Pandora’s Box

I had a tedious day. I did nothing more than nap in the sun, eat and drink whenever I woke, and continued to feel sleepy. I never thought that I would get tired of the blue sky, blue sea, coconut forest, and white sand so quickly.

Just like how a good bowl of soup was lacking salt, the reason was that Zhuo Wenyang was missing.

In the evening, Lu Feng and Cheng Yichen went upstairs to rest early while Ke Luo and I stayed in the spacious living room downstairs. We drank beer, resumed our old routines and played games.

We took the lead in looting everything from a building before the poisonous fog came over. We packed our bags, closed the door politely, and then jumped out the window gracefully.

The reason being was that as long as the building’s door was closed, players who later came would think that this was an untouched house. They would come inside and searched for nothing. Closing the door after visiting was a good habit to confuse the enemies and protect ourselves.

When we were about to leave, the sound of a jeep engine roared in our headset. We decided to find a place to hide and watched as the vehicle drove by. The car stopped and the people inside got out of the car step by step and rushed into the house.

“Are you going to kill them?” I asked.

Ke Luo was merciful as he answered, “No need since we already have enough. They look strangely poor and probably have nothing worthwhile.”

“As for the car…”

“Of course it will be stolen. It’s better than our bouncing car.”

We rushed over, hopped into the car, and started the engine before anyone noticed.

Stealing a car was annoying, but it was routine in this game. Ke Luo still pressed and held the horn down before driving away.

The people inside the house ran to the window in reaction when they heard movements. Ke Luo turned on his full audio and shouted, “I’m driving your car off!” Admist their angry shouts, we drove away.

As for the bouncing car we left behind, Ke Luo preemptively blew up the tires on the spot, leaving them no way out. Seeing the poisonous fog shrinking on them, Ke Luo let out a devilish laugh, “Ahahahahaha.”

“You deserve a beating. If Wenyang was here, he will definitely say something.”

Of course Ke Luo was a good boy and student, but he was by no means as serious and proper as Wenyang. He liked to cause trouble and had a bit of “badness.”

Often times, he and I were there to do all sorts of evil things: shading people, blowing up tires, blocking people in air-raid shelters, disturbing people with noise, and overly flirting with proper folks. Zhuo Wenyang would look at us helplessly.

Ke Luo smilingly said, “If Wenyang was the police, he would be the first to arrest us.”

I imagined Zhuo Wenyang’s appearance in a police uniform and said excitedly, “Really? Then I will ask Officer Zhuo to arrest me immediately!”

“….. =_=”

While talking, he suddenly saw Lu Feng head downstairs and towards the kitchen. Ku Luo immediately put down his laptop and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you need help?”

Lu Feng replied, “No need, Xiao Chen just wants to drink some coconut water. I’ll open a coconut so you entertain yourself.”

“…..”

I was not really used to Lu Feng talking so much in one breath, and was considered somewhat gentle.

I asked curiously, “Why did you come down to make it yourself? Wouldn’t it be easier to let the housekeeper deliver it?”

Lu Feng said, “It’s too late. Xiao Chen doesn’t like to trouble others.”

I watched as Lu Feng walked away, a little puzzled, “If he doesn’t like to trouble others, why does he like to trouble him?”

Ke Luo smiled and explained, “You don’t understand. Most things that Uncle Chen casually mentions like him wanting to drink juice, Uncle Lu will keep that thought in his heart and ensure that he drinks it no matter what. However, Uncle Chen is unwilling to call people up to grab him a drink. It doesn’t matter whether Uncle Chen drinks or not, he will be annoyed if the housekeeper was called. Uncle Lu is most afraid of his anger so after thinking about it, he’d rather open the coconut by himself. At least Uncle Chen won’t be angry and may be a bit touched by the gesture.”

“…..” This was too torturous. How complicated it was to be in a relationship.

“How are you able to think so carefully?” I commented, “I don’t think I even thought about it all that much.”

Ke Luo laughed and said, “I’ve seen a lot throughout their lives.”

“It’s because you know him very well,” I said, “I can’t guess what Lu Feng thinks at all.”

Ke Luo was silent.

After a while, Lu Feng went upstairs with a coconut he had opened with his bare hands and with such a happy expression on his face.

We continued to game and we were assigned two passerby teammates. One of them was very annoying, wanted everything, and his mouth was always spouting something dirty.

I was getting a little impatient as my ears were getting polluted the entire time, and was contemplating on quitting this team altogether.

Then, Ke Luo grabbed the AWM (sniper rifle) from the airdrop (equipment packages that come randomly in gaming). He chased after him with a stern face. It was so offensive but Ke Luo didn’t listen.

Thus, the grumpy brother cursed again, “Motherfucker, you bastardized orphan.”

I was immediately angry and was about to cause a scene, but Ke Luo raised his hand and shot him, blowing his head off without saying a word. There was a moment of silence on the field. The remaining passerby teammate was stunned and I was also a little scared by him.

I reminded him, “Killing teammates will be reported.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Ke Luo quitted the game with a solemn expression.

I thought he was also annoyed by that person’s foul mouth so I grabbed some snacks, poured him a glass of beer, and persuaded him, “Come on, drink and eat. There are all kinds of people in this game. Let’s not be affected by that trash.”

Ke Luo said, “He’s right. I am an orphan.”

“…..”

I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

We talked more or less when we played together and we knew what each other’s background was like.

Although my parents didn’t love me when I was a child, at least my parents were still alive. They both looked like they had lived peacefully for decades.

Ke Luo was really taken back from the orphanage.

His mother was from a well-known family. She was originally the most favored, youngest daughter of the Ke family. She was hurt by love and ran away from home, dying shortly after giving birth to him. As for the father, I didn’t know who he was. He had never seen him and no one dared mention of him. This may be viewed as gossip, an insignificant page of a rich family, but it was a hard life for the individual.

Seeing him gulped down beer, I didn’t know how to comfort him. In terms of misery, he was obviously much worse off than me.

“Don’t think that way, you still have us,” I said, “Wenyang and I regard you as our own brother.”

Although the three of us had very different personalities, we truly got along well. Needless to say, we both share similar troublesome behaviors. Although Wenyang scolded us from time to time, everyone felt that the loved and took care of us, and Ke Luo also respected and appreciated his seriousness.

We lived under the same roof and although we hadn’t known each other for a long time, I already regarded him as my heart-to-heart friend.

Ke Luo’s face relaxed a little.

I continued, “And both Lu Feng and Uncle Chen also take care of you like their own child, don’t they?”

He was silent again.

“Do you know,” he said with a low tone after a while, “I thought Lu Feng may be my father.”

“Pffff!!!!” I spat out a mouthful of wine.