TECSBRO | 69 | Hard Mode | 02
Rong Que, with his adorable looks and healthy physique, was naturally the most likely child to be adopted.
But for some reason, he had never been adopted.
Lu Xu vaguely sensed that it was because of him.
The past two years had been tough. Although Rong Que had scared off the bully by fighting back fiercely, preventing him from causing them further trouble, he had also ended up being isolated by most of the children in the orphanage.
Lu Xu felt that he had ruined Rong Que's life.
Rong Que was clever. He used the volunteers who came to visit them to report the director's misconduct.
Now, the welfare home had a new person in charge, and they were no longer subjected to abuse.
However, every day, Rong Que had to endure the same strange looks from everyone, just as Lu Xu once had.
Rong Que was incredibly strong-willed. Despite being just a child, he remained completely unaffected by those stares.
His kindness toward Lu Xu never wavered, even though Lu Xu would often tell him that staying together would only bring misfortune.
Whenever Lu Xu said such things, Rong Que would poke his head and stop him from speaking like that.
Lu Xu's mindset gradually shifted from initial confusion and doubt to trust and guilt.
Rong Que's life shouldn't have been like this—staying with him, enduring hunger and cold.
But they were almost five years old, and older children were less likely to be adopted.
Lu Xu had tried to distance himself from Rong Que, hoping he would be adopted.
Yet, every time he saw Rong Que following him silently like an injured golden retriever, his heart would soften.
They were about to reach the age to start elementary school.
Lu Xu didn’t want to go because he knew it would only mean entering another place where he would be targeted and feared.
However, due to the compulsory education system, Lu Xu had no choice but to attend.
On the first day of school, as expected, everyone stared at his unusual eyes.
This was even with Lu Xu constantly hiding his ears under his hoodie.
During the self-introduction in class, the teacher didn’t allow hats to be worn indoors.
Lu Xu trembled with fear, but it was Rong Que who stood up and calmly explained to the teacher that Lu Xu couldn’t remove his hat and asked her not to pressure him.
Since they were attending school through sponsorship, they started living in the dormitory from the first grade.
Being in contact with classmates 24/7, Lu Xu’s ears couldn’t remain hidden for six years.
Fortunately, although the classmates found him strange and avoided playing with him, they didn’t actively bully him.
That was until one day in class, when a boy who liked to provoke and bully others suddenly yanked off Lu Xu’s hat while he was answering a question.
Lu Xu froze in place, his mind buzzing like a swarm of flies. His eyes could see, but he didn’t know what he was looking at. All he could hear were the gasps of surprise around him.
By the time he regained his senses, Rong Que had already knocked the troublemaker to the ground.
Lu Xu quickly pulled his hood back on and, ignoring the fact that class was still in session, bolted out of the classroom.
The room had already descended into chaos, and even the homeroom teacher couldn’t control the commotion.
Rong Que called out Lu Xu’s name and ran after him.
Lu Xu ran fast, and by the time Rong Que reached the door, he had already lost sight of him.
Rong Que hurried downstairs, searching the entire campus for Lu Xu.
He was frantic, worried that Lu Xu might do something drastic.
After all, having his ears exposed so suddenly in front of everyone was an overwhelming blow.
Lu Xu ran until he reached a deserted place, then slowly slid to the ground.
He didn’t want to study anymore.
But where in the world would tolerate him?
There was no place for him in this world.
It seemed he shouldn’t have come here.
Unlike when he was a child and would curl up into a ball every time he was locked away, Lu Xu didn’t hug his knees this time.
Instead, he grabbed his fluffy, snow-white rabbit ears and yanked them with all his might.
The dull pain that shot through his skull made him let go immediately.
He pounded his head, hating his own weakness and abnormality.
“Xiao Lu!”
Rong Que’s voice came from outside.
Lu Xu looked up and saw Rong Que running toward him, panting heavily.
Watching Rong Que rush toward him without hesitation, Lu Xu remembered how Rong Que always found him whenever he hid.
Rong Que threw himself at Lu Xu and hugged him tightly, then kept stroking Lu Xu’s head. “It’s okay, Xiao Lu. I’ve already dealt with him.”
Lu Xu hadn’t shed a single tear even when he was tearing at his own ears.
But now, in Rong Que’s warm and familiar embrace, his nose tingled, and he couldn’t hold back his tears.
“It’s okay, Xiao Lu,” Rong Que repeated, his voice still trembling. “Don’t hurt yourself, okay?”
Tears welled up in Lu Xu’s eyes as he spoke hoarsely, “But everyone wants me dead.”
“I’d be in pain if I lost you, Xiao Lu,” Rong Que said, cupping Lu Xu’s face and smiling. “I’ll stand by your side unconditionally, okay?”
Lu Xu stared blankly into Rong Que’s eyes.
Rong Que was always so resolute.
Rong Que quietly stayed by Lu Xu’s side, not pressuring him to return. When Lu Xu’s emotions had settled, Rong Que even suggested skipping class together, but Lu Xu felt they couldn’t afford to neglect their studies.
The two of them had no parents, and education might be their only means of survival in the future.
Lu Xu stood up, and Rong Que brushed off the dust from his clothes. Hand in hand, they headed back.
But the closer they got to the school building, the tighter Lu Xu’s grip became.
Though he knew rationally that he should return to class, he was still afraid to face the teachers and classmates who had seen his ears.
Seeing Lu Xu’s grave expression, Rong Que was about to suggest they take a detour when Lu Xu suddenly quickened his pace, lowering his head and charging toward the school building.
Seeing this, Rong Que said nothing more and simply accompanied him.
They climbed the stairs in one breath, and as they turned the corner, they saw their homeroom teacher standing outside with the boy who had pulled off Lu Xu’s hat earlier.
The teacher was speaking sternly, and the boy hung his head, looking remorseful.
Lu Xu gritted his teeth, trying to act as if nothing had happened as he walked back to the classroom.
But as soon as he approached them, the boy noticed Lu Xu.
Their eyes met, and Lu Xu quickly looked away, pretending he hadn’t seen him.
“Hey, wait, Lu Xu! I’m sorry!” the boy ran over. “I’m really sorry about today. Let me treat you to milk tea after school.”
The teacher also walked over, his usual stern demeanor softened. “Lu Xu, you don’t need to be afraid of being different. Your classmates all think you look fine without your hat.”
A student sitting near the door chimed in, “Yeah, Lu Xu, you don’t have to wear your hat in class.”
Lu Xu was stunned. He couldn't believe it as he looked at the boy who seemed genuinely apologetic and the expressions of his teacher and classmates.
Their faces were filled with friendly smiles, completely different from the cold sneers and mockery he had seen in kindergarten.
Lu Xu couldn't understand it, and a trace of confusion flickered in his eyes.
Rong Que was also surprised, but seeing everyone being so friendly, he felt genuinely happy for Lu Xu.
Rong Que took Lu Xu's hand and naturally walked into the classroom to take their seats.
The surrounding classmates didn't cast any strange glances either.
The homeroom teacher came in and continued the lesson.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Lu Xu's mind was a bit muddled; this was a situation he had never imagined.
Even by the end of the class, he hadn't fully recovered.
And the classmates around him even started talking to him naturally.
Previously, because he always wore a hat and was afraid of interacting with others, his classmates rarely initiated conversations with him.
Although Lu Xu politely responded to everyone, he still felt a bit uncomfortable and shrank next to Rong Que.
Rong Que patted his back, encouraging him to socialize with these classmates.
In the afternoon, it was Lu Xu and Rong Que's group's turn to clean. Halfway through, the boy who had lifted Lu Xu's hat in the morning returned with two bags of milk tea.
He gave one to Lu Xu and one to Rong Que, then with a serious and solemn expression, apologized again.
A girl who was cleaning with them added, "You should buy a cup of milk tea for everyone you've bullied."
The boy scratched his head and reluctantly said, "I don't have any pocket money left. I'll save up."
After saying that, he stayed to help take out the trash.
Lu Xu held the warm milk tea in his arms and took a sip.
The sweet flavor immediately filled his mouth.
This was the first time he had ever had milk tea, and it might also be the last.
For them, a ten-yuan milk tea was too extravagant; it could buy several days' worth of meals.
Few people lived on campus in elementary school, and the evening self-study classroom was sparsely populated.
Lu Xu drank slowly, the milk tea placed on the table, showing the side with the co-branded anime character.
He took a pencil and began to sketch a rough outline on a piece of scrap paper.
Then he drew the character's features and details.
A somewhat rough but proportionally accurate draft emerged.
Without colored pencils, Lu Xu used the pencil to darken the areas he thought should have shadows.
After finishing, he poked Rong Que's arm and nervously showed it to him.
Rong Que glanced at it and said in surprise, "Did you copy this from the milk tea?"
Lu Xu nodded.
"You're amazing! You've never learned to draw, but it looks so good!" Rong Que was astonished because Lu Xu had not only replicated the pattern but also scaled it up proportionally.
Yet every proportion was just right, without any imbalance.
Lu Xu felt a bit shy from the praise, "Is it really good?"
Rong Que nodded seriously, "When I get a bit taller, I'll work during the summer break to buy you some colored pencils. Xiao Lu will be a great artist in the future!"
Lu Xu's eyes flickered, as if he too began to yearn for such a future.
Since he had to pay attention during class, Lu Xu could only draw during evening self-study and breaks.
The notebooks provided by the school were sufficient, but he went through pencils quickly.
However, skipping a meal occasionally could cover the cost, as a pencil only cost one yuan.
They eagerly looked forward to growing up, thinking that once they were older, they could take on small part-time jobs to earn some extra money.
This kind of life continued until they graduated from elementary school.
Both Lu Xu and Rong Que were outstanding students.
At the graduation ceremony, the school's sponsors would come to watch the teachers award them their certificates.
Lu Xu, because of his unique ears, was too shy to go on stage. On Children's Day, his homeroom teacher gave him a cute painter's hat to cover his head.
Because of the hat's adorable design, his ears looked like part of the hat's decoration.
This solved Lu Xu's problem of being too shy to go on stage to receive his award.
Before going on stage, Lu Xu was still a bit nervous.
Rong Que held his hand to encourage him.
Lu Xu looked back at Rong Que with admiration, "Brother Rong Que, you must be used to going on stage since you do it often, right?"
Rong Que smiled, "But I'm also nervous."
Although they didn't eat well, Rong Que probably had good genes, and with decent nutrition in his early years, he had always grown quickly.
Every time school uniforms were issued, they had to order a few sizes larger, otherwise they would become too small within a few months.
By the sixth grade, Lu Xu was already half a head shorter than Rong Que.
Every time they spoke, Lu Xu had to tilt his head up slightly.
Moreover, Rong Que's face had already mostly lost its baby fat, and anyone who saw him would think he was a handsome young boy.
Unlike Lu Xu, who still looked pretty much the same as when he was younger.
He was even mistaken for a girl because of his long hair.
But both of them ate the same things, except that Rong Que usually exercised a bit more than him.
When the host called the top ten students in the grade to come on stage to receive their awards, Lu Xu stood nervously behind Rong Que.
The ten of them went up together and stood in a scattered line on the stage.
The lights were too dazzling, and combined with Lu Xu's nervousness, everything he saw seemed blurry.
Rong Que glanced slightly ahead.
In front of the award podium sat a row of successful individuals—the sponsors of their scholarships.
Among a group of stern or kindly middle-aged people, there sat a handsome young man with a bored and uninterested expression on his face, standing out so much that it was hard not to notice him.
Perhaps noticing Rong Que's gaze, the young man looked over, and Rong Que quickly averted his eyes.
For some reason, the moment their eyes met, Rong Que felt as if a scene of ruin flashed through his mind.
Rong Que wanted to grasp that image, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall it.
Moreover, that scene was definitely not something from his memory.
Rong Que felt a bit strange, and his gaze became unfocused.
It wasn't until he received his certificate that Rong Que snapped back to reality.
He felt that the young man had been looking at him the whole time, which made Rong Que wonder if he knew his parents.
Or if there was some other connection.
After receiving the certificate, Rong Que, as the top student, still needed to give a speech.
Since he was the only one left on the stage, the young man's gaze became even more direct.
Rong Que could sense that the other person meant no harm.
In fact, the look in his eyes could even be described as too profound.
As he finished his speech and stepped down from the stage, Rong Que glanced back at the young man.
The scene of ruin that had flashed through his mind earlier reappeared.
But this time, it was clearer.
In the image, the young man lay in a pool of blood, his body completely mangled.
After all, Rong Que was only a sixth-grader.
He was so shocked by the scene that he couldn't snap out of it.
When he walked off the stage, Lu Xu happily waved his hand in front of Rong Que's face, "Brother Rong Que, you looked so handsome today."
Rong Que was momentarily stunned.
His gaze shifted to Lu Xu.
Beside the young man's corpse, there seemed to stand an adult whose features bore a slight resemblance to Lu Xu.
But it was only for a moment, and then the scene vanished once more.
Rong Que felt a sharp pain in his head.
Thinking Rong Que was unwell, Lu Xu moved to support him.
However, Rong Que, driven by an inexplicable fear, pushed Lu Xu away almost instinctively.
Lu Xu was taken aback, his voice tinged with hurt. "What's wrong, Brother Rong Que?"
In Lu Xu's eyes, Rong Que had always been his supporter.
Even when he made mistakes, Rong Que had never spoken harshly to him.
That push just now felt as if Rong Que truly despised him.
Rong Que looked up, and in that terrifying scene, Lu Xu's face seemed to merge more and more with that of the murderer who had killed the young man.
"I need to use the restroom," Rong Que said hoarsely, then turned and fled almost in a panic.
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