Chapter 28
After finishing his undergraduate studies early, Lin Zhiyan directly pursued a doctorate with his professor, who was also a leading figure in the current field. He had started working on projects and writing papers during his undergraduate years, and with his solid foundation and an easygoing professor, there was naturally no need to waste any more time.
Lu Ze, on the other hand, was not in a hurry. He leisurely continued his undergraduate studies. After all, he didn’t need to pursue a master’s degree, and the undergraduate courses were not difficult for him. He could also occasionally accompany his lover at school, so why not?
As for their relationship, the seniors and juniors at school all knew about it. Although they did not openly declare anything, the two identical rings on their fingers were already a clear indication.
Some people silently blessed them, while others naturally found it disgusting. Some even reported it to the school, but with Lin Zhiyan’s grades and Lu Ze’s family background, and since it was not an illegal or disciplinary matter, the report was naturally ignored. Instead, the student who had reported it was called in by the counselor for a chat.
Homosexuality was not easy, especially since both of them were exceptionally outstanding individuals, and they faced no shortage of temptations. Everyone just watched, watching to see how far they could go, watching to see if their relationship could remain so good.
After a year or two, the students had long gotten used to being blinded by their affection, and there were quite a few who shipped them on the forums and social media accounts. But even so, when they really announced their marriage, everyone couldn’t help but be stunned.
Lin Zhiyan didn’t have any particularly good friends. At the wedding, besides his roommates of three years, there were some seniors from the same professor’s lab, and of course, the professor himself.
This wedding was destined not to be recognized by the law, but the Lu family’s attitude was extremely serious, no less so than the wedding of their eldest son a few years ago.
Relatives and friends, business partners, anyone who had even a slight connection was invited.
In Mother Lu’s words, a grand and open wedding was the minimum requirement she had for her son’s marriage. Otherwise, if they didn’t even dare to hold a wedding, what kind of relationship was it?
So, the people who came that day almost filled the entire hotel lobby. Everyone watched this unique wedding. Some had blessings in their hearts, while others sneered inwardly, so what if they’re married? Aren’t there plenty of people who are happy before marriage and have a change of heart after?
But no matter what they thought in their hearts, they still maintained a decent smile on their faces, watching the two grooms embrace and kiss, and exchange vows for a lifetime.
And then they watched… the two grooms go around toasting. When they reached the representative of Rongze Company, that external representative immediately stood up and respectfully called out, “CEO Lu.”
The hotel lobby was instantly silent.
No one had expected that the CEO of Rongze, which had been gaining more and more momentum in recent years, was actually the second young master of the Lu family, who had always been known for being a good-for-nothing.
Qi Kuo, who had been sent abroad for a few years and had finally returned, heard this, and his face instantly turned pale. He stood there with a wine glass in his hand, speechless for a long time.
As for the opinions of outsiders, Lu Ze had never paid them any mind. No matter what others said, he and Lin Zhiyan had their own way of getting along. Although the two of them inevitably became busy later on, the way they got along in private never changed.
And those who were waiting to see them make a fool of themselves also watched as Lin Zhiyan completed his studies and entered the research institute with excellent grades; they also watched as Rongze grew stronger and stronger, from a company to a group. The newly established Rong Sheng Biotechnology Company under it even showed off their love in a subtle yet open way.
Time slowly passed, and the love story of the genius biologist and the chairman of Rongze also slowly became known to outsiders. In addition to the two of them being outstanding, their looks, which were not inferior to those of popular celebrities, were also the most talked-about point.
Backed by the wealthy Rongze, and with Lin Zhiyan’s own strength, he was able to bring his talent in biology to the extreme. In just a few decades, he had solved several difficult problems in the field of biology and became one of the top figures in the field.
Time slowly passed, and the two also slowly grew old. Lu Ze had truly proven the saying that the men of the Lu family were long-lasting in their love. Although the two of them had had small quarrels over the years, there had never been any major friction. Lin Zhiyan’s gentleness and Lu Ze’s tolerance were the secrets to maintaining this relationship for so long.
The two were of similar age, and with Lu Ze often taking Lin Zhiyan out to exercise, his physical fitness also slowly improved. He lived to the age of ninety-six, without any illness or disaster, peacefully and steadily.
In the end, the already white-haired Lin Zhiyan looked up at him, as if he wanted to say something. Lu Ze held his hand and pressed it against his face, his voice as gentle as when he was young, “Don’t be afraid, Gege. Wait for me. I’ll be there soon.”
Lin Zhiyan’s expression was complicated. In the end, he slowly closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips.
Lu Zhun’s son was waiting outside the door. Sensing the silence inside, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly pushed the door open and entered. Looking at the two old men lying peacefully together, he couldn’t help but shed tears, but he also knew that for these two uncles who had doted on him since he was a child, this was the best ending.
He chose a place with beautiful mountains and clear waters and buried them together. Not far away were the tombs of Father Lu, Mother Lu, and Lu Zhun and his wife. Further away were the tombs of the Lu family’s ancestors.
This area was equivalent to the Lu family’s ancestral grave.
To share a quilt in life, and a grave in death.
This was the best respect for their relationship.
.
【Data processing…】
【Beep, congratulations, Host. The mission of small world 13694 has been successfully completed. The mission evaluation is S-rank. The main mission has accumulated a total of 15,000 points.】
【In addition, in view of the Host’s guidance of the mission target’s successful career development and promotion of the development of biomedical science in the small world, an additional reward of 8,000 points is given.】
System 777 was spinning excitedly in the space, but Lu Ze didn’t say anything, and its excitement slowly dissipated. It couldn’t help but ask worriedly, “Host…”
Lu Ze slowly hummed in agreement and sorted out his thoughts. “Prepare for the next world.”
System 777 was surprised. “Doesn’t the Host need to rest for a while?”
Lu Ze asked back, “What’s there to rest for?”
777 stammered, “Well… other hosts usually rest for a period of time after finishing a mission, so that they can gradually forget the experience of the previous world…”
The flow of time in the system space could be adjusted. Sometimes, a year would pass inside, while only a day would pass outside.
Many hosts found it difficult to forget the feelings of the previous world after finishing a mission, so they would rest in the system space for dozens or even hundreds of years. Over time, everything in the past would slowly fade, and after their mood had gradually calmed down, they would continue with the mission of the next world.
Lu Ze asked, “Is resting useful?”
He didn’t plan to forget him, so why should he rest?
Even if he rested, Lu Ze didn’t think he could forget him.
He had experienced for too long, but he had never met someone who had left such a deep impression on him. Not to mention a hundred years, even with many more hundreds of years, he would not be able to forget.
And he did not plan to forget.
Lu Ze looked at the mechanical walls in the system space and was silent for a moment before he suddenly said, “777, do you think I can bring him out?”
“Huh?” 777 understood who Lu Ze was referring to and couldn’t help but stammer, “I-I haven’t heard of such a thing yet, but… but I have indeed heard that some hosts are unforgettable about the mission target. I don’t know how it was resolved specifically…”
“O-or maybe my authority can’t access it. When the Host is promoted to the position of team leader, maybe you can try?”
Lu Ze was silent.
Team leader…
He had been through hundreds of missions in the face-slapping department and was considered a very outstanding member. If nothing unexpected happened, he would be successfully promoted to team leader after a few more worlds. But at this critical moment, the department head had suddenly transferred him to the redemption department, under the beautiful name of, as a future team leader, he should learn more about the business of other departments.
Lu Ze had never believed this excuse, but if he were to say that the department head had any ill intentions towards him, he wouldn’t have been able to feel it. If he were to say that this matter was disadvantageous to him, this world had also proven that it was not the case.
He had always been puzzled by this matter, but he also knew that he probably wouldn’t get an answer at this critical moment. He just wanted to complete a few more worlds and accumulate enough qualifications before saying anything.
And… he always had a feeling that his meeting with Lin Zhiyan was not a coincidence.
There was no evidence to prove it, but it was just a feeling.
And his feelings had always been sharp.
So, no matter what it was for, even if it was just to bring Lin Zhiyan out of that world, Lu Ze had to complete the mission as soon as possible.
Where would he find the time to rest?
“Arrange for the next world,” Lu Ze said decisively.
777 hesitated for a moment, then decisively carried out the order. “Yes, Host.”
【World loading…】
【…】
When Lu Ze regained consciousness, he only felt his whole body was sore and weak, and he couldn’t even exert a bit of strength in a single finger.
He called out weakly, “777.”
777 quickly said, “Host, it has been detected that your body is in a high fever state. This reaction is normal.”
Lu Ze sighed in his heart. As long as I’m not dying.
He struggled to open his eyes a crack and looked around. Above his head were the dark beams of an old-fashioned rural house. Not far away was a square table and a few stools, which looked dusty. The quilt on his nose had a faint smell of damp mildew, and the whole house looked as if it had not been lived in for a long time.
After opening his eyes, Lu Ze could finally slowly gather some strength and managed to sit up. He only felt his head throbbing with pain, and his nose was stuffy, which were the symptoms of a severe cold.
Lu Ze had not had such an experience for a long time. He slowly sat up straight. The quilt slid down, and he instantly felt a bone-chilling cold.
Only then did Lu Ze realize that he was not wearing any clothes.
Not just a shirt, but his entire body was naked.
Lu Ze’s eyelids twitched. The current situation of this body was not good, and 777 did not dare to transmit the original host’s memories to him, so he did not know what the situation was now.
He looked up and around, and the situation in the room was instantly taken in. Before Lu Ze could think of anything, the closed door suddenly creaked open.
Lu Ze looked up and saw a thin young man walk in with a bowl. When he saw his appearance, he was also stunned for a moment, then said, “You’re awake?”
Lu Ze let out a casual “hmm” and sized him up without a change in expression.
The young man did not look too tall, about 1.75 meters. The handmade cotton-padded jacket he was wearing was washed white, and his hair was slightly long. The sideburns covered his earlobes, and his features were also covered, so they were not very clear.
The young man did not care about his attitude. He casually placed the things on the table. When he saw the thick dust, his brows couldn’t help but furrow, but he didn’t meddle and just looked up and said, “You forgot? You were probably drunk yesterday. You accidentally fell into the river on the back mountain when you came back today. When I saw you, I don’t know how long you had been soaking in there. I felt like you were already unconscious.”
Lu Ze’s eyes changed slightly.
In this weather, falling into the river, it was lucky not to have frozen to death.
Lu Ze said in a hoarse voice, “Thank you.”
The young man didn’t look at him, and there was no smile on his face. He just said in a flat voice, “There’s no firewood or water at your house. I just gathered some firewood for you, and I saw that there was still a last handful of rice at the bottom of the jar, so I cooked you a bowl of porridge.” He gestured to the table and was about to go out. “You can drink it slowly yourself.”
Lu Ze called out to him, “Did you change my clothes?”
The young man’s steps paused, and he said, “Or should I have let you lie in bed soaking wet?”
Lu Ze was silent for a moment, then said, “Thank you for your trouble.”
The young man looked back at him, his gaze sizing him up and down, and he muttered in a low voice, “You’d better know.”
He was so heavy, just like the pig at his house.
I don’t know where he got so much meat.
Hearing this, Lu Ze was silent for a moment. The young man didn’t say anything more. Before he left, he just reminded him, “You might have a fever. You should have someone find a doctor to see you.”
As for the rest, it had nothing to do with him.
The person looked cold and indifferent, but before he left, he did not forget to carefully close the door.
Lu Ze pulled the quilt up and his gaze fell on the bowl of porridge. 777 kindly said, “Don’t worry, Host. The porridge is not poisoned.”
“I know,” Lu Ze said in a bad mood. The young man looked cold, but his heart was not bad.
He shrank in the bed, his expression a little listless, and said, “777, exchange for a recovery potion.”
“Okay, Host. The exchange is successful.”
After a tube of potion, the symptoms of the severe cold slowly eased. At the same time, 777 said, “Host, the mission of this world has been transmitted to you.”
Lu Ze slowly sorted through the memory and asked, “That person just now… is the mission target, Xu Qingyan?”
777 said yes.
Lu Ze’s eyelashes lowered.
It could only be said that it was worthy of the scum man redemption department.
These mission targets were simply competing to see who was more miserable.
The story took place in the 1980s. Xu Qingyan, the only son of Xu Yongshan of Xu Family Village, was intelligent from a young age and was always at the top of his class during his school years. He was a good prospect for university, but due to an accident, Xu Yongshan was paralyzed in bed, and only his mother was left to manage the household.
In the past, although the Xu family was not wealthy, the couple could still manage to send one child to school by gritting their teeth. But now that this had happened, most of the family’s savings were used to treat Xu’s father, and they really couldn’t afford Xu Qingyan’s school fees.
The family had suddenly undergone a huge change, and Xu Qingyan was also a sensible person. He did not complain at all and took the initiative to drop out of school to help his mother take care of his father at home, do housework, and work from dawn to dusk in the fields during the busy farming season. At the same time, he also had to squeeze out time to study and not neglect his studies.
Although life was a bit hard, with Xu Qingyan’s resilience, if he slowly lived on, his life might not have been unable to improve.
But unfortunately, he met the original host, a notorious hoodlum in the area.
The original host’s parents were both employees of a machinery factory in the city, and their monthly salary was not low in this era. They were also extremely doting and generous to this only son. Perhaps because of this, the original host was not properly disciplined. He dropped out of school before graduating from junior high school and spent his days eating, drinking, and having fun with some of the children of the workers, not doing any serious work.
At first, the original host’s parents did not notice, as he was sweet-tongued and always knew how to act obedient and well-behaved in front of them. By the time they realized something was wrong, it was already too late. The original host’s personality had already been formed, and it could not be changed.
They wanted to find a job for the original host, which would be better than being idle every day, but the original host was not very capable, but his standards were extremely high, and he looked down on ordinary jobs. The original host’s parents had to swallow their pride to find him a job through connections, but every time, the original host would not last long, which made the original host’s parents a laughingstock in the machinery factory during that time.
But even such days did not last long. Last year, when the original host’s father was working in the machinery factory, a large piece of machinery next to him suddenly had a problem and came crashing down with a “boom.” The original host’s father died on the spot. When his mother found out, she was at a loss. When she was riding her bicycle to the scene, she was hit by a car and was finally sent to the hospital, where she died after rescue efforts failed.
A family was thus destroyed.
The original host was sad for a few days, but he quickly adapted to a life without discipline. In addition, the inheritance left by his parents and the double compensation from the machinery factory and the person who caused the accident was a considerable sum of money, enough for the original host to squander his life away.
But because his parents had passed away, he could no longer live in the staff dormitory allocated by the factory. The original host had no choice but to move back to his old home in the countryside, but he usually stayed at the homes of his cronies in the city and might not come back a few times a month. The people in the village had a good relationship with Lu’s grandparents and had watched Lu’s father grow up. They couldn’t bear to see such a child fall so low and tried to persuade him with kind words, but it was of no use, and they were even disliked for being nosy. Over time, everyone gradually became indifferent and no longer went out of their way to find trouble.
This time, it was also because the original host had drunk too much with his friends in the city and had come back in a daze. When he was passing by the back mountain, he was tripped by a stone and fell into a ditch.
It was now the dead of winter, and everyone was staying at home and would not usually come out. If it hadn’t been for Xu Qingyan, who had come out to gather pig grass, he would have probably frozen to death in the river, and it would have been a long time before anyone found him.
But Xu Qingyan had pulled him out and carried him home, gathered firewood for him, boiled water, and cooked porridge, and even kindly reminded him to find a doctor.
He was clearly his savior, and Xu Qingyan did not ask for anything in return, but he did not expect that this would become the source of his lifelong nightmare.
