Bad to the Bone

His hair was disheveled, and he looked haggard and weary from lack of sleep and food.

He had been sitting in front of the door for over ten hours in the cold wind, his stomach growling every few seconds.

Passersby looked at him with varying expressions.

He couldn't understand why his brother, after becoming a transcendent being and getting rich, had become so cold-hearted.

After all, they were brothers who had sent their father to prison together. They used to be as close as hands and feet, so how did they become like strangers?

Just as it got dark, and he was about to pass out from hunger, the door finally opened.

Su Ze kicked him several times as if he were kicking trash.

Even after being kicked, Su Yu felt no humiliation anymore, because his dignity, in his brother's eyes at this moment, was as nonexistent as air.

He turned back trembling, hoping his brother would say something nice to ease the tension between them and give him a way out, but instead, he only saw his brother's disgusted expression as he said with contempt:

"Where did this homeless person come from? Go die somewhere else, would you? Don't die in front of my door."

Finally, Su Yu was allowed inside only after lowering his head and sincerely apologizing.

Because he knew that without an apology, Su Ze would unhesitatingly close the door again.

A month later, Su Yu rented a place near his school, living alone, going to school alone, eating alone.

It wasn't because he had become independent, but because he couldn't bear to see Su Ze and be reminded of that humiliation.

His proud nature made him reluctant to use his brother's money, so he worked part-time while studying.

Although his main source of income was still the black card his brother had given him - with its enormous, seemingly endless balance - it didn't affect his determination to be independent.

Each time he went to the ATM, he harbored a careful hope, thinking that with such large amounts, Su Ze surely wouldn't check the statements regularly, and withdrawing just ten or twenty thousand wouldn't be noticed.

After getting the money, he would return to his rental apartment with a mix of shame and relief at having living expenses for the month.

What he didn't know was that Su Ze would look at the withdrawal notifications on his phone and put it down without reaction, while Shen Qingsheng, playing games beside him, would glance at it and shake his head at the black screen.

His brother Su Yu was playing the clown, performing desperately with amateur acting skills.

He thought it was a solo performance, but it turned out to be a public spectacle.

However, what surprised Su Ze was that this month, Su Yu hadn't taken any of his money, as if he had truly become independent.

Of course, Su Ze didn't care about any of this - the money was there in the card for him to use if he wanted it.

After hanging up the phone, Su Ze met the clear, expectant gaze of the little shrine maiden.

"It's gone, I've emptied that machine," Su Ze sighed, "You're really not good with money, spending more than you earn."

The little shrine maiden lowered her head apologetically.

"Stop playing, go find your sister," Su Ze said.

She nodded, holding his hand, and suddenly playfully swung their arms back and forth like an old pendulum clock.

Su Ze turned to look at her, and Uesugi Akizuki looked back with a silly smile, showing both innocence and playfulness.

Perhaps due to growing familiarity, Uesugi Akizuki had transformed from being anxious about returning home with Su Ze to seeing him as the most important person in her life.

Now that they were more familiar, she no longer had any reservations around Su Ze, trusting him completely.

Su Ze had undoubtedly won her genuine affection.

As the blood moon ended, Su Ze's cold demeanor and slight impatience during the blood moon period also disappeared.

He returned to his previous shameless self from before Uesugi Akizuki's appearance, becoming more approachable and gentle.

Uesugi Akizuki loved this version of Su Ze, so she gave him her complete trust, occasionally showing glimpses of her pre-amnesia personality - sometimes being a little willful or playful, signs of absolute trust.

Su Ze doted on her.

He treated her like his own little sister.

As for his actual brother... well, unless he was dying, there was no need to care about him.

Looking at the remaining six kilometers, Su Ze felt a moment of disappointment before putting away his phone. Turning his head, he noticed Uesugi Akizuki peeling a banana and sighed.

When Uesugi Akizuki finished peeling the banana, Su Ze secretly reached from behind and tapped her shoulder. While the innocent girl instinctively turned to look, Su Ze, with lightning speed, opened his mouth wide and devoured half of the enemy's supplies!

Uesugi Akizuki turned back to stare bewilderedly at the half banana left in the peel, taking a moment before turning her incredulous gaze toward Su Ze, as if seeking a reasonable explanation to convince herself she wasn't hallucinating!

The culprit swallowed and felt a bit guilty, but maintained a straight face as he said, "I don't know, maybe Ultraman appeared and ate it just now. I'll take care of this, you can peel another one."

As he spoke, Su Ze shamelessly took the remaining half banana and ate it.

The innocent girl had no idea what had caused this strange phenomenon and naively took another banana from the fruit bag hanging on Su Ze's arm and started peeling it.

If she still had her memories, she would understand the concept of 'tricks' in this treacherous world.

Su Ze glanced at the newly peeled banana, his lips curling into another mischievous smile as his finger once again tapped her shoulder.

Suddenly, the innocent girl clutched the banana protectively and spun around, her wine-red hair flowing like a waterfall, only to find no one behind her.

She turned her gaze to the guilty-looking Su Ze, her small head filled with innocent confusion.

She still didn't suspect this usually gentle young man who secretly ate her bananas and was actually quite naughty.

After all, the young woman trusted this young man completely - if he said it wasn't him, then it wasn't.

This innocent girl had learned her lesson - instead of looking back, she turned around.

Su Ze, whose plan had failed, maintained eye contact with the innocent girl without showing any guilt - as one of the genius prospects among the Forerunners, his ability to handle pressure was impressive.

Though in reality, he was hiding his guilt inside.

The innocent girl carefully surveyed her surroundings and, finding nothing unusual, carefully took the banana from her chest and held it to Su Ze's mouth.

Su Ze was taken aback, watching Uesugi Akizuki as she vigilantly observed their surroundings to guard against banana thieves. His emotions became complex.

She truly was a precious girl.

After Su Ze took a bite of the banana.

The innocent girl peeled the remaining half while vigilantly watching their surroundings, then ate it without any hesitation. She took the banana peel from Su Ze's earlier successful scheme and ran to throw both peels in the trash.

Only then did the innocent girl's vigilant expression soften, her smile returning as her wine-red hair and red-and-white shrine maiden outfit swayed. She happily skipped along holding Su Ze's hand as they walked forward, clearly in good spirits.