Chapter 1: The World Isn't Just Darkness

  "How do you know him?" Before Catnip could respond, Xi Yin had already made up her mind. She carefully leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "This morning when I went to Teacher's company, I heard something about him. Apparently, his dad is a madman who killed his mom... right in front of him."

  "His mother fought hard to protect him. She hid him in a closet and he was not discovered."

  Later, his father ran out crazily, covered in blood. Everyone hastily called the police and found him hiding in a cabinet. Perhaps he was frightened, but suddenly he couldn't speak and became mute.

  "It seems like he has been to many orphanages, but was expelled every time for fighting and causing trouble. I don't know if he'll be able to stay this time. Although it's pitiful, it's better for Cat Ni to keep a distance from such a dangerous person..."

  My heart skipped a beat, like being slowly strangled by a dagger. Such a thing is how terrifying for a child.

  It turns out that he can't speak anymore... No wonder he's always silent, no wonder his eyes only have broken blackness...

  "But why should I stay away from him?" Cat Ni asked Xi Yin seriously, "Why should I, stay away from him?" Shouldn't we get closer instead? Tell him that the world isn't all like this. It's not all darkness. There is light, and we will always find it.

  Xi Yin saw her serious gaze and was taken aback, stuttering: "Because... because everyone is like that, this morning, as soon as he walked to the seat assigned by the teacher, his deskmate cried, saying he was the child of a murderer and didn't want to sit with him. He immediately ran out of the classroom and didn't come back for the whole morning. You see, after everyone found out, they all thought he was terrible, so... So... I just wanted to advise you, I don't want you to encounter any danger..."

  "Got it." The cat listened to her advice, but kept feeling uncomfortable, with a lump in his throat like a moldy cotton ball.

  "But I won't," the cat replied firmly.

  Liang Chen held his lunchbox and found a dark corner by himself. Just as he was about to sit down, several bigger boys surrounded him.

  He hung his head and sidled away. He was small, but he had already learned to be patient. With a humble attitude, he sought stability in the present world.

  "Murderer's kid! You still want to eat?" The leader, a boy named Wang Dawei, was notoriously bad. Wang Dawei snatched the boxed lunch from his hand and tossed it to the ground, "It's barely good enough for dogs!"

  He lowered his head, motionless, and gazed indifferently at the smashed lunchbox. White rice grains were scattered all over the place. A small black dog caught a whiff of the aroma and immediately opened its mouth to eat it up.

  "Look, it's better to give it to a dog than to you!" Wang Dawei smiled complacently, as if he had accomplished something very proud. The onlookers gradually increased, and the murmurs of discussion came pouring in.

  Mute, murderer... To him, this might be the most poisonous curse in the world.

  Li Chen did not raise his head, a hint of resentment flashed in his cold eyes.

  Wang Wei saw that he had no reaction, and suddenly became furious, feeling that he had lost face in front of everyone. He grabbed Liang Chen's collar with one hand, "How about it? Don't you dare scold me? You shout! Oh... I almost forgot, you're still a mute... haha"

  Liang Chen slowly raised his head, his empty eyes growing colder and colder, like a dagger, wanting to stab several holes in the other person.