Hiromi Collection - Chapter 29
Luo Jian suddenly sat up in bed, his face covered in cold sweat.
here it is……
He looked around blankly. The room was small, with a bedside table, an IV stand, and a chair. Moonlight streamed in from the half-drawn curtains, a bright and clear night.
This is...the hospital.
Luo Jian finally regained his senses. As he did so, the events that had occurred at Bian Ruili's house resurfaced in his mind: the wooden box, the painting, the person in the painting who looked exactly like him...
Luo Jian took out the red thread hanging around his neck, on which was a delicate coral-colored lock.
"Ah Jian, this is the only thing your biological parents left you. You must keep it safe. Maybe one day you can find them with this pendant."
"Yes, teacher."
"Now, let's go home with the uncles and aunties over there. Remember to come back and visit us when you have time!"
"Yes, I definitely will, teacher."
It turns out that even after closing the Bomei Collection's portal, Qiu Jie still died... a death of complete annihilation of his soul and body...
From that day forward, throughout the entire world, among all living beings, even in the deepest depths of the underworld, there would never again be a young girl who affectionately called him "Master," who would cling to his arm and chatter away, and who would ever again inquire about his well-being...
Is this why I hate Pomeranian so much? Even though I lost all my memories in that outbreak a thousand years ago and was cast into the cycle of reincarnation, is there still such a deep-seated hatred for Pomeranian? Because it took away… took away the person I loved most!!
Luo Jian fell heavily back onto the bed, clutching the small coral lock tightly in his hand.
Please help! Wait for me, I'm going to drag everyone down to hell to join you!!
Final Chapter Collection
Today is Monday. Luo Jian got up very early. He specially dug out the designer suit he bought half a year ago to attend a classmate's wedding, put it on, and tidied himself up in front of the mirror.
"Hey, Luo, what's the good news today? You're dressed so smartly!" The old lady downstairs was about to go out when she saw Luo Jian dressed so elegantly and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. You know, Luo Jian usually wears whatever is convenient. Apart from uniforms, he usually wears running shoes and T-shirts all year round. If it's not a big event like a wedding, you won't see him wear a suit even once a year.
"Yes, something's come up." Luo Jian nodded with a smile.
"What? Something's come up? You need to take leave?!" the young police officer who answered the phone shouted excitedly.
"Shh~ What are you yelling about!" The other homicide officers, disturbed by the young officer's loud voice, all cast disapproving glances at the impetuous man. What was he doing making such a racket so early in the morning?
"It's not that..." The person answering the phone carefully pressed the receiver, then turned to the person next to them and said, "He needs to take leave!! He needs to take leave!!"
"What's there to get excited about? It's just asking for leave. Anyway, there haven't been any major cases lately..." An older officer picked up his teacup and brought it to his lips.
"Yes... yes... Captain Luo needs to ask for leave..." the young officer stammered.
puff--
The older officer sprayed his entire cup of tea onto the computer screen in front of him.
"What did you say?" the others shouted as well.
"Murder Division, what's all the noise about?!" The Theft Division, which was working outside, sent someone over to protest.
"Luo Jian... King Yan Luo said he has something to do at home today and needs to take a day off..."
"Awooo—" The thief let out a wolf-like howl and rushed back to his office to spread the news.
"Yan Wang Luo is taking the day off today."
"King Yama Luo is on leave today!!"
"Oh my god... I can't believe it!"
So, in an instant, everyone in the Chaohe District Public Security Bureau, from the director and deputy director to the doorman Old Zhang, the sweeper Aunt Huang, and even the suspects who were in detention, who knew Luo Jian, were shocked when they heard the news. That... that Luo Jian who never asked for leave and worked like his life depended on it, actually asked for leave today?!
Is the Earth about to explode...?
Luo Jian parked his car on the side of the road and looked around. This was the eastern suburbs of Chaohe District. A construction company owner had originally acquired the land here, intending to develop a series of commercial and residential areas. Unfortunately, just as he received the official documents, the owner himself died in an accident. Since the owner had several sons, wives, mistresses, and girlfriends, everyone was busy fighting for the inheritance, and the vacant land that had already been purchased was left unattended, becoming a dumping ground for nearby residents' garbage.
Let's choose this one.
After confirming that no one was around, Luo Jian crouched down and gently placed his right palm on the ground. He was somewhat apprehensive, unsure if this would still open the gate to the Pomeranian Estate. Although, from the very day the Pomeranian Estate existed, he—Chi Jian—had been the one who created the gate to open and close it!
At eight o'clock in the morning, the sun lazily cast its rays and heat across the city's gray sky. A dirty and skinny rat boldly crawled out of the garbage heap. One moment it was dragging a rotten fish head in its mouth, but the next second it was so frightened by a sudden flash of red light that it didn't even notice the fish head had fallen off.
No...no way...
The mouse blinked its tiny, bean-like eyes a few times, and its large front teeth trembled with a clicking sound.
"Mom...Mom, Da...Da has come back to life!!"
The mouse, in its unique language, shouted to all its fellow sisters scattered across the vast land of China, from mountains and plains to rivers, lakes, and seas!
****
Is this the Pomeranian Collection?
Luo Jian opened his eyes.
The time to leave the human world is 8:00 AM, at most 8:30 AM, but here, it already looks like afternoon. I believe that soon, the wings of night will cover this entire area.
Bomei Market, this illusory space existing outside the Three Realms, is a place where time does not move forward in a static manner, but rather repeats the process from dusk to night. Only in brief intervals can the "people" existing in that market enjoy the leisure of the day. Luo Jian's arrival was just in time.
Are houses being built here too? Ah, yes, here too.
Luo Jian strolled through the still relatively deserted streets, comparing the current Bomei Market to his memories. The market had changed drastically since he left over a thousand years ago. It had expanded to dozens of miles, the architecture was no longer simple and uniform, and judging from the shop signs, even the variety of goods sold seemed to have increased considerably. Truly… keeping up with the times! Luo Jian sighed, it seemed the tail end of the reform and opening-up policy had even swept through Bomei Market.
On the wide street, some people were preparing to open their shops. Luo Jian seemed to recognize some of their faces, but most were completely unfamiliar.
"Chijian, you're back?" A burly man greeted Luo Jian warmly as he dismantled a door panel. "So many years have passed, and you haven't even remembered to come back and visit."
Luo Jian smiled bitterly. Look? Look at what? Look at this place he almost destroyed a thousand years ago?
"Long time no see, Azure Dragon." He thought for a moment, then greeted him.
"It's good to see you back. I'm busy preparing to open the shop. I'll come visit you later." The burly man laughed heartily, then winked mysteriously at Luo Jian. "I'll have a surprise for you later."
"A surprise?" Luo Jian repeated, puzzled.
"Ugh..." The burly man abruptly covered his mouth, clearly regretting letting something slip. "Oh no, oh no, I'm going to get yelled at to death by Yan Shang!! I'm doomed..."
"Yan Shang?" Luo Jian thought for a moment, "Oh, it's the little girl that Shuoju brought back, right?"
"Hmm, that's her. She's really fierce now!! Everyone's afraid of her!"
Looking at the burly, muscular man before him, who appeared terrified, Luo Jian suddenly felt a mixture of amusement and unfamiliarity. Canglong, this demon born from the kiln, had never seemed to display such a rich tapestry of emotions when he was still in Bomei Village. The man before him now seemed completely different from the one a thousand years ago. In the passage of time, whether human or demon, all inevitably change. The only constant is desire, and that is the reason Bomei Village has survived to this day.
"I'm off to see some old friends," Luo Jian said with a sigh, waving goodbye. Who would he see next? Ming Du, who had abandoned the Underworld and become a paper shop owner?
When Luo Jian arrived, the old man was sitting in the dark shop, wearing reading glasses and intently reading a newspaper. Luo Jian knocked on the half-open door and then went inside.
"You're back?" The old man only glanced at Luo Jian briefly before lowering his head again.
"I'm back."
"How's business lately...?"
So-so.
Luo Jian was speechless, and the shop, piled high with paper dolls, coffins, and wreaths, fell silent. Just as before, he and Ming Du never exchanged more than three words. Just as Luo Jian was at a loss, a voice, sweeter than sweet, came from across the hall.
"Brother Chijian, you're back, why didn't you come to see me?"
Luo Jian turned around to look, then suddenly stood up. Oh no, he'd forgotten to greet Zhou Yi first.
"Grandpa, I'll be going now."
Mingdu nodded.
"Chi Key."
As Luo Jian reached the door, Ming Du called out to him.
"Yesterday's events are like yesterday's death; let go of some things once they're over."
Luo Jian smiled noncommittally and stepped across the threshold.
"Brother Chijian, Brother Chijian~" An eleven or twelve-year-old girl with a princess hairstyle and wearing a Chibi Maruko-chan cartoon outfit opened her arms to Luo Jian.
"Senior Zhou..." Luo Jian had barely uttered a word when the little girl's expression instantly changed. With a flick of her wrist, a blunt object flew through the air. Luo Jian tilted his head, and the object, with a "ouch," grazed past his ear and slammed heavily against the wall behind him. That was close! Luo Jian gasped for breath. Luckily, his years of service in the police force and his daily dealings with major criminals meant he certainly wouldn't have been able to dodge that weapon in time. However... calling it a hidden weapon wasn't entirely accurate. Luo Jian turned around and pulled a thousand-year-old he shou wu (Polygonum multiflorum) stuck in the wall.
Over the years, the He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum) has become spiritually aware and is now mysteriously checking how many tendrils it has lost.
"Waaah, you old hag, you want to cripple me!" He Shouwu protested weakly, but was then grabbed by the little girl called "old hag" by what seemed to be his neck, and could only make mumbling sounds. His already yellowish face instantly turned pitch black.
"I'm still very young~" the little girl said with a smile, her smile carrying an obvious threat as she pressed Luo Jian, "A woman's age is a taboo subject~"
"Uh...yes, Zhou...beautiful lady." Luo Jian thought for a long time. If he called her "senior," he would definitely get beaten up. If he called her "little sister," he would definitely get beaten up again given Zhou Yi's actual age. In the end, he could only use the harmless term "beautiful lady" to get by.
"Well, barely passing." The little girl threw away the unfortunate he shou wu (Polygonum multiflorum), clapped her hands, and said, "You're finally back. This old woman has been waiting for you for so long."
"Thank you for your trouble, beautiful lady."
"Oh, you've made a trip to the human world, and your tongue has become sweeter. You've improved! Are you going again this time?"
"I haven't decided yet," Luo Jian said with a smile.
"Then stay! Even if you have to leave, you should stay for a few more days!" The little girl said with rare sincerity.
"Yes, Chi Jian obeys." Luo Jian cupped his hands in greeting. "I'll take my leave now, as I'd like to visit a few more old friends while I still have time."
Zhou Yi waved his hand: "Go."
The pharmacy with its gilded plaque vanished from Luo Jian's sight as she waved her hand, seemingly carried away by an invisible steed of time, disappearing without a trace.
Luo Jian stepped into a shop that he remembered as being very clean and tidy. Although the bronze and glass mirrors that had been there for a long time were still in their original positions, the shop, which he remembered as being very clean, was now filled with lunch boxes, waste paper, expired newspapers and other miscellaneous items in every corner. A figure was writing furiously in front of a large glass mirror.
Luo Jian walked over and tapped the mirror.
"What's all the noise about? Can't you see people are busy?" The man shouted without even looking up.
Luo Jian tapped the mirror again.
"I told you to stop arguing! Haven't you ever seen a writer rushing to finish a manuscript... Ah, it's you!" The person in the mirror looked up and saw Luo Jian, his mouth instantly forming an "O". He stood up from the chair, opened his arms, and ran towards Luo Jian like a whirlwind.
Bang--
Luo Jian stared in disbelief at the monstrous, flattened face in front of him, as someone slowly slid down the mirror-like surface.
"Damn it, I forgot I was still in the mirror."
Luo Jian was both amused and exasperated.
"When did you get back?" Zhao Jian asked Luo Jian, who was sitting opposite him, as he rubbed his face with a rolled egg.
Just now.