With Qisheng employees stationed around the entire dining area, Ning Zhu had no choice but to head toward Anjiang Plaza several hundred meters away.

Ning Zhu was in heat, his limbs weak and sluggish, slowing his pace considerably. Dou Changxiao, much taller than him, struggled to keep up with his long legs, unable to stride freely.

“Could you possibly walk any slower?” he muttered, tripping over Ning Zhu’s heels.

Ning Zhu: “…” I actually could.

He picked up his pace slightly, but within half a minute, he’d reverted to a snail’s pace.

He heard Dou Changxiao’s hesitant voice again: “Are you…”

The words trailed off there.

Ning Zhu turned to look at him, but Dou Changxiao remained silent, only lowering his stride without urging him further.

Ning Zhu simply turned back, feeling oddly puzzled.

Qisheng was located in the commercial district, adjacent to Anjiang Plaza. The Anjiang River, a major urban waterway of North City, flowed through the downtown area. Along this stretch, the city had developed numerous tourist attractions, making it a famous spot in North City.

At night, river cruises plied the waterways. Combined with the proximity of North City’s two famous landmarks, the area became a stunning spectacle after dark. The changing lights on the landmark buildings created breathtaking views, perfect for photography. Anjiang Square is the prime spot for enjoying both the river views and North City’s nightscape. Whether on weekdays or holidays, crowds of tourists flock to Anjiang Square at night to capture the scene.

Passing Anjiang Square, Ning Zhu glanced at the flowing river beside the plaza.

The square seemed unusually crowded today, with the river-facing railings packed with people snapping photos of the river with their phones.

Their destination was the row of restaurants along the square’s eastern edge facing the street. Passing by the square’s side, they noticed a slightly open area dotted with small stalls selling common, popular toys—mostly bubble machines, flashing darts, and other items highly appealing to children.

Who knows how many parents with kids passing by here would find it a headache.

The vendor selling the flashing toys was particularly showy, holding a display piece and launching one into the air every couple of minutes to attract passersby.

The launched flashing toy shot high, its blue light soaring into the sky. At its peak, it became the sole star in the city’s night sky, possessing an unusual beauty in the darkness. Ning Zhu’s gaze followed that beautiful blue light soaring high into the night sky, watching it fall back to earth and be caught by the vendor’s hand.

Dou Changxiao’s attention was also briefly drawn, but he quickly pulled his gaze away from the vendor’s hand and noticed Ning Zhu had slowed down, distracted.

Ning Zhu’s profile, turned toward the square, appeared serene and gentle in the night. Dou Changxiao watched silently for a moment, offering no comment, and quietly slowed his own pace.

That vendor’s advertising was truly effective; the area around the flash toy stall was noticeably livelier than the other toy stalls.

In just this short while, two couples had already been drawn in to browse, and another pair of parents had been dragged over by their child’s sheer persistence.

A little further back, a boy stood alone, not watching the toys like the others. He just stood there, looking around restlessly.

Ning Zhu didn’t notice at first. He walked about ten meters forward before glancing back. Seeing the boy still rooted to the spot, seemingly searching for something, he stopped abruptly.

His halt was abrupt and decisive, catching the person behind him completely off guard.

Ning Zhu’s back was suddenly jolted from behind. His legs were already weak, and the impact sent him tumbling forward.

The next second, a firm grip tightened around his waist as the person behind him hauled him back with a single hand.

His back slammed against Dou Changxiao’s chest, the nape of his neck brushing against the other’s breath. The spot where the warm air touched felt slightly ticklish.

Before Ning Zhu could react, Dou Changxiao swiftly released him.

After pulling away, Ning Zhu turned to complain about how close he’d been held, but seeing Dou Changxiao had already averted his gaze, he swallowed his words.

He walked toward the child who’d caused this minor traffic incident.

“Looking for someone, little one?”

The boy looked up at Ning Zhu, meeting his gentle, handsome smile. He stiffly nodded.

The boy’s face was set in a serious expression, but his hands were clenched tightly, clearly nervous—a perfect example of all bark and no bite. Ning Zhu guessed the child was probably lost.

He scanned the area, but with the constant flow of people nearby, finding someone wouldn’t be easy.

“There should be a service point nearby,” Dou Changxiao’s calm voice sounded from behind, clearly having quickly grasped the situation.

The boy shrank back, reluctant to follow the two men. He looked only five or six years old, still at an age of innocence. He knew his parents weren’t nearby, but didn’t grasp the concept of being lost.

Dou Changxiao asked for his family’s phone number, but the boy hesitated and remained silent.

Ning Zhu considered his options, then asked Dou Changxiao to watch the child while he went to find nearby staff.

Dou Changxiao glanced at him. “I’ll go find them. You’re too slow.”

Ning Zhu: “…”

Though he felt slighted, the suggestion actually suited him perfectly.

He stayed put to wait for Dou Changxiao’s return, crouching down to chat with the boy. For every three sentences he spoke, the child timidly replied with one.

Seeing such a quiet, reserved child, Ning Zhu always felt an inexplicable urge to tease him a little.

But right now, the boy was anxious about losing his parents. Suppressing his impulse to play pranks, Ning Zhu got up and headed to the nearby toy stall to pick out a gift.

Mr. Ning had money to burn, so he ended up buying one of each item, returning with a large bag full of toys.

He rummaged through the bag and pulled out the glowing little flying arrow. Ning Zhuo held it in his hand, fiddling with it a couple of times until he figured out how to use it.

Sure enough, the boy’s attention was captured. Within two minutes, he relaxed, clutching a pink bubble blower and puffing bubbles with a satisfying “puff-puff.”

Ning Zhu chuckled quietly at the sight. Seeing the boy wasn’t as tense as before, he asked, “Did you come to North City with your mom and dad?”

The boy answered while vigorously puffing bubbles, “Mhm.”

“Do you remember where you came from?”

The boy pointed toward Anjiang Bridge, connected to the square. “Mom and Dad wanted to take pictures on the bridge, so we came down from it. I saw that uncle flying little rockets… then, then Mom and Dad just disappeared.”

“…” Ning Zhu could almost picture the situation.

Likely, the child had been drawn to a toy stall while his parents weren’t paying attention, leading to their separation.

The boy played intently. Ning Zhuo held the small, glowing flying arrow in his hand, absentmindedly rolling it between his fingertips.

He, too, had once gotten separated from his parents. But back then, he seemed to be a few years older than this child. Eight? Or nine?

Either way, he was old enough to remember things and understand the world.

It had been over ten years since he lost contact with his family, yet whenever he recalled that home, the petty arguments still felt vividly present.

Ning Zhu’s family structure was quite ordinary among many AO families—not wealthy, but not particularly poor either. His parents were deeply in love during the first year or two after his birth, practically inseparable. But years later, their marriage was held together only by pheromones and their child. His mother often spoke with hidden barbs, while his father excelled at cold wars.

Yet, by walking a tightrope between both sides, Ning Zhu managed to keep things barely functional.

Yet this ordinary family experienced a dramatic, extraordinary turning point one day: During the initial stage of glandular development, Ning Zhu was diagnosed with a congenital defect.

Surgery to remove it carried significant risks. Opting for a conservative approach meant extremely high costs for initial medication and future inhibitors once the glands matured. Moreover, the chances of finding a suitable Alpha pheromone match in the registry were extremely slim.

It was almost certain that the future expenses for him would be astronomical. Yet the return on this massive investment was highly likely to be zero.

Ning Zhu couldn’t comprehend any of this. All he knew was that his “back of the neck” had developed a condition that didn’t cause discomfort. This condition made the atmosphere at home gloomy and oppressive, and caused his parents to argue and engage in cold wars several times more often than before.

This made him much more cautious. For a long time afterward, he behaved exceptionally well, never making selfish demands in front of his parents.

But playfulness is a child’s nature. After bottling it up for two months, Ning Zhu couldn’t hold back. One weekend, he wore his parents down with persistent nagging until they agreed to take him out. His father was annoyed by his pestering but finally gave in.

Ning Zhu had no recollection of where they ended up that day. All he remembered was the overwhelming crowd, shoulder-to-shoulder and unbearably packed. His attention was drawn to a young street performer singing by the roadside. He let go of his mother’s hand, pausing to watch for a couple of minutes. When he snapped back to reality, the flowing crowd had already separated him from his parents.

He stood frozen in place. Each unfamiliar face that passed by added another layer of fear to his heart. His throat felt completely dry, capable only of a tiny, cat-like mew.

He searched frantically through the surging sea of heads.

He was incredibly lucky to spot that familiar back amidst the crowd.

Ning Zhu’s hoarse voice returned to normal, and he shouted with all his might toward that back: “Dad—”

The man turned his head slightly, his eyes glancing in his direction.

Ning Zhu met that flustered, anxious gaze for a brief instant.

The next moment, the man swiftly turned his head away, pushing his wife forward as they disappeared into the throng.

That fleeting eye contact felt like a mere illusion to Ning Zhu.

Later, a street musician noticed him, set down his guitar, and led Ning Zhu to a nearby service center.

The staff asked Ning Zhu for his parents’ phone number.

His parents returned in the evening to find him. Ning Zhu behaved well, never crying or fussing.

They took him home.

Daily life resumed as before. Arguments at home grew more frequent, and Ning Zhu continued trying to please both sides. As he grew older, he grew too lazy to mediate anymore. He never mentioned the incident of getting separated to anyone.

Growing up seemed to happen in an instant. For Ning Zhu, it truly did take only a moment. Within that panicked gaze, like an illusion, his soul was violently stretched by time, pulled into a terrifying shape.

This process could perhaps be called “maturity,” causing him to always move faster and feel more anxious than his peers.

Throughout his student years, Ning Zhu consistently held the top spot on the honor roll, firmly occupying the highest position.

Even now, he remained among the most elite few in society—financially secure, well-connected, with a handful of close friends. Spiritually, he wasn’t particularly lonely.

Yet in certain rare moments of leisure, when Ning Zhu looked back, he always felt that the tiny version of himself trapped in the crevices of time… from a certain angle… seemed oddly misshapen.