It was the Mid-Autumn Festival again, a wonderful time for friends and family to connect via projection calls, sitting in their respective projection rooms, taking out fruits, and enjoying a virtual tea session.
Comrade Lu Jiande's fourth cousin, who worked at the Lunar Base, also joined the call, and his arrival was met with a chorus of ambiguous cheers from the elders.
Lu Tingchu's cousin, a good-natured middle-aged man, smiled; among his unremarkable features, only the short stubble on his chin was particularly noticeable. He wore thick, blue-tinted engineering glasses, which made his gaze appear unfocused and dull, giving the younger children an eerie, non-human impression, and thus he wasn't very popular with the younger generation.
Lu Tingchu's cousin greeted everyone in the projection room, "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, may the whole family be reunited." He spoke some dry pleasantries, but his tone was very sincere.
The eldest uncle, with his shiny scalp, called out to his fourth brother; they both shared a father, Lu Tingchu. However, it was clear that the fourth brother was their father's favorite, to the point that the eldest brother, with his thinning hair, always spoke weakly in front of him.
"You're here? How are you doing over there?" The eldest brother managed to squeeze out a local accent.
"I'm doing well. Every day is Mid-Autumn Festival on the moon." The fourth brother pushed up his glasses and said something not very humorous, yet it made everyone laugh. Simon didn't want to stay in the projection room; he wanted to go to the balcony to watch fireworks, but that would be too impolite.
The fourth cousin had the highest education, so out of his duty as an elder, he had to inquire about the younger generation's studies.
This was truly a chaotic moment. Simon's cousins, both male and female, all looked a bit unnatural. Some were more nervous than flustered; they would rub their hands, staring at their cousin without blinking, like dogs waiting for food. Others were extremely flustered, looking as if they had lost a parent, which was disheartening to see. As for little children like Simon, they could secretly rejoice, as they hadn't officially started school yet.
"Lu Puyang."
Simon's second cousin, the eldest uncle's youngest son, dutifully responded with an "Eh." He was the oldest among the younger generation of students; those older than him were already working, and those younger hadn't taken the college entrance exam yet. As a graduate student, he was the first in line, dying for a good cause.
"How many papers have you published this year?"
"Three. My advisor's requirements are strict."
"Oh, that's a bit few. I'll talk to your advisor."
"Sh-... Thank you, Fourth Uncle."
The younger ones' expressions were strange, wanting to laugh but not daring to, holding it in with great effort.
The fourth cousin's lips twitched slightly. He forgot to mention that the reason his nephews and nieces disliked him also had a lot to do with his sharp tongue, which, combined with his cold, vacant, unfocused stare, could scare people into plasmolysis.
Presumably, hidden behind his high-tech glasses, he must have been thinking sardonically: This little brat's combat power is only five.
"Zhang Xichen."
Oh, it was Simon's second uncle's daughter, a high school senior. It seemed this year they were going in order of age.
"Here!" Cousin Xichen jumped up with a start, her exaggerated reaction drawing a burst of laughter. She blushed and sat back down, trembling like a winnowing machine under her mother's stern gaze.
"How many points do you think you'll get on the college entrance exam?"
Here it comes, everyone thought to themselves, what a classic ultimate move against high school students!
"Fi—"
"Hmm?"
"Fi-er—uh, six, six, six hundred, hundred, I guess."
"You need to work harder."
"Oh." Cousin Xichen successfully retreated into herself.
Simon watched with great interest as each brave warrior went to their doom. The further back in line they were, the more pained their expressions became. From Cao Cao's army burned at Red Cliffs to the Allied forces mowed down by machine guns during the Normandy landings, it was almost a simple, effortless process: stand up, face your death, sit down, retreat into yourself.
"Simon."
"Huh?" Xiao Lu was bewildered.
His older brothers and sisters laughed unkindly. Just now, he was the one laughing the loudest; truly, what goes around comes around.
His cousin's gaze, as he turned his head, traced a cold trajectory through the air. The little ones he passed shivered, until it reached Simon, who was resolute, resilient, brave, and unyielding. When their eyes met, his small face was utterly composed.
Good heavens, this human infant's combat power was actually five hundred. His cousin's face hardened, and Simon's face hardened too. Everyone felt an invisible current swirling in the projection room.
Cousin Puyang was stunned. His three-year and two-hundred-sixty-four-month-old young mind roared, "Ah, their artistic style is above ours! This is incredible! Oh my God, is this the world of the strong? It scares me so much that I almost overturned the tomato and cheese spaghetti in my hand onto the cold pine floor, and the rich sauce splashed onto my boots! And why am I saying such chuunibyou lines, hey!"
Cousin Xichen covered her eyes, "This light! Ah, it's so dazzling! Such power from just a clash of auras! The masters of comedy are truly terrifying!"
"Uh, ah…"
"AW SL…"
The rest of his siblings also enthusiastically joined in the dramatic performance.
Old Mr. Lu Tingchu tapped the table and coughed, "What's with all these strange antics? Sit properly."
The younger ones stopped their strange poses, sat up straight, and stared at Simon in unison. Although their faces were expressionless, their eyes were full of glee.
Simon: ← _ ←
"You started school this year, didn't you?" A five.
"Yup." A seven.
That was the scattered cards time.
"You can't relax in kindergarten either. Are you studying English?" Three with one.
"Of course!" I also have three with one.
"How long do you study each day?" A pair of tens.
"Twelve hours." A pair of twos.
"Won't that be too tiring?" Can't beat it.
"Not at all." A straight.
Simon looked at the cards in his hand, then at his opponent, and shouted in his heart: "Seventeen cards, can you beat me? I'll eat the projector right here and now!"
"Then study two more hours." A bomb.
"Huh?" Can't beat it.
"When you're young, you should study more. No need to watch games or cartoons. Even surfing the internet is learning. That way, you can study thirteen or fourteen hours a day, sleep early and wake early, how good is that?" A plane.
Simon, deceased.
...
At 7:30 PM, Simon was ordered to go back to his room and sleep. Xiao Lu, crestfallen, burrowed under his covers, then pulled out his phone and happily started playing.
Adult conversations are so annoying!
It's much more fun to send emails to friends.
Su Xiangli sent a selfie, a resin pendant hanging from her fair neck. Simon frowned; it really looked better as a desk ornament.
Qiu Qiongzh sent a message saying the pony was very pretty. Simon: That's a deer.
Zhang Yingxuan: This thing is so much fun:-) Simon: Glad you like it (kids are so easy to please).
The bedroom door was suddenly knocked. Simon hid his phone under his pillow, pulled up the blanket, and pretended to be asleep.
Sun Hui walked in and turned on the light. The bright light filtered through Simon's eyelids, a faint red.
His mother sat on the edge of the bed, gently tracing Simon's little face with her finger, "Are you asleep?"
"Mm." Simon answered subconsciously.
"Pfft, hahahaha!" Sun Hui bent over laughing, her broad, pale forehead resting against Simon's. His mother's breath was warm, reminding Simon of the gentle breeze that blew past his ears at noon in Zhongshan Park.
"You don't have to listen to your uncle, you know. He's different from us. You're trying hard enough. Hmm? Did you hear me?"
"No—I heard you!" Simon's cheeks tickled from the warm breath from Sun Hui's mouth, and he chuckled, wiggling his body and shaking his head from side to side.
"Whoop-dee-doo..." Sun Hui tickled her son's armpit, making playful noises, which made Simon's eyes widen in alarm. He huffily burrowed himself under the covers.
"Come out now. Mama won't tickle you anymore."
"I don't believe you—"
"Haha, Kang Kang, go to sleep early. Mama's leaving. What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?"
"Preserved egg porridge."
"Alright."
His mother left, and the motion-sensor light automatically turned off.
The bright moonlight from outside, mixed with the dazzling glow of city fireworks, streamed in through the window, obliquely illuminating a corner of the small bed.
Simon poked his head out from under the covers.
He heard...
The whistling of the sky rail trains shuttling through the clouds.
Just like the ephemeral creatures in a dream.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"