After the Young Master’s Death, He was Kissed by His Mortal Enemy! - Chapter 96

Despite complaining about Cheng Yi’s behavior, Shen Ran squeezed Cheng Yi’s hand tightly.

Walking slowly along the deserted night streets was actually quite helpful for clearing one’s head. As time passed, they were learning more and more. Yet, the more they knew, the more mysteries seemed to pile up; the road ahead never quite felt clear.

That “person similar to him” on the rooftop was it a human or a spirit? What were they doing at the Shen Group? And Shen Xianming and Fu Sijie just how many lives were on their hands?

Shen Ran honestly could not understand how these people, knowing they had caused deaths, could still close their eyes and sleep peacefully at night. Did they not have nightmares? Did they truly not fear retribution?

Meanwhile, victims like him and Huang Yiheng were trapped in pain, haunted by nightmares in the dead of night. And then there were innocent children like Xiao Dong, forever stuck at an age of ignorant innocence. The happy childhood others enjoyed was something Xiao Dong could never have.

…Perhaps that was why everything looked so new to him now.

Because he had experienced violence as a child, Shen Ran always felt a deep sense of pity and love for Xiao Dong—even if the boy had scared the absolute daylights out of him when they first met.

As he was lost in thought, Shen Ran noticed that Xiao Dong’s skipping footsteps had suddenly stopped. Shen Ran pulled Cheng Yi to a halt as well.

Cheng Yi took out the phone once more and opened the camera.

They were currently standing in front of a 24-hour convenience store. Outside the entrance sat a few small rides for children and two or three claw machines. The claw machines were still powered on, their rectangular frames flashing with pretty lights.

Xiao Dong was on his tiptoes, leaning against the glass of a claw machine, staring intently at the plush toys inside.

“What is it?” Shen Ran asked. “Do you want to play this?”

Xiao Dong’s eyes were practically glued to the glass. Hearing Shen Ran’s question, he hesitated for a moment but eventually shook his head.

“Thank you, Brother, but I will not play.”

Sensible children never proactively voice their desires, even when they want something desperately. Perhaps Xiao Dong was afraid Shen Ran would refuse, or perhaps he feared being disliked for being playful and then being abandoned again. Abandoned just like he was when his parents sent him to the Qingshan Welfare House.

But children are not very good at hiding their thoughts. Even the often-carefree Shen Ran could easily see into Xiao Dong’s heart.

Shen Ran felt a pang of sadness but maintained a bright smile, preparing to scan the code to buy some game coins for Xiao Dong.

“It is fine! Even if you do not want to play, I do! Hey, Cheng Yi! Why are you pulling me? Why did you cancel my order!”

Shen Ran had just opened the payment interface when Cheng Yi snatched the phone from his hand and closed the page. Holding the complaining, resisting Shen Ran with one hand, Cheng Yi beckoned toward the claw machine with the other:

“Xiao Dong, come over here with Big Brother Cheng Yi.”

These machines were outside a convenience store after all. Although the streets were empty at midnight, there were still employees working the night shift inside. Cheng Yi’s philosophy was that if they were going to play, they should play to their heart’s content until they were satisfied.

The machines outside the store were too few; it would not be fun enough for these two “kids.” Moreover, if they lost themselves in the fun and the night shift clerk saw Shen Ran talking to thin air…

Cheng Yi did not want to traumatize an innocent clerk, nor did he want the clerk to think Shen Ran was a fool talking to the wind. He decided to take them to a better place.

He led the big kid and the little kid to the back door of a shop further down the street. In the darkness, Cheng Yi found the main power switch and flipped it on.

In the spacious hall, rows of lights flickered on one after another. Shen Ran and Xiao Dong were both stunned. “Wow…”

It was an arcade, fully stocked with every kind of machine imaginable. As Cheng Yi turned on the power, all the machines started up simultaneously. Lights flashed, and game music filled the air. For a child, this place could be described in one word:

Paradise.

Shen Ran snapped out of his daze and pointed at the hall, stuttering as he looked at Cheng Yi. “Cheng Yi, is… is this your shop?”

Cheng Yi raised an eyebrow noncommittally. “Yes. I have about dozens of shops like this in K City. They are actually quite profitable; the returns are very respectable.”

Dozens of shops like this…

“Stop calling me Boss Shen, Cheng Yi,” Shen Ran said with a peaceful smile. “With this many shops, you are the real Boss Cheng. It is so boring; let us spend your money together, shall we?”

“You will have plenty of opportunities to spend my money later. But for game coins, you can start right now.”

Cheng Yi stepped behind the service counter, reached down, and lifted with a bit of effort. He brought out an entire crate of game coins and placed it on the counter. The silver coins clattered and vibrated against each other, creating a crisp, ringing sound that sparkled under the lights.

Shen Ran gasped, his excitement bubbling over. “Whoa…”

Xiao Dong’s eyes also went wide. “Wow…”

Under the envious gazes of the two, Cheng Yi curled his lips into a satisfied smile. “Take the coins and take Xiao Dong to play. We will go home once you have had enough.”

Although Shen Ran had visited arcades often in the past, he had never seen so many game coins at once. He gave a cheer and lunged toward the counter:

“Cheng Yi! I hereby declare you the Lord of the Arcade! You are so great, so generous! There must be thousands of coins in this crate!”

He grabbed two handfuls of coins and slowly let them go, feeling the sensation of countless coins slipping through his fingers, it was a truly wonderful feeling. The crisp sound of the coins falling was music to his ears. Trying to lift the plastic crate full of coins, Shen Ran was surprised. “Whoa, it is actually quite heavy.”

“Heavy? There is a small trolley nearby; use that to carry them. If that is not enough, I have more coins here. Tonight, is on the house.”

Shen Ran suddenly felt that tonight’s Cheng Yi was incredibly handsome too handsome, explosively handsome!

“Xiao Dong, what do you want to see me play first?”

Xiao Dong pointed without hesitation toward the row of claw machines against the wall.

“You got it!” Shen Ran patted Xiao Dong’s head with a grin and charged out, pushing the trolley full of coins.

Xiao Dong cheered and followed close behind, his spirit form flickering with excitement. Cheng Yi leaned casually against the counter, watching the two of them start their wild fun with a helpless but doting tone:

“Tsk, these two really can get along.”

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