Liu Jiayi pressed her lips tightly together before asking, “If I promise to trade my soul to you, how will you arrange me? Do I need to stay in the welfare home? I need to go missing one day every week to enter the game. Or do you want me to go back to the country? That might be more convenient.”
“The welfare home probably won’t be able to continue.” Bai Liu didn’t say that Mu Ke had reported the evidence anonymously. “I can’t let you go back to your biological father’s village. I have a friend who wants to adopt you.”
Liu Jiayi seemed to have expected it and she asked, “Is it the policeman guarding me?”
“Yes.”
Liu Jiayi hugged her knees tightly again and turned her gray transparent eyes to ‘look’ out the window. Her window was facing the street. At this time, the window wasn’t fully closed and she could hear the breakfast vendors downstairs shouting loudly. It was noisy and full of a human atmosphere. It was out of place with Liu Jiayi, who was curled up on the bed with a numb expression.
“Red bean cake, sweet and fragrant red bean cake! Three red bean cakes for 10 yuan!”
“Tofu pudding! Five yuan for one bowl!”
“Beef noodles…”
“This morning, the policeman bought me a red bean cake.” Liu Jiayi suddenly opened her mouth. “I had my blood drawn and was looking out the window the entire time. He probably thought I wanted something sweet so he went down and bought them for me.”
Bai Liu noticed a paper bag containing red bean cakes on Liu Jiayi’s bedside table. It was cold and hadn’t been opened yet.
“He was the first good person I met.” Liu Jiayi slowly turned her head with a very calm expression. “I am such a bitch that I don’t want to harm him.”
“I am a game player and anyone who is involved with me will get caught up in the game. So forget it, Bai Liu.”
She finished speaking and turned her head to once again look out the window.
The morning wind was warm and was mixed with the sweet aroma of baked red bean cakes. It blew on Liu Jiayi’s cold forehead. The sun shone brightly on her pale face and created a dark yellow halo around her body. She closed her eyes in a trance.
She didn’t deserve even the worst people, let alone the pure good ones like Lu Yizhan.
There were very few people in this world who were willing to spend 10 yuan on her. She might be cheap but there was no need to kill one after she met him.
“It is possible but given my friend’s special nature, it is unlikely that your influence on him will bring him into the game.” Bai Liu objectively and calmly analyzed.
“After all, even I can’t do it. In addition, adopting a child requires his own choice.” Bai Liu’s tone was very calm. “He likes you very much. He was preparing everything for your arrival before you even opened your mouth. I think he is also ready for all the possibilities he will face after welcoming you.”
“Do you really want to turn him down, Liu Jiayi?”
“Lu Yizhan will be the best father in the world.” Bai Liu spoke confidently. “He will spoil you. If you want, Lu Yizhan can run five kilometers from his home every day to this hospital to buy you red bean cakes. He will send you to the best school for the disabled and will stay up all night to make dolls for you. He will be very happy to pay for you.”
Liu Jiayi wanted to laugh and say ‘you are describing your friend in a very stupid manner’. However, the moment she opened her mouth, her voice was a bit vague and choked up. “No.”
“Bai Liu!” Lu Yizhan’s face was flushed as he opened the door facing, his eyes glaring crazily at Bai Liu. “What are you saying to the little girl?”
Lu Yizhan outside had heard Bai Liu saying ‘Lu Yizhan will be the best father in the world.’ He ignored the strange eyes of his two colleagues and hurriedly pushed open the door to interrupt Bai Liu’s words.
Lu Yizhan held his cheeks in an extremely embarrassed manner and walked up to pull Bai Liu out, whispering to Bai Liu as he walked, “Bai Liu, how can you directly tell the little girl about her brother and lobby for me? Look, you made her cry. I came to you to check things. I will send you away if you make a mess!”
Lu Yizhan glared and was about to criticize Bai Liu a few more times.
Just then, Liu Jiayi called out in a soft voice, “Bai Liu? Are you leaving?”
As she spoke, Liu Jiayi’s hand grasped the air and she looked fragile like she was going to cry. Lu Yizhan felt numb when he saw it.
Bai Liu turned his head and shrugged. He mouthed to Lu Yizhan: [It seems I can’t leave for the time being.]
Under Lu Yizhan’s stunned and dumbfounded gaze, Bai Liu went back and sat next to Liu Jiayi’s bed. Liu Jiayi gently grabbed the corner of Bai Liu’s clothes, as if she was extremely attached to Bai Liu and trusted him.
“Lu Yizhan, you help me buy three red bean cakes.” Bai Liu ordered naturally. “I didn’t have breakfast either.”
Lu Yizhan, “……”
Lu Yizhan sighed before waving to Bai Liu twice. He mouthed a few more scolding words but after seeing Liu Jiayi holding Bai Liu’s hand uneasily, Lu Yizhan reluctantly let go of his anger. He flicked Bai Liu’s head with his finger and glanced at him angrily, “You wait for me, Bai Liu!”
“Bai Liu didn’t like children as a child. Why can this little girl show him such a good face…” Lu Yizhan mumbled as he closed the door and walked down. It seemed he was really going to buy red bean cakes for Bai Liu. “…A grown man still eats red bean cakes. He isn’t ashamed at all.”
After Lu Yizhan closed the door, Bai Liu looked back at Liu Jiayi. “You really don’t want to be adopted by Lu Yizhan?”
Liu Jiayi pursed his lips and shook her head gently. “I can follow you in the game but in reality, there is no need to be adopted by others. I can use returning to my biological father’s village as a cover. No one in that village pays attention to my life or death. Then I can stay in the game. I can afford to pay the points to stay in the game.”
“That is a waste of points? Are you sure you want to follow me into the game?” Bai Liu asked again. “Lu Yizhan is a rare good man and fool among seven billion people. If you miss him, it will be very hard to meet another like him. I really intend to sell you my friend because he really likes you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t save you in the game.”
Liu Jiayi was taken aback before shaking her head slowly and firmly, smiling in a self-deprecating manner. “As thanks for his three red bean cakes, I won’t harm him.”
Bai Liu leaned forward on the stool next to Liu Jiayi’s bed. “I am the complete opposite type from Lu Yizhan. He doesn’t need anything in return but if I buy you a red bean cake, I will remember it until you pay me back.”
“If you agree to trade your soul to me, I will squeeze out all your value until the last moment. Of course, I will also give you the corresponding rewards. What do you think, Liu Jiayi?”
Liu Jiayi could feel Bai Liu’s position. She ‘looked’ directly at Bai Liu before suddenly pointing to the door. “Then you go down and buy me red bean cakes now.”
Lu Yizhan arrived with the three red bean cakes. He had received a call from his girlfriend so he was delayed. The red bean cakes were a bit cold by the time he came up. As a result, he saw Liu Jiayi holding a red bean cake and eating it the moment he came up.
He instinctively glanced at the red bean cake he bought previously. They were still unopened on the bedside table.
“Jiayi, who bought it for you?” Lu Yizhan stepped forward and asked curiously, “Another policeman?”
Liu Jiayi bit on the edge of the red bean cake. The sweet and sticky cake slid smoothly down her throat, making her entire body warm. Liu Jiayi bit twice before suddenly coughing, tears coming out.
She had eaten a small mushroom in the red bean cake. It was a blood ganoderma lucidum.
It was too unpalatable. She didn’t like the taste of mushrooms in red bean cakes.
“Bai Liu bought it for me.” Liu Jiayi lowered her head and squeezed the red bean cake.
Lu Yizhan was surprised. “He will also spend money to buy things for others?”
Liu Jiayi shook her head. “It isn’t for free.”
Lu Yizhan’s expression became indescribable. “I know. He wants your money, right Jiayi? No, you don’t have any money…” Lu Yizhan was feeling curious when his eyes saw a piece of paper on the bedside table. He took it and his expression instantly cracked.
[IOU: Today, Liu Jiayi asked Bai Liu to buy three red bean cakes for 10 yuan. The goods payable is 3.3 yuan for one.]
[Liu Jiayi instructed Bai Liu to run an errand fee: 5 yuan. Liu Jiayi chose a red bean cake to pay off the debt so Liu Jiayi actually owes Bai Liu 5 yuan.]
“This bastard!” Lu Yizhan was really angry. “3.3 yuan for a cake and five yuan for the errand fee? He can really do business? What debt is it that he is paying off with a red bean cake? Don’t believe in him! He probably took something more than three yuan. You can tell me and I’ll help you recover it!”
Liu Jiayi ate the last mouthful of red bean cake and patted her hands. It wasn’t known what she was thinking but she looked out the window and narrowed her eyes. Then she smiled like an innocent girl. “I used the value of the red bean cakes to pay off my debt. He didn’t overcharge me.”
Lu Yizhan became more and more confused. “What?”
Liu Jiayi answered in a very unconcerned manner, “A thing that isn’t very important. It isn’t worth a few yuan.”
“How is it not worth it? You shouldn’t make deals with Bai Liu…” Lu Yizhan had a headache. “He is treacherous and always has to exchange things with others. His calculations are cleared.”
“Isn’t that good?” Liu Jiayi looked up at Lu Yizhan with a bit of naivety in her tone. “Everything I want can be gained in a trade. He will never betray me or do bad things to me for no reason. Isn’t this good?”
She had no way to trust others so she could only trust in such an unreliable way.
Bai Liu was her best choice because Bai Liu understood her inferiority and evil. He understood that she wasn’t like a child or a normal person.
She would never have to worry about hurting Bai Liu, nor would she have to worry about Bai Liu hurting her. They were a clear money transaction and everything was clear and reasonable. There would be no betrayal and suspicion.
Lu Yizhan stared at Liu Jiayi’s expression but then someone called out to him.
“Yizhan, the other five children are awake!”
Lu Yizhan’s eyes lit up. He put down the red bean cakes he bought for Bai Liu and hurried away.
Bai Liu bit the red bean cake. He looked at Liu Jiayi’s soul note in his old wallet and frowned when he took a big bite of the red bean cake. “It is too sweet. This thing can be sold for three yuan? If I knew, I would only buy one.”
The moment he finished speaking, his phone rang. Bai Liu put down the red bean cake and pulled his phone out of his trouser pocket, glancing at the screen. It was a call from Lu Yizhan.
“Where are you? I bought it for you so come and eat!” Lu Yizhan’s tone was excited. “By the way, the five children have woken up! The doctor says that they are getting better. If you have anything you want to ask then you can ask!”
“No, I’ve sorted out this matter.” Bai Liu spoke slowly. “You should be able to solve it right away.”
Lu Yizhan was shocked. “When did you sort it out? What do you mean by I can resolve it straight away?!”
Bai Liu raised his phone while looking back at the hospital and didn’t directly answer Lu Yizhan’s question. Instead, he sighed. “Lu Yizhan, I found that I really fell for your tricks when I was 14 years old.”
“Fortunately, I’m not 14 years old now. I won’t fall for your tricks.” Bai Liu took another bite of the red bean cake. “Once things are resolved, remember to invite me to eat. Otherwise, it is a bit of a loss for me. My phone bill is running out. I’m hanging up.”
“?!?!?!” Lu Yizhan was confused. “I was talking about the case. Why am I involved—Hey! You really hung up! Bai Liu! Bai Liu!”
Lu Yizhan scolded Bai Liu who didn’t want to waste money on the mobile phone charges. Then he turned and saw the policeman guarding Liu Jiayi raise his head in a trance. “Yizhan, someone posted about our case on the Internet…”
“?!” Lu Yizhan opened his phone to search in surprise. “Isn’t there anyone working at the Internet Security Department? Is the situation of this case something that can be sent casually?”
The policeman shook his head in a slightly disoriented manner. “It isn’t the case but the clues of this case. Someone sent out what happened to the children and the medical records of the investors. They are now on the hot search…”
Lu Yizhan, “?!”
Rainbow: After this chapter, I will be taking a pause from updating for a bit. I don’t know how long it will be. It will be between one week to the end of November, depending on how things go.
7th anniversary celebration event
Proofreader: Purichan
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