What Led to This Ending

Steam rose from the dining table. The home-cooked dishes made by Zheng Yuan herself were perfect in color, aroma, and taste, making everyone's appetite surge.

"Do you have any plans for this summer vacation, Lin Mo? Are you going back to your hometown to accompany your grandmother?" Zheng Yuan casually asked as she placed a piece of spare ribs in black bean sauce into Lin Mo's bowl.

Lin Mo, who was busy stuffing his face with rice, nodded upon hearing this and mumbled indistinctly, "Yeah, I have to go back and see her. She was just talking about missing me on the phone a couple of days ago."

This wasn't surprising. After all, Lin Mo had mentioned before that his grandmother and cousin were his closest remaining relatives.

He called his grandmother frequently, knowing that the elderly woman felt lonely staying in the old house all by herself.

After all, for the elderly, mental health is just as important as physical health.

Normally, his cousin was away at college, leaving his grandmother home alone.

However, the university had already let out for summer vacation, and his cousin had returned home long ago.

It was Lin Mo himself who had to wait until after the school's closing ceremony to leave.

Zheng Yuan turned to look at Chu Miaomiao, who was currently wrestling with a plate of pork belly, her smile deepening. "Miaomiao, why don't you stay at our house for the next few days? Your mother is still busy, so you can keep Yu'ling company."

Xie Yu'ling didn't have any objections; she simply and quietly peeled a shrimp for Chu Miaomiao.

Chu Miaomiao's cheeks were stuffed full, but her large, bright eyes looked toward Lin Mo, full of expectation.

"Can you stay too?"

"Me? At least let me go home and burn a stick of incense," Lin Mo laughed.

Seeing Lin Mo's firm attitude, Chu Miaomiao realized her plan had failed. She pouted and practically hung her entire body onto Xie Yu'ling, letting out an exaggerated, tearless wail.

"Yu'ling, look, we've been heartlessly abandoned!"

It had to be said that in front of acquaintances, Chu Miaomiao was gradually starting to let loose.

Lin Mo was amused by her dramatic acting. "Alright now, didn't Fang Jun invite us to go hiking and camping? Counting the days, it should be in the next couple of days. I'll be there then."

That wasn't a bad idea either.

The meal finished in a lively atmosphere, and Lin Mo stood up to take his leave.

"Aunt Zheng, the food was delicious. I'll head back first to pack my things."

"Alright, be safe on your way," Zheng Yuan reminded him.

In truth, there wasn't much that needed special packing. He just went downstairs, changed his clothes, and headed home.

After going downstairs, Lin Mo walked outside.

He remembered clearly that in his previous life, on the day he finished his exams, he was immediately dragged to an internet cafe by Zhao Dezhu, Hippo, and their gang of bad influences, messing around in a daze for a whole week.

Amidst the swirling smoke and greasy instant noodles, with killing and fighting on the screens, his ears were filled with endless cursing and bragging.

There was no hiking or camping. Even Fang Jun was eventually dragged down by him, wasting their youth together in that sunless corner.

Thinking of all the absurdities of his past life, Lin Mo's eyes grew a bit colder.

As for this life, Lin Mo would not let himself have anything to do with those people again.

He wanted to see the mountains, see the sea, breathe fresh air, and do things that were truly meaningful.

With true friends.

However, as he walked toward the outside of the urban village and just exited a slippery, greasy alley, he ran into three figures head-on.

Leading them was none other than Hippo. He was followed by two friends. The three of them were walking hurriedly, all wearing expressions of impatience.

Zhao Dezhu was not among them.

The trio's attention was entirely focused on their mutual complaints, and they didn't even notice Lin Mo standing by the road.

He could hear one of the tall, skinny ones complaining in a suppressed voice.

"Damn it, that guy Zhuzi is a bottomless pit right now. He can't work, and the three of us have to wait on him every day. We've already spent hundreds just on his food. When will this end?"

Another lean man immediately chimed in, his tone full of calculation.

"No way, we have to make him spit that money out! Rent, utilities, food—why shouldn't he pay us his share?"

Listening to their grumbling, Hippo's face remained calm, and he didn't even pause his steps.

"Alright, stop arguing."

His voice wasn't loud, but it made the other two shut their mouths immediately.

"If you want to get the money back, you'll have to keep supporting him until his leg heals. That will take a month or two. Which of you is willing to be his nanny for another month?"

As soon as these words came out, the man who had just been clamoring for money instantly deflated and muttered, "Then... then we can't just let it go like this."

"He got off easy."

Hippo coldly spat out these words, making the final decision. "Once we find a new place to stay, we'll just move out. He's a cripple, is he going to chase after us?"

This proposal was clearly a last resort with no other options. The other two exchanged a glance and raised no further objections.

"Alright, let's do that!"

"Damn it, consider that dead cripple lucky!"

Watching the three of them walk further away, Lin Mo stepped out from the shadows, the corners of his lips curling up silently.

Sure enough, Zhao Dezhu's leg was probably the result of Xie Yu'ling's bad luck talisman.

Brothers who used to work and make money together instantly became a burden to be avoided the moment they lost their usefulness.

What a great show of "deep brotherhood."

Lin Mo's gaze fell on the back of the leader, Hippo. That broad back looked particularly ironic at this moment.

As the backbone of this group, if he were to suffer some bad luck too, what kind of scene would that be?

He really wanted to witness it with his own eyes.

His fingertips twitched slightly, and a faint glimmer of light, imperceptible to the naked eye, quietly gathered.

"Go."

Lin Mo's lips parted slightly, and the faint light, as if possessing a life of its own, accurately sank into the center of Hippo's back.

Having done all this, Lin Mo leisurely put his hands in his pockets, ready to enjoy the start of a good show.

Hippo, who had only taken a few steps, suddenly cried out "Ouch!" His foot caught solidly on a loose floor tile, and his whole body pitched forward in an extremely awkward posture.

Thud!

Right in front of him happened to be an uncleaned trash can. The impact caused the full load of leftover soup and food to spill out, drenching him from head to toe.

Red chili oil, green rotten vegetable leaves, and white grains of rice clung all over Hippo's hair and cheeks. A sour, foul stench instantly exploded into the air.

"Pfft..."

His two lackeys behind him were taken aback at first, but then couldn't hold back and burst into laughter.

"Holy crap! Hippo, are you... wishing us an early Happy New Year?"

"Hahahaha, bro, are you okay? The ground is a bit slippery here today."

Hippo lifted his head from the pile of garbage, his face turning pale and green by turns, with a rotten piece of vegetable still hanging from his mouth.

He glared viciously at his two friends who were laughing uproariously and roared, "What the hell are you laughing at! Hurry up and pull me up!"

The two hurriedly suppressed their laughter, but stayed as far away as they could.

Looking at Hippo in this state, let alone getting close, just seeing him gave off a strong, sour stench.

Deep in the alley, Lin Mo watched this comical scene, the smile on his face growing even deeper.

This was just an appetizer.

Next, the real show would begin.

Lin Mo was still very interested in seeing how the few of them would end up.