"Dean, you are too kind."
The two shook hands, and Duan Chen felt a calloused firmness in his palm.
"The children's safety drill is entrusted to you."
Facing Dean Zhen's kindly smile, Duan Chen couldn't help but glance at the scar on his forehead.
"Heh heh, a memento from my reckless youth."
Dean Zhen chuckled casually. Duan Chen had a strange sense of familiarity about his narrow, elongated eyes.
The subsequent activities went very smoothly. The children here were surprisingly well-behaved and cooperative, and Niya also behaved normally.
Teacher Xiao Mei took photos for everyone while the safety drill concluded perfectly. The children even played some games with Duan Chen.
As it grew dark, Duan Chen knew it was time to leave. Everyone showed reluctance, and some children even started crying.
"Brother Duan Chen, will you come back to play again?"
Niya, wearing an Ultraman mask, looked at Duan Chen with innocent eyes.
"Yes, I will come to see you again."
Niya smilingly offered a bouquet of small red flowers. "Thank you, Brother Duan Chen, for the Ultraman mask you gave me. I'll give you these small red flowers. Dean said small red flowers are rewards for good children, and Jiālotte agrees to give them to you too."
The fiery red small flowers bloomed brilliantly, like a burning flame.
Duan Chen's pupils imprinted with the freshly picked bouquet, and a series of strange images flashed rapidly in his mind.
It was too fast, too blurry to be clear.
It seemed to be a boy running in a field of red flowers, his slightly long hair ruffled by the wind. A slender arm reached out from beside him, holding a rubber band.
Tied to the rubber band was a bright red flower, matching the flower field before him.
"...Brother Duan Chen?"
"Brother Duan Chen??"
Duan Chen's pupils contracted, and he looked at Niya, whose large eyes were blinking.
"Brother Duan Chen, what's wrong? Jiālotte is also worried about you."
"I'm fine. Maybe I just remembered some forgotten memories." Duan Chen smiled and stroked his soft little head.
Waving goodbye to the children, Duan Chen drove off in his supercar.
But strangely, as soon as he left the southern outskirts.
The bouquet of small red flowers suddenly withered, turning into black powder that scattered into the air.
...
Thirteen Street, Xiangyu Coffee House.
Amidst the bustling commercial street, the coffee house was a bit quiet.
A warm cup of cappuccino sat on the table. A man with a robust and upright figure sat opposite a woman of breathtaking beauty. Though there were a thousand words between them, they remained silent.
After waking from the ice coffin that day, Xiao Fang excitedly hugged Gu Sang, who had been guarding it, only to touch a chill.
His body was cold, his eyes were cold, and his heart was cold.
Gu Sang did not return her embrace, merely pushing her away gently.
Xiao Fang, tears streaming down her face, kissed his cold lips.
Gu Sang trembled almost imperceptibly. His cold eyes looked at her as if she were a stone.
Shouldn't the Sleeping Beauty be awakened by the prince's kiss and live happily ever after?
Why, though he was by her side, could she not feel happiness?
After that day, she silently followed Gu Sang, watching him train, watching him kill, watching him stuff bloody hearts into sacks, watching him emotionlessly reap lives, his body drenched in the blood of countless people.
Did he still have a heart?
She didn't know.
She would gently touch his wounds, silently disinfect, stitch, and bandage them...
Just as she had once longed for countless times.
These were the days she had once yearned for, yet why, whenever she dreamt at night, were her pillows soaked with tears?
Unknowingly, a tear dropped into the cappuccino, creating ripples.
Gu Sang lowered his eyes and said expressionlessly, "I'm sorry, I can't respond to you anymore."
Xiao Fang vigorously wiped the tears from her face and forced a beautiful smile.
"It's okay, it's enough that you are by my side."
Music drifted through the coffee shop, a low, mournful female voice humming—
"He doesn't love me...
Holding hands, too distant; embracing, not close enough.
He doesn't love me...
When he speaks, not serious;
When he is silent, too thoughtful..."
Xiao Fang picked up her coffee and drank the cappuccino in one gulp, leaving only bitterness in her mouth.
Yes, he doesn't love me.
A woman's intuition is always accurate, yet there is no evidence to support it.
Suddenly, Gu Sang stood up and said coldly, "It's time to go."
Xiao Fang nodded and left the coffee shop with him.
On a tree outside the coffee shop window perched a completely black crow.
It blinked its eyes nimbly, then spread its wings and flew towards the sky with a whoosh.
...
An Qi had been unconscious for two days. After waking up, her mental state deteriorated.
She refused all men, even Duan Chen.
Looking at the haggard and manic woman behind the glass, Duan Chen sighed.
The female police officer who was questioning her sat beside her. Seeing that her mental state had improved considerably, she began to speak:
"An Qi, you don't need to be afraid. Can you tell me about your experience that night?"
An Qi trembled, her large eyes rolled, and she smiled:
"Dad's mom is Grandma, Dad's dad is Grandpa..."
"..." The female officer was silent for a moment.
"An Qi, do you remember who was the last person to leave the car dealership that night?"
"I remember." An Qi's eyes widened sharply. "It was—Peppa Pig!"
"..." The female officer was silent again.
"An Qi, do you remember what you ate or drank that day?"
An Qi giggled. "I'll tell you a secret. I secretly ate Shen Teng's fried dough twists that day, and Ma Li chased me all the way. Then I ran into Deyun Society, and it was Xiao Yueyue who saved me."
"..." The female officer smiled and broke her recording pen.
"An Qi, do you remember who asked you to buy a car that day?"
"Of course I remember~ Dad's mom is Grandma, Dad's dad is Grandpa..."
"............"
This time, not only the female officer was silent, but everyone observing from outside the room fell silent as well.
"That's it. We can't get anything out of her," one police officer said apologetically to Duan Chen.
"What did the doctor say?" Duan Chen asked.
"The doctor said she had no serious external injuries and no severe head trauma. It's possible that psychological factors led to her mental disorder. Of course, the excessive aphrodisiac also played a role."
This ruled out the possibility of complete amnesia and indicated the situation was inconsistent with a siren in human skin.
"Why don't... Officer Duan try questioning her yourself?"