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