Greedy.

This hope is light and floating, and it fills your whole body in a blink of an eye.It felt like releasing a hydrogen balloon.

You start thinking again.

Judging from Qiao Qing's performance as a guest many times, he probably doesn't know the origin of that house.You don't know anything about it either.And if you confirm that your memory is coherent, you can rule out amnesia.

So is there another "Qiao Qing" and "you" in this world?Their timeline was before you met?Why did you leave the house and disappear?

And why did you wake up there - that was the beginning of the nightmare.

You close your eyes and sort out the events from the first time you opened them.

At first, I was panicked and numb, and tried to commit suicide at one point; then I met Qiao Qing by chance, observed him relying on him, and spent a relatively peaceful period of time; then I was discouraged for a while, before despair, time suddenly moved again, It's still just the two of you, but a lot is possible.

And then... and now.Some signs kept protruding from the crevices of life, rustling whispers.

You frowned.By the way, you have never explored, why on earth time flows again?

Before that, you confessed to Qiao lightly, but to no avail, and you didn't force it.Then you didn't look for him again, you didn't even peep at him, you were drunk and dreamy for a few days, and when you woke up again, it rained.

Is there anything unusual about this?Could it be that time is also manipulated by someone, seeing that you are too half-dead, so they condescendingly manipulate fate and favor you?

Will the culprit also be impatient?So how do you calculate now? Could it be that you are too happy?

You raised the corners of your lips, feeling that the joke wasn't very funny.

This way doesn't work.You don't know too much to guess.

You drop this thread and start teasing another.

Joe light.

You actually don’t really want to touch him, because whether you can find any doubts or not, as long as you start to doubt, there will be no end.

But...you don't want to be imprisoned in time yet.At this moment, you finally admit that you are powerless, a puppet that is manipulated is incapable of protecting anyone—although the puppet really wants to.

And he...

Thinking of this, your thoughts silently turned a corner, the progressive deduction suddenly broke down, and you fell into the dull pain of emptiness.

He should be very sad.

You seem to hear the puppet whispering, "If it keeps him happy, I'd like to jump into the stove."

Then a voice laughed softly, as if bewitching: "You go and dance. If you dance, I will keep him happy."

After hearing this, the puppet raised his head and thought for a while, mustered up his courage, and wanted to go.

But he couldn't move.

Only then did he understand what the voice was laughing at—not at him believing that jumping would be useful, nor at his lonely courage to move himself, but at him, who obviously couldn’t even move, and thought he could protect worldwide.

You closed your eyes for a moment, and laughed to yourself.

Don't blame the puppets, you think.There are always some people who, when you see him, forget that you are controlled by others, and think that you can fight against the whole world because of him.

In fact, if you have to say it, Qiao Qing's appearance itself is unusual.Why him, and why him alone?

But his appearance is so wonderful, and he entrusts all your persistence and hope.If he didn't show up, you wouldn't be able to live like this at all.

In addition to his origin, you have also felt strange a few times.The first time was when you formally greeted him, his reaction of sadness and joy—and that was the only time; the second time was that paranoid look; The indifference of the restaurant.

Could these strange places be related to each other?

Your eyebrows twitch.In connection with the previous speculation about the second "Qiao Qing" and "you", could it be related to another "Qiao Qing"?

But not right.In your later chat with Qiao Qing, you mentioned that meal out, and Qiao Qing has that memory.He really ignored it.

And even if this is ignored, how to seamlessly switch and connect between them is still a problem—especially if the current Qiao Qing has no knowledge and cannot actively cooperate.You're sure they appear in the same place, even in the same pose.

Oh, and it's also an "exactly the same thing".

All these deduction are based on the fact that Qiao Qing didn't lie to you, he knows nothing and is very innocent.You have no proof, but you don't care.You insist on pushing this premise down until you reach a dead end.

If, just if, if you really had contact with the second "Qiao Qing", why did he keep it secret?What is his request?

You hold your head in memory.You feel a little pain in your head, as if thousands of hands suddenly reached out and grabbed the hem of your clothes, you continued to run forward in the long corridor of memory regardless, only to see thousands of mouths opening and closing together, telling you in unison I continued to think about it——

But a long-forgotten sentence still jumped out——

"It seems to be familiar from an old friend."

You straighten up suddenly.

You know you've found it.

The second "Qiao Qing" is almost certain to exist, and at present, he should have had a past with "you".Otherwise, Qiao Qing has other information.

But you've never met the other "you," not even a clue.

Is this the appeal of "Qiao Qing"?

Your jaw tightens.

You can't speculate too much just by relying on an ambiguous sentence.None are conclusive.If it spreads out too much, it becomes speculation.

But you still have a hunch.

You look up.Through the narrow transom, you see a corner of the dark night.

It was cloudy and rainy.

You suddenly remembered your first meeting.A real first encounter.

Why on that day—on that day, Qiao Qing would endure your chatter for a whole day?Are you sure it's just a slushy pour.

You don't remember his reaction at that time, but you at least remember that he never left.

Are you really just passing by by chance?Passers-by are not obliged to put up with this.

Then... who did you meet? "Joe light"?

If "Qiao Qing" has some kind of purpose—or emotion—for you so that he can endure a whole day of nonsense, why does he leave later?Why did you deliberately replace Qiao Qing?

There is an answer on the horizon.But not enough, you don't have enough evidence.

When it is confirmed that "Qiao Qing" exists, it is almost impossible for you to convince yourself that Qiao Qing is innocent.The operation is too difficult, and there is no way to ensure his cooperation.

Assuming that "Qiao Qing" left for unknown reasons, then when he came back later...

...that glance.That time you used to be on a whim long after you were gone, he didn't know.

Is that why I didn't have time to change into the current Qiao Qing?And who will tell "Qiao Qing" that you haven't seen him for a long time?

You don't dare to think about it deeply, and once you think about it deeply, you will almost feel heart-piercing and heart-wrenching.

The madness in there now seems to have found the answer, and the speculation about his departure is also based on this glance——

That's... guilt.

"Joe... light." You read softly.These two syllables rolled twice in your throat, and suddenly broke.The splinters go down your throat, cutting you bloody and bruised, you can't breathe, you just hold on to the glass.

Fingerprints left a mark on the transparent cup wall.

People who once thought they were safe havens... turned out to be just the eye of the storm.

Everything is born of him, but the source is the most peaceful.

But the things that were swept away by the strong wind, aren’t they really worth your eyes——

Are you really... cruel?

You choke.

Qiao Qing heard the sound, and still knocked on the door first.Although it is not locked this time.

"Cough cough—" you pressed against the door firmly, "get out! Cough, cough, cough..."

The people outside the door did not speak.But you know he hasn't gone far.

You keep coughing.It seemed that you couldn't swallow the breath, and you coughed until your eyes dimmed with tears.

But eventually it slowly stopped.The hazy tears are just like mist, lingering in your eyes and not falling.

"Don't come in." You finally said softly and slowly.

The six words "I don't want to see you" seem to have been lined up on the tip of your tongue, but you can't say it after a few tries.Even now, you can't bear to hurt him like this.

It was still silent outside.But you know, this time, he's gone.

You slide soundlessly down the door.Orange candy wrappers were scattered on the ground, like a cloud dyed in the twilight in the mist.

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almost over