Chapter 84
—What happened? What went wrong? Are you in some kind of trouble?
There are so many ways to ask this, but the first thing that comes to mind is, "Who bullied you?"
Xie Xubai sensed this subtle concern and couldn't help but pause in surprise.
Pei Yuheng was also taken aback after speaking. For some reason, he had subconsciously regarded Xie Xubai as a child, even though the former looked to be about the same age as him.
Upon seeing this, Xie Xubai quickly realized that he had been in so much pain that he hadn't been able to straighten his expression, which Pei Yuheng noticed was wrong.
He immediately composed himself: "Actually, what I wanted to ask was..."
Xie Xubai naturally wanted to continue asking about Xie Yuchun's whereabouts.
However, before he could finish speaking, the pain of the needle pricks struck his brain again.
He had endured this pain for a whole day. The layers of pain piled up until the end, but instead of becoming numb, it caused an even more inhuman and unbearable agony, as if sharp, barbed mouthparts were piercing his brain and being gnawed by thousands of ants, making his soul tremble madly from the pain.
Xie Xubai groaned and instinctively grabbed the door frame beside him. His fingertips turned white from the force, and his face instantly lost all color, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
The identity of his mother is shrouded in an unknown and enormous secret. Even when he learned of the opportunity to become a god from Yan Shuo, he was not in this much pain.
Seeing Xie Xubai suddenly stagger and almost fall to the ground, Pei Yuheng quickly reached out to support him, a hint of worry flashing across his usually aloof face: "Does your head hurt? I'll take you to the hospital."
Xie Xubai pressed his hand down and shook his head: "It's nothing, just a minor ailment I have all the time. I'll be fine after a rest."
Pei Yuheng had been self-reliant all his life and had suffered from minor illnesses turning into major ones. He couldn't agree with Xie Xubai's attitude of avoiding medical treatment, so he casually grabbed Xie Xubai's arm and put it on his shoulder, intending to take him directly to see a doctor.
Despite the discomfort caused by the pain, Xie Xubai looked at Pei Yuheng's furrowed brows, appearing slightly dazed.
He knew he couldn't investigate any further. Otherwise, not only would he risk brain death, but the system or rules might also take advantage of his unpreparedness to maliciously manipulate other people or players, dragging Pei Yuheng back into a life full of twists and turns.
Xie Xubai lowered his eyelashes, took a breath, and glanced at the table leg next to Pei Yuheng: "There's dust under the table."
This unexpected reminder struck Pei Yuheng like a devastating blow.
Pei Yuheng paused, following Xie Xubai's gaze to look at the layer of black ash accumulated in the blind spot.
These secluded corners, nestled against walls and surrounded by instruments, might go unnoticed for eight hundred years.
The key is that it's only the thickness of a hair. When Pei Yuheng was cleaning, he tried using pen refills, cotton swabs, and bamboo skewers, but he couldn't squeeze it in.
These high-precision instruments are extremely valuable, easily costing seven figures. Pei Yuheng couldn't afford to compensate for any of them if he accidentally bumped or damaged them, nor would he dare to move them easily.
Xie Xubai pushed up his glasses, his face showing no mercy: "If the cotton swab can't go in, didn't you ever think of using paper or a finer needle to slowly scrape it out? In the end, you're just not paying attention."
Pei Yuheng: "..."
What an unreasonable, domineering, trouble-making, and sophistry they have!
Xie Xubai urged, "This is a one-time thing, don't let it happen again. Hurry up and pack up, unless you want to imitate a monkey's howl like Fu Zong."
"..." Pei Yuheng glanced at his hand that was supporting Xie Xubai, then coldly let go and went to the printer to get some A4 paper.
He really didn't need to worry about this person's safety.
Just as Pei Yuheng placed his hand on the printer, he suddenly heard a muffled thud behind him.
Xie Xubai's vision went black, and half of his body slammed onto the table. He barely managed to stay upright by bracing his elbows against the wall, his clothes gradually becoming soaked with cold sweat, clinging damply to his back.
He had worked as a doctor for a few days and knew without examination that his condition was bad, very bad.
—It's his problem. He shouldn't have lost his temper and reason because he couldn't find Xie Yuchun, and he also squandered most of his mental energy because of his insistence on searching for her.
Xie Xubai was worried about how to get back, but now his mental energy was completely exhausted, and an invisible repulsive force was crashing over him like a raging storm. If it weren't for his strong will, he would have been expelled from this space-time that did not belong to him in a matter of minutes.
It's like when it rains, it pours!
We need to think of a solution quickly.
Xie Xubai's consciousness was becoming somewhat blurred, and he pressed hard on his temples.
Don't wake Xiao Yi.
On the one hand, they were afraid the little guy would worry and be anxious; on the other hand, Xiao Yi's ability was mainly about destruction, so they couldn't help him, and this instance might not be able to withstand Xiao Yi's pressure.
Is there any way to fix it with glasses?
Among Yan Shuo's many spiritual clones, only the one with gold-rimmed glasses doesn't think about eating him all the time, and seems much more stable and reliable than the other clones.
Xie Xubai moved his fingers, placing them on the frame of his gold-rimmed glasses. Before he could even voice the request he was about to make, the glasses brushed against his fingertip.
Sleep soundly. I promise everything will be normal when you open your eyes.
Even heartfelt words have tone and pitch. This comforting sentence, deep and magnetic, as steady as a mountain and unquestionable, is just like Yan Shuo's own voice.
Xie Xubai had a very strange feeling.
Even in his drowsy state, his mind was still filled with many concerns.
The magician's puppet is still nearby, the number of players around Pei Yuheng is still unknown, will Fu Zong, who was thrown into the swimming pool, break free of the mental suggestion and turn around to retaliate? How can this trial be solved? How will Pei Yuheng's fate be changed? If he returns late, will Ping An and the others worry?
Many of Xie Xubai's concerns stemmed from his sensitive nature and overthinking, and he had no one to share them with, nor was he comfortable entrusting everything to others.
Until the man with the gold-rimmed glasses told him to go to sleep peacefully.
—Tonight is Christmas Eve, and everything is normal when I wake up.
There will be no sudden changes that cause more serious disasters, no one will die or be injured, and there will be no regrets that cannot be undone.
At this moment, all of Xie Xubai's worries and anxieties seemed to have a reliable support.
He hesitated, struggled, and remained indecisive.
Finally, Xie Xubai roused himself, moved a chair over, and leaned back.
This position prevents him from entering a deep sleep, and he can wake up immediately if there is any noise.
"I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when you're done cleaning. If I'm not awake, just turn off the light and leave. Don't worry about me."
After speaking, Xie Xubai placed his fingers on his gold-rimmed glasses, unconsciously stroking them, and slowly closed his tired eyelids.
Seeing that the other person quickly recovered and his face gradually regained its rosy color, and that he seemed to be alright, Pei Yuheng withdrew his foot.
He shook his head, thinking to himself that he was just an ordinary mortal worrying about these extraordinary people, which was really unnecessary.
Turning his head to look at the A4 paper in his hand, Pei Yuheng couldn't help but frown again, rubbing his temples with slight annoyance.
A thorough cleaning of an area is no easy task, especially since Xie Xubai forbids anyone else from helping and has extremely strict requirements. If this continues, who knows how much of the experimental progress will be delayed.
However, the strangeness Pei Yuheng witnessed was extraordinary. He needed the truth about Xie Xubai and, ideally, a solution to the problem. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on his research for the foreseeable future.
Thinking of this, Pei Yuheng sighed softly.
He also gained some new insights from cleaning, realizing that scraping with paper alone wouldn't clean away years of accumulated grime, so he turned around to get the cleaning agent and moistened the bottom half of the paper.
This method allows you to insert the dry upper part into the gap while pressing the moist lower part into a soft state similar to a wet paper towel. It's important to note that wet paper is prone to tearing and rotting, and if it gets stuck in the gap, it's much harder to clean, so extreme care is required.
Pei Yuheng squatted down next to Xie Xubai, carefully and meticulously cleaning, gradually becoming absorbed and focused, unaware of the changes around him.
After finally finishing cleaning, Pei Yuheng breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the clean crevices.
He propped himself up, raised his head, glanced coldly at the sleeping little boy in front of him, and turned away...
"??"
Pei Yuheng turned his head abruptly, his pupils dilating in shock once again.
Xie Xubai was gone from the chair; instead, a child was curled up, wearing the same gold-rimmed glasses. He was fair-skinned with red lips and white teeth, but his body was unusually thin and frail.
After the simulation ended, the child's clothes changed back to white lab coats.
The clothes were already large, and when worn by a child, they became like a small blanket. He seemed insecure and grabbed a corner with his little hands, pulling it closer to his chest and burying half his head inside.
Pei Yuheng wondered if he was seeing things. He pinched his brow several times, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Xie Xubai as a young boy, who looked to be no more than six years old!
The man with the gold-rimmed glasses understood the principle that "Xie Xubai cannot get proper rest if he cannot stop thinking."
It simply activates an "energy-saving mode" for people, allowing their thinking and memory to temporarily remain at the level of a six-year-old who doesn't need to think deeply, thus relaxing the body and saving mental energy.
Finally, it nuzzled the sleeping cub, and as promised, opened the invisible barrier to prevent players from spying, silently intruding into the dungeon rules, and letting all the turmoil be quelled tonight.
Having done all that, the gold-rimmed glasses reached their limit. A tiny crack quietly appeared in the frame, only to be concealed by mimicry.
The glasses needed rest, so they fell into a light slumber. Having accomplished his task, he left without a trace, concealing his merit and fame, leaving behind a Pei Yuheng utterly stunned.
Is this some new trick, or is there something wrong with the other person's health?
Pei Yuheng stared at the child in front of him, wanting to call him to wake up, but when he reached out his hand, he didn't know where to put it. Having lived for over twenty years, this was the first time he felt so helpless.
Just then, the child curled up in the chair seemed uncomfortable from the cold, hard seat and unconsciously turned over.
"Hmm..."
Seeing that he was about to fall off the stool, Pei Yuheng was startled and, without thinking, reached out and grabbed the child.
The child was woken up by being pulled.
He groaned twice, his eyes half-open, rubbing the spot that had been pulled sorely.
She yawned again, rubbed her eyes, opened them, and looked up at Pei Yuheng standing in front of her, trying hard to make out who he was. Her sleepy eyes were still misty with tears.
Xie Xubai's shrinking size was completely beyond Pei Yuheng's comprehension. Being looked at by this tiny brat made his scalp tingle.
Does the other person remember him? Does he need to introduce himself? Is this guy's intelligence deteriorating along with his physical health? Should he send this kid to the police station or an orphanage?
Then, something even more unexpected happened to Pei Yuheng.
The child stared at him, stared at him, and suddenly his dark, bright eyes were filled with an even thicker mist, his eyes reddened instantly, and large tears fell down his cheeks.
Pei Yuheng, who hadn't seen a child cry in a long time, panicked. He quickly pulled out tissues from the table and frantically wiped away the child's tears: "Don't cry, don't cry, tell me what's wrong?"
The child didn't cry or make a fuss, but quietly bit her lip, tears streaming down her face, tilting her head back and staring intently at Pei Yuheng.
He grasped Pei Yuheng's outstretched hand.
Slender, beautiful hands, but very strong; they can lift him up in one go.
Xiao Xubai's memory is still stuck in the dirty, drafty cement bucket, where he curled up, shivering from the cold, his stomach aching from hunger, and his mouth parched with thirst.
Holding Pei Yuheng's hand, he almost instantly recalled the ice cream he had eaten that summer day. Chocolate flavor, sweet and icy cold.
The chest against which I leaned was solid and firm, imbued with a light, delicate fragrance of pine and cypress.
It's the real Uncle Pei, not an imagined Uncle Pei.
Mom said that if she left, Uncle Pei would be her father, someone she could rely on.
It's Dad.
After a long while, Xiao Xubai finally managed to squeeze out a sob that was barely audible.
"Uncle Pei... Dad... Waaah..."
“Mom turned into a star, and I chased after the car, but I couldn’t catch up with her. Many uncles and aunts wanted to take me away, but I told them I would come back. They didn’t believe me and tried to take me away.”
“I hid in the closet, in the woods, in the pipes, but you never came. In the end, even Grandma Li next door didn’t believe me anymore and wanted to take me with them.”
Xiao Xubai refused to let go of Pei Yuheng's hand, tears blurring his vision so he couldn't see Pei Yuheng's face. He frantically propped himself up to wipe his tears, but the more he wiped, the more tears flowed, and his voice became increasingly choked with sobs.
"I've been waiting for you for so, so long."
"Why are you so late..."
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