Chapter 23: What is called happiness, in reality, is always very close.

"No, there isn't." Ace blinked his eyes lightly. "I'm just afraid of Demi getting angry." It took him half a day to utter a few words. If he hadn't lost his composure, Demi wouldn't have had to apologize to that person and wouldn't have been bullied by them. So, it was all his fault.

Demi Moore stopped and looked thoughtfully at Ace's somewhat absent-minded face, a warm glimmer in her eyes.

"That's not Ace's fault," Demi Moore wrote on his hand. "Demi can't speak, she didn't say anything wrong, and Demi will never get angry at Ace."

"Is that so? Then let's pinky promise on it; lying means we have to be puppies." Only now did Ace relax and smile, waving his little finger before her.

Demi Moore hesitated momentarily at his childlike gesture, reluctantly responding by extending her hand. Their fingers intertwined; could it be considered a lifelong promise?

A gentle breeze occasionally blew by as they continued walking hand in hand. They weren't lovers; for someone whose mind wasn't entirely there, even the concept of a lover was perhaps incomprehensible. They didn't want to let go because they were family, each other's only family.

Ace glanced furtively at Demi Moore, seeing her lost in thought, looking ahead, not knowing what she was contemplating.

"What is Demi thinking?" When he thought about it, he had to ask right away. He couldn't hide his curiosity.

Demi Moore pulled his hand closer and wrote, "I'm wondering what Ace was like before?". She smiled slightly, genuinely curious, wondering what Ace was like before losing his memory. He was clever when translating, icy when angry, and often displayed childish actions. She didn't know, beneath those green eyes, what kind of past lay hidden.

And she also sensed that Ace's finger was gripping hers slightly tighter.

In reality, he paid a lot of attention too.

"I don't know either..." Ace shook his head. Everything within him was empty at the moment, and he had never thought about finding out. When he was a beggar, he didn't know about it; when he was starving to death, he didn't think about it; and when he had a family, he thought about it even less. But now, he had some thoughts because the mysterious man in his dreams still lingered, causing him some confusion.

Who was he, and who was Ace?

But he didn't want to discuss this with Demi, afraid she would worry.

"Then let's take our time to think," Demi Moore didn't press him either, continuing to hold his hand and move forward.

Satisfied with each finger tightening, she wanted this for a lifetime; could they have it? A serene smile curved her lips, exuding warmth.

What is called happiness, in reality, is always very close.

But they didn't know that, not far away, two pairs of eyes were staring at them maliciously, carrying a hint of venom.

"Who are they?" the man asked the girl beside him. A long scar on his face gave him a rebellious look. He held a cigarette between his fingers and occasionally exhaled a puff of smoke, which seemed vulgar and made people uncomfortable.

"They are the ones!" The woman's voice gritted her teeth, revealing a deep-seated resentment that couldn't be concealed.

"Do you want it that way? After all, he didn't do anything serious," the man asked again, his gaze fixed ahead, and a hint of disdain played around his lips. Women honestly acted on their emotions!

Moreover, they could be pretty cruel.

"I'm sure. Just do as I say. Don't worry, you won't be short of money," the girl said, raising her hand to her neck and gently touching the lingering red mark. That damn fool dared to embarrass her in front of so many people. If she hadn't stopped herself, she would have strangled him. How could she easily let them go? And, of course, there was Demi Moore. She wouldn't have encountered this nonsense if it weren't for her. Hmph!

The man took a deep breath, exhaling a large cloud of smoke, and then threw the cigarette to the ground, crushing it forcefully with his foot.

"This is the last time. Once I'm done, I won't owe anything to the Uong family anymore," the man turned around, squinted his eyes, and looked at the girl. His rough and harsh voice was not pleasant to hear.

The girl calmly adjusted her sleeve, "There's no need to talk so much nonsense. If you want to do it, then do it. Stop bothering me!"

Her words were impolite, and the mockery in the man's eyes grew more profound. This was the last time, only one more time, and he could leave her. This family was truly disgusting.

The man turned his head and looked at the blurry figures of the two people who had already started to fade away. Finally, he sighed. Yes, this was the last time. Only by sacrificing those two could he teach them a lesson. It served them right to provoke such a twisted person. Fortunately, one was mute, and the other was foolish, so he didn't need much effort to make them suffer.

The corner of his lips slowly curved upward, carrying a hint of coldness. This man was not a kind-hearted person.

Demi Moore relished this rare opportunity, seemingly forgetting everything—her voice, his memories, and their divergent lives... She raised her head and saw Ace's face in a ghostly pale light, exuding an extraordinary tenderness with high cheekbones that demanded attention. He, indeed, was a mixed blood, captivating from every angle.

"What are you looking at? Is there something on my face?" Sensing Demi Moore's gaze, he reached out and wiped his face.

Demi Moore shook her head, her lips slightly parted. "Ace is so handsome."

"Really?" His hand remained on her cheek, not yet lowering. In truth, he didn't feel anything when others called him handsome. After all, it was just his face, which he saw daily in the mirror without finding anything special about it. On the contrary, he felt that Demi was beautiful, and her face was so soft that he was sure it would be pleasant to touch.

With that in mind, he gently pinched her face with two fingers, a delicate sensation that made his heart flutter. It was strange but also comforting, so he lifted a little more.

"Ouch..." Demi Moore blinked, quickly pulling away from his hand.

"Ah..." As if realizing he had done something wrong, he retracted his hand behind his back, showing no remorse in his eyes. Pinching had felt comfortable, and later, when Demi was asleep, he would play with her as he pleased.

Seeing Demi Moore's focused gaze and hearing her compliment, Ace felt his face growing slightly warm. This blush and racing heartbeats were undoubtedly correct, but he wanted them to be more intense. However, how could he achieve that? He had no experience whatsoever.

Right, he should ask Demi. She would surely know. He was about to speak when he instinctively hugged Demi Moore, turning her to stand behind him. It was a type of intuition he didn't understand, but he could be sure that danger was close by.

"Ace..." Demi Moore tightly held his hand, her concern matching his urgency, and the palms of their hands began to sweat. What was happening? Why was his face so serious, and even his body, every muscle seemed tensed?

"Ba ba ba..." Quickly, they heard a round of applause, and Ace's low voice suddenly rang out, adding a touch of heaviness to the atmosphere.

"It's hard to imagine such a fool being so vigilant. It truly makes one look at him with different eyes."

The man stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest under the tree, bearing a scar stretching from the corner of his eye to his cheek. He would have looked somewhat normal without this scar, but because of it, his already rough face appeared even more dangerous and malicious, especially when he smiled; it was freezing!

Demi Moore looked at this man in confusion. She had never met him before, so there shouldn't be any conflict between them. Could it be that he was a thief?

Demi Moore fell silent for a moment, finally taking out all the loose change she had on her and reaching out to hand it to the man.