Chapter Two: Mr. Rabbit
Luxianbei is not a mental patient, at least not for the time being.
Although he became blind and developed facial paralysis in a car accident during his graduation trip two years ago, he is quite sure that he didn’t hurt his brain!
However, he was still treated as a mental patient by the doctor and sent away, just like when he went to another hospital for a follow-up check a few days ago.
But he felt it wasn’t his problem; it was the doctors who had the problem.
One of them called in a psychiatrist because of a little disagreement!
Another…
As a doctor born under the red flag, raised in the gentle spring breeze, and educated in modern education, after hearing the entire description of the condition, actually recommended the patient to see a shaman?
Absolutely ridiculous!
Just when Luxianbei thought the shaman was too dark and was preparing to ask the doctor if he knew any priests or Taoist priests, he was kicked out…
…
Walking heavily away from the hospital, Luxianbei felt the world was desolate.
After leaving the hospital, Luxianbei got on a bus, found a seat at the back by the window, and leaned dejectedly against the glass. He took out his phone, unlocked it, and opened a pink app featuring the side profile of a beautiful girl on the home screen.
I mean, which boy’s phone these days doesn’t have a mobile game filled with seductive beautiful girls to channel the restless youth, right?
Luxianbei had one too—it’s called “Love and Magical Girl,” a romance, battle, tower defense, and card collection game!
Whenever he felt down, just seeing the smile of the magical girl Bai Xiaohua made him feel completely healed.
He opened the app, and with a burst of upbeat music and an explosive cutscene, a golden-haired magical girl in a rose-patterned magenta dress appeared on the phone screen, smiling at Luxianbei.
【Hello, Captain! Welcome back! What are we going to do today?】
【WAI! Why the hell are you hitting me? Do you want to get beaten up?!】
【Go to hell! Pervert!】
…
Listening to the magical girl’s sweet voice and flowery words, Luxianbei’s face showed no change in expression, but a warm current had already risen in his heart.
Sure enough!
In this cold world, only Bai Xiaohua could bring a bit of warmth!
In Luxianbei’s heart, this was no longer just a mobile game; it was a hub connecting to another world, a world that taught him many life lessons.
When facing uncertainty, act recklessly, smoke, drink, curse, and get entangled with beautiful girls of unknown origin…
These behaviors were unworkable in the real world!
…
The bus departed from the bus stop in front of the suburban hospital, making its way through a small part of the city, the streets outside gradually becoming more prosperous.
Immersed in the world of the game, Luxianbei lost track of time, and nearly an hour had passed before he looked up again, only to be surprised to find that the bus had stopped by the roadside without him realizing it.
All the passengers had left, and the empty bus seemed to have stretched out, the door closed.
From the familiar tall buildings and streets outside the window, this should be near Mudan Street, still five or six stops away from where Luxianbei needed to get off.
Luxianbei scanned the interior of the bus and found the driver had already leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. He walked up and tapped him on the shoulder, asking, “Sir, may I ask if we’re still…?”
“What the hell!?”
The bus driver was completely unprepared for there to still be someone on the bus, startled when someone tapped his shoulder, he straightened up, composed himself, and looked at Luxianbei with obvious resentment.
“You, how did you get on? Who let you on?”
“Uh…” Luxianbei explained, “I’m a passenger! I’ve been here since the starting station!”
The driver, who had forgotten to check if there were still passengers, paused, then reproached Luxianbei, “What are you doing staying on the bus? Didn’t I tell you to get off already? You can’t go today!”
Luxianbei was perplexed, “Can’t go? Why? Is the bus broken?”
The driver impatiently shrugged, pointing in the direction of the windshield, “There was an accident up ahead, several cars collided, and part of the overpass collapsed. How do you expect to go? I advise you to get off and figure it out soon! It’s almost dark!”
Luxianbei glanced at the electronic clock on the dashboard and frowned slightly.
Time: 17:08
Yes, it was getting dark quickly; he needed to hurry home!
…
Luxianbei got off the bus, took a moment to determine his direction, and walked straight toward his residence.
It had just turned five o’clock, and the sky was already beginning to darken. The sunset was slanting down, like a thin bl**d-red veil quietly draped over the streets.
The bustling street seemed a bit congested yet strangely quiet, strangers passing in silence, heads bowed, wordless. Even when eyes occasionally met, they mostly filled with a sense of vigilance.
Luxianbei didn’t find this somewhat odd; ever since the sun entered a “brief” periodic activity decline five years ago, daytime had shortened while nighttime had lengthened, and various urban legends proliferated like wild grass nourished by rain, crazily growing under the long night.
In such a world, learning to be alone had nearly become everyone’s compulsory course.
It was in this seemingly quiet environment, where an invisible barrier seemed to have erected between everyone, that an old song sounded strangely out of place, dissonant with the surroundings.
“Seeing flowers in the fog, gazing at the moon in the water, can you discern this ever-changing world~♪
……
Lend me a pair of wise eyes~♪
So I can see this chaos clearly and profoundly~♪
……”
Like most people on the street, Luxianbei walked in silence, the soothing, ethereal melody drifting into his ears. He paused for a moment, looking in the direction the song came from, and saw “Mr. Rabbit” in front of a somewhat secluded café at the end of an alley.
A comically-shaped mascot costume, portable speakers blasting music, colorful advertisements handed to passersby.
The standard three-piece suit of a flyer distributor.
The flyer distributor was dressed in an oversized, bulky black suit, wearing exaggerated red shoes, with a huge white rabbit headpiece.
The craftsmanship of that rabbit headpiece was quite exquisite, with every hair appearing lifelike, as if a real rabbit’s head had been enlarged many times and placed on top of his head.
Mr. Rabbit cheerfully handed out flyers to those walking by.
In response to the advertisements thrust in front of them, most people seemed to ignore Mr. Rabbit entirely, coldly passing by without acknowledging him.
Even if someone occasionally accepted a flyer, they would quickly crumple it up and throw it into the trash.
Luxianbei gazed at the hollow, lifeless eyes of the white rabbit headpiece and the deliberately rigid smile, a wave of discomfort suddenly surged in his eyes, dry and itchy.
Just as Luxianbei was about to look away and leave, Mr. Rabbit seemed to sense his gaze, turned to look at him, and eagerly waved.
“Me?” Luxianbei pointed at his own nose.
Mr. Rabbit seemed very excited to have received Luxianbei’s response, as he waved enthusiastically while nodding vigorously, with such force that it seemed he might shake his “head” off at any moment.
Mr. Rabbit’s hand, wearing white gloves, seemed to shake with some special frequency, emanating a peculiar charm that irresistibly drew Luxianbei closer.
His head felt dizzy, and the scene before him grew hazy.
Unsure if it was an illusion, Mr. Rabbit’s smile seemed to become even more pronounced.
Luxianbei numbly walked up to Mr. Rabbit, just as he stretched out his hand to take the flyer being handed over, a sudden sharp pain shot through his eyes, as if something was burning within his eyeballs.
The intense discomfort in his eyes snapped Luxianbei back to reality. He halted a meter away from Mr. Rabbit, expressionless as he stared for a second or two, before suddenly making a sharp ninety-degree turn and walking away quickly.
Not interested, no care, leaving now!
Gotta go!
