Communication

The sign for Dad's General Store was clearly visible beside the cobblestone path.

Jenny Black stepped down from the carriage and stared at the shop, dazed for a moment.

For a while, she did not know how to face him.

After struggling for a moment, she still walked into the store.

The interior was extremely cramped, with the counter and merchandise taking up more than half the space, leaving room for only a few customers at most.

A layer of dust covered the glass display case. Behind the counter, the middle-aged shopkeeper had his head propped up, looking as though he were about to fall asleep. No wonder the store was not doing much business.

Knock, knock.

Jenny tapped on the counter. When she saw the shopkeeper raise his head, his temples slightly graying, her voice suddenly caught in her throat. "Teacher..."

"It's Jenny. You're here."

Sulu yawned.

"Why did you suddenly disappear back then..." Jenny finally asked the question that had been buried in her heart for years.

"Ah... It was one morning. The sun was shining brightly, and through the window, I saw a little bird fly over the treetops. Then a thought suddenly came to me—there was such a big world out there, so why not go see it?"

Sulu smiled. "So I left."

"I thought..." Jenny did not know whether she should be angry or relieved. In any case, the emotions she had painstakingly worked up earlier were gone. "Why didn't you at least tell me?"

"You know what illegal Transcendents like us are like. It's best to change identities every so often to avoid being tracked by the authorities..."

Sulu offered an explanation.

"No matter what, seeing that you're safe puts my mind at ease, Teacher."

Jenny pushed both hands toward the air. The shop