After getting off the high-speed rail station and taking the subway to the neighborhood, Ren Suo felt a long-lost sense of home.

Oddly enough, this might be the first time in two years that he had returned home in a regular way.

The first time he went home this year, he was lying in an ambulance from Lianjiang City to Baiyun City, completely unconscious.

The second time he went home, he was sitting in Qiao Muyi's car. He was harassed many times by the female driver like a kept gigolo. He was petting cats and staring at Qiao Muyi all the way. How could he think about going home?

The third time I go home is now. I take public transportation and enjoy the convenience of urban facilities. The speeding high-speed rail, the security check of the subway, the slightly crowded flow of people, and the slightly shaking carriages make Ren Suo taste the happy taste of "waiting".

Ren Suo doesn't like traveling, and one of the important reasons is that he doesn't like to spend time on transportation. Ren Suo has had some motion sickness since he was a child, and he has experienced many incidents of vomiting due to being shaken by the bus during spring and autumn outings. He has become more and more resistant to going out, after all, not every place has a subway.

And even if he could take a taxi, Ren Suo would still have to talk to people with different accents and move around looking at an unfamiliar map before reaching his destination, which undoubtedly made Ren Suo feel very troublesome.

But going home is different.

Going home is like returning from an unfamiliar place to a familiar place. You can plan your route without a map. There are expected queues, station announcements, and even the voices of conversation are full of familiar swear words... It makes people feel at ease.

However, when Ren Suo and his sister were changing subway lines, his sister suddenly grabbed him.

"Can I...go home?"

Ren Suo was confused for a moment: "We are going home now."

"I mean, go back to Lianjiang," Ren Xingmei said with a hint of pleading in her voice, "I'll call mom to explain later. Can we go see them after a while? We don't need to be so anxious."

As she got closer to her familiar home, Ren Xingmei became more and more scared.

She thought she was strong enough to face whatever happened, she thought she was ready to throw herself into a flame, and she thought the determination she made in junior high school would crush all the gossip.

But it is not.

Moths fly into flames because there is nothing in the darkness, so if there is even a glimmer of light, the moth is willing to burn the entire world just to warm itself.

But Ren Xingmei's world is not all dark. She was born to be protected by the warm sun and cared for by the naughty moon.

If Dong Chengling knew her true feelings and Qiao Muyi guessed her mistaken love, it only made Ren Xingmei a little embarrassed. Then, facing this matter with her parents directly, Ren Xingmei suspected that her sanity would collapse.

Ren Xingmei loves her parents more than anyone else. Ren Suo cannot compare to her in terms of deeds or sincerity. 60% of the elopement fund prepared by Ren Xingmei is pension for her parents, which is enough for them to travel around the world in the highest standards before their blood pressure is too high to get on a plane. If they are still not satisfied, they can even take a few more trips.

She had been working on a plan for several years and had written it down in great detail, including how to tell her parents, what to do if they broke up, what to prepare for heart-saving pills, and how often to return home after eloping...

However, now that Ren Suolian hasn't given a reply yet, Ren Xingmei doesn't even dare to see her parents.

She was afraid that Ren Suo would give her an answer that she didn't want to hear, but she was even more afraid that Ren Suo would give her an answer that would disappoint her parents.

Ren Xingmei, who has always hated escaping and believed that a happy future must be achieved through hard work, subconsciously wanted to pull Ren Suo back to Lianjiang to escape reality.

In fact, as long as they don't say anything, their parents will know nothing; even if Ren Suo doesn't give an answer, Ren Xingmei thinks it doesn't matter.

If the status quo could be maintained, it would be the best for Ren Xingmei.

Perhaps, Ren Xingmei had been avoiding it from the very beginning: save enough money before starting, consider it after going to college, and take action after graduation... She kept delaying, and then Dong Chengling, Qiao Mu, and Gu Yueyan appeared one by one.

She could only watch everything happen, and used Ah Q's mental method to draw circles and curse them, hoping that they would hate her brother.

She and Ren Suo had the closest relationship from the beginning, so she was so hesitant, like a child who had a perfect cake. She wanted to taste the deliciousness but didn't want to destroy the perfect appearance. Of course, the most important thing was that she didn't expect anyone to come to share the cake.

Last night when others were discussing the question of 'who comes first and who comes later', Ren Xingmei seemed a little disdainful and a little superior - she was Ren Suo's only childhood sweetheart, and when they were playing in the mud together, you must have not been so childish!

Therefore, Ren Xingmei would rather Ren Suo not reply to her than have their family relationship change drastically now.

She now realized that she had been deceived by Loriface, who had said things like 'Why don't you delay him' and 'Are you willing to do that' to encourage her, but Loriface was completely different from her -

First, Loriface and Los are not biological siblings!

Second, Loriface is an orphan!

She envied Loriface, but she couldn't be Loriface.

Sensing the fear in his sister's voice, Ren Suo exhaled, held her hand and smiled, "Don't worry, everything will be fine. Has your brother ever lied to you?"

With your IQ, you can't fool me!

Ren Xingmei didn't even have the heart to complain. She was led by Ren Suo into the subway like a puppy.

Ren Suo didn't let her go, as if he was afraid that his sister would run away and sneak back to Lianjiang. He held her hand while playing with his phone.

When there was only one stop left to go, Ren Xingmei suddenly tried to break free of Ren Suo's hand, and Ren Suo subconsciously increased his strength. He was now a fourth-level cultivator, and his physical fitness after the cyclone promotion was gradually showing. With his physical fitness, he could easily suppress his sister, a second-level cultivator.

He saw his sister looking at the door anxiously, and when he looked up, he found a girl standing behind them.

"Little Star!" the girl greeted, "Long time no see. I heard you went to Tianlian College? Hey? Are you bringing your boyfriend home?"

Ren Xingmei: "He is my brother."

The girl looked at Ren Suo with stars in her eyes: "Oh...wait, speaking of Little Star, your brother is the Holy Fist who ranks at the top of the third-level monk rankings..."

"That's right, that person is me, Ren Suo, the Master of the Sky-Repairing Hand!" Ren Suo said confidently.

The girl was stunned for a moment, and the little stars in her eyes were all shattered. After exchanging a few words with Ren Xingmei, she consciously walked to the other side and did not disturb them anymore.

After the acquaintance left, Ren Xingmei complained, "Why didn't you let go of my hand just now?"

“Why let go?”

"Avoid suspicion! It would be embarrassing if someone saw us. Luckily, that person is my high school classmate. He is usually very tight-lipped and probably wouldn't say anything nonsense."

Ren Suo scratched his head: "But this is not called avoiding suspicion, right? To avoid suspicion, one must act uprightly, stand straight, and have a clear conscience. You look like you have a guilty conscience..."

Ren Xingmei blushed and asked, "What about you?"

"I?"

Before Ren Suo could answer, the subway arrived at the station closest to their hometown community.

Ren Xingmei exhaled softly, waiting for Ren Suo to take her home. However, until the shield door was closed, Ren Suo did not take her away.

Noticing his sister's puzzled look, Ren Suo smiled and said, "Before we go home for dinner, accompany me to a place first."

After two stops, Ren Suo finally came out with his sister. Without looking at the signs or the map, Ren Suo took his sister out through Exit F.

As soon as she got out of the station, Ren Xingmei turned around and saw several familiar white buildings: "Southern Second Hospital?"

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, where Ren Suo was staying when he was in a coma, was also the hospital where Ren Xingmei had stayed the longest.

Ren Suo took his sister to the hospital atrium. Although there were no flower beds and fountains like in the big hospitals in TV dramas, there were some grassy areas and green plants, as well as a few benches.

Patients will come to sit in the atrium when they have time. After all, the green grass looks very comfortable, without any garbage or signs of trampling. In the hospital garden, the warning signs "Today you step on my head, tomorrow I will grow on your grave" are particularly powerful and effective.

Ren Suo took his sister to sit down, looked at the busy corridor and the familiar buildings, and suddenly pointed to the road beside the stream not far away and said, "Wasn't that a cobblestone road before?"

“Not only is it not a cobblestone road, there is no stream either.” Ren Xingmei said, “I don’t know where the running water comes from.”

"I wonder if that chubby head nurse is still here."

"It's been more than ten years. I remember that head nurse was already quite old. If she were still alive, it would be even worse."

"Maybe. The handsome doctor who used to give me candies now has his bald photo hanging in the column of chief physicians at the door. Time is really a butcher's knife."

When talking about the hospital, Ren Suo and his sister opened up, discussing everything from doctors and nurses to architectural styles. If someone who didn't know them heard their conversation, they might think they were interns without white coats.

As they chatted, Ren Suo suddenly held his forehead and sighed, "This hospital actually occupies such a large part of my childhood memories..."

Ren Xingmei smiled and said, "After all, you used to accompany me in the hospital."

"It's not just the hospital," Ren Suo raised his head and looked at the white clouds above him. "It's also the community, home, square, shopping mall... We almost always acted together when we were young. I am in your memories, and you are in my memories."

任索认真说道：“我的朋友一直都很少，所以我一直都在庆幸我有你这个妹妹。”

任星美似乎感觉到什么，紧闭双唇，聆听任索对她的审判。

“结识新朋友是很麻烦的，介绍自己，磨合三观，然而无意中还是会伤害别人，或者被别人伤害……所以星美你对我来说，是最特别的存在。”

“我在夏天吹着风扇看过的冒险小虎队，我用医院陪你的时间玩通关的有趣游戏，我在春节点鞭炮享受过的熊孩子快乐，还有许多许多，一切一切，你都参与其中。”

“我过去的人生里，吃是和你一起吃，玩是和你一起玩，喝是和你一起喝，乐是和你一起乐……星美，你组成了我的人生。如果没有你，我肯定只能跟孤独交朋友了。”

任索侧过头看着她，说道：“而对于你来说，我也相当于类似的存在。”

“所以，你会产生某种错觉，某种错爱。暗恋，是最容易感动自己，催眠自己的心情，你眼中的世界都会戴上一层厚厚的滤镜，让你误以为那就是真实。”

任星美：“我……”

“因为你如果喜欢了某个人很久，那就相当于将某个人和你的过去彻底捆绑在一起。要是后悔以前喜欢过谁，不就是把自己以前的时间全都否定了么？”

任星美咬紧嘴唇盯着任索，不发一言。

“花十年光阴酝酿一坛女儿红，自己却早已醉得有血有肉。”

任索轻声说道：“所有种子都应该开花结果吗？那些落到盐碱地里，奇迹般结出苦涩果实，开出孽缘之花的种子，是否从一开始就不萌发，才是最好的命运？”

“你害怕被同学看见，害怕与爸妈坦白，这些尚未发生的责难和流言蜚语，你承受得住吗？”

任星美眼里浮现水雾，她忽然有点明白古月言的心情了，然而她完全比不上古月言——晚一点萌发的种子尚有竞争的余地，但长错地方的种子，只有被人连根拔起的命运。

“不，你承受不住。”

任索看了看手机，牵起她的手说道：“走吧，该回家吃饭了。”

任星美默默点头，她忽然不害怕了。

人就是这么奇怪，如果暑假作业做了一半就交上去，晚上就会因为猜测老师会不会发现会不会惩罚自己而忐忑得睡不着。但如果你直接交了空白的作业，预料到最坏的结局，反而会很安心——未知的恐怖远胜于悲剧。

忐忑害怕因为是心中一直有所期待，有所牵挂，它迟迟让你感觉下一秒可能就会有所惊喜。

悲剧并不令人恐惧，那份并不属于自己的惊喜才让人患得患失。

就像是喜欢的电视剧可能会有续集一样。

但既然现在续集已经被枪毙了，那么她自然放下所有期待，做好心理准备，为这个并不有趣，甚至人人嫌弃的故事，画上被腰斩的句号。

回到小区的时候，任星美看见前面买菜的任妈，便直接挣脱任索的手，一路小跑跑过去帮妈妈提菜篮，非常自然地切换到乖乖女的人设。

任妈看见任索就气得不打一处：“你看看你，都不知道主动点过来帮忙拿东西！你是懒猪吗？”

懒得拿东西的任索点点头：“我是懒猪啊。”

“你是猪吗？你连猪都不如，连拱白菜都拱不到！”说到这个任妈就来气，冷哼一声，带着乖女儿回家了。

任索茫然地挠挠头，心想自己不就是让老妈做烧点菜，至于这么生气吗？

回家待了一会，任爸也骑自行车回家了。他看见任索就眼睛发亮，过来拍了拍任索的肩膀，说道：“等下咱们爷俩喝一杯。”

任索：“我不喝酒……”

“悲伤的时候就该借愁消愁嘛。”满脸写着高兴的任爸说道：

“你不喝酒，那咱们就先不喝白的。我路过小卖部的时候，让他们送了一带啤酒上来，等下爷俩慢慢喝，下午你爸没课。”

你们一个翘班，一个没课，这生活也太有滋有味了吧？

等任妈做好丰盛大餐上桌，任爸给任索倒了满满一杯啤酒，用鼓励的语气说道：“儿子不要担心，虽然走了歪路，但大不了一切重头再来，你还年轻！”

虽然心里很不爽，但好歹是自己儿子，任妈勉强也鼓励一句：“以后要生性做人啦，爸妈帮不了你，幸福生活只能靠你自己了。”

任索被他们说得一愣一愣，问道：“你们难道都猜出来了？”

一脸慈爱的任爸和唉声叹气的任妈点点头，任妈说道：“你是我儿子，你翘起屁股拉屎拉尿我都知道，你哪里瞒得过我？快说出来吧，这样大家都舒服点。”

任星美有些疑惑地看着他们，她总感觉哥哥和爸妈好像不在同一个频道。

任索心想这倒也是，便问道：“那你们要先回答我一个问题。”

任爸：“林羡鱼。”

任妈：“选不出。”

任索懒得理会他们的思维跳到哪个频道，直接问道：“我和星美是不是亲兄妹？”

任星美愣了一下，愕然地看了看任索，又看了看爸妈。

“嗯？这个嘛，当然……嗯？”

任爸和任妈瞬间神色大变，不过他们都是久经世事的老油条，任妈放下筷子，勉强镇定下来笑道：“你怎么问这种问题？当然是亲的啦。”

“我不信，”任索直接了当地说道：“你们骗我也没用，我只需要拿一点我和妹妹和你们的毛发去检测一下DNA，那我就知道结果——”

说时迟那时快，任妈突然抽起一个啤酒瓶，眼看着就要砸桌示威，被眼疾手快的任爸拦住：“冷静点，这些菜全都是你做的啊！”

任妈重重喘气，想到这满桌菜花费了她老大功夫，便慢慢放下啤酒瓶，盯着任索说道：“你要是敢去做什么DNA检测，那你这辈子就别回这个家了。”

任爸也说道：“不论你们是不是亲兄妹，但你们都是我们的孩子。索仔，你妈是认真的，她不希望我们之间的关系因为一张狗屁没用的DNA报告而变质。”

任索说道：“我明白，如果换成我我也会这样做，收养了一个孩子，最好的做法当然是不让她怀疑自己的身世，让她快快乐乐地长大，毕竟父母双全的小朋友，童年时可以避免许多欺负。原生父母的信息，在孩子的成长前也得让路。”

“但现在我们都长大了，真的连没有知情权没有吗？”

虽然是这么说，但任索很确定自己妹妹应该就是收养的，毕竟妹妹幼儿时期的记忆所出现的父母人影，跟任爸任妈完全不像。

不过还有一种可能，那就是他也是收养的。在一个月黑风高的夜晚，任妈去充话费的时候，忽然……

任妈眯起眼睛看着他们，说道：“你们现在还没有。”

“那什么时候有？”

“等你们两个都结婚成家再说吧。”任妈说道：“只有当你们都获得幸福，不再会被过去的幻影纠缠的时候，我就让你们知道真相。”

任索跟任星美对视一眼，任星美点点头。

她已经很满意这个结果了！

任索跟她居然不是亲兄妹！

虽然任星美知道这并没有什么意义，顶多就是道德上少了点瑕疵，繁衍时少了点顾忌，但对他们两人的感情于事无补。

任索认为她的感情是被过去捆绑的虚幻，是无法经历考验的暗恋，是不应绽放的孽缘之花，那任星美就没有任何办法。

洛里菲斯有句话说的很对，一厢情愿，那就得愿赌服输。

任索呼出一口气：“没什么，我只是想确定一下这件事。反正不论如何，你们都是我的爸妈。”

“我回来，其实是想跟你们说另外一件事。”

来了来了！

被这个小插曲弄得心情不好的任妈任爸，瞬间就恢复过来。

任爸自不必提，满脸期待，就等任索说出他被甩的消息，然后以父亲的身份狠狠地安慰他，指导他，暗示他去追求真正的幸福。

任妈也不肯认输，被甩了还能继续追求嘛！做人绝对不能放弃希望，说不定会又有人再瞎一次呢？她要鼓励儿子这只懒猪再次出击，怎么也得给她拱一个白菜回来啊！

面对爸妈期待的眼神，任索咳嗽一声，在妹妹愕然的视线里，牵起她的手高举起来，说道：

“爸，妈，我喜欢星美。”

任爸任妈眨眨眼睛，仿佛觉得自己听错了什么。

“我小时候喜欢星美，是觉得她是自己最好的朋友，是必须保护的妹妹。”

“我少年时喜欢星美，是因为她和游戏一样，都是我最纯粹的初恋。”

“我现在喜欢星美，是希望陪伴我前半生的她，可以继续陪伴我的后半生。”

“哥……”任星美忍不住轻呼一声。

任索转过头，看着她眨眨眼睛：“落到盐碱地的种子，固然是不该开花结果，但该受责难不是种子，而是那片盐碱地。”

"Xingmei, you and I grew up together as childhood sweethearts. I have all your illusions and your false love."

"You have been my idol since childhood. Did I hone my gaming skills just to play games? Yes, but more importantly, I just wanted to find a reason to play with you."

Ren Xingmei murmured, "So you've already been trained to that level..."

Ren Suo's face darkened, and then he chuckled and said, "Our past has long been tightly bound together and is inseparable."

"I'm not moved by you, nor do I fall in love with every girl I meet, but... I suddenly have a new idea."

"You and I tried every possible way to save Zhao Linger, practiced sniping to beat the gun god in the next class, and helped our parents with housework to buy games... You made me who I am today."

“There is nothing wrong with being bound by the past. It is precisely because of the good past that we have expectations for the future.

"I want to play more games with you, witness the development of games, play virtual reality VR games together, and welcome the holographic era of brain intubation together..."

"My future cannot be without you."

"Besides..." Ren Suo turned his head, his eyes drifting, and his tone became erratic: "Too much debt is not a problem..."

Ren Xingmei stupidly listened to Ren Suo's messy confession. After sorting it out, she suddenly smiled and said, "You like me just to let me help you play games?"

"Is it not possible?"

"How can there be a brother like you..."

"Because I have a sister like you."

Ren Xingmei blinked her eyes, the moonlight twinkling in them, and said softly, "Ah, who told you to play the game so badly? Even I can't stand it, so..."

"I am not a talented girl, but I am willing to agree to your request to form a team for the rest of my life. Regardless of any criticism or rumors, I will -"

Ren Suo shook his head: "No need, as the saline-alkali land where the flower of bad fate bloomed, I have already realized it. I will handle all the blame--"

Bang!

While the two of them were chatting, Ren's father and mother did not disconnect.

They silently put the food on the table to a safe place behind them, and then put a dozen beer bottles on the table. Hearing Ren Suo's words, Ren's mother picked up two beer bottles and was about to smash them - one of the benefits of her son becoming a monk is that he can fight without holding back and can use any tool.

At this time, Ren's father stopped her again: "Wait, son, let me ask you, what are you going to do with the other girls?"

"Of course I can't let them down. I'm not a scumbag." Ren Suo said as a matter of course.

For a moment, he didn't know if this was the right word for 'let down', so Ren's father remained silent. He said to Ren's mother, "Wait a minute, I'll go draw the curtains. Family disgrace should not be made public."

Ren Suo's eyebrows jumped wildly, and he quickly stood up and said, "Wait, can you calm down and talk about this? Mom, put down the beer bottle first!"

Mother Ren gnashed her teeth and said word by word: "Fuck!"

Mom is mad as hell.

Ren Suo swallowed his saliva, pulled his sister back and said, "Didn't you say you had guessed my intention? Didn't you say you knew when I lifted my butt to poop and pee? Why are you still so angry!"

"How could I have guessed that you, a damned thing, would want to take my own tender cabbage? Lift your butt up! I won't bully you. I spanked you ten times when you were a kid, and I'll spank you ten times now!"