On the surface, he maintained the necessary outings every day, pretending to be nonchalant, but he was always observing everyone's reactions.
Fortunately, everyone still greets me in a friendly way when they see me. It seems that Ms. Qian Zhihe has not exposed me.
The same is true today.
I was chatting with the workers who were responsible for helping us move.
It's not that I want to chat with them, but this is to greet them on behalf of Raya, and I can't escape it no matter what.
"Mr. Gulao, what is little sister Raya doing in the hotel?"
"Not sure..."
"Mr. Gu, little sister Raya..."
It's obvious that they pay more attention to Raya's daily life than me.
Well... for a girl as impeccable as Raya, it is natural for her to be popular.
After completing the meeting with the workers, I left the construction site.
Night has already fallen, and the workers go drinking together.
Normally I would probably choose to go with them, but tonight there are so many stars in the sky that I am in the mood for a walk.
On the roadside, several traveling merchants were talking to each other while packing their bags. Distant and unfamiliar words popped out of their mouths one after another: Wanderer, Traveler Alliance, Samobir, Shenxingguan... As expected of a traveling businessman who travels around all day long, he is well-informed... I can’t even understand what they say.
I think of Barrick.
At this moment, that guy is probably lying in a stable, close to the haystack and suffering... The money I gave is just a drop in the bucket, I hope he can survive a few more winter nights.
I walked slowly, leaving behind the group of traveling businessmen who were about to set off.
Before I knew it, I came to a small road, with no other passers-by around and it was quiet.
It was pitch black nearby, creating a slightly scary atmosphere, but luckily there were stars overhead for company.
I reacted - this place is the northern part of the town that I rarely set foot in.
Two or three minutes later, there was a faint light ahead, and I recognized it as a working street light.
The street lights in the magical world are not the same thing as the "lights" in the technological world where I used to live.
Here, it also has another name: [Lighting Magic Tool].
The so-called "magic tool" is the general term for all tools that require magic power. In the technological world, "such-and-such machine", such as cameras and washing machines, in the magical world, becomes "such-and-such magic tool".
Of course, there are differences in specific details between "such and such machine" and "such and such magic tool", but that is normal, after all, they are products that exist in different worlds.
As for lighting magic tools, as the name suggests, it is the general name for items used for lighting, similar to street lights and indoor lights in the technological world... except that they are driven by magic.
End of introduction.
I quickened my pace and heard a cry of "wuwu" at the same time.
The cry was not loud, but it was very clear. I could easily tell that the cryer was a child.
Well...he's still a kid with a pretty voice.
After all, I used to be an otaku... In this case, if you don't think about lolita, you are probably not qualified.
In this case, I am willing to help others and join in the fun~~
Without much effort, I found a child rubbing his eyes vigorously next to the lighting device.
I came to the child and lowered my head expectantly to take a look——
Alas...it turns out to be a man.
I'd better stop meddling in other people's business.
Disappointed, I was about to turn around and leave, but my arm was grabbed by the child.
"Mr. Gu Lao! Are you here to help me?"
As expected, this kid really recognized me and couldn’t leave now.
I cleared my throat and asked in a calm tone:
"What's wrong, kid? Do you want some candy? Did the candy fall on the ground and get dirty? Or did you fall? Lost it? Do you need to wait for the next person to help?"
"Please don't treat me like a child! What do you mean by waiting for the next person to help? Can't you help me?"
...Leave him to the police officers and gentlemen.
"As far as I know, I am the type of person who can't help you at all. I can at most send you to the police station."
"Oh! I don't want it!"
"Why?"
"You will be taught a lesson..."
"What do you want?"
"Is this something you have to consider? Why are you asking me?"
"I'm too lazy to think about it."
"Then you are really useless."
"Hey, respect the old man."
"Well... you are not an old man, you are just a lonely old man."
...Dear brat, glib.
I looked at the child in front of me. Judging from his clothes, at least he was not homeless.
"Okay, okay...so you are just here to play, right? Then I have to leave."
As soon as the words came out, the child grabbed my arm tighter and immediately became timid.
"Should we go to the police station or not?"
I have no choice but to ask one more question.
"I...I'm lost."
"I see, do you want to go to the police station?"
"No, no, no, no! I've said it several times! Can't you take me home?"
"...Do you know how to get home?"
"Of course I know, please don't treat me like a child!"
"...Hey, why don't you just walk back? Why do you have to have me take you off?"
It took me a long time to figure out the way. This guy... took me so long.
"..."
"Bye~~"
"Wait!"
The child hugged me as I wanted to say goodbye, and looked over with a pitiful face.
"There's no point in acting coquettishly... In order not to be misunderstood, let me emphasize that I like girls, and I don't like children..."
To be precise, I don’t like male children, but I won’t say it to avoid being regarded as a lolita.
"I know! Besides, I'm not a child!"
The child seemed to feel insulted and his face turned red.
"..."
"..."
I looked at him silently, and after a while, he explained in a low voice:
"I...I know how to go back, but...it's too dark now...I have to wait until dawn..."
Oh~~So that’s it, he’s a coward who doesn’t dare to walk at night.
Well...
It’s difficult... I can’t just leave him alone. It wouldn’t be good if something happened and implicated me.
Well, then take this kid back to the hotel first and send him back tomorrow morning.
Having made up my mind, I took my hand out of my pocket and reached out to the child:
"Okay, let's go."
"Where to go?"
"Hotel."
"You, you, didn't you say you like a girl?! You lied!"
This kid... underestimated him.
"I'm just letting you stay for one night... By the way, I like beautiful girls."
......
I finally made it to the next day. In order not to let Raya find out, I woke up the child at dawn and left the hotel.
Without the fear of the night, the child was much more energetic and skipped ahead of me.
Soon, we arrived at his home - a remote nursing home.
I explained the situation to the janitor, who asked me to wait a moment and then went to find the dean.
"Hey, kid, I've never been here before even though I'm old..."
"Because you won't grow old."
"Do you understand this?"
"Humph, that's natural. I also know that you are called a 'moving statue'! I am not a child!"
"Okay, so smart..."
I am perfunctory with children.
"A moving statue"? Someone indeed compared me to this...Who is it?
The janitor came back, and beside him was a fat woman about forty or fifty years old, who must be the director of the nursing home.
I patted the child on the back, but he did not rush to the woman impatiently, but lowered his head.
"Al!"
The woman walked towards us quickly and probably called the child's name.
"Really, running around again is very dangerous!"
She took the child's hand, leaned over and scolded me softly, and then bowed to me apologetically.
"I'm really sorry to cause you any trouble. Fortunately, this child met you."
"Nothing. This kid...is called Al?"
"Ah, yes."
"You are the dean, right? That's amazing."
I have been observing the nursing home since the beginning - the beautiful scenery, meticulous care and peaceful atmosphere are enough to show her intentions.
"You're honored."
The dean raised his head, smiled, and his eyes stayed on my face for a long time.
"..."
"What?"
I saw that she didn't speak for a long time, so I asked.
"You... aren't you Mr. Lonely?"
"Yes."
"Yeah..."
For some reason, the dean suddenly beamed with joy.
"Long time no see! I haven't seen you for a really long time!"
"...you are?"
"Ah... you really can't recognize me anymore? Haha, that's normal. I can't age like you."
The dean covered his mouth and smiled, with a mischievous light in his eyes.
"Just a reminder - Mr. Statue."
"...oh..."
I remembered.
No wonder Al calls me "the moving statue."
She is indeed an acquaintance of mine, but she has been an acquaintance for more than 20 years. "Moving Statue" is exactly the nickname she gave me.
"It's you...I thought you no longer lived in the small town."
"I won't leave without saying goodbye."
"Disappearing without warning is not much different, right?"
"It's just that you're too lazy to look for me."
"Pfft... By the way, we haven't seen each other for a long time."
"Yeah, almost...almost thirty years?"
"Have you been running a nursing home all these years?"
"Well, that's why we have the current scale, isn't it amazing?"
The director looked at the nursing home as if he was looking at his lover.
"Awesome..."
I nodded heartily.
"I have spent a lot of time working on it, and I have become an old and ugly old woman...but you still haven't changed much."
"I am a 'statue'."
The dean smiled.
"Then...this guy is your child?"
I am referring to Al who has been silent since just now.
"No...but I'm responsible for taking care of him."
"That's it."
"I'm not married yet."
The dean confessed gently:
"Didn't I say that all my thoughts are devoted to this small nursing home."
"Well..."
"Isn't it incredible?"
"A little bit."
The past time passes through my mind like a slideshow.
The dean was very beautiful when she was young, and I knew no less than ten of her suitors.
Including Raya's father.
Raya’s father is her friend who has been with her since childhood. It was through this relationship that I got to know her.
"But this is a choice I made after careful consideration, so I have no regrets."
"That's good."
"Hmm~~That's good!"
She parroted the sentence.
Having said that, once I remembered her naughty and cute face in the past, more and more of her faces appeared in my mind one after another, until it overlapped with the face of someone I met recently.
"Well... I would like to ask, what is your relationship with Miss Qian Zhihe?"
"Ah, that child... is my adopted daughter."
......
As we were preparing to say goodbye, we shook hands.
Her fingers were a little bloated, and her palms were hard and rough, giving me the illusion of stroking dry tree bark.
I watched her and Al walk into the nursing home.
I suddenly realized: She is really old.
The brisk and nimble steps in my memory have become slow, and the graceful figure has become fat. The arms that were once swinging carefree have also become listless, hanging stupidly in the air.
However, when the dean turned back and waved to me, I found that her eyes were still so bright.
It was like catching a glimpse of the remaining morning dew on a dead leaf, and my heart suddenly moved.
This makes me firmly believe that no matter what she becomes, she will always be an innocent little girl in my mind.