Chapter 76
Luo Shizhen chose which foot to step with first, chose to walk back to the villa, and even chose to review the cultural courses related to Qi.
To be honest, it felt like life hadn’t changed much.
In the evening, a distressed Luo Shizhen dialed Teacher Chen’s number again.
After hearing about the series of things he had done, Chen Hean held back his laughter.
“Youāve done very well.”
He said gently, “But perhaps you can think about it from the perspective of events. For example, if your high school teacher hadn’t suggested you learn to be a chef, and Teacher hadn’t brought you to the Awakener school, what profession would you have wanted to pursue after graduation?”
Luo Shizhen immediately replied, “Work at a construction site! You can earn several thousand a month!”
Chen Hean: “Is that what you wanted, or something someone told you?”
Luo Shizhen thought for a bit before answering embarrassedly, “My fifth uncle said it.”
Chen Hean sighed. “Actually, back then, when Teacher saw you were an Awakener, I tried every way to coax you into coming to school. I never once asked you if you wanted to be a Guardian or if you were willing to fight Anomalies.”
To be honest, Chen Hean felt some regret.
Luo Shizhen was an extremely pure child. To some extent, his grandmother’s decision hadn’t been wrong.
With his overly obedient nature and the way he did everything with absolute seriousness, he was indeed better suited to living a peaceful, safe life.
Coaxing him to the school back then had been a Guardian’s duty.
Feeling regret now was as Chen Hean himself.
“Shizhen, if you were given the choice now, would you be willing to do this dangerous work of a Guardian?”
Luo Shizhen thought about it. “I don’t know, but I think Iād be willing. A Guardian’s salary is very high. Iām so stupid, and I don’t have a degree or any skills. I definitely wouldn’t be able to get such a high salary anywhere else.”
“Moreover, I really like being at school. Iāve never made so many friends before. You are so good to me, and Teacher Sui and Teacher Lin… all the teachers are great.”
Chen Hean was silent.
This was exactly why he was worried.
Luo Shizhen hadn’t realized that the world of a Guardian was always filled with sacrifice and death.
Luo Shizhen asked curiously, “Teacher, why did you become a Guardian?”
Chen Hean adjusted his tone and said warmly, “Back then, I was young. When I heard the word ‘Guardian,’ I thought it sounded cool, so I joined.”
Luo Shizhen was surprised. It was hard for him to imagine that his teacherāwho was always smiling, steady, and gentleāwould join just because “Guardian” sounded cool.
“Then why did Teacher Sui join?”
Chen Hean paused. “Teacher Sui… I don’t know about that. Maybe you should ask him yourself.”
“However, I know why Chu Xiao was willing to join. Do you want to know?”
Luo Shizhen nodded repeatedly. “Why?”
“Back then, when Chu Xiao had just awakened, his power went out of control and froze half a lake. He couldn’t control the power of ice well, and that power would freeze his body from the inside out. Do you remember? Chu Xiao took a leave of absence from school. During that time, he was in recovery at Eternal Day, learning to control his ability.”
Luo Shizhen was shocked. “I remember. So Chu Xiao awakened that early? He never told me.”
It was because of that leave of absence that Chu Xiao had missed going to high school with him. However, they ended up in the same high school later because Luo Shizhen had repeated a grade.
“At that time, Chu Xiao’s situation was very bad. No one knew if he could survive. He didn’t tell you because he was afraid youād worry.”
Chen Hean recalled, “Back then, Teacher hadn’t transferred to this school yet. I was still teaching in Wangyun City. Because Chu Xiao’s body needed treatment, but Eternal Day was afraid of counterproductive results, Luoxia City ‘borrowed’ me. They wanted me to help ‘copy’ another Chu Xiao to avoid any mistakes.”
“It was there that Teacher first met Chu Xiao. He wasn’t conscious often, but every Saturday and Sunday, he would insist on not falling into a coma. Do you know why?”
Luo Shizhen tried to put himself in his shoes. “Was Chu Xiao afraid that he would fall behind in his studies if his leave was too long, so he worked hard to stay conscious and do exam papers?”
“Wrong guess. He fought for those ten or twenty minutes of consciousness just to give you a phone call.”
Luo Shizhen was beyond surprised. “For me?”
“Yes.” Chen Hean smiled. “At that time, I thought to myself that you must be a very good friend for Chu Xiao to insist on maintaining contact with you even in that state.”
“Back then, many people thought Chu Xiao wouldn’t make it. But every time after he finished calling you, his condition would improve. After he successfully made it through the critical period, his only requirement for joining the Guardians was the hope that you could be placed in a safe, secure rear area.”
Luo Shizhen was deeply moved.
“Chu Xiao… Chu Xiao is too good to me!”
He had previously thought that after the two of them graduated, their contact would gradually fade.
He really felt sorry toward Chu Xiao.
“Yes. So, you aren’t as stupid as you think. Actually, many people like you, but perhaps you just haven’t noticed it yet.”
Luo Shizhen nodded vigorously. “Thank you, Teacher! Teacher, I understand now! Iām going to go thank Chu Xiao right away!!”
On the other end, Chen Hean slowly put down his phone and looked up at the sky.
The Principal leaned over. “Teacher Chen, was that a call from Shizhen? That child is really likable. In all my years of teaching, itās my first time meeting one so obedient. Why are you encouraging him not to be a Guardian?”
Chen Hean said helplessly, “Principal, why are you eavesdropping on my calls?”
“I didn’t do it on purpose. My ears are just too good.”
The Principal patted Chen Heanās shoulder. “Teacher Chen, why are you out on a mission today? Are you in a bad mood? Didn’t we say? Leave the ‘kill-kill-kill’ stuff to the other teachers.”
An exhausted Teacher Zhang slowly lifted his head from his desk. A book fell from his head, and he looked over with dead fish eyes:
“Principal, aren’t you being too biased?”
Principal: “Whoa! Since when were you crouching there? Don’t scare people!”
Teacher Zhang: “Thanks. Iāve been here all along. I just got woken up by you two. Principal, you really are too biased. Iāve been killing Anomalies for a whole day and night, and you haven’t said a single word of comfort.”
“Well, Teacher Chen is good-looking. Fine, fine, Iāll comfort you. Come on, Iāll make you a cup of coffee. After you wake up, go back to killing Anomalies…”
“Huh??!”
The Principal didn’t hide his favoritism at all. While holding Teacher Zhang down, he turned to Chen Hean and said:
“If youāre worried about that batch of students, then go take a look. Itās not that far anyway. Leave after youāve seen them.”
The Principal adjusted his hat and shouted a hot-blooded slogan: “Life! Leave no regrets!”
Chen Hean put away his phone. “Forget it. Iāll go kill that batch in the East District with Teacher Zhang. If I see the student, Iām afraid I won’t want to leave.”
Teacher Zhang, having been forced to drink a large cup of coffee, stood up with a long sigh. He really couldn’t understand.
“Youāll be back in a few days. Whatās there to be reluctant about? Teacher Chen, you just spoil your students too much. Don’t worry, those brats are probably having the time of their lives out there right now.”
Even though there was a very obedient student like Luo Shizhen in that batch, who was sensible and well-behaved…
Still, Teacher Zhang preferred his vacation.
Even if a vacation meant killing Anomalies, it was better than teaching a bunch of middle schoolers.
So, he really didn’t understand Chen Hean.
But he quickly found a reason for Chen Hean.
His brain must have developed problems from working too much.
Chen Hean quickly put on his combat gloves, looked at himself in the mirror, and then closed it.
How could he not be worried?
A group of precocious people surrounding a late bloomerājust thinking about it was enough to make one deeply concerned.
While the teachers were “on vacation,” Luo Shizhen was politely knocking on Chu Xiao’s door.
Chu Xiao’s cold voice came from inside: “Who is it?”
Luo Shizhen: “Chu Xiao! Itās me! Do you have time?”
There was silence for a few seconds. When Chu Xiao’s voice sounded again, the coldness was gone.
“One second. Wait for me.”
Half a minute later, he opened the door. His hair was still a bit damp, his pajamas were buttoned up strictly, and his lips were slightly pursed on his jade-white face.
He looked… somewhat nervous?
Luo Shizhen had almost never seen Chu Xiao nervous, so he wasn’t entirely sure.
Chu Xiao asked, “Today… were you scared?”
Luo Shizhen: “Ah? Scared of what?”
“Wu Sen and Qin Cheng. I heard they confessed to each other in front of you.”
Only then did Luo Shizhen remember that incident. He scratched his head awkwardly.
“Actually, I wasn’t really scared. I just couldn’t figure it out at first. But Iām fine now. Everyone has their own choices; that was their choice, and we should bless them.”
Chu Xiao was stunned. “I didn’t expect you to think that way…”
He had thought that with Luo Shizhenās stubbornness, he would feel like the world was collapsing and wouldn’t be able to accept it.
Luo Shizhen chuckled. “At first, I couldn’t figure it out, but I called Teacher and he said a lot, so I understood.”
“I now feel that I don’t necessarily have to go on blind dates, get married, and have children. When we have a holiday, Iām going to visit Grandmaās grave and tell her about this.”
Chu Xiao suddenly looked at him.
“You… really think so?”
He suddenly realized something and nervously pursed his lips. His long fingers gripped the doorframe so hard they almost turned white.
“Itās so late. Did you come to see me for something?”
Known facts: Luo Shizhen saw a same-sex confession during the day.
Then, he locked himself in his room all day without communicating with anyone.
Now, late at night, he suddenly came to find him.
It was hard for Chu Xiao not to think in a certain direction.
Luo Shizhenās eyes were still gentle as he looked at Chu Xiao.
“Teacher told me that you joined the Guardians to secure a spot for me in a safe area.”
“I’m sorry. When you asked me to live with you before, I even rejected you. You must have felt really bad then, right?”
Chu Xiao shook his head. “No. I did it because I wanted to. Do you… have anything else to say to me?”
“I do.”
Luo Shizhen nodded. Just as he was about to speak, his ears suddenly twitched. “Whatās that sound?”
His five senses were now very sharp, already in the range of a Grade 3 Awakener.
Following the sound, Luo Shizhen looked at Chu Xiao’s chest.
As the sound grew louder, he reached out and gently pressed his hand against it.
“Itās your heartbeat. Itās so fast.”
Luo Shizhen frowned in concern. “Are you sick? Your heart is beating so fast.”
At such a close distance, if an Awakener used their hearing carefully, it sounded almost like a drum.
Chu Xiao grabbed the hand pressed against his chest and looked at Luo Shizhen intently.
“Iām fine. Tell me first what you wanted to say to me.”
Luo Shizhen gave an embarrassed smile. “Itās just that I used to think we couldn’t always be together because you are so smart and Iām so stupid.”
“But now things seem different. Teacher said life should involve making one’s own choices. I thought about it for a long time. I never seemed to have made a choice about our relationship before, and I even thought we would go our separate ways in the future. But now, I know that you are very good to me too, so I want to ask you something.”
His heart beat even faster, as if it were about to jump out.
Luo Shizhen asked somewhat tentatively:
“Chu Xiao, can we be best friends forever?”
“The kind where we still are even when weāre old. I haven’t figured it out yet, so I might not get married. But you might get married in the future. When that happens, can I be the godfather to your child… eh?”
Luo Shizhen strangely pressed Chu Xiao’s chest lightly.
“It seems… itās not beating that fast anymore.”
He was very happy for Chu Xiao and looked at him with a smile:
“Great! It seems you really aren’t sick.”
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