Chapter 2: Angel on the Moon

The room fell into a brief silence.

A few seconds later, Dr. Li regained his composure. "Celestial angel?"

"Yes."

"What is it doing?"

"Nothing. It's like a golden statue, seated in the center of a massive lunar crater, gazing at Earth, as if... keeping watch?"

Dr. Li rubbed his temples, somewhat perplexed. "Qiyue, do you know how far the moon is from Earth?"

"Close to four hundred thousand kilometers," Lin Qiyue replied calmly.

"Close to four hundred thousand kilometers." Dr. Li repeated, "Even with the most advanced telescopes, one can barely observe the lunar surface. And you claim to have seen an angel on the moon with the naked eye when you were seven?"

"It's not that I saw it," Lin Qiyue said pensively. "It's that it saw me. I just lifted my head, and my eyes felt like they were dragged through space, meeting its gaze."

"So, it forced you?"

"Kind of. Otherwise, how would I see the surface of the moon? I don't have clairvoyance."

"But if there really is an angel on the moon, why hasn't humanity discovered it in so many years?"

"Don't know," Lin Qiyue shook his head. "Maybe that celestial angel doesn't want to be observed. Besides... does humanity really understand the moon?"

Lin Qiyue spoke sincerely, so much so that Dr. Li almost felt the urge to call a car and take him back to the psychiatric hospital.

After all, Dr. Li was a psychiatrist, and he had encountered various mental illnesses. He had observed a pattern in his medical career— the more earnestly someone spoke nonsense that seemed reasonable, the more severe their condition.

"What about your eyes? What happened?"

Lin Qiyue extended his hand, gently rubbing the black cloth covering his eyes. Without any emotional fluctuations, he explained, "That day, I had a brief moment of eye contact with It, and then... I went blind."

Dr. Li opened his mouth, lowered his head to examine the medical records in his hands, and fell into silence.

Under the section for the cause of blindness, only four words were written.

—Cause unknown.

So... what really happened ten years ago?

Could it be, as Lin Qiyue claimed, that he saw a celestial angel on the moon? Otherwise, how could sudden blindness be explained?

This thought only lasted a moment before Dr. Li directly suppressed it.

That was close, almost led astray by a psychiatric patient!

He could almost imagine the expressions of the doctors when the young blind Lin Qiyue spoke those words in front of them ten years ago. The last thing they needed was a patient expressing such delusional ideas.

There were plenty of people like that in the hospital—those who claimed to be the reincarnation of Sun Wukong and spent their days hanging on monkey bars, those who believed they were coat racks standing motionless in their rooms all night, and those who thought everyone looked like their spouse, sneaking around touching other people's buttocks...

Well, the last patient was a greasy uncle in his forties.

"All these things you're talking about are from the past. What about now? How do you see this situation?" Dr. Li adjusted his emotions and continued with the examination.

"It's all delusions," Lin Qiyue calmly stated. "That day, I accidentally fell off the roof and hit my head on the ground. As for my eyes, maybe some nerve was damaged, so I went blind."

He had said these words countless times, proficient and calm.

Dr. Li raised an eyebrow, wrote something on the medical record, and then continued to chat about daily life with Lin Qiyue. About twenty minutes later, he glanced at the time, stood up with a smile, and shook hands with Lin Qiyue, offering words of encouragement.

"Alright, the examination stops here for now. Your condition is stable, and I hope you can adjust your mindset and live well." Dr. Li said as he encouraged Lin Qiyue.

Lin Qiyue smiled and nodded slightly.

"Hey, Dr. Li, why don't you stay for a meal?" Auntie, seeing Dr. Li leaving, warmly invited him to stay.

"No, no, I have another patient to see. I won't disturb you." Dr. Li politely bid farewell to Auntie and then left.

The moment the door closed, Lin Qiyue's smile disappeared, as if it had never existed.

"Delusions..." he muttered to himself.

"Brother, it's time to eat!" Yang Jin, his cousin, walked out of the kitchen carrying dishes and called out.

Yang Jin was Auntie's son, four years younger than Lin Qiyue. He had just entered junior high school. Since Lin Qiyue's parents went missing and he sought refuge at Auntie's house, the two had grown up together, forming a bond closer than that of blood siblings.

"I'm coming." Lin Qiyue replied.

As soon as Lin Qiyue sat down at the cramped dining table, a sudden warmth emanated from his feet. He was momentarily surprised, then a faint smile curled his lips.

Yang Jin looked under the table, scolding with a smile, "You little black-and-white, usually lazy and sluggish, but when it's mealtime, you're faster than anyone else."

A small black-and-white spotted dog poked its head out from under the table, its tongue hanging out, exhaling warm air. It approached Lin Qiyue and licked his ankles, displaying a face full of eagerness.

Three people, one dog—this was their family.

Simple, challenging, yet strangely reassuring.

A decade like this.

Lin Qiyue patted the dog's head. From the few pieces of meat in the plate, he picked one and placed it in Yang Jin's bowl.

"Give it a bone to chew on."

Yang Jin did not refuse. Given their brotherly bond, saying more would only create a sense of distance. He cared about something else.

"Brother, is your eyesight really getting better?"

Lin Qiyue smiled faintly. "Yes, I can see now, but the sensitivity to light still needs some time. I have to keep the black cloth for a few more days."

"What few days? Auntie told me to inform you that the eyes are crucial. Even if you can see now, don't rush to take off the black cloth. What if... what if the sun damages them again? That would be a pity! Let's be cautious and wear it for a while longer!" Auntie quickly advised.

"I understand, Auntie."

"Oh, by the way, brother, I saved some money to buy you a cool pair of sunglasses. I'll show you later!" Yang Jin seemed to remember something exciting and said enthusiastically.

Lin Qiyue shook his head with a smile. "Ah Jin, although sunglasses can block light, the effect is far inferior to the black cloth. I can't wear them yet."

"Fine..." Yang Jin seemed disappointed.

"But once my eyes are completely better, I'll wear it every day for shopping, and I'll buy a pair for you too." Lin Qiyue reassured him.

At this statement, Yang Jin's eyes lit up again, nodding vigorously.

"Oh, Brother, Auntie has arranged for you to transfer to a new school. When this semester starts, you'll be able to move from the special school to a regular high school." Auntie seemed to recall something and spoke, "But, have you really thought about it? Regular high school and special schools are different, especially given your condition. What if..."

"No 'what if,' Auntie." Lin Qiyue interrupted her. "My eyes are already better, and if I want to get into a good university, I need to start on the same starting line as others."

"You, this child... even if you can't get into a good university, it's okay. Auntie will support you all the way!"

"Brother, I can support you too!"

Lin Qiyue's body trembled slightly. Under the black cloth covering his eyes, unknown features hid. His lips pursed, revealing a faint smile.

A determined shake of the head.

Silent but resolute.

Even the little black-and-white under his feet nudged against Lin Qiyue's ankle.

"Woof!"