The madman: Fu Jie

Fu Jie chuckled awkwardly, "Why would I lie to you? That's really my name."

"If you don't want to say, you don't want to say." The boy smirked as he looked at Fu Jie who was clearly lying, "Big brother, How are you going to eat if you don't remove that mask?"

Fu Jie looked down at the plate of dumplings that had been served in front of him and then back at the face of the boy who was sitting across from him.

The boy chuckled as he picked up a dumpling and took a bite out of it. Fu Jie gulped as his stomach let out a growl. He was too hungry and at this moment, his head didn't seem to be working too well.

He felt that it was okay to let the boy know his identity. There was still a chance that this boy wouldn't mind it or hand him over to the guards and on the off chance, if this boy were to trap him, he could always run away. He had done it once, he could most certainly do it again.

Fu Jie's hand reached out to untie the mask from the back and the boy seemed to have expected this reaction.

When the mask was completely removed, Fu Jie thought the boy would have a bigger reaction but all he got in return was a small gasp from the boy, "Big brother looks quite handsome. Why try to hide it away?" The boy complemented Fu Jie and it almost fooled Fu Jie into thinking that this boy didn't recognize him, "Just like I expected, you look better in person." After having said this, the boy continued to chew on his dumpling without explaining what he had just said but Fu Jie wasn't going to simply let the topic go like that.

"What do you mean? Do you know me?" Fu Jie asked in a worried tone as he wondered if it was better to put his mask back on and run away from the scene.

"Who doesn't know you?" The boy chuckled as he pointed his chopsticks at Fu Jie, "Your face is all over the streets. Only a fool would not recognize you and I'm no fool."

Fu Jie gulped as he suddenly felt that he was going back to that stinky jail because of his own carelessness.

"When I saw your poster, I thought you were handsome but..." The boy shook his head as he continued, "You look much better in real life."

"Um... Thank you...?" It wasn't Fu Jie's first time hearing that he was handsome. Even back in the real world, he was showered with praises about how good-looking he was. If it weren't for his bad personality, he would have certainly been the country's hottest bachelor in demand.

The boy chuckled as he put the chopstick down and rested his chin on his hand as he looked at the man and asked, "Should I hand you over to the guards?"

Fu Jie's muscles went stiff as a string of curses started forming in his mind but before he could let them out, the boy continued talking.

"Nah. I don't think that'll be fun."

Fu Jie sighed in relief as his muscles relaxed once again. He picked up his chopsticks and finally decided to satisfy his crying stomach that had suffered enough. If Xiao Jingyi was gonna give him clothes, he should have fed him too. Who kicks out a hungry man from their house like that?! Fu Jie was a bit bitter about it but when the taste of the dumpling passed through his tongue, he couldn't help but feel as if he was suddenly in heaven. Food was always better when you are hungry.

"Since you saved me, I fed you." The boy spoke up as he saw this, "But now you owe me for not calling the guards."

The dumpling that was ready to be gulped down now choked Fu Jie as he coughed upon hearing what the boy had to say.

"How are you going to pay me back?" The boy beamed and Fu Jie felt like whatever the boy was supposed to say next was certainly not going to be something he would be liking.

"You have nothing of value so you can't pay me. You can't even work because you're a fugitive."

Fu Jie nodded as he cut in between and spoke up, "I can't do anything for you. Why don't we just let it slide like that? After all, food can't be compared to saving your life!"

"Is that so?" The boy tilted his head as he asked, "But, we still can't let it go just like that, can we?"

Fu Jie gulped as his eyes twitched.

The boy suddenly smiled as he spoke, "I can't think of anything right now, so I'll let you know what I want when I think up of something."

"Brother, tell me the truth. How old are you?" Fu Jie asked in all seriousness.

The boy broke out laughing as he responded, "How old do you think I am?"

Fu Jie frowned as he answered, "There's no way you're as young as you look."

"Hmm? Why would you say that?"

"You are cunning and quick-minded. You remind me of a certain someone."

"Is that a compliment?" The boy tilted his head as he asked.

Fu Jie shook his head but didn't say anything as he continued to peacefully eat the delicious savory dumpling.

This boy reminded him a lot of a person whom he was really familiar with in the real world. His father was also a quick-minded and cunning person who would find anything to trick people into doing things according to how he wanted them done. If it was revealed that his father's spirit was actually taking over this boy right now, Fu Jie wouldn't be too shocked.

The boy glanced at Fu Jie for only a second before looking back at the plate of dumplings as he answered the question Fu Jie had originally asked, "I'm 19."

Fu Jie almost choked on the dumpling again as he looked at the boy in shock, "You're really that young and have a personality like that?"

The boy squinted as he questioned, "What personality?"

Fu Jie wanted to say something but he pursed his lips and decided to not answer that question since the boy wouldn't be liking the answer to it.

Fu Jie thought about who this boy would grow up to be and the thought sent a shiver down his spine. This boy was going to grow up to be a lot scarier than his father.

The boy didn't get an answer to his question and it made him frown a little but not only was it hardly visible, but Fu Jie wasn't even interested in looking at the boy's expression so he didn't catch this sudden dissatisfaction.

"Big Brother, try not to choke on your food." The boy beamed and it almost sounded as if he was warning Fu Jie, "I heard a story where the main character choked on a dumpling and died."

Fu Jie looked up and asked, "You listen to such stupid stories?"

The boy nodded as he continued, "He used to have a habit of cursing a lot and in between cursing someone, he choked on the dumpling he was eating. Although he died, he was still given a second chance as he traveled to another world after his death and got to live his life as another person."

Fu Jie, once again, for the third time in a day, choked on his food as he listened to the boy narrating a summary of this ridiculous story that seemed to sound a lot like Fu Jie's current situation with just slight changes here and there.

"Rubbish! Where did you hear such bullsh*t?" Fu Jie asked as he picked up the cloth kept on the side of the table and used it as a napkin to wipe his mouth.

The boy looked at this action and smiled as he spoke, "That's used to clean the table."

Fu Jie's hand stopped as he took a minute to register the words that had been said.

The boy chuckled as he looked at Fu Jie, "It really is your first time here, isn't it?"

Fu Jie threw the cloth away and coughed twice before trying to calmly nod his head as he responded, "I'm unfamiliar of this place and its ways, that's it."

The boy didn't say anything further and Fu Jie was too embarrassed and disgusted to have cleaned his mouth with the dust cloth used to wipe the table so it was only natural that he didn't want to say anything either.

After having eaten the dumplings, the boy was the first to stand up as he spoke, "It's about time."

"Huh? Time for what?"

The boy smiled as he responded, "It was nice meeting you, big brother. I'll be taking my leave then. If we meet again, I'll tell you my name and you can pay up what you owe me then."

When Fu Jie heard this, although he said "Alright! I look forward to meeting you again." What he really prayed in his mind was the exact opposite.

I hope we never meet again! Never!

You hear me, God? Don't ever make us meet again!"

The boy bowed his head politely before leaving Fu Jie whose smile went down as soon as the boy was out of sight.

He put his mask back on as he looked at the door and stood up, "Go to hell you tricky little brat!" He kicked the air and acted as if it was the boy standing in front of him when there was really nothing there.

The waiter came in, thinking that the two customers had left, but as soon as he entered the room, he got to see the sight of a maniac kicking air and throwing a fit like a child, in fact, not even kids would do something like this.

"Cough~ cough~" The waiter decided to make his presence known.

Fu Jie immediately stopped and froze up like a piece of log that could talk and walk.

"Are you ready to leave, Sir?" The waiter asked politely although, in his head, he was just worried that this customer was a maniac who'll most certainly be bad for business. Who knew when this man would decide to kick the tables instead of air?

Fu Jie straightened out his clothes and looked at the waiter with an indifferent look as if the maniac previously hadn't been him, "I'm going."

He walked out of the restaurant and the waiter sighed in relief as he ran up to his boss and spoke worriedly, "We almost got our business shut down!"

His boss smacked his head as he asked in a rather rude and authoritative tone, "What bullsh*t are you spouting?! Don't say such ominous things!"

The waiter rubbed his head as he looked at his boss with a pitiful look as if he had been wronged, "That customer was certainly a maniac. My eyes can't betray me."

"Go back and work! Don't slack around and insult customers."

The waiter frowned as he mumbled, "You would've said the same thing if you saw him."

Not only was Fu Jie acting like a maniac but he also had a weird mask on his face and it was enough reason for this waiter to call him a madman.

When Fu Jie walked down the street, he clearly noticed that most people were trying their best to avoid walking close to him and although he was a bit confused as to why he was receiving this treatment, he was still satisfied with it since he didn't want to go looking for trouble with other people.

The reason why they were avoiding him was because of his mask but if Fu Jie heard this reason, he would most certainly cry out and ask, "Do you think I had the luxury of choosing what mask I wanted to wear?!"

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