Nanny Cheng

More than ten officers stayed at the Church all night.

Tian Yuan seemed to have given up completely. Even though he had already promised The Bishop, the man might have high status and prestige, but he still couldn't directly order him around.

But Feng Zi's case was different. Every councilor was watching it closely, and they had issued strict orders. It was the real key to his career and future.

So he had left only a dozen or so officers at the Church, with the deputy police superintendent in charge of the investigation. As for himself, he had taken the main force to search every Labor District in Yuguang, acting as if he meant to turn the whole place upside down. He was determined to find the person.

It was amid this situation that the Twilight Blessing was held at the Church.

During the lunch break, Nanny Cheng brought Li Wei, Feng Zi, and three other people to a Prayer Hall.

The Church's clergy had already gathered. Everyone sat on the benches, dressed in formal black Twilight robes. Even Wang Xiaole had been brought along. It seemed his great-aunt had taken the money and hadn't just pocketed it; she was at least looking after him a little.

At the very front of the Prayer Hall stood a Starlight Cross made of pure silver, its surface glowing with a faint white light.

This Starlight Cross was the Late Twilight of the Sun Branch District.

It was responsible for connecting to the Neural Complex in the central district. Whenever someone in Sun City agreed to join the Twilight Project, they could use the Late Twilight to extract one of their neural pathways and add it to the Neural Complex in the central district, truly becoming part of Twilight.

Nanny Cheng sat down with Li Wei and the others on a bench. A Gospel Book had been placed in front of them, already opened to chapter seven, section four, which discussed people's moral understanding of the definition of "beauty."

The passage was recited aloud by everyone in the Prayer Hall. As the prayers rang out, the soft white light of the Late Twilight, set on the raised platform, grew brighter and brighter.

Everyone touched by the light felt a relaxation that spread from within, as if they were soaking in a hot spring. Their bodies and minds were both nourished.

When they finished reciting the passage, the white light on the Late Twilight slowly faded, marking the end of the Twilight Blessing.

The process had been uneventful, but the effect was undeniable. Li Wei, Feng Zi, and the other three children all felt as if they had enjoyed a restful sleep.

Just as the blessing was about to end and Nanny Cheng had risen to take them away, a wheelchair was slowly pushed into the room.

When the elderly man was wheeled inside, all the clergy in the Prayer Hall stood and bowed.

"Bishop!"

The old man gently waved to the people standing, signaling them to sit down.

"Sun City is going through a difficult time, and even the Church hasn't escaped unscathed. The matter in the cemetery is serious. We must give an answer to the people who trust us. Now that this blessing is over, I hope you will cooperate with the Police Department and investigate the matter as quickly as possible."

The priests and nuns all bowed their heads in assent. The Bishop's gaze then fell on Li Wei and the other four.

A warm smile appeared on his face.

"They're the five best performers in this year's Choir, aren't they?"

Nanny Cheng seemed especially obsequious in front of The Bishop, nothing like her usual stern, rigid self.

"Yes, Bishop. Because of their excellent performance, they were rewarded with the chance to attend today's blessing."

The Bishop gestured to the nanny behind him to push his wheelchair closer to Li Wei and the others.

He studied all five children carefully, his smile never fading, as if he was pleased with every one of them.

"They're all good children. You should teach them more about Twilight's doctrine. If they're willing to join us and become one of us, that would be even better."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Wang Xiaole, who had been standing in a corner like an invisible person.

When Wang Xiaole noticed The Bishop looking at him, his body stiffened. He seemed very nervous, but when the old man's reassuring, gentle voice sounded, he relaxed without meaning to.

"Xiaole, you should work hard at learning the doctrine and the Gospel too. Perhaps one day you can become a priest of the Church."

Wang Xiaole's face lit up with surprise and hope.

A Church priest clearly belonged to a different class from a laborer. He was an important figure Wang Xiaole had never dared dream of becoming. And now one of the most powerful and high-ranking people in the city—the man in charge of the priests—was telling him that he might have a chance to become one!

"Can I really?"

"You have a very clear pair of eyes. They'll bring you good fortune. I sincerely hope that one day, if I'm still alive, I'll be able to place the Starlight Cross that belongs to a priest in your hands myself."

He winked at Wang Xiaole and smiled encouragingly.

After offering words of encouragement to everyone present, the elderly Bishop seemed somewhat tired. The nanny pushed his wheelchair, and he soon left the Prayer Hall.

"That Bishop is a very good man. Even in the central district, it's hard to meet Twilight worshippers as kind and compassionate as him."

As Nanny Cheng led them back to the Choir, Feng Zi, walking beside Li Wei, spoke softly.

Li Wei didn't offer any comment. He simply watched Nanny Cheng's straight back and said quietly, "But even facing such a good Bishop, our Nanny Cheng seems a little afraid of him."

Feng Zi turned to look at Nanny Cheng's back, puzzled.

"How can you tell?"

"When The Bishop left, you were all focused on him, but I kept watching Nanny Cheng. Her hands had been clenched tightly together, but they gradually relaxed, and her expression eased too."

Feng Zi furrowed her brow at Li Wei's words.

"That doesn't make sense. I heard from the other nannies that Nanny Cheng has been with The Bishop for a long time. Even when she made mistakes in the past, he never punished her too severely. So why would she be afraid of him?"

Li Wei shook his head, his inscrutable gaze betraying nothing of his thoughts. Then he changed the subject.

"Could you stop messaging me every night to talk about random things?"

Feng Zi glared at him and lowered her voice. "What do you mean, random things? I'm teaching you physics so you can learn science more thoroughly!"

"Is gossip about how your roommate doesn't like washing her feet part of science too?"

"Everything in moderation! I was worried you'd get tired from studying all the time, so I deliberately brought up other topics to help you relax!"

"I think you're just afraid to talk to anyone else, so you can only come talk to me."

"You've learned how to slander people! 626!"