Chapter 23 - Lin Ran

"Welcome home! Eh, what’s wrong? You don’t look too happy, did something happen?"Lin Ran looked at the girl changing shoes in the hallway with a drooping, gloomy face and asked.

"Don’t even ask."

It’s amazing Xu Xiaoyou isn’t in a good mood.

First, she fell into the trap of overtime at the company, then wasted a bullet because of three oblivious guys, and finally got targeted by an investigator who seemed a bit psychotic.

Exhausted in both body and mind, she collapsed onto the sofa, the air conditioner whirring beside her, bringing a slight sense of relief from the feeling of home.

The sound from the TV was audible nearby; Anya, wearing petite pajamas as if she just showered, looked scrubbed clean and whiter. Upon seeing Xu Xiaoyou return, she got up and ran over to the girl, pulling her hand.

"Waaaa..."

"Anya, I’m too tired, I don’t have the energy to play with you," Xu Xiaoyou said.

Anya tilted her head and stood still for a moment, then toddled off.

"Oh my, do you understand what she’s saying?" Lin Ran was surprised. "I spent so much effort to communicate with her! Taking care of kids is really troublesome."

"No, just a guess."

Xu Xiaoyou sat up, drawn to the images on the TV.

"Flying Baby" is about an infant born with superpowers, capable of soaring in the sky and burrowing above and below ground, his mother has the natural unlucky physique, constantly running into misfortune. On the way to work in the morning, she faces falling objects from heights or cars rushing out while crossing the street; at night, after a tiring day, she risks encountering robbery on her way home.

The baby’s high intelligence means he can speak already, with strong abilities in thinking and action, he acts like a good baby in front of his mother; during the quiet night, he fights for justice in the city.

Overall, it appears to be a heartwarming family baby daily life theme, receiving high ratings online with unanimous praise from thousands as the best family routine TV show of the year.

Xu Xiaoyou really wants to gripe, the female protagonist in the drama is just too naive, acting clueless even when the whole truck in front of her gets flipped over by the Super Baby.

"Do you like watching this stuff?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.

"Of course not! Do I look like someone that idle?" Lin Ran replied, "It’s Anya who wants to watch."

At this moment, Anya came back, handing over a glass of water.

"Tired... drink water..."

Taking the water, Xu Xiaoyou drank a sip; the temperature was just right, offering a comfortable warmth in the mouth.

Seemingly getting drowsy, after handing over the water, Anya ran off to turn off the TV and went back to her room.

"She behaves quite well in front of you," Lin Ran noted, watching the little girl’s departing figure. "When helping her with her bath, I saw she had stripe-like scars on her back, and those burnt ring marks on her arm..."

"That’s from her previous caretaker, what do you take me for?"

"Hn..." Lin Ran lowered his gaze, looking thoughtful.

After a mental struggle, Lin Ran summoned the courage to speak:

"Chen Xinyi, she..."

"Is dead," Xu Xiaoyou replied.

She hadn’t forgotten this, asking Gloss about it after dinner at the company. She remembered Gloss’s surprised and curious expression.

Gloss had replied verbatim, ’Her? She died a few days ago, found dead in the employee dormitory, supposedly stabbed to death, really creepy.’

Xu Xiaoyou recounted Gloss’s words to Lin Ran.

Lin Ran’s expression was complicated after listening, appearing a bit forlorn.

"So what was she to you?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.

"What else could it be, just, you know... that kind of relationship..." Lin Ran stammered.

Xu Xiaoyou’s expression was playful.

"She used to say she’d stay with me no matter what, I was utterly deceived by her..." Lin Ran’s face didn’t look well, apparently reminiscing unpleasant memories. "Really annoying."

"Always going on about the future together or something, for her, I worked overtime every day at the company, bought her bags, jewelry, opened a shop funded by me; eating, drinking, using, and staying all from my pocket, and much more..."

"Yet it turned out this way! She still messed around with other women, when I found out she even proposed breaking up! I was so furious I almost cried, she just didn’t care, and the whole company laughed at me."

As she talked, Lin Ran’s eyes reddened with tears, rubbing her tear-reddened eyes:

"Can you believe how hateful she is! That kind of scumbag girl, just awful!"

"I was so outraged, I, I even attempted suicide."

Xu Xiaoyou empathized and patted Lin Ran’s shoulder:

"Love-struck devotees never end well, especially hopelessly romantic ones. In these conditions in Nest City, you’re still thinking of falling in love?"

Lin Ran nodded with tear-stained eyes: "I was really stupid and naive before, love struck completely blind, grinning like an idiot thinking about the future. And it ended up just holding hands the whole time..."

"Still though, when I heard she died, I felt somewhat sad."

As Lin Ran spoke, she grew more aggrieved; Xu Xiaoyou comforted her for a while before Lin Ran’s heart started to calm.

After some time, she spoke:

"I feel my resentment has been lifted, no longer confined to this small room. If I want to go out, I should be able to."

"A premonition, I can just vanish if I wish."

"So, you’re leaving?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.

"I don’t know..." Lin Ran’s eyes flashed with confusion, "Leaving the world so grudgingly."

"I can go wherever I want now, not being trapped by a bleak future when everything has just started," Lin Ran said.

Eventually, like resolving her mind, the girl waved her fist.

"I’ve decided, I’m going to plan a huge trip, travel all over the world! No way I’m confined to Nest City!"

Xu Xiaoyou nodded, then said:

"To be honest, strange creatures just wandering like you, any first-tier Cleaner can turn you into a point earner."

Lin Ran thought about the scene, faced with the crazed Cleaners, her face turned pale, entirely unsettled.

"That’s why I’m planning a trip first. For now, I’ll reluctantly stay here, that kid Anya seems quite pitiful..."

"Didn’t you say taking care of kids is troublesome?"

"How does it sound like I’m begging you to let me stay!" Lin Ran put hands on hips, speaking with newfound boldness.

"From now on, I won’t beg anyone anymore! I just want to stay here, what’s wrong with that?"

Xu Xiaoyou was amused by her cheerful attitude.

"Why are you laughing, give me your phone!" Lin Ran extended her hand confidently.

"What are you going to do? Report me or something."

"I’m going to say goodbye to the past completely!"