Cyberpunk 2074: Shadows of the Past

2074, January 12, 19:05

"Well...it's all your fault, I almost lost track of time!" Xi Da wiped his lips in front of the small mirror he just bought to make sure no one would notice anything strange.

Yahweh held Heda with his left hand, rested his chin on her head, and quietly rolled his eyes in the mirror.

"Hmph!" Xida blushed and punched Yahweh's chest with his small fist, grabbed his offending left hand, and dragged him to the door of Martinez's house.

"Hello? Gloria! I'm here...yes...right at the door."

Gloria opened the door wearing some shabby home clothes and gently hugged the short-haired girl who ran over.

"Xida..." She gently stroked Xida's little head back and forth, her eyes full of love.

"Gloria..." Xida hummed comfortably for a few times before letting go of Gloria's arms. "Let me introduce to you, my boyfriend, Yahweh!" She turned around and took the man hiding behind her. Pulled over.

"Hello, I am Yahweh." He smiled politely and bowed to Gloria, "Thank you for taking care of Sheeda."

"Actually, it's me who is being taken care of by Xi Da..." Gloria quickly grabbed Yahweh who was bowing and smiled sheepishly, "It's cold outside, come in and talk."

2074, January 12, 19:10

"Is David out of school?" Sheeda took out two pairs of slippers from Yahweh's bag and asked while changing his shoes.

"I just came back, almost in tandem with you."

According to etiquette, the host Gloria should be the one to prepare these, but because Xi Da stubbornly refused to let her spend money, she had to do as she pleased.

Gloria scratched her long red hair, turned around and shouted into the house, "David, Sister Heeda and her boyfriend are here to visit!"

"Here we come~" David walked out of the bathroom dejectedly, his usually upright punk hairstyle drooping, as listless as its owner.

"What's wrong with you? Are you falling out of love?" Xi Ta flicked David's forehead with his finger.

"Ah!" David covered his head, shouted exaggeratedly, and ran to the sofa in the living room pretending to be thrown away by a huge force.

"Have they always gotten along like this?" Yawei raised his lips, amused by the artificial performance of the two live treasures.

"It's generally quite normal..." Gloria looked at the two people who were playing like siblings and had a gentle smile on her face. "Xida is like my daughter. After she moved here, , our family has a lot more joy...David is also a lot more cheerful."

"So, Yahweh, I didn't mean to make things difficult for you..." As she said this, she led Yahweh to sit on two plastic chairs by the window.

"For the sake of Xi Da, I have to take good care... Although it is unlucky to say this, I don't want her to become a single mother..." She paused and smiled bitterly, her beautiful face illuminated by the light. A few obvious wrinkles were reflected underneath.

"I understand, Sister Gloria." Yahweh sat on the plastic chair with his back straight, "I wonder if Heida has told you about her life experience..." He whispered, ensuring The silly girl playing next door couldn't hear what he was saying.

"No..." Gloria frowned, having a bad feeling in her heart.

"Her parents passed away a few months ago. It was a man-made disaster..." Yahweh lowered his eyes, his slender eyelashes hiding all his emotions, "She also fled to the Night City..."

It began to rain outside the window, the pattering mixed with furious thunder.

Gloria thought of Xi Ta's heartfelt smile every time she threw herself into her arms, and the tip of her nose felt sour.

"What are you talking about? Why do you look so serious?" Sheeda ended playing with David, sneakily ran behind Yahweh, put her head on the man's broad shoulders, and The little hand grabbed his earlobe as if it were a mischievous thing.

"We are talking about what to do when you and I get married in the future..." Yahweh grabbed Xida's little hand and used his palm to dispel the coldness.

"Yeah!" His hands were grabbed, and Xida struggled to free himself a few times to no avail. He simply pressed his face against Yahweh's back, trying to hide the blush on his face.

"Sister Xida can be shy too! Hahahaha..." David ran behind Gloria, making funny faces.

"You kid! Ask for a beating!" Sheeda took advantage of the moment when David was laughing so hard that he couldn't stand up straight, left from behind Yahweh, briefly took off for a run, and made a flying kick with his body in the air.

"Help!" When David saw this, he turned around and ran back to the living room, avoiding Xi Da's pursuit behind him.

"David is usually taciturn. He only shows his childish side when Xi Da comes to visit..." Gloria looked at the two people who were playing around again and smiled, but there was a bitter taste in the corner of her mouth. Drooping and trembling all over, "Sometimes I reflect on whether I am a qualified mother...but I have no other choice..." She choked up and stopped talking.

"I'll talk to him later. If Heda is his sister, I am his brother." Yahweh narrowed his eyes slightly, watching David's subtle and unnatural steps as he ran, knowing it in his heart.

"Excuse me..." Gloria raised her head slightly, took a deep breath, and wiped the corners of her eyes repeatedly. After a while, her body stopped shaking.

"Xida! Come here, I'll cook, come and help me!" Gloria had already regained her composure, holding Xida's hand and walking towards the small kitchen they had renovated.

"David? Come and sit..." Yahweh called to the boy who had become listless again and asked him to sit across from him.

"Brother-in-law?"

"If you're not used to it, just call me Yahweh..." Yahweh smiled helplessly, and even he, who was inexperienced in human affairs, could see the awkwardness of the boy's insincere words.

"Let's call you brother-in-law... Sister Xida likes you very much, you have to take good care of her!" A trace of loneliness flashed across David's pretendingly mature face.

"Okay...but, David, are your injuries really okay?" Yahweh pointed at David's left knee, and expected to see the fragility and surprise beneath the cracked mature mask.

David froze in place at a loss, watching blankly as Yahweh came over and patted him on the shoulder.

"Men, don't pretend to be strong, David," he gently gave the boy a hug, "You have a mother who loves you, Sister Xida, and me. You have a family behind you to rely on..."

David looked at Yahweh and felt that his vision was a little blurry. He quickly raised his head and blinked desperately, trying to retract the sour liquid that had overflowed from his eyes.

"Were you bullied at school?" Yahweh sat back down and waited quietly for the 15-year-old boy to calm down before slowly asking.

"Yes..." David hesitated, and after a long time, he squeezed out an answer through his teeth.

"Don't worry, David, no one will bully you in the future, I promise..." Yahweh closed his eyes and slowly opened them again after a few seconds.

"Oh..." David rubbed his left knee that no longer ached, and frowned in confusion.

"I don't care who you are, you must be good to Sister Xida!" He repeated again. Even though the man in front of him was full of mystery, it could not shake his determination to protect his family.

"I promise you, David...I promise you..." After Yahweh made his promise to the boy, he silently turned his head and looked out the window.

Heavy rain swept across the sky and the earth, and the howling wind was mixed with lightning and thunder, illuminating his blue eyes that reflected the world.