be?”
“…You’re not cut out for this,” Jiang Chao sighed.
Bai Luoluo remained silent, thinking to himself, “You’re right, I’m only suitable for a harmonious, prosperous, democratic, and civilized socialist society.”
Seemingly at a loss with Bai Luoluo, Jiang Chao sighed again and slowly said, “That race is probably composed of high-ranking individuals, so their identities are shrouded in mystery. At least, people at our level won’t be able to find any information about them.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “So what do we do?” If they couldn’t catch or investigate them, they could only guess at their identities, and the investigation had hit a dead end.
Jiang Chao didn’t answer Bai Luoluo’s question directly and continued, “And now we’ve discovered something even more serious.”
“What?” Bai Luoluo inquired.
Jiang Chao said, “The perpetrators from this race might not be just one person.”
Bai Luoluo fell silent.
“At least two or more,” Jiang Chao added.
As they spoke, they arrived at a bustling area in the city. Jiang Chao glanced at a restaurant ahead and asked, “How about some lamb?”
Bai Luoluo nodded obediently, thinking, “As long as you’re paying, I’m up for any kind of meat.”
Bai Luoluo hadn’t eaten out in a long time, so when he saw the lamb hotpot brought to the table, all thoughts of the other race vanished from his mind. He stared at the pot with a (⊙v⊙) expression the entire time, making Jiang Chao unsure of what to say. Although it wasn’t as delicious as the lamb he made himself, the taste here was still good. After Bai Luoluo had eaten half his fill, Jiang Chao finally broached the topic again. He asked if Bai Luoluo had witnessed any strange occurrences before the attack.
Upon hearing this, Bai Luoluo’s mind immediately flashed to Li Ruyuan’s face, but after a moment’s hesitation, he shook his head and said no.
“Is that so?” Jiang Chao sounded somewhat disappointed.
Bai Luoluo looked at his bowl, feeling hesitant. He thought Li Ruyuan probably wasn’t the culprit, but the way his shadow looked was hard to relate to anything else.
“I’ll apply for police protection for you, but I have to tell you, it won’t be of much use,” Jiang Chao said, rubbing his tired eyes. “Do you remember the third victim? The online influencer? She called the police before she died, and they dispatched many officers, but she still died in the end.”
“She died?” Bai Luoluo asked in surprise.
“Yeah, she died,” Jiang Chao confirmed.
Looking at Jiang Chao, Bai Luoluo struggled to swallow the food in his mouth before speaking again. “Monkey.”
Jiang Chao was a bit impressed with Bai Luoluo. Most people would panic in such situations, but Bai Luoluo remained composed throughout.
Finally feeling full, Bai Luoluo sat back in his chair, his face plump from the meal, looking much healthier.
“Are you full?” Jiang Chao asked.
Bai Luoluo nodded.
“Let’s go,” Jiang Chao said.
Bai Luoluo followed Jiang Chao out, and just as they were leaving, Jiang Chao suddenly remarked, “If we ignore height, my son actually looks quite a bit like you.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “And if you consider height?”
“You’re a bit shorter,” Jiang Chao replied.
Bai Luoluo felt a bit annoyed at Jiang Chao’s way of speaking, wondering if he wasn’t afraid of being complained about. But since Jiang Chao had treated him to lamb, Bai Luoluo decided not to make a fuss
. As Jiang Chao dropped him off at home, he warned Bai Luoluo not to go out selling on the streets at night, at least for the time being. Bai Luoluo said, “But Officer Jiang, I feel like my safety at home is lower than on the streets.”
Jiang Chao glanced at the dark cylindrical building where Bai Luoluo lived and fell silent.
Finally, the two bid farewell, and Bai Luoluo, rubbing his round belly, headed upstairs to his home.
The house was still chilly. After lighting the fire pit, Bai Luoluo went to the kitchen to prepare lunch for the next day. Then, after a quick wash, he prepared to go to bed. Before sleeping, he popped a throat lozenge given to him by Li Ruyuan and felt content with life. However, as he lay in bed, Bai Luoluo noticed something wrong with the black ring on his foot. He poked it, and to his surprise, it sluggishly moved.
“This couldn’t be a part of that different race, could it?” Bai Luoluo wondered aloud.
The system replied, “Please don’t entertain such horrifying thoughts.”
“Okay,” Bai Luoluo acquiesced.
So, he snuggled into his blankets, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep like a carefree piglet.
The next morning, as usual, the system woke Bai Luoluo up. “You really sleep like a baby,” remarked the system.
Bai Luoluo retorted, “Not like a baby, more like a father of one. Even the child’s mother can’t get me up.”
The system fell silent.
Outside, the heavy snow had stopped, and the sky was clearing up. Bai Luoluo unexpectedly found his mood lifting a bit.
At work, just as Jiang Chao had predicted, news of the case had leaked to the media despite efforts to suppress it.
Moreover, the situation was more severe than in previous instances. Somehow, unblurred photos had leaked online, causing a huge uproar.
The case had been ongoing for months, with the perpetrator using exceptionally brutal methods, leaving the city in a state of fear. With the increasing frequency of crimes, it was safe to say that no one dared to venture out at night anymore.
Bai Luoluo’s business had suffered a severe blow as a result.
At lunchtime, Bai Luoluo carried two lunch boxes to the cafeteria. To his surprise, Li Ruyuan, who usually sat alone, was sitting with another girl dressed in pink nurse attire, who also appeared quite attractive.
Approaching them cautiously, Bai Luoluo said, “Dr. Li, your lunch.”
“Thank you,” Li Ruyuan replied, taking the lunch box from Bai Luoluo’s hand. Bai Luoluo intended to leave after delivering the lunch, but Li Ruyuan’s next words caught him off guard. “Sit across from us,” Li Ruyuan said.
Bai Luoluo was about to refuse, but then Li Ruyuan smiled and said, “Didn’t we agree to go out together this weekend? Let’s discuss the details.”
Bai Luoluo, not too slow on the uptake, hesitated for a few seconds before agreeing, “Sure.”
He sat across from Li Ruyuan. The girl beside Li Ruyuan gave him a somewhat resentful glance, making Bai Luoluo shiver involuntarily.
“Dr. Li,” the girl’s voice was pleasant to the ears. She continued, “Do you really have no time on Sunday?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “I’m sorry, I already made plans with Ruchuan.”
“But… can’t you change the time?” The girl’s voice took on a pleading tone, her expression so pitiful that Bai Luoluo felt sorry for her.
However, Li Ruyuan’s voice remained gentle, with no intention of relenting. He said, “Sorry.”
The girl looked like she was about to cry. Seeing Li Ruyuan’s firm stance, she shifted her attention to Bai Luoluo. “Xu Ruchuan, can you please persuade Dr. Li? A dozen of us have planned to go mountain climbing this weekend, but Dr. Li insists he’s busy.”
Bai Luoluo, stuffing rice into his mouth, looked up dumbfoundedly at this remark, his expression akin to a hamster struggling to swallow the food in his mouth.
Seeing him like this, Li Ruyuan’s eyes showed a hint of helplessness. He said, “Slow down when you eat.”
Bai Luoluo almost choked himself to death.
After managing to swallow the rice, Bai Luoluo, faced with the girl’s gaze, was about to speak up to persuade Li Ruyuan. However, he saw Li Ruyuan smiling at him, and though it was still a smile, Bai Luoluo could detect a hint of threat from it.
In the end, Bai Luoluo could only muster, “I… can’t persuade him. He made plans beforehand, and everything’s already prepared.”
Upon hearing this, the girl sighed, and her tears receded. She said, “Fine, next time then. Dr. Li, you can’t bail on us next time.”
Li Ruyuan looked helpless. He said, “I just asked you to speak nicely.”
The girl snorted and said, “No fun being either soft or tough. I’m leaving. Have fun, you two.” With that, she left with her tray, her demeanor completely different from her previously charming appearance.
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Li Ruyuan tapped the table and said, “Close your mouth, you’re about to drop your food.”
Bai Luoluo hurriedly closed his mouth.
Li Ruyuan opened his lunch box and saw the food inside.
Bai Luoluo had prepared stir-fried diced lotus roots, sweet and sour spare ribs, and braised chicken with taro. Li Ruyuan’s expression softened visibly at the sight of the dishes. He said, “Looks delicious.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Well, try it. Let me know if there’s anything you don’t like, and I’ll adjust.”
Li Ruyuan picked up a piece of taro and tasted it earnestly. “Delicious.”
The taro was stewed in a pressure cooker until tender, juicy, and infused with the flavor of the chicken. Bai Luoluo felt that of all the dishes, he preferred the braised chicken with taro.
“I like this too. Oh, I brought some fruit for you,” Bai Luoluo said, taking out an apple from his pocket and handing it to Li Ruyuan. “It’s washed and ready to eat.”
Li Ruyuan asked, “Is this for me?”
Bai Luoluo replied, “Yes.” It was the most expensive type of apple he had bought specially from the fruit shop. He had only taken a bite himself, intending to give the rest to Li Ruyuan as a post-meal fruit.
Li Ruyuan asked, “What about yours?”
Bai Luoluo lied, “It’s in the office. I’ll have it later.”
Li Ruyuan didn’t probe further.
After finishing their meal, Bai Luoluo was about to leave when he suddenly heard Li Ruyuan say, “You’re free on Sunday, right?”
Bai Luoluo asked, “Yeah… why?”
Li Ruyuan said, “Didn’t we agree to go out together?” He spoke with such openness, as if he didn’t know Bai Luoluo had just helped him lie.
Bai Luoluo said, “But—”
Li Ruyuan interrupted, “Is there something else going on?” He took a bite of the apple, and his lips, red and white, left a neat tooth mark on the intact apple. Bai Luoluo, seeing him like this, inexplicably thought of Snow White from the fairy tales. He swallowed hard and said, “No, there’s nothing.”
Li Ruyuan said, “Okay, then. I’ll pick you up on Saturday. Where do you live?”
Bai Luoluo said, “My place is not accessible by car. Let’s meet at the hospital entrance.”
“Sure,” Li Ruyuan agreed without much fuss.
Bai Luoluo watched as Li Ruyuan left, feeling a bit uneasy inside. He didn’t feel the anticipated joy from Li Ruyuan’s invitation; instead, he felt oddly hollow.
“What does he want? Why suddenly invite me out?” Bai Luoluo returned to his office and said, “System, any thoughts?”
The system said, “…Maybe he wants to find a secluded place…”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
The system said, “To kill you!”
Bai Luoluo said, “Oh, I see. Well, that’s a relief.”
The system: “…Are you serious?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Hahaha, I’m just kidding. Why would I want to be killed? I still haven’t bought a house.” With that said, he set up a scheduled email on his computer. If not canceled, it would be sent to Jiang Chao’s inbox on Monday morning about what he knew about Li Ruyuan. Bai Luoluo thought this was the extent of what he could do.
The next day was Saturday. Bai Luoluo woke up early, had breakfast he made himself, and then walked to the hospital entrance.
He and Li Ruyuan had agreed to meet at nine in the morning. When Bai Luoluo arrived at the designated spot, he found Li Ruyuan already there.
Li Ruyuan waved at Bai Luoluo, who walked over and sat in the passenger seat.
“Where are we going to play?” Bai Luoluo looked at Li Ruyuan eagerly. With a height difference of twenty centimeters, sitting in the car felt like a father taking his child out for a spring outing.
“We’re going to play in the snow,” Li Ruyuan said.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Is there a snow resort nearby?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “Yes, it’s in the suburbs.”
Bai Luoluo thought for a moment but couldn’t recall any such place in his memory. Xu Ruchuan’s living environment was too limited; he hadn’t even ventured beyond this city.
The car moved forward slowly, not too fast.
You can roughly understand a person’s personality from their driving habits. Bai Luoluo could tell that Li Ruyuan was very steady and mild-mannered, even when being aggressively cut off by others. Bai Luoluo commented, “Dr. Li, you have a really good temper.”
Li Ruyuan glanced at Bai Luoluo and said, “What do you mean?”
Bai Luoluo said, “I’ve never seen you get angry.”
Li Ruyuan smiled and said, “We’ve only known each other for a little over half a month, and we don’t usually see each other much.”
That was true. After all, Li Ruyuan didn’t know that the person sitting beside him was a pervert who even recorded the brand of his underwear.
Bai Luoluo had already sensed that saying too much would be a mistake, so he shut up obediently. Little did he know, Li Ruyuan started asking him questions, such as what he usually did for work, whether his job was tiring, and how he came up with the idea to sell candied haws.
Bai Luoluo answered honestly, without intending to lie about these matters.
Li Ruyuan didn’t ask very sharp questions, but the more Bai Luoluo answered, the colder he felt inside because he realized that Li Ruyuan understood him very well.
This understanding was unconsciously expressed, such as when Li Ruyuan asked when Bai Luoluo got off work. Bai Luoluo said six o’clock, and Li Ruyuan casually remarked, “Oh, so you’re still going to sell candied haws at seven thirty in the evening. You’re quite busy.”
At first, Bai Luoluo didn’t think much of it, but later, he realized, how did Li Ruyuan know when he sold candied haws?
The scenery outside the car became increasingly unfamiliar, and all they could see around them was endless snow-covered landscapes.
Bai Luoluo had initially wanted to tell the system that he felt uneasy, but considering the system’s personality, he imagined it would cry and say, “What can I do? I’m scared too.”
So Bai Luoluo kept quiet.
However, apart from these details, Li Ruyuan had been behaving very normally all along. In fact, if the two of them stood by the roadside and asked passersby to pick who was the weird one, Bai Luoluo would undoubtedly get the majority of the votes.
As they got further and further away from the urban area, Bai Luoluo started to feel anxious. He asked, “Where are we going?”
Li Ruyuan slowly said, “Xu Ruchuan, do you think we’re quite familiar with each other?”
Bai Luoluo fell silent for a moment and then said reluctantly, “Not particularly.”
Li Ruyuan turned his face slightly towards Bai Luoluo and flashed a smile. It was different from his usual gentle smile; it had a hint of wickedness. He tilted his head and said with a grin, “Didn’t anyone tell you not to go to unfamiliar places with people you don’t know well?”
Bai Luoluo’s forced smile froze on his face. He said, “Dr. Li?”
Li Ruyuan seemed very serious. He said, “Even if you disappear, no one will notice, right? Except for your mother in the nursing home.”
At this point, his face lost its smile.
Bai Luoluo’s face was filled with horror. He asked, “Dr. Li, what do you mean by that?”
Li Ruyuan remained silent with a cold expression for three seconds. Then he burst into loud laughter and said, “Hey, Xu Ruchuan, you don’t actually think I’m some strange person, do you?”
Bai Luoluo said, “…”
Li Ruyuan seemed a bit aggrieved. He said, “I was just joking around, and you actually believed it?”
Bai Luoluo said, “…Well, you seemed quite convincing.”
Li Ruyuan said, “Oh, come on, I was just making a casual joke. Don’t take it too seriously.”
As he spoke, the car turned a corner, revealing the scenery ahead: a ski resort appeared before Bai Luoluo’s eyes. Coupled with what Li Ruyuan had just said, it seemed like nothing more than a harmless joke. However, only Li Ruyuan himself knew the truth behind the joke.
Regardless, Bai Luoluo found it hard to laugh. This Li Ruyuan, not only was he an outsider, but he also seemed less friendly than Bai Luoluo had imagined.
After parking the car, Li Ruyuan got out and gallantly opened the door for Bai Luoluo. He had always been very good at these gestures, which easily won people’s favor. Unfortunately, Bai Luoluo, along with the timid system, was still immersed in the atmosphere from earlier and couldn’t feel Li Ruyuan’s kindness.
But Li Ruyuan didn’t seem to mind. He reached out to Bai Luoluo and said, “Come on, be careful stepping out.”
Bai Luoluo didn’t take Li Ruyuan’s hand; he didn’t think he was fragile enough for that.
However, his shoes seemed to disagree with his thoughts. As soon as Bai Luoluo stepped out, his shoes slipped on the ground, causing him to stumble and fall directly onto the ground.
Seeing this, Li Ruyuan couldn’t help but chuckle softly. He said, “Come on, get up, it’s not Chinese New Year yet.”
With that, the eerie atmosphere from before dissipated completely, leaving Bai Luoluo blushing and wishing he could bury himself in the snow and never come out.
