Conan: I'm really not the mastermind behind the scenes

Chapter 164 How snakes grow venomous fangs (Part [-])
  Fourteen years ago.

Moscow, Russia.

Another heavy snowfall has fallen, and the sky is gray.

The spire of St. Basil's Assumption Church is covered with a layer of snow-white, and the surrounding bare trees are covered with gold and red balls. The tall Christmas tree brings a strong festive atmosphere.

The Red Square market has been prepared for a long time. In addition to the huge ice rink, there are also entertainment facilities such as carousels and flying chairs. The food stalls are also filled with fragrance, attracting tourists from all over the world.

"Happy holiday."

In front of a small shop, an older female shopkeeper handed a glass of mulled wine to tourists who spoke a foreign language. After watching them leave, she noticed a woman walking in the distance.

The woman is wearing a thick black winter coat and a scarf tied around her neck. She is tall and tall, with long brown-gray hair with an inconspicuous curvature, and a pair of light brown eyes under the messy bangs.

Seeing her approaching, the shop owner greeted happily: "Would you like a glass of mulled wine?"

Her familiar tone told her that they knew each other. As soon as she finished speaking, a boy appeared from behind the woman.

He was about early ten years old, wearing a down jacket hat, with a few strands of black hair peeking out from under the brim, and a pair of identical light brown eyes looking at her.

The shop owner was even more surprised when he saw him.

"Artemis, are you here with your mother today?"

……

Sofia, who runs a sundry shop near Red Square (and sells mulled wine part-time in winter), is a neighbor of Lyudmila and her son. They have known each other for ten years.

Lyudmila is the coach of a shooting club in the city center. She is beautiful and has outstanding work ability - it is said that no one in the entire club can shoot better than her - but she is a bit suspicious.

She rarely chats with her neighbors, sometimes looks behind her when she enters the apartment building, never eats the food handed to her directly, rarely drinks, and is very careful about garbage cleaning...

——"Just like a secret agent."

People around her commented on her and thought she was a weirdo. Only Sophia felt pity for her.

Her own husband died early due to alcoholism, leaving her to take care of her children alone as they grew up. She felt sympathy for her neighbor, who was also raising her children alone and whose husband or boyfriend was never around, and she couldn't help but want to help her.

Lyudmila was resistant at first, but gradually they became familiar with each other, and Sofia taught her and her son how to play Go.

Lyudmila shook her head: "No, we are going to the hospital, we just passed by here."

"He's in the hospital again?"

Sofia sighed, not surprised by this. She suddenly remembered something, took down a gift box from the shelf next to her, and handed it to Artemis, who was leaning against the food outlet.

"Here, here's your Christmas present."

Facing the boy who was old enough to be her grandson, she smiled kindly.

"Every day from now on, live happily."

Artemis did not take the gift immediately. He glanced at Lyudmila carefully first, and when she nodded slightly, he smiled and stretched out his hands.

"I will!" he said seriously.

……

After receiving the gift, Artemis and her mother left the market and continued walking towards the hospital.

The road was slippery in the snow, and Lyudmila couldn't walk fast. Her eyes turned around the corners of vehicles and houses from time to time, holding her son's hand firmly.

"It looks like a Go chess piece inside." Artemis held the gift and shook it with one hand. After hearing the voice inside clearly, she felt happy and embarrassed at the same time: "Mom, what gift should I give her in return?"

"The few pots of sunflowers you raise at home are pretty good. You can give her one." Lyudmila replied.     “Would it be too crude?”

"No, the most important thing in giving a gift is your thoughts and blessings. She will like it."

Artemis hummed happily: "Then I'll bake some more bread for her. Last time she said the big lobster I baked was delicious, and my bread-making skills have surpassed hers!"

At only ten years old, Artemis was a good cook, and when boys of the same age went out to play, he often cleaned and did housework at home, for which he was even teased by his classmates.

But he had no complaints about this, and even always felt that he had not done enough and was not good enough - he had always been a child who respected and loved his mother and was willing to take care of his family.

"Okay." Lyudmila smiled.

The two held hands, neither of them wearing gloves, but there was no chill. A woman's hands are not as soft and delicate as ordinary women's. Her palms are rough, covered with calluses and tiny scratches.

The boy's hands are much cleaner. Lyudmila squeezed his hand that had not been tempered by any weather.

When the two arrived at the hospital, Artemis' pace quickened, and he became very anxious. They didn't register and took the elevator directly upstairs.

As they walked out of the elevator, Lyudmila asked him, "Artemis, what do you want for Christmas?"

"I want him to get better soon." Artemis answered directly without thinking.

Lyudmila's smile stagnated slightly, and then she said helplessly: "Change it to something I can do."

She thought for a moment and then offered: "Would you like to learn an instrument? You have always liked this...how about the piano? We can go to a nearby piano store on the way back."

Artemis's eyes lit up instantly.

He really likes music and loves to watch live broadcasts of concerts, and the art teacher at school said he has a very good ear. He has not received any training and can still accurately identify various pitches without any reference notes.

He was very happy and was about to agree when his eyes suddenly glanced at his mother's old clothes. He was stunned for a moment, and all the excitement in his heart disappeared.

"...No, the piano is so big that it can't be placed at home."

Artemis was itchy but firmly refused.

Seeing his mother's expression, he quickly added: "Actually, I want to learn guitar more. It's easy to learn, you can play and sing at the same time, and it's easy to take with you. If I can't survive in the future, I can still be a street singer on the street." "

"I remember you said before that you wanted to be a chef in the future." Lyudmila said.

"That was last time..."

While talking, the two stopped at the door of a ward. Artemis, who always respected others, opened the door and barged in without knocking.

This is a single ward, with a boy in his early ten years lying on the bed. He was injecting an IV in his right hand and holding a book in his left hand. When he heard the noise, he raised his head and coughed a few times.

Those green eyes reflected the figures of the two comers, and his face was exactly the same as Artemis's.

——This is a pair of twin brothers.

"Anatole, how are you today?"

Artemis, a boy who has no father but only a mother, wants to be a chef or a street singer in the future, and has no lofty ambitions, quickly runs towards his frail twin brother.

----

The protagonist's real name is Artemis (it can also be translated as Artemis, the name of the Greek moon goddess, symbolizing the waning moon and hunting). Because he is so special, he even dares to go online under his real name.

He is of Russian descent + has a twin brother. These two points are quite obvious.

(End of this chapter)