A whirlwind of emotions stirred in Shen Yu's heart as he looked at his hand, holding two gold coins. Both were bent in different angels and had some rust on it.
However, the two coins now seemed so heavy as if they were carrying the world within themselves.
When he heard the old man's words, his body shook along with his soul. His eyes wide open just looked at the coins, as his vision began to turn blur.
Unknowingly, tears had began to drop out from his eyes. His chest felt heavy as memories of his past life came rambling his mind, as if a train striking at a building.
It was a ridiculous thought but that was how he was feeling, utterly devasted as the cruel, memories played on repeat in his mind.
"I-"
He couldn't even form words.
[Master... it's okay. You're okay.]
The old man looked at the young man before him, and a smile formed on his face. How could he not understand the things going on in Shen Yu's heart? How could he not see his past self in Shen Yu?
He raised his hand, but couldn't find the confidence to actually do the right thing. His hand trembled, as he sighed and finally put it on Shen Yu's head, and instantly felt the stiffness in Shen Yu's body.
"Young man, I am just a old man, with half his foot in grave so I can't really say anything to you. But I will just say one thing, the past is what shapes you so never try to forget it."
Reminiscing about his old days, he continued.
"You are you because of what you have experienced till now so don't ignore it. Accept it. That is you. Don't run from yourself, young man. Never run from yourself."
Shen Yu felt a familiar warmth in his heart, as all of his raging emotions calmed down. He raised his head and looked at the old man, and could see the genuine worry in his eyes.
He was afraid Shen Yu would follow the steps he took. He didn't want anyone to become the next him.
The old man sighed and continued, as he patted Shen Yu's head one last time before taking his hand back. He looked down at his frail, old body and said in a bitter tone.
"I am the guest of this world for a few more days anyways so take it and leave that boy. Though I doubt you would do anything to him anyways."
Sam was a name Shen Yu could never forget. He was the person who had helped him when he was at the lowest, and was about to commit sucide.
Shen Yu was never a strong willed person, far from that actually. Suddenly, thrown to face the world, how could he handle it?
He suffered a lot and when he couldn't take it anymore, he decided to end his sufferings. He was a weak child and even the decision to sucide took a lot of him.
But a man named Sam saved him. He then taught him the ways of underworld. Unfortunately, he wasn't any better than him in skills but he had a strong will.
He was someone who used to sell small, cheap things in the slum and used to barely earn to survive. He was the reason Shen Yu had learned to properly earn and eat.
However, he was still a child back then so he had stolen a man's purse when he was too hungry after not eating for three days. He was desperate so he did it.
But it was something he regretted heavily.
The man he pickpocketed was the son of a mafia don. How could he let a random street kid rob him?
But Sam, who had seen everything stopped him and gave him all of his savings so that he could spare Shen Yu and not go after him.
Unfortunately, that turned out to be a mistake.
The Don's son was cruel and ruthlessly tortured Sam before hanging his head on the slum's main gate as a sign to others.
Shen Yu was broken from that incident and blamed himself for all of it. If he had not stolen the purse, Sam wouldn't have to go through such thing.
Sam had saved him but instead of repaying in gratitude, he had brought calamity for him.
The one thing that truly broke him from inside was the smile of Sam before he died. He was publicly executed, after all so Shen Yu had seen everything.
Sam never blamed Shen Yu for anything and that just made him feel even more ashamed of his existence.
Of course, things didn't end there.
The Mafia Don's son found Shen Yu easily and made him his slave.