In the end, I couldn't say the final "thank you".
The shrill laughter and the wheezing, like a broken bellows, came to an abrupt end.
Chen Xiao looked at the lifeless Yaksha, then stretched out the hand that was covering the wound next to his ear, his palm covered in crimson blood.
That was blood.
Some are their own, and some are those of the Yaksha.
His eyes held a complex and profound look.
Finally, after a while, he suddenly asked Phoenix, "Do you think this person is a bad person?"
Phoenix sighed softly, "I think he's a pitiful person."
Chen Xiao lowered his head and thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up and smiled.
He smiled very seriously, and his tone became even more earnest.
"At least, he's a human being! Not some freak! He's a human being!"
Chapter 109 [The Clock Shop on the Unfinished Street]
The car stopped at the intersection of the abandoned street. After Chen Xiao got out of the car, he looked back at Phoenix inside, hesitated for a moment, and asked in a low voice, "Aren't you coming in with me?"
Phoenix smiled and shook her head: "No, thank you."
"Then...when can we see each other again?" Chen Xiao looked into Phoenix's eyes.
Phoenix smiled brightly, as radiant as the morning sun: "It won't be long."
After saying that, she finally got out of the car, still nestled in Chen Xiao's arms, stood on tiptoe, and gently kissed Chen Xiao's lips, whispering in his ear, "I will miss you, and I hope you will miss me too."
The car slowly drove away. Chen Xiao stood on the street until the car was out of sight. Only then did he sigh with a sense of loss and turn to walk towards the abandoned street.
Inside the coffee shop, Champagne was idly flipping through last month's issue of "Rayli" magazine when she heard the doorbell ring softly. Seeing Chen Xiao push the door open and walk in, Champagne gasped in surprise, quickly emerging from behind the counter and running up to him. Her eyes were fixed on Chen Xiao, filled with an almost devout fervor…
Chen Xiao was stunned as the champagne rushed towards him like a long-lost lover, and just stood there blankly as the champagne plunged into his arms... Uh?
fortunately……
Champagne gripped Chen Xiao's tattered jacket tightly with both hands, her eyes practically gleaming as she excitedly shrieked, "Wow! It's a genuine Burberry! And the latest casual style this year!! It was just featured in the magazine last month!!!"
Her fingers trembled slightly as she lovingly stroked the fabric of Chen Xiao's clothes, her eyes like those of a fanatical religious follower.
Chen Xiao was speechless, staring blankly at the champagne.
Champagne suddenly looked up, her beautiful eyes flashing with anger: "You! What the hell are you doing! What's going on?!"
Chen Xiao touched his nose: "Well... a friend took me away, that's why I didn't go home..."
"Pah! Who asked you here!" Champagne immediately interrupted Chen Xiao. She quickly questioned, "Do you even know this is a genuine Burberry, the latest casual style released just last month! A limited edition worldwide!! Such a work of art! And you've left it all tattered! Good heavens! You even smell like sewage! Did you go crawling through a sewer while wearing such a beautiful piece of art?! This is Burberry!!"
Chen Xiao felt a pang of frustration: This fashion fanatic...
After being missing for so long, he returned in tattered clothes, and no one even cared about that, only focusing on his clothes...
At that moment, Lao Tian slowly walked out of the coffee shop, a cigarette between his fingers—unlit, but he pretended to sniff it. Then he coughed twice, looked at Chen Xiao, and smiled calmly: "You're back?"
"Yes, I'm back." Chen Xiao nodded, but looked curiously at the unlit cigarette in Lao Tian's hand.
Old Tian was a little embarrassed, then laughed and said, "I want to quit smoking, so I don't dare to light it. I just take it out and smell it."
As he spoke, he put the cigarette away.
Quitting smoking... only a fool would believe that. Ever since Chen Xiao met this guy, he's tried to quit smoking almost twice a week. But he only manages to stick to it for two days at most each time.
Old Tian walked up to Chen Xiao, looked him up and down, and said with a leisurely smile, "You look good. What happened to you? Did you get into a fight again?"
"Mm." Chen Xiao smiled. "I'm sorry to have worried you."
"No way," Old Tian waved his hand. "You're not my son, you're not my grandson, what am I worried about? Besides, you're not a girl. If you run off and don't come back all night, someone might take advantage of you..." As he said this, his eyes darted around, and he cautiously glanced back into the shop, lowering his voice, "Keep your voice down, Zhu Rong is in there training that poor cook. That woman has a terrible temper; she was very annoyed when you disappeared. You'll be in trouble when she comes out."
After saying that, he went up and shoved the champagne bottle open, then pulled Chen Xiao outside, saying, "Let's hurry. Be careful when that fire woman comes out; it won't be good if she starts a fire."
Champagne looked longingly at Chen Xiao from behind: "BURBERRY..."
Chen Xiao thought for a moment, then simply took off his coat and said with a smile, "If you like it, you can have it."
Despite the holes in his clothes, Champagne happily accepted the gift, then skipped and hopped back home. Before leaving, he smiled at Lao Tian and said, "Don't worry, I won't tell Zhu Rong!"
Old Tian quickly pulled Chen Xiao away from the coffee shop, walking along the unfinished street towards the other end. After leaving the coffee shop, Old Tian was no longer in such a hurry. He and Chen Xiao strolled slowly side by side on the unfinished street, and he even deliberately stretched, squinting his eyes and enjoying the warm sunshine.
After a while, Old Tian looked up at the sky and softly asked, "Is she... alright?"
"You mean..." Chen Xiao hesitated.
"The girl who took you away, Phoenix," Old Tian smiled slightly, his expression quite relaxed. "Is she alright?"
"...It's alright." Chen Xiao nodded, paused, and then asked Lao Tian, "Did you know she was the one who took me away?"
"I guessed it." Old Tian chuckled softly, put his hands behind his head, and slowly walked forward, saying leisurely, "Last night, she took you to that suburban prison, and I followed her all the way. Sigh...you and her..."
Old Tian seemed to frown slightly at this point, but then continued to laugh loudly, "Alright, I, an old man, won't interfere in the affairs of you young people." However, Old Tian's attitude made Chen Xiao unable to help but press for more information.
"Old Tian, you...you know Fenghuang?" Chen Xiao caught up with Old Tian and looked at him, "Can you tell me what kind of girl she is?"
"You're asking me?" Old Tian stopped, took out the cigarette again, and sniffed it. But his expression seemed somewhat evasive: "You and her... don't you even know what kind of girl she is?"