Lonely again.

Chang An City of the East Capital of the Hong Meng Empire,

The City is in the hustle bustle of trading, as usual, bargaining in a shop stall is a common scene, like a free market. Angry and frustrated shouts can be heard as they bicker to try to lower the prices they had eyes on.

Commoners are usually seen as the rich nobles despises this kind of environment, Robbery, and other crimes are frequent because of the lack of security placed in the city.

In the corner of the city where the slums are located, in a dilapidated house lived Shaoze, a guy where his parents are nowhere to be found and left him there to fend for himself. Luckily he was adopted by a kind elderly couple and took him in as their own child.

However, as time passes, because of the old age of the elderly couple, they acquired several illnesses and because they are poor they can't buy medicine. Shaoze watched helplessly as the elderly couple was consumed by the passage of time.

The elderly stretched out her arms to caress the hair of their child, Shaoze.

"Child...don't look... so...glum...We are happy...to have...you...as our child."

Shaoze tears poured down uncontrollably as he holds the hands of the elderly.

"The only....thing....we regret....is to leave you.....all alone.....to...fend for yourself."

The elderly slightly parted her lips and smiled as the corner of their eyes forms tears with reddened eyes.

He can't do anything, he has no power, no money, no one to rely on from there forth, he was all alone again.

Shaoze hung his head low with a downcast expression, he has no more will to live.

'What is the use of this life if I can't even protect someone I cared??!!'

Shaoze thought to himself.

"Child...I am.....sorry....can you...forgive...this.....el...der...?"

The elderly's arm slowly lost its power as it slumped on the bed. She died with her eyes open, looking at Shaoze as if waiting for his answer.

Shaoze's eyes reddened as tears furiously poured down as he howled atop his lungs. His grief and indignation towards the world as if he wants to crush this unfair world under his feet.

Some time has passed as his emotions slowly subsided, he walked towards the elderly and used his hands to close her eyes as if accepting their apology silently. He then carried the bodies of the elderly couple to the nearby hill and gave them a proper burial with just simple small rocks put all together. He left after giving them a silent prayer and went in their house and closed the doors.

Days passed and Shaoze still refuses to leave the house, finally, his conditions are not that good and his health continued to drop.

Because of so much grief, he can't control his emotions as his health conditions degraded as time passes. He continued to lie down on the floor as he cried. Now, many of his organs failed to function and because of starvation, he was slowly consumed by the darkness.

....

Feeling the coldness from his body, Xiao ze slowly open his tired eyes. He felt his eyes were a little sore and didn't know what happened.

As he was mulling over his thought, he realized that he was in an unfamiliar place.

'This doesn't seem to be the hospital is it?'

Xiao ze thought to himself.

maybe after the fall on the cliff, they were rescued by the natives of a village and were dragged to their house? or so it seems. but where's Xiao Long?

suddenly, there's a strong wave of hunger and he felt his entire body limping on the ground as he groaned from the pain. 'what the heck? just how long was I asleep?'. Feeling the pain on his body, he dragged his tired body to stand up when the door suddenly opens with a strong force as it slammed on the wall. a clear sound reverberated all over the place. Shock filled, Xiao ze looked up and saw an Old man with a tinge of white hair and a clean cut. he wore a long blue changshan robe and his gaze resolute, you can definitely feel that he is domineering.

"Y-You are....?"

Out of curiosity, he asked the old man who suddenly barged in without knocking. He was cautious and wary of the person in front of him.

The old man turned to his direction and his gaze turned gentle with worry and relief plastered on his face. then he opened his lips with reddened eyes as if tears would break down all of a sudden.

"I am your Father"

The old man choked on his words because of the emotions he was feeling that he can't control.

Shocked witless, Xiao ze stood rooted on the ground with a frozen expression.

"Damn!... Who's your father!!??"

*cough cough* The old man faked his coughing as he realized that he was misunderstood and he explained it all over again.

"I am your Father's Father. basically, I'm your Grandfather."

"Damn! you could have said you are my grandfather earlier!!!... no. wait... I don't remember having a grandfather! My grandfather has passed away a long time ago!"

"Damn brat! Are you cursing me, your grandfather!!!??"

The old man stood from the distance huffing and puffing from rage with a reddened face. He couldn't believe that his grandson would be cursing him instead. He was disappointed, sad, and angry at the same time but can't hide the guilt he was feeling.

He didn't know that his bastard son had a child with a wild woman and he didn't even take responsibility as he ran away and hide all this time abandoning his child and that woman was the same as well!

He just recently was known as he read the letter that was sent by his bastard son! It was stated in the letter that he had a son and left him in the Chang An City and asked him to take care of the child while he was away!

In the Xu Family Manor, the old man stood up abruptly with rage filling on his mind. That was his grandson! and his bastard son just abandoned his own child in a remote place without any support at all! Just thinking on how that child could survive on his life without any support made him want to strangle his bastard son to death!

He called for his subordinates to investigate the matter clearly and tell him where his grandson is living. After the investigation, his subordinate recounted what Shaoze had gone through life after being abandoned. Luckily, there were good people out there and he was adopted as their child giving him their full support but recently, the old couple becomes sick and had passed away.

The old man's face turned black as the bottom of the cauldron. He ordered his subordinates to prepare a carriage and went there to fetch his grandson himself.

Xiao ze stood on the spot dazed feeling lost. 'Where am I? who am I? What have I've been doing all this time?' he thought to himself. Suddenly, there's a flash of memories as his head hurts. He remembered now that he was in the body of a young man who died from grief and starvation due to losing his adopted parents.

Xiao ze rubbed his aching temples as he pities the young man. They were the same. Alone, abandoned by their parents. It seems like this guy is more weak-willed than I am. Well, if it's not for the fact that Xiao Long found him, he would've been the same.

Well, it seems like he was reincarnated in this guy's body. then he suddenly remembered something, he wondered if Xiao Long is alright and didn't die and if he is, he'll surely be reincarnated as well, right? then, he should find him for sure!

Xiao ze felt reinvigorated, then he remembered that there was still this old man who was claiming to be his grandfather or something like that. Well, you need to prove it that we are relative, like DNA testing or the likes? well, its fine as well even if it's not proven, because he doesn't have any support at all. In the memories of Shaoze, his adopted parents passed away leaving him alone without any money or insurance. So, how can he live without money to buy food and not say his current condition, his health is deteriorating! Sooner or later he will die anyway. So, why not take advantage of what he has? even if in the future, he was not really this old man's grandson, at least he can adjust his condition so that he can find a stable job to make a living then if he has enough money, he can go travel and find Xiao Long. He thought to himself. However, not long after, Xiao Ze will find his thinking a little naive!

"You say you are my grandfather? I don't even know who is my father lol"

The old man chuckled lightly as his gaze turned gentle as he said.

"My surname is Xu so are you! My given name is Zhong Kui!"

Old Xu extended his arm and beckoned Shaoze to come closer.

"From now on, you are called Xu Shaoze!"

"Come, let us go home!"