Moonlight Left Behind chapter 23

When Lin Qinzhou was seven, he left Coral Island but returned every summer. Coral Island was beautiful, full of fun things to do, and he loved it, especially his grandparents.

But last winter, his grandpa passed away, leaving only his grandma on the island. Lin Qinzhou was worried she would feel lonely, so when summer vacation started, he begged his mother Lin Long to bring him back.

That evening, the two were walking back from the small supermarket in the south. Dou Xiaohua carried a large bag while Lin Qinzhou carried a small one, balancing a bowl of oden in his hands. The green onions and cilantro floating on top made his mouth water. He sniffed the aroma and subconsciously swallowed.

Dou Xiaohua, seeing her grandson like this, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Here, give me the bag. Eat before it gets cold.”

But Lin Qinzhou was stubborn. He ran a few steps ahead, putting some distance between them. “I don’t want to.”

In recent years, the island had begun developing tourism, attracting many visitors. Dou Xiaohua, feeling the emptiness of living alone in a two-story house, had converted it into a guesthouse to host tourists. It gave her something to do and brought in some extra income, making life more bearable.

This time, they had gone to the supermarket to buy cleaning supplies. Lin Qinzhou, worried that his grandma would be too tired, insisted on carrying a few rolls of toilet paper and bottles of toilet cleaner.

“After all, we’re almost—” Before he could finish, a figure suddenly darted out and snatched the oden from his hands, ducking into an alley to devour it.

They were near Jiuli Alley when it happened. The person had been hiding in the shadows, catching Lin Qinzhou completely off guard. He stared at his empty hands in shock for a few seconds before realizing what had just happened.

—Someone stole his food!

Lin Qinzhou, who had been spoiled by his grandparents, was known as the “mischief maker” of Coral Island. He always caused trouble, always pulling pranks and bullying others, so this was a first for him.

“He dares steal my food!” Lin Qinzhou’s eyes widened in fury. He threw the toilet paper to the ground and charged forward. “I’ll beat you up!”

The thief had been eating hurriedly but, seeing Lin Qinzhou charging at him, bolted. The two chased each other around Jiuli Alley five or six times.

The thief, seemingly starving, choked on the food he’d been stuffing down and couldn’t stop coughing.

But Lin Qinzhou wasn’t giving up. “You thief! Stop right there!”

Lin Qinzhou had already seen the miserable state of his bowl of oden and was so furious that he felt his lungs were about to explode. He grabbed the “thief” by the collar and dragged him in front of Dou Xiaohua.

“Oh dear, what’s going on here?” Dou Xiaohua, who had seen her grandson chasing someone earlier, followed them out of worry. But her old legs couldn’t keep up with the children, and after a short while, she could no longer move. She stood there anxiously, still catching her breath.

Lin Qinzhou glared and pushed the thief. “Why did you steal my stuff? You’re a thief!”

To his surprise, the thief stubbornly replied, “I’m not a thief!”

Stealing and then refusing to admit it? How outrageous!

Lin Qinzhou pushed him again. “You—you’re still arguing! Come with me to the police station! Let the police catch you!”

Hearing the word “police,” the boy became more agitated and struggled fiercely. “I’m not going to the police station! I can’t go! I’m not a thief…”

Good people aren’t afraid of the police, so this reaction only confirmed that something was wrong. Lin Qinzhou held on tightly, and the two of them pushed and shoved until a fight broke out.

The boy was a bit taller and stronger than Lin Qinzhou, so before long, Lin Qinzhou was pushed to the ground and cried out in pain.

Dou Xiaohua was frightened and hurriedly crouched down to help him.

“You’re bleeding! Is there anywhere else you’re hurt?”

The boy had originally intended to run, but when he heard this, he stopped, turned around, and glanced at Lin Qinzhou on the ground. Lin Qinzhou also glared fiercely at him, and it was only then that he finally got a clear look at the “thief.”

The “thief” didn’t look much older than him, with long, tangled hair, wearing an oversized T-shirt and ill-fitting sweatpants. The pants were black, but the color of the T-shirt was hard to discern—it could have been white or light yellow.

His arms were covered with scars, and there were also marks on his face, as if he had been whipped by something like a belt. With his pale skin, the wounds were even more shocking.

It seemed he wasn’t a thief, but a little beggar.

“You…” Lin Qinzhou’s anger subsided a bit, and he pouted, unsure of what to say.

“Child, how did you get these wounds? Did your parents hit you?” Dou Xiaohua also noticed the injuries and let go of her grandson’s arm to check the boy’s wounds. The boy struggled a bit, wanting to run, but for some reason, he didn’t move in the end.

“You don’t look familiar. Whose child are you? Oh my, what a tragedy. Who could be so cruel…”

The boy stubbornly refused to speak, staring down at the ground. If Lin Qinzhou hadn’t heard him speak earlier, he might have thought the boy was mute.

Dou Xiaohua asked a series of questions, but the boy stayed silent. Lin Qinzhou’s temper flared again, and he tugged at his grandmother’s arm. “Grandma, stop bothering with him. Let’s go home. My hand hurts…” He shot another glare at the boy.

The boy looked back at him, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Seeing the boy not cooperating, Dou Xiaohua had no choice but to give him a few pieces of bread from her bag. She warned him repeatedly before being pulled back to the guesthouse by Lin Qinzhou. The boy followed them from a distance, watching the grandmother and grandson enter a charming little courtyard.

After that day, Lin Qinzhou often saw the boy outside the guesthouse. He was still wearing the same clothes, and many of his wounds, left untreated, had become red and infected, looking rather frightening. Lin Qinzhou became a little scared of him and always kept his distance, avoiding eye contact.

Every year around the same time, Coral Island would be hit by several typhoons, and that year was no exception. On the fifth day after Lin Qinzhou’s oden was stolen, Typhoon Canyang arrived.

This time, the typhoon was strong and made landfall directly on Coral Island. The local meteorological department had already issued several warnings, advising residents and tourists to stay indoors and secure their water, electricity, and windows.

That afternoon, dark clouds rolled in, lightning flashed, and thunder roared. Lin Qinzhou watched the churning waves from the second-floor window before a sudden flash of lightning scared him into diving under his blanket, trembling for a long time before daring to peek out.

Moments later, heavy rain poured down, pounding against the windows with a terrifying sound. The blanket was stuffy and hot, so before long, Lin Qinzhou couldn’t stand it anymore and got up, planning to go downstairs to eat some watermelon.

“Child, come in and take shelter from the rain! The rain is too heavy, and the typhoon is coming soon. It’s too dangerous for you to stay outside. Hurry, come inside—” It was his grandmother’s voice.

Lin Qinzhou bolted up from the bed, fearfully crawling to the windowsill. He saw his grandmother standing on the stone steps, holding an umbrella and reaching out her arm, calling to someone.

Looking toward the gate, he saw the disheveled boy who had stolen his oden. The boy was standing in the rain, soaked from head to toe, his long hair hanging messily in front of his face. A flash of lightning illuminated him, making him look like a water ghost that had just crawled out of the sea.

Lin Qinzhou let out a frightened cry and stumbled back from the window, his heart pounding as if it would leap out of his throat.

Who is this boy? He’s terrifying!

Author’s Note:

Present Lin: “Thief!” “Beggar!” Future Lin: “Ge!” “Husband!”