Orphans were not necessarily lonely. The truly lonely were those who could never find their way home.
Gao Ming waited outside for a long time before the door of the little house finally opened from within. The little girl, now in pajamas, quietly peeked out, looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and fear.
"Mother, the director, told me to give you this. She said that once you've done the right thing, she'll come to pick you up, just like every time before."
The girl handed Gao Ming a sheet of illustrated paper torn from a storybook. On it was a handwritten list, with a key location noted after each name.
Xia Yang, Skyline Hotel.
Gao Ming, Xinhu No. 1 High School.
A Fang, Coal Tar Factory Apartments.
Situ An, Xinhu No. 7 Special Care Hospital.
Bucha (Jingtuo God), Xinhu Public Cemetery Administration Office.
There were ten names on the list. They seemed to represent the nine Candidates for Hanhai Blood City chosen by Eternal Life Pharmaceuticals, with Gao Ming apparently added by accident.
"What does it say?" The little girl could not read and was full of curiosity.
"My former colleagues' addresses and workplaces." Gao Ming crouched in front of her and looked inside through the gap in the door.
"Mother is very busy, but if she says she'll pick you up, she definitely will." Looking as though she were doing something she should not, the little girl crept closer to Gao Ming. "I've never seen Mother like this before. Um, I don't know how to explain it, but she seemed prettier and younger after seeing you. You two should spend more time together."
Gao Ming withdrew his gaze. He already understood what Xuan Wen meant. After lingering for a moment, he turned and disappeared into the darkness.