"Maybe it's because we're poor." Tan Xing blurted out.
"..." The Cheshire Cat looked Tan Xing up and down. "How strange—aren't you a student in Class 3 (A) of Meso Academy? How could you find the food at Family too expensive?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know the price of Family—because I don't have the courage to step through the door. After all, the decoration looks so expensive..."
"Renovation? If you haven't stepped through that door, then it must be exterior renovations?"
"Um--"
"Exterior decoration..." The Cheshire Cat pulled the corner of his mouth and smiled: "You are not even afraid to step into the level -"
"What?"
"Aren't you afraid to even take a closer look at the outside? Family is afraid that outsiders will discourage you, so they use a simple, even cheap, decoration style."
The Cheshire Cat took out his cell phone from his pocket, called up the external landscape map of Family, and waved it in front of Tan Xing's eyes.
"Look, it's like this—"
“…”
Tan Xing's gaze was initially evasive, but seeing the Cheshire Cat's persistence—his hand was raised in the air and refused to fall, he finally turned his gaze to the phone.
“Eh…”
"How is it? Pretty simple, right? No, should I say - the style is cheap, right? Then why are you so put off by the sight of it outside? In other words - are you the type who avoids any restaurant outside?"
"There's nothing I can do—who knows if I'll end up being forced to wash dishes..."
"Ahaha." The Cheshire Cat laughed, "Family doesn't need to wash dishes manually - and if you really have financial problems, it's not impossible to give them to you for free."
Tan Xing frowned.
"What? You don't believe it?"
"No, that's not the problem—" Tan Xing said sadly, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just..."
"Just what?"
"It's a matter of pride, isn't it?" Tan Xing stroked his ear. "I'm the type of person who has financial problems but a very fragile heart. My pride won't allow me to keep accepting charity."
"What if you were starving to death?"
"I would rather starve to death."
"That's really stupid..." The Cheshire Cat expressed his opinion and mercilessly criticized his obsession.
"I think so."
Tan Xing actually agreed with the Cheshire Cat, so much so that the Cheshire Cat's eyes were wide open, like a kitten bathing in the moonlight.
"ha?"
"Are you surprised? However—I'm a fairly self-aware person. I'm quite aware of some of my unconscious actions—they're unnecessary, self-destructive, and won't improve anything. But I don't know how to fight this, so I just accept it."
"How strange..." The Cheshire Cat tilted his head. "It's normal to be unable to change other people's ideas and prejudices. Your brain is in the thing on your neck, so why can't you change it?"
"I don't know." Tan Xing curled his lips: "Actually, I'm also very curious - but, certain emotions seem to be deeply rooted in my heart - I don't know when those emotions invaded the cracks in my heart, but when I came to my senses, I couldn't resist -
For example, today when I saw those guys bullying others, I was furious, but in the end I still chose to remain silent. Because, compared to being brave and doing what is right, I am still more afraid of being attacked——"
Chu Shangli glanced at Tan Xing——
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