The Stone in the Stone slowly rolled into the underground parking lot of the skyscraper, like a sharp sword being sheathed back into its rack, quietly resting in its parking spot.
Lin Mo got out of the car and walked toward the elevator. He pressed the button for the 15th floor, and the elevator began to ascend slowly.
Upon reaching the 15th floor, Lin Mo passed through the chaotic crowd of homeless people and the random items scattered in the hallway. He finally arrived at North Kawahiro's apartment and rang the doorbell.
A moment later, the door opened to reveal North Kawahiro, who greeted him with a respectful nod, stepping aside to let him in.
Lin Mo couldn't help but feel a bit reflective, thinking about the first time he had entered a week ago when North Kawahiro hadn't even given him a warm greeting.
As he entered, the apartment's layout looked just as he remembered.
However, Lin Mo noticed a small change—this apartment seemed to have become a bit more... delicate?
Sitting on the circular sofa in the living room was a young girl with long hair, her face delicate and pale, her black hair cascading down both sides of her face, giving her a gentle, elegant appearance.
However, her dark eyes lacked any color, and she stared blankly at the table in front of her, like a delicate porcelain doll—exquisite, but ultimately lacking that lively spark.
This was the first time Lin Mo had seen her face-to-face.
Before, the girl had either been leaning against North Kawahiro's back or hiding her face in his arms, making it difficult to see her clearly.
Now, seeing her face for the first time, Lin Mo could understand why North Kawahiro had once jokingly said that the girl might not even be his biological sister, as their appearances were so different.
The girl seemed to notice Lin Mo's arrival. She slowly raised her head to look at him, her eyes glimmering with a slight hint of life.
Her name was Shizuka Kawahiro—as North Kawahiro had mentioned before.
Lin Mo reached into his pocket, and only then did he realize he hadn't brought a gift. But since he was already at someone else's home, going out to buy one now didn't seem quite right.
In the moment of his pause, North Kawahiro silently walked over to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder, speaking softly: "Shizuka, this is Lin-kun, the one I often speak of, Mr. Lin Mo."
"If it weren't for Mr. Lin Mo's help, I would never have been able to save you."
Shizuka nodded dumbly, her expression lifeless like a puppet. But whenever her gaze met Lin Mo's, there was a brief flicker of something in her eyes.
"Thank you, Brother Lin Mo, for saving me and my brother," she murmured, her voice quiet and timid.
Lin Mo: ...
North Kawahiro: ...
The room fell into an awkward silence. Lin Mo shifted his gaze to North Kawahiro, and it seemed like they were both thinking the same thing. Their eyes locked for a moment.
Although neither of them moved their lips, at that instant, they silently communicated their thoughts.
Lin Mo gave him a look, and North Kawahiro instantly understood:
[Didn't you tell her I'm 16?]
North Kawahiro shook his head.
[Should I keep pretending?]
North Kawahiro hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly.
"You two... what are you doing?" Shizuka asked, staring blankly at the silent exchange.
"Cough, cough," North Kawahiro cleared his throat, then smiled as he gently patted his sister's head, speaking softly: "Lin-kun just isn't used to being called 'brother.' Shizuka, perhaps you could call him Lin-kun, or even Mo-kun like I do."
Shizuka shyly shrank back into the sofa, her delicate gaze looking at Lin Mo, her cheeks flushed slightly as she asked, "Can I call you Brother Lin?"
Lin Mo: ...
This was probably the umpteenth time Lin Mo had been left speechless.
Although being called "brother" by someone else pleased him somewhat, it was still a bit awkward for someone who had never played the role of an older sibling.
In truth, 18-year-old Shizuka Kawahiro was technically his older sister...
Suddenly, a message flashed in front of him, and he instinctively opened it. It turned out to be from North Kawahiro, who had discreetly sent it.
[North Kawahiro: Lin-kun, although I am being a bit forward, please do me this favor and act like her older brother. What Shizuka needs most right now is the care of an elder.]
Lin Mo sighed and glanced at North Kawahiro's pleading look. Without saying anything, he nodded.
He walked over to Shizuka, squatted down, and took her hand. He retrieved the smart gun from his waist and placed it in her hand.
"This is for you."
North Kawahiro's eyes widened, and he immediately tried to refuse, "Lin-kun, how can I let you spend so much?"
Lin Mo ignored him, keeping his gaze fixed on Shizuka.
Shizuka tried to avoid his gaze, but like a rabbit caught with nowhere to run, she had no choice but to accept.
"I'm not very good at comforting people, but I want you to be able to protect yourself. Your brother and I can't always be by your side, but there's one thing that will never change: if anything happens to you, your brother will go crazy trying to find you, and I will also worry about you," Lin Mo said, choosing his words carefully as he spoke.
"Brother Lin, will you worry about me?" Shizuka asked, her eyes lighting up, looking up at Lin Mo.
Seeing this, North Kawahiro couldn't help but twitch his eye and feel a pang of sorrow. He sadly realized that his sister had somewhat excluded him from this.
Lin Mo smiled kindly, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently patted the girl's head, saying softly, "You must learn to protect yourself. Whenever you have time, I'll teach you how to use a gun."
The moment his hand touched her head, Shizuka's body trembled slightly. Her cheeks flushed, and her eyelashes fluttered as her hair fell over her eyes.
Finally, she nodded silently.
The door to the suite opened, and Lin Mo walked out. Behind him, North Kawahiro was still advising Shizuka to be careful while staying alone at home.
Once they stepped outside the door, North Kawahiro's expression immediately darkened.
"Don't look so down. You look like you've lost your toy," Lin Mo teased with a sly grin, nudging North Kawahiro with his elbow.
North Kawahiro had once faced gunfire without flinching, but now he seemed like a child deprived of his toy, his expression one of quiet sorrow.
"No, Lin-kun, I'm happier than anyone to see Shizuka pull through. It's just... I just..." North Kawahiro muttered softly.
"You feel like you're losing to an outsider in her eyes?" Lin Mo bluntly exposed his friend's inner thoughts, patting his shoulder.
"I think I understand the reason," Lin Mo continued, analyzing. "You and Shizuka grew up depending on each other. To her, maybe you're not so much a brother, but more like a father. She's used to your indulgence, so your comfort doesn't have much effect. On the other hand, I'm an outsider, and when she's emotionally hurt, she naturally turns to me, her savior, and calls me brother."
"I see!" North Kawahiro seemed to feel a bit better after hearing Lin Mo's analysis.
"Don't dwell on it. Once we meet Wakako, we have a mission to do," Lin Mo said.
North Kawahiro nodded. "Rest assured, Lin-kun, I'll be fine."
As they continued their conversation, they arrived at the underground parking lot of the building.
"Lin-kun, is this your car?" Standing before the Stone in the Stone, North Kawahiro stared in awe, his eyes now filled with reverence.
As a former member of the Tiger Claw gang, he had some knowledge of sports cars.
And the Stone in the Stone was currently the most powerful, best-performing sports car on the market, bar none!
"Want to take it for a spin?" Lin Mo smiled as he rested his hand on the car's hood.
"I didn't expect Lin-kun to be this wealthy..."
North Kawahiro took a deep breath. From the past week of interactions, he had already figured out that Lin Mo's background was far from ordinary.
It seemed he had underestimated him.
"Thank you, Lin-kun. I'd love to try!" North Kawahiro said earnestly.
"Then hop in!" Lin Mo opened the door and sat down in the passenger seat.
North Kawahiro steadied himself and, carefully, sat in the driver's seat, his hands lightly tracing the steering wheel. With a final pull, the engine roared to life.
The Stone in the Stone let out a ferocious roar as it sped out of the parking lot.
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