When Kobayashi's figure appeared again, he felt the delicate and smooth touch in his hand, and a complex feeling of relief and loss arose in his heart.

"Even if you have your own consciousness, you still won't be recognized? I'm sorry, Ryushi."

"There's no need to apologize, Master Kobayashi. It's quite the opposite. Without me, your servant, by your side, you would surely be dead. Master Kobayashi is such a useless person, after all."

"Can I translate that as you're worried about me?"

He was already accustomed to Liu Zi's arrogance and sharp tongue, and it was not difficult to hear her true thoughts from them.

Xiao Lin turned to her and said, "But Liu Zi is right. I feel at ease when you are by my side. There is no doubt about that. Thank you, Liu Zi."

"Does Lord Kobayashi really want to rely on me?"

"Ah, so can I ask you for help, Ms. Liu Zi?"

Kobayashi bent his knees slightly and stretched out his right hand to her, with expectation in his eyes, as if inviting the girl to dance.

Liu Zi was hit by the sudden straight ball. She opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something venomous, but after a pause she only said: "I can't help it. After all, I am Mr. Xiaolin's waiter."

She gently placed her hand in Xiaolin's.

Then Xiaolin held it tightly.

The two smiled at each other.

————

"Okay, what should we do next?"

Looking at the buildings and the hurried pedestrians that are completely different from those in "Moqing", Kobayashi's nervousness and caution when he first arrived are like a deer that wants to cross the river but keeps testing the rapidity of the river.

There were many pedestrians around, but none of them were curious about Kobayashi's sudden appearance. It should be the effect of the ring that could temporarily conceal his existence.

Suddenly, he was hit on the back.

“Ah, that hurts.”

Soft cries of pain and the sound of something falling came from behind.

Turn around and look down.

A thin little girl, about 11 or 12 years old, wearing coarse linen clothes fell to the ground, with several rotten and moldy apples scattered around her.

Xiao Lin squatted down and helped her pick up the apple, and asked with concern: "Little friend, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Thank you for your concern, I'm fine...?!"

The little girl thanked him politely.

But when she saw Liu Zi, her smiling face suddenly froze, her bright eyes revealed obvious fear, and even her voice became trembling.

He looked like he had seen a ghost.

Seeing her pale face and frightened eyes, Xiao Lin was a little worried about her health and asked with concern: "Are you okay?"

However, such simple concern made the little girl even more nervous and frightened.

She quickly knelt in front of Xiaolin, supported herself on the ground with her hands and kowtowed hard.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!..."

He was so strong that he didn't stop even after his forehead was broken, and he kept begging for mercy.

The little girl's sudden action scared Xiao Lin and left him no time to react.

"Hey, you...! Why are you doing this?"

After coming to his senses, he quickly helped the little girl up and stopped her from continuing to hurt her fragile body.

At the same time, Xiaolin was also keenly aware that the people around him kept casting strange glances at him. They were pity, worry, disgust, hatred, good and evil glances that kept switching and fell on the little girl and him respectively.

But when he turned his head to look, people turned their heads away and avoided his sight, not daring to peek any further.

what is going on?!

Although he didn't understand why the little girl reacted so violently, Xiao Lin knew that he had to stop it quickly, otherwise it would definitely cause a big commotion and attract other people's attention.

After being helped up, the little girl continued to apologize, saying in a panic, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you, Your Excellency! I have a seriously ill mother and a young brother at home who need someone to take care of them! Please forgive me! Please, please forgive me!"

Your Excellency?

Is this fear related to the nobility?

Xiaolin keenly heard the key words from her mouth, thought for a moment, and tried to put on a gentle and friendly expression, and said softly: "You misunderstood, I am not a noble."

“…Huh?”

"I'm just an ordinary civilian like you."

After hearing Xiaolin's explanation, the little girl was a little unconvinced. She looked at Liu Zi cautiously and asked softly, "Really?"

"Ah, really, I didn't lie to you."

Although Xiaolin explained to her, she still didn't seem to believe it, and couldn't help but ask softly: "You don't blame me for bumping into you?"

"No blame. So, stop hurting yourself."

Xiao Lin touched her broken forehead with heartache and used his skills to heal the wound.

"You...really don't blame me?"

"Of course. Come on, come on, you still have a seriously ill mother and a young brother to take care of, right? Go back quickly."

After hearing what Xiaolin said, the little girl suddenly fell silent and her eyes were dead.

She gently picked up the basket from the ground.

He walked very slowly, and looked back slightly every few steps, as if waiting for something.

Kobayashi just stood there, looking at her with a smile.

It was not until the little girl reached a corner that her eyes regained their original brilliance. She turned around, bowed deeply to Xiaolin, lowered her head, and hurried away. Her figure disappeared into the alley in a flash.

"Master Xiaolin..."

"Ah, I know, there's something wrong with this city."

Xiaolin looked at the magnificent palace in the distance and the bustling streets.

Even though there was such a commotion just now, it didn't attract much attention from the people around... No, even if they noticed it, they didn't pay any attention to it, as if they were used to it.

Is there a dark side hidden beneath the prosperity?

"Hmm, interesting."

Xiaolin became more interested in the new world.

However--

He didn't know if it was bad luck or good luck, but he bumped into someone again.

This time it was an old woman with a cane.

"Ouch! I'm going to die from the fall."

The old woman fell to the ground and cried out in pain.

Xiao Lin quickly squatted down, stretched out his right hand to her and asked with concern: "Old lady, are you okay?"

"Oh, young man, I'm so sorry for bumping into you." The old woman grabbed Xiao Lin's hand and said apologetically, "I'm blind. I hope you don't blame me."

Xiaolin helped her pick up the cane: "How could I blame you? Come on, old lady, please slow down."

"Thank you."

The old woman grabbed Xiaolin's clothes with both hands, as if using him as a handle to help herself stand up. After standing up, her hands kept groping for the position of the crutches. It seemed that she was indeed a blind old woman.

"Here, for you."

Seeing how hard she was working, Kobayashi took the initiative to hand her the crutches.

The old woman touched the familiar cane, smiled with relief, and said thankfully, "Thank you, young man."

"You're welcome."

Xiao Lin also smiled shyly and asked, "Where are you going? Do you need me to take you there?"

"No, no, I live just around the corner. I won't bother you." The old woman waved her hand to refuse, as if she didn't want to trouble others.

"Okay, since you don't need me." Kobayashi agreed.

The two then waved goodbye.

"Goodbye, young man."

"Goodbye, old woman..."

Kobayashi said goodbye to her with a smile, but that smile was so strange.

————

PS: Come on, kill me with your votes!