-Annual Ring Age-Seven Sounds

Itried...Istruggled...Iyelled!

butatlast Icried...

I walked...Iran...Isought!

but Ilostitintheend...

then, after many years, if finally met you...

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"Why do I have to take this kind of trouble?" The man held the phone impatiently. "I'm not a shelter here!"

On the other end of the phone is a sincere female voice. "I'm sorry, Sheriff Levi...but only you can help me! The other children have found foster families, and this child is the only one left..."

"Why do you want me to receive leftovers like this?" The man asked as he knocked on the table with his right index finger.

"But, it's so pitiful that he is the only one left..." The female voice was a little urgent, but the man hung up the phone mercilessly.

The foyer was instantly enveloped in silence, leaving only the lingering sound of the phone being hung up.

The man became more anxious.

"Tch, I'm in trouble." Covering his forehead with his right hand, the man leaned against the wall.

Within 2 minutes, the phone rang again.

Annoying, annoying.

The man frowned.

"That's why I said...it's really troublesome."

Put on your coat and open the door.

***

Walking to the gate of the police station, I happened to see Petola with an anxious face—the person who was talking to him just now.And, that brat.

"Sheriff Levi!"

Petola greeted him happily.

"...I'm here to pick up this brat." Levi glanced at the kid behind Petola and said with disgust.

"Great! I knew Sheriff Levi wouldn't be so heartless." The young woman covered her mouth and smiled.

Levi glares at Petola, then turns to the kid behind her.

"What's his name?"

The voice was devoid of any emotion, even a bit cold.So the child shrank behind Petola, and timidly met those eyes as deep as the night.

Feeling the child pull herself tighter, Petola smiled and pulled him closer.

"It's Allen... Hey, come on Allen, this is Sheriff Levi. Although he looks fierce, he is actually a good man! You will live in his house from now on."

The child named Allen opened his beautiful green pupils and trembled in Petola's arms.

Levi eyed the kid scrutinizingly.

Old and dirty clothes covered that body that was obviously thinner than his peers, his feet without shoes were worn out, and dense welts and hickeys were exposed on his arms and thighs...

Tsk, these beasts.

Levi frowned.

"This child...is the one who suffered the most..." Petola opened his mouth hesitantly, his eyes flickering. "When I was first rescued, it was almost as if I was dead... refused to talk, and refused to eat."

Looking at the trembling Allen, Levi felt a little sympathy, so he held out his hand.

"come over."

tone of command.

The child walked over obediently, holding that broad hand timidly.

Levi has a serious cleanliness, but at this time he did not refuse the child's dirty hands.

Because that hand was cold and hopeless.

"Petola, I accept this brat." Levi raised his head and said to Petola.

Noticing the child's messy hair, Levi said with disgust: "But it's really dirty, I have to wash him well when I go back."

"Yes! I leave everything to you! Sheriff!" Petola saluted with a smile, and watched the two leave.

***

Midnight, silence.

There was only a man in black leading a child on the empty street.

"Tsk, I'm in trouble...Little brat, your name is Alan, right?" Levi spoke impatiently, staring at the child's face.

The child didn't answer, just trembled more violently.

"Are you dumb?"

The child continued to tremble and remained silent.

Sighing, Levi felt that there was no point in asking further.

At this time, the child opened his mouth weakly.

"Are you my new master..."

declarative sentence…

It was a voice as small as a gnat, but it shocked Levi's heart and made him re-examine the boy.

There was no struggle, no hesitation, just an indifferent inquiry that had accepted fate.

What makes this young child so apathetic!

this little devil...

Levi stared blankly at the timid and bowed child.After a few minutes, he suddenly grabbed the child's arm violently, forcing him to meet his gaze.

"Listen, your name is Ellen, right?" Levi said coldly. "No matter how you lived before, or what kind of people you lived with, I will not allow you to associate me with those scum!"

Ignoring the child's fright, Levi squeezed the child's chin and pulled their faces closer, looking fiercely into the clear green pupils.

"Remember, kid! I'm neither your buyer nor your master. In front of me, you can let go of your cowardly inferiority complex and useless fear! Just treat yourself as a human being!"

The night was pale, the October weather tinged with chill, and the empty streets echoed with Levi's forceful proclamation.

silence.

The child's eyes widened.

Levi didn't know if the child understood, and he didn't know if there was a ripple in his heart.

All he knew was that from that moment on, his fate had been entangled with this child...

Kid, your name is Alan, right?

Well, from now on, let me teach you the real life.

October, the season of late autumn, late at night, in the empty streets, two lonely souls are destined to meet together.

The holding hands did not let go, intertwined with coldness, despair, heat, and hope.

The child was silent, and the man in the black coat beside him did not speak either.

Wordless encounter.

That year, Levi was 26 years old and Ellen was only 7 years old.