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A large Shopping Center occupying 15 Floors.
In a Shop on the 3rd Floor, a handsome Man with defined features was holding a Little Boy, accompanying a Woman picking out Clothes, occasionally exchanging a few words with smiles.
"Check out," said a meticulously and beautifully dressed Woman at the Counter. She swiped her card to pay, picked up the Shopping Bag, and turned to leave.
The Man inadvertently raised his eyes, and his Line of Sight was instantly fixed. That Woman had long, wavy pink hair cascading down to her waist, one side tucked behind her ear, revealing a profile he was incredibly familiar with. She was wearing a Black Overcoat and High Heels.
However, that Face lacked the youthful innocence he remembered, adorned with delicate Makeup. Fiery red lips, without a hint of vulgarity, instead made her even more radiant.
"Hi? Dear," the foreign Woman beside the Man looked towards the glass door outside with Doubt. The Man snapped back to Consciousness, put down the Child in his arms, "I think I saw a Friend I haven't seen in years. I'll go take a Look. Wait For Me!"
Saki Midorikawa, after exiting the Shop, hesitated for a moment in place, and then walked towards the Emergency Exit Stairwell.
Not long after she entered the Safety Passage, hurried Footsteps came from behind her. The first Idea that flashed in her Mind was—Gun! This thought made her want to laugh a little.
"Saki!" The person behind her caught up, a completely unfamiliar Face with an anxious, excited, surprised, and hesitant complex Expression, "You are... Saki, right?"
Saki Midorikawa looked at that Face, which was completely different from the treasured Photo, and a polite smile appeared on her Face, "May I ask who you are?"
Ryo Suenaga was stunned for a moment, "I... I am..."
Saki Midorikawa waited for a while, and seeing Ryo Suenaga remain silent, she intended to Go Downstairs past Ryo Suenaga.
"Saki, wait!" Ryo Suenaga quickly ran down two more steps, blocking Saki Midorikawa's path, "I'm Yongliang... Ryo Suenaga..."
Saki Midorikawa was silent for a moment, then smiled, "It's you, long time no See."
Ryo Suenaga's Expression was a bit stiff, "Long time no See..."
"Is there something you need?" Saki Midorikawa, seeing the Silence about to become awkward, asked proactively.
Ryo Suenaga paused, "I... wanted to ask, how have you been these years?"
Saki Midorikawa lowered her eyes. She used to think that not being able to let go was the most terrifying Matter. Many people told her, 'Don't wait anymore, you won't be able to wait,' she clearly knew that what those people said might be true, but she was unwilling to give up. Waiting and waiting, year after year, sometimes she hated her own stubbornness.
One day, a person appeared, who didn't tell her 'Don't wait anymore,' but said 'I'll help you find him,' and also stated the Condition for exchange with an indifferent Face, to work for him. Even so, she couldn't forget that day when she followed a Taxi, the other person's Purple Eyes that seemed to see through everything, couldn't forget the moment when the other person calmly paid for her Taxi fare, that Feeling of her nose tingling and feeling like everything around her lit up.
Then she realized that Transformation was more terrifying than not being able to let go. Just now, in that instant, what she thought of was: if it were that person, he would probably say with a calm Face, 'You specially walked through the Stairwell Entrance of the Emergency Exit Stairwell, wasn't it because you expected me to chase after you, and you have Words you want to chat with me about?' A single Sentence would leave her speechless.
"Saki?" Ryo Suenaga looked at Saki Midorikawa.
Saki Midorikawa smiled slightly, "Back then, you said you were Go Out to buy me Oranges, but you didn't come back for a Day and Night. I was worried something happened to you, so I went out to look for you for a Day and Night, searched all your Friends and Colleagues you knew, and then rushed Home, worried that we might have missed each other. But after returning Home, I didn't See you, but instead met the Creditor who was also looking for you."
Ryo Suenaga lowered his head apologetically, "I'm sorry, I..."
"No Need for Apology, the debt you owe has nothing to do with me, no one is making things difficult for me," Saki Midorikawa said.
Indeed, no one made things difficult for her. It's just that she couldn't find Ryo Suenaga all along, foolishly thought that Ryo Suenaga was secretly watching her nearby, just because he owed too much debt and couldn't repay it, didn't dare to go back, and also foolishly thought that as long as those debts were paid off, Ryo Suenaga could return, and Life could return to the way it was before.
After faintly Realizeing that Ryo Suenaga wouldn't return, she tried hard to deceive herself that he would. Actually, it was just that she had given too much, and was unwilling to accept it. No one made things difficult for her, she was making things difficult for Onself.
"That's good then..." Ryo Suenaga breathed a sigh of relief, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Are those people still looking for me?"
"Not sure, I found a Work with a very high Reward again, and moved away from there," Saki Midorikawa still had a smile on her Face, "This time coming to Boston is for a business trip."
"Th-that's good then..." Ryo Suenaga, listening to Saki Midorikawa's relaxed Tone from beginning to end, should have felt relieved, After All these years of Hidden Worry could be resolved, but when it really came to this point, he suddenly felt a little lost, "It's good that you're doing well."
"If there's no other Matter, I'll leave first." Saki Midorikawa nodded to Ryo Suenaga, and Go Downstairs past Ryo Suenaga.
"Saki!" Ryo Suenaga called out. Seeing Saki Midorikawa Turn Head, his Expression was a little awkward, "Could you lend me some Money?"
Saki Midorikawa looked surprised, "Are you still Gambling?"
"It's just..." Ryo Suenaga hesitated, "I owed some in the past two years..."
Saki Midorikawa laughed, "Mr. Ryo Suenaga, you really disgust me."
Ryo Suenaga stared blankly as Saki Midorikawa Go Downstairs and turned past the Stairwell Entrance, her Figure completely disappearing from his Line of Sight. After a moment, his Face turned ugly and he cursed in a low voice, "Bitch..."
Saki Midorikawa, who had Go To the Hallway below, paused her Footsteps. Seeing the Black Figure at the Stairwell Entrance, she adjusted her Outerwear, walked forward, and Turn Head to Look. She saw a suppressed smile on the Face of the young European man with Freckles.
"Let's go," Chi Feichei took the lead Go Downstairs, his Expression still a bit Weird, "I'm not making fun of you, I just remembered a Story about buying Oranges."
"So you also do eavesdropping, huh," Saki Midorikawa followed and asked curiously, "What kind of Story is it? It's not going to be a Story about a silly Woman waiting for several years for a few Oranges, is it?"
"Zhu Ziqing, a modern Chinese prose writer, has a prose piece called 'Back View'," Chi Feichei walked towards the Exit on the First Floor, "There is a passage in it describing a Father crossing the Platform to buy Oranges for his Son, which is very sentimental. However, a Friend of mine used to misinterpret the meaning, and the subtext of the Sentence 'I'm going to buy a few Oranges, you stay here, don't move around' became 'I am your Father'."
"Huh?" Saki Midorikawa followed in confusion, "Fath-Father?"
Chi Feichei walked out of the Stairwell Entrance, "Midorikawa, I'll go buy you some Oranges, you just wait for me here, don't wander around."
Saki Midorikawa was stunned for a moment, Realizeing how to use this Sentence, and couldn't help but roll her eyes at Chi Feichei. Taking advantage of Female like this, no wonder he's single!
After exiting the Shopping Center, Saki Midorikawa took the lead and turned into an Alley, "If you have Time, could you Keep Company and Station with me for a while?"
"Sure, anyway, I don't have anything to do tonight," Chi Feichei also turned In the Alley, and said in a low voice, "The Transaction for the Intelligence you provided has been completed, and the Money will be transferred to your Account Tomorrow."
"Spare me, I really don't want to hear about Work or Reward right now..."
Saki Midorikawa looked at the Wall, which was still relatively clean, put down the Shopping Bag, leaned directly against the Wall, took out a Cigarette and Lighter, lit a Cigarette, and then took out a Group Photo, slowly using the Cigarette to ignite a corner of the Photo.
Flames sprang up little by little, engulfing the entire Photo. As the Photo was thrown behind her, the burnt blackness shattered, turning into Ashes and scattering with the Wind.
Chi Feichei also lit a Cigarette and Keep Company Saki Midorikawa Stationing In the Alley.
For more than ten minutes, both of them were lost in thought in Silence.
Saki Midorikawa extinguished the burnt Cigarette Butt on the Wall, put it into a Sealed Plastic Bag, raised her eyes and saw Chi Feichei noticing her action, and laughed, "This is a good habit, especially during Surveillance, Tracking, and Investigation. If it's close-range Night Surveillance, use Matches or the Cigarette Lighter in the Car, to avoid things like Lighters that make Sound. Also, after extinguishing the Match, the Matchstick must also be collected and taken away, right?"
"You figured it out Onself?" Chi Feichei retracted his Line of Sight.
"Yeah, I Realizeed these things Before I met you, but at that time, I didn't need to care whether my Identity would be exposed, so I was too lazy to pay attention," Saki Midorikawa put the Sealed Plastic Bag into her Overcoat Pocket, "Now it's different... Actually, I used to think that Photo would always be with me, if I lost it, I would be anxious, if it was destroyed, I would be sad, if I saw the person in the Photo, I would probably be overjoyed, and rush up to have a good talk with him about these years of History, these years of Grievance, but it's very Weird, when this Day really came, I actually felt a sense of relief, too lazy to say anything to him, and not even a bit sad that the Photo was destroyed, just feeling a bit empty in my heart, wanting to quietly zone out for a while."
"To have a Human you like is a very happy Matter, to dare to exhaust all your Strength to like a Human is also very happy." Chi Feichei Turn Around and exited the Alley, indicating that he was leaving.
"Have you ever had one? A Human you exhausted all your Strength to like?" Saki Midorikawa followed and asked.
"Probably had," Chi Feichei recalled, "The Feeling is too long ago, I can't remember if it was that kind of Feeling."
"I've always suspected you of lying about your Age, how old are you exactly?"
"Don't inquire about personal Privacy."
"..."
Chi Feichei Go To the Street Corner and got into a Car.
Saki Midorikawa didn't follow, Turn Around, picked up the Shopping Bag, and walked in another Direction.
In the Car, Yingqu Yan Nan looked in the Rearview Mirror for a long time. After Chi Feichei got into the Car, he didn't Gossip either. Seeing that Woman in Black, he guessed she was also an Organization Member. There were too many Organization rendezvous Actions of this kind.
After Chi Feichei got into the Car, he sent an Email to The Boss, indicating that Saki Midorikawa was fine. There were probably more than just him in the Hallway at that time. Since The Boss knew about this Matter, he would definitely have other people confirm the Situation.
He didn't need to Lie to The Boss. Saki Midorikawa was indeed fine, and her Transformation was huge. The previous Saki Midorikawa was silent and melancholic, like a stubborn and Isolate Bellflower in the Rain, not knowing when she would be broken and torn apart by the Wind and Rain.
Since joining the Organization, Saki Midorikawa's Transformation has been too great, a bit in the Direction of developing into a man-eating flower. He couldn't tell if it was good or bad. The good thing was that Saki Midorikawa wouldn't die like in the original Plot, and she had also let go of her obsession. The bad thing was, what Saki Midorikawa would become, even he couldn't Guess.
Staying in the Organization for a long time, you'll become a Psychopath...
"Woman..." Yingqu Yan Nan, who was driving, suddenly heard a Sigh beside him. The Sound was still calm as usual, but it seemed to carry a hint of incomprehension, making him unable to understand what it meant, and he couldn't help but Turn Head to Look at Chi Feichei.
Chi Feichei took out the Mobile Phone snatched from the Ds Area from the Storage Compartment beside Yingqu Yan Nan's hand, took a Look, and saw that a certain Arms Dealer's Phone Call had been blacklisted, with no new incoming calls. He dialed Wayne-Walkerly's Phone Call.
There was still a Woman's Grievances to understand. Going around and around, he was almost becoming a women's federation Director, specially resolving Grievances for Female...
(End of Chapter)
In a Shop on the 3rd Floor, a handsome Man with defined features was holding a Little Boy, accompanying a Woman picking out Clothes, occasionally exchanging a few words with smiles.
"Check out," said a meticulously and beautifully dressed Woman at the Counter. She swiped her card to pay, picked up the Shopping Bag, and turned to leave.
The Man inadvertently raised his eyes, and his Line of Sight was instantly fixed. That Woman had long, wavy pink hair cascading down to her waist, one side tucked behind her ear, revealing a profile he was incredibly familiar with. She was wearing a Black Overcoat and High Heels.
However, that Face lacked the youthful innocence he remembered, adorned with delicate Makeup. Fiery red lips, without a hint of vulgarity, instead made her even more radiant.
"Hi? Dear," the foreign Woman beside the Man looked towards the glass door outside with Doubt. The Man snapped back to Consciousness, put down the Child in his arms, "I think I saw a Friend I haven't seen in years. I'll go take a Look. Wait For Me!"
Saki Midorikawa, after exiting the Shop, hesitated for a moment in place, and then walked towards the Emergency Exit Stairwell.
Not long after she entered the Safety Passage, hurried Footsteps came from behind her. The first Idea that flashed in her Mind was—Gun! This thought made her want to laugh a little.
"Saki!" The person behind her caught up, a completely unfamiliar Face with an anxious, excited, surprised, and hesitant complex Expression, "You are... Saki, right?"
Saki Midorikawa looked at that Face, which was completely different from the treasured Photo, and a polite smile appeared on her Face, "May I ask who you are?"
Ryo Suenaga was stunned for a moment, "I... I am..."
Saki Midorikawa waited for a while, and seeing Ryo Suenaga remain silent, she intended to Go Downstairs past Ryo Suenaga.
"Saki, wait!" Ryo Suenaga quickly ran down two more steps, blocking Saki Midorikawa's path, "I'm Yongliang... Ryo Suenaga..."
Saki Midorikawa was silent for a moment, then smiled, "It's you, long time no See."
Ryo Suenaga's Expression was a bit stiff, "Long time no See..."
"Is there something you need?" Saki Midorikawa, seeing the Silence about to become awkward, asked proactively.
Ryo Suenaga paused, "I... wanted to ask, how have you been these years?"
Saki Midorikawa lowered her eyes. She used to think that not being able to let go was the most terrifying Matter. Many people told her, 'Don't wait anymore, you won't be able to wait,' she clearly knew that what those people said might be true, but she was unwilling to give up. Waiting and waiting, year after year, sometimes she hated her own stubbornness.
One day, a person appeared, who didn't tell her 'Don't wait anymore,' but said 'I'll help you find him,' and also stated the Condition for exchange with an indifferent Face, to work for him. Even so, she couldn't forget that day when she followed a Taxi, the other person's Purple Eyes that seemed to see through everything, couldn't forget the moment when the other person calmly paid for her Taxi fare, that Feeling of her nose tingling and feeling like everything around her lit up.
Then she realized that Transformation was more terrifying than not being able to let go. Just now, in that instant, what she thought of was: if it were that person, he would probably say with a calm Face, 'You specially walked through the Stairwell Entrance of the Emergency Exit Stairwell, wasn't it because you expected me to chase after you, and you have Words you want to chat with me about?' A single Sentence would leave her speechless.
"Saki?" Ryo Suenaga looked at Saki Midorikawa.
Saki Midorikawa smiled slightly, "Back then, you said you were Go Out to buy me Oranges, but you didn't come back for a Day and Night. I was worried something happened to you, so I went out to look for you for a Day and Night, searched all your Friends and Colleagues you knew, and then rushed Home, worried that we might have missed each other. But after returning Home, I didn't See you, but instead met the Creditor who was also looking for you."
Ryo Suenaga lowered his head apologetically, "I'm sorry, I..."
"No Need for Apology, the debt you owe has nothing to do with me, no one is making things difficult for me," Saki Midorikawa said.
Indeed, no one made things difficult for her. It's just that she couldn't find Ryo Suenaga all along, foolishly thought that Ryo Suenaga was secretly watching her nearby, just because he owed too much debt and couldn't repay it, didn't dare to go back, and also foolishly thought that as long as those debts were paid off, Ryo Suenaga could return, and Life could return to the way it was before.
After faintly Realizeing that Ryo Suenaga wouldn't return, she tried hard to deceive herself that he would. Actually, it was just that she had given too much, and was unwilling to accept it. No one made things difficult for her, she was making things difficult for Onself.
"That's good then..." Ryo Suenaga breathed a sigh of relief, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Are those people still looking for me?"
"Not sure, I found a Work with a very high Reward again, and moved away from there," Saki Midorikawa still had a smile on her Face, "This time coming to Boston is for a business trip."
"Th-that's good then..." Ryo Suenaga, listening to Saki Midorikawa's relaxed Tone from beginning to end, should have felt relieved, After All these years of Hidden Worry could be resolved, but when it really came to this point, he suddenly felt a little lost, "It's good that you're doing well."
"If there's no other Matter, I'll leave first." Saki Midorikawa nodded to Ryo Suenaga, and Go Downstairs past Ryo Suenaga.
"Saki!" Ryo Suenaga called out. Seeing Saki Midorikawa Turn Head, his Expression was a little awkward, "Could you lend me some Money?"
Saki Midorikawa looked surprised, "Are you still Gambling?"
"It's just..." Ryo Suenaga hesitated, "I owed some in the past two years..."
Saki Midorikawa laughed, "Mr. Ryo Suenaga, you really disgust me."
Ryo Suenaga stared blankly as Saki Midorikawa Go Downstairs and turned past the Stairwell Entrance, her Figure completely disappearing from his Line of Sight. After a moment, his Face turned ugly and he cursed in a low voice, "Bitch..."
Saki Midorikawa, who had Go To the Hallway below, paused her Footsteps. Seeing the Black Figure at the Stairwell Entrance, she adjusted her Outerwear, walked forward, and Turn Head to Look. She saw a suppressed smile on the Face of the young European man with Freckles.
"Let's go," Chi Feichei took the lead Go Downstairs, his Expression still a bit Weird, "I'm not making fun of you, I just remembered a Story about buying Oranges."
"So you also do eavesdropping, huh," Saki Midorikawa followed and asked curiously, "What kind of Story is it? It's not going to be a Story about a silly Woman waiting for several years for a few Oranges, is it?"
"Zhu Ziqing, a modern Chinese prose writer, has a prose piece called 'Back View'," Chi Feichei walked towards the Exit on the First Floor, "There is a passage in it describing a Father crossing the Platform to buy Oranges for his Son, which is very sentimental. However, a Friend of mine used to misinterpret the meaning, and the subtext of the Sentence 'I'm going to buy a few Oranges, you stay here, don't move around' became 'I am your Father'."
"Huh?" Saki Midorikawa followed in confusion, "Fath-Father?"
Chi Feichei walked out of the Stairwell Entrance, "Midorikawa, I'll go buy you some Oranges, you just wait for me here, don't wander around."
Saki Midorikawa was stunned for a moment, Realizeing how to use this Sentence, and couldn't help but roll her eyes at Chi Feichei. Taking advantage of Female like this, no wonder he's single!
After exiting the Shopping Center, Saki Midorikawa took the lead and turned into an Alley, "If you have Time, could you Keep Company and Station with me for a while?"
"Sure, anyway, I don't have anything to do tonight," Chi Feichei also turned In the Alley, and said in a low voice, "The Transaction for the Intelligence you provided has been completed, and the Money will be transferred to your Account Tomorrow."
"Spare me, I really don't want to hear about Work or Reward right now..."
Saki Midorikawa looked at the Wall, which was still relatively clean, put down the Shopping Bag, leaned directly against the Wall, took out a Cigarette and Lighter, lit a Cigarette, and then took out a Group Photo, slowly using the Cigarette to ignite a corner of the Photo.
Flames sprang up little by little, engulfing the entire Photo. As the Photo was thrown behind her, the burnt blackness shattered, turning into Ashes and scattering with the Wind.
Chi Feichei also lit a Cigarette and Keep Company Saki Midorikawa Stationing In the Alley.
For more than ten minutes, both of them were lost in thought in Silence.
Saki Midorikawa extinguished the burnt Cigarette Butt on the Wall, put it into a Sealed Plastic Bag, raised her eyes and saw Chi Feichei noticing her action, and laughed, "This is a good habit, especially during Surveillance, Tracking, and Investigation. If it's close-range Night Surveillance, use Matches or the Cigarette Lighter in the Car, to avoid things like Lighters that make Sound. Also, after extinguishing the Match, the Matchstick must also be collected and taken away, right?"
"You figured it out Onself?" Chi Feichei retracted his Line of Sight.
"Yeah, I Realizeed these things Before I met you, but at that time, I didn't need to care whether my Identity would be exposed, so I was too lazy to pay attention," Saki Midorikawa put the Sealed Plastic Bag into her Overcoat Pocket, "Now it's different... Actually, I used to think that Photo would always be with me, if I lost it, I would be anxious, if it was destroyed, I would be sad, if I saw the person in the Photo, I would probably be overjoyed, and rush up to have a good talk with him about these years of History, these years of Grievance, but it's very Weird, when this Day really came, I actually felt a sense of relief, too lazy to say anything to him, and not even a bit sad that the Photo was destroyed, just feeling a bit empty in my heart, wanting to quietly zone out for a while."
"To have a Human you like is a very happy Matter, to dare to exhaust all your Strength to like a Human is also very happy." Chi Feichei Turn Around and exited the Alley, indicating that he was leaving.
"Have you ever had one? A Human you exhausted all your Strength to like?" Saki Midorikawa followed and asked.
"Probably had," Chi Feichei recalled, "The Feeling is too long ago, I can't remember if it was that kind of Feeling."
"I've always suspected you of lying about your Age, how old are you exactly?"
"Don't inquire about personal Privacy."
"..."
Chi Feichei Go To the Street Corner and got into a Car.
Saki Midorikawa didn't follow, Turn Around, picked up the Shopping Bag, and walked in another Direction.
In the Car, Yingqu Yan Nan looked in the Rearview Mirror for a long time. After Chi Feichei got into the Car, he didn't Gossip either. Seeing that Woman in Black, he guessed she was also an Organization Member. There were too many Organization rendezvous Actions of this kind.
After Chi Feichei got into the Car, he sent an Email to The Boss, indicating that Saki Midorikawa was fine. There were probably more than just him in the Hallway at that time. Since The Boss knew about this Matter, he would definitely have other people confirm the Situation.
He didn't need to Lie to The Boss. Saki Midorikawa was indeed fine, and her Transformation was huge. The previous Saki Midorikawa was silent and melancholic, like a stubborn and Isolate Bellflower in the Rain, not knowing when she would be broken and torn apart by the Wind and Rain.
Since joining the Organization, Saki Midorikawa's Transformation has been too great, a bit in the Direction of developing into a man-eating flower. He couldn't tell if it was good or bad. The good thing was that Saki Midorikawa wouldn't die like in the original Plot, and she had also let go of her obsession. The bad thing was, what Saki Midorikawa would become, even he couldn't Guess.
Staying in the Organization for a long time, you'll become a Psychopath...
"Woman..." Yingqu Yan Nan, who was driving, suddenly heard a Sigh beside him. The Sound was still calm as usual, but it seemed to carry a hint of incomprehension, making him unable to understand what it meant, and he couldn't help but Turn Head to Look at Chi Feichei.
Chi Feichei took out the Mobile Phone snatched from the Ds Area from the Storage Compartment beside Yingqu Yan Nan's hand, took a Look, and saw that a certain Arms Dealer's Phone Call had been blacklisted, with no new incoming calls. He dialed Wayne-Walkerly's Phone Call.
There was still a Woman's Grievances to understand. Going around and around, he was almost becoming a women's federation Director, specially resolving Grievances for Female...
(End of Chapter)
