"It would be great if Jenkins was here, we could plan which city we'd live in, we could talk about how many kids we're going to have, and we could talk about whether he'd have a lounge in our house just for the chocolates. .”
The conversation of the girls lasted for a long time, and they were all in high spirits, excitedly planning everything about the future. When the two talked, they tacitly agreed that Jenkins was not here, but while talking, the eyes of the girls all glanced strangely at the man sitting at the dining table.
The voice of Jenkins reading paused for a moment and continued, his face expressionless. Cats who are familiar with him know that Jenkins' expressionless face is usually an attempt to conceal his true mood.
"It's really boring."
He said to himself, loudly trying to drown out the redhead and the blonde girl with his voice. But this is difficult to do, because the voices of Hathaway and Britney are always just louder than Jenkins's, so that the imagined future can be passed into Jenkins' ears just right.
"It's useless, it's useless to me. What kind of loneliness is this? The current loneliness is for future happiness. As long as I can achieve my goals, what kind of future can I not get?"
The girls talked for half an hour, and when it was all over, the cold, dank basement reappeared around. Jenkins breathed a sigh of relief subconsciously. Although he kept convincing himself that it was just a fake, it was just a test, but this feeling was really uncomfortable.
He sort of understood that the ceremony of obtaining the [Foreigner] was simply to make him firmly identify with his identity as an [Foreigner]. There is no danger in itself, but it is more harmful to the spirit and mood.
"I'm fine, I'm fine... probably."
The firelight illuminated Jenkins' face and let the cat see his troubled expression.
Jenkins didn't understand the significance of such a test, but whatever he thought, the scene in the flames was still changing.
The book seems to be able to read Jenkins' uncomfortable past, and most of the scenes that unfold in the flames are Jenkins alone doing some difficult things, while at the same time he could have a happier moment.
When the book in hand was read to the last page, the last picture finally appeared in the flames. Jenkins took a deep breath and looked up, only to find that this time it was not a replay of past memories, but a scene that had never happened before, the scene he was most afraid of.
In the flames, the black-haired and black-eyed Jenkins sat slumped on the sofa in his home. In the hallway, Dad, Robert and Mary, Hathaway, Britney... those who Jenkins loved and loved Jenkins were all standing there looked at him coldly.
In the midst of them, the blond Jenkins lay on his back, looking dead.
Jenkins, who was studying, became short of breath. It took him a lot of energy to barely control his breathing rate, and warned himself that this was not terrible, and there was nothing to worry about.
The flickering flames blurred the vision, and the surrounding cold basement gradually turned into a horrible color block. These color blocks are combined with each other, and finally form the shape of the living room.
Jenkins was sitting on the sofa with a book in his hands, and when he looked up, he saw the group of people looking at him in the hallway.
"Who are you?"
The men and women questioned together, their voices were surging like a tide and the momentum was astonishing. Everyone was looking at him, with a coldness and hostility unfamiliar to Jenkins in their eyes.
"I'm Jenkins, and I'm Jenkins Williams."
Because he had to study, he couldn't speak, he could only answer in his heart. But the people in the hall heard the voice in their hearts:
"No, you're not Jenkins, you're an impostor. You sleazy outlander, you stole my poor Jenkins's identity to get this!"
Mary accused hysterically, but Jenkins had no way to refute, and the rhythm of reading was almost disrupted.
"I'm not quite Jenkins Williams, but at least part of Jenkins Williams is me."
He said in his heart.
Jenkin is not a person who is easily broken through his psychological defense. On the contrary, he thinks that he has a clear goal and can find a solution with a clear conscience even in the worst situation.
"You're not Jenkins..."
"Who is it that I love?"
"You are a liar!"
"Shameless foreigner!"
"You are living in someone else's face!"
"You stole Jenkins' life!"
People accuse you every word, and the hostility towards Jenkins is getting heavier. Until Jenkins finished reading the book in his hand, the accusations and abuse were still not over, and after reading the book, it seemed that Jenkins could not get out of this illusion.
Closing the book and putting it on his lap, Jenkins stopped the monotonous reading sound that seemed to never stop. Feeling the thirst in his throat, he raised his head and looked at the crowded people in the hallway.
"After I came to this world, I did a lot of things with the identity of Jenkins Williams, but..."
He looked at the girls, and their anger distorted the pretty faces:
"I know you and fall in love with you. It is my own choice and decision; and you like and fall in love with me. These have nothing to do with the old Jenkins. What you fall in love with is the present Me, there is no doubt about it. So what are you questioning, rather, do you love my handsome body or my radiant soul?"
He frowned and asked such a question, and the girls who were cursing loudly shut their mouths immediately. They exchanged glances and smiled reassuringly at Jenkins.
The pretty girls waved to him as if they were saying goodbye to a husband who was going to work, then turned around and opened the door together and went out.
Although the foyer did not become less crowded, it was at least a lot more spacious.
Jenkins breathed a sigh of relief. It was really wrong for him to replace Jenkins, but at least facing his lovers, their feelings had nothing to do with Jenkins in the past. Girls like him, it has nothing to do with Jenkins' background and identity, and the bond with girls is all contributed by Jenkins' soul.
So, Jenkins has a clear conscience about his relationship.
The rest of the people were still cursing and blaming, but their voices were lower. Jenkins looked at his colleagues in the church and those nuns, priests, and priests who respected him. Among them, Captain Bincy and Bishop Parode stood in the front.
PS: The chapter name of the previous chapter has been changed, and it can be seen after refreshing. It feels too sloppy to use [Reading] as the title of the chapter.