Chapter 33
Chapter 33
In the blink of an eye, the semester came to an end, and it was time for the final exams.XcqnoktipVFeyAJebXoaSJbTaAigTB
On the day of the exams, students flooded out of the school like a swarm of bees. Xiao Bao’s skirt got caught by a playful little boy running past, tearing a long gash as his backpack zipper snagged on the delicate lace trim.KDYmswcAGMMUFZVmOhfDSBAJXBuHJX
OMZlWIjKdvdPALTFurrowing her brows in frustration, Xiao Bao watched the oblivious culprit disappear into the crowd, leaving her with the damage.zUgVmszftfYiYOyxcKJdligVebJQQa
BDYXTXzjCLPkPAUWhen Wei Zhiyuan returned home, Grandma Song hadn’t arrived yet. He found Xiao Bao sitting on the couch with Grandma Song’s sewing kit beside her. She had removed the torn lace from the bottom of her skirt and was clumsily attempting to mend it, folding the fabric carefully and stitching it with a crooked needle.GLmEBbtOUJyimMQLMeWYbqZVYWiHzI
tKkgBytCBOjddpt“What are you doing?” Wei Zhiyuan asked.fmCwKjUhoCVWLuiovNCYVAYZyCbYGQ
UBqeRpTVSePDwbPStartled by his sudden voice, Xiao Bao pricked her finger. She shook her hand, grumbling, “Oh, you scared me! I accidentally ripped this edge and can’t sew it back. I have to tear it all off and start over.”rbsCSCgOERbDFcEUtqIqCTbMpwjWzw
eIFwqjGTsBgtYUlPausing for a moment, she tilted her head and glanced, “Oops, looks like it’s a bit crooked.”AxsEvZfXMRrguBboBUMhOUbcnbcblj
fJKVFdqHdwuCHUCXiao Bao’s sewing skills were far below average, and she had never sewn her own clothes before. Considering their current financial situation, buying branded clothes was out of the question, but getting a new outfit for the young girl wasn’t a big deal.tNdScoyuAsRyjduvREnCofOgopTQvN
jAmKWPFXMGdxRZmHowever, the usually pampered Xiao Bao, who believed in “sulking when there’s reason and creating a reason to sulk when there’s none,” didn’t even mention it.fGgfqbhOeHlvjvfoVbairFvGSEFeco
PaMrSCmHmucTMcTWei Zhiyuan realized then that the disappearance of their eldest brother had put pressure not only on him but also on Xiao Bao.QYVJhtdSykfRgksKewNAPwndvBcufv
qAvMpCUgntpBsPPSince the sewing went awry, Xiao Bao had to cut the thread with small scissors and start over, but unfortunately, it went crooked again before long.gPIRMQUXpquPTmoWZQbAkyaEMDxkop
FREkEhLVkMXkSHOShe sighed in frustration, tossing the needle and thread back into the sewing kit. Clearly feeling aggrieved, she sniffled, but upon realizing that only Wei Zhiyuan was at home, she held back her tears — though she appeared young, she was no longer a child. In her eyes, Wei Zhiyuan and their eldest brother and grandmother were different; the eldest brother seemed more like a distant but powerful father figure, while Wei Zhiyuan was like an older brother of the same generation. She felt embarrassed to act immaturely in front of him.IUaegMcyRPTpbGlTKapJxaKIrysRYy
ocZzoNorVZoPiYwAfter a while, Xiao Bao walked over and took Wei Zhiyuan’s ruler. “Brother, let me borrow this long ruler.”RSreaajiSFiLHPKWiHWaGmevafRRnV
qvsEjgfxOUgoJiDWith a slight bend at her waist, she leaned over the table, using the ruler to press the fabric edge and painstakingly sew to avoid another crooked stitch.LmgrzKuDHbWHQWmZciqHnkfUPBnFQV
ujtONpQdlyHbbYLWei Zhiyuan kept his head low, as if reading a book, but the pages remained untouched. Several times, he wanted to lift his head and tell Xiao Bao to stop sewing, that he would buy her a new skirt tomorrow. But he didn’t dare.VoABPTShdhbXSPCTCJqHcteWyxsTkw
wEYdpiFLPgKwJkMDespite the apparent affluence at home, losing their eldest brother meant losing almost their entire source of income. Without a source of income, their savings would eventually run out.sHEhyiOeNKzwbPhCjKDzaMPkUlbhFz
uwzQtZmSmcnyVpoBoth of them harbored the same fear, silently understanding each other without explicitly mentioning it.CRKZKGTRTBgZNeBSxWXdRvUVXmcYHP
TEogAvzXGmQcaOuJust then, San Pang arrived.VnEpALMTnhapbVWXzENIfWeZnjEUbZ
JYuqHUcbemvASJbSan Pang always seemed cheerful, as if he could find joy in poverty day after day, as if there were endless reasons to be happy. In Wei Qian’s words, he had a perpetual flush of happiness on his face, as if he had just finished drinking celebratory wine.DLCAWGDIYieIWcsKQRneJCNqqTBjdv
VpFvadwwXUsVyKMPeering around the room, San Pang asked with confusion, “Hey, hasn’t your brother, the unlucky lad, returned yet? Did someone snatch him away to become a son-in-law somewhere, planning to live happily ever after?”UWIuLiGRujFeChYgfrMScuBibQfOiH
NMNzDBRxKELTfBINo one had informed San Pang about the disappearance of Wei Qian and the others at Wei Zhiyuan’s request. San Pang remained blissfully unaware.jhEHAzHfBjRBGVIibskDTRdHYkkjbc
yxtsfMDKLmiXTGWWei Zhiyuan replied, “It’s been about a week or two. I heard they started heading back yesterday.”zCJPHCOuTKxxPlDGgAocpMglPNQFbQ
twTXciBVOcPlInb“Oh,” San Pang, seeing Wei Zhiyuan’s calm demeanor, didn’t think much of it. He glanced at the task in Xiao Bao’s hands and remarked, “Xiao Bao, are you planning to become a tailor?”ccgGujEwwHgciHMgkCrbWmDJlCDtry
qLMEsJgdkNBbDGIXiao Bao lifted her head and met Wei Zhiyuan’s gaze. She wasn’t adept at reading people’s expressions from a young age, but for some reason, she suddenly evolved to a new level—she could now understand the meaning behind others’ eyes. She awkwardly concocted a less-than-clever lie, “I don’t like this lace trim anymore, so I want to remove it.”kHQEktYJqwzsmiNSnymhcrmYiIBQVd
ZcFZHGpvlRdrskASan Pang responded naturally, “If you don’t like it, let your brother buy you a new one. Why bother with all this trouble?”AjbmMEVadNtlHCiocCEbGHkwtizHYJ
QTpFmBpqyAKqgBLXiao Bao was an honest child who rarely fabricated lies. She didn’t know how to respond and quickly lowered her head, fearing she would be found out soon.xJLopimPgRGxhGVaEpEVyxYFszYvQq
uwaJRvfHNyzbbrkAfter a while, she pursed her lips and managed to say, “I… I want to save some money.”qWhgSvkynOeACBrEgmXWOupTLEnaYB
MwZuAJCTAwWhjVASan Pang was surprised but casually said, “Look at our little sister, so sensible. If your brother heard this, he’d be pleased.”dVYXOyhQdAYLdcLGPuSspLRhRkXpbq
GKhPSTPCANURPhwHe was joking. San Pang was always a talkative person, unreserved and uninhibited like Wei Qian. He was accustomed to speaking freely without restraint. However, as soon as he finished speaking, both Xiao Bao and Wei Zhiyuan suddenly lifted their heads to look at him, their expressions extremely grim. They remained silent, but their disapproval was evident.mfLcHhdaDlEwgeuSuYNpyzzhbKvAxs
GbYnfTrgNpMTTjbReacting swiftly, San Pang paused for a moment before lightly patting his own mouth, “Ah, look at my big mouth spouting nonsense. Don’t take it to heart, everyone.”ZeZmrrOXJABLYPoXNpERjoafOfwJoG
bfyjnBFMiNsAgquAfter a while, Wei Zhiyuan managed to force out a smile, but Xiao Bao couldn’t muster the same facade. She grabbed her clothes and sewing kit, muttered softly, “I’ll go work in my room where it’s quieter,” and then turned and left.wTPVUVJNHVjkTBBgyPJNDIzoAXtClX
mOVEsCpeApeAQIVAt that moment, San Pang finally realized that something was amiss.BtyaBiDrRbdIszKtqgcdwUYKwMffil
gRwYAgQZXQxCqdvBut as he opened his mouth to inquire, he saw the stubborn glint in the child’s eyes and knew he wouldn’t get any answers.bMLcRXPbPRLvkmiCLaUMRKUkSwPmFn
ifdoPIJArJLuAOgSan Pang understood then. Both these kids were feeling uncomfortable, but they were holding it in because of his presence.gBjFbtMEsbOFtUlszhvChupZpWbkbU
dmMsCDJeRSxGZpH“Well,” San Pang thought, “I better leave. Staying here any longer might suffocate these two little ones.”zdDmHUqHeoxWMoosmzKhfRKKiCJPci
BftGRmAuEEkywEVHe bid farewell to San Pang and Wei Zhiyuan, deciding to confront Grandma Song that evening and get some answers.baMDQyLlpLWpLXEBMElUXRFyPIDoAM
xurhHWMzmiOmbmUHowever, Wei Zhiyuan remembered there was one thing he hadn’t completed yet.UQAWNecwWHWADQcGAuBkVFKoOPZsTq
vwLhJZZWphApOANThe next day, he chose a quiet afternoon to leave the house. As he was about to go, Wei Zhiyuan took out the money Wei Qian had given him for summer camp, looked at it, and tucked it along with the envelope into his backpack.sNfbHbNBRntIbDozGGjkeVMQfDlBRh
GtynlgGbEkgxDNaIt was something his brother had left for him, and Wei Zhiyuan wanted to keep it with him for peace of mind.TIwsUdgiVnEfygkMUTgkvKTOysBmKf
UqAGnzHHmENgVVQAfter finishing his task, Wei Zhiyuan decided to use this money to buy Xiao Bao a new outfit. After all, if his brother didn’t return, there would be no point in going to summer camp.saTRkSViyAoymxxrOLsJBZUxCMGXCC
NHQdvRYJEQVXkSBAt this time, those who were working had already begun their workday, while those who weren’t were taking their midday break in the sweltering summer heat.nePRQhKxBfksbhqbpAyRGsaPvPJLSv
lVtMUKDIkEPpTWfWei Zhiyuan had figured out that the eccentric had been married once and then divorced, now living alone. He had the entire schedule of the eccentric’s shifts and knew that on this day, the eccentric was scheduled to work from the afternoon until midnight, meaning he wouldn’t be at home.gysirzHYBkWtDGoldqVOjjBMZoKpDy
GTPKqxArCnNBQhAHaving already scoped out the area near the man’s house four times, Wei Zhiyuan agilely climbed the fence near the apartment building and, with a push and a pull, leaped onto the balcony of the second floor.XHMqSrEsoYyyQriRGiFNBcnUCazMDQ
DquwbeVhWyHLsSgUsing the small knife he always carried with him, Wei Zhiyuan made a slit in the man’s window screen just big enough for his hand to fit through. He then tucked his hand into the long-sleeved jacket he had deliberately worn, reached through the screen, and unlocked the latch from inside, flipping open the window and sliding in.JsaijDInYZESsDaFnRCwtfJlaBihXb
TjUaulIMfmlWmoQBefore undertaking this task, Wei Zhiyuan had meticulously considered every detail, anticipating any potential surprises. He approached the situation with a cautious mindset, making bold assumptions but seeking confirmation. He first surveyed the man’s home with great care.pTgxqPrdAHygSenWHhphSjlHNQvtMn
bukKjRvlbUIQNdnSoon enough, Wei Zhiyuan knew that his cautious pleas were completely superfluous.luHVxbpGYlLxSILoFrmBirnPVVFQld
JIBBsVbTajyVeeFHe found a large number of pornographic posters and pictures in the filthy bedroom, most of which featured children, and judging from the pictures, this person seemed to be extraordinarily attracted to young boys and girls between the ages of six and eight or nine, who had yet to develop. Since he lived alone, the guy didn’t even bother to hide them, plastering them all over the walls.ValXPElPDPwvNuJcYdKVfmEylJqJOV
PcAHanjAZNrmAYsWei Zhiyuan didn’t want to leave any traces of himself behind. Through his sleeves, he flipped through those things and calculated the feasibility of reporting them.dUbHWeygeQPigZQzeRtJLJlmaZfAOD
WnQClopHlxHCBpxThen he rejected the idea.KZzawZtTsYwbjIpYIOZsrofykSInLI
yRSEUIGDtOpOsDfWei Zhiyuan only heard from his brother that this pervert seemed to have killed a little girl, but it had been a few years ago. The little girl had long since died without evidence, and even her family refused to go to the police. They had no evidence at all that this person was responsible.nfYqhMyAwqkjBWCrQLKYTsgoCPguUx
MPNDMhlTHRFeebkAs for the encounter he had, it could only be described as unsuccessful. If the other party insisted that he only wanted to snatch the child’s pocket money, that seemed plausible too.zxcEHlVLsmJzdTrhVKHoBTHzjZzXaX
CLsORbKtOfwrTlZAs for keeping child pornography at home, even if it causes some trouble for this person, what can it do? What does it have to do with him?oiNLKjVeoUswUtXCySwgHwoLEoVsDC
VVDVFWbuybADcPaHe was already in enough trouble, he couldn’t get into more trouble because of this.wWSUHWugrGWnXZuNQgBTaAoZWbFHJk
PcuAyIIKxUZYkVtIn the end, Wei Zhiyuan rummaged through another drawer and found something inside that clearly belonged to a child-a little girl’s cartoon hair card, his familiar, their school uniform buttons, and even a few pieces of children’s underwear.VPHowxAChJrkaxIcNsjjSmiLecvvMP
weDIzMShUFtARmhNext to them were a dozen videotapes.MIsYejflYeNywdvxvNnNNcFiekXEDD
latSrQJpfaAyZFvWei Zhiyuan pulled out the top one and placed it in the old VCR next to him, and after the noise and white dots, a pornographic video featuring a little girl of about ten years old appeared on the screen.MHxtAAaMYhKaePrTxdjhzqhGqXEEcF
MtsyyStybzRpUtoWei Zhiyuan was not particularly interested in this. He furrowed his brow as he fast-forwarded the tape, witnessing the absurdity of the world— an entire box of videotapes, all featuring the same little girl, and all with the same content, yet somehow, switching between several poorly executed themes with a theatrical flair.CmaRAJCZBIIyWHjBSnnIWqGIKDGapJ
mOwRIqPYblyuwFPWei Zhiyuan didn’t consider himself a savior of the people; he simply found the existence of such a person in the world somewhat nauseating.cilitLOtEWfPUiBRPCCWrTlVHBImQk
fcUklzMqKRFjtBfHaving seen enough, he prepared to eject the tape quietly and depart to execute his next plan.RpXxDzKAXrEwgrQFLjlGZbuShQLatX
oZnImQrgmQPXMtAJust a split second before he could press the pause button, the fast-forwarded tape jumped to the next segment.NxteohFFnzJDyvPUXfmCeMgDDMbjgz
nxWzGbaEDUtQBIxThese tapes were all poorly made pirated copies, likely created carelessly by the person who recorded them. Inadvertently, another video segment got mixed in. The initial few frames flew by rapidly under the fast-forwarding effect. Wei Zhiyuan glanced at them and felt a change in the background style. His hand, poised to press down, involuntarily paused.MNqBoOWhsjVjwzHWNpZWJvUTcPbKPw
pZMzZSrHEXnYPpJThen, he suddenly widened his eyes in shock and disbelief.egHYccEjRSerfRyDthaZellRanoyUs
iKlQEwdZTQDTMUuHe saw two tall, well-built Western men dressed quite scantily. After delivering a couple of disjointed lines as if they were just placeholders, they unexpectedly embraced each other in an ambiguous manner, and before he knew it, they were rolling together in an intimate embrace.iYClRulGYfTtAsHlGtHUhndEosBuUR
UBpTfWubWZWYPYuWei Zhiyuan didn’t know when he had stopped fast-forwarding, his eyes fixated on the two men on the screen. Both male leads had long, powerful bodies, with muscles defined in all the right places—definitely not fake.vTpYmOTpYGNmDBJVtLpLqhCDAgWwXT
OZdjHIupBQHcuNLAnd those two incomprehensible male leads seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves!NKItQBHSxjEgSXEPdndQnZihCIMWhn
khQdbtaBQQQJdmjWei Zhiyuan stood frozen in place, his hand extended in mid-air, completely forgetting to retract it. Just as the two men in the video were getting into the thick of things, cursing and grumbling, a knock suddenly sounded from outside.ZkysHfXZfRNQNqYNMkzuHgGBamJEJu
EuEwJVeRUPLNZrALike a lightning bolt striking him, Wei Zhiyuan swiftly turned off the VCR, holding his breath as he stood motionless in the unfamiliar, messy living room.FYjfeReOmGKYceDWefDMIQysGlwxko
DJHLOUZILyVXMgoSomeone outside shouted, “Collecting electricity bills? Is anyone home?”eWhFxUdSvdrHVzpuzyTWHtPzuMzlFh
LHGGaTYzDkJEEEGWei Zhiyuan closed his eyes, clenched his fist by his side, and silently counted his thundering heartbeat.ddBpPSroqGSHGjgCPNSvBhoWDTAeEN
knnZBGMjqpaRcLsTaking a deep breath, he mentally mapped out several evacuation routes in the room in case the person outside suddenly opened the door or—IJtaQCXYslqHGTeVqVbTvzVofcSrJX
HkTweVIoGNuThZvLuckily, the person outside waited for a moment, then muttered, “They disappear as soon as you mention money, what kind of people are they? Disgusting!”rQKOuAFCacFaLuPrlEdUipEGAhIlZu
YBsshOWGAaKWaovAnd then it seemed like they left.jLKQrnvpcWiCqjgdNviogvMYPSRqLa
OBVnKaqKfEtYHroWei Zhiyuan finally breathed a sigh of relief.QCsUwKHRcjSHAFOJJDLfMdMnXNpjBF
lJcSYZVjFPRFdjqHis back was drenched in sweat, but his actions were methodical. He first ejected the videotape, then carefully restored everything to its original state. Finally, he found a place under a small cabinet where cash was kept and withdrew three hundred yuan.AlGXUpDoasKTKxZHjjqKjBqYczTGBY
vSvHqVZcIyncAgFHis heartbeat had slightly calmed down, but he still felt flushed, turning back to press the creases flat on the torn screen. Then, he observed through the peephole in the door for a while, making sure no one was lingering in the empty hallway, and confirming that the pervert hadn’t locked the door when leaving. Only then did he carefully push the door open, slip inside, and silently make his way out of the hallway.ZNsFsnqOGKGkjPGXQUqNMotbGPumYG
CoicFrjvmMtRVOnWei Zhiyuan felt a fire burning inside him, parching his mouth and tongue. It seemed like a sticky residue clung to him, and he suspected it stemmed from his indignation and disgust. So, he bought a bottle of ice-cold Arctic Ocean water from a roadside vendor and gulped down three mouthfuls, finally quenching the fire within.hKFSvCrdBIrqfphYsdxWiKPjqDNaXC
hwYlKTXUZWkOYiLReturning home calmly, Wei Zhiyuan left a note for Xiao Bao, saying he went to the city library to borrow some materials and wouldn’t be back for dinner. Then, he headed straight to the factory where the pervert worked.PBouGgWwzqUKxSrUjmYcGkKmEvxEek
sdWoZWdlPRviPHrOn the last page of his secret notebook were the words “Qiu Jianguo,” followed by a large red cross.KiYWdTgwwfCjOlSUdPICwdcXHiIXzy
AUgjCaHoOdalAMuAh, Qiu Jianguo was the name of the pedophile.lcJYaOgoXaPVvwQrUWttGrWXfyoSbn
fncybKVnZPCvQvUThat night, Qiu Jianguo ate his dinner in the cafeteria as usual.fpLesucciGpoCLKMGntoXEgoQJEXrI
OCkjRplIewcNDgARecently, he had set his sights on a boy who resembled a little girl. Boys of this age were playful, running around recklessly during the summer vacation, and their parents were also more negligent, making it easier to seize opportunities, even easier than with girls.PkNjrpSwWSGJtlDrsdRZVVRJCbvxBa
lIBjXwJGdoRPNpsAs he finished his meal, the security guard approached with a few bottles of alcohol. “These are for you, just delivered.”cfoaPPxhTxNPUkRUblojSmgtBjaCrq
ZWvLfrAdnOqMiIUQiu Jianguo was taken aback. “For me? But I didn’t order anything.”HivQioYqnkqVQbtUXsgcJBFTnVAWun
fhbeBeDsBIHbdBqThe guard vaguely sensed something abnormal about him, although he didn’t know the specifics. Instinctively, he didn’t want to engage with him any further. So, he casually placed the alcohol and the receipt in front of him. “They’re for you. If you didn’t order them, then who did? Payment has been made, over three hundred yuan, quite expensive.”CzEXITKvoulHNXYGsUEEycJaCfBWvu
DaVFDHMRQRXHCzZAfter the guard finished speaking, wanting to avoid further interaction, he simply instructed Qiu Jianguo to deliver the signed receipt to the communications room before leaving.WGIPUoyNrZzxdRfbDQBfofzoESCiVr
XtYrOsTrYfkEJqwQiu Jianguo checked the receipt and found it was from a small tavern nearby that he frequented often. His name was indeed on it, so everything seemed in order.ygHOPUdFBTpHkythRcFBEwutrildAD
LfcyXQViBtdkCFfHe thought to himself, perhaps the delivery person had made a mistake with the name. It was common for mix-ups to occur with regular customers at the tavern. Anyway, the payment had been made, so why not take advantage of the situation? If anyone came asking, he could easily shift the blame onto the tavern’s mistake.JZXGIaDffuBJPmSyeKxiXXxyjhUoEJ
TECbTQpSFuxPZFUSatisfied with this reasoning, he accepted the alcohol without any qualms. He proceeded to drink, accompanied by a small dish of peanuts. After downing three bottles of alcohol, he was completely intoxicated, resembling a pile of mud as he slumped onto a lounge chair. There was no trace of his work ethic; he played hooky with a sense of entitlement.qRmKBrHscFcGdRNzROPpiGcqovHxoM
sOduhdwKkRqjWijIn his half-asleep state, Qiu Jianguo heard a “click” sound, but he paid it no mind, simply rolling over.UcRoGhHqoCLzLBAfqczKzLGwuxGfRC
uGgXihPnCrwBrajAfter another moment, he heard the crunchy voice of a little girl speaking.snCvpBNCieIIMmJnXdVQPVngUMvgzm
EmJBtNFfFVucdEZIt was the kind of voice that was so undeveloped and tender that it could be pinched out of water.arhNsGtoeVWOaQOjdMqjVtqvejLYfF
wiKhrysFKqkgKKPHe was seemingly intoxicated, and all of a sudden he reacted, his eyes reddened, and he sat up violently.uCZPYSugTANzcIbUGnzCZWgSHmGChX
mVpkzcMNHWZvIMBHe heard voices coming from outside the door, and the little girl seemed to be muttering to herself, occasionally humming a couple of songs all by herself, accompanied by tiny, seemingly bouncing footsteps.dGuUVQveQOnKcnLXtAuPUSzxnZszQY
ZoxVzsRWvysSOArHe knew that the front of the workshop staff dormitory, there is a female worker with her eight year old daughter she lived with, so every time he saw that little girl he was itching, but he was very careful and cautious, and holding himself back.wnmNnRooEsZQnSfRTVYOsxoUoHMBVr
AXGhrgeJcWpAmwrBut right …… now it is late at night.gTksdhbJNEHLstgtSWBovpWTIsBxhT
fknbbACtRRvlblyHis brain heated by alcohol “boom” exploded.YnEEhQUymFuawQvCGvFyzFyUakQBfa
BDbvXBuGJqBmKopThe man’s sweat hairs excitedly stood up, licking his lips thirstily, impatiently reached out to rub his crotch, and then stood up, he was drunk and not awake, in front of the eyes of a blank, following the sound of the distant and near, head and feet light to walk forward.AZODauUOBeVeSmPFWzoZDlklxIzgjn
sedgKIDafuMNnNSAs he walked, he felt a coolness around him, the man shivered and more or less sobered up, he frowned and realized that this was a low-temperature cold storage room where meat products were kept, and a rustling sound was coming from inside.ivblAeLwHRyaSFpHPMvNmWPrdPSPEl
MTZBAHjJjoKNkEfThe man regained some of his senses and rushed inside, “Hey, you can’t just go in the cold storage!”IyhVtjQCmhDrRJLanKZhQoMLQNGNYW
GhostqFQMwRmfGZThe man regained some semblance of sanity and exclaimed towards the inside, “Hey, you can’t just go into the cold storage!”eNwqNDflNZzLXKYuNPwbcwWiFqanyY
jKiVsgMfmlKglOeThe little girl seemed to mutter something, but her voice was too low for him to hear clearly. The man’s throat moved obscenely as he struggled between reason and desire, with desire ultimately prevailing.KUEwyNmTkXqlvXFTxBzWhcUDXSdrPj
PmUXxikPjAqEeqgCasting a glance at the large clock by the warehouse entrance, he noted there was still over an hour left until the midnight shift change. He knew that during the day, new inventory could be added to the cold storage at any time, and the door would only be secured with a “small lock,” accessible to staff with keys. It was only during the late-night shift change that the door would be additionally secured with a larger lock, to be opened precisely at six in the morning the next day.ZtSgzzPvrugRPuMhGTuAWAbsqnbxPj
gKcuLYJrBQvvsZUWith over an hour to spare, there was plenty he could do.XifFPqSYbciujQKPFMIWRAdhjbJjOI
CyrboLJvrxoZdMDSoftening his tone, he said, “Little sister, you can’t wander in here. Come with uncle, I’ll take you to eat something delicious…”GPowSoxukUPAwVzzcTVMSXYrljhkxg
fYkugVFEymCgzuaHe walked straight in, oblivious to the fact that the clock at the cold storage entrance had long stopped ticking.beraWvBWBWsdzmixAxfFydlnXaVuON
AUnGdFohQZMRjcxHe followed the sound of the girl’s voice, going deeper and deeper until he finally pinpointed it—just behind a wall! Licking his lips, the man took a sudden step forward, “Gotcha…”IJmWLlXuvXpmBDMOGUYaxUWIbfFveA
KDykTGoLGQlDfxkBut there was no little girl there, only an old phone he had discarded two or three years ago, repeatedly playing a ringtone, its ambiguous childish voice echoing incessantly.xtVLQvTqMRkcoosuniuCWvkomasmfW
RTJtiIYuHopzuSPSuddenly, as if running out of battery, the ringtone ceased.VnPaYyiPHMSeiecVqxPtrsHmPpLjav
qLbZUWnNGpAvAGjThe entire cold storage fell into a deafening silence.XpesQWtbwwHnWPYDUqLVfrDKtEzZeI
uCEgcyZYjRsrlxHThe man was startled, and just then, behind him, came a loud “clang”—a sound he knew all too well, the sound of his colleague closing the outer door and dropping the big lock!QGgjbfvcpITlvJdNedwSnKmFUnZEwN
sTaGNwWCGEfyjkEWait! It wasn’t time for the shift change yet, so why would someone lock it now!DXIurHGboisYFtirhhmpNXHQtcGLpU
qhqXHhhofEqbHCNThe man rushed to the door, shouting hoarsely, “There’s someone inside! Let me out! Let me out!”jhplvKXnTpEkrDNcugRQeULIKmRSOE
gnvNaxcmPTrhyMEWei Zhiyuan waited until midnight, then burned his secret notebook and went straight home. He spread out the thick stack of calculation paper he had written before on the bed, pretending to be diligent—neither Grandma nor Xiao Bao had ever been to the library, so no one knew when it closed.gzKUHOEZbEPfZPzpDeueXeQQgOLkJU
JBaaTybHuZafIKNHe was still damp from the dew outside, expecting himself to be troubled and sleepless. To his surprise, as soon as his head hit the pillow, he felt a profound sense of relaxation throughout his body. He placed Wei Qian’s pillow beside him, as if his big brother were there to keep him company…puYtxrCeqaFnLGBjiiAaweoGknYHyu
ktxoeyMoqYtttHlWei Zhiyuan fell asleep in this mix of guilt and hidden anxiety. He drifted off into a dream where his brother wore only an unbuttoned shirt, lying in bed looking at him. Despite the multitude of scars on his body, they didn’t detract from the graceful lines of his physique.lsqAvNpFqbOcNOylDvBuZFsfsBVQyj
whKszTzCDHcMzMOWei Qian’s eyes resembled their mother’s, but with a clear sharpness. His nose was high, and his lips bore a smile that… came from Wei Zhiyuan’s imagination, an indescribable expression.ZgvnNRtxQjpLlhibfnXozaKDlhHcmb
IqzxhhYxignZaliWei Zhiyuan saw his brother’s exposed body, and that sticky feeling seemed to entangle his heart again. Like a possessed youth, he walked over, suddenly tempted to touch in a blasphemous manner.zwUwCFdCEKENSGZYEILwQtqadKVjhW
hfgzdeZfxHaRrhRIn the dream, his older brother lazily glanced at him and allowed the touch. Wei Zhiyuan couldn’t contain his excitement, giving rise to a stranger and deeper desire.ojAiPZSBJzSEUjBJVdVdZhpZKXNcoe
WdEXhaMcnYaSOTsWei Zhiyuan was startled awake by a series of ringing phones. He sat up abruptly, his expression blank for a moment, while waves of shock surged through his mind like a tsunami.sSxvHGhTamKAQzILtrrnTPlUtvjJXC
RlwrJSrhYQvbnavHis lower body felt icy cold, hesitating for a moment before awkwardly getting out of bed and picking up the phone.eEzBoCbxwFSeeVrgMCtWRfGxnELvWH
ZIuJFjgCRgbZtHT“Hello…”QzTLfbnXrWOtCyvHmDohaiVjEzgwvd
fOpHWEIRJSSMRfh“It’s me.” The familiar voice sounded somewhat hoarse through the receiver. “You’re not fully awake, are you? There was a little trouble on my end earlier, so my phone’s temporarily out of service. Let Grandma know not to worry, I’ll be back in a couple of days.”HxwLdsvHrzpvXUONfbWJcunxySubhk
DEWqQTpPnNAInhrWei Zhiyuan didn’t know how he managed to respond to this call; he felt completely numb all over.iqHDdTyoRZrimkexznNVWLJdOcUQUO
fcxSLRjZCarXgpYmBwHtEwxEAFpDWilnQRqLhooGjlzYf