The King of Curses

Chapter 221 The Weight of Life

Jinjiang No.3 Middle School.

The two sat in the car, looking out at the quiet campus.

"Hey, this is where Dongsheng used to study."

An Zhizhen held her chin with one hand and stared into the distance. She seemed to be imagining what her boyfriend looked like when he was young, her eyes sparkling.

"It looks no different from where Sister Qingyan studies."

"What on earth are you looking forward to?" Cen Dongsheng sighed, "High school is the same, everyone sits in the classroom all day long, either doing papers or memorizing."

"Yeah, that's how we all got through it. I also had a period like this."

yes……

Having said this, Cen Dongsheng responded perfunctorily, but his mind was slightly moved.

He is just an ordinary male high school student, so of course he is not worth mentioning, but Sister Zhizhen, who is a female high school student...

What would that look like?

He imagined An Zhizhen, who looked even more innocent and childish, wearing a high school uniform and walking around the campus with her skirt fluttering.

"Ah, you were thinking about something bad just now, right?"

A finger as white as jade stretched out from the side and poked the man's face. There was a hint of teasing in the elder sister's smile.

"..."

Really sharp.

Cen Dongsheng was speechless for a moment, because he was indeed thinking about it, so he had no words to say.

Seeing his expression, the woman was a little surprised.

"You really are thinking about it. Dongsheng is very honest about his desires."

"Uh, I was just thinking about it, don't take it to heart..."

An Zhizhen did not answer. She lowered her head for a moment, as if thinking. When she raised her head, her snow-white neck was stained with red, and her beautiful face was full of shame. She put her hand to her mouth and whispered:
"I can wear it in private for you to see later, okay?"

There was an undisguised seductive ambiguity in the elder sister's tone. Cen Dongsheng couldn't help but lick his lips and felt his heart burning.

“Have we bought this before?”

When he and Sister Zhizhen went out shopping, they would actually buy a few clothes occasionally. These were not only the formal suits that the woman bought for him to wear when going out, but also the various brand-name men's clothing that she wanted to make him look more handsome; and the clothes that An Zhizhen bought for herself - in addition to these, they actually also included underwear, and some... less formal clothes.

But he doesn't remember buying JK clothes...

But An Zhizhen's next words scared him.

"Why would you buy one? If you want to see me in my high school uniform, why don't you just borrow one from Qingyan's closet?"

Cen Dongsheng, who was originally hot-headed, felt as if a basin of ice water was poured on him after hearing these words. The cold temperature instantly extinguished the fire in his chest.

Let An Zhizhen wear Yi Qingyan's clothes and "play games" with him? If the person concerned saw it, he would probably be so ashamed and angry that he would smash the two of them and the house into another dimension. This is not the way to commit suicide.

"…Forget it then."

Seeing his helpless expression, An Zhizhen laughed softly, obviously teasing him.

"Don't worry, there will be plenty of time later. My 'reward' hasn't been paid yet."

……

After getting off the bus, the two walked around the quiet high school campus, listening to the sound of reading coming from the classroom.

Sister Zhizhen asked him if he wanted to visit his former teacher, and he shook his head.

It’s not that he is homesick, but Cen Dongsheng has almost forgotten that period of time. He has no impression of the people or things, and there are no memories worth paying attention to.

For most people, high school life symbolizes unforgettable youthful years, but Cen Dongsheng is different. When he was still a student, in addition to studying hard every day, he also had to work part-time jobs, trying every means to earn a living and save money for college.

He had been a loner since childhood, but when he was in an orphanage, there were adults around him; when he was an adult and in college, he also more or less learned the skills to communicate with others...

Only in high school, Cen Dongsheng's mind was filled with nothing but studying and saving money. He was a lone wolf in the true sense, and there was really nothing remarkable about him.

When the woman saw his reaction, she guessed what was going on, so she smiled and pushed him back into the car.

……

Afterwards, the couple went to the elementary and junior high school where Cen Dongsheng had studied.

Cen Dongsheng didn't even take his high school life seriously, so the memories before that were naturally even less valuable; but when he cast his eyes to the end of the road, he fell silent.

After the car turned a circle, they arrived at a building two streets away from the school.

This is a three-story brick building. The red brick walls have gradually faded; the paint on the doors and windows has large patches of peeling caused by years of wind and rain.

The front of the building is an arched iron gate with a stone sculpture inlaid above the top of the gate, engraved with the words "Home of Hope" in large letters, which have become somewhat blurred by time.

The atmosphere inside the door was quiet, and the sounds of children laughing and playing could be heard from afar. The young man who was sweeping the floor looked up curiously at the visiting couple. When he saw An Zhizhen, he was stunned and stared at her as if possessed. Only when he saw the oppressive young man next to her did he hurriedly look away.

"I didn't expect this place was still open."

Cen Dongsheng raised his head and looked at the sign, with a hint of emotion in his tone.

"After all, it is a welfare institution and has government support."

Compared with the welfare home in his memory, the gate was flanked by once lush ivy. Although the leaves are now sparse, they still stubbornly cling to the wall, shivering in the autumn wind.

“This is the origin of my life.”

he thought.

"Up to this orphanage, that's all I can find out about your life. Have you ever come back to visit before?"

"…When I first started college, my studies and part-time jobs were on track, and I would regularly send money to the welfare home."

Cen Dongsheng replied.

“Then the people here refused and asked me to keep the money for myself.”

"You know how to repay kindness."

"That's what the dean said, but if you ask me whether I come back often..."

He sent the money out of gratitude, but his feelings for the welfare home were not that deep.

Only you know the warmth and coldness of human nature.

The atmosphere in the orphanage is certainly not bad, with no worries about food and clothing, and the staff are very responsible. But for a child who lacks love, the environment here cannot make up for the emptiness in his heart; the adults are dedicated, but after all, it is out of sympathy and responsibility.

Everyone knows the importance of family to the growth of minors, so most of the healthy children in the welfare home were adopted and left this place; but Cen Dongsheng was a special one, he chose to be independent.

"Do you want to go in and have a look?"

"……it is good."

Cen Dongsheng nodded and stepped in.

Before entering the building, he glanced at the man who had been staring at Sister Zhizhen. The other person suddenly showed a look of horror, his mind went blank, and he lost his memory of the past few minutes.

“Pfft… hehe.”

Sister Zhizhen obviously thought this kind of "petty" behavior was very funny. A teasing chuckle rang in the man's ears, but he just pretended not to hear it.

……

Entering the building, you will be greeted by a spacious foyer. The floor is paved with traditional black and white checkered tiles, which echo slightly when you step on them. This design was quite fashionable in the past, but now it seems a bit nostalgic. A chandelier hangs from the high ceiling, emitting a soft light.

The furnishings inside are simple and practical. The corridors are lined with children's photos and graffiti. There are also several pots of green plants in the corners. Every blade of grass and every tree reminds Cen Dongsheng of his vague childhood. A white-haired old man in a wheelchair came out of the hallway, followed by a middle-aged female nurse. He pushed the reading glasses on his nose and looked up at the two of them with some doubt.

"What are you two doing...?"

It was obvious at first glance that this couple were extraordinary. The man was tall and strong, with a stern face; and the woman was the most beautiful woman the old man had ever seen in his life.

“We are here to donate.”

An Zhizhen beside him replied with a smile.

“I want to do my bit for the homeless children here.”

The wrinkles on the old dean's face smoothed out and he began to thank the kind-hearted people.

They walked with the old man towards the office. On the way, Cen Dongsheng said:

“I used to be a kid who grew up here.”

"Really?" The old man took off his reading glasses and looked at the young man carefully. "You are..."

He frowned and thought hard for a long time. Although Cen Dongsheng himself didn't mind, the old man's attitude was a bit stubborn. Suddenly, he slapped his knees and suddenly realized.

"You are... Dongsheng, right? Cen Dongsheng?"

"I didn't expect you would remember."

"Haha, of course I remember. I remember all the children who walked out of here."

The old dean was very proud, and he looked at the young man with emotion.

"I didn't expect you to be so tall and strong. In fact, Dongsheng, among all the children, I am particularly impressed by you."

"Oh?"

"On the one hand, the name is easy to remember. Dongsheng Dongsheng means born in winter. I still remember that it was winter when you were taken to the orphanage. On the other hand, you didn't want to go with another family, nor did you want to stay in the orphanage. You spent a long time convincing us to be independent. From that time on, I knew that you would definitely be an extraordinary person when you grow up."

"..."

“Unusual”...huh?

Actually, it’s just that he’s a loner, he thought.

The current Cen Dongsheng can indeed be called extraordinary. His strength is second only to the special-grade spell-binding master, and he is in the second echelon of the world today. He can be regarded as a top figure in the pyramid, but that is because of the memory of "rebirth".

If I were to ask what was special about my past self...

"I just don't see you come back often."

"Well, I'm usually quite busy, but maybe it will be easier after I graduate."

"You still have to work after graduation, it's good that you have this mindset... Oh, wait, are you still in college? Then who did you get this money from..."

The old dean showed a puzzled expression and couldn't help but look at the mature woman standing next to Cen Dongsheng who was obviously a few years older than the young man. The woman just smiled but said nothing.

"What are you..."

"Don't worry about where the money comes from, just take it."

……

After chatting with the old director for a while, they put down the money to be donated to the welfare home and turned to leave.

"Where are you going from here?"

Cen Dongsheng sat back in the driver's seat, holding the steering wheel and asked.

"If it's for me, it seems there's nowhere else to go." The man said self-deprecatingly, "My life has been pretty monotonous."

"This is not called 'monotonous', it's called 'simple', and this is the type I like."

The woman corrected with a smile.

"To be fair, it's my turn next."

"...You?"

"That's right. Not only do I want to feel the life you once lived, but you also have to imprint everything about me in your mind and body... Or would you find that boring?"

"of course not."

The man laughed and stepped on the accelerator.

*
Like Cen Dongsheng, An Zhizhen studied at Tianhai University. She first took him to the place where she used to work.

"Doctor An."

“It’s Doctor An…!”

"Is Doctor An back?"

Most of the doctors, nurses and even patients they met on the street had admiration in their eyes, while a few subconsciously avoided them, trying to hide their fear.

They naturally didn't know An Zhizhen's current identity, and Sister Zhizhen was even less likely to waste her ability to manipulate this group of people for a little vanity, so all of this was achieved by the elder sister through her own skills when she was an ordinary person.

"I have always felt that even if Sister Zhizhen doesn't become a curse-master, she can still become a remarkable figure."

Cen Dongsheng sighed.

"But if you don't have this innate power, even if you have a thousand thoughts, you can't realize your ideals."

……yes.

Great ambition, mature skills and top-notch ability are all indispensable.

"God's Chosen One", "Darling of the Times", all these titles are not enough to allow a curse master to survive to the end.

Standing at the top of the world, those who feel "lonely at the top" are the ones who challenge the real fate and ultimately win the crown.

No one knows how they did it, not even Cen Dongsheng, the reborn one.

……

As the two were whispering, they suddenly heard someone approaching. Turning around, they saw a handsome young man in a white coat. He looked well-dressed, but his expression of panic and nervousness detracted from his appearance.

Cen Dongsheng and An Zhizhen had been holding each other's hands tightly, and they did not let go even at this time, and each other's eyes were staring at their hands.

"Doctor An, Doctor An, who is this person next to you..."

"My boyfriend."

An Zhizhen raised her hand and smiled warmly, not hiding the intimacy and sweetness in her tone.

“…I see. Congratulations…”

"Thank you."

The male doctor looked pale. After communicating for a few words, he turned around and left in a hurry as if he was escaping.

Such examples occurred several times again. The most amazing thing was that there were women of the same age who came up to him and confessed their love to him... Cen Dongsheng couldn't help but sigh at the charm of Sister Zhizhen.

Of course, no matter who showed up, neither the young man nor the woman took them seriously.

Just as a frog in a well cannot imagine the vastness of the ocean, compared to ordinary people, they live in a higher world.

……

After coming out of the hospital, An Zhizhen seemed to remember something and said:

"Dongsheng, next, come with me to meet my parents."

(End of this chapter)