Doll Survival Game - Chapter 121

He remembered that the young man lived alone.

His gaze moved away, and Qiu’s father calmly walked upstairs–after all, it had nothing to do with them.

Meanwhile, upstairs, beside the curtains, the magician stood sideways, ensuring his shadow didn’t imprint on the window, yet he could see outside through the slight gap in the curtains.

His beautiful peach blossom eyes formed a graceful arc as he looked downward.

After Qiu’s father went upstairs, the magician’s gaze slowly lifted, observing the bright lights outside–was this the kind of world the young master lived in before?

After a quiet moment, he sighed softly, his eyes filled with complexity as he turned his gaze sideways.

He went over to turn off the light, then lay on the bed staring at the ceiling–

Empty.

It felt like returning to the past, to a space where no one existed but him, a place of emptiness.

…How much time has passed since then?

The magician closed his eyes, his lips curving into a smile. It wasn’t strange, just a simple, gentle smile as if he had thought of something beautiful.

–Young master, sweet dreams.

In the opposite room, Qiu Qiu happened to reach out and turn off the light.

The next day.

Before the alarm went off, Qiu Qiu had already opened his eyes, looking towards the closed door of his room.

Just now, it seemed like someone was moving beside his bed.

Was it a dream?

Sitting up tiredly, Qiu Qiu spaced out for a moment, then raised his hand to rub his eyes, feeling the dampness on his face.

Qiu Qiu was stunned–had he had a terrifying dream?

The alarm went off at that moment, and Qiu Qiu quickly turned it off and got up.

They had morning self-study and needed to hurry to school.

His mother had already prepared breakfast, and after eating quickly, Qiu Qiu returned to his room to grab his books. While cautiously checking the diary under the drawer, he placed another diary in the upper drawer and locked it.

Only then did he take his books and leave.

As he changed shoes at the door, Qiu’s mother came over to stand beside him.

Qiu Qiu was puzzled: “…Mom?”

Qiu’s mother asked, “Did you put your phone in your pocket?”

Qiu Qiu was taken aback, and after checking his pocket, he took it out: “I forgot to take it out just now.”

Qiu’s mother nodded as she took it: “Focus on your studies now, and since you come home every day, don’t bring your phone to school… If there’s anything urgent, borrow the teacher’s phone.”

Qiu Qiu nodded obediently, then finished changing his shoes and stood up.

Qiu’s mother patted his shoulder, gently straightening his collar: “Study hard, don’t get distracted in class. It’s a crucial time now, and since your grades are good, you need to pay extra attention. Playing basketball, learning music, all that can wait until after the college entrance exam… Oh, by the way.”

Qiu Qiu looked up, his eyes questioning.

Qiu’s mother smiled: “Today, I’m going to take a long leave from work to stay home and help you study until the college entrance exam is over.”

Qiu Qiu’s fingers slightly curled, and he blinked under Qiu’s mother’s focused gaze: “Can you really take leave? Isn’t it inconvenient?”

Seeing that he didn’t resist, Qiu’s mother smiled: “I can bring some work home, I’ve been negotiating with my boss for a long time, and they finally agreed.”

“It’s all for you.” Qiu’s mother was proud, looking at her accomplished son: “We can’t let you get sick before the exam like your sister did and end up in a mediocre university.”

Qiu Qiu’s lips turned down slightly, but then quickly curved up again: “Alright, it’s hard on you, Mom… I’ll head to school now.”

Qiu’s mother smiled contentedly, then said, “You’re more sensible than before.”

Qiu Qiu’s lips moved, wanting to say something, but ultimately he whispered something only he could hear–

“Never mind.”

Turning to go downstairs, the sound of a door opening came from behind.

Ji Ming emerged from his apartment, pausing as he saw Qiu Qiu and Qiu’s mother, then quickly reacted: “Morning.”

Qiu’s mother didn’t know much about the newly moved-in neighbor, but noticing the emptiness behind Ji Ming, she smiled and nodded: “Morning, you’re Ji, right? Heading to work so early?”

Ji Ming shook his head: “I’m going for a run.”

“Exercise is good,” Qiu’s mother said, patting Qiu Qiu: “Hurry to school.”

Then she turned to Ji Ming: “Just graduated? Where do you work?”

Qiu Qiu secretly waved at Ji Ming, who noticed and smiled with his eyes.

Qiu Qiu turned to go downstairs, hearing Ji Ming’s reply to Qiu’s mother at the corner: “Graduated not long ago, I work at the milk tea shop over at the big mall. Do you like milk tea, Auntie?”

Qiu’s mother’s voice lowered: “Milk tea shop… sounds nice, but I don’t have a particular favorite…”

As he left, Qiu’s mother’s voice faded, and Qiu Qiu reached the ground floor. He paused for a moment before heading out of the community.

After a few steps, the sound of running came from behind. Qiu Qiu turned to see Ji Ming jogging up to him: “Were you waiting for me?”

Qiu Qiu didn’t deny it, thinking for a moment: “Just now, my mom…”

He didn’t finish.

But Ji Ming already knew what he wanted to say, looking at him with a bit of surprise, then smiling with his eyes: “Kids shouldn’t worry about adult thoughts.”

Qiu Qiu couldn’t help but glare at him slightly: “Who’s a kid? I’m about to become an adult in a couple of days.”

Ji Ming reached out and gently ruffled his hair, the action so natural and unobtrusive that Qiu Qiu didn’t bother to dodge: “But I’m several years older than you.”

Qiu Qiu replied frankly, “That’s why I call you Ji Ming-Ge.” But that had nothing to do with whether he was a kid or not.

Ji Ming laughed heartily, then patted Qiu Qiu on the back: “Are you sleepy from waking up early? How about we run to school together? Running can wake you up, and it’s on my way.”

“I’m already awake!” Qiu Qiu said, but still took off running before Ji Ming could move, saying, “Ji Ming-Ge, let’s race!”

“Definitely a kid,” Ji Ming chuckled, then turned his head before starting.

…

Above, by the window, Qiu’s mother instinctively took a step back, watching Ji Ming turn his head casually before running away–seemingly just a random glance, probably didn’t see her.

However.

When did the little one become familiar with this neighbor?

Qiu’s mother looked down at Qiu Qiu’s phone in her hand, unlocked it with her fingerprint, and started browsing its contents.

Seeing Ji Ming’s name in the friend list, she raised an eyebrow slightly–yesterday, this person wasn’t in the phone.

“What are you standing there for?” Qiu’s father’s voice sounded: “Did the little one go to school?”

Qiu’s mother nodded, then frowned with some concern: “Qiu Qiu seems to be getting along well with that Ji…” She glanced at the phone’s note: “With that Ji Ming.”

Qiu’s father: “It’s good to make friends with someone older.”

Qiu’s mother flipped through Qiu Qiu’s chat records with others, trying to see if Qiu Qiu had been distracted lately.

While reading, she said, “But that Ji Ming works at a milk tea shop… doesn’t even have a proper job, I’m afraid he’ll lead Qiu Qiu astray.”

“Qiu Xia was like that back then, befriending someone dubious and insisted on dating… ended up ruining his grades, and just when he was getting back on track, he got sick right before the college entrance exam…”

Qiu’s father was displeased: “Can you compare? Qiu Qiu is much more sensible, he knows his limits, and Qiu Xia was weak and often caught colds because he didn’t like exercising. We often have Qiu Qiu work out, his health is good!”

Qiu’s mother rolled her eyes, feeling he was dismissive. She closed the phone, thought for a moment, and said, “Besides, Qiu Qiu wouldn’t lie to us.”

Qiu’s father didn’t say much to this, only remarked: “Don’t interfere too much with Qiu Qiu, it’s just making friends… After all, Qiu Qiu is very sensible, if Ji Ming would affect him, Qiu Qiu himself wouldn’t hang out with him.”

Qiu’s mother thought for a moment: “True.”

Qiu Qiu’s home was close to the school, and the two soon arrived at the school gate. Ji Ming bid him farewell: “I’ll probably be off work… Oh right, do you have evening self-study?”

“We do, but last week my mom applied for me not to attend, she thinks it’s too late, better to study at home.” Qiu Qiu looked at Ji Ming: “Why?”

Ji Ming twirled his hand: “Didn’t I say I’d bring you milk tea? If you don’t have evening self-study, it coincides with my off work time.”

Qiu Qiu was stunned, then waved his hand to refuse, but Ji Ming quickly continued: “Didn’t bring your phone, did you? Then I’ll wait here for you to come out.”

After saying that, Ji Ming put on his earphones and ran forward, leaving Qiu Qiu to react for a while, then scratched his head–was it easy to feel lonely when venturing out alone?

So Ji Ming seemed a bit clingy.

…Then he might be Ji Ming’s first friend in this place. Qiu Qiu’s eyes lit up.

Qiu Qiu looked somewhat happy.

So, Lin Chi, who had come out to buy breakfast and wanted to greet Qiu Qiu, was stunned, then remembered Qiu Qiu saying that was his cousin, not the nonsense online…

But his cousin sending him to school?

That cousin really dotes on Qiu Qiu.

Lin Chi hadn’t recovered, and Qiu Qiu had already turned around and saw him. He seemed to be stunned for a moment, then walked over to Lin Chi, looking at the soy milk and buns in his hand, his tone filled with disbelief: “You actually came out to buy breakfast.”

Lin Chi immediately forgot about the cousin: “I can wake up early too!”

Qiu Qiu’s smile was bright: “You’ve already bought it, right? Let’s go to the classroom together.”

“By the way, you didn’t fold my workbook, did you?”

“I didn’t fold it! Besides, what’s wrong with folding it, it won’t break, your OCD is too severe…”

Qiu Qiu listened to him talk, but his gaze subtly moved around, and when they reached the classroom window, his gaze went through the window and stopped at a spot.

Although Lin Chi was naturally talkative and loved self-entertainment, after muttering for a while and getting only perfunctory responses like “uh-huh, oh, really?” from Qiu Qiu, he could notice!

So he turned his head, about to vent his dissatisfaction, but saw Qiu Qiu stop and look through the window at a classmate in their classroom.

Lin Chi blinked in confusion, about to ask why Qiu Qiu was staring at Li Wei, when he saw Qiu Qiu reveal a smile he had never shown before.

He even seemed to hear Qiu Qiu say–[Found you].