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Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang has helped many clients, each one always has their own stories to tell, along with their own photos for Cheng Xiaoshi to dive into. But there were three patrons that Lu Guang declined. No matter how much they begged or threaten, Lu Guang still refused their commissions.
The first was a girl. She was small—about the same height as Qiao Ling, with short auburn hair, blue eyes, and freckles. She had an instant camera in her hands when she walked in the studio. At first Cheng Xiaoshi thought that she was just another tourist who wanted to have some photos developed in their store. But then she asked if they were the ones rumored with the ability to enter photos.
She gave Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi a polaroid photo of a blue butterfly perched on a metal bucket. She told them that her friend died on the day she took that picture, and she wants their help to save her.
Cheng Xiaoshi felt conflicted about the mission. On one hand, he feels sorry for the girl and wants to help her, but on the other, fulfilling her request would break the main rule Lu Guang set for their job: "Past or present just let them be."
Fortunately—or rather unfortunately—Lu Guang soon asked Cheng Xiaoshi if he could speak with the girl alone. Cheng Xiaoshi got up and listens in on their conversation from the other room. He overheard Lu Guang explaining to the girl why they couldn't accept the mission. He listens as the girl sobs and pleads with Lu Guang, telling him that they were her last hope. It broke Cheng Xiaoshi's heart. He was about to go back into the room to console the girl, when she spoke up, "So, even with similar powers you couldn't help me."
Lu Guang apologized to the girl. The girl took several seconds to compose herself, and then she left.
The girl's words made Cheng Xiaoshi's blood run cold. Could she have been another person with an ability to enter photos?
Cheng Xiaoshi remembers when they had to face off against Li Tianchen. He's not sure if he's ready to encounter someone like him again.
He questioned Lu Guang about the girl. Observing him to see if he shares his concerns. but he appears as calm and collected like he always does. For a while, Cheng Xiaoshi kept expecting the mysterious girl to reappear through the door, but she never return.
The second was another girl. This one had short black hair with a large part of her bangs swept to her left, brown eyes, large red round glasses, and piercings on her ears and nose. Instead of a photograph, she showed them a newspaper clipping. It was dated 4/28/2019, and had an article titled: Spring Festival Is Approaching.
She explained that on the date printed on the newspaper, a landslide occured, and she wants them to prevent it from happening.
Cheng Xiaoshi was never one to back away from diving into a picture, no matter how dangerous the situation is, especially if it's to help a client. But when he learned of the girl's commission he felt his stomach drop. His mind flashes back to the time he was in another client's body, trapped underneath a pile of rubble after a devastating earthquake, alongside the client's mother.
He sensed bile rushing up his throat. Luckily, Lu Guang—that saint Lu Guang—noticed his discomfort and told Cheng Xiaoshi to let him take over discussing with the client.
Cheng Xiaoshi went upstairs and spent some time to regain himself in the bathroom. He Threw up a little in the toilet, and sprayed some water on his face. He messaged Qiao Ling a bit to calm himself. He tried to hold a casual conversation with her, but she could always tell when there's something wrong. He told her about the client's job, she gave him some kind words of reassurance. She then told him a funny story she experienced today involving Xu Shanshan, and sent him a selfie of them together, which made him crack a smile. That ruthless landlady always knew what to do to cheer him up.
When he finally came back downstairs, he was expecting to hear their client crying (like the last girl). Instead, he hears the girl said something that made him froze, "You don't want to help me because you're afraid of losing your friend, aren't you?"
There was a momentary pause, then Lu Guang politely asked her to leave. And without saying another word, she left their studio.
Cheng Xiaoshi immediately asked Lu Guang why the girl would say something like that. But Lu Guang stayed tight lipped.
The third was a boy. He was tall, with copper skin, brown eyes, blond hair, tattoos along his arms and one marked like a teardrop by his right eye. He also has a scar on his left cheek. He appears to be no older than a teenager, but he looks like someone who's been through hell and back. He tossed a USB stick on the table in front of them, and instructs them to hinder the police officer in the video from reaching his destination.
When he informed them about the job, he said that he allowed them to lead the officer to his death if it's possible. But anything goes, as long as he doesn't end up where he was supposed to.
Lu Guang grabbed the USB stick and told Cheng Xiaoshi to keep the boy company in the lobby, while he inspect the device's contents upstairs. When he returned his expression was grim, and he prompted the boy to come meet him outside. Cheng Xiaoshi watched the two argue from inside the studio. He couldn't hear their voices, but he could very much imagine what their conversation is like. That was the first time that Cheng Xiaoshi has seen Lu Guang so furious. Lu Guang shoves the USB stick back towards the boy and pointed in the direction of the road, ordering him to leave the vicinity. The boy scowled and shout out his final words before leaving. During his outburst Cheng Xiaoshi thought he felt the entire store shake for a split second.
After the fight, Lu Guang's expression remained infuriated. Cheng Xiaoshi tried to console him, asking him if he's alright. But Lu Guang assures him that he would be fine. Of course Cheng Xiaoshi didn't believed that. Still, he decided not to press further.
Sometimes Cheng Xiaoshi wonders about the three patrons. What is it they want exactly? What did Lu Guang see in their pictures—and video in the boy's case? Their demands sounded so simple and yet, there must be more going on behind the scenes. If Lu Guang rejected them then he must have thought that their wishes would have broken some sort of deep cosmic rule.
"They all wanted the same things Cheng Xiaoshi." Lu Guang simply explained when Cheng Xiaoshi voiced out regarding the three almost clients one day.
"Yeah, I know, it's to change the past, right?"
Cheng Xiaoshi only took Lu Guang silence as a confirmation.