12 Chapter 10 Intestinal Roundworms_1

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What on earth happened in Lou Yu's family?

Ji Yun felt that it was time to have another chat with Wu Kai, the left-behind child.

For him, gossip was like a dog sniffing out X.

"That's right, I don't look sick," Ji Yun said.

"So..."

"Not to dwell on past humiliations, I have something important to ask you today," Ji Yun said again.

"Is there..."

"Is there anything more important than wiping out past humiliations?" Ji Yun said.

"Ah, right," Wu Kai's eyes widened.

"There is!"

A conversation racing to keep up with the beat left Wu Kai wildly disheveled in the winds at the entrance of the corridor.

He couldn't for the life of him figure out how the other party had managed to say everything he had wanted to!

Could it be that his good brother, Ji Yun... was the worm in his belly?

"Why do you know what I'm about to... when I'm about to lift my butt?" Wu Kai challenged.

"Do you remember one night, there was a lot of banging and smashing in Lou Yu's old house, and afterwards, it was rumored that Lou Yu's father had left his mother and daughter to go abroad?" Ji Yun said.

"Oh, that incident, I remember, I was eavesdropping by the window," Wu Kai clearly remembered.

"What did you hear?" Ji Yun asked.

"I didn't hear anything, just felt the atmosphere," Wu Kai proudly answered.

Suddenly, Ji Yun wanted to kick Wu Kai's proud face and send him flying to the meadow.

"But at that time, Lou Yu was hiding under the stairwell in my house..." Wu Kai said.

Ji Yun's eyes brightened with interest, and he hurriedly asked, "Did she say anything?"

"You know how she was, stammering as a child, I vaguely heard her say that her mom brought home an uncle, and then dad lost his temper," Wu Kai said.

"Brought home an uncle??" Ji Yun couldn't help gaping.

Back then we were all young, and probably didn't think much of bringing an uncle home.

But considering the angry and irrational behavior of Lou Yu's father afterward, and his sudden departure overseas never to be heard from again, one could deduce from an adult's perspective:

The problem wasn't with Lou Yu's dad; it should be her mom!

Moreover, in Ji Yun's memory, Lou Yu's mother was not one of those down-to-earth women.

Her attire was always different from the other mothers on Craftsman Street. Given that Lou Yu's father had been ill for a long time, affecting their financial situation, it would have been difficult for a wife to maintain such flamboyancy.

In other words, that so-called uncle brought home could very well be Lou Yu's current stepfather who drives a Mercedes!

If Lou Yu's biological mother and stepfather were morally questionable, then their words were even less trustworthy!

...

"Lou Yu, are you reading a medical book?"

"Mhm."

"I wanted to ask you something..."

"Why are you picking on Lou Yu too? Hmph, ignore this guy, let's go rehearse!"

Left with no words, Ji Yun just pointed at Lü Jing, who seemed very hard to mess with.

It seemed that Ji Yun's earlier question had touched a nerve for Lou Yu.

He needed to start over, he couldn't ask like this!

Huh!

As Ji Yun was withdrawing his gaze,

He inadvertently discovered something.

It was a notebook with blue trim, hidden under a stack of thick books.

Clearly, the notebook was kept hidden, and it appears that a football that flew in knocked a corner of it out of hiding.

This was Lou Yu's desk and the notebook...

It looked so familiar!

Wasn't this the one he had handcrafted for his tenth birthday, given to every little friend who had come to his party?

He had also given one to Lou Yu!

Why had she kept it till now?

Ji Yun was very surprised!

After checking around, he saw the classroom was practically empty.

Pretending to close a window, he swiftly snatched the blue-trimmed notebook from under the books.

Hey, it really was the one he had made by hand when he was ten!

People who don't like to speak, love to keep diaries!

And the things that are inconvenient to say to others are all recorded in this little notebook!

People of this age are all like that.

Avoiding the annoying Wu Kai, Ji Yun also crouched in a corner and opened the notebook that had been pressed under the books.

It was a bit disappointing, it wasn't Lou Yu's diary.

Rather, it seemed like a story of Little Alice in Wonderland that Lou Yu had written herself, transforming the people around her, the streets, and the stories into a little novel.

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The story is about a girl named Little Alice who mistakenly enters a magical forest and ends up staying with Uncle Bear and Auntie Bear.

Before, Ji Yun wouldn't have had the patience to delve into the wondrous world of a little girl.

But Ji Yun vaguely discovered the messages she wanted to convey to others through her adaptations and imaginations.

"Uncle Bear is evil. On the night Auntie Bear wasn't there, he bared his fangs, wanting to devour someone. Little Alice hid in the bathroom and locked the door, narrowly escaping calamity."

"When day broke the next day, she told the guards about the incident."

"The guards wanted to take Uncle Bear away for investigation, but at that moment, Auntie Bear told Alice that Uncle Bear naturally eats meat, and it was actually her own fault for getting too close as a human. The blame shouldn't solely be placed on Uncle Bear."

"Little Alice knew that once Uncle Bear was taken away by the guards, Auntie Bear would end up homeless on the streets, and she might starve to death... Reluctantly, Little Alice could only tell the guards she had a nightmare."

Ji Yun understood, and it deeply shook him!

"People from the community asked, yet Lou Yu said nothing."

Suddenly, Ji Yun remembered Wu Kai had once mentioned something like this.

That is to say, one night, Lou Yu suffered harassment, hid away, then reported it the next day!

As a result, Lou Yu's mother, for the sake of that old brute's reputation and her own status as a wealthy lady, forcibly silenced her daughter.

Lou Yu's mother had always seen Lou Yu as a burden and never showed her an ounce of kindness—this was no secret to many who lived on Craftsman Street.

Her mother was capable of doing such a thing!

After sorting out the whole matter, Ji Yun suddenly realized something!

It was not that Lou Yu was kicked out, but after the incident, she preferred to live alone!!

"No, I have to confirm it, I should ask like this later..." Ji Yun immediately had an idea.

After returning the notebook, Ji Yun silently waited for time to pass.

The incident was so shocking to Ji Yun that even as he lay collapsed in the emergency room, he wished he could give up sooner.

A blinding brilliance.

Ji Yun woke up in the classroom as he wished.

He stood up as suavely as ever, kicked away the soccer ball, thoughtfully straightened the tilted stack of books, and once again hid away the blue notebook.

"Ji Yun..." Lou Yu dared not add "Brother" when she was in class.

"Reading a book, so engrossed, huh?" Ji Yun revealed a sunny smile, so as not to startle the little snow rabbit again.

"Yeah." Lou Yu hid her medical books, not wanting Ji Yun to know.

"A few days ago, I encountered your stepfather in the market, and he seemed to really dislike me, though I don't know what I did to offend him," Ji Yun said, watching Lou Yu closely.

The emotions of girls their age usually showed on their cheeks.

Ji Yun could clearly feel the panic and loathing on Lou Yu's quaint face, even hints of anger!

Especially that unmistakable loathing, as if just the mention of that name and person would make her feel nauseous!

That certainly wasn't the expression someone should have if they felt dependent and lost towards an older man!

Indeed, it was as Ji Yun thought!

It was the damn old brute who was harassing Lou Yu!!

Moreover, due to Lou Yu's mother's perverse protection, the incident had developed into a rumor that was even more damaging to Lou Yu, the victim!

"That day when I passed by your old house, was there something you wanted to tell me?" Ji Yun tried to suppress the rage boiling inside him, speaking in a gentle tone.

Lou Yu looked at Ji Yun, then glanced out at the banyan tree below the window.

After a moment of thought, Lou Yu still shook her head.

"No, nothing, it's already... been taken care of," Lou Yu said with certainty, hesitated for a moment, and finally added, "I should head to rehearsal now, Brother Ji Yun... goodbye."

After saying that, she fled like a little snow rabbit.

Ji Yun wanted to follow, but realized he had very limited time.

So Ji Yun chose to wait in the same spot, waiting for time to reset.

Waiting to speak with Lou Yu again.

As a piercing halo shone, Ji Yun forcefully opened his eyes.

He didn't get up immediately but just turned his head to watch the girl hiding in the corner reading... her hands still holding a complicated medical book.

Dirty, with messy hair, wearing clothes too large, even looking somewhat unkempt... it turns out this girl wasn't as foolish and dazed as she appeared; it was all intentional!

Living alone in the old house, cooking, reading, studying... it was also her way of protecting herself!

At that moment, Ji Yun didn't disturb her, just quietly watched the girl who had little presence in class during her studying years.

Ten years had passed.

He never heard a thing about Lou Yu again.

Until Wu Kai mentioned that Lou Yu had done a photoshoot like a star in the old Craftsman Street house yesterday... no wonder she chose that old house for the shoot.

It was her only refuge from the torment during her high school days!

Sigh, I was really no good back then.

Despite hearing rumors, I didn't care for her, not even offering a word of encouragement or comfort.

Just as Wu Kai said, all the children on Craftsman Street knew that Lou Yu liked to be with me since we were young, yet at that time, my eyes were only on the moon and stars surrounding Qiu Mo.

Subconsciously distancing myself?

Or deliberately distancing myself without realizing it?

Maybe, inside that old house, she hoped many times that I would come in, even if just to talk to her...

But I never did.

Pah, what a loser!