……

……

……

……

……

Chen Junnan rode his old bicycle, whistling as he passed through Baihua Depths Alley.

He went around the shoe repair stall at the street corner that had been open for twenty years and discovered that the old man was somewhat different today from yesterday.

He had somehow found a flat wooden board and used a brush dipped in shoe polish to carefully craft himself a sign.

Starting today, he was no longer “Uncle Zhao the Shoe Repairman at the Intersection” in people’s mouths—he was now called “Xiu Xiezhao.”

How fitting for an old Beijing sign!

Like Little Intestine Chen, Tripe Feng, Tea Soup Li, Wonton Hou, Burger King, and such.

Perhaps someday in the future, among the signs passed down by word of mouth, there would appear a “Xiu Xiezhao.”

Wait, Chen Junnan thought to himself, “Burger King” doesn’t seem to be a local brand.

“Danan…” Xiu Xiezhao threaded the sharp needle in his hand through a leather shoe without raising his head, calling out casually.

“Yo!” Chen Junnan quickly stopped his bicycle and dismounted. “If it isn’t Uncle Zhao! Have you eaten?”

Xiu Xiezhao lowered his head and peered through the part his reading glasses didn’t cover, looking straight at him.

“How could I!” Chen Junnan said with an apologetic smile while pulling out a small bottle of Erguotou from the front basket of his bicycle. “You really are impatient! Wasn’t I just testing your eyesight? I brought you a bottle of Er Lezi and deliberately passed by here! Who would’ve thought your eyes are still so sharp.”

“Er Lezi…?” Uncle Zhao’s eyes instantly lit up. “You little punk… let me take a look!”

“Hey! Here you go!” Chen Junnan smiled and handed the Erguotou to Uncle Zhao. “I still have some business, gotta run.”

With that, he cursed and muttered as he got back on his bicycle, thinking that today really started off badly—losing a bottle of Erguotou right after leaving the house.

He was planning to use it as a greeting gift later… what should he do now?

He whistled as his bike turned from Baihua Depths Alley all the way to South Xinjiekou Street, then passed Qingyang Avenue, went around Wuhou Temple, and made a left turn when he saw Inner Mongolia Street—only then did he finally get on the right road.

They said if he continued riding along this road for another half hour, then turned to… Chen Junnan thought he should have taken a taxi.

After reaching his destination, Chen Junnan discovered that the market ahead seemed somewhat crowded. He could only park his bike at the intersection, dismount, and swagger in. He soon saw an old acquaintance not far ahead.

“Sister Shu Hua!” A very small girl pulled another girl’s hand and said timidly, “That boy stole my hair ornament… I want to go back and tell Mother…”

“Wu Xuan! Don’t be afraid!” Shu Hua pulled the little girl behind her and walked forward aggressively. “I’m here! I’ll get it back for you!”

The two little boys ahead had different expressions.

One little boy kept tugging at the other: “Xu Jiahua… don’t steal other people’s things… give it back to them…”

“Are you stupid!” Xu Jiahua turned to tell him. “Zheng Yingxiong, don’t you want to make friends with them? This is the fastest way!”

“But… but…” Zheng Yingxiong felt something wasn’t right, but that little sister called Shu Hua was already walking toward them with an angry face.

Just then, two hands pressed down on the two little boys’ heads.

“Fastest my foot.” Chen Junnan said. “Can’t you just talk nicely to make friends? Stealing things as kids—what are you planning to do when you grow up?”

“Huh?” Xu Jiahua was stunned. “Big Devil Chen Junnan!”

“What ‘Chen Junnan,’ learn something good!” Chen Junnan said. “Call me brother! Also, what the hell does ‘Big Devil’ mean?”

Xu Jiahua made a face at Chen Junnan, ran in front of Shu Hua to return Wu Xuan’s hair ornament to her, then pulled Zheng Yingxiong and ran away.

“Two little punks.” Chen Junnan watched their retreating figures and murmured, “Aren’t they from Quanzhou Street? Why did they come play on Portland Street?”

“Because recently the uncles on Portland Street asked us to help find someone, they’ll often treat us to meals.” Shu Hua said to Chen Junnan with a smile. “Wu Xuan has gotten chubbier recently.”

“I… I haven’t…” Wu Xuan covered her little belly somewhat embarrassedly. “Sister Shu Hua, don’t talk nonsense…”

“Looking for someone… ha…” Chen Junnan laughed. “Alright! Got it, go play.”

The two little girls nodded and ran away hand in hand.

“Yo… Little Chen!”

Chen Junnan paused, turned to look, and discovered that an acquaintance was actually selling socks at a stall in this market.

“Yo?” Chen Junnan laughed. “Old Lu!”

“Little Chen! Come take a look! Are you short on socks lately?”

Chen Junnan became interested when he heard about socks and walked forward to take a careful look.

The stall was filled uniformly with low-cut flesh-colored stockings.

“…?”

“Which pair do you like? I’ll give you a discount!”

Chen Junnan felt he needed to change his assessment—he wasn’t just constantly bewildered in the “Land of Terminus,” it was the same here.

“Hey!”

Just as Chen Junnan was in a daze, several fierce-looking burly men slowly approached. They felt Chen Junnan didn’t look much like an ordinary passerby and couldn’t help being on guard.

“Tsk! Little Chen, be careful!” Old Lu quickly lowered his head. “Those people manage this market!”

“Oh, alright, you go on with your business, I’ll go meet them.”

He waved at Old Lu and turned to look at those people.

“Yo?” Chen Junnan smiled. “What can I do for you?”

A reckless-looking young man walked forward: “You damn street trash, where are you from?”

Chen Junnan paused slightly after hearing this: “Man, are you sure you want to chat like this? Can’t you talk nicely?”

“I’ll curse your lungs…” The young man roared. “Are you deaf? Whose side are you on?”

Seeing that he couldn’t understand human speech at all, Chen Junnan shook his head, stepped forward, stared at the young man and said word by word:

“Listen carefully, man. I’m with your mother’s—consider me half your father.”

The scene instantly filled with the smell of gunpowder. Several fierce-looking burly men began shouting, and even Old Lu behind them nervously picked up a weapon at hand, ready to shout when seeing injustice and run after throwing a stool.

Just then, a thin, long-haired young man coughed behind everyone. Those burly men quieted down and made way to both sides.

“Jiu Ge!”

The young man nodded and slowly walked to Chen Junnan’s front. Chen Junnan felt this person seemed to have some status, was at least somebody important, and with those flower-arm tattoos…

“Chen Sheng?” The young man lowered his head to light a cigarette for himself.

“Chen Sheng…?”

“Mr. Chen?” The person exhaled a puff of smoke and asked again.

“Young Master Chen Junnan.”

“Damn, you’re finally here.” The young man smiled lightly and brushed his hair. “Come with me, he’s been waiting for you for a long time.”

“Your flower arms look pretty pleasing to the eye.” Chen Junnan went up and put his arm around the young man’s shoulder. “What’s the situation now?”

“Haha, you’ll know when you see him.”

Chen Junnan greeted Old Lu and asked those local enforcers to take good care of his stall. When passing by that arrogant young man, Chen Junnan even mimicked him: “I’ll cush yo lungs~ ah you deef~ whose ah you~?”

That person was angry but dared not speak, completely not expecting that he was actually A’Jin’s friend.

They passed through the entire market and came to the hall at the deepest part. Inside, smoke swirled around, and tall men with tattoos walked everywhere. This scene made even Chen Junnan feel somewhat uncomfortable.

In the hall of that establishment, Qiao Jiajin was offering incense to Lord Guan.

“Old Qiao!!” Chen Junnan instantly burst with joy. “Hahaha! Damn, it really is you!”

“Junnan Zai!!” Although Qiao Jiajin was overjoyed, he still carefully finished offering the incense, then ran over and grabbed Chen Junnan’s shoulder. “Haha! So many days, you’re really here too! Finally found you!”

“You’re the one with wide connections!” Chen Junnan also laughed. “These ten days I’ve been asking around everywhere, completely not knowing where your Portland Street was.”

“We have many people.” Qiao Jiajin said with a smile. “I miss you so much, Junnan Zai.”

“Young Master too!” Chen Junnan laughed. “By the way, I prepared a gift for you!”

“A gift?”

“Hey!” Chen Junnan smiled and reached into his pocket. After fumbling for a while, he made a fist and slowly placed it before Qiao Jiajin’s eyes.

Qiao Jiajin stared at Chen Junnan’s hand curiously, watching him slowly open it.

The hand was empty.

“Uh…” Qiao Jiajin paused. “Junnan Zai… what kind of gift is this?”

Chen Junnan was also silent for a few seconds before speaking: “My most simple longing!”

“Hahahaha!” Jiu Zai laughed heartily behind them. “A’Jin, your old friend is quite interesting.”

“Ha… haha…” Qiao Jiajin could only laugh awkwardly along and quickly reached out to close Chen Junnan’s palm. “Junnan Zai, let’s talk business first, come with me!”

“No, Old Qiao, why don’t you believe me?” Chen Junnan said while being pulled into the room. “What if I told you I actually prepared Erguotou for you before coming, would you believe it?”

“I believe, I believe.” Qiao Jiajin said.

“So what exactly is this about?” Chen Junnan asked.

“I don’t know the situation either, let’s go inside and talk together.”

The two pushed open the office door inside. Chen Junnan once again saw a familiar figure.

Chu Tianqiu was sitting on the sofa inside, drinking tea with a complex expression. His formal attire completely clashed with this establishment.

“Little Chu…?”

“Good, you two are finally all here.” Chu Tianqiu put down his teacup and raised his head. “I have something to discuss with you.”

After hearing this, the two came to sit beside the table, not knowing what he meant.

“Originally I wanted to live my own life and not get involved with anyone from ‘that place’ again.” Chu Tianqiu said with a frown. “But yesterday I went to the hospital… this examination result… forced me to reconsider this matter.”

“What’s going on?” Chen Junnan didn’t quite understand. “What does this have to do with the hospital?”

“I’ll say it straight… these ten days, you should have noticed too…” Chu Tianqiu sighed. “Almost everyone has already settled down here peacefully… even some people from ‘that place’ whom we don’t know have found their homes here.”

“Yes.” The two nodded.

“But he’s never appeared.” Chu Tianqiu changed the topic.

After hearing this, the two paused slightly, their expressions somewhat dejected.

“With his abilities… if he really came here, it wouldn’t be possible that no one has seen him for ten days.” Chu Tianqiu took a deep breath and said, “You’ve been looking for him too, right?”

Chen Junnan laughed and chuckled: “Ha… how could that be… Young Master is carefree with gratitude and revenge, how could I be so sentimental… Little Chu, you underestimate me…”

“I heard that for these ten days you haven’t come to Portland Street, but you’ve been looking for someone every day.” Chu Tianqiu said. “Who are you looking for?”

“I…”

“You know Portland Street exists, so Qiao Jiajin must be there, so there’s no need to search urgently.” Chu Tianqiu said again. “But you’ve never seen land belonging to him here, right?”

The two’s gazes were exceptionally complex at this moment. They were both worried and anxious, yet didn’t know what to do.

What attitude should they take toward him?

He had told countless lies but kept the most precious promise.

He killed countless people yet saved all living beings.

Good and evil, right and wrong, righteousness and wickedness, cause and effect all seemed to be endlessly entangled in him.

“So I’m wondering, does he not want to return… or can he not return?”

Chu Tianqiu slowly took out a box from his chest and placed it on the table, slowly opening it.

Inside, cold air radiated—it was an eyeball that had undergone cryogenic treatment.

“This is the last item from ‘that place.’ I just don’t know what to do with it, so I hope to discuss with you two.”

“This is…”

Chu Tianqiu pushed the box in front of the two:

“An ‘Endless Life.'”

“Endless… Life…?”

……

……

……

The “New World” was still bustling with traffic.

Countless people busied themselves with their lives here.

They flowed endlessly in this eternal small world, living life after life.

They busied themselves with their lives, could see the road ahead, and didn’t want to speak of suffering.

Many people with special memories didn’t encounter the unforgettable earthquake from their memories on the second day, so they could only wait in trepidation for the annihilation on the tenth day.

They held hands, trembling as they stood on the street, ultimately waiting for nothing.

The moment the first ray of sunlight on the eleventh day leaped over the horizon, it warmly shone on many faces that were incredulous yet tearful.

Their lives from this moment on would never again be confined within ten days, but would forever flow forward.

Only at that moment did people finally believe.

That long, entangled, painful, nostalgic, longing, joyful and sorrowful, eternal ten days—from this moment forward—

Completely ended.

(Ten Days, Terminus.)