Prodigal System in the Flourishing City-Chapter 1296 - 1297: Going Home

The next day, Lu Xiaobu left the base that left him feeling tedious.

With him also left the data boy, Xiao Zhi.

If Xiao Ya’s condition can still be considered an illness, Xiao Zhi’s really isn’t.

He’s simply observing this world from another perspective.

However, this angle is so real, so naked, that it cannot be accepted by this world full of vanity.

Sure enough, just as they left the base, Xiao Zhi’s face instantly donned a smile.

He felt the sunlight, felt the wind, muttering constantly about the sunlight’s temperature, the apparent temperature, the wind’s direction, the wind’s speed.

He seemed very strange, after all, people have heard of using poetry to marvel at the beauty of the world, but not using data!

To give a simple example, a poet seeing Mount Everest would say, "Majestically high, the pillar of heaven!"

Doesn’t it sound so high, so vivid?

When it comes to Xiao Zhi, upon seeing it, he’d say, "Elevation 8848, north slope 5800-6200 meters, south slope 5500-6100 meters, there are 548 continental glaciers distributed between ridges and cliffs, total area 1457.07 km², average thickness 7260 meters!"

Sure, it’s quite real, but do you feel anything when you see it?

Do you instead think Xiao Zhi is just showing off, flaunting his intelligence?

This is Xiao Zhi’s fundamental problem!

He cannot be tolerated by this world!

"Anywhere you’d like to go?" Lu Xiaobu looked at Xiao Zhi and asked.

"I..." Xiao Zhi opened his mouth, trying to say something.

But in the end, nothing came out!

Where to go?

He wants to go everywhere, but also nowhere!

After feeling a joy akin to showers after a long drought, he once again sank into loneliness.

He looked at the grey, dim world, at the hurried yet oblivious pedestrians, feeling a deep, intrinsic sense of alienation!

He felt as though he’s not part of this world!

"Don’t know? Then let’s just head home," Lu Xiaobu said, stretching lazily.

Apply remedies accordingly.

Xiao Ya could be pushed, but for Xiao Zhi, it had to be gradual.

...

"I’m back."

Lu Xiaobu shouted as he stood at the entrance.

Zhang Meng: "Welcome back, Young Master."

Liang Lan: "Young Master, are you tired? Want to rest first?"

Su Luoxue: "Boss, I’ll brew some tea right away."

Little Pepper: "Haha! Finally, you’re back!"

Wu Qianmin: "Hmph, thought you wouldn’t return."

Black Rose: "Did you miss me? I’m so lonely!"

Lu’s father: "Glad you’re back. We only knew you were taken by the military, but didn’t know where exactly."

Lu Hongbin: "Lu Xiaobu, your second brother said that the Wang Family agreed, they’re already preparing for the wedding! Wait till your second brother comes back, let him tell you himself."

Lin Shu: "Lu Xiaobu, have you eaten? Sister-in-law will cook for you!"

Little Girl: "Brother! Hug! Pepper sister-in-law, move aside, I want a hug too! Humph!"

Li Xide: "Young Master, um... haha!"

Lu Xiaobu cheerfully nodded, put down Little Pepper, hugged the proud little girl, then turned to Li Xide: "What have you been busy with? Haven’t seen you for a while."

"I founded a research institute," Li Xide scratched his head and said: "I’ve been inside all the time."

At first, Li Xide was the founder of the Absolute Shadow phone, managing the company with Lu Wenhuo.

Eventually, he began to realize that this life wasn’t really something he was good at, nor what he wanted, so he applied to establish a research institute.

After that, he just dove into it, hasn’t come out for a long time.

The news about Lu Xiaobu’s secret research institute probably had something to do with Li Xide’s institute.

Of course, Lu Xiaobu didn’t know about it, since it wasn’t a big deal, just left it be.

Xiao Zhi watched all of this, wearing an expression of envy.

Not envy for the affection, but for the authenticity!

They’re all smiling genuinely, unlike the people outside whose smiles contain over seventy percent falsehood!

"Hey, who is this?" Liang Lan now noticed Xiao Zhi standing beside them.

Earlier their eyes were all on Lu Xiaobu, they didn’t notice Xiao Zhi.

"Oh, his name is Xiao Zhi, I brought him back," Lu Xiaobu didn’t explain much, since Xiao Zhi’s identity was covered by a confidentiality agreement.

"Alright."

They all nodded, not asking further.

They understood, since Lu Xiaobu wasn’t telling, it wasn’t necessary for them to know.

"Brother, how old are you?" The little girl hopped over to Xiao Zhi, tilted her head and asked.

"I’m eighteen years and three hundred sixty-four days old," Xiao Zhi saw the cute little girl, his face instantly turned red, but he returned to answer her question.

"Three hundred sixty-four days?" The little girl was slightly puzzled by this response.

Then she shook her head, calculated clearly: "That means tomorrow’s your birthday?"

"Yes." Xiao Zhi nodded.

"Tomorrow’s your birthday, why not mention it earlier?" Lu Xiaobu chuckled.

Xiao Zhi: "No big deal."

For him, birthday or not, it’s all the same.

Though he had celebrated birthdays in the base every year, he could tell it was just everyone taking this chance to relax, didn’t have much to do with him.

Compared to that, being able to come out today, see such genuine smiles, he truly felt happy!

Liang Lan: "Let’s go, welcome Young Master back, and celebrate this little guy’s birthday along the way."

"Let’s go, let’s go."

Everyone instantly became lively, cheerfully heading outside.

"Let’s go." The little girl, who was very unused to the situation, grabbed Xiao Zhi’s hand and ran outside.

Finally having someone close to her age, hehe!

Xiao Zhi was pulled by the little girl, his face turned red, instinctively withdrew his hand: "I’ll follow."

"Tch!" The little girl rolled her eyes: "More shy than a girl."

Those around seeing the scene let out a laugh.

They all understood that Xiao Zhi should have some social anxiety.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be that nearly nineteen years old, pulled by a little girl seven or eight years younger would still shy away.

Moreover, his previous statement about being three hundred sixty-four days also drew attention.

After all, it’s not how people generally speak.

They smiled and walked out together, thinking about it.

Social anxiety is just social anxiety, they didn’t care about it.

But soon, they realized one thing.

That Xiao Zhi’s issue wasn’t really with social anxiety, but with pure alienation, even to the point of being despairingly out of place!

Honestly, not even mentioning others, but even Li Xide, who has some social anxiety, felt overwhelmed!

A god!