Chapter 96
"No."
An Yu's reply was as simple and direct as ever. Besides, you're not even second best, and the two of them aren't even close in reality. An Yu was too lazy to consider the other person's feelings and just let it go.
Given Himeko's personality, she might just drug him; she's not some naive little girl.
If it weren't for the forced binding this time, which piqued his curiosity, he would have been prepared to develop on his own this time. (4.2$⊥)
Himeko clenched her teeth even tighter, and a slight metallic taste slowly filled her mouth.
"If I were better than her, would you leave her?" she almost shouted.
"Won't."
An Yu walked out the door and continued her work.
"What if I didn't have her?"
Without saying a word, Himeko knew perfectly well that she would be abandoned, and that was all.
High-pressure parenting is not suitable for raising children.
[But Himeko wasn't a delicate flower that needed careful nurturing; she was a weed that tenaciously grew in the cracks of rocks, and she truly survived.]
[She became increasingly intelligent, her thoughts sharp and incisive, even managing to join the ranks of those who clashed with teachers or upperclassmen in class.]
[Her talent was developed ahead of her time, and she became more and more hardworking and outstanding.]
[It wasn't until she became number one, and was called 'the future,' that she finally raised her head.]
An Yu wasn't at the easel; instead, he sat by the window, a rare sight for him. His posture was relaxed, his chin resting lightly on the violin, his fingers caressing the strings in an unorthodox manner, yet the notes were exceptionally beautiful.
This was the first time Himeko had heard of it, and this time she stood at the door for even longer.
Are you planning to change careers?
After An Yu stopped, she asked softly.
"Well, my drawing skills are good enough for now; there's no need for further study."
An Yu stopped playing the violin and then ruthlessly threw it into the nearby trash heap.
He had to admit he was sentimental; otherwise, he wouldn't be playing the violin here, something that could potentially get him into trouble.
"Why throw it away, ji≮"♀￣∠@3 bell￣¨ｽsOSo: It sounds good."
Himeko was searching for language, but the gifted youth program didn't teach language aesthetics; it was all about endless calculations and logic.
An Yu glanced at her. It was undeniably beautiful; it was the level he had achieved after two years of serious study in college, occasional practice after graduation, and a lifetime of playing the sixth level.
He could even arrogantly say that Planck was nothing special.
The question remained unanswered. Himeko gritted her teeth again. Here we go again. Her completely indifferent attitude made it seem as if the two were merely business partners.
"An Yu! Don't you get tired of always having a long face?"
Perhaps because she had been praised too much at school, she walked up to An Yu and tilted her head back.
"On the contrary, without all that trouble, things are much easier."
An Yu pondered the people she had met over the past few years, and the people she would meet next. Her skills in establishing connections had allowed her to infiltrate certain circles, and then... she could truly come into contact with the truth of this world.
Would you be this indifferent to the first place?
"Won't."
An Yu's answer was simple and direct.
Although it sounds heartless, it's better than having a whole bunch of troubles in reality. An Yu is already very fortunate that Wendy, Anna, and Black Seele haven't caused any trouble so far.
"I'm number one now..." she emphasized.
"Congratulations."
Those two light, airy words once again choked the girl who had been suppressing her personality for a long time due to her struggle for survival, and who had been very talkative.
[Himeko didn't lose heart; in fact, to others, her smile seemed even more warm and infectious, though behind that smile, a coldness that felt unfamiliar to others would occasionally surface.]
[Compared to Himeko, who was still growing, An Yu's life went much more smoothly. Painting... well, let's call it art, gave him a stepping stone, allowing him to get involved in an archaeological project, successfully meet other people, and he began to specialize in other areas.]
[It should have been a smooth journey, until one day an unknown professor found An Yu.]
[Your sister may be experiencing excessive psychological stress. Parents are advised to pay attention and provide appropriate support.]
[An Yu:...?]
Himeko's first time going out with An Yu was at a hospital, a place filled with paleness and coldness.
It was obvious that neither of them was in a very high mood since it was their first time out together.
Himeko gripped An Yu's hand tightly, very firmly.
"I'm not sick."
"Go check."
The conversation was as simple and direct as ever. An Yu didn't plan to go to the hospital every few days, because she didn't want to be called back by a phone call when she went out for archaeological work.
Er 9≌⊙>♀'∞♀: It seems that Jizi's becoming the future of China has not brought him any benefits. The current return on investment is too low.
"Mr. An Yu, after examination, your sister is in excellent physical health and has no psychological problems whatsoever," the doctor replied with a smile.
Himeko tilted her head back, her smile bright.
After receiving the answer, An Yu thanked the doctor briefly and then went home.
"We finally got out today, how about we go for a walk?" Himeko caught up with him, naturally wrapping her arms around his, her smile bright and dazzling in the sunlight.
An Yu nodded. It seemed that the tension that Himeko had been under so much pressure had eased up a bit because of this victory.
When An Yu got home that evening, she handed her the report.
Go tell your teacher you're not sick.
"Also, I don't mind if you lie, but if you're sick, go get treatment."
An Yu didn't understand psychology before, and she didn't plan to study it in reality, because the effort and the benefits were completely disproportionate.
But we must learn here; there are not many opportunities for error, and reality is not as easy as it is in the real world.
Himeko's smile froze, but she still didn't back down. "The doctor said I'm very healthy."
"You can fool others, but don't fool yourself too."
An Yu hung her coat aside, and as usual, her life was simple and efficient.
She lowered her head sadly and said, "I thought this would make you happy."
It's like saying, "No, if there's a problem, get it treated. Don't let it fester and cause yourself unnecessary suffering."
So what if there's torment in this alternate reality? There's not that much urgency to begin with. The overall tone of the world is gentle, An Yu is too lazy to get involved. Everyone's happy, and it's good to be a little silly sometimes.
Lu: "Will we still go out and play together?"
Himeko cautiously probed.
Ling An Yu without hesitation, "No."
Then, it was time for today's tutoring session. Himeko was doing very well in her studies, but An Yu wasn't stupid either, especially now that there were no more trivial matters in her life.
"What if it were the first place winner instead?"
Himeko didn't move. She stood there, her body trembling slightly. The expression she had been trying so hard to maintain gradually crumbled, even becoming somewhat ferocious.
Volume 1: Chapter 142, Section 141: A Beauty Adds Fragrance
[An Yu didn't answer, but Himeko read it aloud.]
[His answer was clear: yes, but saying it would completely enrage her, so An Yu didn't answer.]
[By not answering, she would only suppress her anger and resentment.]
[Meanwhile, the tutoring session ended.]
[Himeko has already caught up; there's no need to waste An Yu's time.]
[She desperately wanted to say that she was a genius, the future, and hope, but An Yu seemed completely indifferent to her achievements.]
[His indifference remained unchanged, even though I was the only one who had been by his side day and night for the past few years!]
[That same year, An Yu, by chance and by accident, during an archaeological expedition, luckily found that opportunity.]
[He officially came into contact with the archaeological organization before they had been promoted to the Fire Moth.]
[At the same time, he came to know the person he was most concerned about at this stage: Mobius.]
[In the same year, Himeko graduated at the young age of 15.]
The house was as deserted as ever. It seemed like there was no difference between An Yu being alive and being dead, Himeko thought fiercely, a rare occurrence for her.
After thinking it over, she sat down next to him again, trying to break the suffocating silence.
"You're home so early today?"
"I've graduated." She tried to make her voice sound calm, "My teacher recommended that I continue my studies so I can directly intern in a cutting-edge field of science and technology."
"A very good choice."
An Yu's response was nonchalant; his attention was entirely focused on the documents he was organizing.
Those are all of Mobius's works to date, ranging from quantum entanglement to genetic engineering, from theological texts to consciousness studies, vast in scope yet subtly pointing to a certain core.
A Scholar studies are diverse, but whose goals are always clear.
"What are your thoughts?" Himeko asked softly. "Do you want me to go?"
An Yu looked up and gazed at her quietly. "Do what you want to do."
What wonderful, tolerant, and enlightened parents! Himeko clenched her fingers so tightly they dug into her flesh.
The fire within me burned relentlessly, scorching and burning, filled with anger and resentment.
"I'm saying... An Yu."
Himeko pressed down on the document and looked directly into An Yu's eyes.
"When are you finally going to actually look at me?"
In her orange eyes, the emotions that had been suppressed for so long finally began to burst forth, almost breaking through her reason, but An Yu still didn't give much of a reaction.
"Do what you like. I have no interest in what you're curious about, and you don't need to live for me."
Once you've reached a certain academic level, the choices you make afterward are often completely different. People talk about applying knowledge to different areas, but once you truly understand, you'll find that the differences between the two paths are exceptionally obvious.
Anpi°"Qi∩△∧San≥¤Si∝2Ti″Shuqun: Yu continued to ponder Mobius's research. After tearing off the fig leaf of quantum entanglement, the other party clearly had no intention of going deeper, so this aspect could be ruled out for now.
Genetic programming, consciousness and soul.
"Does she want to change humanity? Or become a god?"
An Yu guessed, while also preparing a topic of conversation for tomorrow.
"Oh, by the way, you're 15 this year, so let's say 16 in the traditional Chinese age reckoning. This house is yours; you don't need to worry about the transfer."
An Yu seemed to suddenly remember something trivial, and said in a light tone, "Consider it your early coming-of-age ceremony."
He was well-adapted to the rules of Divine Land, so he knew how to quickly infiltrate other circles, but now he had already used the springboard.
A metallic sweetness surged into her throat. Himeko clenched her teeth, making a grinding sound, and her palms were pierced by her fingernails, from which bright red blood seeped out.
"I want to follow you."
She spoke slowly and deliberately, almost spitting the words out between her teeth. She couldn't understand why An Yu's eyes never reflected her.
He saved her, pulled her back from the brink of hell, provided her with food, clothing, and shelter, and taught her life lessons. But why is there always such indifference in An Yu's eyes?
"No need." An Yu refused decisively. "I said a long time ago that we don't need to waste each other's time."
The room suddenly heated up, and the blood that had been squeezed from Himeko's palm evaporated again.
However, she was still outmatched, perhaps due to her age or simply the difference in their knowledge. An Yu was not afraid of her flames.
Ultimately, Himeko followed An Yu.
[She's about to explode! Then Flame will be the First Herrscher, which isn't good news.]
[Himeko didn't go to other continents. To others, she joined this ancient archaeological organization for her dream. Even the professors in the gifted youth program could only sigh and wish Himeko a safe journey.]
[This organization has a long history, and its members come from all over the world. They are individuals from all walks of life who believe in Prophecy, enjoy exploring the world, are full of dreams for the future, or simply have a sense of justice.]