After getting the money from Suzy, Rex left Elliot alone in the motel and went out to squander the money by himself.
Elliot skillfully took out a bag of instant noodles and put it into the old but clean electric rice cooker.
While waiting, he took out a sudoku book from under the pillow and filled it out very seriously.
Suddenly, the landline in the room rang.
He put down the sudoku book and walked over to answer it.
"Hello!"
The voice was calm and emotionless, like that of a robotic machine.
On the other end of the phone came Charlotte's worried voice, "Elli, have you arrived home? When did you come back? Have you eaten?"
Elliot glanced at the rice cooker in the distance. "I'm cooking instant noodles. They'll be ready soon!"
Charlotte was surprised, "You're eating instant noodles? Didn't your dad cook for you?"
Elliot calmly replied, "He's gone out. He probably won't be back tonight."
Charlotte was displeased, "You're only four years old, how could he leave you alone at home? He's such an irresponsible father!"
Then, changing the subject, she asked, "Where are you living now?"
Elliot didn't think much and truthfully gave the address.
"Wait for me, I'll come find you..."
Before Elliot could respond, Charlotte had already hung up the phone.
Elliot was stunned for a moment, not really believing that Charlotte would actually come. After hanging up the phone, he took the sudoku book and walked to the rice cooker.
He ate instant noodles while reading.
Since he could remember, this was how he had always lived.
His father gave him life.
And only life.
Other than that, he hadn't given him anything.
Likewise.
He hadn't experienced care from his father, nor from anyone else.
He thought everyone in the world was the same.
Cold, indifferent, selfish.
Although Charlotte was very nice, how could she really open up to a classmate she had only known for a day?
Impossible.
But soon, he was proven wrong.
When he saw Charlotte standing in front of the motel room, dusty and tired, Elliot's eyes became moist, and his trembling lips showed his gratitude.
"You... you really came?"
It was a very old and rundown motel, and the lights in the hallway were all broken.
Charlotte's small figure stood in the dark hallway.
But she seemed to be surrounded by a halo. Let her shine so brightly in the darkness.
Charlotte held Samantha's hand and walked into the guest room.
The guest room was small and narrow, with a musty smell.
The two couldn't imagine how Elliot could live in such a dirty place.
Elliot patted the neatly made bed and said carefully, "Please sit, I'll pour tea for you."
Charlotte held him back, not letting him leave, and looked at his swollen face with concern, asking, "Did your dad hit you again?"
She had been worried about him since she got home earlier. Afraid that his father wouldn't come to pick him up from school. Or that he would abuse him again.
So she couldn't help but call him.
Unexpectedly, she guessed right.
Elliot touched his face and said nonchalantly, "It's okay, I'm used to it, it doesn't hurt."
Charlotte's face turned red with anger, her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks, and said angrily, "Your dad is really too much, not only hitting you but also leaving you alone here. What if something happens to you?"
Elliot smiled bitterly, "I'm used to it."
Looking at his strong appearance, Samantha felt inexplicably sorry for him.
"I heard from Charlotte that your father won't be coming back tonight?"
Elliot nodded, "Every time he has money in his hand, he won't come home!"
Upon hearing this, Charlotte held his hand with concern, "Then you should sleep at my house tonight! Although my house is not big, it's very clean, beautiful, and warm. My mom can make a lot of delicious food. You're in the growing stage, how can you eat instant noodles! That stuff has no nutrition."
Elliot shook his head in refusal, "No need..."
He was afraid of dirtying their home.
His own biological mother didn't like him, she despised him.
How could they accept him?!
Charlotte said firmly, "If you still consider me a friend, come home with me! We'll go to kindergarten together tomorrow. Otherwise, I'll be mad, and I won't play with you anymore."
"Um..."
Her threat worked.
After hesitating for a while, Elliot reluctantly agreed with a nod.
He took out a clean change of clothes from the wardrobe, left a note for Rex, and then left with Charlotte and Samantha.
Where Samantha lived was not far from the motel.
They arrived in less than half an hour by car.
Elliot tightly hugged his backpack as he walked into this small but very warm home, feeling a warmth gradually growing in his heart.
His eyes were also warm, a bit teary.
He felt like crying a little.
It was the first time Charlotte had a friend come to her house to play, and she immediately took on the role of hostess, instructing Samantha to cook for Elliot and personally going to the bathroom to run a bath for him.
Samantha obediently went to the kitchen to work.
Charlotte pulled Elliot into the bathroom and skillfully told him how to operate it.
After making sure he understood everything, she left the bathroom and let him take a bath first.
...
In the early hours of the morning.
Rex walked out of the nightclub with a beautiful woman nestled in his arms.
The woman snuggled up to him like a little bird and smiled, "Boss, my appearance fee is quite expensive. Did we agree in advance? I charge one thousand per hour, five thousand for the night..."
Rex waved his hand generously, "Don't worry, I have nothing else but plenty of money."
As soon as he finished speaking, two shady-looking men appeared ahead.
At first, Rex didn't pay attention.
But as he passed by them, one of them shouted, "Rex James?"
Rex instinctively responded, "What do you want?"
With his response, the two men suddenly pulled out fruit knives from their pockets, the silver light shining on the blades, emitting a chilling light.
Rex's eyes flickered, feeling uneasy, thinking they were debt collectors. He pushed the woman in his arms towards them and ran away.
The two men pushed the woman aside and chased after Rex.
Rex had drunk quite a bit, but as someone who had been dodging debts for years, he had long developed fast legs.
He didn't even stop to catch his breath after running through several alleys.
The two men behind him were not easy to shake off.
They pursued relentlessly.
Gradually, Rex began to feel powerless.
The alcohol was starting to take effect.
Having not returned for four years, he was unfamiliar with the streets. Rex ran around aimlessly on the sparsely populated streets. Somehow, he ended up by a riverbank, with pursuers behind and no way out ahead.
Rex hunched over, panting heavily.
Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
He really couldn't run anymore, panting, he said to the two men in front of him, "I, I'll repay the money. Please don't chase me anymore. Which debt collection company are you from? How much do I owe you? Can't I just repay it?"
The man wearing a black duckbill cap smirked evilly, "Money? We don't want money. We want your life..."
Rex was shocked, suddenly raising his head, only to find that they had already brandished their knives.
***