Monster - Chapter 150

Chapter 150: Center City - Birthday

After saying that, both fell silent. Only the sound of breathing from the phone and distant New Year's greetings from people could be heard. After an unknown period, Lin Sandie broke the silence.

"Coming home?"

"Mm." Lou put away her phone, got up, and hailed a taxi to return to her residence in Black Goat Walled City. This time, she didn't use her abilities, simply walking step by step back to Lin Sandie's side.

She took the elevator to the top floor of their apartment and raised her hand to knock.

When Lin Sandie opened the door, she was still wearing Lou's rabbit-print pajamas and rabbit slippers.

Lou said nothing, just stared intently at Lin Sandie.

Seeing a few unmelted snowflakes on Lou's head, Lin Sandie restrained herself from brushing them off. Now, she was the one feeling fearful and uneasy.

"Go wash up," Lin Sandie said softly, closing the door.

Lou was still wearing the same clothes from a few days ago, and her cheeks were much thinner than when they first met. Miu had told her that when Lou was "bedeviled," she often went without food or drink, almost all her physiological needs put on pause by herself.

"Mm," Lou responded, obedient like a puppet. She took her pajamas, went into the bathroom, thoroughly washed herself, and came out to see Lin Sandie sitting on the living room sofa, the lights off, staring blankly at the snow outside the window.

The faint light filtering in from outside made her facial contours appear somewhat blurry.

Lou stood at the bathroom door, looking at Lin Sandie, unmoving and silent, as if waiting for the next instruction.

Lin Sandie turned around, looking at Lou, who was backlit. The shadows obscured Lou's expression. "Come here?"

Lou's spring was wound. She stepped over to Lin Sandie's side, sitting in the spot next to her, her eyes still fixed on Lin Sandie.

The latter faced her, her eyes veiled with a gentle glow.

After looking at Lou for a long moment, she picked up the towel from Lou's shoulder, raised her hand, and began to dry her wet hair.

Lou changed her posture.

She lowered her head slightly, looking at her ankles, letting Lin Sandie dry her hair.

Lin Sandie's words, clearly enunciated with a southern accent, sounded in her ear.

"When I was in Star City, Pie returned my dream memories of you to me."

"I estimated the time myself. I was probably on the verge of death during that Rose Society 'certificate of honor' ritual, and you gave me a blood transfusion to save me. Meanwhile, Pie threw me into a place called Aztec in my dream."

...

Lin Sandie recounted her experiences over the past six months, starting from when she was transported to a strange world after Lou's blood transfusion during the "certificate of honor" ritual. She spoke of the different flow of time between the two worlds, of waking up with only fragmented memories, of treating the Little Fool in her dream as a passing stranger and never intending to leave anything for her, and of Pie already restricting her actions when she realized the Little Fool was Lou... Lin Sandie spoke of many things, including her apologies for not being able to tell Lou immediately after realizing she was the Little Fool. This was partly due to Pie's warnings, but also her own decision. She was ashamed of her incompetence, having decided the solution to the whole matter with Pie without Lou's consent.

She also spoke of her conflicted feelings towards the child in her dream, always assuming there would be no future interaction, making no preparations, thinking she could detach herself without ties. Otherwise, she would have had better ways to reduce the Little Fool's confusion, even giving examples like writing letters to the Little Fool after each departure. But she wasn't even willing to try such methods, fearing she would leave too much of her own imprint on the Little Fool. And by the time she understood that the Little Fool was Lou, Pie had already restricted much of her freedom.

Lin Sandie kept talking until the sky began to lighten. She usually spoke very little, but this time, it was as if she had uttered all the words of her life. She laid herself bare before Lou, allowing Lou to see up close an imperfect, sometimes even selfish and arbitrary Little Rabbit.

Lou listened and watched quietly, her hair long since dry, a pair of bright, piercing eyes behind the messy strands.

"I don't understand why Pie made such a convoluted arrangement for my life. I'm very sorry, I'm actually the one who needs to apologize. So I hope, at least, please don't blame yourself for the Little Rabbit anymore." Lin Sandie's eyes reddened again. She tried hard not to cry. Lou was the real victim, and she was merely bearing some of the karma she had to bear.

"Because you are Pie's successor. According to the divine authority she wields, you must experience many temporal dislocations and inverted causes and effects. This is a trial a successor must undergo."

"Pie's successor?"

"Are you hungry?" Lou asked instead.

"......"

"I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat at home?" Lou got up and walked to the kitchen. She casually tied up her hair and rummaged through the cupboards, finding rice, eggs, and ham sausage that hadn't gone bad. She began to wash the rice and cook.

Lin Sandie took a deep breath and also got up to enter the kitchen, ready to help.

"I can do it myself," Lou said to Lin Sandie, boiling water.

"I have nothing to do," Lin Sandie stood aside, holding it in for a long time before finally uttering a useless remark.

"Go rest." Lou pushed Lin Sandie out of the kitchen. The latter had been talking all night, her throat already hoarse.

Lin Sandie felt at a loss. After being pushed out of the kitchen, she sat on the sofa, staring blankly.

Before, whether in her own home in Center City or in Disorder Land, Lou rarely cooked. When she did, it was usually simple, hunger-satisfying food. But just now, she saw Lou beating eggs and dicing ham.

She really couldn't understand Lou. Lin Sandie thought that after knowing she was the Little Rabbit, Lou would either fly into a rage and quarrel with her, or cry and act spoiled, or at the very least, give her a hug?

Rubbing her aching temples, Lin Sandie forced herself to calm down.

She hadn't sat for long when Lou came out of the kitchen, holding a cup of warm water, which she placed in front of Lin Sandie.

"Drink some water."

"Lou..." Seeing Lou put down the water and about to leave, Lin Sandie immediately grabbed her hand.

But before Lin Sandie's hand could touch Lou, the latter recoiled as if burned, raising her hand high.

This was truly hurtful. Lin Sandie's hand remained suspended in the air.

"Uh... that, I'll make you egg fried rice." Lou paused for two seconds, then turned and fled towards the kitchen.

Lin Sandie took another deep breath, picked up the water on the table, and took a sip, deciding to let Lou do as she pleased and not press her any further.

Meeting the Little Rabbit she had missed for hundreds of years, and that person being herself, Lou's feelings might indeed be a bit complex, a bit overwhelmed.

But whether Lou's mental state still had hidden dangers, that needed to be confirmed at some point.

Lin Sandie thought, adjusting her sitting posture. The Scorpion implanted in her back often required her to take painkillers. Since last night, her back had been aching, and now it was becoming unbearable.

Looking at the busy figure in the kitchen, Lin Sandie hesitated, then carried the water to her room, preparing to take a few painkillers.

By the time Lin Sandie's pain subsided, Lou had already brought out two bowls of golden, appetizing egg fried rice, and a small pot of seaweed and egg drop soup.

Lin Sandie sat down at the dining table, took the spoon Lou handed her, and waited for Lou to sit down before starting to eat.

"After we eat, let's clean up and go find Jian Yi, okay? To transfer the Scorpion from your back to mine?"

"No," Lin Sandie blurted out.

"My physical condition is better than yours, and my mental power is stronger. If it's transferred to me, our chances of winning against Tree will be higher," Lou said seriously, her face stern, like another Lin Sandie.

Lin Sandie looked at Lou, who, under her gaze, averted her eyes, blushing, and buried her head in her food.

The two of them sat side by side at the dining table. Seeing Lou like this, Lin Sandie's eyes held a gentle smile.

"Can I try yours?"

"They're all the same," Lou stopped eating, answering subconsciously.

"I want to try yours."

Lou's ears reddened a few more shades. She scooped up a spoonful, lowered her head, and offered it to Lin Sandie, not daring to look at the other person.

This person in front of her was the Little Rabbit. She had taught her so much, raised her to adulthood, and would hit her when she was naughty. She was so lofty and indispensable. Lou had regarded her as family, a mentor, a guide, but this person was actually Lin Sandie.

The fragile Lin Sandie, the strong Lin Sandie, the Lin Sandie who always aroused endless desires in her.

Lou still couldn't grasp the reality of this. This was something that should only happen in dreams; how could it be real?

Lin Sandie opened her mouth and ate the fried rice Lou offered her.

"I never knew you were such a good cook."

"Travel was boring, so I'd find things to pass the time when I had it," Lou answered honestly, lowering her head to eat her own meal.

"I knew all along you'd become a very reliable person," Lin Sandie also looked back at her fried rice, eating with a happy heart.

By the time they finished the fried rice, it was already past 7 AM. Lin Sandie was about to get some proper rest when Lou emerged from the kitchen again, carrying a simple small cake with a candle stuck in it.

"Luckily I found flour and eggs. Happy birthday~" Lou grinned at Lin Sandie. She hadn't forgotten it was the other's birthday today.

Lin Sandie smiled back at her, which made Lou feel shy again. She placed the small cake on the coffee table and lit the candle.

"You can make a wish now," she said with a smile.

"Aren't you going to sing me 'Happy Birthday'?"

"...What's there to sing?" Lou mumbled, but still cleared her throat and began to sing the birthday song the Little Rabbit had taught her.

"Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~..."

Lin Sandie broke into a wide smile, blowing out the small candle during the lyrics, "May you always be happy."

"Thank you. I hope you can always be safe and sound from now on."

"Saying it out loud makes it not come true."

"But you'll help me make it happen, right?"

"I... I'll try."

"Wait for me." Lin Sandie got up and walked into the room. When she came out, she was holding a Rabbit Doll. Lou's eyes seemed glued to it. It was the very first one she had picked up, the one she had thrown away during her most rebellious teenage years, and had never seen again since.

"I didn't have time to get you a birthday present, so this is a New Year's gift." Lin Sandie tucked the Rabbit Doll into Lou's arms, smiling at her.

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