Lu Shang felt himself immersed in warm and comfortable liquid, as if he had returned to the womb filled with warm amniotic fluid of a pregnant mother.
But soon, a mocking voice automatically echoed in his mind, extinguishing the budding dream.
An artificial human, where would a mother come from?
He felt a pair of soft hands weaving through his hair, gently massaging his foam-covered hair, washing from his scalp to the stray strands on his neck.
No, that place won’t do, it can’t be seen!
Lu Shang forcefully opened his eyes, and the scene before him was somewhat distorted. He blinked, and the image came into focus.
Before him was a narrow bathroom.
The peach-colored broken bricks on the bathroom wall were arranged into a comical heart shape, and the mirror above the washbasin reflected an eerie pink light.
He found himself lying almost naked in the bathtub, with a pair of gentle hands supporting his head and washing his hair.
And the owner of those hands was the blonde girl he hazily seen before.
She opened a pair of watery blue eyes, her face revealing an undisguised, pure surprise.
“You’re awake?”
Pei Huan lowered her head and looked at him, her golden eyelashes almost transparent under the reflected light.
“Umm…”
Lu Shang tried to speak, but his throat was very dry, and he could only produce some hoarse sounds.
“Does your throat hurt? Don’t talk, have a drink of water first.”
Pei Huan shook her foam-covered hand, feeling a bit lost. She carefully placed Lu Shang’s head down, leaning it against the edge of the bathtub. After quickly rinsing off the foam from her hands at the washbasin, she ran outside.
“Water,” she muttered, searching around. “And the nutrient solution, where was it?”
The LCD TV in front of the bed was still tirelessly broadcasting the news.
Perhaps Pei Huan had directly turned off the main power and forgot to turn the tv off last night. Now, as soon as it was powered on, it resumed its relentless broadcasting. However, Pei Huan couldn’t care less about it at the moment; her mind was full of the young man in the bathtub.
“According to our reporter’s information, the youngest son of the prestigious music family, the Lu family, has tragically passed away…”
Pei Huan rummaged through a pile of junk food packaging and found the remaining nutrient solution.
“To console the devastated parents, today, the eldest son of the Lu family, who has been recuperating in the oasis, rushed back home…”
“…Lu Shang, the youngest son of the Lu family, has always possessed astonishing musical talent. At the tender age of ten, he achieved… his hit song…”
Pei Huan filled a glass with purified water.
“According to insiders, the eldest son of the Lu family, Lu Gong, is even more gifted. His new song, ‘Rain,’ will be released in a month’s time…”
With the water and nutrient solution in hand, Pei Huan hurriedly barged into the bathroom.
In just a moment, the young man who had been leaning against the edge of the bathtub before she left was now calmly lying underwater. His black hair floated, and small transparent bubbles appeared at the corners of his mouth, as if he was trying to drown himself.
“Don’t give up so easily.”
Startled, Pei Huan dropped the cup of water and nutrient solution in her hand and rushed forward. Amidst the splashing water, she pulled the young man out of the bathtub.
“I just finished giving you a bath!”
*
Lu Shang lay drowsily in the water, his consciousness flowing like the current.
The foam floating on the surface of the bathtub concealed his pale body, and he felt a fragile sense of comfort.
In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Lu Shang’s mind.
Including the nonsensical yet strangely surreal conversation before his death.
And the owner of that conversation, the unfamiliar blonde girl, seemed to have gone out to pour herself some water.
It’s really strange. Why is she so kind to him for no reason? And irresponsibly saying that she will love him and bring him happiness? Such disgusting words?
Does she understand the responsibility implied in those words?
And what is she doing all this for?
Is there anything left on him worth deceiving?
The bathroom door was wide open, and faint TV sounds could be heard from the bedroom. Lu Shang once again hated his sensitive hearing.
“Today, the eldest son of the Lu family, who has been living in Forest Star, rushed back home…”
It’s not today at all. Half a year ago, Lu Gong, who had been missing since childhood, was found.
“Lu Shang, the youngest son of the Lu family, has always possessed astonishing musical talent. At the age of only ten, he won the Smolet Golden Award. His hit song…”
Black and white piano keys and shimmering cold strings appeared before his eyes, the hard piano stool, the white sheet music. Day and night of practice made his fingertips constantly swollen. The so-called astonishing musical talent was nothing more than a product stubbornly built by layers of sweat. But even so, he still couldn’t see the joy in his parents’ eyes.
“After all this practice, is this the best you can do?”
“You’re far inferior compared to your brother…”
“If only your brother were still here!”
“Why couldn’t it have been you who died?!”
Yes, at that time, he also wondered why it wasn’t himself who died and his brother who lived.
If Lu Gong were here, it would have been a happy family, not like it is now, with the three of them tormenting each other like enemies.
But later, Lu Shang learned that he was just an artificial being created using his brother’s umbilical cord blood, a disposable substitute.
He didn’t deserve to live.
Just as Lu Gong, who had returned, said.
“If I hadn’t gotten lost when I was a child, you wouldn’t even exist.”
“You’re just a thief, stealing someone else’s life!”
Lu Shang didn’t want to listen anymore. He submerged his body and buried his head in his hands.
In the instant when the water rushed over him, his senses were instantly deprived.
An oppressive burning sensation forced its way into his mouth, nose, and lungs, compelling him to empty his thoughts.
Finally, his mind became clear.
Just as Lu Shang’s consciousness was gradually dissipating, a familiar hand suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him out forcefully.
Water splashed unexpectedly into his mouth and nose, causing him to cough repeatedly, while he heard the girl’s exclamation beside his ear.
“Don’t give up so easily!”
“I just finished giving you a bath!”
Tears from his coughing welled up in the corners of his eyes, and the world before him became superficial.
Lu Shang weakly gasped for breath as suggestive images flashed before his eyes, combined with the girl’s spontaneous words, a sudden realization struck him.
Ah, he understood.
She saved him.
It was all because she coveted his body.
*
Anyway, after an extreme operation, Pei Huan finally managed to bring Lu Shang’s health back to average.
She gave him water, administered the nutrient solution, and helped dry his body. Finally, she wrapped him in a blanket and carried him to the bed.
During this time, her soulmate obediently allowed her to fuss over him.
Saying that he was obedient seemed inappropriate; it was more like a heart turned to ashes, unable to resist, giving up on himself.
But she wouldn’t have done anything to him anyway.
Lu Shang was gently placed on the bed, and the damp sheet spread open from his chest, revealing a piece of snow-white delicate skin that seemed almost dazzling in the hazy light.
He looked up, pursing his lips, silent.
Pei Huan secretly praised, but she had to admit that although her soulmate wasn’t a girl, they matched each other in terms of beauty!
Naturally, she tucked the sheet neatly at Lu Shang’s chest and tied a secure and symmetrical perfect bow at his collarbone.
In the midst of Lu Shang’s speechless gaze, Pei Huan spoke cheerfully and satisfactorily,
“Although I am your one hundred percent trustworthy soulmate, boys still need to protect themselves outside, you know!”
Lu Shang’s original clothes were no longer wearable, and although he could temporarily use the blanket to cover himself, it was still inconvenient.
Pei Huan opened her recently acquired second-hand terminal and accessed the delivery service, but the nearby malls had already closed due to poor business at this time.
If she were to go to a more distant mall, the shipping fee would be more expensive than the clothes themselves, but poor Pei Huan had no money.
“I’ll go borrow some clothes from the boss lady,” Pei Huan said, finishing up wrapping Lu Shang like a silkworm, as he lay on the bed contemplating life. “I’ll be back soon.”
*
Downstairs at the counter, the boss lady had half of her hair rolled up. She rolled her eyelids and lazily asked, “What were you doing in the bathroom? You’re all wet.”
“I wasn’t doing anything, it’s a purely platonic friendship,” Pei Huan retorted. “By the way, boss, do you have any spare clothes here?”
“All your clothes got ruined from playing around? Must you be so rough? Don’t you know how to cherish something delicate?” the boss lady replied nonchalantly.
“I already said we weren’t doing anything inappropriate!”
The Radiance Magical Girl from the children’s show had no business in engaging in yellow films!
“Don’t the vending machines have clothes?” the boss lady casually responded. “Buy a set for your little lover.”
“He’s not my lover,” Pei Huan gave up. Thinking about the unique clothes in the vending machine, she spoke up, “Besides, those few strips of fabric can hardly be called clothes. If I gave someone these kinds of clothes to wear, they would definitely think I’m a pervert!”
“Well, then, what can I do? Do you think I might have any decent clothes?” The boss lady seductively pursed her lips and smiled, getting up gracefully. She wore a lace cheongsam with hollowed-out patterns, exuding an indescribable allure and sensuality.
There was no other choice, Pei Huan had to try her luck at the vending machine.
The lingerie vending machine looked similar to a gachapon machine, except that it sold something naughty instead of toys.
Pei Huan carefully examined the product thumbnails attached to the vending machine. Cat-themed lingerie set, although fluffy, the amount of fabric on the body was even less than a tail. Not suitable. Pink nurse outfit, although it came with a syringe prop, it only had a large heart on the chest. Not suitable. Mandarin ducks playing in the water red lace bellyband, it was so thin that it barely covered anything. Not suitable.
Ah, she saw something—Temptation of the Pure White Magical Girl. How could such a wicked thing exist in the world? Not suitable, not suitable…
After a dazzling and blushing selection process, Pei Huan finally found the most suitable set: a doctor costume.
Plain and ordinary white lab coat, very suitable.
Although it was revealing, there was still plenty of fabric.
Pei Huan entered the corresponding number for the doctor’s outfit, happily swiped the payment code, and twisted the button below.
A round, white capsule popped out.
She opened it and indeed found a very normal doctor’s outfit, but it was only on the front side.
Because, this piece of clothing had no back at all!!! There were only a few thin and pitiful straps at the back!
If her soulmate was to wear it…
No, she already had a picture in her mind! The purity of their relationship was in jeopardy!
Why couldn’t they clearly depict it in the product image!
Pei Huan gritted her teeth. The fabric in her hand felt particularly hot. After a brief moment of hesitation and short contemplation, she bought another capsule of the same outfit.
She opened the capsule and combined the two single-sided white coats in her hand.
Now, didn’t it have a back side? Could it be that she was actually a genius?
*
Pei Huan gestured to Lu Shang on how to wear the two pieces of clothing.
“Put on this piece first, then put on the other one, got it?”
Lu Shang held the two pieces of clothing in his hands, and the white thin straps dangled between his fingers, wobbling unsteadily. Suddenly, he thought of countless incomprehensible things to himself.
Pei Huan understood his expression and sheepishly scratched her cheek. “Well, maybe it’s better to forget about it. The blanket is fine.”
“Do you… have… needles and thread?” Lu Shang covered his throat and said with difficulty.
After being injected with a deadly neurotoxin and driven out of the Lu family, he had been hunted by the assassins employed by Lu Gong. Later, he got injured and fell into the river, drifting for a long time until Pei Huan saved him.
Although he didn’t know why he was still alive now.
Perhaps it was just an excess stroke of luck, but maybe for the rest of his life, he could only live on like this, with difficulty and disability.
If Pei Huan knew his concerns, she would surely tell him that such reasoning didn’t apply in the world of magical girls. As long as there is love, love can heal everything.
“Needles and thread? Yes, I have them.” Pei Huan began rummaging around the room and finally found a sewing kit in a corner. “Here you go.”
Lu Shang sat up with his weak and feeble body. He covered himself with the blanket, spread out the bed sheet, and made some markings with a pen. Even these simple movements made him sweat and paled.
Pei Huan stepped forward to help. “Do I cut it like this?”
Lu Shang nodded.
“And then fold it like this?”
“The thread won’t go through, wait a moment.”
“Okay, done. Do I sew it like this?”
Under Lu Shang’s guidance, Pei Huan quickly made a simple outfit. The main body of the clothing was made from a light blue blanket, with the collar stitched from the fabric of the white coat. If one ignored the shoddy stitching and slightly odd sleeves, it was a fairly normal outfit.
“You’re amazing!” Pei Huan exclaimed excitedly.
Before coming to the starry skies, she had received an invitation for “Radiance Magical Girl Chronicles: Genius Designer,” but she had declined because she was terrible at household chores. As a result, the crew even hired several organizing experts to teach her, but none of them succeeded.
But now, with Lu Shang’s guidance, she was able to make a decent outfit in a short period of time, which greatly amazed Pei Huan.
It was just some quick fixes, it’s not something impressive or anything.
Lu Shang shook his head.
“Those things don’t matter.”
“The most important thing is that your happiness level is increasing.” Pei Huan held Lu Shang’s hand, her eyes sparkling. “If you feel happy, you’ll recover quickly!”
A dried up mushroom currently addicted to translating novels. Totally not on caffeine!
