The water in the fountain pool was not deep. The water level was at the knee of the young kid. He squatted down and his whole body was soaked in the water. He looked for his jade pendant by trying to feel it in the water, splashing water in all directions.
The young kid looked very urgent. His red eyes were no longer blank and empty but anxious and flustered. His small hands were immersed in the pool as he looked for the jade pendant, afraid that he would never find the jade pendant again.
“Nuo Nuo…” He shouted Xu Nuo’s name over and over again and became more anxious. Slowly, his face reflected extreme despair and ferocity.
The water of the fountain shot out and landed in the pool and on the young kid’s hair. His hair was wet and stuck on his pinkish face. He was in an embarrassing state. His white shirt was stuck tightly to his lean body, which made him look extremely pitiful.
Ye Wei, Bai Ye, and Chu Li didn’t stop him. They just watched the young kid look for the jade pendant in the pool anxiously. Everyone’s expression didn’t look good.
While covering her face, Xu Xing wanted to cry bitterly. She was filled with anger and hatred for the young kid. The voice that called her presumptuous was like the devil’s voice, scary and cold. She hated him but was afraid of him at the same time.
She saw him rush toward the fountain pool crazily, panicked, looking for the jade pendant while water was still shooting out of the fountain. His face was blurred as if there was a layer of mist covering him. It was unreal. However, his crazy actions and his sadness was clearly seen and heard.
‘Nuo Nuo… Is she the owner of the jade pendant?’
Xu Xing immediately regretted her actions. She shouldn’t have thrown his things so willfully in a fit of rage. She knew that the jade pendant was very important to him when he rushed over and tried to snatch it away from her. She shouldn’t have thrown it away when she lost her temper.
Xu Xing bit her teeth and walked over. She felt sorry for him. Such a crazy look didn’t seem to fit his face.
“Hello, Stone…”
“Shut up!” As soon as she made a sound, the young kid turned around and slapped the water in the pool. The water splashed in all directions. His eyes were filled with anger and ferocity. Water dripped down his hair drop by drop. He said, “Don’t call me Stone.”
That was the patent of Nuo Nuo. Only Nuo Nuo could call him that. Others were not allowed to.
Xu Xing was shouted at by him again. She gritted her teeth but didn’t say anything. She would not have been able to tolerate Ning Ning and would probably run away given her proud and arrogant personality. However, this time, she was not angry. “I won’t call you that anymore. What’s the big deal? Your aunt asked me to address you as ‘Stone’ that day. Do you think I like that?”
The young kid ignored her and continued to search for the jade pendant. The jade pendant was just right beside his hand but he had missed it unknowingly. Xu Xing felt sorry for him.
“Hey, the jade pendant is on your right.” As soon as Xu Xing finished speaking, Ning Ning’s hand swept the jade pendant away. He had accidentally swept it farther away and his heart ached…
‘Nuo Nuo…’
‘I have to find it. I must find it.’ Ning Ning was determined. At the same time, he hated himself. If only he could see. If only he could see…
The fountain pool was big and he had swept the jade pendant farther away. Ning Ning was anxious and worried. He had lost his mind again. He had never had such a desire and hoped that he could regain his eyesight so that he could find the jade pendant that Nuo Nuo gave him.
“A token of love…” That was what Xu Nuo said.
He had already lost Nuo Nuo. He couldn’t lose the jade pendant that she gave him too. He just couldn’t…
His heart was tearing apart and his cries were stuck in his throat. He could hardly breathe.
‘I can’t…’
Tears fell. Ning Ning’s heart felt bitter and sour. He became even more desperate to find it. Xu Xing couldn’t bear to see him like that and lifted up her skirt. “I’ll help you pick it up. Don’t be like this.”
“Go away.” Ning Ning shouted. Xu Xing was about to enter the pool when he shouted at her. She stared at him angrily but her anger ceased when she saw the tears on his face. She then pouted her lips and stood at the side.
Drops of water dripped down from his hair and fell into his eyes and mouth. Ning Ning squatted down and continued to search for it frantically. The desire in his heart had turned deeper and it had never been so strong.
Suddenly, his eyes ached. Ning Ning closed them subconsciously and opened them again. There was a flash of white light in his blurry sight. Ning Ning closed his eyes again and squatted down in the pool without moving. The water level was at his chest level and he soaked in the water with a pale face.
Ye Wei, Bai Ye, and Chu Li hurried over. Xu Xing asked anxiously, “Hey, what’s the matter with you?”
Ning Ning rubbed his eyes, wiped the water on his face, and opened them again. His eyesight was blurred at first, but after blinking his eyes several times, he could finally see clearly. His eyes were not red anymore and turned as black as black jade, which was surprisingly bright.
Bai Ye was elated. The handsome and nonchalant man showed a relieved smile. ‘His eyes are finally healed.’
Ning Ning turned his head and soon saw the jade pendant lying quietly in the pool. His heart ached. Even in the water, people could see his shaking hands picking up the jade pendant.
Things are still the same, but the people are not. This feeling was like plucking out a piece of meat from his heart. He clearly felt that some things were withering and dying in his world together with the death of Xu Nuo.
It was a blurred concept. When he grew up, he realized that that kind of feeling was an extreme disappointment.
From then on, the jade pendant was the only thing that could accompany him. No one would ever call him ‘Stone’ again. No one would sacrifice so much for him ever again. He had lost his gem.
Ning Ning held onto the jade pendant. The more he thought about it, the more painful he was. He was so agitated that he fainted in the pool. Everyone was shocked. Chu Li quickly picked him up and carried him into the room.
Bai Ye then followed them. Ye Wei praised Xu Xing. “You have done something great.”
Xu Xing didn’t understand what Ye Wei was talking about. Ye Wei didn’t need her to understand either. She laughed. “We’re done. You have done your part. I’ll ask someone to send you home tomorrow.”
Xu Xing looked anxiously in the direction Chu Li and Bai Ye had left. “Is he going to be okay?”
“Yes,” Ye Wei said with a smile. Ning Ning had to solve his problems himself. If his eyes could heal, everything would be alright. There was no need to worry anymore.
Ning Ning regained consciousness very quickly in less than an hour. Bai Ye examined his eyes carefully. Everything was good and his eyesight was back to normal. The young kid kept quiet for a while and then looked at them. He smiled and said, “I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“What are you saying, silly child? Do you feel any discomfort?” Bai Ye asked. Ning Ning shook his head. Everybody’s heart ached. The young kid seemed to be different as compared to the past.
Although he was smiling, it seemed that he was covered with a layer of cold void that no one could enter.
“I’m okay.” The young kid smiled, sat up straight and touched his chest. Ye Wei gave him the jade pendant hurriedly. Ning Ning took it from her calmly and put it near his heart.
The more peaceful he was, the more hesitant Bai Ye was. “Ning Ning, are you really okay?”
Ning Ning smiled gracefully, just like the lovely, tender, and polite young kid from the past. He looked lovely, but everyone felt that he was different.
“Auntie, have you heard the news about my parents yet?” Ning Ning asked with a calm face. Because he was too calm, everybody felt uneasy.
“No news yet,” Ye Wei said honestly. “Don’t worry. I will inform you as soon as there is news from the Dragon Gate.”
The young kid smiled. “Jason, when would Black J arrive?”
Chu Li looked at his watch. “In about two hours’ time. What do you want to do?”
The young kid’s expression was dangerously calm, which was scary. It was a ferocious expression that he wouldn’t have in the past. Coldness and murderous vibes were integrated into his calm appearance. “Chu Li, since I am a member of the terrorist organization, I can exercise my power to command, right?”
Chu Li and Bai Ye looked at each other and smiled. Bai Ye said, “Of course, do as you please.”
“Very well.” The young kid smiled gracefully. It was as though there was a fierce ghost living in his dark eyes. He tilted his head. Under the sunlight, he looked calm but ferocious. All his emotions were hidden under his elegant appearance.
‘Louis, I’ll let you have a taste of how it feels like to rather be dead than alive.’
Chu Li and Bai Ye looked at him in silence. They were very surprised at how fast he had grown overnight, but somehow also missed the child who was innocent and domineering. The innocence in him had been completely destroyed now.
If that was what he had to go through to become stronger, then it was indeed really cruel.
In the corridor, the young kid had coincidentally met Xu Xing. For a moment, he thought that Xu Nuo had come back. Indeed, both of them looked alike, especially when she was dressed in red. At first glance, she was Xu Nuo.
But on second look, he knew that she was not.
“Hey, are you okay?” When Xu Xing saw him, she came running over to him with small steps. Her face was still red and cute. “I’m sorry that I threw your jade pendant away.”
She wasn’t Nuo Nuo no matter how alike they looked.
He looked gloomy and Xu Xing was reminded of how crazily he had behaved in the pool. She was a little afraid. Why did he feel strange to her?
“Are you okay? I have already apologized. What else do you want me to do?”
The young kid didn’t say anything, walked past her, and left a few words. “I will ask someone to send you off later.”