Chapter 212: A Visit Before Departure

Since he was leaving for the Main City the day after tomorrow Lu Xin did some thorough preparation.

He didn’t actually have much to pack.

He only had two sets of clothes for changing both washed clean but well-worn.

After packing his toiletries—one toothbrush half a tube of toothpaste a bar of soap and a towel—his bag only bulged slightly. It was simple enough to grab and go anytime.

As for the combat suit combat boots and other gear issued by the Special Cleaning Department they were stored in a dedicated flat case.

He wouldn’t need to ride the motorcycle over; Lu Xin planned to leave it at the Security Hall for someone to watch.

With that done the remaining tasks were relatively simple. First was requesting leave from the company.

He had asked Han Bing beforehand. She mentioned the meeting would last three days but to be safe he should prepare for seven.

Lu Xin understood what ‘to be safe’ meant. It was highly likely his Second Stage matter would be handled at the same time.

So he found Director Liu and reported his plans.

Director Liu’s reaction a look of pleasant surprise was something Lu Xin hadn’t expected at all.

Not only did he approve the leave he even specified it was paid leave!

The Director was truly a good person.

The second task was to visit the Red Moon Orphanage.

He hadn’t seen Teacher Xiao Lu since returning from outside the city last time.

Since he’d be in the Main City for about a week this time he naturally needed to inform Teacher Xiao Lu in case something urgent came up and she couldn’t reach him.

Riding his motorcycle he arrived near the orphanage close to the Security Hall and slowly headed upstairs.

At the third-floor landing he encountered the old man guard sitting on a small stool reading a newspaper.

The old man looked up from behind his paper glanced at Lu Xin nodded then returned to reading as if he hadn’t seen him. However his body subconsciously shifted slightly inward. Lu Xin noticed a small potted plant now placed by the wall behind him.

A single lonely little flower bloomed pitifully inside it.

“Huh?”

As Lu Xin climbed the stairs two children playing marbles on the landing looked up. Seeing Lu Xin mischievous grins immediately spread across their little faces. Before Lu Xin could say anything they zipped upstairs.

As they ran they shouted “Boyfriend’s here!” “Boyfriend’s here!”…

“Ah this…”

Lu Xin’s face flushed crimson. Noticing they had dropped a marble near his feet he picked it up and pocketed it.

He decided not to return it to them.

Amidst a crowd of curious little faces Lu Xin walked into Teacher Xiao Lu’s office.

It was his first time here but the children’s gazes had clearly pointed the way.

Teacher Xiao Lu was eating from a lunchbox. Seeing Lu Xin enter she put it down. Lu Xin stole a glance; inside was stewed winter melon and tofu mixed with a little rice exactly the same as what was in the basins of leftovers outside from the children’s meal.

However the children’s bowls still had visible bits of diced meat while Teacher Xiao Lu’s lunchbox contained only winter melon and tofu.

…

…

“Why did you come today? Don’t you have work?”

Teacher Xiao Lu smiled turning her wheelchair and casually grabbed a book to cover her lunchbox.

“I have a business trip tomorrow so I took the afternoon off today.”

Lu Xin explained with a smile glancing around the small office.

“Another business trip?”

Teacher Xiao Lu looked slightly surprised. “Where to?”

“It’s not really a business trip just a trip to the Main City for about a week.”

Lu Xin explained smiling “The Main City is very safe.”

“The Main City…”

He thought Teacher Xiao Lu would be relieved but unexpectedly upon hearing his words her expression didn’t brighten. She didn’t ask how he suddenly got the chance to enter the Main City either. Instead she fell silent seemingly lost in thought.

“There’s lots of stuff in the Main City. Need me to bring anything back?”

Lu Xin had to break the silence asking with a smile.

Teacher Xiao Lu shook her head slightly saying “No… Just come back quickly.”

Lu Xin nodded then found himself unsure of what else to say.

Usually he was rather quiet around Teacher Xiao Lu; she was the one who did most of the talking.

But this time Teacher Xiao Lu seemed preoccupied and spoke little making the atmosphere naturally quiet.

“Come out with me for a bit. There’s something I want to discuss with you.”

After a moment’s thought Lu Xin suddenly suggested this to Teacher Xiao Lu.

Teacher Xiao Lu abruptly looked up at Lu Xin then a smile spread across her face as she nodded “Okay.”

Lu Xin considered for a moment then pushed Teacher Xiao Lu into the hallway. Looking at the long flight of stairs he thought for a while then simply bent down and lifted her into his arms. Instantly a chorus of “Piggyback!” “Piggyback!” cries erupted behind him. Lu Xin’s face reddened but he held her steady. Teacher Xiao Lu blushing glared back over Lu Xin’s shoulder.

“Hush…”

The clamor immediately scattered diminishing significantly.

“Uncle Zhang if I’m back late make sure they do their self-study. Copy ‘Diary of a Madman’ three times. I’ll check when I get back.”

Passing the third floor Teacher Xiao Lu called out to the old man guard.

“Hehe okay. No need to rush back.”

The old man guard chuckled in agreement folded his newspaper and went upstairs to help her get the wheelchair.

Lu Xin went downstairs first carefully placing Teacher Xiao Lu on the back seat of his motorcycle. Just then the old man guard brought down her wheelchair. Lu Xin carefully folded it and hung it on the other side of his motorcycle.

A metal case usually hung in this spot something about robotic dogs or the like.

Since it wasn’t needed for now he detached it and asked the old man guard to watch it for him.

…

…

Slowly starting the engine Lu Xin drove Teacher Xiao Lu into the streets of Qinggang City.

Although Lu Xin was already driving very slowly Teacher Xiao Lu was still nervous clutching tightly onto the corner of his shirt.

They didn’t speak the entire way heading straight towards Qingyan Mountain on the east side of the Satellite City.

Once there Lu Xin found a place to park unfolded the wheelchair then lifted Teacher Xiao Lu and settled her into it.

Slowly pushing the wheelchair they walked along the small road here.

“Look how big the houses are here right?”

He chatted with a smile as they walked. “I’ve been inside one of them. Lots of rooms and the living room is spacious enough to be a classroom. Plus there’s a garden outside and a pond. We could dig up the garden plant some vegetables raise a few chickens…”

“And it’s quite far from the West City fewer people around. It’s… quieter.”

He actually wanted to say that in sparsely populated areas it’s safer if a large-scale mental pollution incident occurs. However considering that knowledge about mental pollution was still extremely limited he didn’t say it directly fearing he might scare Teacher Xiao Lu.

“Oh my you’re different now aren’t you? Already thinking about houses in the villa area?”

Teacher Xiao Lu’s mood had brightened considerably. She turned in her wheelchair and looked at Lu Xin with a smile.

“I’ve been working hard lately and saved up a bit of money…”

Lu Xin smiled somewhat sheepishly. “And I’ve already asked someone. The houses here seem to cost around five… five or six hundred thousand. It’s a bit expensive but I think our orphanage would definitely be better here.”

“Tch…”

Teacher Xiao Lu caught the hesitation in his voice. “Five or six hundred thousand? Do you take me for an idiot? The houses here…”

She thought seriously for a moment then said gravely “Are at least a million!”

“Yes yes probably around there…”

Lu Xin nodded with a smile. “Once I buy it you can move over!”

Teacher Xiao Lu didn’t answer. After a moment of silence she asked “Will you live here too then?”

Lu Xin didn’t know how to answer that question just continued pushing her slowly along.

Teacher Xiao Lu seemed to have thought of something. After a while she asked softly “Why are you so good to them now?”

Lu Xin thought slowly saying “Back then didn’t the Orphanage Director often tell us?”

“Even though we were young we represented hope.”

“As long as we held the expectation of civilization in our hearts we could definitely return to the kind of life he described where we could eat meat at every meal watch movies listen to music play games endlessly and not have so much homework…”

“It’s the same for those children now right?”

He spoke slowly “We have to be as good to them as the Director was to us back then.”

Teacher Xiao Lu listened to Lu Xin’s words and didn’t reply for a long time.

Lu Xin suddenly noticed her shoulders trembling slightly. Startled he quickly moved in front of her only to see tears streaming down her face. He immediately knelt down asking nervously “What’s wrong?”

Teacher Xiao Lu raised her sleeve wiped her tears and looked up into Lu Xin’s eyes. “Come closer.”

Lu Xin quickly moved nearer.

Teacher Xiao Lu looked at him intently her eyes red her expression somewhat stern. “Tell me what are you going to the Main City for?”

“It’s… just a meeting really.”

Lu Xin quickly explained “Nothing else. It’s very safe. I’ll be back in a week.”

Teacher Xiao Lu was silent for a moment before asking “Is that true?”

Lu Xin thought about the ‘Second Stage’ matter hesitated slightly but didn’t tell her. He still nodded.

“Actually I knew something like this would happen sooner or later.”

Teacher Xiao Lu didn’t say whether she believed him or not. After a while she said softly “Before one of your colleagues came looking for me. She seemed nice. I was originally very worried about what you were doing but that person made me feel that maybe they are…”

“Are different!”

“So I don’t want to stop you. It’s just…”

She suddenly looked up gripping Lu Xin’s hand tightly. “You must promise me one thing.”

Seeing her very serious even somewhat tense expression Lu Xin quickly nodded.

“Don’t carry all the pressure on your own shoulders.”

She said softly “Remember back in kindergarten? I was the one who grabbed a brick to help you fight. Do you still remember?”

Hearing this a smile couldn’t help but spread across Lu Xin’s face.

He vaguely remembered that the young Teacher Xiao Lu had been quite fierce. Children raised during the cataclysm were mostly like that.

“Also you never owe anyone anything understand?”

Teacher Xiao Lu’s voice gradually lowered as she spoke.

Her voice sounded slightly tense but she spoke very seriously her clear eyes looking firmly at Lu Xin’s face. “You don’t owe anyone anything. Including me. I’ve kept a careful account of all the money you’ve sent over the years…”

She repeated with determination “You haven’t done anything wrong.”

…

Perhaps Teacher Xiao Lu’s gaze was too intense causing Lu Xin to feel slightly dizzy.

He subconsciously looked up at the gray hazy sky. By now the shadow of the Red Moon was already visible in the southeastern sky.

“I don’t know what will happen to you in the future where you will go…”

A soft warm little hand clasped his. Teacher Xiao Lu’s voice became gentle.

She spoke right beside Lu Xin’s ear “But you must always always remember how to come back okay?”

“You can’t forget about us okay?”

…

Lu Xin’s dizziness intensified.

He didn’t quite understand why Teacher Xiao Lu was saying these things to him.

But just as the dizzy feeling was about to overwhelm him he suddenly felt a figure lean close. Then something soft with a hint of moisture touched his cheek before the figure quickly pulled back as if fleeing.

“Thump.”

Lu Xin’s heart suddenly leaped. He turned his head in surprise towards Teacher Xiao Lu his face gradually turning red.

Teacher Xiao Lu’s face was also red but she pretended to be nonchalant. “That was for the children. Don’t get any ideas.”

“I…”

Lu Xin opened his mouth wanting to say many things but what came out was “Can I kiss back?”

Teacher Xiao Lu’s face turned completely red. She forced a stern expression. “No.”

…

Lu Xin nodded regretfully. “Okay!”