Slay the God: Late Night Bookstore

Li Mingxuan walked on the dark street. Snowflakes kept falling from the sky, dyeing the ground with a layer of white. Gusts of cold wind blew by. Li Mingxuan tightened his body and exhaled a breath of mist.

"If the snow gets heavier, we can build a snowman..."

Li Mingxuan raised his head and looked at the snowflakes that were falling continuously. There was no sign of them stopping. He then retracted his gaze and murmured.

In previous years, he liked to build a snowman at the door of the library, and Haoran would read quietly in the library.

From time to time, he would look very senior and comment on the snowman he made.

When passing by a grocery store, Li Mingxuan stopped and looked at the store with some surprise.

Because all the surrounding shops were closed, only this grocery store was still open.

It seems a bit out of place in this street...

I'll go in and take a look at what New Year gift I should prepare for Haoran.

"Boss, why aren't you off work yet? I see that all the shops around are closed..."

Li Mingxuan also walked into the grocery store out of curiosity, and saw the boss looking at his phone at the cash register, and joked with a smile.

"Haha, it's okay. My home is in the neighborhood in front anyway. I can go back anytime I want. Just look around and pick whatever you like."

The boss, a man in his forties, said this with a smile and then continued looking at his phone.

Li Mingxuan smiled when he heard this, walked in the grocery store, and wandered around until he stopped in front of a table full of necklaces.

There were necklaces of all shapes and sizes, but Li Mingxuan looked at them for a long time.

In the end, I chose a cross-shaped necklace, not for any reason, I just thought this shape was more pleasing to the eye.

Then I specially picked out a small gift box to wrap the necklace. Judging from the size, it should be just enough to hold the necklace.

"Boss, check out."

Li Mingxuan placed the two items on the cashier counter and called out to his boss who was still browsing on his phone.

"It's 130 yuan in total. Who are you going to give it to?"

Upon hearing this, the boss immediately stood up, put the necklace into a small gift box while asking, and then wrapped it up and handed it to Li Mingxuan.

“A New Year’s gift for a friend.”

Li Mingxuan explained casually, then picked up the necklace that his boss had packed and left.

"Haha, walk slowly! I'm sure your friend must be very happy!"

The boss gave him a look that showed he understood, and then he smiled and waved his hand.

Li Mingxuan smiled, did not answer, and disappeared into the street without looking back.

After Li Mingxuan left, the boss looked at the time and found that it was getting late, so he pulled down the rolling shutter, closed the door and went home.

.....

Late Night Bookstore....

"Finally back, it's a little cold outside!"

Li Mingxuan walked into the study and felt the warm air. A look of joy appeared on his face and he instantly felt not so cold anymore.

He glanced at Haoran who was still reading a book on the counter, then picked up a novel and started reading on the desk.

"It seems like there won't be any customers tonight. Why don't we close early? Tomorrow is New Year's Eve."

Li Mingxuan read the novel for a long time. He looked at the time and found that it was already early morning, so he looked at Haoran and asked.

Upon hearing this, Haoran raised his head and met Li Mingxuan's eyes. Then he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and nodded.

"Okay, I'll go take a shower first."

After Haoran finished speaking, he went upstairs and soon the sound of water splashing came from the bathroom.

Li Mingxuan came to the door of the bookstore and looked at the pitch-black outside with only scattered street lights flickering. He then chuckled and turned the sign "Open for Business" over to show a sign "Closed for Business".

Li Mingxuan heard a rustling sound coming from the bathroom and carefully placed the gift box on the counter, planning to give Haoran a surprise tomorrow.

However, when he opened a drawer in the counter, he found a white Buddhist bead inside, and next to the Buddhist bead, there was a white chess piece.

"This is....."

Li Mingxuan picked up the white chess piece, looked at it carefully for a long time, and his expression began to look ugly.

This is Lin Qiye’s plan for the future!

But why does Haoran also have this white chess piece!

Why is he deeply trapped in Lin Qiye's chessboard of the future?

You know, no chess piece has a good ending!

Li Mingxuan took a few steps back, his face turning pale.

why!

Why does Haoran have this chess piece!

He is a character who never appeared in the original novel from beginning to end, but why does he have this white chess piece in his hand now?

Perhaps because they have been together for many years, Li Mingxuan has already regarded Haoran as a family member. Who would watch his family become someone else's pawns?

dong dong dong....

As footsteps were heard coming down the stairs, Li Mingxuan looked up and his eyes met Haoran's.

"what happened?"

Haoran's hair was wet and he hadn't used the hair dryer yet. At this moment, he looked at Li Mingxuan, who was looking at him with an unhappy expression, and asked in confusion.

"You'd better give me an explanation...why there is a white chess piece here."

Li Mingxuan took out the white chess piece, looked directly into Haoran's eyes, and then spoke word by word.

"Gobang! What's going on?"

Haoran looked at Li Mingxuan strangely, then walked to the counter, took out an opened box of Go from the drawer next to him, and put it on the counter.

Haoran took the white chess piece from Li Mingxuan's hand and put it into the Gobang game. There was just one chess piece missing, so after putting it in, there was just the right amount.

"Forehead....."

Seeing this, Li Mingxuan felt a little embarrassed for a moment.

It turned out that I had wronged Haoran.

"I'm just kidding. Here, this is a gift for you. Hahaha. I'm going to take a shower too."

Li Mingxuan touched the back of his head awkwardly, then took out the packed box and handed it to Haoran, then turned around and ran upstairs to take a shower.

After making sure that Li Mingxuan went upstairs, Haoran didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he heard the sound of running water in the bathroom.

I took a look at the gift box that Li Mingxuan gave me, and when I opened it, I saw that it was a cross necklace with a note next to it.

Happy New Year Haoran.

——Li Mingxuan

Haoran picked up the cross necklace and looked at it for a long time, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

Thank you, Mingxuan...

but.....

Haoran slowly took out a white chess piece from his trouser pocket, then took out the white chess piece that had just been put into the Go game and put it back into the original drawer.

The white chess piece in Haoran's trouser pocket turned into powder in his hand. Haoran walked out of the study and scattered all the powder outside. The white powder floated in the wind and merged into the snow.

Haoran stood at the door of the study for a long time, and then hung the necklace given by Li Mingxuan around his neck.

Looking at the darkness outside the study with only scattered lights flickering, Haoran looked behind him with a complicated expression.

Sorry, Mingxuan, this is my choice...

I hope you don't blame me...