No.1 Puppet Master

This is a cold and rainy night that has been planned for a long time.

The streets at three o'clock in the morning are like a glass world made of empty shells, crumbling in the wind.

Sudden weather changes made him overwhelmed.He wrapped his windbreaker tightly and walked quickly, but he still couldn't resist the majesty of winter.

Dilapidated street lamps barely illuminate the deserted streets, and darkness spreads silently in the corners.After finally crossing the last street, light finally appeared at the end of the old alley. It was an old shop.

The rusty anti-theft door was half-closed, and the glass door at the inner end was hung with a "Opening" sign. Through the glass, the interior furnishings could be barely seen through the fog.

The dim light acts as the only warmth in the winter night, and the house is full of quaint carved lockers, and there are countless exquisite dolls sitting on the lockers.

He rang the brass bell at the door.

jingle.

"Sorry to bother you." He pushed the door open, panting.

Sitting behind the opposite wooden table was an elderly man wearing a monocle lens, and was wiping the doll's eyeballs.The unformed puppet limbs were scattered on the table, which looked extremely ferocious, but the old man seemed to have gotten used to it. He looked up at the person who came, and without speaking, he lowered his head and continued with the task in hand.

The man didn't care either, and took off his rain-soaked trench coat.

"Throw it at the door." The old man said suddenly.

Looking at the water stains on the ground, he couldn't help but frowned, nodded apologetically, and put his coat in the bamboo basket by the door.

He took out a wet box of cigarettes from his trouser pocket, tried a few times, but he couldn't light it, and threw it into the trash can with a sigh.

"Any cigarettes?" he asked the old man.

The old man replied: "Smoking is prohibited here, it will smoke the children."

"Okay." He rubbed his hands, looking a little anxious: "Excuse me, are you Mr. Deka?"

"What's your business?" The old man didn't answer him directly.

"Actually I want to see someone."

The old man still did not speak.

"I want to see Senior Mo Lin." With his arms propped on the table, he stared closely at the old man, for fear of missing a slight look on his face.

The old man stopped working, and he looked at the man's curly brown hair for a while before turning his gaze to the man's face.After a long time, he lowered the puppet's eyes: "Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you here?"

"You just need to give this to him and tell him that the appointed day is coming soon, and he will meet me naturally." The man took out the necklace hanging around his neck from his shirt - a small and exquisite violet pendant.

The old man accepted the jade pendant, held it in his hand, flipped through it, and quickly came to a conclusion: "Wait a moment."

He opened the wooden door leading to the inner room behind him. A dark red curtain of corduroy hung on the wooden door, blocking the view of the inner room for only a moment.But the man still saw it, and there was a corridor leading to an unknown room.

After the old man left, there was only one man left in the store.

He stood in front of the locker admiring the dolls on it, and the dolls also watched him quietly.

This store sells all kinds of dolls, including little princesses with blonde hair and blue eyes, official ladies in ancient costumes, and beauties in men's clothing with short hair.

The man whose curiosity was successfully aroused wanted to reach out to take a doll for a closer look, as if the time had come, and the music box on the cabinet played wonderful classical music, offering a prelude to the upcoming story.

A voice sounded from behind the man.

"That's very rude to ladies, sir."

It was a very young voice, although the tone was gentle and respectful, but with unquestionable authority, like an elegant noble who was disturbed by unexpected guests at a banquet.

The man turned his head subconsciously, and a boy stood quietly behind him.

He was wearing a black British dress with a family totem badge on his chest, and he was holding a silver cane.The facial features are extremely delicate, and the glass-like violet eyes tightly lock the man in front of him, as if he wants to engrave his face in his heart forever.

But the man didn't seem to notice these details. He bowed down and rubbed the boy's head affectionately: "You are so beautiful, kid. Are you a kid from here? Where's Mr. Deka?"

The boy ignored his series of questions, squinted his eyes to feel his movements, and smiled with enjoyment.

Then the old Deka who came out was obviously a little surprised when he saw the scene in front of him, but he stood there calmly until the boy nodded in agreement, and then said: "Sir, you haven't reported your name yet."

"My name is Lan He, compared to the name..." He stretched his neck to look around the old Deka carefully, and protested his behavior of not bringing anyone out: "Where is Senior Molin?"

Seeing that old Deka remained motionless, he couldn't help but said, "Mr. Deka, I don't have much time left." He looked anxious and glanced at his watch.

"Mr. Langhe, with all due respect." However, the person who answered the conversation was not old Deka, but the boy standing in front of Langhe.He took a few steps back, walked to a position where he could look at Lan He without hindrance, and then continued: "Which Patriarch of the Lan family are you?"

Hearing this, Lan He let out a long sigh: "This generation has not yet decided on the head of the family."

"...I understand." He turned to Old Deca and said, "Please help me prepare my luggage."

"Yes, master." Old Deka bowed and exited the room.

Lan He, who was confused, still didn't come back to his senses, scratched his head and looked at the boy: "Are you Senior Mo Lin?"

Maureen was noncommittal, sat on the only single sofa, and made two cups of black tea with the hot water in the pot.He picked up a glass, closed his eyes and took a sip before slowly answering, "We'll be leaving in an hour."

Lan He was still immersed in the shock and couldn't extricate himself, and his words didn't match up: "You are still a child? No, us? Why us?"

Mo Lin spread out his palms, and in the small palms lay the violet jade pendant that Lan He took out earlier: "The promised day has come, and you need to fulfill the promise."

"Wait a minute." The chaotic content of the conversation could no longer make Lan He clear his mind, he made a stop gesture: "Shouldn't you fulfill the agreement?"

"My promise is to follow you, I'm sorry, even if the ends of the earth, or even your private time, I will never leave again." He said gracefully: "And your promise is to stay with me forever, until you die."

Mo Lin took another sip of tea and continued: "I understand your purpose. Please don't worry, we still have an hour."

Lan He sat on the small bench opposite Mo Lin in doubt.

"Let me guess." Mo Lin looked around Lan He from head to toe with a smile, and stopped his gaze on his fingers: "Are you involved in the dispute over the Patriarch?"

Lan He opened his mouth in surprise, but said nothing.

"It is said that the Lan family can make dolls that look like real people. The person who takes the position of the head of each generation not only needs to have unconstrained ideas and a deep-seated obsession with dolls, but also has a pair of skillful hands to thread needles and stitches. And you..." He looked into Lan He's eyes: "Have you ever had your own work?"

Being poked in pain, Lan He clasped his fingers tightly and lowered his head: "...No."

"So, which one are you missing?" Maureen pushed another cup of tea in front of Lan He.

Lan He picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"Sir, you wasted a good cup of tea." Mo Lin shook his head and refilled it for him.

"I don't have a deep fascination with dolls, and I don't have a pair of skillful hands, so I can't learn the skills passed down from my family." Lan He said, "So I want to ask you one thing." Like finally made up his mind, he mustered up his courage: "I want to be the head of the family, and I need your help."

"Oh." Mo Lin replied lightly.

"...Your reaction was heartbreakingly cold." Lan He said weakly.

"If you have no talent, why do you want to take the position of Patriarch?" Mo Lin asked.

A moment of silence.

Mo Lin smiled slightly: "As far as I know, you should only be a branch of the Lan family's Yuanfang blood."

Lan He nodded heavily, and hesitantly told his story: "Yes, not only that, my family members have all... all passed away, and they have no intention of being the head of the family. This time, it is only my own. Long-cherished wish." He looked at Mo Lin's face, showing his sincerity: "You must also know that this generation of juniors can only be mediocre, and there has never been anyone who can take on great responsibilities, let alone the few dudes in the direct line. Family background."

"But that doesn't mean I'll go hungry." Mo Lin looked at him tenderly.

"...Okay." Lan He was like a deflated ball.

"I haven't finished my words yet." Satisfied with his reaction, Mo Lin changed the topic: "But you have 'birth', I have no reason to refuse any of your requests."

Lange raised his head.

"Including killing people for you, destroying everything for you." He looked at Lan He obsessively, his eyes full of seriousness.

"Master." Old Deka's return interrupted the conversation between the two. He walked into the house, carrying a simple suitcase in his hand. The suitcase was one-third smaller than the normal size. The card looks like a toy box in the hand.

Mo Lin stood up, took out his pocket watch to check the time, and told Old Deka: "You will receive a few guests who lack etiquette in a while, please throw them all into the mud pit outside the house."

Old Deka nodded, took down a huge black umbrella at the door, and stuffed the umbrella and the box into Lan He's hand.The box was surprisingly heavy, and Lan He could barely hold it.

He pointed to his face in surprise, and the old Deka answered his question righteously: "I will not leave with you, do you want the honorable little master to take something?"

Before Lan He could reply, Mo Lin had already walked to the door.The rain outside the house slowed down a bit, he looked up at the sky, the new moon hidden behind the dark clouds was reflected in his pupils, maybe after dawn, the rain will pass and the sky will clear.

"Let's go, my dear Mr. Lan He." He held out his hand to Lan He.