Because she couldn't worry about Lady Joanna, Ella ran to medical school from time to time, but each time she only watched from afar.

"You're Ella?"

At the door of the consultation room, Ella heard the voice, and when she turned around, she saw a strange teenager talking to her, he was carrying a medical school brooch, and he was supposed to be a student here.

"May I ask who you are?"

"I'm Kashima, don't you remember me? A year older than you, we were in a building back then. ”

Kashma ...... Ella remembered that Kahima was one year older than herself, and she was also a child in Group B of the experimental base that year. Ella didn't have much of a relationship with him, and it was normal that she didn't recognize him right away.

"Kashma, why are you here?"

"I'm studying here, and I've been thinking about whether to change departments lately." Kahima has changed a lot, he used to sit alone in the corner, thin and small. Now, wearing the uniform of the school, he has faded from the immaturity of his childhood, and the sixteen-year-old boy is on the blurred border between youth and maturity, his features are getting harder, his shoulders are much thicker, and he is gradually becoming stronger and stronger.

"Transfer? Stopped studying medicine? ”

Ella and Kashma sat down on a bench next to them.

"Well, I'm not well suited to this ......," Kahima stopped talking, preoccupied. Let's not talk about that, Ella, are you here to see Lady Joanna? ”

"Sort of. Madame, how is her physical condition? ”

"Not so good. The case at the experimental base had brought down her body, and her wife had been living in self-blame and guilt for so many years, and her psychological condition was not optimistic...... "Kahima's expression was serious.

"What's going on?"

Madame said that as soon as she closed her eyes, she could see the children she had sent away...... The children were crying and blaming her for not reaching out...... Every night, she had nightmares, so she didn't rest well all the time and had some mental problems. ”

"But it's not her fault."

She thinks it's her fault...... According to my teacher, my wife's body will not last long...... Ella, can you come and see her more often in the future? Kahima's face was full of worry, the child's reluctance to attach himself to his mother.

"Okay." Ella replied quietly. "I don't want her to know I exist, though."

Kashma pondered for a moment and agreed.

"I understand that you have your own problems. But I still want you to try to talk to your wife face-to-face. ”

They all had a hard time back then, but the most bitter was Joanna. After all these years, Joanna still hasn't come out of her guilt. The shadow of the past haunts everyone like an evil spirit, and they can't shake it off or forget it.

"Ella, how are you doing all these years?" Kahima asked cautiously, tentatively.

This question...... I didn't expect that there would be people who cared about how they were doing...... But how do you answer that?

The corners of Ella's mouth curled, and she said against her will: "I am doing well, I was adopted by a rich family, and I have no worries about food and clothing." She raised her head to meet Kashma's gaze.

"What about you, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, too."

There was a clear pool in Kashima's eyes, and there were small ripples because he saw the old man.

You okay?

I am fine.

It's a lie, under the four eyes, they know each other, but who hasn't debunked each other. This is a tacit understanding that belongs to people of the same kind, and together they create a bubble-like gorgeous illusion, and it is also a face for each other, leaving room for licking wounds.

That day, Ella and Kahima talked for a long time and learned a lot of questions that they hadn't thought about before. At that time, the children in the experimental base were divided into two groups, A and B, according to their qualifications, the children in Group B were trained to be killers, and the children in Group A, who were far more numerous than Group B, were trained to be soldiers. The education they receive from an early age is the worship and obedience of a certain character from the heart. Over the years, that figure will be deified and become the supreme presence in the hearts of children. Even if the children grow up and receive a different education, they will not doubt the figure, and thus become absolutely loyal slaves, and become loyal and ideal soldiers.

Education and indoctrination, sometimes, are only a thin line.

After leaving the experimental base, Khima was adopted by Earl Wayne, and he learned of this information from the inside, which had not been made public.

"Ella, it's nice to see you again."

"Me too."

Although Kashma promised to visit Lady Joanna often, Ella did not have the courage to come forward and say a word to Joanna. Each time, she watched silently in the dark, and after Joanna left the office, she went to ask the professor about Joanna's condition. Kashma also came often, and unlike Ella, he took direct care of the kind lady.

Lady Joanna's health deteriorated, and she eventually settled down in the medical school. Because Joanna was a hero of the Authority, she wanted to spend her last days with the children of the former experimental base, and the only child she knew of was Kashma, so the Authority and the Military Academy allowed Mrs. Joanna to live in the medical school of the Military Academy.

"Ma'am, how are you feeling lately?" Kashma spoke softly.

"Lately, I've been thinking about the past. At that time, you were all afraid of me......" On the balcony, she sat in a wheelchair, looking at the outdoor scenery, with a deep dark halo under her haggard and sunken eyes.

It snowed heavily, covered in silver, white and boundless, covering the sound of all things, snowflakes flying in the air, Joanna, who was sitting in a wheelchair watching the snow, and Mia, who was also sitting in a wheelchair to watch the snow, coincided by chance.

"We are not afraid of you, we love you very much."

Joanna smiled, "I don't deserve your love, so many people were sent away by me...... I remember Johnson: When they were sent for destruction, the file was still signed by me. ”

"Ma'am, it's not your fault."

"Whose fault is that? Someone has to bear the guilt...... Ella, is she still reluctant to come to see me? ”

"You got it?" Kahima was a little surprised.

"Listen to your teacher and say that there is a girl who always comes to ask me about me, and I pay attention and find that it is Ella, who is always hiding and does not want to see me...... Kashma, I want to meet Ella, is that okay? ”

"Good ......" Khishma choked as she listened to Lady Joanna's gradually muffled voice.

He walked out of the room, and whether Ella wanted it or not, he brought Ella from outside the room to Lady Joanna.

Ella crouched down and leaned against Lady Joanna's wheelchair. Looking at her tired face, Ella's nose was sour.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry for you...... Ella, I'm sorry I didn't save Ressley......"

"Ma'am, it's not your fault." Something choked on Ella's throat, "Finding the right in the wrong world is an impossible thing in itself......"

Ella was close to Joanna, just as she had when she had been a child carrying a small bench and sitting next to Joanna, leaning against Joanna, leaning on the only person who was entitled to be called "Mother".

"Madame, it's too cold outside, shall we go back to our room?" Ella asked with concern as Kashma covered Joanna with a coat.

Joanna shook her head, she knew that her life was short, and she wanted to see the snow scene she had seen with her children at the end of her life. At that time, the children saw the heavy snow for the first time, and it was a snowball fight and rolling in the snow, which was very lively.

"I remember that Ella was so bold before, everyone was afraid of me, and you dared to come to me to borrow the key, and begged me to help Mia hold a birthday party......"

"Madam, you remember all this......"

"Hmm." Joanna closed her eyes and fell into the depths of her memory, remembering every child's name, every child's voice and smile. Her life was stuck in the past, on that snowy night, at Mia's birthday party. Children sit together, leaning against the fire, singing birthday songs and eating cakes. The children all have heartfelt smiles on their faces, no more fear, no more suspicion.

If only it could go on like this forever.

Joanna was tired and didn't have the strength to open her eyes again.

"Ella, Kashma, are you there?"

"Yes, here we are."

"It seems to be a little cold, can you get closer to me?"

"Okay, ma'am, is it a little warmer?"

"Ella, Kashma, are you there?"

"Yes, we are with you, ma'am."

"I'm a little tired and want to take a break......"

"Yes, ma'am, we will accompany you."

"Ella, Kashma, are you there?"

"Yes, ma'am, don't worry, we're not going anywhere......"

"Ella, Kashima...... Thank you for ......."

"Madame, Madame......"

There are always a lot of things that happen on a snowy day, Lady Joanna's life ends in heavy snow, and Lady Joanna's funeral, takes place in heavy snow.

There were a lot of people at the funeral, mostly from the Authority. There are also many people who have received the favor of Lady Joanna. However, among the children in the experimental base that year, only Ella and Kahima came. Later, Ella heard from Kashma that there were only seven lucky children in Group B who survived that year, and among these seven, except for Ella and Kahima, after going their separate ways, there was no news, and I don't know if they are still alive now.

Not all bad guys will be punished, and not all good guys will be rewarded. People who are too kind, in this new world, are like weak prey, ravaged and devastated by predators. Lady Joanna is not fit to live here, and such a world is not worth Lady Joanna's full efforts to save.

"Ella, are you upset?"

"Ann, aren't you sad?"

"I'm not sad ......"

"You lied to me, you're not sad, so why are you crying?"

"I'm just sorry for you......"

After the funeral, Ella walked alone on the way back, she looked up at the snowy sky, looked at the white distance, and looked back at the footprints she had walked on the ground. She understands that in this world, no one will love her and Ann.

Fifteen-year-old Ella and Ann have lost their mother.