Chapter 1 Kaidan (Strange Tales)
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At dawn, beneath the plane trees.
The sunlight is warm, a gentle breeze brushes by, the green leaves sway, and dappled shadows flit across the area.
The short-haired boy in blue-and-white school uniform leans against the tree, devouring a steaming nori rice ball, gazing absentmindedly at the sparkling canal waters before him.
Li Cheng, a junior in high school, an orphan living temporarily with his aunt's family.
Due to certain reasons, the family atmosphere is somewhat bizarre. Li Cheng cycles to school each morning, using the excuse of a liking for the rice balls from a snack stall east of the school to deliberately take a longer route, avoiding walking with his cousins who attend the same high school.
Without realizing it, the nori rice ball was now finished. He crumpled the plastic bag into a ball and tossed it into the trash can, then said to the stall owner, "Uncle Chen, I'm off."
The stall owner nodded, "Mhm, be careful on the road."
Pushing his bike, Li Cheng hesitated, then asked, "Uncle Chen, will you set up your stall tonight?"
The stall owner looked somewhat puzzled, "Of course, I need to support my child's education."
"Then, be careful. The town hasn't been very peaceful lately."