Chapter 138
202 A Touch of Warmth in My Heart (4K)
Shi Lei had no idea when Texas celebrated its birthday, so he typed a message asking:
"What's her birthday?"
Exusiai not only talkative in real life, but also extremely talkative online:
"June 1st is two weeks away. Let's discuss what gift we should give her."
Shi Lei really had no experience in gift-giving, so he could only tentatively offer suggestions:
"How about buying designer bags and lipsticks?"
"Come on, how can Texas be compared to ordinary women? When have you ever seen her wear lipstick or carry an expensive bag? She doesn't even like those things."
Shi Lei was truly out of options and could offer no further advice.
"What birthday gift did you give Texas last year? We can increase the budget this year."
Luxury stores in Lungmen's Upper City often accept mailed bills. This would allow me to bypass Texas and pay with company funds, potentially increasing my budget.
If I ask Texas for money to buy her a birthday present, there won't be any surprises once she finds out.
"I didn't give her one last year because we didn't know when Texas's birthday was. We only found out after her birthday when Is mentioned it. I Croissant Isu that I had to make it up to her this year. But I haven't decided what gift to give her yet."
At this moment, Croissant suddenly interjected. It's a bit unclear whether it's...
Intentional or unintentional:
"Shi Lei, you usually get along quite well with Texas, do you know what she likes?:)"
Shi Lei pondered for a moment, but still had no clue. Texas usually had an icy, aloof demeanor and rarely showed any strong emotions towards people or things.
Lappland is one, but that's not what I like.
"I really don't know. How about we find out privately what Texas likes? Once we figure that out, we can pool our money to buy her a gift."
Last year, Croissant bought Exusiai a motorcycle as a birthday present because she knew she liked it.
But Texas's usual Qingxin demeanor doesn't reveal any particular preferences.
"She seems to really like chocolate bars, how about we send her a truckload?" (Expression: mischievous grin)
Before Croissant answer, Shi Lei preemptively rejected the idea:
"Texas eats chocolate bars, isn't it to quit smoking? Who gives snacks as birthday gifts? Chocolate bars are just an extra treat at best."
"Yes, I also think it's inappropriate."
"Hehe, just kidding. So, what else do you think Texas likes?"
Shi Lei has given up anyway; he genuinely doesn't know:
"There are still two weeks left. Use this time to find out what Texas likes. We can talk more once we've decided, okay?"
"Sure, but while you can inquire, make sure she doesn't notice, or there won't be any surprises."
He felt that the matter of giving gifts was a bit like trying to have your cake and eat it too.
If you buy a gift without asking Texas first, it might not suit her taste, and you'll end up disappointed instead.
If you try to inquire about Texas's preferences, she will most likely find out, which would be a relief.
Shi Lei chatted in the group for a while, but still couldn't come up with any ideas. He turned off his phone early and went to sleep.
Maintaining the [Immortal Body Mode] for a cumulative 24 hours will grant you one year of cultivation. Alternatively, by exploiting a bug and only changing your eyes to Golden Dragon Eyes, you can still enjoy the full 24-hour cultivation gain of one year.
No matter how useful cultivation is, it's always good to start accumulating more now.
May 16th, 8:00 AM
Influenced by Lisa's good sleep schedule, Shi Lei did not stay up late yesterday and woke up very early the next day.
After washing up, he realized he still had plenty of time before work. So he took Lisa for a stroll around the city to experience the lively atmosphere of Lungmen in the morning.
Cars came and went in a constant stream, and the cyclists looked a little tired.
They are like small cogs in this city, playing their respective roles.
The morning air was fresh, and we headed to the company at 8:20. Shi Lei took Lisa to the Safe House, where they satisfied their hunger. Afterwards, they went to the top floor to clock in and begin their first day back at work.
Unlike other companies where you have to get a pep talk, attend meetings, and shout embarrassing slogans every morning, Shi Lei's job can be described as completely leisurely.
The flexible work hours are one of the reasons he likes Penguin Logistics. As long as there aren't any large orders, he can stay at the company or go out for a stroll without any problem.
Croissant the regular orders very clearly. Plus, Shi Lei isn't short of money now and can afford to take out advance payments, so he hasn't done regular orders in a long time either.
Good morning.
"Morning."
Shi Lei turned on the computer and let Lisa browse the internet to pass the time. He then picked two dried chrysanthemums and a few goji berries, poured them into a thermos to make a health-preserving tea.
Then I sat down next to Lisa and browsed some professional books on my phone. If I came across one that interested me...
Bookmark this page for future reference.
Medical books, for example, are highly specialized. Beginners should start with the basics, just like building a wall—you need to lay a solid foundation first.
Shi Lei plans to take some time later to go to the bookstore. He doesn't buy books one by one anymore; he buys many at once. Payment isn't a problem. He can either mail the bill to the company or have Texas pay it for him.
At 10 a. m., the Emperor arrived at the company. Arriving late or leaving early was the boss's privilege.
Seeing the fluffy fox tail from afar, it knew Lisa was at her workstation and came over to greet her.
"Hey, good morning. Are you coming to hear me play? I'll let you try the new coffee."
Lisa calls everyone "brother" or "sister," rarely "uncle" or "aunt," highlighting her sweet talk.
"Brother Emperor, if I drink coffee, I won't be able to sleep tonight. Can I not go?"
Her soft tone and adorable appearance made it impossible for anyone to refuse.
The boss didn't insist, saying he'd recently bought some Higashi snacks online and asked Lisa to come to the studio later.
After saying that, it went back to its office.
The Messenger sat in the office area until noon, clocked out on time, and went out for lunch. After finishing their work, they even went back to the company for a nap.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Shi Lei walked to the library. Showing the webpage tags he'd saved that morning, he ordered nearly 100 books in one go. Besides basic medical books, there were also some children's books.
Show the book to Lisa now, and after she's taken away by her father, the book can be given to the Mudrock's Squad, so as not to waste the resources.
Shi Lei has been prioritizing his studies in medicine recently. As for other specialties, he'll consider them after he has a good grasp of this.
There is a saying
Okay, haste makes waste. There's plenty of time in the future, don't rush things.
Take it slow, don't rush.
Whether in the world before or after the time travel, knowledge is as boundless as a vast ocean.
There's no end to learning. Even if you spend your whole life learning, you won't even get a tiny fraction of all knowledge.
But one should never stop learning. Follow your own learning pace and gradually enrich your knowledge in various areas. Just cultivate reading as a hobby.
Shi Lei had assumed that this uneventful period would continue until next month. At least during this time, he didn't expect any big orders to come his way.
But the more you try to avoid something, the more likely it is to happen to you.
He received the notification at just 2 p. m.
According to the message from Isu, Miss Beatrix issued a commission specifically for him and Texas, requesting them to go to the Lower City to help Chen resolve various troubles encountered by the Lungmen Guard Department branch.
There is no time limit for Suiya's requests; the job is considered complete as long as the problem is solved. If it's past 5 PM, you can arrange to work overtime as you see fit.
Seeing that Shi Lei and Texas got up shortly after their phones rang, Exusiai knew that a request had been made.
"It's too dangerous for you two to go out and carry out the mission. Why don't you leave Lisa here and let me look after her?"
Shi Lei glanced at Exusiai and felt that this reason was completely untenable.
With me here, who in Lungmen dares to touch her?
"Danger?"
"Forehead..."
Exusiai realized something was wrong and was speechless for a moment.
Shi Lei roughly understood what the other party was thinking, but he wouldn't help make the decision.
Whether she stays or leaves depends on her own wishes.
"Lisa, we have to go out to work and we probably won't be home until very late. Do you want to go with Exusiai, or come with us?"
Lisa looked at both sides, and after a moment's thought, bowed to Exusiai in apology, saying:
"Sister Exusiai, I'm sorry. I know you're very kind to me, but Brother Shi is Lisa's guardian. Can I come play with you again tomorrow?"
Exusiai had already guessed this outcome, but Lisa's tone instantly lifted her spirits:
"It's okay, we can play again when we have time. You guys go ahead, see you tomorrow."
Without further ado, Shi Lei took Lisa and Texas down the elevator and drove to the Lower City.
May 16, 2:43 pm
Lungmen, Slums.
The newly opened Lungmen Guard Department branch in the Lower City is located in the heart of the District 24. To celebrate, red banners were displayed, creating a festive atmosphere.
In reality, apart from a few members of the Lungmen Guard Department keeping things quiet, the place was quite deserted.
The residents of the Slums were generally used to the rules set by the lawless zone itself. The sudden arrival of the Lungmen Guard Department made them feel very uncomfortable.
Most of them would hide in the shadows and spy, or stay far away to avoid being implicated.
Chen squatted on the curb, feeling disappointed by the deserted state of the Lungmen Guard Department branch.
When she joined the Special Inspectorate, she made a bold statement to Governor Wei Yenwu, saying she would defend the city and make Lungmen spotless. She vowed that the kidnapping of Talulah years ago would never happen again.
Chen is dedicated to making Lungmen a better place, and has even prepared to treat everyone equally. Regardless of whether someone is infected or not, they are all a member of Lungmen.
She can assure you that the incident involving infected individuals from Lungmen who were deported but mistaken for members of the Rhodes Island will not happen again.
But ideals are often grand, while reality is often harsh.
When Chen extended enough goodwill to the Slums, no one gave her a positive response.
"Cheung Fun Lung!"
Lost in thought, Chen was awakened by a familiar shout. She looked up and saw Beatrix Suiya, dressed in the Lungmen Guard Department uniform, walking towards her.
"Tsk tsk tsk, how strange. I never expected that a dignified Superintendent Chen would be hiding in a place like this to slack off?"
Chen frowned slightly and asked:
"Swire, you should be on standby outside the Slums right now. Why are you abandoning your post?"
"I know, things are almost ready over there, that's why I came to find you."
Chen does not believe this is a reasonable explanation:
"You don't need to come over. The Walkie-Talkie signal can cover the entire District 24."
"But can't I see you looking dejected in person?"
"Swire, what do you mean?"
Beatrix shrugged, completely unfazed:
"Stop pretending, Chen. Don't think I don't know, the Infected Residency Act is your biggest concern this year. Jiu resigned because of this, and the bill still hasn't been passed."
Even if I don't say it, you should understand. The "Infected Residency Act" benefits those infected, but it doesn't benefit the high-ranking officials in Lungmen at all.
If the bill passes, it will inevitably attract infected people from other areas. This will pose a huge threat to Lungmen city's security. You should know this better than I do."
Chen was already aware of these issues. But her unwavering belief never wavered: