“Hey! You’re just giving it to me like that?”
Lisa twirled the money pouch, tiptoeing in her high heels to catch up.
“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay with you for a bit?”
“I’m very good at it…”
“Hey, say something!”
“You… if you’re like this, I don’t feel at ease taking it.”
In the dim Black Alley, the two walked forward.
One was silent, the other was chattering.
“Drip-drop…”
It started raining again.
Lisa gritted her teeth and stomped her foot, but still caught up to the young man.
“Hey, it’s raining. Let me stay for the night. Anyway, you’ve already paid. Even if you don’t want to do anything, I can still talk to you. Your current state… you really need someone to look after you.”
Manba stopped, but he still hung his head, his wet bangs covering his eyes.
“Suit yourself.”
Lisa smiled at his words, clasped her hands behind her back, and quietly followed.
Before the rain completely intensified, the two arrived at a ground-level compartment, opened a half-rusted iron door, and slipped inside.
From the outside, these compartments looked like warehouses or storage rooms, just not places where people lived.
“I didn’t expect you to live in a place like this…”
Lisa muttered as she stepped inside.
The environment was dim, but she could still see two small beds and some scraps that could barely be called furniture.
It was dilapidated, but a hint of warmth remained.
“Manla, I’m back.”
The young Manba called out softly, but there was no response from inside the room.
“Boom—”
A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, briefly illuminating the room.
In that instant, Lisa also saw the small, motionless body on the bed.
A cold wind swirled in the room, carrying a scent of decay.
“You…”
Lisa felt a slight chill down her spine and was about to speak.
But she saw the young Manba walk directly to the bed, slowly squat down, bury his head between his knees, his body curled and trembling, like a helpless, lonely cub.
Outside the door, lightning flashed; the rain grew heavier.
Lisa stood at the doorway in silence for a long time, then with somewhat heavy steps, she came to the young man’s side and slowly sat down.
“Tomorrow, let’s bury her properly together,” she gently embraced the young man, like a First Miss, like a mother.
“Mm.”
The young man’s faint reply carried a slight tremor.
“Rumble—”
Outside the door, the rain poured down.
Inside the room, it was dark and damp.
Two unfortunate souls huddled together for warmth.
.......
“Rumble—”
On the other side of the lightning streaking through the clouds.
Outside the Miling Agency’s residence, a lonely figure was trapped in the rain.
She seemed to have been standing at the door for a long time; the bandages on her legs were soaked through with rainwater, a reddish hue spreading from the center, and her figure gradually began to sway weakly.
“Creak—”
The door opened.
Li Andy glanced at Susan in the rain and asked:
“A case to entrust?”
“Yes… but I don’t have much money now…”
“It’s fine,” Li Andy stepped aside, opening the door wide, “Miling Agency supports installment payments.”
Susan’s eyes flickered, and she finally moved her leg.
But the next second, her eyes went black, and she fell into a puddle.
“Tsk, what a stubborn oddball.”
Li Andy shook his head speechlessly, hooked his finger, and Susan’s uniform automatically dragged her towards the residence.
Before entering the door, it politely squeezed out the water from itself before spitting the wrapped body onto a nearby activated long towel.
Washing, wiping, healing… various items proceeded automatically throughout.
By the time Susan woke up on the bed again, it was already night.
Li Andy pushed open the door, holding a bowl of medicinal soup, and entered the guest room.
Susan was slightly dazed, but she still didn't forget her purpose:
“I want to ask you to help me investigate the murderer.”
“Drink the medicine first.”
Li Andy handed the medicine to her, and after watching her drink it, he couldn’t help but ask:
“Is it worth it?”
The female sheriff’s hands, holding the bowl, stiffened slightly, her eyes lowered, and she was silent for a few seconds:
“There’s no ‘worth it’ or ‘not worth it’…”
Li Andy quietly watched her, patiently waiting.
“My father…”
Susan pursed her lips lightly, her tone not as stiff as before,
“He was a soldier. He didn’t die on the battlefield, but he died in a Black Alley with poor public order.”
“At that time, he had only been a sheriff for three years, and he said… he would always protect everyone’s safety…”
“He was very stupid, always thinking he was great…”
“I… unfortunately… inherited his stupidity.”
“…”
Li Andy was silent for a long while, let out a long breath, and slowly stood up,
“Rest first. We’ll talk about the entrusted matter tomorrow. In your current state, even if I help you, you won’t be able to do anything.”
Susan lowered her gaze, staring at the medicine bowl, remaining silent.
Li Andy didn’t ask anything further, turned, and left the room.
Standing in the corridor, his thoughts were complex.
Susan was too righteous, which made him somewhat displeased, as it made him seem somewhat despicable.
…However, I won’t change my behavior because of this.
…Because often, people should be despicable.
Back in his own room.
He saw his two younger sisters lying on his bed, their four small feet swinging leisurely.
On one side of the bed, they were shoulder to shoulder, fiddling with a mystic mirror.
In a post-modern context, it would be like crowding around a phone screen to watch a movie.
Li Andy sat down on the edge of the bed, followed his inner guidance, and pinched one foot of each of the two girls:
“What are you peeking at again?”
“Peeking at brother, then making a bet.”
Youxi said bluntly, smiling as she hugged the mystic mirror and rolled over.
“Betting on what?” Li Andy raised an eyebrow.
“Betting on whether Brother would take advantage of the situation and give that female sheriff a loving hug.”
Li Andy frowned:
“What kind of nonsense bet is this? So… who won?”
“Of course, it was me~”
Youxi was very happy, leaned closer, hugged him intimately, then lightly bit his ear, and softly asked,
“Brother only loves his family, right?”
Li Andy’s expression stiffened for a moment, he mumbled a random “Mm,” and as if changing the subject, looked at the somewhat embarrassed Sophia.
Sophia’s toes curled slightly, and she turned her head away with a red face:
“I… I just think that Susan is a good person. I… I didn’t say you were a playboy.”
Li Andy said nothing, staring intently at her.
Sophia couldn’t bear the pressure, pouted her small lips, lightly stomped on his foot, and stammered to change the subject:
“What… what are you planning to do next?”
“We’ve basically met all the coin holders. When are we going to make our move?”