When Xiao Lan went back to sleep.

Luo sat alone in the empty, silent living room.

Outside the window is a bright light, which looks a bit similar to the real city night scene, but everyone knows that all this is just a false appearance.

Hidden beneath it are players who are struggling between life and death.

He looked out the window, as if staring into the night.

If you look carefully, you will find that his eyes have not fallen anywhere, but just stopped in a void.

In the silence, Luo slowly recalled his two first encounters with Xiao Lan.

When they first met, although he erased Xiao Lan's memories, he hid them in the copy of Cliff College.

Even his own scattered fragments are subconsciously guarding these memories.

Perhaps, in his heart, he had secretly hoped that the young man who had only met once would not forget him.

Later, during the meeting, although he forgot a lot, he still remembered his name, and subconsciously betrayed the person who saw him, so smooth that he was surprised.

Now that think about it, it's really interesting.

Luo thought again that he had mentioned the word "gardener" in his memory.

He should not have been a player at that time, nor was he an ordinary NPC.

A gardener is someone who is responsible for the cultivation, pruning, and care of plants.

What is he cultivating? players?

Why would he do this? What is the purpose?

In addition to the memories related to Xiao Lan, there was a vague conversation in the memory he retrieved.

It was in a dark and void space.

Luo was in the dark, and not far in front of him was a cloud of white light that could not be seen clearly.

The light was bright and dazzling, as if it could penetrate all fog.

Luo heard his own voice, and it came from a shadow deeper than darkness: "How many of them do you think don't actually want power?"

Bai Guang's voice was cold and mechanical: "No."

Sombra: "Oh, why?"

Bai Guang: "No life can resist power, this is their instinct."

Black Shadow: "Don't you ask them for their opinion?"

Bai Guang: "It's their luck to be selected, we don't need to give them redundant choices."

Sombra: "The existence of coming to the world is to make them stronger, not to die for useless consumption and killing."

Bai Guang's tone was unwavering: "The pressure of survival is the best driving force to become stronger."

Sombra: "I don't object to this, but I think it's possible to classify such pressures and guide them to find their own path faster."

Bai Guang was silent for a moment.

After a while, its flat tone sounded again: "Have you read any strange books recently? You are always interested in those superfluous information, and their opinions are affecting you."

"Haha..." Luo laughed when he heard his own voice, "We are not perfect beings, it's interesting to see other viewpoints, isn't it?"

"I feel that coming into the world needs a little change, so just treat it as an attempt."

"For example, the difficulty of the game can be graded, and people with different strengths can enter different game fields, which can prevent talented players from dying prematurely."

"Secondly, players can also set more rest time for them after completing a game. If the human spirit is always tense, it will cause serious psychological problems."

...

"How? Want to try?" Sombra's voice ended his account of its plans.

Although its tone was calm, it literally said to try, but it did not mean to retreat at all.

It's just like

It doesn't actually consult the other party's opinion very seriously,

Bai Guang: "..."

Bai Guang fell silent again.

Light and darkness were silently confronting each other, and this space seemed to be still and dead silent.

I don't know how long it took before the unwavering voice sounded: "Don't overdo it, my tolerance is limited."

There was a smile in the shadow's tone: "I know."

After that, light and darkness began to slowly separate and go in different directions.

Hei Ying added lightly: "By the way, I have a name, remember to call me Luo in the future."

There was no emotion in Bai Guang's tone: "Name... superfluous thing."

Black Shadow did not refute Bai Guang's words.

After all, this name really doesn't have much use. Except for the white guy not far away, there is no existence in this world that needs to know its name.

And Bai Guang obviously had no interest in calling it a name.

In its eyes, these are superfluous things.

The name is more like a flashy decoration to Sombra.

But sometimes these impractical things can make people happy, right?

Especially one, exclusive to its own luxury.

Memories so far.

Luo, who was watching the conversation, repeatedly recalled the empty space that appeared.

The endless darkness connected with the envelope in his memory is too similar, empty and empty, as if time will not flow.

What the hell is this place?

In his memory, he stayed in the dark for a long time, so long that he almost forgot his existence.

However, if it is in such a space.

Could it be that the time he was sealed was not as long as he thought?

More and more doubts appeared, but Luo's mouth curled up.

In the silence of the room, his light golden eyes flickered, appearing more dazzling than the night behind him.

He became more and more interested in who he was and what happened at the time to become what he is now.

——

In the days that followed, Xiao Lan stayed in the Arrival World for training.

After all, with the sudden increase of so much poverty value, he needs to take time to adapt to his sudden increase in physique.

At the same time, in order to deal with the advanced game field in the future, combat power is an indispensable existence.

Every high-level player Xiao Lan has encountered, whether it is Wang Ke, Qi Ning or Cheng Wenyi, although their skills have their own focus, no matter whether they are any of them, they are absolutely incompetent in terms of combat effectiveness. vulgar.

In the coming world, maintaining one's own combat power is the most powerful guarantee for survival.

To this end, Xiao Lan added a lot of training to herself such as battles and skill practice.

These trainings are difficult to carry out in the small training ground in the room, so recently he often spends all day in the training ground of the player's residence.

During this period of time, Xiao Lan often went out early in the morning, eating casually in the player's restaurant, returning to the room exhausted until late at night, and then fell asleep.

Therefore, he had almost no time to spend with Luo, and even Luo's black cat and cute ** couldn't keep his attention.

In this way, when Xiao Lan was unaware, Luo's eyes gradually took on a dangerous aura.

But he was patient and kept waiting for the right opportunity.

Finally, the opportunity came.

One day, Xiao Lan returned to her room after finishing her intensive training.

As soon as the door opened, Xiao Lan saw Luo sitting on the sofa reading a book.

He seemed to like reading very much, and he could be seen reading at any time. There was the aroma of black tea in the air, the smell that Xiao Lan was most familiar with.

Luo looked a little different today, as if he was waiting for someone.

Seeing Xiao Lan entering the door, Luo raised his head and smiled: "Welcome back, sir."

Xiao Lan walked towards him: "Are you waiting for me?"

Luo closed the book: "Sir, it's your birthday soon, do you have any plans?"

Xiao Lan just remembered, it seems that his birthday is indeed these days. He has been busy with training recently, and he almost forgot about his birthday.

Xiao Lan thought for a while: "I don't have any special arrangements, but if it's my birthday, I'd better go back to see my mother. I used to spend time with my mother, and her tomb hasn't been cleaned for a while. She should miss me."

Luo: "Why don't you leave it to me to arrange it, and treat it as an occasional rest?"

Xiao Lan nodded in agreement: "Then I'll trouble you."

——

On Xiao Lan's birthday, the two returned to the real world early.

Luo drove Xiao Lan in his car, and the two drove towards the suburb where the cemetery was located.

Luo also asked Xiao Lan before, if she wanted a better cemetery for her mother.

Xiao Lan thought about it and refused. His mother was not a person who indulged in enjoyment. Now this cemetery was also chosen by her mother before her death. In spring, you can see the peach blossoms blooming all over the mountains.

Come to think of it, she should like it very much.

Xiao Lan felt that unless something went wrong with the cemetery, he would still respect his mother's choice, and he didn't want to give her a gorgeous but unfamiliar new cemetery.

It has been a few months since came to the cemetery this time.

Just in time for spring, the mountain where the cemetery is located is full of peach blossoms, as if in a pink cloud, like a lost secret realm in the world, completely different from the last time saw it.

During the peach blossom season, this may be the most beautiful cemetery in the world.

Perhaps due to the peach blossoms, the faces of the people who came and went to sweep the tombs were a little less sad.

Thinking that your relatives can sleep in such a beautiful scenery after death, you will feel a little more relaxed when you visit the tomb.

Looking at the peach blossoms on both sides of the road, Luo praised: "She is indeed a lady with great taste."

Xiao Lan laughed: "Yes...she is the best mother."

Maybe Xiao Lan's mother also considered her son who had just grown up when she chose the cemetery, and wanted to tell him, "Don't be sad, isn't it good for mom to be here?".

This time, Xiao Lan did not choose the white chrysanthemum that is commonly used in tomb sweeping.

What he prepared for his mother was the lily, her favorite flower.

Xiao Lan skillfully cleaned the surrounding weeds and wiped the dusty tombstones.

He didn't ask Luo to help, he cleaned it all by himself, and the whole process was like a silent communication between mother and son.

Luo just stood there quietly and didn't come forward to disturb him.

After cleaning, Xiao Lan placed the lily in front of her mother's grave.

He whispered to his mother what had happened recently, and still concealed those dangerous things that would make her worried.

In the end, Xiao Lan looked at her mother with a gentle smile on the tombstone and said, "Recently, I have learned something about my father, and there are still many doubts. I will try to figure it out in the future."

"It turns out that Dad is actually a completely different person from what we know. Although I can understand his reasons, I can't agree with his actions. Mom, what do you think..."

"Don't worry, I've been doing well recently." Xiao Lan turned her head and pointed at Luo, "Mom, this is Luo, I introduced you to me before, he has been helping me, you can rest assured."

Luo walked to the grave and nodded slightly to the woman in the photo: "I will always stay by Mr.'s side, please rest assured."

——

After leaving the cemetery.

Xiao Lan thought Luo would drive him out with him, but he didn't expect Luo to go home directly.

"Please wait a moment, I'll be out during dinner." After Luo said that, he got into the kitchen and refused Xiao Lan's entry.

Xiao Lan originally guessed that Luo wanted to make cakes and dinner.

But in the afternoon he helped Luo sign for the cake.

Not long ago, received a meal ordered by Luo from the restaurant, and the portion was completely enough for them.

Xiao Lan looked at a table of sumptuous dishes and couldn't help but fall into doubt—

What the hell is Lo doing?

The kitchen door was closed tightly, nothing could be seen, and no smell came out.

Unable to guess the conclusion, Xiao Lan could only give up.

As long as he doesn't hide and paint, or if he receives a soul painting as a birthday present, will Xiao Lan keep smiling or keep smiling with difficulty.

Once accepted this terrible setting, Xiao Lan felt that even if anything appeared after the kitchen was opened, she would not be surprised.

Finally, the kitchen door opened.

Xiao Lan was still surprised.

Luo only had a plate in his hand.

The plate was shallow, with some thin discs inside, neat and lovely in shape, without any exaggerated pictures.

However, the plate contained the biscuits that Xiao Lan was most familiar with.

Biscuits haven't seen since mother died.

With the opening of the kitchen door, the air was filled with a thick scent of butter, and the small cookies were wrapped with hazelnuts and chocolate. Judging from the color, every bite must be crispy.

Luo handed the plate to Xiao Lan, who was a little stunned: "Do you want to try it, sir, according to the description back then, I tried to make it."

Xiao Lan took a piece from the plate and took a light bite—

The same taste as he remembered.

Watching the change in Xiao Lan's expression, Luo quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Seems to be done right.

Luo had never eaten the biscuits made by Xiao Lan's mother, he just re-engraved his memories of Xiao Lan bit by bit based on Xiao Lan's description and his speculation about Xiao Lan's almost invisible preferences. the same taste.

Meeting Xiao Lan's shocked eyes, Luo smiled: "We agreed to eat this biscuit together, didn't we?"

After going around for so many years, after everything has changed, the two strangely fulfilled the agreement of the year.

Although the biscuits were not made by Xiao Lan, it was obviously better for the physical and mental health of the two of them.

Xiao Lan couldn't help but say: "Luo, you are really talented in cooking. I told you once, you can actually cook exactly the same!"

Luo smiled and said lightly, "This is what I should do."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at the kitchen door, which he had closed with ease, pretending nothing had happened.

Inside lay nearly two thousand pieces of scrapped material, corpses with three ovens added, and twisted corpses of failed works that were too numerous to fit in the trash can.

And, he was really far-sighted when he bought a super suction range hood at that time.

Don't let Mr. see it.

Luo quietly made up his mind.