Feb 12, 2024
—
by
Juno
in Fight for Peace and Love
The alleyways here twisted and turned, and it would be easy to get lost without Li Ruyuan leading the way. But even with Li Ruyuan in front, Bai Luoluo felt like he was walking through a maze. After passing through several doors, Li Ruyuan suddenly reached out and grabbed Bai Luoluo’s hand, saying, “Hold on tight.”
Before Bai Luoluo could react, a dazzling white light flashed before his eyes, forcing him to shut them. When he opened them again, the dilapidated alley had completely transformed.
“Welcome to the world of the hybrids,” Li Ruyuan’s voice sounded beside Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo rubbed his eyes and looked around at the scene before him.
They were standing on a road paved with bluestones, surrounded by beautiful villas straight out of a fairy tale. Despite it being winter, the front of each villa was adorned with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, with some even adorned with blooming roses.
“Where is this…” Bai Luoluo was filled with wonder, feeling like he had stepped into a fantasy world.
Li Ruyuan said, “In modern terms, this is the hybrid autonomous region.”
He led Bai Luoluo forward, and many people on the street stopped what they were doing to greet Li Ruyuan.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Is it okay for me to enter as a human?”
Li Ruyuan said, “With me by your side, there’s no problem. Besides…” He gave a gentle smile. “You’re special.”
At first, Bai Luoluo didn’t understand the significance of being “special.” It wasn’t until someone approached Li Ruyuan, looking surprised, and pointed at Bai Luoluo, saying, “Wow, Li Ruyuan, where did you find such a bright one?”
Li Ruyuan seemed somewhat proud as he replied, “Bright, isn’t he? He came to me on his own.”
The man, tall with semi-long hair, resembling an artist, said, “You’re really lucky… Haven’t seen someone so bright in a long time.”
Li Ruyuan smiled and said nothing.
Because Li Ruyuan had mentioned this before, Bai Luoluo vaguely understood that they were talking about the brightness of his soul. The more he understood Li Ruyuan, the more he found this world fascinating. Could it be that these hybrids could see the brightness of every human soul?
Li Ruyuan didn’t explain this to Bai Luoluo but continued to lead him forward, eventually stopping in front of a villa.
He knocked on the door, and it opened automatically.
“Let’s go,” Li Ruyuan said. “We’re going to have some good food.”
Bai Luoluo followed Li Ruyuan inside and found that the villa was actually a restaurant, with several people already seated, some eating and others chatting.
When they saw Li Ruyuan come in, they all nodded in acknowledgment. Li Ruyuan’s status among the hybrids was undoubtedly exceptional, which explained why there were no records about him, as Jiang Chao had mentioned before.
Li Ruyuan sat down and picked up the menu to order.
Clearly, his personality was completely different from Li Ruyuan’s. If everyone saw positive emotions in Li Ruyuan, then the shadow embodied all of Li Ruyuan’s negative emotions. He was hostile and suspicious, finding it hard to trust others, even if the person was his own body.
“But now, you must help the police find the murderer,” Li Ruyuan said. “Otherwise, you will be the murderer.”
The shadow cursed under his breath, downed his drink, then turned his gaze to Bai Luoluo, saying, “If I do it, I want him.”
Bai Luoluo was frightened by the shadow’s words.
Li Ruyuan firmly refused, saying, “Impossible.”
The shadow asked, “Why?”
Li Ruyuan’s tone was resolute. “He belongs to me.”
The shadow sneered. “Li Ruyuan, don’t think I don’t know that hybrids never fall in love with humans. You keep him by your side just because his soul is bright—”
Surprisingly, Li Ruyuan admitted to the shadow’s statement, saying, “So what if I do?”
The shadow said, “What if one day, his soul gets tainted? Would you abandon him then?”
Hearing this, Bai Luoluo quickly puffed up his chest, thinking that the pure soul of a civil servant would never be tainted by corruption. They were the successors of socialism, after all.
“It’s none of your business,” Li Ruyuan said coldly. “Even if that happens, it has nothing to do with you.”
The shadow gritted his teeth inwardly. He was just a shadow, while Li Ruyuan was his original body. If Li Ruyuan really wanted to merge with him forcefully, he had no choice.
But now, Li Ruyuan was refusing to merge with him because he had killed someone. For the shadow, this was actually good news. At least he didn’t have to hide anymore and could openly appear in front of Li Ruyuan.
“I only have one deal with you,” Li Ruyuan said. “Either find the murderer and hand them over to the police within a month, or I will merge with you.”
The shadow stood up to leave, but as he did, he turned back and leaned close to Bai Luoluo, saying, “Don’t follow him, follow me instead. I’m not as hypocritical as he is. I’ll give you whatever you want.” His expression was surprisingly seductive, oozing with allure from every corner.
Bai Luoluo cautiously said, “No, thank you.”
The shadow frowned. “Why?”
Bai Luoluo replied, “Because Li Ruyuan is a doctor, and I want to follow him.”
The shadow asked, “Just because he’s a doctor?” He was about to sarcastically mock Li Ruyuan’s hypocrisy, but Bai Luoluo continued, “Doctors have high salaries and benefits, including social security and housing funds. Their lives are more stable than yours, who’s been freelancing for years…”
The shadow fell silent.
Bai Luoluo continued, “They’ve been working for several years, and you’re still a freelancer…”
The shadow remained silent.
Li Ruyuan couldn’t help but chuckle.
The shadow pointed at Bai Luoluo and said, “You’re something.” Then he turned and left without looking back, probably hurt by the remark about being a freelancer.
Bai Luoluo breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the man had finally left. If he had continued to stare at him, Bai Luoluo felt like he would have shrunk into his own stomach.
Li Ruyuan found Bai Luoluo incredibly adorable. “Yes, my benefits are excellent, especially the housing fund,” he said, stifling his laughter. “If you want to buy a house, I can sponsor you.”
Bai Luoluo replied, “No need, I can’t even afford the down payment.” But he quickly regained his usual optimism and said, “So, if the shadow isn’t the murderer, can I go back to selling grilled skewers?”
Li Ruyuan: “…”
Bai Luoluo said confidently, “Grilled skewers make a lot of money!”
Li Ruyuan sighed, seemingly unable to resist Bai Luoluo’s desire to earn money. Under Bai Luoluo’s eager gaze, he relented and said, “(⊙v⊙) Okay, but I’ll drive you every day. If you disagree, then don’t sell.”
Although Bai Luoluo felt a bit strange, like a roadside vendor being chauffeured in an Audi every day, Li Ruyuan was firm, so he had to accept it.
At that moment, the waiter brought the dishes, and the two began to eat.
Bai Luoluo had never seen any of the dishes in this restaurant before. Li Ruyuan explained that the ingredients were special and hard to find elsewhere.
Bai Luoluo savored the food and asked, “What is this made of?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “Human flesh.”
Bai Luoluo’s expression turned ghostly.
Li Ruyuan chuckled again. “You didn’t really believe that, did you?”
Bai Luoluo thought, “You sounded so serious, how could I not believe you?”
Li Ruyuan laughed heartily. “It’s just ordinary chicken. There’s no way I’d have people serving you.”
Bai Luoluo finally believed him.
After finishing their meal, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo to other places in the hybrid autonomous region, where Bai Luoluo saw many novel things. For example, most of the flowers outside the villas were arranged by decoration companies, and inside these companies were hybrids who could control plants to create any shape of flowerbeds.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Do you have a house here, Li Ruyuan?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “Yes, but not in this area.”
Bai Luoluo then asked, “Do hybrids and humans living here have any interactions?”
Li Ruyuan explained, “Of course they do. Avoiding conflicts with humans is not our ultimate goal. Only by establishing a foothold in the human world can we protect our people from harm.” The more hybrids engage in human life, the safer they are.
Bai Luoluo nodded thoughtfully.
After touring the hybrid autonomous region, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo home.
After navigating through winding alleys and sitting in the car outside, Bai Luoluo, feeling a bit sleepy, dozed off in the passenger seat.
Upon arriving home, Li Ruyuan didn’t immediately wake up Bai Luoluo, who was sleeping soundly in the passenger seat. Instead, he got out of the car, smoked a cigarette, then returned to open the door on Bai Luoluo’s side, unbuckled his seatbelt, and carried him out of the car.
Bai Luoluo was still groggy, opening his eyes to look at Li Ruyuan blankly.
Li Ruyuan said, “Go back to sleep.”
Bai Luoluo grunted, snuggling into Li Ruyuan’s arms, and mumbled something that sounded like a dream, saying, “Grilled skewers…”
Li Ruyuan couldn’t help but smile wryly, reaching out to stroke Bai Luoluo’s soft hair.
After the Spring Festival holiday, it was time to go back to work.
With the new year came a new atmosphere, and Bai Luoluo found that many people’s attitudes towards him had changed significantly.
Among them, the supervisor’s change was the most obvious. Seeing him sweeping the floor, the supervisor even said, “Xiaoxu, put down the broom. Someone already cleaned here yesterday.”
“But, supervisor, isn’t this area my responsibility?” Bai Luoluo asked.
“Oh, come on, work isn’t divided between you and me.” The supervisor laughed heartily and said, “We’re all here to help each other. Don’t be so polite. Here, I just bought some oranges. Take a couple.”
Bai Luoluo thought, “You didn’t say this a month ago.”
But the work at the hospital seemed to lack nutrition for him. After all, he and Li Ruyuan were not in the same department, and now that they lived together, he didn’t have to secretly follow him after work.
After much thought, Bai Luoluo decided to tell Li Ruyuan about his intention to resign. Of course, he chose a good time, namely when Li Ruyuan was enjoying his whole chicken feast.
Li Ruyuan truly loved eating chicken, evident from his satisfied expression.
But when Bai Luoluo expressed his thoughts, Li Ruyuan’s eating motion stopped abruptly.
Li Ruyuan asked, “Have you thought it through?”
Bai Luoluo nodded heavily.
Li Ruyuan said, “If you’ve made up your mind, then go ahead. After all, I’m not your parent, so I can’t be responsible for your future.”
Touched, Bai Luoluo said, “Ruyuan, you’re really kind.”
Li Ruyuan chuckled at his words and said, “I hope you’ll still think so in the future.”
Bai Luoluo wondered, “(⊙v⊙)” Why did that sound weird?
With Li Ruyuan’s approval, Bai Luoluo resigned from the hospital a few days later.
When the supervisor of the HR department heard that Bai Luoluo wanted to resign, he was shocked and asked, “Xiaoxu, did someone say something bad about you?”
Bai Luoluo replied blankly, “No.” In fact, after everyone misunderstood his relationship with Li Ruyuan, their attitude towards him had improved, at least he wasn’t being bullied as before.
The HR supervisor earnestly advised, “These people have too much time on their hands and too much to say. I feel that you and Director Li are very compatible, Xiaoxu. Don’t worry, tell me, which logistics department do you want to go to? I’ll find you an opportunity to transfer…”
For the first time, Bai Luoluo was shocked by Li Ruyuan’s popularity. He quickly explained that he hadn’t encountered any problems and just wanted to do some other work, asking the supervisor not to overthink it.
Upon hearing this, the HR supervisor hesitated, then asked if Li Ruyuan knew about it.
Bai Luoluo said he did, they had already discussed it.
So the HR supervisor agreed to Bai Luoluo’s resignation. It seemed that he was really afraid that Bai Luoluo wanted to leave because he was being bullied.
After resigning, Bai Luoluo finally had more time to focus on his candied haws and skewer business.
Bai Luoluo usually made skewers at night, and sometimes Li Ruyuan would watch him.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Want to try? Quail eggs marinated yesterday?”
Li Ruyuan tasted it and nodded. “Not bad.”
Bai Luoluo said, “I plan to try adding chili peppers in the future… for a different flavor.”
Li Ruyuan replied, “I don’t like spicy food.”
Bai Luoluo laughed and said, “It’s okay. I’ll make sure to leave some without chili for you.”
Selling skewers and candied haws during the day required more supplies, but with Li Ruyuan’s help, Bai Luoluo wasn’t afraid of not being able to handle it.
However, there was one problem. Several customers saw Li Ruyuan driving Bai Luoluo and expressed shock, saying it was inspiring that the young boss, with such a good family background, was still selling food.
Bai Luoluo laughed foolishly, saying it wasn’t his car, just a colleague who lived with him…
“Oh, so you’re already living together,” a girl eating skewers said knowingly. “The boss’s smile is so sweet. It makes me want to fall in love.”
Bai Luoluo said, “But we’re not dating.”
The girl said, “Are you married then? Ah, that’s nice…”
Bai Luoluo: “…” How should he explain this?
During the day when Bai Luoluo sold skewers, he indeed didn’t encounter any problems. Sometimes, when Li Ruyuan was busy with surgery, he even asked Shadow to pick Bai Luoluo up.
However, Shadow’s attitude was always unpleasant. He would honk the horn loudly when he stopped the car in front of Bai Luoluo.
After getting in the car, Bai Luoluo would say, “Stop honking the horn so loudly, it’s too noisy.”
Shadow shamelessly replied, “It’s not like it’s my driver’s license or my car.”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Then Shadow drove Bai Luoluo home at breakneck speed, as usual, while continuing his usual threats along the way, enjoying the sight of Bai Luoluo cowering in fear. In this regard, Shadow’s hobby was actually quite similar to Li Ruyuan’s, but he made it more obvious.
At first, Bai Luoluo was indeed very afraid, but later he saw through Shadow’s bluster and wasn’t afraid anymore.
Shadow was frustrated when he noticed this and said, “Why aren’t you afraid of me anymore?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Because you won’t hurt me, want some skewers?”
Shadow said, “I’m broke.” After saying this, he looked annoyed, perhaps remembering being mocked by Bai Luoluo for not having social security and other benefits.
Bai Luoluo said, “It’s okay, I’ll treat you.” Then he gave Shadow twenty skewers, ten meat and ten vegetarian.
Shadow didn’t hesitate to accept and started eating. When he was halfway through, Bai Luoluo cleverly said, “After eating my skewers, you’re not allowed to scare me anymore.”
Shadow’s movements froze, and he stared at the skewers in his hand, seemingly considering whether to continue eating.
Bai Luoluo said, “You’ve already eaten ten skewers.”
Shadow reluctantly ate the remaining ten skewers.
The system said, “You’re getting smarter. After he eats your food, he’ll be too embarrassed to scare you.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Exactly, I also think I’m quite smart (⊙v⊙).”
The next day, Shadow gave Bai Luoluo a hundred yuan and said, “Here’s the money for the skewers from yesterday.”
Bai Luoluo was shocked and said, “Where did you get the money?”
Shadow said, “I robbed someone.”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Shadow said, “Now that I’ve given you the money, I can continue scaring you.” He grinned menacingly after speaking.
Bai Luoluo was seriously shaken and told Li Ruyuan about it when he got home that night.
Li Ruyuan was chopping vegetables at the time and laughed when he heard about it, saying, “Don’t be afraid of him. If he tries to scare you again, just mention social security and other benefits.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “Social security and other benefits?”
Li Ruyuan said, “Yes, social security and other benefits.” Didn’t he know about his own shadow?
So, for the next few days, Shadow seemed to be seriously affected because every time he was about to scare Bai Luoluo, Bai Luoluo would cleverly say, “Do you already have social security and other benefits?”
Shadow asked, “Did Li Ruyuan teach you to say that?”
Bai Luoluo cleverly replied, “No, it just seems like his housing fund has increased recently.”
Shadow grunted and surprisingly didn’t bring up what he had intended to say. Bai Luoluo was relieved to have escaped unscathed.
Additionally, since Li Ruyuan talked to Shadow, the mysterious disappearances in their city miraculously stopped, with no incidents occurring for over half a month.
Jiang Chao sighed in relief but also felt overwhelmed because they couldn’t find any clues about the culprit.
Meanwhile, Shadow helped the police break the deadlock. He fulfilled his promise to Li Ruyuan and, just as the first month was about to end, he caught the first criminal.
When Bai Luoluo heard this news, he was buying groceries with Li Ruyuan at the supermarket.
Bai Luoluo said, “Wow, how many criminals are there in total?”
Li Ruyuan said, “According to Shadow, there should be three.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Three? That’s a lot. Are they all from the alien race?”
“Li Ruyuan sighed and said, ‘It’s not from other races. It’s a failed experiment by humans.’ There was a hint of complaint in his tone as he continued, ‘Sometimes I really don’t understand what humans are trying to achieve.’
Bai Luoluo replied, ‘Ah…’
Li Ruyuan suddenly remembered that Bai Luoluo was also human. It seemed inappropriate to speak ill of humans in front of him. He quickly added, ‘Of course, you’re different.’
Bai Luoluo quipped, ‘Is it because I shine brightly?’
Li Ruyuan chuckled and said, ‘Yes, because you’re a big light bulb.’
After hearing Li Ruyuan’s words, Bai Luoluo couldn’t help but recall the days when he was tracking Li Ruyuan. Li Ruyuan, being followed by a light bulb like him, must have had mixed feelings…
When they caught the first suspect, although it was someone else who helped catch them, the police breathed a sigh of relief, especially Jiang Chao, who came directly to Bai Luoluo to celebrate with drinks.
Bai Luoluo said, ‘I don’t drink. How about you buy some kebabs and we chat?’
Jiang Chao was surprised and said, ‘You’re really good at business.’
Bai Luoluo replied, ‘It’s just a small business. You have to find a way to survive.’
After a moment of silence, Jiang Chao actually bought dozens of kebabs and a bottle of beer, chatting with Bai Luoluo as they ate.
Bai Luoluo was impressed by his persistence.
‘You don’t know how complex my feelings were when I saw the suspect being tied up at the police station gate,’ Jiang Chao said.
Bai Luoluo asked, ‘Complex? Shouldn’t you be happy?’
Jiang Chao replied, ‘Of course I’m happy, but there’s also a hint of loneliness… It’s the kind of loneliness when something you should have done yourself is done by someone else… Do you understand?’
Bai Luoluo thought to himself, ‘I don’t quite understand.’
Jiang Chao continued, ‘I knew there must be more than one suspect. It’s a group of people who did this.’ This truth indeed matched the initial speculation of the police.
Bai Luoluo said, ‘Oh…’
Jiang Chao then asked, ‘Xu Ruchuan, be honest with me. Does the capture of the suspects have anything to do with Li Ruyuan?’
Bai Luoluo replied, ‘(⊙v⊙) I don’t know.’
Jiang Chao said, ‘Don’t make that expression. Do you think I’ll believe you just because you make that face?’
Bai Luoluo insisted, ‘I really don’t know.’
Seeing that Bai Luoluo didn’t say anything, Jiang Chao sighed and said, ‘Alright, forget it. But I still have to tell you… Don’t get too deeply involved with Li Ruyuan… After all, he’s… from another race.’
Bai Luoluo responded, ‘But didn’t you say people from other races are generally good, peaceful?’
Jiang Chao replied, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t mean they’re not jerks when it comes to relationships.’
Bai Luoluo thought to himself, ‘But Li Ruyuan and I aren’t in a relationship…’
As they were discussing Li Ruyuan, he actually drove up. Seeing this, Jiang Chao patted his butt and said he was leaving, bidding farewell to Bai Luoluo.
As Li Ruyuan got out of the car to help Bai Luoluo with his things, Bai Luoluo asked, ‘Didn’t you say you had surgery today? Why are you here?’
Li Ruyuan replied coldly, ‘The patient insisted on leaving the hospital this afternoon, so I couldn’t stop him.’
Bai Luoluo said, ‘He left?’
Li Ruyuan responded indifferently, ‘When it’s going to rain, the mother wants to remarry, and he wants to die. What can we do?’
Bai Luoluo simply uttered an acknowledgment.
Suddenly, Li Ruyuan asked, ‘Don’t you think my attitude is too harsh?’
Bai Luoluo was a bit puzzled and said, ‘Where did you go wrong?’
Li Ruyuan said, ‘My indifferent attitude towards human life.’
Bai Luoluo was perplexed and said, ‘But you did your best.’
Li Ruyuan glanced at Bai Luoluo, said he was cute, then leaned over and kissed the top of Bai Luoluo’s head.
Bai Luoluo said, ‘Hey, don’t keep kissing me like that. It’s not good if others see us outside.’
“Okay, okay, let’s go home,” Li Ruyuan said.
Bai Luoluo: “…” Is this the issue?
Since Bai Luoluo resigned, his income has been steadily increasing. Previously, he would earn two thousand yuan a month by cleaning, which was exhausting, but now, although still tiring, he earns more than twenty thousand yuan per month.
Bai Luoluo deposited the money into his bank account and then wrote down the password in a little notebook along with the purpose of this money, to prevent it from being wasted in case of any accidents.
In spring, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo to get a new hairstyle.
It was still the same place where Li Ruyuan used to get his hair cut, with the same barber. When the barber saw them enter, he excitedly greeted Li Ruyuan, saying, “Li Ruyuan, you brought your light bulb again?”
Bai Luoluo, the light bulb, remained silent.
Li Ruyuan said, “Hmm, give him a new hairstyle.”
The barber asked, “What style do you want?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “You decide.”
After looking at Bai Luoluo, the barber suggested, “How about dyeing his hair light brown? He has fair skin, so it will definitely look good.”
Bai Luoluo didn’t really care about the hairstyle, but he eagerly asked the barber, “How much does it cost?”
The barber chuckled at his expression and said, “Oh, your innocent eyes soften my heart. How about this? I won’t charge you. Can I do whatever I want with your hair?”
Before Bai Luoluo could respond, Li Ruyuan intervened, “No.”
The barber asked, “…Why?”
In the end, Li Ruyuan decided on a plan: dye Bai Luoluo’s hair brown and add some small curls.
Bai Luoluo had no say in the matter since Li Ruyuan was the one paying for it.
After spending the whole afternoon on his hair, the result was quite good. Bai Luoluo already had a small face and fair skin, and with the new hairstyle, he looked even softer, like a doll. The barber joked that he wanted to hold Bai Luoluo in his arms and spoil him.
Bai Luoluo looked at him with a horrified expression.
Li Ruyuan commented, “Yeah, he’s quite cute, like a teddy bear.”
Bai Luoluo: “…” Why did it have to be this breed of dog?
After getting his hair done, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo out for a fancy dinner. Bai Luoluo asked, “Is today a special occasion? Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?”
Li Ruyuan suddenly called Bai Luoluo by his full name, saying, “Xu Ruchuan.”
Bai Luoluo was startled. The last time Li Ruyuan called him by his full name was when he was caught reporting on Li Ruyuan.
He immediately straightened up and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Ruyuan said, “Let’s date.”
Bai Luoluo spurted out all the water in his mouth: “Pfft—”
Li Ruyuan: “…”
“I’m sorry.” Bai Luoluo apologized quickly after spraying Li Ruyuan’s face, saying, “I didn’t mean to, I was just startled.”
Li Ruyuan asked, “Was it that frightening?”
Bai Luoluo was still using a napkin to wipe the water off Li Ruyuan’s face, full of apologies, and said, “I didn’t expect that.”
Although Li Ruyuan thought he had laid enough groundwork, Bai Luoluo’s intense reaction still left him somewhat helpless. He asked, “So, what’s your answer?”
Bai Luoluo lowered his gaze and mumbled without speaking.
Although there was no answer, Bai Luoluo’s reaction was already the best answer. Li Ruyuan said, “I understand.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Li Ruyuan…”
Li Ruyuan interrupted, “It’s okay, let’s continue eating.”
Although he said it was okay, the atmosphere between the two involuntarily cooled down.
Bai Luoluo felt a bit defeated and said, “System, what should I do?”
The system said, “Li Ruyuan’s attitude towards you is actually quite obvious. Haven’t you noticed that he likes you?”
Bai Luoluo remained silent for a moment and said, “Even if I notice, what difference does it make? I’ll have to leave sooner or later.”
The system was speechless. Finally, it said, “Follow your own heart.”
Bai Luoluo didn’t say anything and continued quietly eating.
After finishing their meal, they returned home, and after they got home, Li Ruyuan didn’t help Bai Luoluo with cooking as usual, but went straight to rest in his room.
Bai Luoluo felt a bit sad, but he forced himself to cheer up and continued to do his work in the kitchen.
On the first day, he needed to marinate the dishes for the next day so that they would be flavorful.
Until 10 o’clock at night, Bai Luoluo took a shower and prepared to go to bed. He lay on the bed, feeling a bit absent-minded.
The system asked him what was wrong.
Bai Luoluo said, “I’m just thinking, what is the meaning of my existence in this world?”
The system said, “Don’t be so down. If you think about it, at least you’ve prevented many deaths.”
Indeed, in the alternate world line, Li Ruyuan was always reluctant to take action. These ** cases had little to do with him, and that’s why he hesitated to intervene.
But Bai Luoluo’s arrival changed Li Ruyuan.
Bai Luoluo said, “Oh yeah, it seems like I’ve saved quite a few people.” Thinking about this, he felt much better.
The system said, “Don’t worry too much. I think Li Ruyuan is still a very rational person. Even if you don’t date him, he won’t intentionally make things difficult for you.”
“Really.” Bai Luoluo responded with his mouth, but he still felt uncomfortable in his heart. As for why he felt uncomfortable, he couldn’t figure it out for a moment.
The next day, everything was the same as usual. Bai Luoluo made breakfast, Li Ruyuan ate, and then Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo to sell things.
At first glance, Li Ruyuan’s attitude seemed no different from usual, but Bai Luoluo inexplicably felt a strange sense of alienation. It was as if Li Ruyuan’s gentle smile no longer came from the heart, but was just polite courtesy.
Watching Li Ruyuan drive away, Bai Luoluo felt an emptiness in his heart. Even when the shadow came to tease him, he barely reacted.
The shadow said strangely, “What’s wrong with you today? Did you have a fight with Li Ruyuan?”
Bai Luoluo said, “No.”
The shadow asked, “Then why the long face?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Do I look like I have a long face? Then should I smile?”
After looking at Bai Luoluo’s smile, the shadow shuddered and said, “Forget it, you better not smile. It gives me goosebumps.”
Bai Luoluo thought to himself, “Even a shadow can get goosebumps? You’re quite something, huh? Want a kiss and to be lifted up high?”
Feb 12, 2024
—
by
Juno
in Fight for Peace and Love
The alleyways here twisted and turned, and it would be easy to get lost without Li Ruyuan leading the way. But even with Li Ruyuan in front, Bai Luoluo felt like he was walking through a maze. After passing through several doors, Li Ruyuan suddenly reached out and grabbed Bai Luoluo’s hand, saying, “Hold on tight.”
Before Bai Luoluo could react, a dazzling white light flashed before his eyes, forcing him to shut them. When he opened them again, the dilapidated alley had completely transformed.
“Welcome to the world of the hybrids,” Li Ruyuan’s voice sounded beside Bai Luoluo.
Bai Luoluo rubbed his eyes and looked around at the scene before him.
They were standing on a road paved with bluestones, surrounded by beautiful villas straight out of a fairy tale. Despite it being winter, the front of each villa was adorned with lush greenery and vibrant flowers, with some even adorned with blooming roses.
“Where is this…” Bai Luoluo was filled with wonder, feeling like he had stepped into a fantasy world.
Li Ruyuan said, “In modern terms, this is the hybrid autonomous region.”
He led Bai Luoluo forward, and many people on the street stopped what they were doing to greet Li Ruyuan.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Is it okay for me to enter as a human?”
Li Ruyuan said, “With me by your side, there’s no problem. Besides…” He gave a gentle smile. “You’re special.”
At first, Bai Luoluo didn’t understand the significance of being “special.” It wasn’t until someone approached Li Ruyuan, looking surprised, and pointed at Bai Luoluo, saying, “Wow, Li Ruyuan, where did you find such a bright one?”
Li Ruyuan seemed somewhat proud as he replied, “Bright, isn’t he? He came to me on his own.”
The man, tall with semi-long hair, resembling an artist, said, “You’re really lucky… Haven’t seen someone so bright in a long time.”
Li Ruyuan smiled and said nothing.
Because Li Ruyuan had mentioned this before, Bai Luoluo vaguely understood that they were talking about the brightness of his soul. The more he understood Li Ruyuan, the more he found this world fascinating. Could it be that these hybrids could see the brightness of every human soul?
Li Ruyuan didn’t explain this to Bai Luoluo but continued to lead him forward, eventually stopping in front of a villa.
He knocked on the door, and it opened automatically.
“Let’s go,” Li Ruyuan said. “We’re going to have some good food.”
Bai Luoluo followed Li Ruyuan inside and found that the villa was actually a restaurant, with several people already seated, some eating and others chatting.
When they saw Li Ruyuan come in, they all nodded in acknowledgment. Li Ruyuan’s status among the hybrids was undoubtedly exceptional, which explained why there were no records about him, as Jiang Chao had mentioned before.
Li Ruyuan sat down and picked up the menu to order.
Clearly, his personality was completely different from Li Ruyuan’s. If everyone saw positive emotions in Li Ruyuan, then the shadow embodied all of Li Ruyuan’s negative emotions. He was hostile and suspicious, finding it hard to trust others, even if the person was his own body.
“But now, you must help the police find the murderer,” Li Ruyuan said. “Otherwise, you will be the murderer.”
The shadow cursed under his breath, downed his drink, then turned his gaze to Bai Luoluo, saying, “If I do it, I want him.”
Bai Luoluo was frightened by the shadow’s words.
Li Ruyuan firmly refused, saying, “Impossible.”
The shadow asked, “Why?”
Li Ruyuan’s tone was resolute. “He belongs to me.”
The shadow sneered. “Li Ruyuan, don’t think I don’t know that hybrids never fall in love with humans. You keep him by your side just because his soul is bright—”
Surprisingly, Li Ruyuan admitted to the shadow’s statement, saying, “So what if I do?”
The shadow said, “What if one day, his soul gets tainted? Would you abandon him then?”
Hearing this, Bai Luoluo quickly puffed up his chest, thinking that the pure soul of a civil servant would never be tainted by corruption. They were the successors of socialism, after all.
“It’s none of your business,” Li Ruyuan said coldly. “Even if that happens, it has nothing to do with you.”
The shadow gritted his teeth inwardly. He was just a shadow, while Li Ruyuan was his original body. If Li Ruyuan really wanted to merge with him forcefully, he had no choice.
But now, Li Ruyuan was refusing to merge with him because he had killed someone. For the shadow, this was actually good news. At least he didn’t have to hide anymore and could openly appear in front of Li Ruyuan.
“I only have one deal with you,” Li Ruyuan said. “Either find the murderer and hand them over to the police within a month, or I will merge with you.”
The shadow stood up to leave, but as he did, he turned back and leaned close to Bai Luoluo, saying, “Don’t follow him, follow me instead. I’m not as hypocritical as he is. I’ll give you whatever you want.” His expression was surprisingly seductive, oozing with allure from every corner.
Bai Luoluo cautiously said, “No, thank you.”
The shadow frowned. “Why?”
Bai Luoluo replied, “Because Li Ruyuan is a doctor, and I want to follow him.”
The shadow asked, “Just because he’s a doctor?” He was about to sarcastically mock Li Ruyuan’s hypocrisy, but Bai Luoluo continued, “Doctors have high salaries and benefits, including social security and housing funds. Their lives are more stable than yours, who’s been freelancing for years…”
The shadow fell silent.
Bai Luoluo continued, “They’ve been working for several years, and you’re still a freelancer…”
The shadow remained silent.
Li Ruyuan couldn’t help but chuckle.
The shadow pointed at Bai Luoluo and said, “You’re something.” Then he turned and left without looking back, probably hurt by the remark about being a freelancer.
Bai Luoluo breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that the man had finally left. If he had continued to stare at him, Bai Luoluo felt like he would have shrunk into his own stomach.
Li Ruyuan found Bai Luoluo incredibly adorable. “Yes, my benefits are excellent, especially the housing fund,” he said, stifling his laughter. “If you want to buy a house, I can sponsor you.”
Bai Luoluo replied, “No need, I can’t even afford the down payment.” But he quickly regained his usual optimism and said, “So, if the shadow isn’t the murderer, can I go back to selling grilled skewers?”
Li Ruyuan: “…”
Bai Luoluo said confidently, “Grilled skewers make a lot of money!”
Li Ruyuan sighed, seemingly unable to resist Bai Luoluo’s desire to earn money. Under Bai Luoluo’s eager gaze, he relented and said, “(⊙v⊙) Okay, but I’ll drive you every day. If you disagree, then don’t sell.”
Although Bai Luoluo felt a bit strange, like a roadside vendor being chauffeured in an Audi every day, Li Ruyuan was firm, so he had to accept it.
At that moment, the waiter brought the dishes, and the two began to eat.
Bai Luoluo had never seen any of the dishes in this restaurant before. Li Ruyuan explained that the ingredients were special and hard to find elsewhere.
Bai Luoluo savored the food and asked, “What is this made of?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “Human flesh.”
Bai Luoluo’s expression turned ghostly.
Li Ruyuan chuckled again. “You didn’t really believe that, did you?”
Bai Luoluo thought, “You sounded so serious, how could I not believe you?”
Li Ruyuan laughed heartily. “It’s just ordinary chicken. There’s no way I’d have people serving you.”
Bai Luoluo finally believed him.
After finishing their meal, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo to other places in the hybrid autonomous region, where Bai Luoluo saw many novel things. For example, most of the flowers outside the villas were arranged by decoration companies, and inside these companies were hybrids who could control plants to create any shape of flowerbeds.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Do you have a house here, Li Ruyuan?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “Yes, but not in this area.”
Bai Luoluo then asked, “Do hybrids and humans living here have any interactions?”
Li Ruyuan explained, “Of course they do. Avoiding conflicts with humans is not our ultimate goal. Only by establishing a foothold in the human world can we protect our people from harm.” The more hybrids engage in human life, the safer they are.
Bai Luoluo nodded thoughtfully.
After touring the hybrid autonomous region, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo home.
After navigating through winding alleys and sitting in the car outside, Bai Luoluo, feeling a bit sleepy, dozed off in the passenger seat.
Upon arriving home, Li Ruyuan didn’t immediately wake up Bai Luoluo, who was sleeping soundly in the passenger seat. Instead, he got out of the car, smoked a cigarette, then returned to open the door on Bai Luoluo’s side, unbuckled his seatbelt, and carried him out of the car.
Bai Luoluo was still groggy, opening his eyes to look at Li Ruyuan blankly.
Li Ruyuan said, “Go back to sleep.”
Bai Luoluo grunted, snuggling into Li Ruyuan’s arms, and mumbled something that sounded like a dream, saying, “Grilled skewers…”
Li Ruyuan couldn’t help but smile wryly, reaching out to stroke Bai Luoluo’s soft hair.
After the Spring Festival holiday, it was time to go back to work.
With the new year came a new atmosphere, and Bai Luoluo found that many people’s attitudes towards him had changed significantly.
Among them, the supervisor’s change was the most obvious. Seeing him sweeping the floor, the supervisor even said, “Xiaoxu, put down the broom. Someone already cleaned here yesterday.”
“But, supervisor, isn’t this area my responsibility?” Bai Luoluo asked.
“Oh, come on, work isn’t divided between you and me.” The supervisor laughed heartily and said, “We’re all here to help each other. Don’t be so polite. Here, I just bought some oranges. Take a couple.”
Bai Luoluo thought, “You didn’t say this a month ago.”
But the work at the hospital seemed to lack nutrition for him. After all, he and Li Ruyuan were not in the same department, and now that they lived together, he didn’t have to secretly follow him after work.
After much thought, Bai Luoluo decided to tell Li Ruyuan about his intention to resign. Of course, he chose a good time, namely when Li Ruyuan was enjoying his whole chicken feast.
Li Ruyuan truly loved eating chicken, evident from his satisfied expression.
But when Bai Luoluo expressed his thoughts, Li Ruyuan’s eating motion stopped abruptly.
Li Ruyuan asked, “Have you thought it through?”
Bai Luoluo nodded heavily.
Li Ruyuan said, “If you’ve made up your mind, then go ahead. After all, I’m not your parent, so I can’t be responsible for your future.”
Touched, Bai Luoluo said, “Ruyuan, you’re really kind.”
Li Ruyuan chuckled at his words and said, “I hope you’ll still think so in the future.”
Bai Luoluo wondered, “(⊙v⊙)” Why did that sound weird?
With Li Ruyuan’s approval, Bai Luoluo resigned from the hospital a few days later.
When the supervisor of the HR department heard that Bai Luoluo wanted to resign, he was shocked and asked, “Xiaoxu, did someone say something bad about you?”
Bai Luoluo replied blankly, “No.” In fact, after everyone misunderstood his relationship with Li Ruyuan, their attitude towards him had improved, at least he wasn’t being bullied as before.
The HR supervisor earnestly advised, “These people have too much time on their hands and too much to say. I feel that you and Director Li are very compatible, Xiaoxu. Don’t worry, tell me, which logistics department do you want to go to? I’ll find you an opportunity to transfer…”
For the first time, Bai Luoluo was shocked by Li Ruyuan’s popularity. He quickly explained that he hadn’t encountered any problems and just wanted to do some other work, asking the supervisor not to overthink it.
Upon hearing this, the HR supervisor hesitated, then asked if Li Ruyuan knew about it.
Bai Luoluo said he did, they had already discussed it.
So the HR supervisor agreed to Bai Luoluo’s resignation. It seemed that he was really afraid that Bai Luoluo wanted to leave because he was being bullied.
After resigning, Bai Luoluo finally had more time to focus on his candied haws and skewer business.
Bai Luoluo usually made skewers at night, and sometimes Li Ruyuan would watch him.
Bai Luoluo asked, “Want to try? Quail eggs marinated yesterday?”
Li Ruyuan tasted it and nodded. “Not bad.”
Bai Luoluo said, “I plan to try adding chili peppers in the future… for a different flavor.”
Li Ruyuan replied, “I don’t like spicy food.”
Bai Luoluo laughed and said, “It’s okay. I’ll make sure to leave some without chili for you.”
Selling skewers and candied haws during the day required more supplies, but with Li Ruyuan’s help, Bai Luoluo wasn’t afraid of not being able to handle it.
However, there was one problem. Several customers saw Li Ruyuan driving Bai Luoluo and expressed shock, saying it was inspiring that the young boss, with such a good family background, was still selling food.
Bai Luoluo laughed foolishly, saying it wasn’t his car, just a colleague who lived with him…
“Oh, so you’re already living together,” a girl eating skewers said knowingly. “The boss’s smile is so sweet. It makes me want to fall in love.”
Bai Luoluo said, “But we’re not dating.”
The girl said, “Are you married then? Ah, that’s nice…”
Bai Luoluo: “…” How should he explain this?
During the day when Bai Luoluo sold skewers, he indeed didn’t encounter any problems. Sometimes, when Li Ruyuan was busy with surgery, he even asked Shadow to pick Bai Luoluo up.
However, Shadow’s attitude was always unpleasant. He would honk the horn loudly when he stopped the car in front of Bai Luoluo.
After getting in the car, Bai Luoluo would say, “Stop honking the horn so loudly, it’s too noisy.”
Shadow shamelessly replied, “It’s not like it’s my driver’s license or my car.”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Then Shadow drove Bai Luoluo home at breakneck speed, as usual, while continuing his usual threats along the way, enjoying the sight of Bai Luoluo cowering in fear. In this regard, Shadow’s hobby was actually quite similar to Li Ruyuan’s, but he made it more obvious.
At first, Bai Luoluo was indeed very afraid, but later he saw through Shadow’s bluster and wasn’t afraid anymore.
Shadow was frustrated when he noticed this and said, “Why aren’t you afraid of me anymore?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Because you won’t hurt me, want some skewers?”
Shadow said, “I’m broke.” After saying this, he looked annoyed, perhaps remembering being mocked by Bai Luoluo for not having social security and other benefits.
Bai Luoluo said, “It’s okay, I’ll treat you.” Then he gave Shadow twenty skewers, ten meat and ten vegetarian.
Shadow didn’t hesitate to accept and started eating. When he was halfway through, Bai Luoluo cleverly said, “After eating my skewers, you’re not allowed to scare me anymore.”
Shadow’s movements froze, and he stared at the skewers in his hand, seemingly considering whether to continue eating.
Bai Luoluo said, “You’ve already eaten ten skewers.”
Shadow reluctantly ate the remaining ten skewers.
The system said, “You’re getting smarter. After he eats your food, he’ll be too embarrassed to scare you.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Exactly, I also think I’m quite smart (⊙v⊙).”
The next day, Shadow gave Bai Luoluo a hundred yuan and said, “Here’s the money for the skewers from yesterday.”
Bai Luoluo was shocked and said, “Where did you get the money?”
Shadow said, “I robbed someone.”
Bai Luoluo: “…”
Shadow said, “Now that I’ve given you the money, I can continue scaring you.” He grinned menacingly after speaking.
Bai Luoluo was seriously shaken and told Li Ruyuan about it when he got home that night.
Li Ruyuan was chopping vegetables at the time and laughed when he heard about it, saying, “Don’t be afraid of him. If he tries to scare you again, just mention social security and other benefits.”
Bai Luoluo asked, “Social security and other benefits?”
Li Ruyuan said, “Yes, social security and other benefits.” Didn’t he know about his own shadow?
So, for the next few days, Shadow seemed to be seriously affected because every time he was about to scare Bai Luoluo, Bai Luoluo would cleverly say, “Do you already have social security and other benefits?”
Shadow asked, “Did Li Ruyuan teach you to say that?”
Bai Luoluo cleverly replied, “No, it just seems like his housing fund has increased recently.”
Shadow grunted and surprisingly didn’t bring up what he had intended to say. Bai Luoluo was relieved to have escaped unscathed.
Additionally, since Li Ruyuan talked to Shadow, the mysterious disappearances in their city miraculously stopped, with no incidents occurring for over half a month.
Jiang Chao sighed in relief but also felt overwhelmed because they couldn’t find any clues about the culprit.
Meanwhile, Shadow helped the police break the deadlock. He fulfilled his promise to Li Ruyuan and, just as the first month was about to end, he caught the first criminal.
When Bai Luoluo heard this news, he was buying groceries with Li Ruyuan at the supermarket.
Bai Luoluo said, “Wow, how many criminals are there in total?”
Li Ruyuan said, “According to Shadow, there should be three.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Three? That’s a lot. Are they all from the alien race?”
“Li Ruyuan sighed and said, ‘It’s not from other races. It’s a failed experiment by humans.’ There was a hint of complaint in his tone as he continued, ‘Sometimes I really don’t understand what humans are trying to achieve.’
Bai Luoluo replied, ‘Ah…’
Li Ruyuan suddenly remembered that Bai Luoluo was also human. It seemed inappropriate to speak ill of humans in front of him. He quickly added, ‘Of course, you’re different.’
Bai Luoluo quipped, ‘Is it because I shine brightly?’
Li Ruyuan chuckled and said, ‘Yes, because you’re a big light bulb.’
After hearing Li Ruyuan’s words, Bai Luoluo couldn’t help but recall the days when he was tracking Li Ruyuan. Li Ruyuan, being followed by a light bulb like him, must have had mixed feelings…
When they caught the first suspect, although it was someone else who helped catch them, the police breathed a sigh of relief, especially Jiang Chao, who came directly to Bai Luoluo to celebrate with drinks.
Bai Luoluo said, ‘I don’t drink. How about you buy some kebabs and we chat?’
Jiang Chao was surprised and said, ‘You’re really good at business.’
Bai Luoluo replied, ‘It’s just a small business. You have to find a way to survive.’
After a moment of silence, Jiang Chao actually bought dozens of kebabs and a bottle of beer, chatting with Bai Luoluo as they ate.
Bai Luoluo was impressed by his persistence.
‘You don’t know how complex my feelings were when I saw the suspect being tied up at the police station gate,’ Jiang Chao said.
Bai Luoluo asked, ‘Complex? Shouldn’t you be happy?’
Jiang Chao replied, ‘Of course I’m happy, but there’s also a hint of loneliness… It’s the kind of loneliness when something you should have done yourself is done by someone else… Do you understand?’
Bai Luoluo thought to himself, ‘I don’t quite understand.’
Jiang Chao continued, ‘I knew there must be more than one suspect. It’s a group of people who did this.’ This truth indeed matched the initial speculation of the police.
Bai Luoluo said, ‘Oh…’
Jiang Chao then asked, ‘Xu Ruchuan, be honest with me. Does the capture of the suspects have anything to do with Li Ruyuan?’
Bai Luoluo replied, ‘(⊙v⊙) I don’t know.’
Jiang Chao said, ‘Don’t make that expression. Do you think I’ll believe you just because you make that face?’
Bai Luoluo insisted, ‘I really don’t know.’
Seeing that Bai Luoluo didn’t say anything, Jiang Chao sighed and said, ‘Alright, forget it. But I still have to tell you… Don’t get too deeply involved with Li Ruyuan… After all, he’s… from another race.’
Bai Luoluo responded, ‘But didn’t you say people from other races are generally good, peaceful?’
Jiang Chao replied, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t mean they’re not jerks when it comes to relationships.’
Bai Luoluo thought to himself, ‘But Li Ruyuan and I aren’t in a relationship…’
As they were discussing Li Ruyuan, he actually drove up. Seeing this, Jiang Chao patted his butt and said he was leaving, bidding farewell to Bai Luoluo.
As Li Ruyuan got out of the car to help Bai Luoluo with his things, Bai Luoluo asked, ‘Didn’t you say you had surgery today? Why are you here?’
Li Ruyuan replied coldly, ‘The patient insisted on leaving the hospital this afternoon, so I couldn’t stop him.’
Bai Luoluo said, ‘He left?’
Li Ruyuan responded indifferently, ‘When it’s going to rain, the mother wants to remarry, and he wants to die. What can we do?’
Bai Luoluo simply uttered an acknowledgment.
Suddenly, Li Ruyuan asked, ‘Don’t you think my attitude is too harsh?’
Bai Luoluo was a bit puzzled and said, ‘Where did you go wrong?’
Li Ruyuan said, ‘My indifferent attitude towards human life.’
Bai Luoluo was perplexed and said, ‘But you did your best.’
Li Ruyuan glanced at Bai Luoluo, said he was cute, then leaned over and kissed the top of Bai Luoluo’s head.
Bai Luoluo said, ‘Hey, don’t keep kissing me like that. It’s not good if others see us outside.’
“Okay, okay, let’s go home,” Li Ruyuan said.
Bai Luoluo: “…” Is this the issue?
Since Bai Luoluo resigned, his income has been steadily increasing. Previously, he would earn two thousand yuan a month by cleaning, which was exhausting, but now, although still tiring, he earns more than twenty thousand yuan per month.
Bai Luoluo deposited the money into his bank account and then wrote down the password in a little notebook along with the purpose of this money, to prevent it from being wasted in case of any accidents.
In spring, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo to get a new hairstyle.
It was still the same place where Li Ruyuan used to get his hair cut, with the same barber. When the barber saw them enter, he excitedly greeted Li Ruyuan, saying, “Li Ruyuan, you brought your light bulb again?”
Bai Luoluo, the light bulb, remained silent.
Li Ruyuan said, “Hmm, give him a new hairstyle.”
The barber asked, “What style do you want?”
Li Ruyuan replied, “You decide.”
After looking at Bai Luoluo, the barber suggested, “How about dyeing his hair light brown? He has fair skin, so it will definitely look good.”
Bai Luoluo didn’t really care about the hairstyle, but he eagerly asked the barber, “How much does it cost?”
The barber chuckled at his expression and said, “Oh, your innocent eyes soften my heart. How about this? I won’t charge you. Can I do whatever I want with your hair?”
Before Bai Luoluo could respond, Li Ruyuan intervened, “No.”
The barber asked, “…Why?”
In the end, Li Ruyuan decided on a plan: dye Bai Luoluo’s hair brown and add some small curls.
Bai Luoluo had no say in the matter since Li Ruyuan was the one paying for it.
After spending the whole afternoon on his hair, the result was quite good. Bai Luoluo already had a small face and fair skin, and with the new hairstyle, he looked even softer, like a doll. The barber joked that he wanted to hold Bai Luoluo in his arms and spoil him.
Bai Luoluo looked at him with a horrified expression.
Li Ruyuan commented, “Yeah, he’s quite cute, like a teddy bear.”
Bai Luoluo: “…” Why did it have to be this breed of dog?
After getting his hair done, Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo out for a fancy dinner. Bai Luoluo asked, “Is today a special occasion? Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?”
Li Ruyuan suddenly called Bai Luoluo by his full name, saying, “Xu Ruchuan.”
Bai Luoluo was startled. The last time Li Ruyuan called him by his full name was when he was caught reporting on Li Ruyuan.
He immediately straightened up and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Ruyuan said, “Let’s date.”
Bai Luoluo spurted out all the water in his mouth: “Pfft—”
Li Ruyuan: “…”
“I’m sorry.” Bai Luoluo apologized quickly after spraying Li Ruyuan’s face, saying, “I didn’t mean to, I was just startled.”
Li Ruyuan asked, “Was it that frightening?”
Bai Luoluo was still using a napkin to wipe the water off Li Ruyuan’s face, full of apologies, and said, “I didn’t expect that.”
Although Li Ruyuan thought he had laid enough groundwork, Bai Luoluo’s intense reaction still left him somewhat helpless. He asked, “So, what’s your answer?”
Bai Luoluo lowered his gaze and mumbled without speaking.
Although there was no answer, Bai Luoluo’s reaction was already the best answer. Li Ruyuan said, “I understand.”
Bai Luoluo said, “Li Ruyuan…”
Li Ruyuan interrupted, “It’s okay, let’s continue eating.”
Although he said it was okay, the atmosphere between the two involuntarily cooled down.
Bai Luoluo felt a bit defeated and said, “System, what should I do?”
The system said, “Li Ruyuan’s attitude towards you is actually quite obvious. Haven’t you noticed that he likes you?”
Bai Luoluo remained silent for a moment and said, “Even if I notice, what difference does it make? I’ll have to leave sooner or later.”
The system was speechless. Finally, it said, “Follow your own heart.”
Bai Luoluo didn’t say anything and continued quietly eating.
After finishing their meal, they returned home, and after they got home, Li Ruyuan didn’t help Bai Luoluo with cooking as usual, but went straight to rest in his room.
Bai Luoluo felt a bit sad, but he forced himself to cheer up and continued to do his work in the kitchen.
On the first day, he needed to marinate the dishes for the next day so that they would be flavorful.
Until 10 o’clock at night, Bai Luoluo took a shower and prepared to go to bed. He lay on the bed, feeling a bit absent-minded.
The system asked him what was wrong.
Bai Luoluo said, “I’m just thinking, what is the meaning of my existence in this world?”
The system said, “Don’t be so down. If you think about it, at least you’ve prevented many deaths.”
Indeed, in the alternate world line, Li Ruyuan was always reluctant to take action. These ** cases had little to do with him, and that’s why he hesitated to intervene.
But Bai Luoluo’s arrival changed Li Ruyuan.
Bai Luoluo said, “Oh yeah, it seems like I’ve saved quite a few people.” Thinking about this, he felt much better.
The system said, “Don’t worry too much. I think Li Ruyuan is still a very rational person. Even if you don’t date him, he won’t intentionally make things difficult for you.”
“Really.” Bai Luoluo responded with his mouth, but he still felt uncomfortable in his heart. As for why he felt uncomfortable, he couldn’t figure it out for a moment.
The next day, everything was the same as usual. Bai Luoluo made breakfast, Li Ruyuan ate, and then Li Ruyuan took Bai Luoluo to sell things.
At first glance, Li Ruyuan’s attitude seemed no different from usual, but Bai Luoluo inexplicably felt a strange sense of alienation. It was as if Li Ruyuan’s gentle smile no longer came from the heart, but was just polite courtesy.
Watching Li Ruyuan drive away, Bai Luoluo felt an emptiness in his heart. Even when the shadow came to tease him, he barely reacted.
The shadow said strangely, “What’s wrong with you today? Did you have a fight with Li Ruyuan?”
Bai Luoluo said, “No.”
The shadow asked, “Then why the long face?”
Bai Luoluo said, “Do I look like I have a long face? Then should I smile?”
After looking at Bai Luoluo’s smile, the shadow shuddered and said, “Forget it, you better not smile. It gives me goosebumps.”
Bai Luoluo thought to himself, “Even a shadow can get goosebumps? You’re quite something, huh? Want a kiss and to be lifted up high?”
