Strasse Skulander, the exact name of the location where Ed now lives in Stuttgarh. The house he rented was located in an unnamed side street at the end of the avenue, in the middle of a short dead-end road as short as a sprint track, with a hillside on top of an intercity highway and a railroad track not far away, which ended in a tunnel leading to the far mountain to the outside of the city center.

There are only two houses in the whole street, so even if the street is very short, the area of each house is not small, and the yard lacks regular mowing of weeds, and it is lush like pasture. And because of work, and partly due to his own personality, Ed and his neighbors didn't know each other at all, they didn't say anything, but they vaguely knew that they were a family of four, mom and dad and two children, the man worked in a car dealership, the woman was a nurse, and the two children were a boy and a girl, the older man was older, the female was younger, the older one was in junior high school, and the younger one was only ten years old, just in the fourth grade of elementary school, and their respective schools were in the neighborhood.

Unlucky professional habits always make Ed notice something he didn't even think to know. But hell, he almost knew the whole avenue where he was, and he didn't know the whole street very well, and there were not even many people who spoke. Aside from the barbershop's hostess, only the bartender at the corner bar was able to talk. He didn't hate the boy, perhaps in large part because he hadn't accidentally spilled ice cream into his hair.

He knew that he was not right this way, that he was not the right way to live. He's no longer in that world, he's gone from the old days. He's on Titan, he's on Stuttgar, a city that, while looking like a bastard, is actually a bastard, a mess of yarn inside and out that can never be sorted out, but far better than the real bad. Compared to the other, it can't even compare to a single hair of the "really bad", and there are ninety cows in the middle. But the fact is that he can't get rid of the past, at least not now, there is no way, there is no way to get rid of it so quickly. The shadow of the past is still entangled in him, and he still lives in that world.

What did the wonderful old lady say? That's right - there is still something left of "that world" in the eyes, intense, pure, and disgusting.

He has been in this floating city for a long time, he has met many people, he has talked to many people, some of them are good with him, they have a good chat, they are very happy, and some of them are not so good. But all of these people—all the people he spoke to in Stuttgar, they all had one thing in common, and that was that none of them said it because Ed wanted to talk to them, and it was for some particular reason—mostly because of work—that they would sit down and open their mouths and chew their tongues and lips to talk to each other tastelessly. That's not much progress.

Thinking to himself, Ed sat on a high stool in front of the bar, his eyes staring through his glasses at the dazzling array of drinks on the shelves. Those things look so good, and just sitting there can create their own colors and show their own value. If he could, he would have rushed up and smashed them to smithereens, and then had an elegant and gorgeous midsummer night tango among the sharp crumbs and pungent booze.

But there's a problem, it's already past midsummer. Now the breeze in the sky has gradually begun to cool.

"Hey." When I walked over to the bar, I saw Ed sitting in the leftmost corner of the bar, and immediately greeted him cordially, "Mr. Ed, you're here." ”

"Good evening, Paul." Ed also waved his hand at the young man, still with a blank expression in his eyes.

"You rarely come at this time."

Paul glanced at the bar clock, and it was approaching midnight. It's nothing at all for them, it's more prime time. In the simple and rhythmic music, the figures on the dance floor swaying and twisting with the lights are constantly approaching crowding and saturation, the concentration of alcohol in the blood is increasing, and everyone's hands are clutching a large or small cup of yellow soup as if the suitor is pinching flowers, as if he can't finish it. Their eyes were very bright in the dim space and the flickering light, bright as if they were glued with sequins, their complexion was either crimson or pale, or they were sweating incessantly, and they looked bad, and they were about to lie down on the ground and convulse, but they were just a little bit worse. I don't know if it's lucky or unlucky.

Ed often comes to this bar at night for a drink, but rarely stays that late. He usually goes back after dinner time, and basically has never entered the realm where the demons are dancing in front of him. He still feels a little fresh.

"I ...... Waiting for someone. Ed said dryly, shrugging his shoulders, "I made an appointment." A friend is coming. ”

"Friends?"

Paul opened his mouth in surprise, and although it was still far from his jaw falling to the ground, he still expressed his surprise completely. Ed had been drinking here for a long time, ever since he had moved down the street and discovered the corner bar, and would come here when he had nothing to do, but Paul had never seen him bring anyone with him, he was always alone.

Today is a day to remember. Paul said this to himself in his heart.

"Wait for someone," he asked, smiling, "would you like something to drink?" ”

"Of course, why not." Ed glanced at the bottles on the shelf, "There's a reason humans invented this thing. ”

"Or gin with orange juice?"

"I really have to ask every time."

"It's always right to ask." Paul smiled, expertly flipped over a glass, and then turned to take the wine, "I don't know Mr. Eddard's taste at all." I don't appreciate it at all. ”

“…… Maybe I'm like you. Ed said, smacking his mouth, "I don't know what's wrong with me at all. ”

"You don't know, do you?"

A sudden sound sounded from behind, like a small hammer rounding Eddard's neck. Ed didn't have time to shrink his head, or turn his head back completely, when the slender black figure passed in front of his eyes and sat down in the high chair next to him.

Marcy was dressed in casual black plain clothes, shoulder-length short hair, forehead bangs tucked to the side by hairpins, sitting on a chair with a big thorn, one arm on the bar, leaning towards Ed, and her head tilting her neck in the direction of the dance floor, not knowing whether it was the cute boys or the indulgent girls who attracted her. Or maybe she just wanted to see a group of people bouncing around together, which was a very interesting scene for a particular group of people.

"It's funny, like a bunch of bugs." With squinting eyes and grinning twice, Marcy turned around, turned to the bar, and raised her chin at Paul, "Bartender, have a glass of 'Sand Sea Immersion Gold', double the gin." ”

“……”

Paul, who was mixing drinks for Ed, stopped bartending at this time, and looked at Marcy with his mouth open and a little dumbfounded, until he was reminded by Marcy knocking on the counter. He echoed in agreement, and quickly finished mixing Ed's wine, and glanced at Ed with a strange gaze when he put it in front of Ed. Although he didn't say anything, Ed knew that this kid must be thinking about something very bad in his heart, thinking about something very rude that if he said it, he would be immediately pressed to the ground and beaten by Marcy.

But since it wasn't spoken, there's nothing wrong with that. Ed took a sip of his cup as he took a sip of his own...... thing, glancing at Marcy beside her.

I haven't seen him for a while, but the new star detective of the city bureau is still so neat and capable, and his spirit hasn't been rubbed down at all. Ed didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing, because with what he knew about this guy, if her mental head continued, then the people around her would be out of luck. For example, the only person he knows about is the bureau chief.

"I have to say, Ed." Marcy didn't wait for Ed to speak, and she took the lead in speaking up, her voice sounding as full of energy as the teacher in class, "As a friend, you've disappointed me so much. You always seem to think of me when you're in trouble, and you don't even call me? ”

“…… Sounds like it's me. Ed raised an eyebrow, pursed his lips upward, and glanced at Marcy with drooping eyelids, "But even if I call you out, do you have time?" ”

"Of course not." Marcy said righteously, "Don't even think about it. ”

"Then what else are you talking about?"

"It's not to be confused. Whether you have time or not is my business, but whether or not to call me is your business. Marcy was right, "You owe me a few meals, don't think I've forgotten them all." ”

"I've got a few bags of noodles at home." Ed continued to take his cup and drink his own...... Something, nonchalantly responded, "But you never had time to come." ”

"I'm very busy at work."

"No vacation?"

"Yes." Marcy tilted her eyes and thought back, "It seems that I was pushed on the initiative?" ”

“……”

"That's what I want to say," the woman said sharply, rushing downhill to another stage, "Do you know how busy I am right now? I have more than thirty cases on hand at the same time, and you've added another one to me – still a super tricky one! ”

"Don't get me wrong." Ed looked up solemnly, "It's exactly what you think - I don't care about the thing itself, I just want to ask you out through this method." That's just it. ”

“…… But why here? ”

"Because it's close to my home. I'm too lazy to run out of the country just because I want to make an appointment with you......"

Before Ed could finish his sentence, Marcy kicked him to the ground with a stool.