Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The red-haired guy finally drove the car back, with a hanger-on still stuck to the rear.

The gray Volkswagen crept into a run-down neighborhood, which was almost identical to the one Ji Mian was in—just as dark, cold, and damp.

But this place was a bit more lively than the last one. As the gray car rolled in, Ji Mian heard laughter and curses from the crowd.

The gray car pulled up in front of a shop selling handmade sculptures.

A few seconds later, the "thud" of two car doors slamming shut jolted the drowsy Ji Mian awake.

A few men were perched on low stools in front of the store. When they saw the car stop, they stood up, like they’d been waiting for their return.

The middle-aged man in charge, tall and burly, immediately bowed his head as the red-haired guy stepped out of the driver’s seat and called out, "Brother Sun."

The red-haired guy—Sun Qi—had a cigarette dangling from his lips, puffing out white smoke as he tossed the leather bag he’d been carrying to the man.

"Here’s your money back."

Sun Qi clicked his tongue and added, "Go pay your social security. Don’t hoard that tiny bit of your paycheck."

Ji Mian, sprawled on the car’s rear hood, thought: Oh, so it was their wages. Lucky I didn’t steal it.

His face was pressed to the hood, but his ears were sharp, catching every sound around him.

But he didn’t notice Duan Zhuo, who’d slipped out of the car and was now casually observing him from the rear.

Ji Mian was so scared of falling off during the ride that he’d splayed his arms and legs, clinging to the car for dear life. Because of his injured waist, he didn’t dare press too close to the car, leaving his butt sticking out.

He was decked out in a weird mishmash of knockoff designer clothes, topped with a head of mismatched brown curls.

Duan Zhuo’s lips twitched, fighting back a smile.

"Brother Sun, why’d you bring a tail along?" The man who had received his wages also noticed Ji Mian and couldn’t help but ask.

Sun Qi shot Ji Mian a cold look.

The man took a closer look, noticing Ji Mian’s injured waist, and exclaimed, "Damn, he’s pretty banged up."

"Yeah, this punk tried to steal the money, but he wasn’t good enough, so I nabbed him. Otherwise, I’d have had to foot the bill myself this time."

The man paused, muttering, "He had it coming."

Luckily, Ji Mian’s face was buried, so the two didn’t see his face turn bright red, like a boiled shrimp.

But Duan Zhuo, who’d been watching him the whole time, clearly saw the little pickpocket’s mismatched, hideously styled ears, hidden under his curls, turn bright red, all the way down to his neck.

Duan Zhuo fished a cigarette from his pocket and flicked out a lighter.

With a click, he lit it up.

The sound was close to Ji Mian, who hadn’t expected someone to be nearby. Startled, his entire body jerked.

Duan Zhuo, holding the cigarette between his lips, couldn’t help but smile again.

Sun Qi finally walked over and asked, "Big brother, what should we do with this kid?"

"Nothing."

Sun Qi mulled it over but still couldn't figure out what Duan Zhuo meant. Did he want the kid or not?

But the kid had tailed them all the way in the car, which showed some nerve. If he hadn't tried to steal from him earlier, he might have actually convinced his boss to take him in.

The crowd slowly thinned out. The guys who got paid left first, then Duan Zhuo. Finally, Sun Qi gave Ji Mian a couple of looks, pocketed the car keys, and took off too.

As the sky darkened, no one bothered with Ji Mian on the car roof, and no one wanted to deal with him.

Ji Mian knew Duan Zhuo was hinting he should take off on his own.

But since he'd come this far, how could he just leave?

By nightfall, the stars started peeking through the clouds.

Ji Mian, like a stubborn burr, finally ran out of steam and weakly slid off the car.

Once down, he felt completely drained and could only lie there.

After a bit, he flipped onto his back.

The night sky in this part of town was surprisingly stunning.

Ji Mian lay there, gazing at the patch of sky above, and thought, "System, the stars are so beautiful."

The system was silent.

Was he being poetic or just plain dumb?

After a while, everything went quiet.

Ji Mian didn't move a muscle.

"Ji Mian?" the system whispered.

No answer.

Ji Mian's breathing was steady, but it was hard to tell if he'd dozed off or blacked out.

*

"...Hmm, he's all bandaged up..."

In his daze, there was a gentle female voice.

"...Grab me another bottle of bruise medicine from the pharmacy... we're out." She told someone.

Ji Mian came to with the gentle voice and the bubbling of soup.

Opening his eyes, he saw the warm yellow light slanting down, oddly soothing.

It was an unfamiliar room, with the bed and kitchen stove in the same space, simple but cozy.

He lay on a small bed, one side against a grayish wall, not sure how he'd ended up there.

Ji Mian's nose perked up, and he realized the bubbling was from simmering chicken soup.

"Ah! You're awake." The woman's voice carried a hint of laughter.

Ji Mian turned his eyes slightly to the right towards her voice, and after focusing, he finally saw her:

She was an exceptionally beautiful woman.

Her long, thick black hair was pulled into a low bun, secured with a wooden clip. A few loose strands framed her face, occasionally brushing her earlobes with her movements, like a soft kiss.

Her soft eyes and brows, paired with her light red, perfectly shaped lips, created a harmonious balance in her features.

She was simply, breathtakingly beautiful.

The system chimed in, "She’s the female lead of this world, Mu Yuman."

Ji Mian gazed at Mu Yuman, momentarily entranced.

To him, she was like the moon—everything else faded in her presence.

"Sun Qi went too far," Mu Yuman frowned. "How old are you? In high school? Sixteen yet?"

After a pause, Ji Mian replied, "I stole from him first, so he had every right to hit me. I’m sixteen—or will be in a couple of days."

Mu Yuman shook her head, her gaze gentle as she took his hand. "You’re a good kid. I can see that."

Her fingers were warm and soft, yet strong, radiating firmness and conviction.

Ji Mian thought it was no wonder the original owner had fallen for her.

Ji Mian felt he and the original "Ji Mian" had merged, their emotions aligning despite their differences.

"Hungry? How about a bowl of chicken soup?"

Chicken soup... At the mention, Ji Mian’s stomach growled in anticipation.

"Thank you," Ji Mian replied politely.

He pushed himself up, noticing his waist was heavily bandaged, the wound carefully tended to.

Ji Mian pursed his lips, touched by her kindness.

Mu Yuman—or rather, Sis Yuman.

The first person to show him such kindness since he arrived in this world.

The bandaged area felt warm, the warmth spreading to his heart. It was a feeling he’d never known before.

Ji Mian cherished this feeling.