Chapter 243: Drunk, truthful, and neighborly encounters.

It was not until Zhu Shoucheng waved goodbye to the boy that Chi Xiaochi closed his eyes and wrapped his hands around the back of Lou Ying's neck, the strong scent of the foreign wine spilling out from his breath and spilling onto the back of Lou Ying's neck along with the setting sun.

Lou Ying held his shoulder with one hand, took out her wallet with the other, and asked the owner of the spicy skewer stand, "How much?"

The owner doesn't recognize XO, and just thinks it's a fancy alcoholic drink that a kid bought somewhere else: "It's not mine, the rest of it is $11.50."

Taking the money, the owner inquired curiously, "What happened to the boy?"

Lou Ying picked Chi Xiaochi up on his back and put his hands behind his knees, "He didn't want to go to school, so he skipped. I'm his brother, now take him home."

Chi Xiaochi lies on Lou Ying's back and whispers, "Lou, I'm not drunk, I can walk."

Lou Ying put his wallet away and without looking back said, "Are you trying to get me to carry you on my front?"

Chi Xiaochi imagined that image and chose to shut up.

Lou Ying turned around and saw Zhu Shoucheng, who was putting his briefcase into the basket of his bicycle, in the crowd.

He didn't see Lou Ying and Chi Xiaochi, kicked off his bike's footrests, and greeted a few passing students with a smile, like a kindly old man.

Lou Ying looks at the data panel in front of him.

The target of their raid on this mission was none other than Zhu Shoucheng.

Zhu Shoucheng has a favor value of 80 and a remorse value of 0 towards Chi Xiaochi.

He gazed at Zhu Shoucheng in silence for a moment, then left the place carrying Chi Xiaochi on his back.

The alleys of the small town are as intertwined as the power lines overhead, and can lead anywhere.

The daytime sun burns the rubber of the wires, but the warming sunset slows the heat, and tiny sparrows hop around on the clothesline with great glee.

Lou Ying chose a road that was not too crowded according to "Lou Ying's" memory. It was quiet enough not to disturb Chi Xiaochi, and also quiet enough for him to organize his thoughts.

Just now, Lou Ying was still in the classroom and couldn't suddenly disappear in public, so he spent the next half of the class reading through the world line.

...... He regrets that he did it.

Every second you look at it, Lou Ying is tortured by unbearable heartache, chills radiating from the chest to the whole body, hot blood running in the head, left hand is so numb that you can only clench your fingers over and over again and use the pain to relieve something.

He wanted to find Chi Xiaochi and say nothing, think nothing, just hold him.

After class, he found the teacher.

As an extraordinarily gifted student, the ease with which Lou Ying called in sick to her homeroom teacher was unimaginable.

Even if he said, "I'm a little depressed today, I don't want to study and I want to go home," the homeroom teacher would only tell him to take a good rest, not to mention the fact that he did look pale, and the homeroom teacher, seeing the situation was not good, immediately released him from his sick leave, and even told him not to come in tomorrow.

On the way to Chi Xiaochi, Lou Ying thought a lot.

Lou Ying was sure that they had come to a parallel world to Chi Xiaochi's original world.

In the last world, the main god categorized Jiao Qingguang as a "scum attacker", which was already a stretch in Lou Ying's opinion, but in this world, he actually designated Zhu Shoucheng as the target of his mission?

What's the point of talking offense to a scumbag other than to be disgusting and ridiculous?

It seems that the gods are doing everything they can to keep Xiaochi around.

After all, to be able to find such a parallel world that barely met the conditions, the main god must have taken great pains.

On top of that, the Lord God has an ironclad infraction this time.

Because while reading the world line, Lou Ying can also read the memories of another person.

...... The memory of the original "Lou Ying" on this world line.

In other words, he is now the host of "Lou Ying", just like Chi Xiaochi.

And Lou Ying's contract with the Lord God never included taking the bodies of people already in the normal world line for his own use.

Even in the book-wearing world of "Sailor Immortal", Lou Ying only occupies the name and identity of "Wen Yujing", a traveler.

The 061 at the time was eager to reveal himself before Chi Xiaochi, borrowing people's identities, originally for the purpose of being dismantled.

As for the later dismantling of Yan Jinhua's design, it was just a ploy by him.

Earlier, the Lord God had crossed the line once.

In Shi Tingyun's world, he made it so that Lou Ying could only choose a sickly body, and delayed the release of the world line to the point that he couldn't start a normal quest, and this time, the main god threw him right back at Lou Ying herself, all of which were moves that seriously violated the contract.

Lou Ying has secretly recorded all the anomalous data.

His original plan was to submit the data to the watchdog as soon as Xiaochi was gone and when the main god could no longer make things difficult for Xiaochi.

But now Lou Ying is really getting worried.

At the current timing node they've been transported to, nothing has happened yet.

Chi Xiaochi The summer vacation for fourteen-year-olds has just begun, they have an infinite future, infinite possibilities, endless summers, and endless sunlight coming through the window, hitting the bones of the teenager and urging him to grow up year after year.

Fourteen. What a great age.

Firmly believing that good grades will change everything and the future; the biggest worry is nothing more than that a certain question the teacher draws him to do on the blackboard is too difficult; jumping up and touching the basket, he feels like he's touched the sky.

The most important thing is that he is there, and so is Lou Ying himself.

His own home was just downstairs from his house, no need to travel from the south of the sky to the north of the sea, no need to wait for him to finish ten more tasks, but it was just a distance that could be reached with a lift of the leg and a bow of the head.

...... Who could resist such a temptation.

The setting sun fell on the two children, just the right temperature, just the right amount of youth.

The slight spritz of booze behind her back made Lou Ying feel as if she was carrying a boozy chocolate on her back.

He decided not to think about the future, but to take care of the present.

The foreign wine had a strong aftertaste, and a little bit of it went to Chi Xiaochi's head, making him start to feel dizzy.

It's a good thing Chi Xiaochi doesn't like to get drunk even when he's drunk.

He coiled himself around Lou Ying's neck, his feverish face resting on the exposed skin of Lou Ying's school uniform collar.

Lou Ying could feel the batting of his eyelashes, brushing his neck delicately, not at all resting.

He sighed helplessly, "Don't look at me, close your eyes and get some rest."

Chi Xiaochi In a tone of discovery of a new continent, she said, "Lou, you're so small."

Lou Ying : "...... hmm?"

Chi Xiaochi looked at him seriously from the side, "I'm all grown up, why are you still so small."

Lou Ying's steps lurched and the fingers holding his knee tightened a bit, "Yes, I try to grow up."

Chi Xiaochi stamped his chest with his fist, "Here's a little red flower for you."

Lou Ying : "Thank you Mr. Chi."

As soon as the title came out of his mouth, he realized that he could look at him and call him by his name this time.

Bright and clean, not bound by any contract.

Lou Ying probed, "Xiaochi?"

Chi Xiaochi, confused, "Huh?"

"Xiaochi."

"Well ......"

Lou Ying inclined his head, "Chi Xiaochi?"

Chi Xiaochi felt herself slipping a bit, and like a wombat, she climbed onto Lou Ying's neck and slumped upwards, her forehead touching Lou Ying's gently.

The two men's heads rested against each other, only that contact, but it was enough to call for peace of mind.

Chi Xiaochi inhaled softly as the coolness of the alcohol burned skin soothed her before she answered, "Uh-huh."

Lou Ying pushed the center of his forehead with a lot of pain and carried the low-sleeping Chi Xiaochi on his back and walked out a few more steps.

Chi Xiaochi's dreams were disorganized and jumped around as he muttered a few lines from a movie he had said, then grabbed his shirt off his chest and whispered, "Lucas, I'm going to take that play."

Lou Ying's heart fluttered.

He remembered the accidentally loose chandelier that had sent Chi Xiaochi into the system.

In Lou Ying's memory, there is still a shadow of the old theater.

About an hour's bike ride from the urban/rural area where they were, they would arrive at a small town. The town was famous for its culture and had hosted several theater and cultural festivals. The theater, which doubled as a cinema, was located on the fringe of that town, and had hosted only a handful of small plays and played countless movies.

When they were little, Lou Ying and Xiaochi, Jr. saw Titanic and Cinema Paradiso here.

In the summer movie theater, with its whirring fans and faint smell of sweat, Lou Ying Jr. buys Xiaochi plums and allows him to spit the kernels into his palm.

Lou Ying wondered what kind of mindset Chi Xiaochi had when he took on that play.

If it hadn't been for that play, they probably wouldn't have seen each other again, much less after going around in circles like that.

Lou Ying would like to ask a question.

A question he had asked a long time ago, but had never gotten a clear answer to.

After reading the world line, he understood part of it, but not all of it yet.

He asked, "Xiaochi, at that time, how did you come up with the idea of being a star?"

Chi Xiaochi grunted, and wasn't sure if she heard him clearly or if it was just a drunken murmur.

Lou Ying asked him, "Why did you drop out of school when your grades were so good?"

...... Yeah, why?

Chi Xiaochi I was thinking of the time I hid in a stairwell to smoke a cigarette after a commercial show, but I accidentally encountered an old man with a pair of glasses and a gentlemanly appearance.

He borrowed the old man's fire.

The old man took his cigarette and said gently, "Thank you, Xiaochi."

Chi Xiaochi wonders, "You know me?"

"I was just on the stage, in the first row." The old man said, "I was invited by a friend to watch the show on the way, and I didn't expect to see you. ...... Your appearance and temperament are very much in line with the person I imagined."

Chi Xiaochi, once he heard this oddly, clamped his cigarette and raised his eyebrows lightly, looking him up and down.

"Sorry, don't misunderstand." The old man also noticed that he had said this inappropriately and smiled apologetically, handing over a business card, "It's true that I came here specifically to look for you after inquiring from people, but I assure you that I have no other intentions. I am a director, currently planning to make a movie. I want to see if you are interested, if so, can you come for an audition next Sunday."

It's not uncommon in the modeling world for people to be picked up by a director who doesn't have a bad appearance.

But what's rare, is that this is the guy who debuted in a leading role, dropped out of school from there, and went all the way to highs, with occasional lows, and often a one-two punch reversal.

Anyone would think it was worth it for him to drop out of school.

No one is going to ask him why.

Handsome, well-endowed, gifted, and honorable, it's the natural thing to do, so what's the objection?

But Lou Ying still wants to know why.

He knew that Chi Xiaochi studied so hard to get into the high school that Lou Ying was in, to get into the college that Lou Ying wanted to go to, and to live instead of him, step by step.

...... What made him choose to give it up.

Chi Xiaochi, who was lying on Lou Ying's back, gave the answer in a low voice: "...... Lou's sister-in-law's aunt is moving away."

With just one sentence, Lou Ying understood and closed her eyes intolerantly.

"My home is going to be gone." Chi Xiaochi murmured as she buried herself in Lou Ying's back, "I don't have the money to buy my whole home. There's not enough money for modeling, either. I need money."

Lou Ying was lost for words.

He wanted to ask Chi Xiaochi why he was so stupid, but he swallowed his words.

Chi Xiaochi wants to keep the last traces of a dead man, so he doesn't even want his own future.

Who knows if Chi Xiaochi will be able to make a living out of this in the future until the first movie is wrapped and released?

Chi Xiaochi doesn't even know it.

The good thing is, life treats him well.

Later, he bought every room in the dingy silo, and whenever he could, he would come back and live in it.

He was the last tenant in the whole silo.

And now Lou Ying is standing in front of the silo with Chi Xiaochi on his back.

Goose-colored old street lamps side of the early support of the mahjong table, if you do not grab a seat, this area will soon be occupied by the board, a middle-aged man bare spine sitting at the mahjong table, idly, the table scattered mahjong one by one lifted up to look at the hand also held up an old half-eaten popsicle.

The corridors on the first floor bustle with boys who want to take pictures and girls who want to jump on the concrete floor, and Maranatha blooms twenty-one.

On the second floor, the old man with the back of his ear was shaking the air juggler, shaking with vigor, and his partner was standing beside him, smiling.

A few women who had already finished cooking dinner stood at the entrance to the building and chatted. The children and their husbands had not yet returned, and they were seizing the moment to enjoy the rare leisure they had in their day.

Lou Ying, carrying Chi Xiaochi on his back, was quite conspicuous, and a sharp-eyed woman soon spotted him: "Oops, what's wrong with Xiaochi?"

Lou Ying approached with a polite bow, "Out with friends, had a few drinks."

The woman shook her head, "What kind of wine is it for such a young child? At such a young age, you'll only regret it when you're older and have a bad stomach."

A slightly acerbic female voice on the side laughed and rang: "What people say, things are gathered, people are divided into groups, and thieves mixed together, the body is inevitably a bit of jianghu savagery."

Lou Ying, who had turned to leave, paused in his steps, but after only a few moments, he looked as normal as ever, carried Chi Xiaochi to his front door, took the key, and opened the door.

It was customary for Lou Ying's sister-in-law's uncle not to return if he didn't at this hour.

Lou Ying put Chi Xiaochi, who had slept on his back for a while and had already woken up, on the bed, unscrewed the fan, tucked in the covers, and said, "You rest first. I'm going out."

Chi Xiaochi was still a little dizzy, only knowing that this Lou in front of him was his 061 in his body, "Lou, where are you going?"

Lou Ying stroked his sweaty hair, "I'll go to Auntie Chu and straighten things out."

Chi Xiaochi winked, "You said before to leave them alone."

Lou Ying laughed softly, "Before? Is that what I said?"

Chi Xiaochi dashed off, pulled the covers up over her mouth and shook her head, "I don't know I don't know."

Lou Ying laughed at his look, pinched his face, took his cell phone out of the cubby again, and pushed out the door.

Chi Xiaochi perked up her ears and listened to the commotion outside.

Aunt Chu didn't expect Lou Ying to go and come back, and it was obviously for her, and when she stood quietly in front of her, she was two points weaker first.

She braced herself, "What are you doing?"

Lou Ying said, "Auntie Chu, who were you talking about when you said thief just now?"

The two old sisters beside Aunt Chu looked at each other and shut up collectively, ready to watch the fun.

Aunt Chu is not alone, in front of so many people, she also knows that Lou Ying will not be rough, so she put her neck: "What, have the guts to steal do not have the guts to admit?"

"You mean me?"

"My semiconductor was found in your house, so who could have stolen it if not you?"

"Good." Lou Ying gave a polite nod and handed the phone out.

Aunt Chu was stunned, "What is this for?"

Lou Ying : "Auntie Chu, didn't you say you lost something? Call the police."

Auntie Chu: "......"

Seeing Auntie Chu's face turning green and red, Lou Ying flipped the cover of her cell phone open, "If you don't report it, then I will."

Aunt Chu did get a little flustered, and her voice instantly rose: "What are you calling the police for? You still want to catch a thief by shouting?"

"You go on. I've recorded all your words." Lou Ying said, "You know very well whether I am a thief or not. If you call me a thief one more time, you'll lose another thousand dollars in court. Why do you think?"