Cyberpunk 2074: Shadows of the Past

Chapter 17 Visit

2074年，1月12日 19：05
"Well...it's all your fault, I almost lost track of the time!" Xi Tan wiped her lips in front of the small mirror she just bought, to make sure that no one would notice the difference.

Yawei put his left arm around Xita, rested his chin on her head, and quietly rolled his eyes at the mirror.

"Hmph!" Xita blushed and beat Yawei's chest with his small fist, grabbed his mischievous left hand, and dragged him to the door of Martinez's house.

"Hello? Gloria! I'm coming...yes...just outside the house."

Gloria opened the door in some shabby home clothes, and gently hugged the short-haired girl who was running over.

"Xi Tan..." She gently stroked Xi Tan's little head back and forth, her eyes full of kindness.

"Gloria..." Xita snorted comfortably before letting go of Gloria's embrace, "Let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Yawei!" She turned around and held the man hiding behind her Pulled over.

"Hi, I'm Yawei." He smiled politely and bowed to Gloria, "Thank you for taking care of Xita."

"Actually, I was taken care of by Xita..." Gloria hurriedly grabbed Yawei who was bowing, and smiled shyly, "It's cold outside, come in and talk."

2074年，1月12日 19：10
"Is David out of school?" Xita took out two pairs of slippers from Yawei's bag, and asked while changing them.

"Just came back, almost in front of you and one behind you."

According to etiquette, the host, Gloria, should be the one to prepare these, but Xita insisted not to let her spend the money, so the host did as she pleased.

Gloria scratched her long red hair, turned around and shouted into the house, "David, Sister Xita and her boyfriend are here to visit!"

"Here we come~" David walked out of the bathroom dejectedly, his usually upright punk hairstyle drooping, as listless as its owner.

"What's wrong with you? Are you broken in love?" Xi Tan poked David's forehead lightly with his fingers.

"Ah!" David shouted exaggeratedly, covering his forehead, and ran to the sofa in the living room as if he had been bounced by a giant force.

"Have they always gotten along like this?" Yawei raised the corners of his mouth, amused by the pretentious performance of the two critters.

"It's pretty normal..." Gloria looked at the two of them who were fighting like siblings, with a gentle smile on her face, "Xita is just like my daughter. After she moved in, , Our family has a lot of joy...David is also a lot more cheerful."

"So, Yawei, I didn't deliberately make things difficult for you..." She said while leading Yawei to sit on two plastic chairs by the window.

"For the sake of Xita, I have to take care of it... Although it is unlucky to say so, I don't want her to become a single mother..." She paused, smiled bitterly, her beautiful face was illuminated by the light There are a few obvious wrinkles underneath.

"I understand, Miss Gloria." Yawei sat on the plastic chair with his back straight, "I don't know if Xita has told you about her life experience..." He whispered, making sure The silly girl playing next door couldn't hear what he was saying.

"No..." Gloria frowned, feeling a bad premonition in her heart.

"Her parents passed away a few months ago, a man-made disaster..." Yawei lowered his eyes, his slender eyelashes concealing all his emotions, "She also went into exile in Night City..."

It began to rain outside the window, with furious thunder mixed with the patter.

Gloria thought of Xita's sincere smile every time she threw herself into her arms, and the tip of her nose felt sore.

"What are you guys talking about? Why do you look so serious?" Xita finished playing with David, sneaked behind Yawei, put his head on the man's broad shoulders, and The little hand tugged at his earlobe like a mischievous one.

"We're talking about what will happen to the wedding when you and I get married in the future..." Yawei grabbed Xita's little hand and used his palm to dispel the coldness.

"Ah!" His hands were caught, Xita broke free a few times to no avail, and simply put his face on Yawei's back, trying to hide the flush on his face.

"Sister Xidan is also shy! Hahahaha..." David ran behind Gloria, making funny faces.

"You boy! Beg to be beaten!" Taking advantage of the time when David couldn't straighten up with laughter, Xi Tan left behind Yawei, took off with a short run-up, and made a flying kick in the air.

"Help!" Seeing this, David turned around and ran back to the living room, avoiding Xita's pursuit behind him.

"David usually looks taciturn, and only when Xita comes to visit the house will he show his childish side..." Gloria looked at the two who were playing again, smiling, but the corners of her mouth were bitter. Drooping, trembling all over, "Sometimes I also reflect on whether I am a qualified mother...but I have no other choice..." She choked up and stopped talking.

"I'll talk to him later. If Xita is his sister, I'm his brother." Yawei squinted his eyes slightly, watching David's subtle and unnatural steps when he was running, knowing it in his heart.

"I'm sorry to trouble you..." Gloria raised her head gently, took a deep breath, and wiped the corners of her eyes repeatedly. After a while, her body stopped shaking.

"Xita! Come here, I'll cook, and you help!" Gloria had regained her composure, holding Xita's hand, and walked to the small kitchen they remodeled themselves.

"David? Come and sit down..." Yawei greeted the boy who had become listless again, and asked him to sit opposite him.

"Brother-in-law?"

"If you're not used to it, just call me Yawei..." Yawei smiled helplessly. Even he, who was not familiar with human affairs, could see the awkwardness of the boy's insincere words.

"Let's call you brother-in-law... Sister Xita likes you very much, you have to take good care of her!" A trace of loneliness flashed across David's pretendingly mature face.

"Okay... But, David, are your injuries really okay?" Yawei pointed to David's left knee, and as expected saw the fragility and surprise under the cracked mature mask.

David froze on the spot in bewilderment, staring blankly at Yawei coming over and patting himself on the shoulder.

"Men, don't pretend to be strong, David," he gently gave the boy a hug, "You have a mother who loves you, Miss Xi, and me, and you have a family to rely on..."

David looked at Yawei and felt that his vision was a little blurred. He raised his head quickly, blinking his eyes desperately, trying to recover the sour liquid that had overflowed from his eye sockets.

"Did you get bullied at school?" Yawei sat back in his seat, quietly waiting for the 15-year-old boy to calm down, and then asked slowly.

"Yes..." David hesitated to speak, and after a long time, he squeezed out an answer through his teeth.

"Don't worry, David, no one will bully you in the future, I promise..." Yawei closed his eyes, and opened them slowly after a few seconds.

"Oh..." David rubbed the knee of his left leg, which was no longer aching, and frowned suspiciously.

"I don't care who you are, you have to be nice to Miss Xita!" He repeated again, even though the man in front of him was full of mystery, he still could not shake his determination to protect his family.

"I promise you, David...I promise you..." After Yawei made a promise to the boy, he looked sideways out of the window in silence.

The torrential rain swept across the sky and the earth, and the howling wind was mixed with lightning and thunder, illuminating his blue eyes that reflected the world.

(End of this chapter)