Simon finally understood a profound truth of human society—even the smallest woman can trick a man into utter confusion.
Did Su Xiangli tell the truth? Also, Simon asked himself, why do I care so much about her mental well-being?
It seems this Su Xiangli is taking advantage of the great and wise Simon's sympathy.
As he thought of this, Simon suddenly realized: Most things always need to be studied to be understood. Zhang Wuji's mother said long ago that beautiful women are the best at deceiving people, and I still remember it, but not very clearly.
I opened "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber" and checked; this biography is detailed and trustworthy, and on every page, clearly written, were the words "Life Winner." I couldn't sleep, so I read carefully for half the night, and only then did I read between the lines, and the whole book was filled with two words: "Closet Pervert"!
That's not right, Simon paused, I'm not... Well, caring so much about an elementary school student does have the suspicion of being a closet pervert, but I'm actually a righteous gentleman, really.
Su Xiangli tilted her head, looking at the dazed Simon. Her innate aesthetic sense led her to evaluate the appearance of this young male human in front of her.
His soft, smooth short hair was unremarkable, his delicate, fair skin was also unremarkable, his thick, reddish lips and neat teeth were still unremarkable, his straight nose bridge, bright black sword-like eyebrows—these could only be described as above average.
Su Xiangli suddenly blushed.
In Simon's eyes, there seemed to be a world. He rested his left hand on his cheek, and when he smiled, his eyes curved, like a neighbor watching from a windowsill. Just looking at him, one could imagine the warm sunlight of a spring afternoon.
Su Xiangli still remembered Simon lying on that bright, soft lawn behind the botanical garden in Zhongshan Park.
Simon snapped back to reality and saw Su Xiangli's evasive gaze. He thought for a moment, then immediately locked his suspicious gaze on the little girl, "Why are you hiding?"
Su Xiangli pouted. Simon's silly question greatly disappointed her, "It's a shame he's not mute..."
Simon:????
...
December 22, 2086, Winter Solstice.
In Simon's social network, a guy who had been dormant for half a year quietly surfaced.
For the first time in a long while, Zheng Qilu sent Simon an email.
5:21 "Zheng Qilu: Your Great-Grandfather wasn't kidding, he's really not studying social sciences anymore. You need to talk him out of it."
Simon woke up at 6:30, so the message had already been an hour old. He felt at a loss. Zheng Qilu sending him such a message was like telling a passerby that a subway a kilometer away was about to derail, and asking them to help.
Simon had neither the time nor the ability to solve this problem. In fact, he could barely contact his Great-Grandfather, unless he personally went to the agricultural zone to see him.
And that was completely impossible.
So Simon ran out of his bedroom and found his mother. Sun Hui just stroked his head after listening, telling him to study hard and not to meddle in adult affairs.
Children's status is always very strange, isn't it?
They are both the center of a family and on its periphery, enjoying the greatest benefits and bearing the least obligations.
Most cared for, most misunderstood.
Lu Jiande and his wife were discussing having a second child, but maternity leave would affect Sun Hui's work.
In recent months, the family of three had spent little time together, occasionally sharing a meal, and their discussions were only about work.
Having more children was encouraged by policy, a situation that had started in the 1940s. Increasing the birth rate was, firstly, to alleviate aging, secondly, because the country was richer and could support more newborns, and thirdly, to prepare for space colonization.
In the 1950s, there was indeed a population boom, with the number of newborns nationwide exceeding 37 million for three consecutive years. Lu Jiande had four siblings, and Sun Hui had three; they grew up in large families, so it's no wonder they wanted another child. For them, life was about a house full of noisy little kids.
Whenever Simon was asked if he would be unhappy if he had a younger brother or sister, Simon always said he didn't care.
That was enough. Sun Hui and Lu Jiande were completely immersed in the fantasy of being surrounded by children, and completely uninterested in Lu Xuefeng's situation.
Out of their duty as juniors, they sent an email to Lu Tingchu.
Simon asked, "What did Grandfather say?"
Sun Hui was delighted by her son's thoughtfulness, "It's nothing, your Great-Grandfather is just stubborn, it's fine, your Grandfather will handle it."
She didn't take it seriously at all. To Sun Hui, her husband's grandfather, a Social Science Level One, a lonely old man who had made mistakes in the past—such a character already stood outside the periphery of her family circle, too distant to understand anything about him.
Ten years is a generation. Lu Xuefeng was born in 2000, and Sun Hui was born in 2052. This was a five-generation gap, a generation gap so wide that the other side was no longer visible, only the horizon.
Simon, however, could understand Lu Xuefeng. Strictly speaking, Simon was older than his Great-Grandfather.
So Simon truly didn't understand Lu Xuefeng, and even felt sorry for his misfortune and angry at his lack of effort. How pathetic not to seize the opportunity to improve!
Simon angrily ran to the train station, intending to go there and make his Great-Grandfather see sense, but was detained by a patrol robot on the bus.
"Citizen Simon, your guardian is being located. Please disembark with us immediately and wait for your guardian to arrive."
Simon was sheepishly led home by his mother, Sun Hui, by the ear.
Lu Jiande was sitting on the sofa soaking his feet. In his middle age, he had become fond of foot soaks. Seeing his wife leading their son in after the door opened, the little kid on tiptoes from being pulled, and the woman's face ashen, he chuckled unkindly.
"Let go, let go. Our son is hurting."
Sun Hui's face was stern, "You always spoil him! Look how capable he is now. He's supposed to go to school tomorrow, but he secretly asked his Class Teacher for leave. If the teacher hadn't messaged me, this kid would probably be on the bullet train already!"
Lu Jiande secretly praised his son's excellent execution, but on the surface, he had to look serious, "It's that serious? Simon, come here."
Xiao Lu sighed. When Dad and Mom used his full name, nothing good ever happened.
"Why did you run away from home?"
"I didn't run away from home, I went to find Great-Grandfather."
"Great-Grandfather? You're worried about his social science exam? A child shouldn't meddle so much. You should study hard yourself, so you don't end up not even getting into university."
Simon looked down, only to see his father's big toe sticking up in the foot basin, giving him a thumbs-up.
"Pfft, hahahahahaha!"
Simon burst into laughter, and Lu Jiande also laughed heartily. Sun Hui's grim face couldn't last long amidst such joyful laughter. She walked over and gave both father and son a slap on the shoulder, as if flipping a switch, and they laughed even more happily.
"Ouch!" Lu Jiande suddenly cried out in pain.
Sun Hui quickly asked, "What's wrong?"
"A cramp!" Lu Jiande lifted his right foot from the basin, his big toe still sticking straight up, looking like an acrobat or a merciless like-button machine.
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