“Suisui.”
The man’s gaze once again fell upon the spot where Shen Suian stood, his eyes flickering slightly, his voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.
He seemed to have heard her voice.
She had called him “Little Bai.”
Suddenly, his hand trembled, a wave of panic spreading through him before quickly vanishing, as if it were just an illusion.
“Madman…”
He lowered his eyes, a crazed smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
For the first time, he felt that the word “madman” suited him well.
He was mad, and he was also sick.
Not only was he sick, but the world was sick too.
Only, the world couldn’t be saved, and he didn’t want to be cured.
His fingers, hanging by his side, involuntarily curled twice. In an instant, the emotions he had revealed were concealed once more. He glanced at the corpse on the ground and took a long stride, preparing to leave.
The dead no longer held any value.
After all, there were so many people; eventually, he would find someone who knew.
Shen Suian stood in place, watching his receding figure—lonely and desolate. Her nose tingled, and tears nearly fell.
“Little Bai, you must be happy…”
Before she could finish her words, everything went dark.
When she woke again, the first thing she saw was that flawlessly handsome face and those captivating fox-like eyes.
The man gently wiped away the moisture at the corner of her eye with his knuckle, his expression unable to hide his concern. “Suisui, did you have another nightmare?”
Shen Suian remembered the dream, and her heart ached with a dense, piercing pain. She threw herself into the man’s arms, her voice broken and intermittent. “Little Bai, you must be happy.”
Xie Yubai was taken aback for a moment before smiling softly. “I am happy every day.”
Shen Suian’s almond-shaped eyes were misty with tears as she shook her head.
No, he wasn’t happy.
The future him was not happy at all.
He was very lonely.
His eyes always carried a faint trace of sorrow.
“Suisui.” The man crouched down, already having an inkling of what might have happened. “Can you tell me what happened?”
Shen Suian didn’t answer his question. Instead, she said, “Little Bai, promise me one thing, okay?”
“Tell me.”
“No matter whether I’m by your side or not in the future, you must always be happy.”
“Suisui.” Xie Yubai looked up at her, speaking each word clearly. “Without you, I won’t be happy.”
Shen Suian wanted to persuade him otherwise but didn’t know where to begin.
If it were her, she might not be able to do it either.
“Suisui, you promised me you’d stay with me for a long, prosperous life.” His voice was low as he held the girl’s hand against his cheek, gently rubbing it. “You can’t break your promise.”
Shen Suian paused for a moment before smiling. “Okay.”
Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, “Little Bai, do you still remember the code phrase between us?”
Xie Yubai looked at her, puzzled, but answered honestly. “Little Bai has to tell you.”
“Then tell me, what are the chances someone else knows our code phrase?”
“Probably no one knows.”
This code phrase was something Shen Suian had casually mentioned as a child. Even if someone overheard it, they would likely think “Little Bai” was the code.
“But someone said this code phrase yesterday.”
Xie Yubai frowned. “You mean that boy from last night.”
“Yes, word for word.” Shen Suian nodded. “He told me not to go to Sunshine Road on November 1st.”
Xie Yubai’s heart skipped a beat, and the fog of confusion in his mind seemed to lift slightly. “Someone came to me yesterday too, telling me to protect you by your side.”
“What did the person who came to you look like?”
“I can’t see clearly.” Xie Yubai’s lips tightened. “He was completely hidden in the darkness, wearing a wide-brimmed hat… I think that person should be me.”
To be precise, it should be his future self.
His body’s reaction wouldn’t lie to him.
Shen Suian nodded, not particularly surprised. “My guess was that it was either you or someone you trust.”
Rather than the secret signal being known by others, she leaned more toward the idea that the person was on their side.
And most importantly, the signal that person conveyed was entirely beneficial to her without any drawbacks.
However, she was curious—since that person was the future Xie Yubai, why didn’t he come to find her?
Xie Yubai rubbed his fingertips, stood up, and ruffled the girl’s fluffy hair. “Suisui, wait for me a moment. I’ll go get something.”
“Then just wait for me downstairs. I’ll go freshen up.”
“Alright.”
**
Half an hour later, Shen Suian held the two wristbands, examining them left and right but finding no hidden secrets.
“Did you try dripping blood on them?”
“Yes.” Even knowing these things were harmless, he had to test them first to ensure absolute safety.
“How do you feel? Any discomfort in your body?”
“No sensation at all.”
Shen Suian: “…”
She didn’t believe it. “Not even a little? Like suddenly having a space appear in your mind? Or maybe not in your mind, but somewhere else.”
That’s how it was always written in novels.
Xie Yubai shook his head again.
Shen Suian: “So, what are these for? Just for looks?”
Not to mention, they were quite pretty—and a matching couple’s set.
“He didn’t say. He only told us to each wear one, and it would help me.”
As for what kind of help, “he” didn’t specify, and he didn’t know either.
Shen Suian’s long, dark lashes fluttered slightly. She then stood up, took a medical kit from the drawer, placed it on the table, found a blood glucose testing device, installed the needle, and pressed it against her index finger. A drop of blood welled up.
She picked up the white wristband and dripped the blood onto the silver frame, then squeezed out another drop onto the black one. In the next second, the blood was completely absorbed.
Yet, nothing changed.
Shen Suian blinked, puzzled. “Could it be that I didn’t use enough blood?”
Xie Yubai wiped the remaining blood from her fingertip with a cotton swab and guessed, “Perhaps there’s a trigger condition.”
Shen Suian fell silent for a moment. “That’s… quite particular.”
After a moment’s thought, she still put the wristband on.
Against her snow-white wrist, the white wristband made her skin appear even fairer. The silver metal shimmered with a faint glow, exuding an air of cool elegance and purity.
Of course, she didn’t forget to put the other one on Xie Yubai.