Da Ge

On the second day, Wei Qian stepped outside and was astonished to find the little boy still there, his head large, limbs thin, curled up into a round bundle.INBkibDkNyPUsyFxbiZwWZHKfbDjPv

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Wei Qian nearly tripped over this tattered bundle.bbfMBoppAXFrtKVpyKDJgGwuiPORlf

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A night had passed, and the fire in his heart had mostly died down. Wei Qian, feeling somewhat helpless, looked down at this little thing curled up into a ball, wondering what on earth the kid was thinking.TEMCFzcbEDcdhqsWIsKCcodavXlGcS

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Wei Qian was aware that he radiated an aura of vengeance against society, devoid of any divine grace or boundless mercy. Recalling their interactions, he realized he hadn’t shown the slightest bit of kindness.aBrHpSAeVYGrqeDaooVDCqvXaSgcli

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Wei Qian couldn’t understand what this little one, who seemed always ready to fight, saw in him, to so easily let down his guard and, astonishingly, latch onto him.TjdgKbTEZcTwxNJQzKzhyeLfYVHGny

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Thankfully, it was summer. If it had been winter, a night out in the northern cold could have killed the little boy.VBpMHchlouXUQBigageHNOeBBTbqnt

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Such a tiny creature, standing up, looked almost like a little treasure. Wei Qian couldn’t actually go home, get a kitchen knife, and end him. He nudged the bundle with the tip of his foot, “Hey, hey, wake up, don’t sleep here. Did you hear me? Our home isn’t even open yet. What are you sleeping for?”aFPZzfPATfVOoJWhoLAwLsuVUCOVrk

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The dirty, coal-dust-covered bundle slowly lifted his head, eyes blurry with sleep. Upon seeing Wei Qian, he instantly perked up, his face filled with hope, resembling a clumsy, flower-faced kitten. His tail tip trembled, yet he still tried to snuggle closer to Wei Qian’s feet, doing his best to show his obedience and harmlessness, pleading for adoption.IKWHKcpZrUWaPueMHTWJbSFSTmsLFD

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Anyone with a heart would find it difficult to remain indifferent at the sight, but unfortunately, the boy had encountered Wei Qian, a man with a heart of stone.TViQkIyAoGhcJSBhJFWpLKHqjslvNh

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Wei Qian, devoid of any sympathy, was known for his cruelty towards animals and was unfazed by the boy’s pitiful gaze. Without wasting a word, he locked the door, bent down, grabbed the boy by his thin arm, and dragged him down the stairs. He then threw him onto the unkempt grass, bluntly saying, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. Scram.”gVBsmVTREiFpIfdMFuPuyrlvAWlwmX

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The boy fell into the weeds, watching in dismay as Wei Qian walked away without looking back, like a villain.FplPVmkXSbkXupMCckVPtRiXBICiAU

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It took the boy a while to get up, looking up at the decrepit building that seemed so imposing to him. After a moment, he lowered his head, his bare toes intertwining in disappointment.NWJOSMXGcUlbtoqaHEMqpEkqgQRqyy

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Indeed, the little guy had been a child sold into trafficking—a fact Wei Qian, with his harsh and discerning eyes, had correctly surmised.dsnzwELCuIrNawBYMbBaRdFXDoptsY

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He had been too young when he was stolen to remember the details. The traffickers had kept him for a few months before selling him to a very remote farmer’s family.NidliVWVgApPchnQXyZJaOxUaBIDTl

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That wasn’t too bad, being someone’s son was still being a son, and he had enjoyed two years as an only child.VNiCxSOVuKjHSayUzlmSVzbDHmGAxc

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But in the third year, his adoptive mother, who had been declared infertile by the village doctor, miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy, chubby boy a year later.uoBZiLiLJNFbbefBxwNeXwoxSAJvhX

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From then on, the boy became superfluous in his adoptive parents’ home, and his life gradually worsened.zKuWayikhzEHuzkGONZMWpsSULKywn

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One day, while washing dishes in the icy well water, his fingers became numb from the cold, and he accidentally broke a bowl, enraging his drunken adoptive father.qpkKguwMKPbgAtMJgdBtNTyQuoWJiU

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Stripped of his clothes by his adoptive father, the boy was forced to stand as punishment in the courtyard during the freezing winter months, where water turned to ice. He felt he was going to freeze to death. Finally, he made a decision that was bold for someone his age—he ran away.OMHszWTHQvQdGpoUoagERwzSspytBx

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The boy stole a few adult garments, threw them on, and under cover of night, climbed over the wall with the help of a ladder. He sneaked into a truck carrying cabbages to the city for winter storage and thus arrived in a city.aWCmlpYumZHqjQncrGbMehyqUPNjSv

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From then on, he became a little street urchin.tWIPXfaWYbVdLZNLmChMkQtiCsrlmR

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Such an unsupervised boy was easy prey. During this time, he narrowly escaped being trafficked again on several occasions. Some tried to sell him, others to turn him into a thief, and there were two discussing selling his organs—the boy overheard them while going to pee at night and fled immediately.AvCNTMVNQqYhfcpWmoiltFMiLwBiPi

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Surviving to this age, managing to escape every time, was nothing short of miraculous; he became somewhat of an escape artist.crWEiMAHLZEZbUaQSiivFLZdgQzPuJ

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He sneaked onto trains, changed cities multiple times, and encountered all kinds of people. Whenever someone tried to speak to him, he pretended to be mute and quickly looked for ways to escape. Among them might have been genuinely kind people, but the boy couldn’t afford to let his guard down—the fear wasn’t just being sold wholesale, but rather those who’d dissect him, selling his body parts in retail.WRUnXUTyUrvSNCOlITAoSXZppguvfq

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Yet, despite living hand-to-mouth and sleeping rough, he instinctively envied those with homes, with families.teHDsXirYOvgubbmUrZUhvUuADjLew

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The little guy hadn’t known the feeling of home for so long, yet he couldn’t have one because he was afraid to connect with anyone.gQkwrgLUFPSvQBGxKhHJlSswmeadJT

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In the boy’s eyes, there seemed to be only two kinds of people in the world: those who found him dirty, walking around him from afar, even throwing stones and hitting him, and those who were nice to his face but ultimately wanted to sell him.StHcYVGHjDESoifPecjGtaIOqyZtYI

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Until he met this unique person.kYsUbeDHILGsidJILCSIshQdKmJgta

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He had heard others affectionately call him “Qian’er” with the local accent, a man who had scared off big stray dogs for him and given him food, but always left without speaking a word.nONiFEdNWvXHuvFliUvvAPlVDiZKqk

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Of course, more often than not, Wei Qian would ignore him completely.pFuFiTySockwmzcrFvTDQPbDglGVyp

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Wei Qian’s indifference and lack of communication made the boy feel safe, yet his occasional acts of kindness offered the boy a rare sense of warmth.reLKsZMCFPYjXoSARxEsojuEltiFuJ

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The little boy had been moving from place to place, but in his desire to stealthily observe Wei Qian, he found himself unwittingly living in this small alley for several months.NoNEZrvXYpANIbhPzGHfKPVjOisoiB

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During these months, after careful observation and thoughtful deliberation, the boy, with his malnourished brain from constant hunger, concluded that this older brother was a good person.mWmQoNgzidRtaghytaUWbnLXbSSGfU

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For the first time in his wandering life, he found himself involuntarily craving contact with another person… but to his disappointment, the seemingly “good person” didn’t appear interested in adopting him.qfutNtTISlfbOItzLWvMqowYGfBOKL

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Feeling both disappointed and sad, the boy lingered around, wondering whether to give up.WYYPXUoqECFWeaGwtBRRoSUIrWPpao

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Before he could come to a decision, it started to rain, forcing him to take shelter back in the stairwell.vvCjARTkDmOomDYCvfIOgkvjJXleLk

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The rain didn’t stop all evening, and around noon, San Pang’s mother came down to heat up some food for Xiao Bao. She was startled to find the little boy curled up in the stairwell, bending down to take a closer look at him: “Oh, whose child is this?”euaKxKjJOHYScyqeuuxofzGDzZtvbp

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Immediately, the boy tensed up like a threatened wild animal, fiercely raising his head, ready to attack at any moment. His aggressive demeanor made San Pang’s mother step back in fright: “Oh dear, this little beggar is crazy!”izSkDHUXhzknrrKCPgRHhGuisPsucY

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Fearing trouble, San Pang’s mother gave the boy a wary glance, quickly used the key Wei Qian had left to open the door, and hurried inside.LbKbEOfvstvCPmIZytbjIFAhbIJPKH

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In the evening, as Wei Qian returned from his part-time job after school, he cast his eyes down only to find a little bundle huddled in the corner. His face instantly took on a displeased expression.PcmtOCCkfdYWaSPVBIfTvIdXShgSZR

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He strode over, intending to once again throw this unfortunate little brat out. The moment the little bundle saw him approaching, thinking he was about to be hit, he quickly retreated in fear to the corner, adopting a defensive stance.gECJkyREiQKJPWLwNdbAhziuUGYvaw

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The fact that this little devil knew fear brought a bizarre sense of satisfaction to Wei Qian. The adolescent with a penchant for drama snorted coldly, glanced out the window at the rain, then turned and went inside, surprisingly sparing the little boy.GbziurNZYJgAHmhLKgyqnNEvussoZA

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In the sweltering summer heat, Wei Qian usually only locked the screen door, leaving the main door open to allow for ventilation.WhdrBtgZMRkIXuXfcdgbxZQPDiarJF

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Xiao Bao, seeing a child outside, asked in his babyish voice, “Brother, who’s that outside? He looks so shy, not even wearing pants.”ULSOiVbSitQFfjwKzNEegLqfdPHBTv

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Wei Qian replied, “Play with your toys and mind your own business.”mwLzcXApMUuGszaNaMqLUdtlshkIYd

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After a while, Xiao Bao spoke again, “Brother, he keeps looking into our house.”cHTIvxumOBcEStTCqZCBNfgrBTUEla

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Wei Qian walked over to the doorway and barked fiercely at the boy, “Get the hell away from here!”BYZnvRcgmnnbkTQfDLxKlJtmxenHIs

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The boy was startled by his shout, hesitating before taking a few steps back.zmqDMaNMkfMZllCjaQccHOwaAEXwFp

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Yet, when Wei Qian came out of the kitchen with a dish in hand, he found Xiao Bao squatting at the door, peering outside, saying, “Brother, he’s still looking into our house. Let him come in.”PxyhZgMVLqgVsihBTOwdISJbuelhOj

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This time, Wei Qian couldn’t even bother to intimidate anymore. Without paying her any mind, he simply placed the food on the dining table, then walked over and slammed the door shut, completely cutting off those envious, prying eyes from the outside.YdJxByaHNPsBOBOyaFWYEkZbrfdgSj

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“Let him in?” Wei Qian thought to himself. If he were a millionaire, he wouldn’t mind adopting a dozen of such brats, having them line up every morning for roll call just for kicks.pKFpuSVRbwqgyLtpIVLEFqVIPOkqcT

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But was he?pgUgwURyPIVwIlmMWCrpgvpgrfZhpH

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He was just a penniless thug, outstanding in his poverty, clueless about where to scrape together the four hundred bucks needed for his tuition fees when school started!lTHObsfdnoUvPxSnDQuZeZykDFfyQV

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Unfortunately, girls tend to be extroverted. Song Xiaobao, this little brat, was simply unbearable. Barely days after she was out of diapers, she had already learned to elbow her way around.HtGwkQHSWyZIYxNgsMTmzIMVOGmEsY

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In no time, Wei Qian walked in to find that Xiaobao had already let that little rat into their home.aTJIVYGpxbKCQrtAWUqMYxUIqeHKqL

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Fearing the street kids might carry infectious diseases or parasites that could spread to Xiaobao, Wei Qian immediately exploded at his sister, frightening the little girl into wailing. He grabbed the boy by his shirt like one would a dirty rag and threw him out again.jlnmJTnOlRKRlTcUgoxUNHktkAXpDQ

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The little boy struggled in his grip, but failing to break free, he fixed Wei Qian with a stare from his shiny, black eyes. Those eyes, like black stones freshly washed by rain in the mountains, stood out strikingly on his dirty, indistinct face, radiating a wildness along with a mix of anger, loss, and a faint plea.UxQmDmuFntMLcaeWUlSwGXyMigkKeh

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“Damn brat,” Wei Qian cursed at him.XRHErBtfftFLEcSFeQMaPTXEHvuhoP

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Xiaobao truly was one to remember the kindness but forget the scolding—mainly because Wei Qian had never actually hit her. Despite his lack of expression, he cherished her so much that not a single hair on her head was ever harmed. Thus, the scolding from Wei Qian, Comrade Xiaobao simply shrugged off and forgot.cqhVtwNkMUEwdYfRhjOEynalgCVsrc

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It wasn’t even three days before she brought the little rascal home again.TWuhJUOKzZrnzZdDWOprcdjcsQNoGO

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This time, her cold and bad-tempered brother was finally provoked. Wei Qian reached out to grab the boy, who sensed the danger and swiftly dodged, causing Wei Qian’s raised hand to swipe at the air.rjkefflJwLnjebwPbgRzprOOAWifOs

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Frustrated, Wei Qian kicked out, landing a solid blow that genuinely hurt the boy. Yet, the boy didn’t cry out; he only grunted and knelt down, wrapping his arms around Wei Qian’s legs in submission.ZySpPxxxLYiCmoAaTZzsLeUQWHPgtd

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Xiaobao, the little troublemaker, was finally enlightened. She had never imagined her brother, with whom she spent all her days, could be so violent. Terrified, she burst into loud cries, wailing, “Brother!”kycwoBQkCKfovTrrHTsUVIkFckTnVI

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Somehow, those words struck a chord in the boy. After pretending to be mute for over a year, he suddenly spoke to Wei Qian, albeit with a voice so hoarse it didn’t sound like a child’s and with strange pronunciation. But Wei Qian understood him clearly as he mimicked Xiaobao, saying, “Brother!”ixmmZfhfmZJaAKOMiPprnwRNWDpcbQ

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Wei Qian’s foot, poised to stomp down fiercely, suddenly froze in mid-air.ZqMsPbYnLxTfnUksmgcAWRWoyKkYkA

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“What am I doing?” Wei Qian wondered blankly, beating up such a little brat? How was that any different from his bitch of a mother?SvDPyjSalAeocDIJPtpuGykzodTBtN

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In the end, Wei Qian sighed, reluctantly withdrawing his foot. He walked into the kitchen without a word, hastily prepared a pot of bland noodle soup, and placed it in front of the boy, saying, “Eat.”YIBAmVPGkUPdNdIdKdzOjgKHItwBBH

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The boy didn’t want to seem too pathetic, but to him, the bowl of noodles was like a long-awaited rain after a drought. The moment he caught the scent, any semblance of dignity joyously abandoned him and eloped.qRHzInNLocvLMbRBCPFjQDagnvLkju

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He almost buried his face in the bowl, slurping down the noodles with abandon, finishing three bowls in quick succession, his stomach rounding with fullness.UjZTLCKAjOcxPjmaqbQuqoAMGYITec

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Wei Qian sat calmly beside him, waiting for him to finish, then started to clean up the bowls and utensils before addressing the boy, “You understand human speech, right? Good, I know you do.”AkYsoXXLTWhGiUylBstgAMlLVwrSNm

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Shaking the dishwater from his hands, Wei Qian squatted down to bring himself eye-to-eye with the little one.tqBxlegcnQTcHbaoQylYvAycfLWxiL

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“I can’t afford to keep you,” he said, summoning the greatest patience he had ever mustered in his life, “you’ve got the wrong place.”ATFydJfwxyoJeyEOHqgkUraKGRwGRY

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The boy’s face, still smeared with soup, his eyes as bright as stars, fixed on the young man before him.BAcsnphdzjhyxEgAfKBKkhGzBRAOjn

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Wei Qian gently pushed on his shoulder, “Alright, off you go after you’ve eaten.”FgWoDBEMnRIrqJglxijWRzTuILjpSm

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A minute later, for the first time, the boy walked upright out of his home, rather than being violently thrown out.luuUIJcRIbbjrOrXbhMGMDSLOuruGu

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For two or three days, Wei Qian hadn’t seen the persistent little boy, until on the fourth evening, as he dragged his exhausted body home, calculating how much more he needed for his tuition fees, he saw the boy again at his doorstep.mNWdkwyCZHaoOtEDHizBJBUrYkDniq

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This time, Xiao Bao didn’t dare to open the door. One child stood inside, and the other outside. Hearing footsteps, they both looked up eagerly towards him.ukjzwGJHoxCsmXtkbKZEnmLIfZNkjE

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The boy at the door was holding a huge burlap sack, from which came the clinking sounds of bottle caps and cans. Wei Qian glanced down and noticed it was filled with them.inCyKqeOyEtuyBwjMPWGOvjgiMRgkp

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“This can be sold for money.” Seeing Wei Qian’s silence, the boy explained softly. It was as if he feared Wei Qian wouldn’t believe him, and he extended his dirty little hand, sweaty palms clutching two fifty-cent bills, “Really, I’ve sold some already.”wYFxdKKfCsemaWwuaYmeptjhoCYIhA

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Wei Qian remained silent.rzbBQzgGesdFivriveNOSytvbMDPfX

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Just then, Xiao Bao softly called out, “Brother.”JiSDeTZzEfMftPypWoesNgryoMBpGN

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Wei Qian closed his eyes, thinking, “Fuck, what is all this!”rFzQEsfmpGFqbAHpSfJKBZoOuMiYJj

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