Luo Shuzhen and the others went to the classroom, while Teacher Chen took Lin Xi to the academic affairs office. Along the way, Teacher Chen also learned why Lin Xi had gone to bring Luo Shuzhen and the others back.
Teacher Chen was deeply moved: "Xiao Lu is a good man. He was clearly a top student from Jing City University, yet after graduation, he still chose to return to his hometown. That alone is quite rare. We all know about him funding students. It's not that we don't want to help, but sometimes, we are truly powerless."
Teachers' salaries are not high, especially in impoverished areas. Even for a special-grade teacher, including housing fund, it only amounts to five or six thousand yuan. Teacher Chen has been working for twenty years and was rated as a special-grade teacher last year, but after paying her child's tuition and the elderly's insurance, not much is left from her monthly salary.
Her husband's money goes towards the mortgage and living expenses, with some saved aside. A daughter's marriage and a son's wedding all require money. The couple doesn't favor one over the other; they plan to give their daughter a dowry equal to what they spend on their son's wedding.
"I never expected Xiao Lu to care so much about the children. Miss Lin, the annual tuition and living expenses for Luo Shuzhen and the other five are not a small sum." Teacher Chen mentioned this, fearing that Lin Xi might stop supporting the children halfway through.
"Lu Shenzhi has given me sufficient funds. I believe I can afford their basic living expenses." Lin Xi had discussed the amount of the sponsorship with Lu Shenzhi.
In this era of rampant materialism, a quick search yields numerous news stories about sponsors being taken advantage of by greedy, sponsored students. Neither Lin Xi nor Lu Shenzhi wanted Luo Shuzhen and the others to become like that.
So, providing for their basic needs is enough. Just like an ordinary college student might receive a thousand yuan per month for living expenses, she would give the same amount, and definitely no more. As for school fees, material costs, stationery expenses, etc., Lin Xi would contact the teachers directly.
Upon hearing this, Teacher Chen didn't say more. At the academic affairs office, after Lin Xi paid the tuition for several students and topped up their meal cards for a month, she left the office.
The academic affairs office was on the third floor, overlooking the basketball court below. It was class time, and students from several classes were running laps around the plastic track. The whistle sounded from the accompanying PE teacher, its tone particularly sharp.
As they walked, Lin Xi asked Teacher Chen, "Teacher Chen, are there many students like Zhu Xiuli and Luo Shuzhen?"
Teacher Chen instinctively glanced at the teaching building and said to Lin Xi, "Many, of course there are. Let me put it this way: in seventh grade, a class might have thirty girls. By eighth grade, perhaps only twenty-five remain. When it comes to the ninth-grade exams, only about twenty girls are left."
"By high school, among students from poor areas, having fifteen come to study is pretty good. By senior year, only three or four might take the college entrance exam." Teacher Chen didn't mention the boys.
Among boys, cases like Li Qiang are exceptions. Many boys who don't study mostly choose not to themselves. But if they want to study, their parents would spare no expense to make it happen.
Furthermore, they have other paths if they don't study—their parents have houses, and the family has land. It's different for girls. In the local mindset, if girls don't study, marriage is their only option.
Some more assertive girls might go out to work, find a man outside, and if they have good judgment, their future life might be better. But most girls return to get married.
Their future lives will be much like their mothers' generation. There might be some change, but not significantly.
An idea was gradually taking shape in Lin Xi's mind. She still needed to go back and investigate further.
After exchanging contact information with the teacher and instructing Luo Shuzhen and the others to contact her directly if anything happened, Lin Xi left.
Just as she reached the school gate, Luo Shuzhen and the others came running. Meng City No. 1 High School is a militarily managed school. On non-holiday days, boarding students are not allowed to leave the campus.
Even for sick leave, they must receive a call from a teacher or be escorted out by one. Luo Shuzhen and the others watched Lin Xi's car disappear from sight. They looked at each other, and Luo Shuzhen said, "Let's go. We must not let Teacher Lu down, nor Sister Lin."
They turned and walked firmly back towards the teaching building. At that moment, the determination to study as hard as humanly possible was deeply implanted in their minds.
On the way there, Lin Xi had already given them her phone number. She told them to study hard and call her if anything came up before leaving.
Lin Xi went to see Ming Shu. Compared to their last meeting, Ming Shu had recovered a great deal. After adding gene repair fluid to their water bottles, Lin Xi left.
Ming Shu, operating her wheelchair herself, saw her off to the entrance of the residential compound.
Lin Xi returned from Meng City to Lotus Village. Nothing much had changed in Lotus Village, except the peach and pear trees planted along the road before the New Year had blossomed. Pink and white flowers lined the path, so beautiful it seemed otherworldly. Poppies on the ground had also formed buds.
Lin Xi even saw strangers taking photos under the flowering trees. She drove her car into her own courtyard. Chi Xiangping and Yao Yuran were both home. As for Yue, after the New Year, she had been sent to the kindergarten in Xingshui Village. A bus came to pick her up at the doorstep every morning and dropped her off in the evening.
With Yue going to school, Yao Yuran was obviously much more relaxed.
Lin Xi parked the car steadily and grabbed an apple to munch on: "I saw people taking photos outside already. Have tourists arrived?"
"Yes. That kid Wang Peng posted a Douyin video, right? Many people saw that video. Tourists started coming as soon as you left." Visiting Lotus Village doesn't require tickets. The scenery is beautiful, and it's close to the city. After enjoying Lotus Village, tourists head straight to Wangjiaping to see the water and the grasslands. Who wouldn't like such a travel route?
"The barbecue stall next to the inn is already set up, and Xiao Ren has started grilling." Before Sister Ren's husband passed away, she was referred to according to local custom as 'so-and-so's wife.'
After her husband left, everyone called her by her name for a while. Then, someone started calling her 'Xiao Ren,' and eventually, the older folks in the village all called her that. For young people like Lin Xi, calling her Sister Ren made her happier than being called Auntie.
When Lin Xi was a child, she didn't understand why she thought that way. When she grew up, she understood.
Whether it was Xiao Ren or Sister Ren, they were both herself. As for so-and-so's family or this-or-that auntie, in Sister Ren's view, they were not her.
Lin Xi's eyes instantly lit up: "The barbecue stall is open? I have to go take a look."
People from Yunnan province love barbecue, and Lin Xi was no exception. Munching on an apple, she headed towards her homestay. Having been away for several days, she actually missed her homestay quite a bit.
The area opposite Linjiatang Pond had now changed. The muddy ground in front of her homestay had been paved with bluish-grey floor tiles. Next to the homestay, a building with a four-sloped, five-ridged roof, featuring grey tiles and white walls, had been erected.
Through the carved wooden gate, Lin Xi saw Sister Ren grilling skewers. Inside, at the wooden tables, sat the young people she had just seen taking photos under the flowering trees.
Lin Xi walked in and saw Wang Peng holding a phone, taking pictures.
"Not working today?" Lin Xi patted Wang Peng's shoulder.
"I took my mom back this morning, then just stayed home after returning. Anyway, a salesperson like me doesn't need to clock in at the office." Wang Peng shrugged, then pulled up the video he had just shot.
"Check out this video, what do you think?" Wang Peng loved photography, and Lin Xi often saw his posts on social media. Whether it was people or scenery, he could capture them very well. Lin Xi tapped the play button. White "bao jiang" tofu fell from a height onto the grill.
Some pieces of the tofu had surprising bounce, even hopping a little on the iron mesh. Then, an oiled brush landed on the white tofu. The oil instantly soaked into the tofu. Under the charcoal fire's heat, the white tofu skin turned golden. Seasonings were sprinkled on bit by bit, and finally, the tofu was served onto a plate full of chili powder.
That wasn't all. After the "bao jiang" tofu, meat skewers took the stage. Beef, alternating lean and fatty, was taken from the marinating wooden basin, skewered piece by piece onto bamboo sticks, and placed on the rack.
A thin layer of oil was brushed on. The charcoal fire made the fatty parts sizzle and glisten. Seasonings were brushed on little by little, and finally, a layer of chili powder was sprinkled. The aroma seemed to waft right through the screen.
Lin Xi quickly handed the phone back to Wang Peng: "You're really something, aren't you? When you post this video, a bunch of night owls with the munchies are definitely going to see it."
Wang Peng laughed with a particularly honest expression: "Isn't this just my small contribution to our country's late-night snack industry?"
Lin Xi didn't engage in his banter. Having watched Wang Peng's video, she was now very hungry. She called out to Sister Ren in the transparent kitchen area: "Sister Ren, I'll have one order of 'bao jiang' tofu, five beef skewers, two zucchini skewers, two mushroom stem skewers, and two sausage skewers."
After ordering for herself, Lin Xi turned to Wang Peng: "What do you want? My treat!"
"Alright then, I won't stand on ceremony with Boss Lin. Sister Ren, ten beef skewers, ten lamb skewers, one order of 'bao jiang' tofu, three sausage skewers, and two zucchini skewers."
Sister Ren, wearing a mask, a chef's hat, and gloves, served up the skewers ordered by the two young women at another table.
"You two wait a moment, I'll start grilling yours now." Sister Ren was full of energy. Although there weren't many tourists in the village yesterday, her little barbecue shop still had quite a few customers. Sister Ren made three hundred yuan in revenue yesterday. After deducting costs, her net profit was over a hundred, which had thrilled her.
Lin Xi and Wang Peng didn't just sit there waiting. They went next door to Lin Xi's homestay. Over the past month, her homestay had begun to take shape.
The wooden flooring was laid. Outside the main entrance, a wooden veranda circled the building, with railings made to look like wood. The veranda connected to a gazebo. Between the gazebo and the veranda was a man-made stream, babbling along. The water was channeled in from the outside pond. Small fish swam in the clear, shallow stream.
Behind the gazebo was a man-made rockery pond, planted with transplanted lotus flowers. Green leaves floated on the water's surface, and several golden koi fish swam beneath.
Looking at the rockery pond without any blossoms, Lin Xi felt it was still a bit monotonous. She planned to ask Bai Qingting later if there were any lotus flowers that bloomed year-round in their world.
Leaving the gazebo, the two entered the homestay's interior. Right inside the entrance was a wooden reception desk, behind which stood a walnut wood display shelf. Opposite the reception desk was a set of new Chinese-style sofas and a tea table.
Behind the sofa, the windows had beige blinds. On the imitation antique wooden walls hung several calligraphy and painting pieces Lin Xi had collected from Xu Huanhuan's world.
To the right was the tea room. The entire tea room was designed as a tatami area. Worried about the winter cold, Lin Xi had also installed electric heating beneath. Two calligraphy scrolls hung on the wall; one read "Tea," the other "Tranquility."
Looking out from the tea room window, it faced the pond, but one couldn't see the gazebo unless they walked right up to the window.
Directly opposite the tea room were the shared kitchen and shared beverage bar. Between the beverage bar and the shared kitchen was the staircase leading to the second floor.
The second floor had ten rooms. The orientation and area of each room were the same. Among them were five king-bed rooms, three twin-bed rooms, and two triple rooms. The shared area on the second floor was the outdoor terrace, which directly faced Linjiatang Pond.
Looking out now, Linjiatang Pond was covered in lush green lotus leaves. In the distance were green waters and verdant mountains. Boats from the village harvesting lotus roots or fishing passed on the river, instantly creating a picturesque scene.
Looking at the rooms, each had a different theme. Every room was named after a flower. The furnishings and bedding in each room were unique yet perfectly matched the room's theme.
Wang Peng walked from the first room to the last, taking video after video. He gave Lin Xi a thumbs-up: "This homestay of yours is fantastic. I feel like moving in right now just looking at it. Especially that Peony Room. Wow, the peonies embroidered on the bed sheets and duvet cover are so well done, they look real."
The beds in the homestay were very large, all custom-made at two and a half meters wide. The duvet covers were specially commissioned by Xu Huanhuan. Several embroiderers worked for half a month to complete one set of bedding.
This was also something Lin Xi had carefully considered. Her homestay was taking a boutique, high-quality route. Using commonplace plain white bedding wouldn't fit well. These themed rooms were exactly what she wanted.
Lin Xi explained: "It's a boutique route, after all. It has to have something different. And since many families in our village plan to run homestays, I won't compete with them for the same clientele."
Lin Xi wasn't short of money, but most families in the village were. Moreover, most villagers had already bought houses in the city or county towns. Those empty houses were just sitting idle, so some economically-minded people had already decided to turn them into homestays.
Compared to Lin Xi's homestay, their homestay prices are exceptionally affordable. Lin Xi's homestay charges two to three hundred per room, while theirs only costs around eighty to a hundred.
"With just these few rooms, aren't you afraid of losing your shirt?"
Wang Peng grumbled, but he understood Lin Xi's intention. She wanted to leave some room for survival for the elderly villagers without income. People like Sister Ren, who have their own skills, are also a rare few.
Gazing at the distant mountains, Lin Xi smiled. After those hectic days of constantly rushing for money, all she wanted now was a peaceful life. Moreover, she believed there must be many others like her, who had been striving busily in big cities.
There are always some people who grow weary of that kind of life. For them, going to a place with beautiful scenery and simple, honest folk to stay for a while and unwind is the best choice.
Lin Xi's target clientele was precisely them.
She had a feeling her inn's business wouldn't be bad.
This idea had been with her since the very beginning of establishing the homestay, though it wasn't as fully formed back then. Otherwise, she wouldn't have specifically sought out a design that included a tea room and a bar.
"You better film this well for me. When I make big money, I'll treat you to a meal," Lin Xi said playfully, painting a rosy picture for Wang Peng. Having grown up together, their relationship was close; they knew each other inside out.
Wang Peng ignored her banter. After filming the video, the two headed to Sister Ren's barbecue shop, just in time for a fresh batch of skewers coming out of the oven.
The two young women hadn't left yet. They were chatting with Sister Ren. Upon learning Lin Xi was the owner of the neighboring homestay, they both got excited.
"Miss, how much is a room at your inn? And what's the environment like?" The girl asking was Xu Fei. She and her best friend, Zhang Xuemin, both worked at a foreign trade company in another province.
The period right before the Chinese New Year was their busiest time. By the time they finally finished work and could take a vacation, the New Year celebrations were already over. After just one day at home, they decided to go on a road trip.
They had driven all the way from Spring City, originally planning to drive straight back to their company. They had been staying at hotels along the way and happened to see Wang Peng's video, so they contacted him and came over.
After entering via the covered bridge, they felt the village was exceptionally tranquil. The flowering trees lining the road all the way delighted them.
Walking to the front of Lin Family Pond, already a bit hungry, they spotted Sister Ren's barbecue shop. They initially assumed it would be like those in other tourist spots—mediocre taste and expensive prices.
To their surprise, upon entering the shop, they found the prices were similar to those outside. This instantly gave Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin a very favorable impression of Lotus Village.
The distant green mountains and clear waters made Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin consider staying the night here.
Especially after learning the neighboring homestay was also ready.
Eating her skewer, Lin Xi looked at them and said, "My homestay is a bit different from others, so the price is also higher, two hundred yuan per night. You can go take a look first. It's fine whether you decide to stay or not."
Over the past month, Lin Xi hadn't been idle. Issues like formaldehyde from construction and furniture had long been resolved.
Staying at the homestay now would be absolutely problem-free.
Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin exchanged a glance. Two hundred yuan per night wasn't expensive for them, but it was comparable to hotels they stayed at in the city.
Charging such a price for a homestay in a place that hadn't even officially started receiving tourists gave Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin a slight feeling of being ripped off.
They decided to go see it. If there was anything less than perfect, they were definitely going to leave a comment under that video they had watched.
With potential customers present, Lin Xi ate a bit faster. After finishing her skewers, she led them toward the homestay.
The homestay had a main gate. Pushing it open, the entire courtyard appeared before them. The village had allocated about one mu of land to Lin Xi, but the building footprint was only three hundred square meters; the remaining space was village farmland.
However, as it had been left fallow for years, after Lin Xi's homestay was built, Village Head Gu Dahong and Party Secretary Du Shuncheng made several trips to the land bureau and finally managed to incorporate this land into Lin Xi's homestay grounds.
Lin Xi had a wall built directly around it, forming a courtyard. No parking was allowed in the yard. Besides covered walkways and pavilions, many flowers had been transplanted along the walls—some already budding, others lush with green leaves.
Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin looked at each other. Even before seeing the rooms, they felt the two-hundred-yuan price was justified by the environment alone.
As natives of Yunnan Province, they had visited quite a few tourist areas, but they had genuinely never seen a homestay with an artificial hill and pond built right inside its courtyard.
Pushing open the homestay's door, a scent of wood wafted into their nostrils, increasing their satisfaction even more.
As office workers, what Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin most desired was to find a place close to nature. But they were simply too busy. Finally getting a break and returning home, they were met with noisy relatives, either asking about their jobs or inquiring what kind of partner they were looking for.
After a half-month holiday, they could only endure two or three days at home before leaving. The tourist spots they visited afterwards were all too crowded; finding a quiet place proved equally difficult.
But this homestay was different. The scent of wood seemed to carry a magical quality, slightly easing the tension they had held onto for years.
Xu Fei decided on the spot to stay for one night, if for nothing else, then for the sake of that long-lost inner peace.
After showing them the living areas on the first floor, Lin Xi took them upstairs.
The first room on the second floor was named "Wintersweet." Lin Xi opened the door. To the right of the entrance was the bathroom. The outer wall featured a wooden clothes rack, beneath which was a shoe cabinet. Behind it stood a display shelf holding trinkets Lin Xi had picked up from flea markets.
Among them were two white plum vases containing two branches of blooming wintersweet. A faint fragrance of wintersweet drifted over. Almost involuntarily, Xu Fei stepped forward to touch the flowers. The texture under her fingers told her they weren't real.
But the artificial flowers were so beautifully made it was still impressive. Passing the display shelf, a large two-and-a-half-meter bed came into view, dressed in bedding embroidered with wintersweet patterns. Under the window were two single wooden armchairs.
The chair cushions were also embroidered with wintersweet. The coffee table between the two armchairs was shaped like a blooming wintersweet flower, its petals serving as surfaces to place things. Drawing back the curtains, Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin discovered that behind them was a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.
Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the entire room. Standing here and looking out, the view faced the villagers' vegetable plots, which were now filled with rapeseed flowers.
It was just the right time for them to bloom, creating a brilliant sea of flowers, incredibly beautiful. Nestled in the wide, comfortable sofa, looking outside, one saw either green mountains and clear waters or fields of rapeseed flowers.
One's mood couldn't help but lift.
For two hundred yuan to stay in such a themed hotel, the two of them felt extremely surprised and delighted. From then on, they didn't need Lin Xi to guide them; they spontaneously went off to explore on their own.
After standing in the corridor for a while, enjoying the slightly cool breeze blowing in from outside, they decided to stay for a day.
After a difficult deliberation, the two finally decided to share one room, staying for one day first, splitting the room fee between them.
They chose the opulent and luxurious Peony Room. Lin Xi immediately took them downstairs to register their information. Since they were the first guests to check into the homestay, Lin Xi gave them a 12% discount.
Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin were even more satisfied.
Hand in hand, the two went upstairs back to their room. Wang Peng had long since returned to edit his videos. Both Lin Xi's homestay and Sister Ren's barbecue shop had ignited his creative drive.
With guests now checked in, Lin Xi brought out the robot that had been sitting unused in her space.
The robot was powered by solar energy; when it ran out of battery, it just needed to be placed in a sunny spot to recharge.
Lin Xi disabled the robot's housekeeping functions, keeping only its security, health monitoring, and server capabilities.
Lin Xi patted its round head, and a realistic emoticon appeared on its electronic screen.
"Master recognized successfully. Please give me a name~" The robot's voice was also soft and cute. Lin Xi input the name "Xiao Meng."
"Naming successful. Xiao Meng will protect your health and safety~" As the words ended, two wheels slid out from Xiao Meng's base, and it began autonomously monitoring the entire house.
Lin Xi paid it no further mind and called Chi Xiangping.
Learning that the homestay finally had guests, Chi Xiangping was so overjoyed she didn't know what to do. Such a big building standing there, but with the lotus blooming season not yet arrived and only a few tourists around, finally having someone stay and seeing some return on the investment made Chi Xiangping happier than anything.
Yao Yuran was also very happy. After all, when she came to Lin Xi's home, her stated role was as the homestay's service attendant and cleaner. Now, it was finally officially open for business.
Yao Yuran tidied up and headed to the homestay.
Lin Xi was currently stocking the water bar, placing commercially available drinks in the fridge at the back. The alcohol sent by friends in the group chat and the wine she had collected outside were also gradually placed on the shelves behind the water bar.
She also replenished the rice, flour, cooking oil, and other staples in the kitchen.
Still in her space was the magnolia tree sent by Bai Qingting. Lin Xi decided to plant it tomorrow.
After Yao Yuran arrived, she fetched a mop from the back tool room and mopped both the inside and outside. Seeing she was eager to work, Lin Xi didn't stop her.
On the first floor of the homestay, Lin Xi had also reserved a living quarter. The room had a bathroom and a small kitchen. Lin Xi thought compared to living at her own house, Yao Yuran would probably prefer to live independently with her children.
Night fell unnoticed. Lin Xi returned home, while Yao Yuran stayed at the homestay for the night watch, taking Xiao Fang and Xiao Yue with her.
With no chattering children running around the house, Chi Xiangping felt quite unaccustomed to it.
Watching TV, she said to Lin Xi, "Who knows where that Cao'er has run off to again, never to be seen once night falls."
Lin Xi felt a bit guilty, because every night, Cao'er was sent to the primitive world to stay with A Huahua. Especially now, as winter was approaching there and they wouldn't be able to be affectionate for a long time, A Huahua cherished the time with Cao'er even more.
"Probably out playing. I saw it crouching on Fifth Grandma's wall when I came back." Fifth Grandma loved small animals; everyone's cats and dogs loved going to her place, and she always fed them.
"I'll have to give it a good talking-to when it comes back tomorrow."
Lin Xi didn't take Chi Xiangping's words seriously. Her idea of "giving Cao'er a talking-to" was to hold it in her arms and mutter things Cao'er couldn't understand.
After showering, Lin Xi returned to her room. The Transmigrator Chat Group had already accumulated hundreds of messages.
Lin Xi didn't read them one by one. Just then, a system message popped up.
[System Message: Group member Earth Girl Lin Xi has completed the task for group member Lu Shenzhi from the Power-Intrigue World. Payment has been issued. Please check.]
After the system message, Lu Shenzhi also spoke: [Power-Intrigue World Lu Shenzhi: Apologies everyone, I've been extremely busy these past two days and only now have time to mark the task as complete.]
During the two days Lin Xi went to pick up the children, Lu Shenzhi's work assignment had changed from repairing city walls to quarrying stone in a quarry.
It was truly exhausting. Lu Shenzhi's hands were already covered in cuts and bruises, and he couldn't even use any healing medicine. But as harsh as the conditions were, Lu Shenzhi had not been without gains these past few days.
He had accidentally discovered that Prince Yu, who had once contended with the current emperor for the throne, was also here. Based on his observations, this Prince Yu, after being exiled, had not given up on himself. He still held the determination to return and seek revenge against the current emperor.
While sending messages to the group, Lu Shenzhi lowered his head for a moment, concealing the unusual glint in his eyes.
Everyone was aware of Lu Shenzhi's current situation. After asking about his well-being, the conversation moved on to other topics.
Before going to sleep, Lin Xi suddenly remembered the items she had mailed to Professor Gu Anbang before the Lunar New Year.
She wondered how they were doing now.
In Beijing, Professor Gu Anbang had been transferred from the Weapons Research Institute to the Biological Research Institute.
He was still doing his previous job of reading emails. Leaving the place where he had worked for many years, Professor Gu Anbang felt somewhat unaccustomed.
But this was an arrangement from above; besides complying, he had no other choice.
After a night's sleep, he got up early the next day and waited by the entrance.
Soon, a team of people in security uniforms ran past him. Gu Anbang got up, patted his pants, and followed.
He stood at the back of the line and started practicing the oddly-shaped "morning exercises" along with the security personnel.
After just a short while, sweat appeared on Gu Anbang's forehead. Half an hour later, he regretfully left the line. He squatted down under the sun, braving Beijing's biting early spring wind, and continued watching.
When the security team finished their exercises, Gu Anbang waved over the leader.
"Xiao Zhou, how do you feel?"
Xiao Zhou was an active-duty soldier. Due to the special nature of the Biological Research Institute, they were assigned here as "security guards."
Gu Anbang was currently under their protection as well. Hearing Gu Anbang's words, he bent his arm and flexed, showing Gu Anbang the bulging muscles on his arm: "Professor, I feel I'm in absolutely peak condition right now. Look at these muscles."
"Look at my physique now. I could take on five guys without a problem."
Xiao Zhou's words filled Gu Anbang with envy. Ever since receiving those "simple sketches," acting on trust in that mysterious sender, the security personnel at the weapons research institute had immediately started practicing.
The results were remarkable. It wasn't just Xiao Zhou in his prime; even Gu Anbang felt his health had improved significantly lately. His back didn't ache and his legs didn't hurt when walking. Where he used to eat one bowl of rice per meal, now he needed two.
Moreover, his recent medical check-up showed his bodily functions had improved tremendously compared to last month's exam.
For Gu Anbang, who was growing older day by day, this was undoubtedly fantastic news.
The check-up results for Xiao Zhou and a few others were even better. Now, the "Yishu Thirteen Forms" had been promoted throughout the entire military.
Practicing the Yishu Thirteen Forms, then combining it with military boxing, produced even more explosive results.
This was a great boon for enhancing individual soldiers' physical fitness. Gu Anbang even had sweet dreams about it at night.
The only pity was, it had been a month, and he hadn't heard of anyone completing all the Yishu Thirteen Forms. Xiao Zhou had reached the third form, while he was still stuck circling the first one. Thinking of this, Gu Anbang felt quite aggrieved.
Who would have thought that after being outstanding his whole life, in his old age he'd turn out to be the lagging, poor student?
He wandered back to his office and had just sat down when his old buddy arrived. His old buddy was in biology. They had known each other since they were young, for several decades now.
Like him, his old buddy was also unwilling to just stay home after retirement, insisting on returning to the institute to contribute his remaining energy.
Before Gu Anbang himself had come back, his old buddy was the one reading the emails. After Gu Anbang arrived, he had squeezed that old fellow out to become a dorm supervisor. Whenever he thought of this, Gu Anbang couldn't hide the smile on his face.
His old buddy, Professor Zhao, took one look at Gu Anbang's cat-that-got-the-cream grin and knew exactly what nonsense he was thinking. Professor Zhao couldn't stand his smug attitude.
"Old Gu, I heard State Security still hasn't found Comrade Liu's whereabouts. Tell me the truth, back when you went to the countryside as an educated youth, did you really leave a child behind in Yunnan Province?"
"We've been friends for so many years, and you'd even keep this from me? You're really not being a good friend." Professor Zhao shot Gu Anbang a sidelong glance, with an expression that said he never expected him to be such a scoundrel.
Gu Anbang's face twisted. "Get lost! Don't you know whether I ever was an educated youth? Forget Yunnan Province, I've never even left the four provinces of Hebei, Shandong, Henan, and Shanxi in my whole life!"
Gu Anbang was from Hebei Province. He was among the last batch of university students before the turmoil. Due to his excellent grades, he was directly recruited into the weapons research project team at the time.
His spouse was even introduced by the organization. They found each other suitable and started a family. He and his wife had lived in harmony and mutual trust their entire lives.
Who could have imagined? In his old age, his late-in-life integrity was being questioned. It was bad enough that Comrade Liu sent him the green ointment and simple sketches, but to actually spread rumors about him outside?
Those stories sounded so real that sometimes even Gu Anbang wondered if he really had gone to Yunnan to work, became an educated youth there, married a local woman, and then abandoned her.
His wife had even quarreled with him over this for several days. Those shrimp and chive dumplings he missed out on on New Year's Eve—he still hadn't gotten to eat them! The unit cafeteria food was very good, and their shrimp and chive dumplings were excellent too.
But perhaps because the shrimp weren't peeled by his own hands, Professor Gu Anbang still felt resentful about it. Seeing Old Zhao's expression, he felt irritable. "Old Zhao, any progress on your green ointment project?"
Smiles don't disappear; they just transfer. For instance, now, the smile on Professor Zhao's face transferred to Gu Anbang's.
Gu Anbang clicked his tongue twice. Everything was conveyed without words.
Old Zhao turned and left. They had mostly deciphered the components of the green ointment; most were substances findable in modern society. But there was one mineral component they simply couldn't detect, no matter how many tests they ran.
Watching Old Zhao storm off, annoyed by him, Gu Anbang shook his head and began humming the tune of "Wu Song Fights the Tiger." But soon, he remembered the rumors spread about him again. He swore that if he ever met 'Comrade Liu,' he'd give him a piece of his mind!
Professor Gu gnashed his teeth.
Lin Xi, whom Professor Gu was thinking of, sneezed several times in a row. Yao Yuran, who was wiping tables nearby, hurried over and asked with concern, "Xiao Xi, do you have a cold?"
"No, just an itchy nose. Probably got some dust in it." Lin Xi smiled at Yao Yuran, who then went back to cleaning with renewed vigor.
Lin Xi continued sitting in the armchair behind the cashier counter, researching information about student aid foundations.
In the adjoining tea room, Xu Fei and Zhang Xuemin hadn't left. They had extended their stay for another week.
[System Prompt: Detected that group member Earth Girl Lin Xi has accumulated sufficient merit points. The system is about to upgrade. This upgrade duration is indefinite. Please note, all group members.]
[System Prompt: Upgrade completed. Please review the upgrade details in the group announcement.]
[System Prompt: The Elite Family's Eldest Daughter-in-law Ji Xinyu has entered the group chat.]
[System Prompt: The Entertainment Industry Slacker's Counterpart Hang Xingyue has entered the group chat.]
