Fu Tianhe took the central elevator and went down to Information Processing Area No. 13. He carried an equally heavy off-road bag and led Da Congming all the way to the shantytown in the low-lying area in the south of the city.
After an unforgettable journey, returning to the place where I had lived for several months felt quite unreal.
He left with September, and now he is back again. The boy beside him has left, but he is followed by a puppy that retired from the laboratory.
Fu Tianhe went down the slope to the low place. He passed through many illegally built huts, carefully led Da Congming around the dirty water on the ground, and finally arrived at his own doghouse in the corner.
The old man who lived next door to him had passed away at some point, and now a young male Beta walked out of the shed. Fu Tianhe could only secretly hope that the old neighbor who liked to listen to the radio had simply moved away, and not that something more serious had happened.
The moment he opened the plastic curtain, Fu Tianhe was stunned.
The door, which was originally locked, was smashed to pieces, with wood chips scattered all over the floor.
Fu Tianhe frowned, fixed the curtain aside, and walked into his "home".
The interior was like a storm, and had long been looted.
Fu Tianhe took a quick look and confirmed that all the valuables had been moved away, even the CNC machine he used to make a living had been dismantled. Several boxes of spare parts next to the machine were missing, and they were probably sold at a low price as scrap metal.
The robbers not only took away all his useful things, but also made the house a mess. Fu Tianhe saw it and felt his blood pressure rise instantly.
He took a deep breath and walked into the bedroom, not surprisingly discovering that even his clothes had been stolen.
He should be thankful that the robbers left him a bed to sleep in.
Fu Tianhe pressed his hands on his throbbing temples and rubbed them hard.
Calm, calm.
In the past, he would have been furious, but perhaps because the good mood of traveling together had not yet faded, he actually didn't feel that angry.
Or maybe because he had sold dozens of mechanical cores before, he had a lot more money on hand, so he wouldn't feel too bad even if his house was robbed.
Strictly speaking, this matter was his fault. This shantytown in the low-lying area was the most chaotic place in the entire Information Processing Area 13. It was close to a large garbage dump and many scavengers lived here.
When Fu Tianhe was picking up garbage before, he had offended many people. Now that he has been away for more than ten days, it is normal for him to be targeted.
The simple wooden door of the low shed could not stop people who wanted to come in. After the first person came in and smashed the door and looted the house, there must have been many others who came in and picked up the remaining items.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to empty his house so much by one's own efforts.
After the sofa, machine tools and parts were moved away, the entire living room seemed particularly empty.
More than a month ago, he and September spent many nights here, the two of them sitting on the sofa to take a rest, or gathering around the machine tools to learn how to operate them.
And now, all the things that carried their beautiful memories are gone.
Fu Tianhe took a deep breath and exhaled heavily.
Fortunately, he now has a brand new collection of memories, and the days and nights he spent with Jiu Yue during the journey made their previous interactions seem a little dull, otherwise Fu Tianhe would definitely be furious.
There was not even a place to sit in the entire living room, so Fu Tianhe simply sat on the floor with his legs crossed.
The door was broken into pieces, and the heavy plastic curtain was lifted and fixed by him. Fu Tianhe did not turn on the light, only the dim old lamp outside provided a little light.
The noise from the shantytown made Da Congming a little nervous. He lowered his head and sniffed anxiously. Fu Tianhe held him in his arms and rubbed his head hard.
He lived in the most remote corner, and few people passed by. Fu Tianhe looked at the alley formed into a rectangle by the door frame. The slanted buildings were gray, the ground was bumpy and muddy, and the dim light was swaying and about to fall into the eye that he could still see.
The huge ventilation system is working to extract the polluted air from the landfill, which makes the area full of wind noise at all times.
Suddenly it seemed as if I had returned to eleven years ago.
He was still sitting alone in the empty room, staring blankly outside. All the belongings in the house had been taken away, including the clothes he was wearing, which were all tightly sealed in a protective bag.
People in thick white protective suits came and went, their faces hidden in the dark by protective masks, and disinfectant sprayed from the spray nozzles in their hands into every corner.
Amid the pungent smell, Fu Tianhe could not hear the hurried words, he only saw a red light as dazzling as the sun coming from a giant incinerator in the distance.
The fire burned for seven days, destroying all objects and memories of his past life, leaving only the engineering book.
The flames turned into dim lights, filling the streets outside.
But this time, he was no longer the child who would just sit on the ground and cry.
Fu Tianhe's hug made Da Congming feel more at ease. He lay on Alpha's legs, silently transmitting his warmth.
Fu Tianhe rubbed its head and said softly, "Okay, now there are only two of us left. Let's keep each other company for this week and wait for Jiuyue to come back peacefully."
Chen Nian almost stepped into the puddles.
Some kind-hearted person had repaired all the water pipes in the community before, but during his trip, a new leak appeared. Chen Nian was used to being domineering in the palace and forgot that he needed to walk carefully in the dungeon.
He leaned against the edge, nimbly dodged the dripping water, and walked into the unit where his home was.
The wall next to the stairs is covered with his childhood doodles. Looking back at them now as someone who has studied painting systematically for a few days, Chen Nian cannot help but sigh that he is still quite talented.
Finally reaching the third floor, Chen Nian stopped at the door and took a deep breath.
He hadn't been home for several weeks, and the thought of meeting Uncle Jiang soon should have been exciting, but for some reason, he suddenly felt a little timid.
However, before he could prepare himself mentally, the door suddenly opened automatically in front of him the next second.
Chen Nian was startled, but when he saw the middle-aged man in front of him with gray hair and mottled red skin, his shock turned into joy: "How did you know I was back?"
"How could I not know what you were doing going up the stairs?"
Even though his hearing was not as good as before due to his injury, Jiang Dai heard the noise when Chen Nian went upstairs. He had heard such footsteps in the dead of night on too many occasions, and his first reaction was that Chen Nian had returned.
Seeing the young man he missed every day return safely with a smile on his face, Jiang Dai finally let go of his worries.
Chen Nian didn't say anything else, just rushed over and gave Jiang Dai a hug.
No matter whether it was excitement, nervousness, or any other emotion, it all disappeared at this moment.
After all, she is his relative who has been with him for 18 years. Chen Nian and Chen Ci are brothers who have known each other for a short time and made bold decisions together. He and Shaflay are comrades-in-arms who keep the same secrets and work together to investigate many mysteries. But for Chen Nian, the closest person will always be Jiang Dai.
Jiang Dai patted his back and said, "Take off your bag quickly."
Chen Nian let go of his hand, and he quickly took off his off-road bag and placed it on the wall. He moved his shoulders and complained, "It's too heavy. My shoulders are hurting from the pressure."
"How was your fun these days?"
“I was very happy and made many new friends.”
Chen Nian smiled. Jiang Dai's question actually had two meanings. Although they already knew that it was Chen Ci who was at home before, no one explicitly broke the veil.
In the eyes of the "uninformed" Jiang Dai, Chen Nian should have traveled to various places in Chensha with Fu Tianhe. Strictly speaking, Chen Nian could indeed be considered to have traveled. Not only did he thoroughly explore the palace, he also visited many places on the top floor.
Having not been home for a while, Chen Nian first looked into every room to make sure it was still the one he was most familiar with.
Jiang Dai: "Will you go out again after this?"
"Not for now. Stay at home for the week." Chen Nian turned around and said to Jiang Dai, "By the way, Uncle Jiang, I found a trustworthy friend who plans to take you to the top hospital for treatment in two days."
"I'm not going." Jiang Dai refused, "I'm not going to the top floor."
Chen Nian raised his voice: "Why! When we went to the clinic before, didn't the doctor say that only a large hospital could cure your eyes? Now I have found a safe enough way, why not go?"
"I don't want to go." Jiang Dai still insisted.
"Don't worry, Uncle Jiang, no one will recognize you." Chen Nian said softly, "I promise that everything will be done in the most secretive way, because the one who decided to help us is the current crown prince, Shavlei Vitalievich."
Jiang Dai was stunned for a moment, then fell silent.
After half a minute, Jiang Dai asked in a low voice: "When did you know this?"
"At the beginning of last month, I was invited to the top floor to watch the royal procession. I ran to the nearby clock tower and ran into Chen Ci there by chance."
"He told me a lot of things, including my identity. We were both surprised that we were identical twins but lived completely different lives."
"Chen Ci's life in the White Tower was not good. He had to be followed by many people even when he went out. He wanted to know what freedom was, and I also wanted to experience a life where I could see the sun every day."
"So I stayed up there, and he came back here as me."
"Shafley is Chen Ci's fiancé. He is the person who has the most contact with both of us. He soon discovered the secret of our identity swapping. Fortunately, he agreed to help keep it secret."
"He was the one who helped you get treated at the top level this time, so you can rest assured, Uncle Jiang. Although I don't know what you've been worried about, the three of us have been keeping our identities a secret."
Jiang Dai didn't say anything for a long time. He looked at Chen Nian, the child he had raised for 18 years. He witnessed Chen Nian's birth, the first time she raised her head, learned to crawl, stood up, and vaguely called out "mama".
He was the one who understood Chen Nian best, so he knew that the young man who was trying hard to persuade him would not give up so easily.
"I don't want you to go blind." Chen Nian's voice dropped, "Especially since you never told me before that the scars on your eyes and body were caused by saving me."
Jiang Dai: "You already know everything that happened back then."
"Not only did I know what happened in the Chen family at that time, I also went to my father's former residence in the Veterans Affairs Court and slept in his room for a night."
Chen Nian paused and said softly, "You have never told me your identity. You must have your considerations. I will not ask any more questions, let alone blame you. But no matter what, I hope you can listen to me and go to the top floor to get your eyes healed."
Everything that happened in the past month was also a test for Jiang Dai.
He actually felt it on the first day the abnormality appeared. After all, he was the child he raised himself, and Jiang Dai could detect even the slightest fluctuation in Chen Nian's emotions before that.
He was very uneasy during that time, especially because Chen Ci would run out early in the morning every day and play until the evening before coming back.
Although Jiang Dai was displaced in the underground city, he tried his best to collect news about the White Tower and the royal family for more than ten years. He learned what kind of image the "only son of the Chen family" who was the prince's consort was like and what kind of life he led in the many rumors.
And the character displayed by Chen Ci indeed confirms those rumors.
How could he not feel distressed? He had witnessed the birth of two children more than a decade ago, but now they had grown up to look completely different on the top floor and in the dungeon of the same beacon.
Chen Ci has the best material conditions, but is not as happy as Chen Nian. Jiang Dai sees the fake smile that Chen Ci forced himself to put on, and feels unspeakable bitterness in his heart.
Things are developing in a direction that Jiang Dai has never thought of. What kind of shock will such a bold move of exchanging identities cause if it is discovered one day?
Jiang Dai didn't know. He only knew that he had grown old and had become timid and worried. The two children, on the other hand, were moving toward what their hearts desired. Call them brave or not caring about the consequences, but at least until now, they had no regrets and were happy.
Jiang Dai was silent for a moment, and finally sighed: "I need to think about it."
Chen Nian was alert for a moment. Since Jiang Dai said so, it meant there was hope.
"Okay, you must think about it carefully. I will take you to more places to see the scenery in the future." He finally smiled again. "Once you have considered it, I will immediately tell Shafley and ask him to pick you up there as soon as possible."
Jiang Dai: "Okay, go and have a rest."
Chen Nian nodded, dragging his extremely heavy backpack back to his room. Chen Ci had tidied the house in tidy order before leaving for his trip.
Chen Nian sat down on the bed, leaned back, and stretched out like a big word.
His small bedroom could not compare with the luxurious suite in the palace, but it was the warmest place.
During this week, he didn't have to go out to work, which also helped him avoid being discovered by Donald's people. He just stayed at home, painting, and practicing his mental strength.
Chen Nian changed into loose home clothes, lay on the floor, and took out a box of small mushrooms from under the bed.
It has not been used for three weeks, so I still charge it first.
As soon as he plugged in the mushroom, the terminal on his wrist vibrated.
Chen Nian took a look and saw that it was a message from Fu Tianhe.
Fu Tianhe sent me a photo showing a hand wearing a rubber glove and a wet dog, with water stains all over the ground and walls.
Is Fu Tianhe giving Da Congming a bath?
Chen Nian didn't know how to reply to Fu Tianhe. When they met, he specifically asked Chen Ci what to do in such a situation. Chen Ci just said to reply normally.
My brother and Fu Tianhe should still be just ordinary friends now, but after all, they have just finished a journey together and experienced many thrilling things, so they cannot appear too indifferent.
Chen Nian stroked his chin and thought for a moment, then replied: [Thank you for your hard work.]
He then forwarded the photo to Chen Ci.
The little mushroom was charged, so Chen Nian temporarily put the box into the drawer. At this moment, the terminal vibrated again.
He thought it was from Fu Tianhe, so he didn't rush to read it. After he finished the work at hand and opened the terminal, he found that it was from another person.
An account named "."
Chen Nian recognized the “.” from the profile picture as Shafley.
Not long ago, Shafulai added Chen Ci as his terminal friend in order to help him deal with the Paganini or Panini issue, but Chen Nian did not expect that Chen Ci would give Shafulai such a note.
I guess my brother felt that he couldn't write Shaflay's real name, and couldn't think of what to use to refer to it, so he just typed a random symbol.
Chen Nian couldn't help laughing. He opened the chat box and Shafley asked him if he had arrived home.
[I have arrived. I told Uncle Jiang about going to the top floor for treatment. He said he needs to think about it.]
【Chen Ci and I have also arrived. 】
Shafley looked up and saw Chen Ci touring his new residence in the palace.
Chen Ci had no objection to moving from the White Tower to the Imperial Palace. It didn't matter where he lived anyway, and in the Imperial Palace he would have much greater scope for movement.
Living next door to Shaflay, just across the wall, makes it convenient for us to discuss things.
"This is the new terminal I prepared for you." Shafulai handed the terminal that Chen Nian had placed in advance to Chen Ci, "Remember to turn off the smart housekeeper before using it."
Chen Ci said yes, and Shafulai continued, "Chen Nian is now studying cultural courses with a private tutor, and has decided to develop in the direction of natural history painting. I have already asked for leave for him this week. The courses you took in the White Tower before -"
"No, I don't want to attend any classes now."
Shafley nodded. This was the first time that Chen Ci had clearly expressed his refusal. You know, for a long time, Chen Ci would habitually remain silent when he encountered something he didn't want to do, and would never say it out loud like this.
Good thing.
"We'll go have dinner together later. You should have a good rest in the afternoon because you have to attend their concert in the evening."
Chen Ci and Shafley left the bedroom together and went to the restaurant to eat.
After lunch he took his usual nap. Chen Nian had been quite comfortable during the three weeks here. The smart butler in the palace was not like the one in the White Tower, which followed the schedule strictly at all times. As a result, Chen Ci woke up at 3:30.
He sat on the bed for a moment. The darkness of the bedroom reminded him of a tent abandoned in the suburbs at night.
The eye mask and earplugs were in the bag and were carried back by Chen Nian. The plush bear was placed on Chen Nian's bed. It seemed that he didn't bring back any souvenirs from this trip. The only badge he had was given to Shafley as a birthday present.
Chen Ci was in a daze for more than ten minutes, then returned to where he should be. He canceled all his classes and felt a little bored.
He closed the smart housekeeper, took the new terminal, and saw the photo that Chen Nian forwarded to him.
Fu Tianhe is giving Da Congming a bath.
Chen Ci stared at the photo motionlessly, like a statue sitting on a bed, his body sunk into the misty darkness. Only the light from the terminal screen illuminated his calm face. His eyes were as empty as ever - no, in their deepest part, it seemed that something was brewing.
After an unknown amount of time, his eyelashes trembled slightly and Chen Ci slowly raised his head. He got out of bed barefoot, walked to the window, and personally opened the heavy curtains.
The warm afternoon sunlight shone on his face, causing Chen Ci to squint his eyes.
——He needs to have a good rest this week so that he can make more careful and comprehensive plans for the next exchange.
For the next twenty-one days, he wanted to go up to the moonlight.
The concert of the noble Omegas begins at 7:30.
When Chen Ci walked into the hall, he unsurprisingly became the focus of everyone's attention.
In addition to his stunning beauty that seemed like he stepped out of a classical oil painting, he also looked even more slender and beautiful because he was accompanied by three royal bodyguards dressed in black.
Someone in the corner murmured with disdain: What a grand show.
"Your Highness." The person in charge of organizing this concert was named Kager. Chen Ci learned from Shafley that he was Lu Heng's friend. Kager came over with a smile on his face and said in a surprised tone, "I didn't expect that Your Highness would actually come—"
Chen Ci looked at him calmly, not understanding why he was so surprised: "Didn't you invite me?"
Kagel choked up and was speechless. He could only laugh awkwardly: "Of course it was you who invited us. It is our honor that you are willing to come."
Chen Ci's words are not like Chen Nian's, who is cunning and treacherous. Most of the time, he speaks directly.
Another manifestation of his lack of emotion is his extremely low emotional intelligence. He has not been very good at speaking since he was very young, and often offends people without realizing it. Over time, in order to avoid this situation, he simply kept his mouth shut and became the silent person he is today.
If you don't speak, you won't make mistakes.
Chen Ci took a quick look and saw many musical instruments placed on the stage in the hall. Many people were already doing soundchecks. Almost everyone present was an Omega, and many of them must have met Chen Nian before.
But Chen Ci couldn't match these unfamiliar faces with the text descriptions in the diary.
From the moment he entered the door, Chen Ci finalized his plans for the evening and ran away immediately after the performance. Anyway, he had no intention of finding friends here, nor did he need these so-called friends.
Chen Ci came alone. Chen Nian suggested that he go with Gui Zhiqi so that he wouldn't be alone if anything happened. But Chen Ci thought it was unnecessary and would waste other people's time.
Carol continued, "Your Highness, the concert is about to begin. You are today's distinguished guest. Would you like to enjoy the concert and listen to a song first?"
Someone took the opportunity to chime in: "Yes, everyone has heard that you are a very talented musician, and today we finally have the chance to appreciate it."
Facing these hypocritical compliments, Chen Ci remained indifferent and said calmly: "You guys go first, I'll take a break for a while."
Having said that, he sat down by himself, took a clean plate, picked up a few pieces of fruit, and three bodyguards stood beside and behind him very professionally, protecting Chen Ci firmly.
Those who tried to instigate Chen Ci became little idiots.
Carol's lips twitched twice, and he decided to keep silent for the time being.
…This statement is obviously not excessive, why does it feel so choking?