[Extra story introduction: Feng Ze's perspective, and his childhood with Tao Zhiyan]
Was he about to die?
Feng Ze leaned in the corner, his eyelids half lowered, his gaze unfocused.
The dim sewer reeked of a foul, bloody stench.
The dead cat in front of him had already started rotting. Flies buzzed around it, and a few rats perched on its body, squeaking.
Feng Ze's heartbeat grew slower and slower. Even breathing exhausted him.
Then the rats and flies began gathering around Feng Ze.
Whatever...
If I die, I die...
His eyes gradually lost focus, and everything before him slowly went dark.
Feng Ze breathed slowly.
Even if I died, no one would care...
Thump-
Something suddenly struck the ground by his feet.
Feng Ze was pulled back to consciousness, and his eyes slowly opened.
Thump, thump, thump-
An orange-red rubber ball fell into the dim sewer and bounced a few times.
It struck the dead cat, startling the rats and flies gathered around it into scattering.
"My ball!"
An extremely young, clear voice rang out.
At the sound, Feng Ze slowly raised his head.
The child above was peering down, too. When he saw Feng Ze, his eyes widened a little. "-Huh?"
Their eyes met.
Feng Ze paused for half a second.
"..." The child stared at Feng Ze and blinked. The next second, he suddenly ran off, shouting, "Mom! A big brother fell into the sewer!"
"...What do you mean, a big brother fell into the sewer?" A woman's voice drew closer. "Peach, don't call your ball your big brother."
"No! No!" Tao Zhiyan stretched out his little arms and gestured with his hands, his face flushed with urgency. "It's a real big brother! The sewer grew a big brother!"
"Mom, look!"
He grabbed his mother's hand and