The Evil Cub Surrounded by Reborn Ones- Chapter 28

 

 TECSBRO-(28)

Seeing that the man in black didn't bother hiding his identity as a potential human trafficker, and just as Teacher Li was about to call for security, Rong Que suddenly spoke up.

"Teacher, he really is a friend of our parents. I know him."

Rong Que's height seemed to shrink a bit, perhaps his judgment of people's stature wasn't that accurate.

So, it was only after the man in black spoke that Rong Que could confirm his identity.

Whether it was the tone of voice or the dark aura, Rong Que was extremely familiar with it.

His younger brother had indeed been reborn and had already made a connection with Qi Sui.

At first, Rong Que had considered the possibility that his younger brother might be here to harm Lu Xu, given the man's direct and somewhat intimidating approach towards him. However, Rong Que knew his younger brother's personality too well.

As a highly popular actor, his younger brother spent most of his time indoors, rarely going out and practically wanting to stay home for the rest of his life. It was unlikely that he would have found out so quickly that Lu Xu had enrolled in this kindergarten.

Moreover, his younger brother had a somewhat timid and soft-hearted nature, making it improbable that he would seek revenge against Lu Xu, who currently seemed entirely harmless.

After Rong Que spoke up, the man in black seemed to just notice him. He slightly lifted his sunglasses and carefully observed Rong Que through the gap.

After a few seconds of hesitation, the man in black finally recognized him. "Is it... Rong Que, the boss?"

Although admitting such a relationship outside felt a bit awkward, Rong Que still nodded.

After speaking, the tall man in black, nearly six feet three inches in height, rushed towards Rong Que. His large frame folded into Rong Que's embrace.

Rong Que's height was just enough for him to reach the man's shoulders by standing on his tiptoes. He sighed lightly, "So, you really came."

His younger brother's personality made it highly unlikely for him to be embraced like this in public. However, now, he hugged Rong Que without any hesitation.

"I'm fine, Boss. It's good that everyone is here," the man in black even added a touch of a pitiful tone to his voice.

The scene was somewhat reminiscent of a big lion cuddling in the arms of a small dog.

Lu Xu tilted his head, looking at them. How could there be older kids who were this clingy?

Teacher Li: ...?

Wait, isn't the relationship between you guys a bit complicated?

However, the probability of familiar people involved in kidnapping was not low. This person, although appearing fragile, also seemed potentially dangerous.

Even if Rong Que was a reliable kid, Teacher Li couldn't help but worry.

Although she hadn't directly called security, she decided to open her phone and make a call to the legal guardian to confirm.

Feeling that Rong Que and the man in black were familiar, Lu Xu dared to approach. He then whispered in surprise to Rong Que, "He looks like Gin from Detective Conan."

Rong Que, in the midst of consoling the tall guy, paused.

Then, they heard Teacher Li cautiously making a call nearby, "Lu Xu's parent, are you sure everything is fine?!"

On the other end, Qi Sui seemed to explain for quite a while, but Teacher Li still didn't believe.

Mr. Qi's family was wealthy, making it easy for someone with malicious intent to kidnap a child for ransom. This was what Teacher Li, having read many novels and news stories, thought.

The man in black, hearing both Lu Xu's words and Teacher Li's conversation, seemed somewhat overwhelmed. He covered his face and cried, "I didn't want to be this tall. I just wanted to stay home and cook. My third brother insisted that I come. Wuuu."

Lu Xu unintentionally made the tall adult cry for the first time, even though he was quite a big person. However, he was still quite afraid of the man.

Although Lu Xu hadn't watched Detective Conan much, every time the man in black appeared, it was quite terrifying.

Rong Que sighed again, feeling like he was taking care of two children at the same time. "Lu Xu, don't worry. He's my friend."

Lu Xu trusted Rong Que's words. If the man in black was truly a good person, he would probably feel upset hearing what Rong Que and Teacher Li said.

With strong empathy, Lu Xu, who had experienced bias due to his appearance, immediately felt guilty. He walked over solemnly and patted the man in black's knee. "I'm sorry. I believe you're a good person."

The man in black shivered slightly and managed to say, "Thank you."

Perhaps after releasing his emotions, the man's demeanor turned dark once again.

Rong Que understood that his younger brother probably still harbored some fear of Lu Xu. However, since he had already been reborn, it was essential to help him overcome the shadows from his past life and live without fear.

On the other side, it was only when Qi Sui revealed the true identity of the man in black as Xue Ying, the movie star, that Teacher Li finally felt reassured.

"He's Xue Ying, the movie star. He's well-off, Teacher, so you can rest assured," Qi Sui explained.

While Teacher Li wasn't a fan, she knew who Xue Ying was. Upon hearing this, she carefully observed him. Although the physique did match, the aura made it hard to associate him with the cool and aloof male god from the television.

Teacher Li took out a small notebook and approached cautiously. "Hello, can you please sign here? Once you sign, you can leave."

It is indeed necessary for someone else to sign on behalf of parents when picking up a child.

However, Teacher Li also wanted to take this opportunity to see if the person's signature truly matched the handwriting of the Xue Ying she had seen online.

To her surprise, as soon as the man in black heard about signing, he immediately stood up straight. Taking the notebook, he confidently left his signature and then politely handed it back.

When Teacher Li looked at the signature, she confirmed it indeed belonged to the movie star. However, as Lu Xu's parent emphasized not to reveal his identity to avoid trouble, Teacher Li restrained her excitement and simply said, "Mr. Xue, you can take them now."

"Sure." Xue Ying reached out to hold Rong Que's hand, but Rong Que declined, as he needed to raise his hand to do so.

Rong Que went to hold Lu Xu instead. "You don't have to hold us; we're fine."

Xue Ying lowered his head. To outsiders, it seemed like a threatening black-clad man intimidating two children. However, under the gap of his sunglasses, Lu Xu successfully saw the pitiful expression in Xue Ying's eyes.

A pitiful adult, with no one to hold his hand.

Lu Xu took a step forward with Rong Que, stretching his hand to grasp Xue Ying's small finger.

Xue Ying had initially considered evading, but when touched by the soft and tender finger, he felt a wave of warmth within. He looked down at the child with tear-stained eyes who gazed back at him.

The terrifying eyes from his past were now filled with goodwill. The child seemed to be comforting him with his bent eyes.

Xue Ying didn't withdraw his hand. Although the fear of Lu Xu was still deep within him, he managed to endure it.

As Xue Ying walked with Lu Xu to the school gate to wait, the security guards gave him a few extra glances.

Unfortunately, his appearance and gloomy aura made him not exactly appear friendly. Walking on the streets, he might easily be reported by well-meaning citizens.

Xue Ying drove himself and didn't like having a driver. After the two kids got into the car, he returned to the driver's seat, took off his mask, and removed his sunglasses and hat.

It was only then that Lu Xu got to see his true appearance.

His features were profound with a slight hint of mixed ancestry. There was some stubble on his chin, and his hair was messy, giving him a somewhat unkempt look. Apparently, he didn't bother grooming himself when not working.

When silent and expressionless, he exuded a cold and superior aura.

However, when Xue Ying lifted his head and noticed Lu Xu looking at him through the rearview mirror, he immediately revealed a socially anxious expression.

Even his good looks seemed to have halved.

A handsome guy with a striking contrast.

Rong Que had been quite nervous all along. He was afraid that Xue Ying might be overwhelmed, get frightened, and then trigger a fearful reaction in Lu Xu.

But for now, Xue Ying's performance seemed pretty good.

Whether Xue Ying would be willing to interact with Lu Xu further was entirely up to him.

It's often said that when two socially anxious people are together, one of them becomes the "social cow."

Lu Xu was probably witnessing an adult even more timid than himself for the first time, and he was filled with curiosity about Xue Ying.

Lu Xu observed Xue Ying attentively.

Xue Ying, seeing Lu Xu's intense gaze in the rearview mirror, hastily averted his eyes.

A strange feeling crossed Lu Xu's mind.

This man in black, it seemed, had a somewhat cute side.

Feeling bolder, Lu Xu took the initiative and asked, "Black-clothed Brother, can you turn people into elementary school students?"

Xue Ying was momentarily stunned, not quite sure what that meant.

Seeing that Xue Ying didn't respond, Lu Xu nodded to himself, saying, "It's okay. You don't have to say it; your organization must forbid it."

Xue Ying finally understood. Lu Xu still thought he had some connection to the black-clothed person from Detective Conan. He chose to remain silent, initially intending to explain. However, in order to speak less, he simply replied, "Yes."

Lu Xu's eyes widened, his curiosity piqued even more. He began asking more questions of a similar nature.

Regretting his decision to admit it and wanting to keep the conversation short, Xue Ying realized he should have denied any connection. Lu Xu might have stopped talking.

In the midst of Lu Xu's curious inquiries, Rong Que received a call from Qi Sui.

Upon answering, he heard Qi Sui excitedly say, "Boss, let Second Brother know, tonight we're celebrating the reunion and Xiao Lu's first day at kindergarten. Let's go to the mall we went to last time and have hotpot!"

Rong Que turned to the two people in the car, asking, "Qi Sui said we're going to the mall for hotpot tonight. Do you guys want to go?"

Lu Xu still remembered how delicious the fried chicken was the last time they went to the mall. Relenting on his inquiries to Xue Ying, he obediently said, "Yeah, yeah."

Xue Ying remained silent. As someone with social anxiety, he wasn't particularly fond of going to places like a mall.

At this moment, Qi Sui's loud voice came through the phone, "Second Brother, I've booked a private room. You can rest assured!"

Xue Ying reluctantly uttered an "Mm" upon hearing this, tacitly agreeing.

"Second Brother agreed," Rong Que said before hanging up the phone.

He knew Xue Ying wasn't keen on going, but Qi Sui and Xue Ying had a good relationship, and Xue Ying rarely refused Qi Sui's requests.

Xue Ying had a somewhat reclusive personality, and if it weren't for Qi Sui's constant teasing, he wouldn't talk much. In this post-apocalyptic world, where self-sufficiency was crucial, Qi Sui often took care of Xue Ying, who lacked practical skills.

Although Xue Ying didn't enjoy social interactions, he seemed to find joy in being with Qi Sui. Qi Sui, in turn, appeared quite happy when Xue Ying returned.

Xue Ying probably had an easily awkward personality.

With silence settling in the car, he decided to turn on the car's music. However, instead of playing actual music, he played some inspirational stories—stories of people helping each other, with a twist of fate leading to the once-helped becoming the helper.

Rong Que couldn't recall Xue Ying having a liking for such stories.

Perhaps it was a choice suitable for Qi Sui, who often liked to watch tearjerking shows on the "Moved World" channel.

Qi Sui must have informed Xue Ying in advance about coming to pick them up.

At least "Moved World" was a video channel, and Lu Xu, who enjoyed watching TV, might find it engaging.

But this kind of audio might have a similar effect as Lu Xu listening to classes.

With these thoughts in mind, Rong Que turned his head to glance at Lu Xu.

Sure enough, Lu Xu had closed his eyes, swaying back and forth, looking like he was about to fall asleep.

Rong Que couldn't help but worry about Lu Xu's future learning, thinking like a concerned father.

Before long, they arrived at the underground parking lot.

As Xue Ying geared up, Rong Que also woke up Lu Xu and helped him out of the car.

Lu Xu, just awakened, was a bit drowsy. After standing in place for a while, he saw the mysterious man from the organization.

Despite having an impressive status, the man behaved as if he were particularly afraid of him.

It was quite amusing. Lu Xu had never encountered such adults before.

Lu Xu, still half-asleep, walked out, grabbing Xue Ying's finger with one hand and holding onto Rong Que's hand with the other.

Although Xue Ying had some physiological resistance, he didn't pull his hand away.

The underground parking lot was already dimly lit, and occasionally encountering pedestrians would make them suspiciously glance at Xue Ying.

It seemed too suspicious, almost like child trafficking. If it weren't for the fact that the child seemed to know him, someone might have called the police already.

Qi Sui sent Xue Ying the location and room number on WeChat. Xue Ying continued walking directly towards that direction without stopping.

Even when the restaurant staff tried to guide him, he walked faster than the guide.

This left Lu Xu, who was holding Xue Ying's hand, struggling to keep up.

His little legs had to move quickly to catch up with Xue Ying's brisk pace, and any signs of just waking up disappeared as he was forced to stay alert.

When Xue Ying stopped at the entrance of the private room, he noticed that Lu Xu, who had been holding onto him with determination, was now panting and exhausted.

Qi Sui, seeing the tired Lu Xu behind them, teasingly said to Xue Ying, "How did you manage to tire out our Xiao Lu like this?"

Lu Xu wanted to help explain for Uncle Black Clothes, but he was just too tired, panting too heavily to articulate coherent words. "No, it's not Uncle..."

Xue Ying, feeling somewhat apologetic, said, "I'm sorry. I'm used to walking fast alone."

Lu Xu shook his head laboriously, indicating that it was okay.

Qi Sui caught onto the key point that Lu Xu had addressed Xue Ying as "Uncle." However, given that Xue Ying was just in his early twenties, calling him "Uncle" wasn't really an issue. Having spent a lot of time together, Qi Sui always felt like they were around the same age.

Qi Sui chuckled discreetly, but Xue Ying weakly shot him a look.

Qi Sui stopped laughing and changed the subject, saying, "It's nothing. Exercising before a meal helps you eat more. Our Xiao Lu here needs to grow taller."

Lu Xu nodded, trying hard to agree.

Rong Que thought about going over to pour a cup of tea for Lu Xu to help him relax, but he wasn't tall enough to reach the table without first sitting in a chair.

Fortunately, Xue Ying wasn't as unreliable as Qi Sui. He noticed Rong Que's intentions and came over to help, but he handed the tea to Rong Que instead.

Understanding Xue Ying's fear of interacting with Lu Xu, Rong Que didn't say anything and handed the tea to Lu Xu himself. After taking a sip, Lu Xu finally recovered, looking at Rong Que in shock and asking, "Why aren't you tired, Brother Rong Que?"

Rong Que, seizing the opportunity, promoted the benefits of eating meat, saying, "Because I eat a lot of meat and exercise a lot."

Qi Sui pulled out a chair and effortlessly lifted Lu Xu onto it, who sweetly thanked him. Xue Ying sat by himself, gazing at them in a daze.

Qi Sui was the first among the three of them to die, and now he could care for Lu Xu without any resentment. Rong Que was more agile, managing to sit down beside them by leveraging his movements.

As it was a reserved private room, the large round table seemed oddly empty with just four people. Qi Sui glanced at Xue Ying, who was sitting somewhat apart from the others, and walked over to pull him to sit beside him.

Despite Xue Ying's resistance, he didn't want to struggle openly in front of everyone. Pressed into his seat, he felt reluctant to stand up and change positions again.

Qi Sui knew that Xue Ying would only remove his disguise after the dishes were served. Therefore, he had already pre-ordered a variety of dishes that he knew everyone liked, and the dipping sauces were ready on the table. All that was left was to scan the menu QR code for additional orders, and they would be able to start eating sooner.

Xue Ying didn't have any particular preferences, as he preferred the meals he cooked himself. Qi Sui then handed the menu to Rong Que.

Rong Que glanced at the menu and placed it between himself and Lu Xu, saying, "What do you want? Qi Sui gege is treating."

Lu Xu expressed his gratitude to Qi Sui while looking at the menu. Being a child, he wasn't particularly interested in meat and opted for visually appealing desserts, drinks, and snacks.

When the dishes arrived, Xue Ying removed his coat. Rong Que initially intended to help Lu Xu with the hotpot, but his short arms and the low table made it challenging. Even using long chopsticks, he struggled to reach the food.

Feeling a bit helpless, Xue Ying, being meticulous, noticed Rong Que's predicament. He took a ladle and generously served Rong Que some food, then did the same for the even shorter Lu Xu.

Lu Xu looked at Xue Ying and smiled sweetly, "Thank you."

Xue Ying, feeling a bit uncomfortable, cast a sidelong glance, his face showing a faint blush. He was indeed someone easily prone to shyness.

Once Lu Xu started eating, he refrained from bothering Xue Ying. Like a hamster, he buried his head in his bowl, continuously eating without saying a word. His actions were adorable to watch.

Lu Xu might have some sort of compulsive behavior, as he ate in a pattern. Alternating between a spicy bite and a mouthful of sweet pudding, he demonstrated a unique eating style.

Qi Sui just noticed Lu Xu's new hairstyle and felt that he looked even cuter now. He took out his phone and recorded a video of Lu Xu eating.

The video captured the image of the obedient and delicate child. Lu Xu lowered his eyelashes, earnestly staring at the food. With a spoon in each hand, he alternated between bites, showing a serious expression. Occasionally, his eyebrows would furrow.

After recording, Qi Sui commented, "Lu Xu, your hairstyle today is so cute."

Lu Xu, upon hearing this, shifted his attention from the food. As he raised his head, everyone noticed that his face had a slight blush, and his lips were coated with red oil, making them look a bit swollen. He also seemed to be occasionally inhaling cold air.

Quickly, Lu Xu grabbed a piece of pudding to cover his mouth.

After a moment of silence, Rong Que realized that Lu Xu wasn't dealing with a compulsion like eating biscuits but was actually affected by the spiciness of the food. He felt that he had been too careless not to notice this earlier.

Lu Xu, having finished the pudding and recovered from the spiciness, replied, "Rong Que gege and Tao Yue classmate did it for me."

Qi Sui didn't ask who Tao Yue was, assuming it was probably a friend Lu Xu had made at the new school. Qi Sui had put in a lot of effort to find a good school and class atmosphere for Lu Xu.

Due to inhaling some spicy oil, Lu Xu suddenly started coughing violently. Rong Que quickly patted his back, and Lu Xu took a sip of the beverage to recover.

Lu Xu's face turned even redder from coughing, and there was a bit of moisture at the corners of his eyes. However, it made him look even more lively and adorable, like a New Year's painting doll.

Qi Sui had ordered mildly spicy, but he had forgotten that children rarely eat spicy food, and their tolerance is naturally lower than that of adults.

"Get some clear soup for little Lu," Rong Que suggested. He couldn't do it himself due to his short hands.

Xue Ying stood up and added some green leafy vegetables to the clear soup, making it milder. Rong Que also prepared a new bowl for Lu Xu, who seemed to enjoy eating vegetables and might prefer it this way.

Using a ladle, Xue Ying scooped a spoonful of vegetables into the new bowl. Lu Xu eagerly took it and used the spoon to bring the food to his mouth. After a couple of bites, he wrinkled his nose and said, "The red ones taste better."

Having experienced the flavor of meat in hotpot, Lu Xu found the original taste of vegetables a bit bland. Despite that, he still enjoyed the crunchy texture of vegetables.

Qi Sui found this amusing and teased, "Be careful, you might get a stomachache."

Lu Xu didn't quite understand the connection between eating spicy food and stomachaches. Nevertheless, he was determined to endure the spiciness.

Rong Que poured him a bit more hot water and dipped the spicy food in the pot to reduce its spiciness before giving it to Lu Xu.

After all, for someone who doesn't regularly eat spicy food, consuming a lot at once can easily lead to an upset stomach. Plus, it's not pleasant to deal with the consequences the next day.

Lu Xu reluctantly accepted this eating style, considering it more flavorful than the plain soup. Xue Ying observed how Rong Que and Qi Sui pampered Lu Xu like a child, staring at his own bowl, his thoughts unclear. However, with Qi Sui around, there was little chance for Xue Ying to dwell too much on his thoughts. Qi Sui would occasionally interrupt, engaging him in conversation.

After finishing their meal, they bid farewell in the parking lot. Lu Xu felt quite full with a round, bulging belly, even though he was already satisfied. Qi Sui playfully poked Lu Xu's little tummy, causing him to giggle and quickly hide behind Rong Que.

"Then, you should head back first," Qi Sui said after teasing the child, addressing Xue Ying.

He's not that overbearing; he still gives Xue Ying some time alone to recharge. Xue Ying nodded, opened the car door, and Lu Xu peeked out from behind Rong Que, saying, "Goodbye, Black-Clothed Brother Uncle."

 Xue Ying turned to glance at him. His face was heavily equipped, making it hard to discern his expression, but Lu Xu heard his elusive uncle bid farewell with a simple "Goodbye" before getting back into the car.

Qi Sui watched as Xue Ying drove away, then returned to his own car with the two kids. Sitting in the driver's seat, Lu Xu curiously asked, "Why didn't Uncle on the bike come?"

"They're acting as the interim headmaster at the kindergarten," Qi Sui replied, feeling quite pleased.

Finally, they could escape from the welfare institute. Qi Sui really disliked staying there. Every encounter with a child or a staff member was an opportunity for someone to complain. Leaving those matters to the care of the younger ones made things much easier.

Rong Que noticed that Qi Sui didn't correct Lu Xu's wording issue. He quietly reminded Lu Xu, "Little Lu, the man is driving a car, not riding a bike. 'Riding' is for bicycles."

Lu Xu let out an "oh" and obediently said, "Okay." However, Rong Que sensed a subtle rebelliousness in Lu Xu's response, like a child entering a phase of resistance to learning.

Lu Xu was now able to select and watch his preferred cartoons by himself. He crawled to the TV hanging on the back of the front seats and pressed the buttons corresponding to his favorite shows. 

Although he couldn't read yet, he had memorized the icons.

Feeling a sense of crisis and reflecting on his own parenting approach, Rong Que was pulled back to reality by the sound of the cartoons. Watching Lu Xu engrossed in the animated show, Rong Que's anxiety intensified.

However, he quickly stopped himself. Recalling the initial intention not to harm Lu Xu and to let him grow up happily, he realized there was no need to be overly strict. As long as Lu Xu had a strong moral compass, that would be enough.

Every child had their own strengths and interests, and Rong Que just needed to discover Lu Xu's talents sooner rather than later. A wave of guilt swept over him as he acknowledged that Lu Xu was now much more cheerful—a positive change they had hoped for.

Why are there even more demands now?

Thinking about this, Rong Que recalled the promise he made to create a cosplay costume for Lu Xu resembling Little Rabbit Sister. Although he initially intended to review the lessons with Lu Xu when they got back home, it seemed more appropriate to fulfill the commitment he made earlier.

Unaware of Rong Que's contemplations, Lu Xu enjoyed watching cartoons. Back at the welfare institution, Lu Xu handed over the lantern he had made to Qi Sui for safekeeping. Then, Qi Sui took him away to watch the "Touching the World" channel.

Meanwhile, Rong Que went to buy materials for making the costume with Xiao Er and the others.

Lu Xu wasn't a big fan of watching the "Touching the World" channel because it made him feel sad, like he wanted to cry. However, since Qi Sui cried a lot while watching it, Lu Xu assumed his older brother couldn't bear to watch alone and reluctantly joined him.

He didn't expect that this was arranged by Qi Sui specifically for him.

After watching "Touching the World," Rong Que came to the director's office just in time to pick up Lu Xu. Lu Xu quickly hopped off the stool and ran towards Rong Que, holding onto him tightly. Being with Rong Que made him feel relaxed. When Rong Que looked up, he saw Qi Sui, who had cried a lot during the show, feeling a bit embarrassed.

After taking Lu Xu away, Rong Que, as usual, helped him change clothes, wash up, and tidy up before sitting together to tell stories in bed. Tonight's story was about "The Little Mermaid." Considering the impact of the previous night's story, Rong Que changed the ending a bit. In this version, the Little Mermaid, by resisting the temptation to harm the prince, passed the test and became a true human, beginning a happy life.

Lu Xu couldn't understand the words, so he pointed to the picture of the sea foam, asking, "What does this bubble mean?"

Rong Que explained with a calm face, "The Little Mermaid became a human and ventured out to sea alone."

Lu Xu became even more confused, "But why does she have to be a human? Isn't being a mermaid beautiful?"

Rong Que's tone became a bit more serious this time, "Because in this story setting, when a mermaid dies, she completely disappears, but when a human dies, they gain spiritual immortality."

Lu Xu didn't quite understand.

Rong Que wasn't good at explaining complex concepts to Lu Xu; it was too difficult for him to comprehend. Lu Xu, unlike Rong Que when he was a child, always thought deeply and asked many questions after hearing a story.

Suddenly, Lu Xu remembered something and asked, "Is spiritual immortality like turning into clouds, like that little snowman?"

Rong Que was momentarily stunned; this explanation seemed reasonable as well.

At least Lu Xu could make some connections and understand a bit. Rong Que nodded, "You can say that."

The conversation between the two ended. Rong Que prepared the book and lay down, but Lu Xu turned around again and continued to ask, "Can Xiao Lu also become a true human through a test?"

The lights were still on, and Rong Que could see the hopeful expression on Lu Xu's face when he turned around.

Rong Que was not entirely clear about Lu Xu's situation; perhaps Tao Yue understood him better.

The question of whether Lu Xu could become a human, Rong Que couldn't answer. After a moment of contemplation, he could only say, "Xiao Lu is already a true human."

Lu Xu tilted his head, "But my ears are different from everyone else's."

"Only your ears are different," Rong Que smiled. Lu Xu now looked just like a cute child, with no apparent differences.

As long as he could continue to maintain this, it was good.

Lu Xu recalled a day in kindergarten.

Everyone thought he was an angel or a cool demon.

Apart from that, there was no other distinction.

“Then why was I different from everyone else before?” Lu Xu, though willing to interact with people now, still didn't like the other children in the orphanage. Many of them had bullied him.

Rong Que's response to this was, "Because they are not qualified humans."

"There are many people in the world who may look normal but have dirty hearts, worse than animals." Rong Que explained, "Xiao Lu is so cute; of course, he's human."

Lu Xu was convinced and went to sleep contentedly.

The next day, he was again sent to class by Qi Sui. He gradually started to adapt to kindergarten life. Apart from occasionally dozing off in class, everything else went smoothly.

In the evenings, sometimes Xue Ying would come to pick him up, and he would use car music to influence him.

Returning, they were once again led by Qi Sui to buy art supplies. Rong Que, on the other hand, began making clothes, intending to surprise Lu Xu.

This ordinary routine continued until Thursday evening.

The teacher mentioned that the next day would be an art class, and everyone was reminded to bring crayons or colored pencils.

Lu Xu and Rong Que were then taken by Qi Sui to buy pens.

The mall displayed a variety of brushes.

Rong Que had no talent for painting and simply grabbed a box of crayons.

However, Lu Xu took a long time choosing.

Qi Sui and Rong Que couldn't see any difference between these brushes.

But Lu Xu's eyes were bright, as if very interested, so they let him choose.

Anything that could be tried, Lu Xu would diligently draw a few strokes on the white paper.

At an age when he couldn't even handle chopsticks properly, Lu Xu could skillfully draw beautiful curves with colored pencils.

Lu Xu immersed himself in choosing for half an hour, during which he didn't say a word to Rong Que and the others, and then finally selected a set.

It was a box of colored pencils that Lu Xu held, almost the length of his body, with very beautiful colors.

Qi Sui, being tall, could see the price, and this happened to be the most expensive box.

Lu Xu couldn't see the price, but he accurately picked the most expensive one.

Qi Sui was a bit curious and asked, "Xiao Lu, why did you choose this box?"

Lu Xu happily said while holding the colored pencil box, "The colors look great! And it feels good to draw with!"

Rong Que was also quite surprised. Lu Xu probably hadn't encountered the term "feel" in the context of drawing before but seemed to grasp it on his own.

Could it be that Lu Xu really had some talent in drawing?

After settling the bill, Lu Xu didn't let go of the colored pencil box.

He wanted to sleep while hugging it.

Rong Que helplessly said, "It won't be good if it gets crushed at night. Let's put it in the cabinet."

Lu Xu hesitated for a moment, thinking it made sense, and reluctantly placed it in the cabinet.

Lu Xu woke up exceptionally early on Friday morning.

As soon as the wake-up bell rang at the orphanage, he immediately got up.

Even Rong Que was still lying lazily, but when she opened her eyes, she saw Lu Xu, dressed in pajamas and slippers, going to get the colored pencils.

This child really loves it.

He hasn't put it down even when changing clothes or combing his hair.

Today, Rong Que gave Lu Xu a simple new hairstyle.

Similar to the last time with the bun hidden under the hat, but this time the hair was divided into two strands, and the ends were directly tied on top, creating a long loop.

During meals, usually after Rong Que finished eating, he would feed Lu Xu a bit. Today, when he finished eating, he saw that Lu Xu was almost done.

Seeing him finish, he hurriedly stuffed the last bit of bun into his mouth.

And successfully choked on it.

Rong Que brought soy milk to his lips to help him swallow.

Qi Sui couldn't get up, recently relying on the attendants to take care of the children.

At the school gate, Lu Xu quickly said, "Uncle Er, goodbye!"

After greeting Teacher Li at the school gate, he headed straight to the classroom.

Rong Que couldn't help but sigh; it was fortunate that it was the first art class. Otherwise, Lu Xu would have been even more excited for a while.

From selecting crayons and colored pencils yesterday, he has been excited up until now.

When it was time for class, the teacher first explained the proper way to hold a pen.

Then, step by step, the teacher demonstrated on the blackboard how to draw a small teddy bear using chalk, adding some small accessories casually.

It was indeed the simplest doodle.

After the teacher finished drawing, the remaining time was for the children to follow suit, and they could add their own decorations.

Rong Que drew very quickly, almost identical to the teacher's drawing.

After all, adults generally have a higher level of replicating object outlines than children.

After finishing, he turned to look at Lu Xu, wanting to see how well he had done after being excited all morning.

But Lu Xu hadn't started drawing yet. Why is he not drawing now?

Thinking that Lu Xu might have encountered some difficulties, Rong Que noticed the serious expression on his face, as if he were deep in thought.

Even his little bun face was wrinkled.

Lu Xu inexplicably felt that he shouldn't be disturbed now.

Perhaps continuously watching Lu Xu would make him feel pressured.

Indeed, before Rong Que could retract his gaze, he heard the little guy earnestly say, "Rong Que gege, don't look at me."

"Okay." Rong Que turned around and started adding some small embellishments on his drawing paper.

On the side, Tao Yue saw that Rong Que was rejected and found it intriguing. Provocatively, he said, "Indeed, no one can control the master."

Rong Que turned back and smiled. "I never wanted to control him."

"Tsk." Tao Yue scribbled a teddy bear that had turned into a little monster. "You're quite good at finding excuses for yourself."

Rong Que didn't explain. Over the past few days, Tao Yue indeed hadn't harbored thoughts of provoking Lu Xu into losing control.

Perhaps he felt that Lu Xu was fine the way he was now.

Cai You couldn't sit still. After finishing his own drawing, he couldn't help but approach Lu Xu. "Lu Xu, what are you drawing?"

Lu Xu had already started drawing. He didn't lift his head, and his hands continued to move. "Shh."

Cai You immediately closed his mouth obediently. Even children could sense that Lu Xu seemed to have a barrier around him, not allowing anyone to disturb him.

He continued drawing until the end of the class.

Only then did Rong Que lift her head to look at Lu Xu's artwork.

She initially thought that children would typically draw something like cartoon animals, something more common.

But when she saw Lu Xu's drawing paper, Rong Que was shocked.

It was a drawing that almost one-to-one replicated a picture of the little rabbit sister from the manga that Lu Xu had seen before.

Only in some details where Lu Xu might have forgotten, the drawing appeared slightly distorted and out of proportion.

But at a glance, it seemed like a meticulous copy of that particular image.

It had been several days since Lu Xu saw that picture, and the fact that he could recall it so well was impressive. Replicating it on paper was a challenging task.

The position and angle of each facial feature, the face shape—everything was accurately depicted.

Lu Xu's hand strength was minimal; he couldn't even pick up things precisely with chopsticks. Yet, he managed to draw lines so smoothly. 

Due to time constraints, Lu Xu had only completed the outline with light-colored pencils and had not started coloring.

When the bell for the end of class rang, Lu Xu interrupted this completely immersive state and put down his pen.

As he lifted his head, he saw that quite a crowd had already gathered around him.

Even Teacher Li stood beside, astonished.

Lu Xu's face turned red.

Because there were several other children he didn't know around.

But as soon as he stopped, everyone immediately started praising him.

"Lu Xu, you're so amazing!" Cai You didn't hide his excitement at all.

Everyone was praising Lu Xu, and he was a bit dazed.

This floating feeling is quite curious.

Teacher Li brought many kindergarten children, and although she had seen children who loved manga and could draw manga characters at the age of six or seven, it was rare to see such a faithful reproduction without reference.

"Lu Xu, have you learned to draw before?" Teacher Li asked curiously. The beautiful strokes were so skillful, knowing when to press hard and when to lighten up.

Lu Xu shook his head, "Lu Xu drew for the first time."

Everyone was even more shocked. There was even a little boy who couldn't believe it and exclaimed, "Come on, you're kidding, how is it possible if you haven't drawn before!"

Rong Que timely interrupted, "I grew up with Lu Xu, and he really hasn't been exposed to drawing. We just bought colored pencils yesterday."

This statement shocked everyone even more.

Teacher Li also praised Lu Xu for a while.

Lu Xu felt a bit embarrassed.

He didn't know that he just recalled the rough outline in his mind, and then drew based on the impression.

Gradually refining step by step, he would also remember more details along the way.

Rong Que had already made up his mind to have Qi Sui arrange art classes or hire a tutor for Lu Xu when they got home.

However, it still depended on whether Lu Xu liked it or not. If he didn't, he could continue drawing freely.

Unfortunately, no matter how good he was at drawing, he still had to attend outdoor classes.

There was no choice but to continue drawing at home.

Before leaving, Rong Que discussed this with Qi Sui. When they got home today, they could take advantage of Lu Xu's high spirits and try a trial lesson.

During the lunch break, Lu Xu still wanted to draw. After coaxing him for a while, he obediently took a nap.

When it was time to leave school, the one who came to pick up Lu Xu was not Xue Ying but Qi Sui.

There was a young man sitting in the co-pilot seat beside Qi Sui.

He looked scholarly, wearing black-framed glasses.

After Lu Xu and Rong Que got in the car, Qi Sui introduced, "This is the art tutor I found. You can call him Teacher Gu."

When Qi Sui looked for something, he naturally looked for the best.

Qi Sui had checked the background of this young man. He was also a prodigious teenager who had organized his own art exhibitions at a very young age.

With his drawing in hand, Lu Xu called out, "Hello, Teacher Gu!" and happily tugged at the sleeve of Qi Sui. "Qi Sui gege, look at my drawing!"

Qi Sui turned around, and he too was shocked.

When Rong Que described it, he thought it might be simple doodles, perhaps something cute.

But he didn't expect it to be so detailed. Qi Sui also didn't hesitate to praise Lu Xu for a while.

The art tutor in the co-pilot suddenly turned around and said, "Little Lu, let Teacher Gu have a look too?"

"Sure." Lu Xu agreed and then handed the drawing to the front right.

As the drawing was passed over, Lu Xu saw Teacher Gu turning to face him.

It was a face that Lu Xu would never forget in his life.

Previous TOC Next