Chapter 163: An Unexpected Reunion
The car moved past through the bustling city. The policeman drove the vehicle while trying to converse with the silent little girl, whose focus was entirely shifted to watching the outside scenery from the window rather than answering his questions.
He didn’t know where to drop her, or where her guardians actually lived. He was just driving randomly, waiting for her to say something.
Just as it seemed that they were travelling endlessly throughout the city, the little girl finally spoke up.
"Stop the car."
The officer immediately stopped the car on the side of the road and looked at her, confused.
"Does this place look familiar to you, little Ravena? Do your parents live here?..."
"Hmph..."
She didn’t speak as she opened the door of the car and stepped out. The officer startled as she exited. He immediately walked out himself, looking for her; he just couldn’t let the little girl walk on the road alone. The little girl started walking down the sidewalk and then casually sat on a bench.
The officer looked confused about what was wrong with her.
"Are you alright? Are you feeling sickness because of the car?..."
Just as he was worried about her well-being, he immediately sensed someone stepping closer from the back.
Ravena’s face also lit up after seeing them.
The policeman immediately turned around, ready to scold them for not taking proper care of their child. But what he saw made his jaw drop.
"Alen?"
Both Alen and Lyris walked together toward them. Alen immediately recognized the police officer. He was none other than Kailas, the policeman who had helped him when he first appeared in the real world.
"Hi, it’s been a while..."
"So you really are Alen! How are you here? And wait, you look a little different than before..."
Alen just tilted his head, not knowing how he was looking different. Since he saw his own face regularly, he couldn’t align with the man’s words. But the policeman, who was seeing him after a few months, could see how much he had changed in both looks and aura.
Lyris walked forward, passing them, heading straight toward where Ravena was sitting. She looked at her with a scolding face.
"Ravena, you lied to me and ran away without telling me or him either. Do you know how worried I was?"
Ravena looked surprised at her angry face. She pursed her lips and looked down, having no excuses to give her, as she didn’t want to lie.
Lyris looked at her innocent face, and immediately her anger dissipated, her heart softening at the sight.
She patted her head softly and said gently, "Don’t do that, you might get in trouble..."
Little Ravena nodded involuntarily while leaning into her gentle touch.
A little distance away from them, Alen looked at them blankly, his gaze focused particularly on his notorious spirit.
’Damn, that disobedient girl looks completely subdued by a single scolding from Lyris. Is she really my spirit? I now doubt myself that maybe Lyris somehow stole my bond? Sigh...’
Kailas also watched as little Ravena got patted by the cloak-wearing figure.
"Is she her mother?..."
Alen looked at Kailas after pulling his gaze away from the duo.
"Ahem! Well... You can consider it that..."
Kailas nodded. He walked closer to them, looked at the cloaked figure, and spoke up.
"Ma’am, if I may not be so rude, I think it’s your responsibility as her mother to take care of your daughter. You should have taken proper care of her and not let her roam around the place alone..."
Lyris flinched at the sudden comment. She looked back at the man with a stunned expression.
"Mother...? Me...?"
She looked at Alen, seeking an answer about what this situation was about. Alen just shrugged his shoulders and looked away innocently.
Lyris awkwardly looked at the police officer while making sure her hood was down and replied embarrassingly.
"Well... I... was out for work... And she just wandered off..."
She made up some story from her mind and told him that.
"I will make sure to take care of her, I reassure you, sir..."
She bowed slightly, expressing her firmness. Kailas nodded as he looked at little Ravena, who looked up with confused eyes, not understanding what was happening.
"Okay, little girl, don’t run away from now on. Listen to your mom. And here..."
He offered another candy to her. Ravena accepted it without hesitation. Her previous candy was already finished, so now she got a new one.
Kailas then turned around and patted Alen’s shoulder.
"Take care, boy..."
"Thanks..."
Kailas nodded with a small smile, then walked away toward the car and drove off.
Now left alone in this place, Lyris glared a sharp look at Alen. The warmth on her neck crawled up to her face; she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
"You—! You bastard, how dare you frame me of being her mother! I’m just eighteen!"
"Oh... But if I hadn’t done that, then Kailas might have asked deeper questions about whose child this is, and where you brought her from. I can’t tell him she is a spirit, or he would have definitely dragged us to the police station to make a report. That notorious girl had broken someone’s leg earlier... So I just went with the flow..."
Lyris looked surprised by his words. She looked at Ravena for confirmation if she had really done that.
Ravena just rolled her eyes and looked away, trying to act innocent, which she was not in the slightest.
In the end, Lyris sighed and slumped her shoulders in defeat, then sat on the bench beside her. Seeing this, Alen walked toward her and asked.
"You said you were 18... So what day were you born on?..."
He didn’t specifically ask what her exact birthday was, as she might lie to him about that.
"Well... It’s May 10th. Why do you ask?"
Alen shook his head and answered calmly while looking around the place.
"Nah, forget it. Just to make sure if you’re telling the truth..."
Lyris tilted her head in confusion, not understanding what he was trying to say.
"Then what day were you born, and how old are you?..."
Alen pursed his lips as his eyes widened in surprise. He didn’t know she would ask him that question. He felt a little embarrassed, as he couldn’t tell her that he was younger than her.
Ravena looked at his embarrassed expression and already knew what he was thinking. She wore a smug smile and answered in his stead.
"Hehe... He is just a 16-year-old!"
Alen’s eyes widened in shock.
"No, I’m 17, you little shit!"
He closed his mouth immediately, realizing he had mistakenly revealed that. He looked at her, wanting to see her expression.
A slow, smug smile tugged on Lyris’s expression as she looked at him, crossing her legs and folding her arms.
"Hehe... So should I call you ’junior’ from now on? It is nice to be the big sister. Hehe..."
Alen glared at her sharply as an embarrassed expression clung to his face.
"Don’t you dare.... Ravena! Get off! Today you will have to train with me all day and night. Consider it your punishment for running away!"
Ravena looked shocked as she grabbed Lyris immediately, seeking protection.
Lyris’s smile only widened at his outburst.
"Hehe... Come on, junior, why are you being so embarrassed? There is nothing wrong with being younger..."
"If there is nothing wrong, then stop calling me that! I have a name for your kind information!"
Lyris slumped her shoulders in mock defeat as she replied with a smile, standing up and straightening herself.
"Okay, junior..."
Alen sighed and looked away, shaking his head as he started to walk away. Both of them followed behind him while laughing among themselves. The atmosphere warmed slowly because of the light laughter and comfort. Alen’s expression finally calmed as he cast one glance at them before looking at the front. A small, imperceptible smile curved on his lips involuntarily without him realizing it as they walked away together.