Chapter 92: Because She’s Love-Struck, Her Boyfriend’s Madness Doesn’t Matter (24)

Outside the window, lightning and thunder still raged. The wind and rain were fierce, and only a faint glimmer of light could be seen. Yet, in the tempestuous darkness, even that feeble glow seemed to lure travelers into the jaws of some wild beast.

Bai Yao let the curtain fall, glanced at her phone again—still no signal—and looked over her shoulder.

The little boy sat obediently on the sofa, motionless, his round black eyes fixed intently on her.

Blood still oozed from his wound.

Bai Yao remembered the man in the white coat; he must be a doctor. Perhaps there was a medical kit in the house. She walked over and said to the boy, "Wait here for me. I’ll find something to dress your wound."

His dark eyes blinked once, but he said nothing.

Afraid he might be frightened, Bai Yao searched her pocket. She didn’t find any candy, but instead pulled out a little toy—a black reaper wielding a scythe.

Wasn’t this kind of toy a bit much for a child?

While she hesitated, he suddenly asked, "Are you giving it to me?"

Bai Yao laughed. "Yes."

He glanced at the item in her hand and remarked, "It’s ugly."

Bai Yao ruffled his hair. "What do you mean, ugly? That’s the Grim Reaper! I’m someone blessed by the Reaper. If I give it to you, you’ll be protected, too—no one will dare hurt you."

He stared at it for a while, then slowly reached out and took the unattractive toy.

"It’ll keep you company while you play here," Bai Yao said. "I’ll go look for what we need."

But as soon as Bai Yao turned away, she heard movement behind her. Looking back, she saw the boy, barefoot, following her, dragging the toy by one leg without a word, gazing up at her.

Defeated, Bai Yao sighed. "All right, let’s search together."

She picked him up. Unlike the first time she’d held him, when he’d been stiff as a board, he now wrapped his arms around her neck, resting his chin on her shoulder, eyes downcast, silently watching the floor.

Bai Yao didn’t waste much time. She found the medical kit upstairs in the bedroom.

They sat together on the bed. Bai Yao cleaned his wound with a cotton swab, disinfected it, and gently wrapped it with gauze.

Afraid of hurting him, she was careful, bending close as she treated his hand, and breathed a sigh of relief when she finished.

She noticed his gaze had been fixed for some time. Following his eyes, she saw he was staring at the strawberry pendant hanging from her neck.

Bright red—just the kind of vivid color children like.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

He shifted his gaze sluggishly and gave a small nod.

Bai Yao took off the necklace and hung it around his neck. "It’s yours now. Take good care of it, okay?"

He lowered his head, stuffed the toy into his pocket, then raised his hand to touch the strawberry pendant. Its coolness was tangible, but in his eyes, it held a hint of warmth.

Then he looked up, and the darkness of his eyes sparkled with tiny stars.

He really seemed to like it.

Bai Yao patted his head and smiled. "What’s your name?"

"Mother didn’t get a chance to name me. She said she’d wait for Father to return. I was taken away when I was three."

Bai Yao paused in silence. "Did the doctor tell you that?"

He shook his head. "I remember everything from before I turned three."

Bai Yao was surprised. "You have such a good memory?"

He clutched the pendant at his chest, lowered his head, and whispered, "He said I’m a cursed child."

Bai Yao was indignant. "That’s nonsense. You’re adorable, not cursed at all! He’s a bad man—don’t believe anything he says."

He lifted his face, the corners of his eyes curving slightly. "I don’t believe him."

Bai Yao was charmed by the boy’s cuteness. Unable to resist, she hugged him, gently stroking the back of his head as she spoke, a little troubled, "I can’t reach anyone right now. Let me think what we should do next."

He seemed to enjoy her warmth and scent, nestling into her arms, nuzzling his face, then looking up to see Bai Yao deep in thought, not scolding him, and gradually relaxing.

Bai Yao murmured, "I suppose we should go to the police station and find an officer."

He tugged gently at her sleeve.

Bai Yao looked down. "What is it?"

"I want to find my mother first."

"Do you know where your mother is?" Bai Yao asked.

He pointed in a direction. "She’s in that house."

Bai Yao glanced out the window. He was pointing at the house across the street. "Your mother lives so close?"

He nodded. "Mother doesn’t know where I am, so she hasn’t found me. I want to find her, but I was locked in the basement and couldn’t get out."

Mother and son, so near yet unable to see each other. Perhaps his mother had never imagined her child was just next door.

The storm outside was still fierce, unsettling in its intensity.

But Bai Yao looked at the boy’s innocent face and guessed he was desperate to see his mother. It was only natural. If it were her, separated from her mother for years, suffering so much, she’d long to return to her mother’s side, too.

Bai Yao rubbed his head. "All right, let’s go find your mother."

As she rose, her phone slipped from her pocket onto the bed. He picked it up and saw the photo on the screen.

A boy making a slam dunk, leaping with youthful vigor on a basketball court at sunset, his orange hair shining brilliantly.

"That’s my boyfriend," Bai Yao said.

The boy looked up at her, curiosity in his eyes.

She smiled. "Don’t think he’s a bad person just because his hair is flashy. I think it’s beautiful—like the color of the sunset."

Bai Yao took back her phone, gathered the silent child in her arms, and left the bedroom, still talking softly, "He loves sports, plays basketball really well, and he’s always cheerful, laughing every day. When you grow up, you should be optimistic, too."

He asked, "What is a boyfriend?"

"Well… a boyfriend is a boy I like, who also likes me, and so we’re together. If all goes well, he’ll be the person I spend my life with."

As she spoke, a touch of melancholy crept in. She had no idea why she seemed to have arrived in another world. "Suddenly disappearing like this, he must be heartbroken. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back, or see him again."