That night at the "Dragon Basket" Night Market, the atmosphere was as bustling as usual. Bao Zhe Fan and Wang Dawei were busy serving a queue of customers at their "Fan's Magic Shop" stall. Wang Dawei, with his loud voice, kept promoting their merchandise.
"Healthy Digestion Pills! Guaranteed smooth digestion! The only side effect is strawberry-scented flatulence for just three hours!" Wang Dawei shouted, holding a bottle of colorful pills.
Bao Zhe Fan efficiently served customers while occasionally checking the inventory. Suddenly, his eyes caught a sight that made him pause. A skinny young man in a worn-out Changzhi Twilight school uniform stood in a corner of the market, staring at the food stalls with an empty, hungry gaze. What was interesting was that the young man's presence was very faint, as if he could blend into the shadows.
"Dawei," Bao Zhe Fan said, pointing. "Look at that."
Wang Dawei turned. "Oh, that's Zhang Lei! I remember he sits in the back corner of the class. But I've hardly ever talked to him. They say he skips school often."
They observed Zhang Lei, who looked increasingly weak. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, and his hands trembled. Bao Zhe Fan made a quick decision. He took a portion of hot snail skewers and a cup of warm tea, then walked over to Zhang Lei.
"You're starving," Bao Zhe Fan stated, not as a question, but as a fact.
Zhang Lei was startled, like a frightened bird. "I-I... no, I'm fine." But his stomach growled loudly, contradicting his own words.
Wang Dawei, who had followed behind, insisted. "Ah, don't pretend to be tough! Just eat! It's on the house!"
Zhang Lei seemed hesitant but finally accepted it with trembling hands. "Thank you... I'll pay you back another time."
[+80 EP - Positive: Deep Gratitude from Zhang Lei]
After the sales period ended, the three of them sat on a long bench near the now-quiet stall. Zhang Lei had already finished two portions of snail skewers and three glasses of tea. His face was regaining its color.
"Why were you so hungry?" Wang Dawei asked innocently. "Don't your parents give you pocket money?"
Zhang Lei looked down. "I'm... saving up for something important."
Bao Zhe Fan, who was usually quiet, became curious. "You have a Rank C Molecule Manipulation talent, that's quite strong. You should be able to get a decent side job."
Zhang Lei was surprised. "How do you know my talent?"
Wang Dawei laughed. "Brother Bao is like a detective! But the important thing is, why don't you use your talent?"
Zhang Lei sighed. "I... lack confidence. And I have to look after... something at home." He spoke in fragmented sentences, as if hiding something.
Bao Zhe Fan decided not to press further. "In that case, how about partnering with us? We need someone with your ability."
Wang Dawei immediately got excited. "Yeah! We can make even more magical weird pills! With your molecule control ability, you can change the taste of our pills to be better!"
Zhang Lei smiled slightly for the first time. "Aren't you afraid I'll steal your recipes?"
Bao Zhe Fan shrugged. "We sell pills with weird side effects. No one would want to steal recipes like that."
The three of them laughed. At that moment, unbeknownst to them, a bond of friendship began to form.
They decided to have dinner together at a noodle shop near the market. Wang Dawei enthusiastically ordered various dishes while telling funny stories about school.
"...and then Li Hao's face turned as red as a tomato when he found out our physical exam scores were higher!" Wang Dawei recounted, laughing heartily.
Zhang Lei, who was usually quiet, began to open up. "I heard about that. The whole school is talking about it." He then unconsciously said, "My mom used to always cook noodles when there was good news too... before she..." He suddenly stopped, his face pale.
Wang Dawei was curious. "Before she what? Tell us!"
Zhang Lei shook his head quickly. "No, forget it. I misspoke."
But Wang Dawei's curiosity was piqued. "Ah, don't be like that! We're friends now! Just tell us!"
Bao Zhe Fan added in a calm voice, "We might be able to help."
Zhang Lei seemed conflicted. He looked at these two new acquaintances. Perhaps because he hadn't had friends to share with for so long, or maybe because of the warmth of the budding friendship, he finally gave in.
"Alright... but it's not a happy story." Zhang Lei took a deep breath. "My mom... developed a mental illness two years ago. She often doesn't recognize her surroundings, sometimes thinking I'm a stranger."
The cheerful Wang Dawei suddenly fell silent. Bao Zhe Fan watched seriously.
Zhang Lei continued with a trembling voice. "And my dad... his legs are paralyzed from a work accident. Now he can only sit in a wheelchair." He paused for a moment, holding back his emotions. "So, besides school, I have to take on odd jobs to pay for their treatment. That's why I often skip school."
Wang Dawei, unable to hold back, immediately hugged Zhang Lei. "Sorry... I didn't know..."
Bao Zhe Fan nodded slowly. "You're strong to have gone through all this alone."
But Zhang Lei suddenly stopped. "That's enough. I don't want to talk about it anymore."
The curious Wang Dawei couldn't restrain himself. "Wait! Tell us more details! How did it start? Aren't there other relatives to help?"
Zhang Lei refused, "No, that's enough."
But Wang Dawei insisted with his innocent persistence. "Come on, trust us! We're friends!"
Bao Zhe Fan also supported him. "We can look for a solution together."
Carried away by the pressure and perhaps also the relief of finally sharing, Zhang Lei continued with teary eyes. "At first... my mom started forgetting small things often. Then she started seeing shadows that weren't there. One night, she thought my dad was a monster and... attacked him with a knife. My dad tried to defend himself until he fell down the stairs... that's what paralyzed his legs."
The atmosphere turned silent. Even the usually chatty Wang Dawei was now quiet, his eyes glistening.
"After that incident, her condition worsened," Zhang Lei continued hoarsely. "I have to lock her bedroom door every night for everyone's safety. Sometimes... sometimes she bangs on the door screaming my name, but when I open it, she doesn't recognize me."
Bao Zhe Fan placed a hand on Zhang Lei's shoulder. "You're not alone now."
Wang Dawei nodded quickly, his nose already red. "Yeah! We'll help! Starting tomorrow, we'll sell more diligently! The profits will help your parents!"
Zhang Lei could no longer hold back his tears. He sobbed, releasing the burden he had carried for years.
[+200 EP - Positive: Emotional Release from Zhang Lei]
[+150 EP - Positive: Deep Empathy from Wang Dawei]
[+100 EP - Positive: Compassion from Bao Zhe Fan]
To lighten the mood, Wang Dawei tried to cheer him up in his silly way. "Hey, don't be sad! Here, try our new product!" He took out a Mood Enhancer Pill. "Guaranteed to make you happy!"
Bao Zhe Fan tried to stop him. "Now's not the time—"
But Zhang Lei had already accepted the pill with a trembling hand. "Why not? I need something to laugh about." He swallowed the pill.
A few minutes later, Zhang Lei started giggling. "Hehehe... this is so funny! I feel like a floating balloon!"
Wang Dawei laughed uproariously. "Look at that! He's like a little kid!"
The comedy peaked when Zhang Lei suddenly stood up and started dancing with stiff movements. "Hehehe... I can't stop laughing!"
Bao Zhe Fan shook his head with a smile. At least, the tears had turned into laughter.
Then, they started a serious discussion about their business plan. With Zhang Lei's Molecule Manipulation talent, they could create new innovations.
"How about we make 'Magic Flavor Pills'?" suggested Zhang Lei, still chuckling. "I can manipulate taste molecules on the tongue. I can make people taste any flavor they want!"
Wang Dawei was excited. "Wow! We could sell steak-flavored pills for people on a diet!"
Bao Zhe Fan added, "We could also make pills with more controlled side effects. With your ability, maybe the side effects can be reduced."
They discussed late into the night, making various business plans that were both creative and silly.
As they were about to part ways, Zhang Lei suddenly said, "I... never had friends like you two. All this time, I've always been alone because I was ashamed of my situation."
Wang Dawei slapped his back in a friendly manner. "Forget the past! Now there are three of us! Bao Zhe Fan the strategist, me the marketing expert, and you the molecule scientist!"
Bao Zhe Fan nodded. "We start tomorrow. School first, then ability training, then selling."
Zhang Lei smiled widely for the first time. "Okay! I can't wait!"
Returning home, Bao Zhe Fan reflected on the day. He was happy to have helped Zhang Lei, and also happy to have found new friends who understood the struggle of life. He checked his system.
[Host Status]
Name:Bao Zhe Fan
Spirit Knight Level:Bronze Wheel - 2 Star
Talent:Blood Control (Rank F)
EP:10,100 (has reached the 10,000 EP target)
BP:100
Health:90%
Spiritual Energy:85/100
With EP already at 10,000, he could do 10 gacha spins or save for the 100-spin. But he might do it tomorrow, after discussing with his new friends.
He also thought about Zhang Lei's family. Perhaps with his blood element ability, one day he could help treat Zhang Lei's mother. But for now, that was still beyond his ability.
With a feeling of relief and a bit of optimism, Bao Zhe Fan went to sleep, hoping tomorrow would bring more progress for the three of them.
The next day at school, something amazing happened. Zhang Lei arrived with a bright face, sitting in the middle of the class instead of the back corner. When Li Hao tried to mock Bao Zhe Fan, Zhang Lei stood up.
"Bao Zhe Fan's rank might be lower, but his strength is real. And now he has us," Zhang Lei said confidently.
Li Hao was shocked by the change in Zhang Lei, who was usually quiet. Even the teachers noticed the change in this trio.
Wang Dawei whispered to Bao Zhe Fan, "See! Our friendship has changed him!"
Bao Zhe Fan smiled faintly. Perhaps, besides becoming strong, having true friends was equally important.
And for the first time, Bao Zhe Fan felt that his life was no longer alone. He had friends who understood his struggles, and with them, perhaps he could achieve greater things.
[+100 EP - Positive: Camaraderie from the new trio]