Chapter 64: Mama
Tang Yu’an knew he shouldn’t be so upset over a toy, it seemed unprofessional for a tool-man.
But he couldn’t help it.
Unlike other objects, this teddy bear had always been with him, a constant in his ever-changing world.
He always kept it safe in his storage space during dangerous missions.
He had thought it would be safe here…
He returned to his room, clutching the bear, hearing Xie Cun outside, apologizing, promising to compensate him.
But he ignored him, lying on the bed, remembering how he got the teddy bear.
He saw his younger self wandering aimlessly down the street.
He didn’t know where he was going. Xingqiu was gone, Chen Fei was out, and no one was paying attention to him.
He stood before a toy store, looking at the colorful toys and packaging through the window.
He remembered his brother receiving a new electric train as a reward for his good grades. He had been excited at first, but quickly lost interest.
But he wouldn’t let anyone else touch it, a possessive glance at Tang Yu’an before taking it to his room.
Tang Yu’an wasn’t interested in the train; he simply liked the shiny wrapping paper.
He also wanted to receive a gift, he didn’t care what was inside, he just wanted to know what it felt like to open one.
So, he stopped before a small gift shop.
The owner, a kind middle-aged man, noticed him, inviting him inside instead of chasing him away.
He asked where his parents were, why they weren’t with him.
Tang Yu’an, feeling out of place in his old clothes, said: “They’re busy.”
The owner smiled, giving him a fruit-flavored candy, sweet and comforting.
He then asked when his birthday was, saying the shop had a promotion, a free gift for birthdays.
Tang Yu’an told him his birthday had been last month.
The owner, curious, asked: “What did you get for your birthday?”
Tang Yu’an thought for a moment, then said he had a small piece of his brother’s cake.
The owner looked at him with a complicated expression, then retrieved a teddy bear from the back, placing it in his arms.
He said, since it was just recently, they would celebrate his birthday again, his treat.
He also explained that the teddy bear could talk, that he could record his own voice.
He patted Tang Yu’an’s head: “You can record a message, a wish, and listen to it anytime!”
That night, Tang Yu’an couldn’t sleep, thinking about what message to record.
He looked at the stars, remembering Xingqiu.
Although it had no home, often chased away, it always greeted him with joyful barks, as if nothing could dampen its spirits, lifting his own mood.
Now Xingqiu was gone, but he had the teddy bear.
His first gift.
So, he activated the recorder, saying: “Tang Yu’an, you have to be happy!”
The old recording device distorted his voice, making it sound almost robotic.
But now, remembering this moment clearly, the voice echoed in his mind, he even remembered being curled up in bed, under the covers.
But… it was broken now, he would never hear it again.
Tears streamed down his face, not just for the teddy bear, but also because he finally realized this was the world he grew up in.
Perhaps he had lost his memories after the car accident, which was why he was chosen by the system, traveling between worlds as a tool-man.
He felt a pang of sadness, thinking the system shouldn’t have brought him back.
If he couldn’t stay, why make him remember?
Wei Langxing, seeing his tears, frantically tried to comfort him, saying he could fix it.
Tang Yu’an finally looked at him: “You… you can fix it?”
“Of course!”
Wei Langxing patted his chest, promising to restore it completely, even the recording.
He wasn’t boasting. He could reconnect the wires, sew the fabric.
He had been quite skilled at sewing as a child, his sister bribing him with snacks for every toy he repaired. He only realized later how cheap those snacks were.
He gently took the teddy bear, like accepting a sacred relic.
Tang Yu’an, embarrassed by his tears, his voice thick with emotion, simply nodded when Wei Langxing promised to fix it within a day.
He hadn’t expected Xie Cun to try and compensate him with money before Wei Langxing even finished the repairs.
The next morning, he was greeted by a mountain of teddy bears in the hall.
Was he planning to open a toy store?
Even the carpet had been replaced with a teddy bear-themed one, his footsteps silent as he walked across it.
A giant teddy bear, taller than him, sat by the dining table. He had never seen such a large one. Curious, he approached it, and it suddenly stood up, startling him.
There was a person inside!
The teddy bear presented him with a perfumed letter, gesturing for him to open it.
It was an apology letter.
“Dear Teddy Bear King, I, your humble servant, have foolishly damaged your beloved warrior. Please accept my sincerest apologies and grant me a chance to redeem myself!
P.S. It’s okay if you don’t forgive me, really.”
Followed by a crying teddy bear emoji.
Tang Yu’an, after reading it, chuckled: “Xie Cun, isn’t it hot in there?”
Xie Cun removed the headpiece, his hair plastered to his forehead with sweat.
“Not hot, I like saunas.”
Tang Yu’an knew it was a misunderstanding, he wasn’t truly angry, but seeing his comical appearance, he decided to tease him, adopting a stern expression: “Then enjoy your sauna. I’m leaving.”
Xie Cun, panicked, stopped him.
Dropping his usual playful tone, he apologized sincerely.
Tang Yu’an said it was just a teddy bear, there was no need for this.
Xie Cun’s eyes lit up: “So you forgive me?”
Receiving his nod, he almost started ordering more teddy bears in excitement.
Tang Yu’an noticed his slightly swollen eye: “Did you get into a fight?”
Not a fight, a one-sided beating from Zuo Tinghan, Xie Cun thought.
But it was his fault, so he didn’t say anything, simply saying he had slept too much.
Tang Yu’an offered him an ice pack, which he snatched eagerly: “I can do it myself!”
Just then, Wei Langxing arrived with the repaired teddy bear, shooing Xie Cun away, saying proudly: “Mission accomplished, sir!”
Tang Yu’an hadn’t expected him to be so skilled. Not only was the recording working, but the repairs were almost invisible.
He hugged the teddy bear, smiling: “You have a hidden talent for sewing!”
Wei Langxing said his mother had taught him when he was young.
Hearing the word “mother,” Tang Yu’an’s expression suddenly turned blank.
It seemed the word had triggered another memory, images flooding his mind.
He saw his younger self holding a ripped shirt, going to his mother to ask her to mend it or get him a new one.
But before he could knock, he overheard a conversation between his parents.
His father was complaining about their finances, saying money was tight.
His mother replied that she was already being frugal.
His father seemed angry, saying if she hadn’t insisted on buying a child to ward off bad luck, they would have saved a lot of money.
His mother told him not to say such things, that she had consulted a fortune teller, that their son, Xiao Ze, had a troubled fate, and if there wasn’t someone to protect him, he would die before turning eighteen.
His father sighed: “You really should have discussed it with me before buying a child, and spending so much money…”
His mother reassured him that it was all for Xiao Ze, that their son was healthy now, unlike when he was born.
Tang Yu’an heard every word clearly, strangely accepting it calmly, like a long-known truth, nothing more to be said.
But he was still young, wanting to confront them, to ask where they bought him, where his real parents were.
But he simply left silently, afraid of hearing the answer.
He was afraid his parents had abandoned him, that he had been sold.
Even a false hope was better than none.
Later, he overheard more conversations, piecing together the truth.
After Tang Ze’s birth, the doctor had said he was weak. His mother, afraid of losing him, had consulted a fortune teller.
The “master” had told her that her son’s fate was troubled, that the only solution was to have his twin brother protect him.
So, she bought a baby boy, raising him as her son’s brother.
Later, after relentless searching, Tang Yu’an had even found the woman who sold him.
But she had suffered an accident, her mind broken, unable to care for herself.
He visited her in the hospital, repeatedly questioning her, and she finally said she vaguely remembered taking a child.
She stammered: “The mother… had just given birth… very weak… they robbed the house… I lived next door… I went in… to steal something… and I found… a baby.”
Quiet, hidden in a cabinet.
Tang Yu’an felt a surge of anger: “So you took him? Sold him?”
For a bit of money?
He was thrown out of the hospital by the staff for his outburst.
————
Wei Langxing waved his hand in front of Tang Yu’an’s face, relieved when he finally snapped back to reality.
“What’s wrong? Are you dissatisfied with my repair skills?”
Tang Yu’an hid his trembling hands, forcing a smile.
“No, I just… I think you’re lucky to have such a family.”
