Of course, such happiness was not common.
Zhuo Wenyang was busy using all his time to work and study, Lu Feng was busy controlling a large business conglomerate, and Uncle Chen was busy with relatively small responsibilities. He managed the bookstore and hired clerks to assist. Although he had more free time, he was still in charge of family affairs, both big and small. Prepping three meals a day were enough for him too.
Anyway, I was the only one who could easily get by as long as I paid attention to lectures, play games, eat, and drink. Others were busy, but I was doing nothing. It could only be said that I was an intercept in their lives.
Lu Feng did not come back for several days. It was mentioned that he was residing in the company, eating and sleeping. I did not understand the situation. I just understood it as he was fighting a tough battle.
This morning, I gleefully ate my breakfast of millet egg porridge with scallion pancakes. That was when Lu Feng opened the door and came in, appearing tired and tensed.
Because he stayed up too late, his eyes were bloodshot and there seemed to be a semi-permanent frown printed on his forehead as if the Sichuan character (a visual representation of Lu Feng frowning) was heavily engraved between his eyebrows. He was like a general who returned from a battlefield with his armor and blood still on his body.
Cheng Yichen immediately went up to greet him, removing his coat and bag and asking, “Would you like to eat something? I just made breakfast.”
Lu Feng shook his head and bent down. He rested his chin on Cheng Yichen’s shoulder, muttering in a low voice, “Xiao Chen, I have a headache.”
Cheng Yichen helped him sit down on the sofa. He closed his eyes and laid on Cheng Yichen’s lap. Cheng Yichen gently massaged his temples, and he fell asleep soon after.
Lu Feng fell into a deep sleep, looking like the dead. As soon as he had the chance to finally relax, all the accumulated fatigue would overwhelmingly take over.
He slept from morning until it was almost noon, and he didn’t had the intention to wake up at all.
In order to serve him as a perfectly good pillow as one of his duties, Cheng Yichen sat there motionlessly. I thought his legs would be numb and waist in pain by now.
I couldn’t help but persuaded him, “Let Lu Feng sleep in the bedroom. How is this going to work? You have to go to the restroom.”
Cheng Yichen waved his hand lightly at me and whispered, “He’s very tired.”
In order not to make any unnecessary noises, I obediently returned to my bedroom because it was getting too boring and quiet. Even I fell asleep.
When I woke up, I hurried to open the door and peaked into the living room. I saw Lu Feng wake up at some point, squatting and kneeling on the ground while massaging Cheng Yichen’s legs.
Lu Feng frowned dissatisfiedly, “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
Cheng Yichen smiled and said, “You look pretty when you’re asleep so I wanted to continue looking.”
Lu Feng immediately grinned like a big Shiba Inu.
“…..” Damn it, I really wanted to end my single dog life.
Cheng Yichen gently stroked his hair. He looked completely different from the way he chased and had beat him down when he played on the Switch. He said, “You’ve been too tired for a while.”
Lu Feng commented, “It will be better once Xiao Luo comes back.”
Who was Xiao Luo?
At this moment, Cheng Yichen spotted me eating dog food by the wall.
“Ah, you unexpectedly made Xiao miss lunch, and I didn’t buy any vegetables,” Cheng Yichen patted him and continued, “Hurry up, treat our guests and order some delicious takeaway.”
The bitterness of eating dog food was quickly forgotten and I cheered.
So, I ordered a luxurious seafood barbecue platter with clam soup and Thai fragrant rice. The barbecue platter was delivered along with a grill and alcohol. The tray was full of shrimp, scallops, oysters, rolls of abalone and crab, and there was even sliced bologna.
The seafood fragrance was aromatically enticing. However, Lu Feng only ate two mouthfuls of rice and drank a bowl of soup before heading back into the house to sleep again.
He looked extremely exhausted. Thinking about it, although he had a sturdy and handsome appearance, he was actually not that young.
Cheng Yichen accompanied me to dinner in the living room and helped me peel several shrimps.
I recalled my curiosity now, “Who is Xiao Luo?”
Cheng Yichen was taken aback and replied, “Oh, he is Lu Feng’s…. the son of a friend. A few days ago, his school had an exchange program with UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) so he went there and will be back soon.”
Why was it either one or two of them academic masters?
“Will he live here when he comes back?”
“Yes, the opposite room is his,” Cheng Yichen said, “He is also your senior.”
I was technically a student of T University, but I felt guiltily unworthy.
“Xiao Luo has a cheerful personality and likes to play basketball and games. You two will get along very well.”
“Okay!”
I was looking forward to an additional person of the same age group in this family. After all, I would have a dog food partner and wouldn’t remain as a unique light bulb resident (analogy for being a third wheel).
After I was full, I suddenly thought of a question, why were all the “sons of friends” living here?
On this day, Zhuo Wenyang took time out to attend the horrendous linear algebra class with me.
Recalling “Xiao Luo” who went to UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles), I felt bitter without any reason. Attending UCLA was obviously very impressive, but Zhuo Wenyang must be even better. As the big-eyed girl said, if Zhuo Wenyang wanted to apply to a famous foreign school, wouldn’t that simply end up as an offer for him?
Thus, I asked Zhuo Wenyang, “Why did you take the postdoctorate entrance examination at T University?”
“Huh?” he clarified, “I was a postgraduate recommendation.”
Well, perhaps I should not ask that.
“Why didn’t you apply to Harvard, Stanford, MIT, or something?” That was the the limit of my knowledge about famous American schools.
Although T University was a top institution, an outstanding student like him usually chose to study abroad. I did not meant that T University was inferior, and I did not meant to say that the moon was any rounder in foreign countries either. However, as far as I was concerned, people dedicated to progressing further would benefit in expanding their vision and knowledge.
He countered, “If you study hard, you can improve anywhere. There is not much of a difference.”
“Sure.”
He remained silent for a brief moment and admitted, “I couldn’t stay abroad for a long time in the past years. My father was not in good health so it’s more convenient for me to stay closer to him. And since I promised to study to take over my grandfather’s company, I must remain in T City.”
“That’s true.”
“Let’s wait until later, later if-,” he paused, “if everything turns out fine, maybe I can eventually go abroad for a look.”
I held my chin and said, “So, it’s because of these things that end up restricting you.”
He smiled, “How can a person be unrestricted?”
“So if there are no restrictions, what will you do?”
“Me?” His eyebrows raised slightly, “If I could choose freely, I intend to become a scientist.”
My mouth dropped open wide.
This was a career option that only appeared in the elementary school composition (list of career choices).
Wasn’t it already good to inherit the family business and end up as a rich second generation?
“I want to go to CalTech and study astrophysics.”
“??? What science and engineering? Isn’t it MIT?”
“No, CalTech is the dream school of most astronomers. It has a very strong observation program,” he explained seriously, “The largest infrared telescope sent into space by humans, the Spitzer Space Telescope, was from NASA and California Institute of Technology.”
“???”
I only knew of one telescope, the Hubble.
Looking at my frozen expression, he smiled and said, “Astronomy is actually very interesting. The universe is quite romantic.”
My brain could barely function when I heard the word “romantic.”
“But if you study it, besides looking at stars with a telescope, what else do you study? Are there any aliens?”
He smiled, “That’s part of it.”
My energetic self instantly returned and I almost climbed onto the table, “Then there are aliens?”
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