Chapter 171: Longing for the Human World

Ling Wu changed into a set of clean clothes. Passing by the mirror, he caught a glimpse of his deathly pale lips. He cupped some water and splashed it onto his face, then bit down hard on his lower lip; the originally pale lips instantly regained their color. He opened the door just as Jin Shaoyu was about to break in, and walked out with composure.

His expression was natural: "Shao Yu, what's wrong?"

Seeing him come out, Jin Shaoyu felt relieved, but still looked into the room suspiciously and asked him: "Brother, what were you doing in the room just now? I heard movement from the doorway, and you didn't answer when I called you!"

Jin Shaoyu rested his hand on Ling Wu's rounded shoulder, successfully catching a glimpse of the scene inside the room by taking advantage of his height, but he had only just glanced at it when his line of sight was blocked.

Ling Wu closed the room door and said: "I just took a tumble in the room, so I didn't have time to answer the phone."

"Don't worry."

Not giving Jin Shaoyu a chance to speak, he followed up by asking: "I just checked the time and it's only 6:30, why did you come to find me so early?"

Jin Shaoyu was wearing a suit different from yesterday's; the cut was crisp and it was a rather formal and grand style. At first glance, it looked as if he were about to attend a wedding, and his hair had also been meticulously styled, making him look handsome and dashing.

Hearing Ling Wu bring this up, he pursed his lips and said a bit bashfully: "To watch the sunrise, isn't that something you really like, Brother?"

Ling Wu quickly understood what he meant. Perhaps it was that photo of the sunset from yesterday evening that made Jin Shaoyu think he really liked watching such scenery, so he had prepared meticulously.

His head was still a bit dizzy at this moment, his eyelids heavy, and only now did he notice that Jin Shaoyu had a new model camera hanging around his neck.

Seeing him not speak for a long while, Jin Shaoyu thought he had misinterpreted: "You... don't you like it?"

Ling Wu suddenly smiled, his tone very light and cheerful: "Of course I like it. Let's hurry downstairs, otherwise, if we miss 6:30, we'll miss the best time for the sunrise."

The two walked side by side in the corridor and soon took the elevator downstairs. They found a secluded spot and stood on the deck.

At this moment, the sunrise was just ascending above the sea level, brilliant radiance spilling across the surface of the sea. The waves lapped against the reefs, sparkling. The sky transitioned from deep blue to light blue, and a blurred dividing line appeared where the sea and sky met. The light and shadow were suddenly dreamlike and illusory...

Ling Wu murmured: "So beautiful."

The sea breeze blew against his face. His eyes reflected the sparkling sea, and the vigorous vitality of the sunrise rushed toward him, making his whole body feel warm. Ling Wu rested his hands on the railing and closed his eyes, letting the sunlight shine on his face. He opened his eyes to see Jin Shaoyu aiming the camera lens at him.

Suddenly, he felt a deep attachment to this human world.

Jin Shaoyu: "Brother, look at the lens!"

As the shutter was pressed, this frame was frozen into eternity.

Ling Wu leaned over to his side to look at the photo. The figure was placed below the sea level, occupying the bottom right corner of the photo, with the top left left blank, capturing the sunrise and the lighthouse. There were a few scattered birds around, and the color saturation was perfect.

"It's shot very well. Compared to that one at the Academy, I like this one better." Ling Wu pulled his arm down a bit, preparing to take the camera: "Shao Yu, you stand where I was just now, and I'll take one for you too. Do you want the same composition?"

Jin Shaoyu: "Mm, whatever works."

Ling Wu silently stepped back a few paces. The wind on the deck blew his hem, making it snap loudly. He raised the camera and aimed it at Jin Shaoyu, adjusted the parameters a few times, and then focused, letting the image appear clearly in the lens. The youth's face was three-dimensional and outstanding, the resilience in his body blending appropriately with the environment. The wind brushed through both their hair, and he pressed the shutter.

At the same time, he felt a heat in his nasal cavity, and a warm stream dripped down...

"Brother!"

Ling Wu's ears were buzzing. In a daze, he heard Jin Shaoyu call his name. He lowered the hand holding the camera, wiped under his nose with the back of his hand, and when he brought it before his eyes, he saw bright red bloodstains.