Chapter 1882: Thank You

Aurora Realm.

Frost Avenue.

Flurries of snow fell from the gray-hazed sky, and the cold wind blew through the empty streets, sweeping the broken snow across cheeks like messy, fine blades.

Hot breath dissipated in the wind. A young boy wrapped in a thick cotton coat walked forward in the wind and snow with his head down, holding a bag of bread in his hands, both of which were frozen red.

He hurried up the steps of a house on the street corner and was just about to open the door with a key when a piece of paper tucked into the handle caught his attention.

He took the paper down and opened it to take a look...

A rent collection notice.

Yao pursed his lips, folded the paper, stuffed it into his pocket, and pushed the door open.

Creak—

"Brother, you’re back?" A young boy wearing theatrical robes and red makeup poked his head out from the room. "Is it very cold outside?"

"It’s alright, just a bit windy."

Yao replied calmly, patted the broken snow off his cotton coat, and with hands frozen stiff and red, slowly placed the bread bag on the table.

"Several shops didn't open today, and I couldn't buy any decent food... We’ll just have to make do for this meal."

Chen Yan walked out of the room and helped Yao pour the bread onto a dinner plate. After being frozen on the road outside, the bread was already as hard as a stone... Fortunately, Chen Yan had prepared hot water in advance, and after warming the bread for a while, it finally softened.

"Butter bread?" Chen Yan raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I’ve been craving this for several days."

A moment later, the neatly cut bread was placed on the dining table, and the two sat down.

The dim light illuminated the room, and the snow flying outside became more and more frantic.

A monotonous dinner of bread was placed on the spotless dining table, which could even be called simple, but the two brothers didn't mind at all. Instead, they chatted earnestly while applying salad dressing to each piece of bread.

"Brother, has work been going smoothly lately?"

"Very smoothly." Yao smiled slightly. "The old master who leads me in the workshop is about to be promoted to team leader, and I should be made a regular employee in the next two days... By then, the salary will be higher, and we won't have to live so tightly."

"It’s alright... it’s not that tight. At least we have a place to live and warm clothes to wear."

Chen Yan turned to look out the window. The flying snow had almost submerged the street scene, and there wasn't even a single pedestrian on the road... In this weather, if you didn't have a house or heating, you would really die if you stayed outside for too long.

Yao seemed to remember something, touched the folded rent collection notice in his pocket with his fingertips, and didn't speak.

He lowered his head and sped up his eating.

"By the way, how is the school party preparation going?" He changed the subject.

"The time for the party has been set, it’s tomorrow!" Speaking of this, a smile appeared on Chen Yan’s face. "The teacher came to me today and said that the program I prepared passed. I’m going on stage third from last, and it’s said that many leaders will come to watch."

"Tomorrow?" Yao was startled. "That’s a coincidence... your birthday is also tomorrow."

"Yeah, I feel it’s a coincidence too... It feels like a gift prepared for me by heaven." Chen Yan held half a piece of bread, dancing excitedly. Then, as if remembering something, he said apologetically, "I told the teacher that you could come into the school to watch too, but there might not be seats... I plan to bring a small stool for you."

Yao smiled:

"I don't need a seat. I’ve been sitting in the workshop all day, standing is fine too."

"Whatever, I’ll bring it for you anyway. But with such heavy snow today, I don't know if the party can still be held tomorrow..."

"The snow in the Aurora Realm always comes in bursts. You don't have to worry too much, it will definitely be sunny tomorrow."

“……”

The sound of conversation rang out in the dim, warm room.

Meanwhile,

A figure walked up the steps to the door, step by step, against the wind and snow.

Faint conversation and laughter drifted out from the crack in the door. He stood alone in the wind and snow, raising his hand to knock on the door... but the next moment, his hand paused in mid-air.

Snowflakes stuck to his hair bit by bit, and his temples were already gray. He looked at the window swaying with warm-colored lights, and a touch of complexity flowed in his gaze.

Chen Ling had already prepared himself mentally. He was going to deal with the Red Star this time, and no one knew if he would have a chance to come back alive... He thought that at the very least, he should return to the place where it all began to draw a period to his journey.

But when he really stood outside the door, he hesitated again...

In this life, under Ying Fu’s governance, there were no evil events of organ trafficking in the Aurora Realm. He had also secretly cured Yao’s illness through the Twilight Society many years ago. Now, the two brothers lived peacefully, and there would be no more disasters. Everything was already fulfilled.

Not long ago, it was he who personally stopped the Play God path, hoping to give Chen Yan a happy and stable life. Now that it was his turn, how could he disturb the brothers’ lives because of his own regrets?

He didn't even have a reason or identity to walk into the brothers’ lives...

Inside the house, it was as warm as spring; outside, the wind and snow danced wildly;

A door seemed to separate the two brothers from Chen Ling in two different worlds.

The wind and snow grew heavier, and Chen Ling was soaked through by the snow. The hand he had suspended in the air finally lowered bit by bit.

Just as he was about to turn and leave,

A sound of a door opening came from behind him.

Creak—

The warm-colored light swept slowly across the snow-covered steps,

And the figure of the actor who had suddenly frozen in place.

"A-Yan, you really didn't hear wrong, there really is someone outside." Yao stood behind the door, looking toward the dining room in surprise.

Tap, tap, tap.

A sound of bare feet running in the room rang out, and immediately after, Chen Yan, wearing theatrical robes, came to the door.

The brothers stood in the warm light, curiously looking at the disheveled back soaked through by snow under the steps... Their shadows were projected beside Chen Ling’s shadow, as if they were standing together.

"Who are you?" Chen Yan asked softly.

Chen Yan looked at the increasingly fierce wind and snow outside, and a flash of intolerance crossed his eyes. He exchanged glances with Yao, and although the latter still had some wariness in his eyes, he hesitated for a long time before nodding at him.

"There’s a blizzard tonight. If you don't find a place to spend the night, you’ll freeze to death." Chen Yan paused,

"If you really have nowhere to go..."

"Do you want to come to our house for the night?"

The wind and snow whined past the back under the steps.

The hem of the theatrical robes danced wildly in the wind...

I don't know how much time passed before the figure slowly turned half of his body. His moist eyes swirled silently, and two tear tracks had already been frozen into tiny broken crystals, drifting away in the wind.

Astonishment, bitterness, surprise, gratitude... No one knew what kind of emotions were contained in those eyes. It was like someone who was stubborn, walking headlong into the darkness, being pulled back by someone. That heart, which had finally persuaded itself to accept reality and pretend to be strong, fell apart under a simple sentence.

He stood in the ice and snow, looking at the young brothers standing in the light, his lips trembling as they parted...

"...Thank you."