2157年9月8日,下午兩點,仙境大樓,七層629Please respect copyright.PENANAnpLuSOLMEi
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李晴煬去謝氏的這段時間,留在仙境大樓的尼可拉斯也發生不少事。這一切,要從某個寧靜的下午說起。629Please respect copyright.PENANA7StoH42sYP
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這一天,尼可拉斯在自己房間睡午覺,床旁邊擺了一張嬰兒床,裡面躺著他的妹妹──安琪.懷特,或者「檸檬」,雪檸生前為她取的小名。629Please respect copyright.PENANAuKwWIgbY6n
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尼可拉斯答應里奧,他會扮演「討厭的哥哥」照顧檸檬。檸檬的個性是里奧的複製貼上,而且,她大部分時候都在睡覺,非常乖,照顧起來並不困難。629Please respect copyright.PENANAyBO2xYxN8x
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「……。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAPw2IvxLoeh
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尼可拉斯睡得很熟,而檸檬,她的眉頭從兩分鐘前就一直皺著,發出細微的呻吟。629Please respect copyright.PENANAPuespptjlH
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「嗚嗚……嗚嗚嗚……!」629Please respect copyright.PENANAbdzA6sm4SC
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如果把所有嬰兒的哭聲理成一個光譜,檸檬絕對是最安靜的那一邊,但尼可拉斯還是醒了。629Please respect copyright.PENANAr18Ps3Cwi6
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「吵死了。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAMewqBkAFDs
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嘴上這麼說,尼可拉斯還是把檸檬抱到懷裡,一邊哼歌,一邊拍檸檬的背。哥哥的存在讓檸檬安心,靠著尼可拉斯的胸膛,她很快就安靜下來、再次陷入睡眠,變回乖孩子。629Please respect copyright.PENANAgmp2eqeZic
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把妹妹放回嬰兒床,尼可拉斯覺得奇怪,明明剛餵完奶,尿布也沒狀況,尼可拉斯不懂檸檬為什麼在哭,或許被什麼嚇到……難不成做了惡夢?629Please respect copyright.PENANAdgVnJlA4Wk
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他打電話給葛蕾絲,希望媽媽能分享她的育兒經驗。629Please respect copyright.PENANAdm0hhEvVNd
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「喂?」629Please respect copyright.PENANAkvTXLCdCjl
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「媽,是我。」尼可拉斯向電話另一邊的年輕聲音詢問:「里奧在妳旁邊嗎?」629Please respect copyright.PENANAScRjJ4kf4q
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「在喲。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAzSzM2FcjTG
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「幫我問他,檸檬最近有沒有異常?」629Please respect copyright.PENANAxE6f448I5C
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「你這孩子真奇怪,直接打給他不就得了,還要我幫你問!」629Please respect copyright.PENANAjqEWk5YaFp
629Please respect copyright.PENANAmGDAs7z27Z
嘴上這麼說,尼可拉斯還是聽見葛蕾絲與里奧的說話聲。葛蕾絲回答:「沒什麼,很常做惡夢而已。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAwXGrdho8cX
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「有多常?」尼可拉斯皺眉。629Please respect copyright.PENANAerwRS2h9CE
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「每天晚上。」葛蕾絲說:「這沒什麼吧?你小時候也會做惡夢。」629Please respect copyright.PENANA2XbpndbSRM
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「頻率太高了。」尼可拉斯反問:「你們不覺得奇怪嗎?」629Please respect copyright.PENANA8FJ3wkiKH1
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「哎,你就睡前給她換新的尿布,這樣她就會睡得很舒服啦。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAf55o7U21BH
629Please respect copyright.PENANAIyjBxImS66
尼可拉斯無法反駁葛蕾絲的媽媽經,但作為醫生,直覺檸檬這樣的作夢頻率很不對勁。629Please respect copyright.PENANAxgQykWtaLu
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「媽,把電話給里奧,我要問他……!」629Please respect copyright.PENANA4c5sCnlKph
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「啊!敵人來了,媽先掛斷囉,拜!」629Please respect copyright.PENANA0qvtQrby4g
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語畢,葛蕾絲匆忙結束通話,留下一臉疑惑的尼可拉斯。629Please respect copyright.PENANAGNhUFbvP4u
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「……。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAzWSDfiCson
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別忘了,尼可拉斯在成為神與畜前,有輕微的被害妄想症,這使他對人的行為舉止十分敏感。哪怕是自己人,尼可拉斯也覺得葛蕾絲……不,整個神與畜在某些時刻,言行舉止很奇怪。629Please respect copyright.PENANAEqA9J5mdQ8
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扣掉活在自己世界的MIO與李博洋,從高宇維到里奧、葛蕾絲、赫密士,這些元老級人物都像在隱瞞什麼。李晴煬是人渣,但尼可拉斯和他相處最自在,因為李晴煬跟他都沒有祕密。629Please respect copyright.PENANAMDLezTQf1K
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看著睡著的檸檬,尼可拉斯回想,前陣子的里奧像著了魔般,時時刻刻守在檸檬身邊。尼可拉斯可以理解他的喪妻之痛,但除了里奧,葛蕾絲、赫密士,甚至高宇維,他們都對這個孩子異常偏執。尼可拉斯早就猜到原因──檸懷特的血統。就像李博洋當初不擇手段,也要把自己帶出監獄一樣。629Please respect copyright.PENANAHtYXWo5Ciq
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神與畜重視血統,他們都是第一代水果塔的後裔,其中懷特的地位最高,其次是李。既然有天賦的後代得加入神與畜,身為懷特第三代的檸檬自然不能缺席,儘管,連她有沒有天賦都是未知數。629Please respect copyright.PENANAYfXTPqVe7Q
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「……。」629Please respect copyright.PENANASvWt40OBtK
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尼可拉斯嘆氣。說實在,他不相信血統,但尼可拉斯不討厭這個體系,因為他是既得利益者,也認同高宇維「維持艾莉絲體系」和「照顧夥伴後代」的行為。高宇維不極權、專制,尼可拉斯反而覺得他重情重義。把自己連人帶命地栽進艾莉絲體系,這樣的高宇維毫無疑問,是好的領導。629Please respect copyright.PENANA1sU5jV2id6
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但他們的領導並不誠實。629Please respect copyright.PENANAibE6xE5PGJ
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高宇維在隱瞞什麼,尼可拉斯不是要找出他的把柄。唯有完全了解高宇維、了解神與畜、了解艾莉絲體系後,尼可拉斯才能向他們付出忠心,而不是因為血統,被綁在這裡、當神與畜的家庭醫生。629Please respect copyright.PENANAiuiAQ9wdTu
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「……。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAmrgdhiBV6F
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想這些也沒用,當務之急是了解檸檬作惡夢的原因。尼可拉斯的專業不在小兒科,他必須去趟圖書館。把檸檬委託給赫密士照顧後,尼可拉斯披上黑色的風衣,出門。629Please respect copyright.PENANApiswyqpKLx
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九月的商業中心B區很涼爽。尼可拉斯走在街上,他亮眼的髮色與造型吸引不少人目光。抵達地鐵站,他剛好抽完一根菸、往後一扔,菸蒂剛好掉在路燈旁的公共菸灰缸裡。身上有菸味的他走進地鐵站,旁邊的老人不給他面子地摀著鼻,尼可拉斯完全不在意。629Please respect copyright.PENANArXTq1OaKZY
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進入車廂,距離區立圖書館,還得搭一段時間的車。尼可拉斯一手拉著吊環,盯著車窗的倒影發呆,沒發現有個人正在緩緩靠近。629Please respect copyright.PENANA3vdbBq2cBB
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「嗨。」629Please respect copyright.PENANAAlzLE7N72j
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蜜糖般的聲音在耳邊響起。尼可拉斯轉頭,一抹粉紅色刺入他的視線。紅鶴不知何時站在自己一旁,用那充滿致命吸引力的眼神看他,笑盈盈地和尼可拉斯打招呼。