The day after tomorrow, she would send He Rou back to Hailin City alone.
These past few months, she had satisfied many of her desires on He Rou.
The twistedness inside her had become a little more normal.
The gloom over her mother’s death, the bloodthirsty and morbid cravings, everything that had been affecting her mental and physical health—it had all been treated through He Rou.
Since that was the case, she also felt it was time to properly prepare for herself.
Luo Yun watched He Rou picking through the items at the stall.
For some reason, she felt a sense of warmth.
It was like going back to the past.
When they were kids, He Rou would come trotting over to play with her, clutching the pitiful pocket money her parents gave her, babbling things like “I’ll treat you” like some adult.
Thinking back now, she was really adorably silly back then.
Luo Yun narrowed her eyes as she watched He Rou pop a snack into her mouth, her cheeks moving nonstop.
She felt more and more like her mental illness had been cured.
She didn’t want to torment He Rou anymore.
In fact, she increasingly felt that this wasn’t so bad.
Luo Yun smiled.
The surroundings grew livelier.
Everyone was celebrating the arrival of the new year.
The sounds of children playing, couples doting on each other, the affectionate tones of grandparents, vendors hawking their goods…
Luo Yun couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d felt this kind of bustle.
Before her mother died?
Had she ever?
‘I think I’ve forgotten.’
Her parents were always busy.
It was always He Rou who kept her company.
Though they did make time for her every now and then…
Luo Yun narrowed her eyes in recollection, sitting on a step and enjoying the moment.
He Rou came back with the snacks she liked.
She was always so small.
Small in body.
Small in heart.
In her left hand, she clutched the change from the stall owner.
Her right hand was full of food.
It took the stall owner a while to give her the change—after all, he didn’t expect anyone in this age of mobile payments to pay with cash for something with decimals.
“Here…”
He Rou extended both hands, laying out the messy bills and coins, along with the food she’d bought, in front of Luo Yun.
“Is it good?”
“Pretty good.”
“Then you eat. I won’t take it from you.”
“What about this money…”
Luo Yun’s attention shifted to it.
She didn’t know if the stall owner did it on purpose—seeing He Rou looked like a kid, he gave her some worn-out bills and dirty coins.
“Keep it yourself.”
As she said this, Luo Yun took some red bills from her bag and stuffed them into He Rou’s hand that held the money.
“Tonight… I’ll let you be a little willful.”
“Ah? Th… thank you…”
A sudden wave of happiness flooded He Rou’s mind.
These days had been really happy.
No beatings, no humiliation, not even scolding.
Luo Yun was like a different person.
He Rou’s lips curled up slightly.
If happiness was followed by pain, then she just wanted to enjoy this hard-earned happiness as much as she could.
Soon, the drone show began.
Luo Yun pulled He Rou to an excellent viewing spot in advance.
He Rou kept chewing on food, never stopping.
It had been so many years since she’d lived this happily.
Back then, there were only fireworks, but even so, she loved them.
The city lights were numerous and bright.
The pitch-black sky was tinged yellow from the glow.
Countless drones hung there like on a black canvas.
They waited for the signal, and then they would showcase humanity’s technology and art for the people of this city.
To put a perfect end to the year of hard work.
They all worked hard.
They were all amazing.
This year was still prosperous.
Next year, keep trying.
He Rou watched the effects that could only be seen in movies being pulled off by so many drones.
She was thrilled.
She rarely had access to entertainment devices, and years of learning how to serve others had cut her off from the times.
She had no phone, no computer, not even much TV.
So any little bit of entertainment was enough to make her face flush with excitement.
Luo Yun, long used to this scene, kept her eyes on He Rou’s reaction.
‘As expected… Kids are kids.’
He Rou didn’t know that this show had been going on for who knows how many years.
Luo Yun put a hand over her heart.
After spending this time with He Rou, she understood everything.
Her mind was sick, her spirit was sick, her brain was sick.
Everything she did under that control was sinful.
Her father had spent so much trying to cure her, but in the end, he softened and gave Luo Yun freedom.
But now…
‘The medicine is here.’
He Rou beside her was like a tailor-made remedy.
But this medicine was also fragile.
During their time together, Luo Yun had poured out all her inner desires onto He Rou without reservation.
That was why Luo Yun was afraid He Rou might go insane or die.
“Hey! Is… is that my name?”
In the dark sky, the many drones formed big letters.
“He Rou, Happy New Year.”
He Rou’s jaw dropped in disbelief.
Luo Yun, who had been watching her reaction, couldn’t help but laugh.
Every year’s drone show was prepared by Luo Yun’s family for New Year’s Eve.
As the city’s biggest taxpayer and the sole heir, tweaking the show lineup a little was simple enough.
This was this year’s gift to He Rou.
After all, next year…
The medicine would still need to be taken.
When Luo Yun herself could no longer bear it, she would appear suddenly one day at He Rou’s bedside.
…
The drone show ended.
The sky returned to darkness.
Just as He Rou was still savoring it—
“Boom—”
Colorful fireworks burst across the sky.
He Rou’s face was illuminated by the fireworks.
She stretched her legs and stood on tiptoes, trying to see more.
Luo Yun looked at her, then unconsciously turned her eyes to the sky.
‘If only everything could be like this…’
Luo Yun didn’t know why she was seeking happiness.
But right now, was she happy?
She didn’t know.
Was she joyful?
Maybe.
The fireworks were beautiful.
But her incurable mind had long forbidden her from pursuing happiness.
The harm would continue.
But this time it was different.
She wanted to earn He Rou’s dependence.
Six months was enough for someone who had never experienced society to understand how harsh it could be.
In a place with no help, where she was bullied every day, she didn’t care what He Rou would become.
In the end, she just needed to put the last act of the script to a close.
Then everything would be fine.
Would He Rou be afraid to go out afterward?
Afraid of strangers?
She didn’t care.
In fact, He Rou turning out that way was fine.
In the end, she only needed He Rou’s dependence.
That simple.
When they met again…
Luo Yun couldn’t imagine how intense her desires would be.