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墨書 Inktalez
In 2058, at Q University in City B, it was deep autumn. Maple leaves danced down onto the quiet campus, and there were few people walking along the paths.
Class had been in session for over thirty minutes, and the students eagerly awaited the bell signaling the end of class. For Xu Yicheng's students, these thirty minutes felt like an eternity. Everyone said that Xu Yicheng was a brilliant talent, a rare asset to the country. However, not many students enjoyed his classes.
"Is this how you write this formula? Move your toes and think carefully!"
"Hey, how could you make such a mistake in this conversion? Did you even graduate from elementary school?"
Xu Yicheng was conducting a timed training session for his physics students. Every time he reviewed their assignments, he couldn't help but point out their mistakes and lament how poor they were. And once again, it had begun.
"Alright, half an hour is up; put down your pens." Xu Yicheng walked up to the podium and suddenly slammed a teaching ruler on the desk twice. "Are you even university students? Why do I see mistakes that only elementary school students would make every day? You are all supposed to be the best of the best; don't make me lose my temper over such childish errors!" He adjusted his glasses. "Now, let's go over the answers..."
At thirty-seven years old, Xu Yicheng was a physicist with considerable expertise in instrument invention and usage. Some referred to him as "China's Edison." He earned his national-level PhD in physics at the age of thirty, becoming the youngest national-level doctoral recipient in nearly twenty years. His abilities were evident.
Perhaps because of this, he found these top university students to be quite lacking.
After class, Xu Yicheng walked down the corridor with his materials in hand, contemplating how to further develop his new invention when his phone rang. However, with both hands occupied, he couldn't answer it. Reluctantly, he hurried to his office.
He had already guessed who it was. Xu Yicheng pulled out his phone and called back his girlfriend, Sister Hua.
"Hello, babe."
"Yicheng, do you have any plans for tonight?"
"Uh, I... do you want to go see a movie?"
"Yes! This is your promise to me from Valentine's Day; it's been almost two months now. Spend some time with me."
"Um... I'm sorry, babe. I have an academic seminar tonight; I might not be able to join you. How about another day? If it's really not possible, you can take your friends along."
There was silence on the other end for a long time. Xu Yicheng thought she had hung up until he checked and saw that they were still connected.
"Yicheng, this is my last serious warning to you; today is my final patience with you."
"No, I really don't have time today."
"Let's break up."
Xu Yicheng felt as if lightning had struck him in half. "No, why? You can't just act like this!"
"I'm not acting," Sister Hua said from the sofa. "Do you think you're doing well in this world of love?"
Xu Yicheng lowered his eyes sadly.
"Let me put it this way. Every time I invite you out, or it's my birthday or a holiday, you, as my boyfriend, have never, ever been the first to show up! The blessings you write for me—what else can you write besides 'Happy Birthday' or 'Happy Holidays'?"
Sister Hua stood up and walked toward the balcony, continuing, "Secondly, every time you come home to sleep, you always let me go to bed first while you stay in front of the computer all night. Do you think I can sleep with the sound of your typing?"
"This is my job! And you've never mentioned that you can't sleep," Xu Yicheng tried to defend himself, but his words sounded so weak.
"I haven't mentioned it because I understand you're busy with work. But shouldn't you also consider how much I've tolerated you? Shouldn't there be a limit?" Sister Hua began to make a phone call while packing her clothes into her suitcase.
"Thirdly, you... you've never taken the initiative to kiss or hug me. Every time we get intimate, it's so perfunctory. Do you think a man like you would be liked by many women? Maybe I'm asking too much from you, but I'm truly disappointed in you right now. I met someone yesterday... forget it, I'm leaving. Let's end this."
Xu Yicheng rushed out of the office and down the stairs, running into his car and speeding away. When he returned home, he saw Sister Hua cleaning out her closet; two suitcases were nearly full. Xu Yicheng approached her from behind and hugged her. "Don't go, okay? I promise I'll spend more time with you."
"You've said that so many times already," Sister Hua turned around and pushed him away. "I've made my decision; no one can convince me otherwise."
"Then go!" Xu Yicheng shouted, pointing at Sister Hua's departing figure. "I can't keep your heart! What do I have to deserve you?"
"Fine," Sister Hua replied as she turned around. "You're destined to be single for life." With that, she walked out the door.
Xu Yicheng felt a deep ache in his heart with nowhere to place it. To be honest, he had indeed prioritized his career over love—or rather, he hadn't really considered love at all. But he loved Sister Hua; that was true. He just didn't know how to express it properly. "Maybe spending more time with her would help," Xu Yicheng thought, but when would he find the time to do that?
He walked onto the balcony and saw Sister Hua loading two suitcases into a luxury car. As the car drove away, it severed Xu Yicheng's last connection to her.
"Alright, I can focus on work now," Xu Yicheng stretched and returned to his desk.
He opened his computer, and a message popped up immediately: "Teacher Xu, where have you gone? I can't find you, so I'm leaving a message here. Professor Wang Ting invites you to participate in the site exploration work near M Village starting next Wednesday. He hopes you'll join as the leader of the instrument control team for this activity. Are you available? If so, please reply here."
Feeling frustrated and wanting to clear his mind, Xu Yicheng quickly replied: "Sure, send me the time; I'll be there."
Underground in M Village's forest, several stone men gathered together speaking in the language of the Moon People as they waited for their leader Yuan Zun to bring back firewood. Autumn had arrived; it was somewhat damp and chilly underground. While they chatted, Yuan Zun returned with another stone man carrying firewood.
This other stone man was newly born sixty thousand years ago; he had four arms and was different from other gentle Stone Giants—he was more irritable and fierce because he often clashed with his companions; only Yuan Zun was willing to accept him.
Yuan Zun placed the firewood on a pile of logs, and soon their camp was illuminated brightly.
"It seems we've been spotted by humans again today; they're holding something up at us from afar, right, Mie Litter?" Yuan Zun patted this four-armed giant on the back. Mie Litter nodded while the other giants avoided looking at him.
"Don't be so gloomy; here, have some fish," Yuan Zun said as he grabbed several skewers of grilled fish and distributed them among everyone.
Mie Litter picked up a skewer of fish and examined it carefully for a long time before finally speaking: "Grandpa Yuan Zun, I don't want to eat fish anymore; I'm tired of it."
"What do you want to eat?" Yuan Zun asked him kindly.
"I want to eat human flesh."
Yuan Zun's expression immediately changed, and he admonished, "How can you say such a thing! Humans are our mother; they are sacred and inviolable. Do not entertain such thoughts again, understand?"
"Then if they are our mother, why do we have to hide from them?" Mie Litter replied, clearly displeased.
"Because this is their world! We are merely an accessory to this world. Recognize your place in it, child."
"Are we just supposed to watch our world shrink? I don't understand why we must tolerate the indulgence of humans! Even less do I understand why someone like you, who has lived for three million years, holds such decayed views!" Mie Litter shouted.
"Impudent! Is this how you speak to Grandpa Yuan Zun?!" a Stone Giant could no longer hold back and shouted angrily.
Mie Litter stood up and walked out of the camp.
"Grandpa Yuan Zun, even without him, Mie Litter wouldn't be here. Perhaps it is his fault. But I truly believe you have exiled the wrong person," said a Stone Man.
Yuan Zun took a deep breath, "Maybe so; I don't know what is right or wrong..." He looked towards the sky outside through the cracks in the stone.
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