Don’t Covet the Beautiful System!! - Chap 24
Luo Xiuyun almost thought she was hallucinating.
Facing this empty room, she involuntarily called out, “…Qingyuan?”
Of course, no one responded.
The uneasy voice fell alone into the cold air.
An inexplicable panic surged up.
Luo Xiuyun walked around the room like a headless fly. Then she quickly took out her phone from her pocket, wanting to call Pei Qingyuan and ask him where he had gone for no reason.
She was just about to call the number when her eyes swept over a spot that was slightly white in the moonlight.
Under the old-fashioned lamp that had been used for over a decade, there was a note with some writing on it. It was the only thing in the room that was different from the past and was thin and inconspicuous.
Luo Xiuyun’s body stiffened as she realized something.
This wasn’t an inexplicable disappearance.
She froze for a few seconds. Then she gritted her teeth, stepped forward, picked up the paper and turned on the lamp.
The handwriting on the paper was beautiful. It was a type of beautiful and upright font that every parent would love.
This seemed to be the first time that she had looked at her son’s handwriting so seriously.
There wasn’t much content. Only a few clear lines.
[Today, I am an adult and can live independently. So I moved out.]
[I will support myself. You don’t have to put any extra energy on me.]
The last two lines were spaced further apart and the handwriting appeared hesitant, as if it was added after a long thought.
[I don’t miss the life there and I don’t dislike the days here. I just want a room that really belongs to me.]
[Now it is no longer needed.]
Luo Xiuyun read it many times. She was momentarily speechless and her eyes were dazed.
The desk lamp in front of her cast a warm yellow light. The style was old but it had always been well preserved, except for the many patterns drawn with watercolor brushes on the base.
There was a big smiley face among the bright and clumsy lines, which were the childish drawings of another child. They smiled innocently at her after such a long time.
But this child had grown up now and no longer smiled like this. At the grand party on the day of adulthood, his smile was always soft and gentle. There was a stable and unchanging elegant arc.
It was at this moment that Luo Xiuyun realized extremely clearly that Pei Yan was getting further and further away from her.
She was no longer the mother Pei Yan spoke of but ‘ Auntie.’
After all, he wasn’t her biological child.
Therefore, once Luo Xiuyun went upstairs with the not very rich dishes and cake that wasn’t serious enough, she thought that she should care more about her son in the future. After all, they would be a mother and son who depended on each other in the future.
She might’ve come back later than she expected but she didn’t think to call her son halfway. Perhaps it was because she thought he would be waiting at home.
After all, he needed his mother to celebrate his birthday.
However, Pei Qingyuan didn’t wait in vain from day to night in the deserted room as she expected.
The child who seemed to have never smiled since he was young quietly took all his things and left before she returned.
Luo Xiuyun stood in front of the desk for a long time without moving. Some time later, her face turned slightly red. It wasn’t known if it was out of embarrassment or anger.
As if to refute the calm and tactful accusation on the note, she raised her head in order to find some evidence in the surroundings to refute it. She wanted to prove that she hadn’t completely forgotten Pei Qingyuan, who just returned to the Luo family, and that she had been looking forward to this biological son she had been separated from for many years.
Yet the next second, a bookcase full of outdated storybooks entered her eyes.
These were all books that Pei Yan had left behind.
Just a few days ago, Pei Yan had told her to sell these useless books or the bookcase might not be enough.
How did she answer at that time?
“There is enough. He didn’t say anything to me. If it isn’t enough, he can clean it up himself. It isn’t a big deal. I gave him a cardboard box for backup.”
Did she say something wrong?
Pei Qingyuan had never complained to her, so she naturally felt that the space was probably enough. There was no need to bother with this little thing.
Yet was it really insignificant?
A sharp thought painfully crossed Luo Xiuyun’s mind.
A child who was once sent away by his mother’s own hands. He went around and returned to his mother. Then he found that his mother’s heart was full of another child and even his room was full of memories of another person. No one took the initiative to clean it up for him, but subconsciously hoped to let him adapt himself…
Luo Xiuyun suddenly remembered the question that Pei Qingyuan asked coldly after returning from the hotel that evening when she asked him to stop disturbing Yan Yan’s life.
“Mom, what will you call me?”
At that time, she called him Qingyuan in an unfamiliar manner.
She did always call her son that.
However, that day was the last time Luo Xiuyun remembered her son calling her mother.
Thinking of this, she finally lowered her head in frustration. This allowed the light to spread over her body and carved a slender shadow on the wall.
The moonlight alternated with the sunlight. Ten hours ago, in the same position, the sun was clearly visible outside the window.
A child in suspenders stepped barefoot on a stool, humming a joyful melody. He flipped through the storybooks on the bookcase in a serious way.
“Ruan Ruan, he really likes fairy tales.” Ji Tong concluded and reported. “There isn’t even a book on jokes. It is all fairy tales.”
At this time, Luo Xiuyun and Luo Zhichang had already gone out and there was only the host left in the apartment. This meant Ji Tong could appear in an upright manner.
He started to talk in a low voice. “Fairy tales don’t have good jokes. Yesterday, I sorted through the data partition again and loaded it with the latest collection of popular cold jokes…”
The host was about to leave the Luo family completely today. For the safety of the host, Ji Tong felt that he should guard against Pei Yan, who was likely to be an enemy of the host.
There was no better way to know the enemy than to look through the bookcase from his childhood. This allowed them to get a direct glimpse of the enemy’s defenseless childhood.
It was a pity that Pei Yan took most of the useful things with him when he moved to the Luo family. He left only a bunch of fairy tale books that were completely unused now.
Pei Qingyuan was packing his things into the cardboard boxes. Hearing the system’s muttering, he thought it was funny but he still responded seriously.
“When I was young, I thought fairy tales should be good because I hadn’t read any of them.”
Hearing this, Ji Tong immediately promoted himself. “Host, there were tens of millions of words of fairy tale resources in my data. I can read them to you before going to bed to make up for your childhood shortcomings. I can also change my voice. I have a loli, a big uncle or even a sister. Everything you want is possible.”
“……” Pei Qingyuan gradually got used to him jumping topics. Then he thought of a question. “Are you a boy?”
The system was composed of data and data obviously had no concept of gender. However, Ji Tong first appeared in front of him with the image of a little boy. When communicating in his consciousness, the voice was that of a young boy. This usual way of thinking was also relatively close to that of male humans.
Ji Tong was about to nod. Then he inexplicably stiffened and immediately racked his brains to make up a story. “The system has no gender, but data proves that a simulated human voice can allow the system to get along better with the host. Thus, the default gender will be randomly specified when leaving the factory. I just randomly received a male voice. If the host needs it, I can also convert to other voices, such as…”
How could the host do the Turing test at every moment?!
In order to prove that what he said was true, Ji Tong suppressed his voice and performed a vivid grandmother’s voice on the spot.
Pei Qingyuan, who had personally witnessed the kind voice of a three year old child: “……”
“No need.” He tried to reorganize his worldview. “This is fine now.”
“Okay, Ruan Ruan.”
Ji Tong immediately showed him a big smile. “Host, thank you for recognizing my current form.”
He quietly sighed with relief and Pei Qingyuan was also inexplicably relieved. Then he continued to lower his head to pack up until his system cried out in surprise.
“Ruan Ruan, I found Pei Yan’s diary from when he was a child.”
This diary looked old. The cover was filled with popular animated characters from over ten years ago, mixed in with a large number of gaudy fairy tale books. It was difficult to distinguish and Ji Tong almost didn’t find it.
Pei Yan probably confused it with these books and didn’t take it away.
On the cover, the words ‘Lin Yan’s diary’ were crookedly written. Ji Tong took the initiative to hand it to Pei Qingyuan, but found that the other person didn’t reach out to take it.
Pei Qingyuan looked at this old diary with a complicated expression.
It recorded the days when Pei Yan grew up next to Luo Xiuyun. It could be seen from the many fairy tale books that it must’ve been a naive and happy time.
If nothing had gone wrong, Pei Qingyuan should’ve been the protagonist of this diary.
Pei Qingyuan suddenly had the urge to open this diary. He wanted to see what the time and life he had completely missed looked like.
Growing up in such an environment, would he become completely different from now? Would he be like Pei Yan, who was much simpler and happier than him?
After reading this lost time… what would be his mood?
Pei Qingyuan’s fingers trembled in the air, but he finally retracted them.
Ji Tong noticed his hesitation. He thought that the host was feeling moral torture over whether to peek at someone’s diary or not, so Ji Tong thought about it before suggesting, “Ruan Ruan, we can take this diary away first. If Pei Yan goes against you later, we can find his weaknesses in the diary, such as being afraid of insects and snakes or having a childhood crush on the white moonlight girl next door.”
“If he lives his life in peace, we don’t need to open this diary and can respect his privacy,” Ji Tong said clearly. “In any case, he didn’t feel like it was missing after moving houses for so long. He must’ve forgotten this diary a long time ago. If it is left here, it will just be sold as scrap.”
The innocent and childish cover shone with the luster of memories in the sunlight.
Pei Qingyuan nodded, acquiescing. Thus, Ji Tong happily put the diary into the cardboard box.
It was almost completely packed.
He didn’t bring many things at first. All of them were necessary studying materials and daily necessities. There were trophies he had won before and some small items full of memories. There wasn’t even a lot of clothing, because the expensive clothing was bought with the Pei family’s money. He was unwilling to occupy things that didn’t belong to him.
The three cardboard boxes were all he had left after spending 17 years in two families.
Before leaving, in order to prevent Luo Xiuyun from thinking that he had disappeared for no reason, Pei Qingyuan decided to leave a concise note for her.
[…You don’t have to put any extra energy on me.]
After finishing this sentence, he was about to put down his pen. Then Ji Tong on the side said, “Ruan Ruan, don’t you have anything else you want to write?”
“What is it?”
“Your truth.” Ji Tong explained, “I told you before that honestly expressing your feelings is the first step to establishing a good family relationship. Host, you might not need to maintain a family relationship with Luo Xiuyun now, but this sentence isn’t wrong. Don’t hold your feelings in your heart.”
The translation was: You are leaving. Of course, you have to scold her.
Ji Tong liked this part the most.
Pei Qingyuan hesitated after hearing this. He gripped the pen again and thought for a long time before lowering his head to write something.
Once he finished writing, Ji Tong blinked excitedly and pretended to be reserved. “Host, what did you write? Can I read it?”
Pei Qingyuan thought for a moment before shaking his head. He bluntly changed the topic. “Let’s go. The time of the appointment with the landlord is coming soon.”
The host actually had a secret from him!
Ji Tong’s curiosity came to nothing. He pursed his mouth in melancholy and followed the host with a reluctant face, leaving this small room.
Pei Qingyuan carried the cardboard boxes downstairs three times. During this period, Ji Tong sat obediently on the edge of the flower bed downstairs, guarding the cardboard boxes while dangling his short legs.
Pei Qingyuan came downstairs with a box for the last time. He saw the small figure in the sunlight and the remaining haze in his heart was also diluted.
Of course, he had many feelings buried deep in his heart.
He hoped that his mother could call him by a more affectionate name, he hoped that his mother could care more about him, he hoped that the relatives of the Luo family wouldn’t take advantage of this cruel fate to seek benefits from him, he hoped to have a normal and warm family, he hoped to hear a belated apology, he hoped to be loved…
He had too many hopes that couldn’t be realized, but saying them one by one made him seem really small and pitiful.
Finally, Pei Qingyuan simply wrote down the biggest feeling in his heart at the moment.
[I don’t miss the life there and I don’t dislike the days here. I just want a room that really belongs to me.]
[Now it is no longer needed.]
It was because he now had a home much wider than a small room.
The third cardboard box fell to the ground. The little boy in overalls raised his phone and shook it proudly. “Ruan Ruan, the car I called is entering the community. Just now, I used the voice of an old woman to call a car for my grandson. The driver praised me for being able to use a phone so well at such an old age, which is amazing.”
The car that came in from outside quickly stopped next to the building. The driver got out of the car to open the trunk and helped the two children in front of him move the boxes. He said casually, “Your grandmother didn’t go downstairs to see you off? Hey, let me tell you, it is quite similar to my grandmother’s voice. It sounds very kind.”
Ji Tong thanked the uncle sweetly. Then he turned and whispered in the host’s heart, “That is the standard human grandmother voice generated after data sampling and accurate calculations.”
Pei Qingyuan smiled in a dumbstruck manner. He held the car door and watched Ji Tong eagerly climb into the back seat of the car.
The scenery outside the car window continued to pass. The low apartment building was getting further and further away.
The little boy next to him looked out the car window with an excited face and sighed, “It feels so good not to have to check the time.”
Ji Tong only had one hour in human form every day. The host usually had to go to school or work, so he couldn’t appear often. This caused a tighter meal time, but it was almost enough.
However, today was the host’s birthday and the day of moving. As a professional system with professional ethics, Ji Tong couldn’t let the host spend this day alone.
Thus, he used the nonsense generator to generate thousands of terabytes of special case reports and sent them to the main brain non-stop, hoping that the main brain would approve his request to not be limited by the time limit of his human form for today.
The main brain was disturbed by this viral bombing and finally agreed, but warned him not to take it as an example or his year-end bonus would be deducted.
Ji Tong accepted it and agreed happily. In any case, the host only turned 18 once in his life.
Today, he had prepared a birthday gift to give to the host with his own hands.
Pei Qingyuan heard this emotion and silently agreed in his heart.
It was rare to have Ji Tong by his side during non-meal time. The originally cold air disappeared and just contained his lively voice.
“The weather is nice today. That cloud is like an elephant.”
“This sculpture is so big, it looks a bit silly… someone just ran a red light!”
“Brother, look. There are such beautiful flowers blooming there—”
Ji Tong always lay against the car window, watching the scenery outside.
Pei Qingyuan suddenly discovered that for the system who spent most of his time in Pei Qingyuan’s consciousness space, it wasn’t just eating delicious food that made him happy. All ordinary scenes in the world were full of strange charm. Everything that Pei Qingyuan considered to be an ordinary daily life was extremely precious.
Today, he no longer felt disappointed about his fate. He just felt a bit sorry for the system.
The quiet wind blew in, curling up the dull hair on top of the child’s head. The hair on his face was illuminated by the faint sunlight and his eyes were as bright as stars.
The driver listened while driving. He occasionally looked through the rearview mirror and couldn’t help smiling. “Young man, your brother is so cute.”
Pei Qingyuan nodded quietly.
After arriving at the destination and getting out of the car, the driver couldn’t help picking up the boxes and moving it to the building for them.
Pei Qingyuan took his younger brother’s hand and led him upstairs to their new home amidst a stranger’s warm kindness.
The two figures, big and small, projected on the snow-white wall in an overlapping manner, like a static painting.
In the past, he often felt that the days were too long, but he hoped today could be longer.
Once he arrived at the door of the apartment they agreed upon yesterday, Pei Qingyuan pressed the doorbell. A smiling grandmother came to open the door.
Last night, Pei Qingyuan looked at the suitable apartments in the community that Ji Tong picked up. The decorations of this apartment were the most comfortable and the rent was also reasonable.
There were large windows when walking into the entrance and the light coming in front outside filled the whole space. It looked particularly open and the simple wood decoration style was very refreshing.
“You don’t need to take off your shoes. Come in quickly.” The grandmother waved to them and explained, “My daughter went on a business trip today and said that the child who came to see the place yesterday is very anxious to love here, so she asked me to come over.”
This house hadn’t been lived in for a long time, but it was cleaned up very nicely. The gray-haired grandmother said with a smile, “I heard her say that it was a half-grown child who came to rent the apartment. I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to clean it up, so I came over in the morning to clean it in a hurry.”
Ji Tong’s mouth was very sweet and he immediately said, “Thank you, Grandma. You have worked hard.”
Pei Qingyuan couldn’t find a more suitable sentence to respond with, so he also thanked her seriously. “Thank you.”
The grandmother smiled from ear to ear. “Hey! You are really sensible. It’s okay, I didn’t work hard. Come while the sunlight is good. I will show you around. This sunlight is suitable for drying clothes…”
The layout of this room was two bedrooms and one living room. Ji Tong planned to leave a bedroom for Ji Tong. He knew that Ji Tong was just an artificial intelligence, but he subconsciously treated Ji Tong as a human being.
The two bedrooms were on the same side. From the window, they could see a large area of greenery and residential buildings. They could glimpse the various curtains of the opposite building and the pedestrians walking in the green park. The scenery was peaceful and pleasant.
The grandmother took them around the apartment and carefully introduced the use of various electrical appliances. Pei Qingyuan listened very seriously and liked this home.
Ji Tong sat on the bay window and watched the children blowing bubbles in the park for a long time. His face showed obvious yearning.
The sun shone on the clean furniture in the apartment and the breeze blew on the spacious balcony. It was just like Pei Qingyuan once glimpsed from a distance. There were no green plants, but he could soon arrange it himself.
After the introduction, the grandmother sat at the tablet that was cleanly wiped. She put on reading glasses and signed the contract with Pei Qingyuan.
The moment she saw the copy of the ID card that Pei Qingyuan brought over, she was surprised. “You just turned 18 today?”
Pei Qingyuan nodded nervously. He wanted to say that he had enough money and would be able to pay the rent when he saw the grandmother standing up in a hurry, as if looking for something.
“There is nothing in this room…”
The old lady looked worried. She went to rummage through her bag again and finally found something.
Then Pei Qingyuan was gently given a bag of fruit lollipops.
“I bought it for my grandson in the morning. Fortunately, I bought it.” The grandmother smiled. “You have to eat sugar for my birthday. It is good to eat some sweets.”
The colorful candy wrappers reflected the dazzling light in his palm.
Ever since the little boy with messy hair appeared at his feet, good luck started to come to him.
Pei Qingyuan seldom ate sugar. In the eyes of his former mother Ye Lanting, it was just a harmful substance that made people age and become obese. He absolutely wasn’t allowed to touch it. He wasn’t even allowed to eat a lot of the exquisite birthday cake every year.
But at this moment, he and Ji Tong peeled off the candy wrapper together and put the fruit candy in his mouth. He couldn’t remember those scary-sounding words at all and only felt that a sweet goodness was rippling in his mouth.
“It is delicious,” he said.
“It is delicious.” Ji Tong parroted from next to him and peeled off the second one, ready to eat both. “Grandma, you are so good! It must be happy to be your grandson.”
The landlord’s grandmother was coaxed into smiling and finally said goodbye to them almost reluctantly.
Pei Qingyuan and Ji Tong stood in the center of the room and looked around at the complete furniture. They were about to go to the supermarket to buy daily necessities when their phone suddenly rang.
It was the phone number of the bakery owner, He Shiwen.
Pei Qingyuan picked it up with a bit of surprise. He heard that He Shiwen’s voice was more surprised than his own. “Xiao Pei, where are you?”
Pei Qingyuan told the truth. “I just moved to a new house and I’m at home.”
“Oh, so you moved today?” He Shiwen suddenly realized. “That’s right. You tell me the address and I’ll send you the cake. I can also help you by the way.”
The cake?
Pei Qingyuan and Ji Tong looked at each other and asked suspiciously, “What cake?”
“That is what I told you yesterday. A guest ordered a beautiful cake.” He Shiwen’s voice was full of incredulity. “I also said that I would make a mini version for you. I didn’t expect that it wouldn’t be needed. Today’s guest actually said that this cake doesn’t need to be picked up and it is given to you. I was shocked for a long time.”
Ji Tong, who was eavesdropping on the side, had wide eyes and hurriedly asked, “Uncle He, which customer ordered a cake? What does he look like?”
“Tong Tong is here too? Oh, let me think about how to describe him. He is very ordinary looking…”
An ordinary-looking grandfather who could be seen anywhere on the street.
A grandfather who had loved the host since he was a child.
Even if the host grew up and his blood relationship was denied, his grandfather would still buy him a birthday cake, just like when he was a child.
Ji Tong saw the host holding the phone tightly with lowered eyes, not speaking for a long time. The golden sunlight that came in through the window landed on his slightly trembling eyelashes.
He thought that the host must be happy.
He Shiwen on the other end of the phone was very careful. “…But this cake is very big. It looks like it was prepared for a party. Do you have any classmates coming to the house today to celebrate together? I’m afraid you won’t be able to eat enough and it will be wasted. It won’t taste good tomorrow.”
Ji Tong quickly answered, “Yes, there are some. Uncle He is coming as well!”
‘Waste.’ This word would never appear in the lives of Ji Tong and a group of high school boys.
His grandfather had ordered such a large cake for the host. It was surely out of the hope that he could spend this important birthday with his new friends.
Half an hour later, the five member basketball team quickly appeared at Pei Qingyuan’s new doorstep when they had previously gathered at the Internet cafe to play games and avoid homework.
“Wow, it is such a big balcony. I can even practice ball on it. Brother Pei, are you living alone? It is great that no adults are in charge.”
“Xiao Pei, you are so mean. You didn’t tell us about such a big thing as moving. I thought you left to go out to play today!”
“Tong Tong’s clothes are so cute today!”
“I heard that there is cake to eat. Where is it?”
In the midst of the noise, Ji Tong showed an innocent smile to the group of tall, free laborers in front of him. “I must accompany my brother to buy daily necessities first. I can only celebrate when I officially live in my new home.”
To express his gratitude, he stood on tiptoe and stuffed a bunch of cute lollipops into the hands of these big brothers one by one.
So a quarter of an hour later, this group of male high school students who talked too much appeared in the nearby supermarket. All of them had a lollipop in their mouths, which attracted the attention of passersby.
The kid in overalls was sitting obediently in the shiny, silver shopping cart. Pei Qingyuan didn’t even grab the right to push it. It was directly pushed by Fu Chengze.
“Let’s go!”
Fu Chengze excitedly pushed the shopping cart. The wheels moved across the ground while the others gathered around him and swept away the shelves, as if shopping for their new home.
“How many large bags of toilet paper do we need to buy? Do you want to buy water? We have a lot of people and can move it.”
“What are you doing with so many Cokes? Put back a few boxes. You aren’t the one paying the bill!”
“This toothpaste is very sweet. My family uses this. Tong Tong, smell it and see if you like it?”
“Brother Pei, do you eat potato chips? Eight flavors are sold in a large pack. It is of great value!”
At first, Pei Qingyuan was a bit uncomfortable being at the end of the group. Then he was gradually surrounded in the middle.
He looked at Ji Tong, who was seriously directing Fu Chengze to push him all over the supermarket. Then he looked at the basketball team friend next to him who was trying to sell him a large bag of potato chips. He said in response, “I will eat. Let’s buy it.”
He thought that Ji Tong would definitely like it.
The group of people came out of the supermarket with big and small bags. It wasn’t known who bragged about having extraordinary cooking skills. Thus, the teenagers who didn’t admit defeat turned around and entered the vegetable market, vowing to fight in the kitchen tonight.
In the evening, He Shiwen got off work early and carefully carried a huge cake box from the store. He walked to the address that Pei Qingyuan gave him and smelled a mysterious burning smell.
Ji Tong’s face was covered with ash as he opened the door. He saw He Shiwen and called out for help. “Uncle He, you are finally here. Quickly save the kitchen.”
He Shiwen looked into the kitchen where a group of teenagers were scrambling to clean up the mess. The burnt vegetables emitted a pungent smell in the trash and the bottom of the pot was smoking like the ashes of a chemical experiment.
He couldn’t help laughing. He put the cake in the refrigerator and rolled up his sleeves proudly.
“You guys can’t do it. You still have to watch me.”
The boys who were unruly in the court were all wilted right now. They stood obediently on the side and gave up the delusion of competing and showing off for the child with their amazing cooking skills.
He Shiwen had started his career with baking and was also good at choking. He cleaned up the mess with smooth movements and quickly washed and cut the vegetables. The strong fragrance of vegetables soon spread from the bright and clean kitchen.
The basketball team teenagers stood neatly outside the kitchen, looking in enviously.
“Uncle He is really powerful. He must have a good relationship with his wife. My father said that if you can conquer a woman’s stomach, it is equivalent to conquering her heart.”
“If only I could make such delicious dishes in the future.”
“It’s okay. If I can’t get into college, let’s go to cooking school.”
Ji Tong was too short to see the feast inside so he opened his arms to the host. Pei Qingyuan immediately understood what he meant and reached out to pick him up.
“What a fragrance.” Ji Tong quietly gulped and whispered in jealousy, “Can Xingxing each Uncle He’s dishes every day?”
Pei Qingyuan heard the child’s voice in his ears and his heart moved. “I can learn as well.”
Then he quickly added, “Now that we live together, I can cook my own meals on weekends. Eating at home is healthier.”
Ji Tong hadn’t expected such unexpected joy. He nodded repeatedly and generously sent a series of exaggerated praise. “Ruan Ruan is the best and most responsible brother. The dishes you make must be more delicious than Uncle He’s ones!”
Pei Qingyuan couldn’t help looking away in a slightly awkward manner, but there was a faint smile in his eyes.
By nightfall, the pile of things bought from the supermarket had been properly arranged. The whole place no longer looked empty and had a sense of a home.
The living room was filled with warm lights. Amidst the fragrant dishes on the table, the people who gathered to celebrate Pei Qingyuan’s birthday raised their glasses. The freshly poured Coke was bubbling.
“Cheers!”
“Start the meal!”
After three rounds of Coke, everyone looked expectant as He Shiwen carefully opened the box and took out a particularly delicate cake.
The cake was framed with a variety of intricate cream flowers, which were lifelike and vivid. It was as if they had been frozen for the whole spring.
Everyone exclaimed in admiration and He Shiwen said proudly, “This is the shape designated by the customer who ordered Xiao Pei’s cake and the chef of the store perfectly reproduced it. If I were to name it, I think A Bright Future would be suitable.”
There was also a folded birthday cake on the cake box, which Pei Huaishan had left when he came to order the cake.
Pei Qingyuan opened the card. The handwriting on it was sharp and 50% similar to his handwriting, but much more vigorous.
[Even if you become older and more ambitious, don’t change your inner persistence. The more difficult a situation, the stronger your will should be.]
This was his grandfather’s silent expectation of him.
The lights dimmed and the candles were lit. In the midst of those urging him to make a wish, Pei Qingyuan closed his eyes and seriously blew out the candles.
He wanted to grow faster so the system could stay longer in the world he loved.
This way, he could see the clouds in the sky and the flowers on the roadside at will.
The candles were extinguished and everyone sent their blessings in a very individual way after singing the lively birthday song.
“Happy birthday, wishing you prosperity!”
“I hope Brother Pei will become the best performer of our basketball team! Justify the name of the sports student!”
“Happy birthday. Bless us to win the municipal league next week!”
“Happy birthday, Xiao Pei. I wish you to grow up to be 1.84 meters as soon as possible. In any case, you can’t surpass me!”
Pei Qingyuan, who didn’t like this blessing very much: “……”
Ji Tong sent his blessing and quietly whispered in his ear, “Ruan Ruan, I have prepared a gift for you.”
He asked what the gift was and his system laughed proudly. “Host, you definitely won’t be able to guess it.”
The bustle died down and everyone helped clean up the kitchen and dining room. They said goodbye and left one after another. Quiet returned to the house and Ji Tong mysteriously took out a gift.
It was indeed a gift that Pei Qingyuan couldn’t have imagined.
It was a photo with a very special scene and characters.
In the photo, the grass was green and flowers were blooming. The center had a small robot wearing a gardening suit. He had a green and flowing data body, bright yellow rubber shoes and was holding a hand trowel in his hand.
The little robot’s head had two crooked smiling eyes and a pure white butterfly was resting on his shoulder. He raised his other free hand and waved vigorously at the camera.
It was like a fairy tale scene.
Pei Qingyuan lost his mind for a long time before he found his voice. “Is this you?”
This was the first time he had seen what the system really looked like.
Ji Tong nodded happily.
“Where are you?” Pei Qingyuan added a bit awkwardly, “I mean, you in the photo.”
“I am in a garden with a hundred species of flowers and a butterfly.” His system looked at him with bright eyes and said softly, “Ruan Ruan, happy adulthood.”
