"Oh, I deliberately embellished what I just said." Lun Xi sneered, "If I told you what he did to his wife and children later, I'm afraid your reaction would be even more excited."
"By the grace of God!"
After realizing what was happening, Vanya immediately showed an expression of resentment and pity:
"This is too much! How can you waste other people's kindness like this?! Such a self-degrading person deserves to be reduced to this state. It's just a pity for his innocent wife and children."
"Yeah, indeed."
Lunxi suddenly leaned forward, put his elbows on the coffee table, clasped his fingers together, and rested them on his chin. He looked directly at Vanya with a half-smile in his eyes, and spoke as if he was talking to a child:
"By the way, I'm going to ask you something. What do you think of your brother?"
Vanya's elder brother, Cumberland Hodge-Kidney, is the eldest son of the family, the oldest son of Baron Hodge-Kidney, and the designated heir to the title.
"My brother?"
Vanya was very surprised by this inexplicable question, but she also answered in accordance with the other party's wishes:
"That guy... is he okay? He's cold, but very thoughtful and smart. He can learn everything quickly. His manners and etiquette... except that he's a bit cold, are pretty good. Overall, he's better than me and even my father."
"Very good. A standard nobleman who has received an aristocratic elite education, is elegantly spoken, well-mannered, knowledgeable, and has a promising future."
Lunxi smiled and used a long string of adjectives to briefly describe the young master. Then, in front of Vanya's slightly embarrassed gaze, he asked:
"Well, let me assume that if such a young talent with a promising future was born in the slums of the South Side, what would he become?"
"……what?"
Vanya's breathing stagnated, and she seemed to vaguely understand what Lunxi wanted to express.
"In a stinking, dirty, muddy, drafty, and shabby wooden house, a skinny and dark-skinned baby boy was born because of his mother's long-term malnutrition and heavy labor.
"His mother was a prostitute, his father was a thief, his neighbors were drug addicts, alcoholics, gamblers, murderers, tuberculosis patients, and swindlers who were always changing. Apart from his father's rough stick and his mother's obscene mouthpiece, he had never received any education that could be called an education since he was a child.
"He and his seven or eight brothers and sisters grew up in a cramped and smelly 'home' that was like a cesspool. As soon as he could walk, he learned to stand outside to protect himself from the wind when his father was stealing and his mother was entertaining customers. He also learned to avoid the teasing security team.
"Before he was ten years old, he started working in a suburban workshop, working sixteen hours a day for a salary of less than ten ferrums - provided that he did not die prematurely due to infectious diseases, robbery, murder, or work-related injuries.
"He lived like this for 30 years. His parents had long since rotted in a dark gutter due to various accidents, and he numbly found a woman to marry and had children.
"Generally speaking, he would have died of venereal disease, hunger, cold, wounds, or murder long before his natural death, like countless other common poor people.
"This is the life of Mr. Cumberland Hodge-Tonakabe, who should have been so glorious, but in another world, he lived a life as humble as an ant and twisted as a maggot."
Lunxi said this, then raised his voice slightly and concluded:
"How can you expect a person like this, a rat who has lived in the mud all his life, to have any self-control? Any sense of financial management? Any good moral character and principles of life?
"For him, alcoholism, overeating, whoring and gambling are the only entertainment activities in his life and cognition, and the only proof that he is still alive.
"As a poor man at the bottom of society, his social class only allows him to see what is in front of him, and he can never be fully objective. When he is afraid, scared, sad, or happy, he will cry, roar, curse, and indulge himself according to his own attitude.
"At this time, a group of well-dressed, handsome young men and women from wealthy families sat in the flower hall, sipping fine coffee and cakes, holding tea parties, and criticizing social and international affairs. They talked to him about rationality, virtue, responsibility, ideals, and beliefs...
"Isn't that a bit too cruel?"
After carefully listening to this lengthy speech, Vanya fell silent again. She lowered her head involuntarily and stared at the coffee on the table that had already gone cold.
“Don’t have any illusions about poverty, and don’t glorify the poor and the lower classes with fairy-tale brushstrokes. ‘The poor are good, and there are many good people among the poor’, this is nonsense.
“The poor are the most despicable, the most despicable, they do all kinds of evil, have vicious minds, are ignorant, backward and rude, have no moral bottom line, are the most stingy, meanest and most vicious people in the world, and are the people who are farthest from good character.
“Don’t underestimate the horror of poverty. It will not build or forge any noble character, but will only destroy a person from within.”
Lunxi spoke slowly, his voice becoming more and more erratic. Rather than the tone of a chat, it was more like an unconscious murmur in his sleep:
"But who is responsible for all this? The reason why a poor person is poor is often because his parents were also poor. If we trace it back infinitely, who can we put the blame on?"
"…But what can we do?"
After a long while, Vanya suddenly said in a hoarse voice:
“No matter how much progress is made, social resources are always limited, and people’s desires and needs will always expand.
"It's impossible for everyone to live well. There will always be people who are dissatisfied. There will always be people who are cannon fodder, there will always be people who need to be fuel, there will always be people who drive others, there will always be people who are driven, there will always be people who are high and mighty, there will always be people who are low and humble - all living things will always occupy an ecological niche."
"Ah……"
Lunxi sneered, moved his arms away from the table, hugged them across his chest, and leaned back against the chair again:
“That makes sense.
"Some people live in a garbage dump-like environment all their lives, working more than sixteen hours a day, overdrawing their health, limbs and lives to earn a meager salary that is barely enough to sustain a basic living. Poverty and hardship make them degenerate and corrupt, making them filthy and dark inside, making any decent person frown and avoid them.
“Some people sit in tall, bright, clean and tidy manor villas, wearing decent and expensive clothes, tasting expensive cakes and drinks, talking elegantly and behaving gracefully, discussing art, literature and philosophy. The value of any object at hand is enough for the lower class to struggle for a long time - as if it is a collection of all the good things in the world.
"The latter, however, narrowed his eyes slightly and looked down at the former, with a compassionate attitude as if a saint had descended to the world, and sighed helplessly and regretfully: 'There is nothing we can do about it!'
"No matter how 'reasonable' a sentence is, when put into such a situation...it is so absurd that it makes people laugh."
"But, but..."
Vanya was completely speechless and stammered, unable to say anything.
"Even if we know this...what can we do?"
After hesitating for a long time, she finally let out a long breath and put on a resigned expression:
"You should also be very clear that this situation cannot be changed by one or two people. Nobles and wealthy businessmen, it is impossible for them to give away the wealth accumulated over several generations to the poor for free, right?
"Even if this is true, in the long run, new nobles and new wealthy businessmen will definitely emerge. This is an inevitable social law.
"In the final analysis, human nature is selfish. Few people can truly care about others and are willing to give up their own or due benefits... To use the words of poetry, it is called 'inevitable tragedy'."
"An inevitable tragedy... huh..."
Hearing this word, Lunxi suddenly raised his head, and his dark green eyes, which had always been as calm as water, began to ripple for the first time:
"That's all for today. I want to rest for a while."
"Um……"
After the conversation just now, Vanya's mind was a little confused, and she wanted to calm down by being alone and thinking.
So she did not refuse. After standing up and thanking him, she walked out of the hall on her own and was about to leave Iris Manor through the back door.
"Oh, right."
Before she left, Lunxi suddenly reminded her:
"Don't spread the news that I have become mindful."
Vanya turned around and looked back at Lunxi thoughtfully.
In the charming gaze, she nodded gently:
"no problem."
After Vanya left, Lunxi was still sitting on the rattan chair at the coffee table in the flower hall, leaning against the back of the chair, with his long neck slightly raised naturally.
He stared at the ceiling painted with colorful murals with unfocused eyes for a long time without saying a word.
The green eyes reflected countless blurry and hazy phantoms, like human figures passing by.
She just lay there motionless and silent, like a practitioner in religious mythology who was lost in contemplation in the pursuit of enlightenment.
Quiet, solid, and light.
Like ashes lying quietly on a flat surface, seemingly silent and motionless, they contain the energy to burst forth.
Chapter 319 Fishing Law Enforcement
Late that night, Qi Ji called Bernice, who had finally recovered from the jet lag, to his side.
"I see you've been very idle these days," Qi Ji crossed his arms over his chest, tilted his head and looked at Bernice in pink pajamas in front of him, "Why, don't you want to save your mother?"
Hearing this, Bernice, who was still a little sleepy, woke up instantly.
She shuddered, stood up straight, and shouted to Qi Ji with wide eyes:
"How is this possible? How can I be free?! These past few days, haven't I been running out to investigate the whereabouts of my mother?! How come I have nothing to do?!"
"When you say 'investigate', do you mean go out and stroll down the street?"
Qi Ji curled his lips and looked at the pile of objects piled up in the corner of Bernice's bedroom with a look of disbelief:
"Buying these things is part of your investigation, right? Where did you get the money?"
In the direction her eyes were pointing, there was a pile of clothes and accessories of various shapes and sizes, including gorgeous and luxurious court-style long skirts, simple and elegant solid-colored dresses, as well as some sparkling jewelry, necklaces, pendants, and headbands.
These miscellaneous items were all bought by Bernice when she was out strolling in recent days, including the pajamas she is wearing now, which were originally part of that pile of goods.
Because Qi Ji didn't take this situation into consideration when he "built" this bedroom for her, he didn't set up too much storage space. The only wardrobe and bedside table couldn't hold so many things, so they could only be piled in the corner.
"Ah, this..."
Being questioned with such sharp and direct words, Bernice, who had been pretending to be angry, suddenly became speechless. She lowered her head in embarrassment, staring at the floor, her cheeks puffed up and flushed.
"me……"
She stammered and tried to quibble, but she couldn't say anything except that her face turned red. In the end, she could only mutter in a mosquito-like voice:
"I just want to investigate the traces of those bad guys, but I can't find any. And you haven't given me any new 'tasks', so I can only do it based on my own ideas..."
With Qi Ji's hearing, she could of course clearly hear the almost silent mumbling, but she pretended not to know and said:
"Well, so as of now, you won't be in any danger even if you go out shopping alone. It seems that there is no need for me to continue to provide you with shelter, right?"
"……Well?!"
Bernice shuddered all over, raised her head and stared at Qi Ji:
"You, you don't want me to... live here?"
"Why not?"
Qi Ji put on an innocent expression and spread his hands:
“You said it yourself at the beginning. I, a peerless master, was willing to let you live here and eat, drink and have fun. It was largely because you promised me that if I could find your mother, she would give me a considerable price as compensation.
“But now it’s been almost a week and your mother hasn’t given you any information, and you yourself can’t find any clues. So as an angel investor, isn’t it normal for me to withdraw my investment when I see that the project has a bad prospect?
"As for your few 'merits', just consider them as my reward for protecting you for so long and providing you with food, lodging and meals. That makes sense, doesn't it?"
"This this……"
Bernice didn't quite understand the jargon used in the Earth world, but the meaning expressed by Qi Ji was still very clear.
Her eyes immediately turned red, her red pupils became watery, her lips moved slightly, and after several seconds of thinking, she whispered in a hoarse voice while trying to hold back tears:
"So, what should I do next...?"
"Well...for the sake of fate, let me give you a suggestion."
Qi Ji continued to maintain his indifferent demeanor and said in a relaxed tone:
"Now, for various reasons, the defense of the entire Glorious Plantagenet Empire is very strong, especially against evil forces and illegal organizations. The intensity of suppression is very strong. You can see that you are wandering around outside all day without getting into trouble.
“So, I think you should take this opportunity to escape from Twilight City as soon as possible, sneak across the border from the north, leave the empire, and go to the relatively safe Krestuo Dynasty.
"If possible, try to go to Sophik, the capital of the Krestos Dynasty. It's more convenient there. Sophik is very close to the northern border of the empire, so it shouldn't be difficult.
“Be careful, don’t go directly to the National Palace or the government for help. There is a high possibility that there are insiders of that gang there. Not only will they intercept your petition, but they will also inform their masters of your existence, and then you will be in danger.
"If everything goes well and you successfully reach the metropolis of the Krestuo Dynasty, you will be able to send a message for help to the family of the Moonlight Empire... uh, 'bloodline' by writing or mailing.
“I remember that the Krestuo Dynasty borders the Moonlight Empire, and the communication between the two countries is very convenient and advanced. If it is an expedited mail, it should take no more than half a month to go back and forth.
“By then, your bloodline family will definitely send people to rescue and deal with you and your mother’s affairs.
"Generally speaking, your own family members are definitely more reliable than an outsider like me, right?"
Listening to Qi Ji's organized, careful and calm suggestions, Bernice realized that she was serious. She could no longer hold back her tears and they fell on the wooden floor.
"Uh, are you really crying?"
Qi Ji was slightly stunned. He didn't expect her reaction to be so big.
He quickly suppressed his smile and comforted her with some embarrassment:
"Okay, okay, I'm just kidding, stop crying."
"……what?"
Qi Ji's change was so fast that Bernice couldn't react. She looked at him in confusion, her eyes misty and tears still on her face.
