繁体
Alittlegirl,maybeten,stoodthere.Skinny,tangledbckhair,naked,herskinstreakedwithdirtanddriedblood.Shelookedlesslikeachildthansomeferalthingdraggedoutofanightmare.
Luwasn''''''''tgoodwithhewordhadslippedoutbecausethevictimatthecrimesehadbeencalledReya.
Aftersolong,hecouldnolongerrecallthatwoman''''''''sfullitdidn''''''''tmatter—nowhehadhisownReya.
ThegirlwastemporarilypLu''''''''shomeasafosterchild.HenamedherReya.
Hepretetonotice,thensuddenlywhippedaroundwithaloudshout.
Luwasabachelor,cluelessaboutraisingachild.Moxibeganvisitingstantly,whichsparkedgossipatfirst.Butafteryearspassedwithnohintofromahenosyneighborslosti.
Herwideeyesstaredathim,eerilyclearyetcarryingastrange,ulingaura,likeawitch''''''''scrystalballglowingwithghostlylight.
Thatwasthemomenthissurprisearrived.
Herfamilyhadbeenthrilledinthebeginning,imaginingtheirdaughterwouldf
Buthedid.
Officially,Ludidn''''''''tmeettherequirementstofosteranorphan.Butthegirlrefusedtoletgoofhim—evenwhendoctorsexaminedher,orwhenpolienbathedandgedher,shegstubbornlytohisclothes.
***
SoLuandhischildhoodfriendMoxi—whowerealwaysmorelikeswornsiblingsthanlovers—pletedthefosterpaperworkasacohabitingcouple.Justlikethat,thetwoofthembecameReya''''''''stemporaryfosterparents.Yetthisso-called"temporary"stretchederthananyoneexpected.
ions.
Shewasn''''''''tasstrikingasthedeadReyahadbeen,butatleastshetrailedhimaroundlikealoyallittleshadow,neverleavinghisside.
Noseniordetectivejumped.
Sinosuitablefamilycouldbefhtaway,andtheiigationintomissingchildrenrecordswasstillongoing,leavihLuseemedthemostpracticalchoice.Ifherrealparentseversurfaced,shewouldbeeasiertorecim.