Childhood History

A sense of belonging.

This was something Xi Shenlian lacked when facing others.

If others were not friendly to him, he would not be friendly to them.

This was one of Xi Shenlian's fundamental beliefs.

Therefore, Xi Shenlian didn't care at all whether strangers or casual acquaintances lived or died.

He certainly wouldn't care how their lives were going.

Even if 99.9% of Earth's population of over 40 billion died, he wouldn't bat an eye.

As long as a small fraction remained.

To put it bluntly.

There were only two or three people on the entire planet whom he could identify with.

And Qian Shan Xuehui, who now stood before him, was one of them.

In response to his proactive greeting.

Qian Shan Xuehui blinked in surprise, then instinctively sized up Xi Shenlian before her.

To be honest.

The other person had very distinctive features.

Not the kind of forgettable face that blends into the crowd, the kind you'd forget as soon as you turned away. Coupled with his brightly colored hair.

Logically speaking.

If she had met him before.

She should remember him.

But she genuinely had no impression of Xi Shenlian.

"I'm sorry, though it might be a bit rude, but you are..."

Without minding that she didn't recognize him.

Xi Shenlian first poked his own head with his finger, then said:

"Xi Shenlian."

"Xi Shenlian from the orphanage."

"The one with a bit of a problem in his head, who often said nonsensical things and saw illusions, so he was often mocked by others."

He didn't mind mentioning his past issues.

Facts were facts.

And his brief yet clear explanation was also quite distinctive, instantly making Qian Shan Xuehui recall certain memories from a few years ago.

She couldn't help but open her mouth slightly and say:

"It's you!"

Then she quickly moved closer, covering her mouth with one hand, unable to hide her surprise as she examined Xi Shenlian closely:

"Wow, it's really been many years..."

After a while, she smiled and said:

"It seems you're doing quite well now."

"When I heard you went out to make your own way back then, I was a little worried."

Or rather, he was doing too well.

As someone from a wealthy family, Qian Shan Xuehui could clearly recognize the brand of Xi Shenlian's clothing.

Even for her, buying them would be a bit painful.

Moreover, Xi Shenlian's attire was clearly from a high-end collection.

It was less like wearing clothes and more like wearing the down payment, or even the full price, of a new house for most people.

Even those who could afford such clothes.

Most of the time, they would only wear them on special occasions and carefully store them away.

But seeing Xi Shenlian smoking by the tombstone earlier.

It was evident he treated his clothes as everyday wear.

There wasn't the slightest hint of him cherishing them.

This made Qian Shan Xuehui feel a sense of awe mixed with hesitation.

Incidentally, she also noticed that Xi Shenlian's appearance had changed quite a bit.

Although his face was a bit too youthful, the shadow of his past self could still be vaguely seen.

But what was going on with his hair and eyes?

"Did you get your hair dyed?"

"And are you wearing colored contacts too?"

"Don't wear those things for too long."

The advice and goodwill in her words made Xi Shenlian feel a bit helpless, so he could only explain:

"My eyes and hair are real."

"These are just changes in characteristics brought about by awakening."

At this moment.

Qian Shan Xuehui hadn't reacted yet:

"Awakening?"

"The awakening of an Awakened."

He had no intention of hiding it.

After all, he wasn't planning to play dumb.

Besides, the government and major powers already knew. What was the point of hiding it from acquaintances?

Not lying to outsiders, only to friends?

Was he seriously that messed up?

After Xi Shenlian finished his previous statement.

Qian Shan Xuehui's eyes widened, and she showed an expression of sudden realization.

"Wow~"

As someone from a wealthy family.

She knew better than the poor what social class Awakened individuals occupied.

If ordinary powerful and wealthy people were considered those at the very top, then ordinary Awakened were even higher, with only the truly high-ranking powerful and wealthy being comparable.

And for the high-level Awakened, it was said that even the prime minister would have to greet them first.

"No wonder you can wear such nice clothes."

"You've really made it big now!!"

While expressing her joy.

Qian Shan Xuehui began to touch and feel Xi Shenlian all over.

She acted quite familiar.

And Xi Shenlian didn't mind her rudeness or actions.

He let her pinch his face and squeeze his arm muscles.

The former Xi Shenlian was indeed one of her lackeys.

Although the orphanage provided decent food with a good balance of meat and vegetables.

The impoverished and greedy Xi Shenlian would still deliberately try to please her every day, hoping she would share some snacks to satisfy his cravings.

This had always led to a good relationship between them.

After touching him for a while.

Feeling that touching further might be inappropriate, Qian Shan Xuehui cleared her throat and said seriously:

"So, is your head healed?"

"When we were kids, my maternal grandfather took you to the hospital so many times, but nothing worked."

One time, wanting to see what kind of problem her little brother had, she followed along out of boredom.

She was about eight or nine years old then.

Although she couldn't understand what the doctor was saying.

She clearly remembered the doctor shaking his head.

How to put it...

It was very much like the situation in TV dramas where doctors tell patients they are beyond saving and should prepare for death.

And then she thought he was going to die.

It made her quite sad.

She even gave him all her snacks for a long time.

Until she realized that after several months, he hadn't died at all and was still jumping around with occasional moments of idiocy, everything remained the same...

And the way he laughed angrily when he realized she had misunderstood her, left a deep impression on Qian Shan Xuehui:

"Hee hee hee hee hee hee..."

Was that the laugh of a normal person??

This ignited Qian Shan Xuehui's fury...

Then.

She took advantage of girls developing faster than boys and her two-year age advantage to forcefully grab Xi Shenlian, pull down his pants, and spank his butt~

Speaking of which...

'Didn't I used to pull down Awakened people's pants and spank them? This should count as something to talk about, right??'

Qian Shan Xuehui thought to herself, a little uncertain.

Meanwhile, Xi Shenlian, unaware that she was thinking about some of his embarrassing past, instinctively sensed that she was thinking about unpleasant things concerning him.

'?'

As a question mark silently popped into his mind.

He replied with a poker face:

"The problem in my head was automatically cured by the Awakened physique when I became an Awakened."

Qian Shan Xuehui did not doubt this statement.

She directly exclaimed with deep agreement:

"Is that so..."

"As expected, Awakened beings are truly marvelous~"

Thanks to: Ouyang Huanye for 200 Qidian Coins! Yan Ri San Qian Lian for 1500 Qidian Coins!