Chapter 42: Will You Join Me?
Day by day, doing good deeds? Seeing oneself reflected in others?
Baiyin didn't know, he only knew that he felt a little better after helping someone.
In the field of psychology, there often exists a phenomenon:
When people witness someone experiencing the misfortunes they once endured, they can't help but extend a helping hand out of empathy.
The reason is simple: it gives the person a sense of "saving their past self."
But the past never changes.
It's just a form of self-soothing.
---
In fact, when Baiyin carried the soaked Baiyu to bed, he did consider helping her out of her wet clothes.
--- After all, it's easy to catch a cold.
But then he hesitated. She was a girl, probably in her teens. It seemed inappropriate to interfere.
So, he decided not to meddle. Let her catch a cold if she must; it wouldn't kill her.
And so, he did nothing.
---
While Baiyu was showering, Baiyin changed the bedsheets and blanket, as they were soaked.
---
It was a stroke of luck that there was nothing to eat or drink in the villa except for plenty of clothes and beddings.
Even the clothes that Baiyu needed to change into were found by Baiyin in the closet, and they seemed to fit quite well.
---
Thirty minutes passed after Baiyu finished her shower.
She was slow, afraid that Baiyin would send her away once she was done.
So, when he came downstairs wearing a short-sleeved denim shirt and jeans, she remained on edge, feeling like she was walking on thin ice.
But Baiyin didn't ask her to leave. He simply pointed to the two sandwiches and a bottle of mineral water on the desk and said, "Have breakfast!"
Then, he went back to reading with his head down.
Baiyu was a bit surprised but hesitantly approached. As she sat at the desk and took the first bite of the sandwich, she soon found herself devouring it hungrily, unable to stop herself.
But then, she choked on a piece of bread, quickly grabbing the water bottle and gulping it down.
As the food went down, a look of relief washed over her face, followed by restraint. She ate much slower after that.
---
A tear suddenly fell without warning.
Then, she ate while wiping her tears, making no sound.
Watching her quietly sobbing figure, Baiyin couldn't help but feel helpless.
---
For a moment, he had a crazy idea of taking Baiyu away. But when she limped as she walked, he had to let go of that naive thought.
Baiyin couldn't take care of a cripple who couldn't even walk properly. Such a person would be nothing but a burden and meaningless.
---
After finishing the sandwich, Baiyu sat motionless on the chair, unsure of what to do next.
Seeing this, Baiyin said, "If you're tired, you can rest on the bed!"
"Okay, thank you," Baiyu replied, obeying his suggestion. She went to bed and covered herself with the blanket.
As she turned over on the bed, Baiyin noticed her red, teary eyes.
---
"What's your name?" Baiyin asked.
"Bai... Baiyu..."
"Are you alone?"
"Yes... for now..."
"Where are your parents?"
"They were... taken away..."
"Taken away?"
"Yes, taken away by the helicopters from B City..."
"B City?"
Baiyin was surprised and curious. "Can you tell me more?"
The girl was obedient and recounted all her experiences in detail. She hadn't found anyone willing to listen to her for a long time. Although he was a stranger, Baiyu wanted to speak.
---
After listening to Baiyu's story, Baiyin fell into silence.
According to Baiyu, her parents were taken away by helicopters from B City, just like "He Li, He Hua, Zhang Yu, Zhang Xiao Xue," whom they had encountered earlier. They were all rescued by helicopters.
But in Baiyu's words, it became a distorted fact that her parents were taken away by helicopters.
Baiyin wasn't stupid. A little thought made him understand the truth behind it. Baiyu's parents weren't taken away; they abandoned her because they found her to be a burden.
---
Baiyu's ordeal reminded Baiyin of his own childhood.
Before entering the orphanage, he came from a single-parent family. His father had disappeared long ago, and he was raised by his mother, who always wore a forced smile until he was three years old.
He must have been a burden to his mother back then, too.
Baiyin didn't hate his mother for abandoning him. He just wished she could be happy. At least... happier than when she was with him...
---
---
---
[Ding!]
The system issued a new task.
[Ding! Task Issued: Kill Baiyu and obtain the [Zombie Resistant] ability.]
([Zombie Resistant: Immune to zombie infection])
---
What a twisted task!
This was Baiyin's first impression of the task.
His gaze drifted to the small knife at his waist.
He reached out but withdrew his hand just before touching it.
---
[I don't want my life controlled by a cold system.]
[No one can force me to do anything!]
Baiyin chose to refuse the task.
He wasn't living to please the system.
Almost simultaneously, another task came.
---
[Ding! Task Issued: Take Baiyu with you, find her parents, and obtain the [Zombie Resistant] ability.]
([Zombie Resistant: Immune to zombie infection])
---
This task was even more troublesome than the previous one.
He might as well kill her and be done with it.
That was Baiyin's initial thought upon seeing this task.
---
Then, he asked, "I happen to be going to B City. Do you want to come with me?"
"Ah..." Baiyu sat up suddenly, not expecting Baiyin to say that.
Immediately, an uncontrollable joy appeared on her excited face.
"No, I won't go."
"Oh, okay, then I..."
"No, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go!"
Baiyu nodded eagerly like a chick pecking at grains.
But...
"Cough, cough..."
Then, she coughed unexpectedly.
She had actually caught a cold a while ago but didn't dare to cough in front of Baiyin earlier.
Baiyin remained indifferent and said, "Then you have to recover from your cold first. When you're better, we'll leave!"
"Okay, thank you!"
"Rest well!"
"Okay!"
With a sweet smile, she burrowed back into the covers.
Baiyu's face bloomed with joy, as if she hadn't experienced any suffering before.
---
In contrast to the girl's joy, Baiyin was conflicted about his reasons for not killing her.
---
He kept reminding himself:
"This is just for the task..."
The reason he didn't kill her was solely for the well-being of Blackie, both physically and mentally.
He'd sooner attribute it to Blackie than acknowledge seeing his own reflection in her.
---