Chapter 001: The Starting Point of Merlin
Come and play with us! Don't always stay alone! You bookworm!
No foul language is allowed at home
Our little Mei Lin is the best, but you are about to leave, which truly makes mother sad
Behind him, with arms crossed and an air of a true physician, Merlin spoke again
He has black hair, light gray eyes, a height of 1.8 meters, and a handsome appearance
Phil! Be quiet!
Meilin, the principal told me today that he wants to invite you to speak as an outstanding graduate. You truly make me proud; compared to that troublesome kid Phil, you are simply the perfect son. By the way, are you still working on Lola? Do you need my help? There are only two weeks left before your school starts, and if you haven't fixed it yet, perhaps you could use some wisdom from an elder
A black muscle car sped past the road in front of the farm at a speed of 120 miles per hour, then made a stylish and abrupt stop just outside the farm. Inside the car were several young women dressed in a very revealing manner, who were shouting towards the farm.
Phil hurriedly took the towel, faced the mirror, and wiped clean the three kiss marks on his neck
He is not completely unaware of his parents' death, nor does he have no memory of the fire that destroyed the Riley family one month after his birth that night
James looked around, repeatedly confirming that there were no abnormalities. He then sat back in the car, comforting Merlin and his wife. He then shouted to the mumbling Phil:
Merlin held the steering wheel in a daze, his heart suddenly racing. He explained in a somewhat flustered manner, but Phil turned his head to look ahead, and there was no one at all in front of the car.
James widened his eyes as he looked at his son, a hint of sternness appearing in his gaze
The young man Merlin does not particularly enjoy hanging out with those silly peers of his age
Damn it! Don't ask such questions
His father promised that as long as Merlin could fix it, this very cool car would belong to him
There is absolutely no one there
No one, Merlin, you may be seeing things
I have certainly experienced it, but evidently my adolescence was not as "passionate and exuberant" as yours
But I am only 15 years old, didn't you say that young people at the age of 15 cannot ... ...
This series of questions made Phil somewhat embarrassed and angry. He turned around and glared at his brother, saying:
The other girls also began to cheer, indicating that Merlin had a good impression among them. Of course, the boys did not like him much. The guy driving made a "totally weak" gesture towards Merlin and then stepped on the gas.
Do devils or angels really exist in the world
Under James's scolding, Phil did not get angry; instead, he drove away with great enthusiasm. As a boy who grew up on a farm, Phil's driving skills were quite good
Merlin stood up and walked over to Phil, looking down at his unyielding younger brother. After a moment, he sighed and handed the towel in his hand to Phil, saying:
You are crazy! Merlin
The young man driving the car kept honking the horn, startling the dairy cows on the farm. Moments later, a slightly frail-looking young man wearing a striped shirt emerged from the garage holding a wrench
On July 17, 1989, sunlight bathed the land of Wisconsin, a region referred to as "the prairie" by the Native Americans, which had finally reached the most beautiful moment of the year
Merlin stood behind him, watching his younger brother. The reflection of Phil in the mirror was that of a typical American white man. He was slightly shorter than Merlin, with a fair complexion and gray eyes similar to Merlin's. When he pressed his lips together, his face bore an unexpected sternness and seriousness, which added significantly to his appeal in the eyes of those silly girls.
James Colson stepped out of the door, adjusting the bow tie around his neck while giving his son a wink
He is dressed in a black suit, draped in a peculiar blue cloak, and wearing a black gentleman's hat
Regardless of who that thing is, regardless of what it represents
What is the name of the girl from last night
Julie? Julie Nois? It's her, right?
All of it was earned by myself
At the moment Merlin closed the hood of the car, a voice of complaint sounded behind him
"Nerd Merlin! Just play by yourself."
You returned home after 2 o'clock last night again, what were you doing?
... ...
Damn it
It is not a fantasy, but a reality
Watching his classmates leave, Merlin shrugged his shoulders; he was indifferent to the sarcasm and turned back to the garage. Moments later, the sound of knocking and tapping echoed once again across the farm
Merlin turned around and saw Phil, who was wearing a loose T-shirt and jeans, with messy hair and yawning.
No need, Dad
Merlin took his seat in the driver's position, skillfully starting the engine and engaging the reverse gear. In the rearview mirror, he looked at his parents while explaining as he drove the car out of the farm
Rather than spending time on those girls who adorn themselves flamboyantly, Merlin prefers to spend some time with his family. Alternatively, he might simply stay in the garage of his family farm, attempting to repair that classic 1962 red Chevrolet Corvette.
"Yes, how do you know her name?"
This sharp question made Phil unable to help but turn his face away, and he muttered:
Phil, you drive and let your brother take a break
Yes, he lied
Phil held the number, styled his messy hair into a cool, slightly upward and curled hairstyle that has been quite popular in recent years, and then flamboyantly applied hair gel to his hair
That is his younger brother, Philip J. Coulson, the son of his adoptive father, James Coulson, who is 3 years younger than him and an outstanding high school student
He had not appeared for a full 18 years, long enough for Merlin himself to believe that it was merely an illusory and unreal memory, but it was not
It is said that Merlin is an unfortunate person, having caused the death of his parents at birth, and that anyone who comes into contact with him will encounter misfortune
Wait a moment
I am a healthy 15-year-old young man, I am very handsome and quite popular, and now it is summer vacation. What do you think I have been doing? Have you not experienced adolescence yourself?
That figure was conveying certain things to him that could be understood without the need for language or gestures
Of course not
I certainly know her, my foolish brother
In recent years during the summer vacation, I have been interning and working part-time at Rubers' private hospital. Although I only meet the legal standards this year, Rubers has still given me some additional compensation. Dad, do you see me as an untrustworthy bad child?
His clothes and hands were stained with black oil, as if he had just been repairing something. He extended his hand to shield himself from the sunlight above, and waved amicably at the men and women in the car. He shouted:
Merlin interrupted his brother's beautiful fantasy. He walked to the table in the garage, pulled open the drawer, rummaged through a stack of letters, and asked without turning his head:
In these matters, I have much more experience than you, so I don't need you to teach me. Also, the girl from last night was not Stacey, but Julie, the one who just moved to Madison. She has half Nordic ancestry and possesses an exotic charm. She likes me a lot, and I like her too. If things continue to develop this way, we might really end up together in the future
Don't be like that, Merlin
Phil tore the letter in his hand into pieces, like a restless young beast. He wanted to fling the fragments away, but was restrained by Merlin, who held his wrist and said:
It was only after Phil began to evade his gaze that Merlin finally spoke up
Alright, let us all be happy, today is the day of the gathering dinner
The milk produced in this region fills the entire land with its fragrance, and for others, this season is also significant as they will encounter a turning point in the first half of their lives
Shut up! When I tell you to go, you go! It's time to eat, don't be late
He calls that car "Lola", as if that beautiful car were his girlfriend
Merlin, with a peculiar smile, placed the letter in his brother's hand, patted Phil's shoulder, and softly said
Faced with a hint of sadness expressed by her mother, Meilin was just about to respond when she caught sight of a figure suddenly appearing in front of the moving car
Merlin can understand his meaning
Come and play with us
Due to those malicious attacks, the Coulson family had to move to Madison 15 years ago
Before James could speak, Merlin's mother, Anna Colson, stood up from the back seat and left a kiss mark on the forehead of her proud son. She said to Merlin:
If you can go to bed on time every day, then every morning at 9 o'clock, you should be able to help me fix Lola here
A girl in the car stood up, and amidst the cheers of others, she sweetly shouted:
Original engine
Use less hairspray, as it increases the likelihood of hair loss by 20%. Also, I am curious, have you taken protective measures?
Phil looked curiously at his brother, and then saw Merlin turn around, holding three letters in his hand. The letters carried a familiar scent of perfume that made Phil's expression slightly unpleasant.
He recognized that figure, and he remembered it very clearly; that figure had appeared when his parents passed away
Phil's body was somewhat stiff, which added a hint of warning to Merlin's tone of voice
Wipe the lipstick mark off your neck, don't let mom see it, otherwise she will yell at you again
The sun shines upon this land, yet the plum grove feels as if it has fallen into an ice cave
You wouldn't be foolish enough to truly believe that such a sentimental girl would fall in love with you at first sight, would you? My brother, since the age of 13, you have been making the same mistakes and have shown no progress.
Philmer nodded slightly, his eyes red-rimmed; clearly, this young man had once again been hurt due to being toyed with emotionally
Merlin leaned against Lola's car hood, put down the wrench in his hand, and reached for a towel. While wiping his hands, he observed Phil.
That figure is watching him
You all go have fun, I am still a bit busy
No one knows, but today, Merlin knows
No, it is not! I saw someone ahead, ahead. Dressed in a cloak, wearing a hat... I saw it very clearly
Although it was just a glance, Merlin saw it very clearly
For Merlin, there is no better 18th birthday gift than Lola. He also plans to drive Lola all the way to New York, where he will complete his six years of university life, then become a doctor, find a partner, have a few children, and carry on the Riley family lineage, living his life in this manner
This boy, who experienced disaster and nightmares from birth, is more composed than his peers. Especially after his family was forced to move away from Buffalo County due to some rumors related to him and arrived in Madison, Merlin has become even more adept at concealing himself, making an effort not to become the center of attention
The inside of the car was almost in complete disarray.
August marks the beginning of the university academic year, which means that the time left for high school graduates to indulge in carefree joy is limited
However, this is the characteristic of American youth, from which no one can escape
Merlin! Could you please keep the noise down? It's only 9 o'clock in the morning! Can't you let me get a good night's sleep? Even just for one day would be fine!
However, under the midday sun, as the vehicle left the farm and drove towards the restaurant, Merlin, who had switched places with Phil, could see the figure wearing a blue cloak and a hat every time he looked out the car window
When she first arrived at Madison High School, she wrote me 3 love letters, 2 to Jensen, 2 to Boulder, and also to other men I did not know, which was nearly all the boys in the entire high school
That wretched person! That damned ... ...
Are you going to kill me
Phil rubbed his flushed forehead and shouted angrily at Merlin
The brim of the hat was pulled down so low that it was impossible to see his face. He stood there, leaning on his cane, with a smile at the corner of his mouth, in front of the car driven by Merlin, as if he were greeting him.
Where did you get the money? You wouldn't be doing something you shouldn't be doing, would you
Merlin! Merlin!
Phil screamed
Phil, I do not wish to interfere in your adolescence, but you would do well to rein it in a bit. Dad is a physical education teacher at the high school, and he is a respected figure in both the school and the community. Do not tarnish his reputation with your inappropriate behavior. What I mean is... from now on, keep your eyes open, do you understand
Amidst the screams of a group of young people, the vehicle took off at a racing speed, disappearing from Merlin's sight in the blink of an eye
James noticed the tension on his son's face, which did not seem feigned. The middle-aged man recalled the dark rumors that circulated in Buffalo County about Merlin's origins in those years.
He knows that some things that have happened to him are truly difficult to explain
Clean yourself up, wipe away your tears, go back to your room and put on your clothes, we are going out for dinner today. This is for my birthday, my brother, you will not be absent, right
On the edge of the farm, on the road, young people full of youthful vitality drive around aimlessly. Boys and girls, with their hormones surging, can easily engage in some romantic activities during this tumultuous season, and of course, they occasionally have to face the unfortunate consequences that follow their passions
The figure was so clear that Merlin instinctively slammed on the brakes. The accelerating car jolted violently, throwing the unsuspecting Mrs. Coulson onto the back seat and causing Phil, who was sitting next to Merlin, to crash against the window.
Merlin's expression made James feel a bit anxious as well. He decisively opened the car door and walked to the front of the vehicle. However, after searching repeatedly, he found no one there, not even a footprint.
Merlin, dressed in a new set of casual clothes, walked to the car, opened the door for his father, and helped him into the car. He said to James:
He has come to find him
I have already replaced the engine for Lola, and now only a few final steps remain before that precious car of yours belongs to me