Yama Reborn-Chapter 394 - 391 [Is This the Work of a Human?]

Chapter 391: Is This Something a Human Would Do?

"Hey, just open the door!"

Fox watched with cold eyes, arms folded.

Seed spread his hands. "I clearly told you to bring the key."

"No way, you always carry the keys," Fox said discontentedly. "Without the key, does that mean you can’t open the door?"

"I’ve been learning many of your human habits lately," Seed sighed. "Only thieves resort to unorthodox methods to open doors. And even then, a thief would only use such methods to open someone else’s door. Even a thief uses keys to open their own home’s door."

Fox rolled her eyes—She thought this Seed was getting weirder by the day. Maybe... she should talk to her mother, and then take him to see a child psychologist?

"Move aside, I’ll do it."

Fox unhappily shouldered Seed aside and reached for the doorknob.

"No."

Seed gently lifted his hand, pressing down on Fox’s wrist. Looking at the little girl’s annoyed face, he actually smiled. "Wait a bit. Your mother will be off work and back soon."

"...Huh?"

Fox was stunned. "We can both open the door easily, so why wait?"

"Because that’s what a normal human would do."

Seed actually reached out and patted Fox’s head, speaking softly, "You’re still young. If, at such a young age, you develop the habit of solving everything with your abilities... letting this way of thinking become deeply ingrained... you might experience great pain in the future."

With that, Seed pulled Fox, and they sat down on the steps in front of the door.

The two children sat side by side. Seeing Fox’s unconvinced expression, Seed smiled and fumbled in his pocket for a long time, finally pulling out a lollipop.

"Grape-flavored. Here you go."

"Do you take me for a child? A lollipop? I’m already twelve years old, okay! Boys at school have even confessed to me!"

"Want it or not? If not, forget it..."

"...I want it!"

Under the setting sun, the two children sat just like that, Fox holding the lollipop but looking dissatisfied.

Seed gazed into the distance, muttering as if to himself.

"You... you have to remember, things like doors are best opened with keys... Opening doors through abnormal means will, more or less, leave hidden dangers for the future."

"...Seed, I think when we went out today, we forgot to feed that pig you’re raising..."

"Oh, let it go hungry."

"...How about we kill it and eat the meat? You said there’s an Eastern dish called roast suckling pig..."

"...Ask it. If it’s willing, I have no problem."

"How is that possible?!" Fox complained.

"Right, tell me about that boy from school who confessed to you."

"Hmph."

"Not telling? Is it a girl then? If it’s a girl, that’s even more interesting. Go on, tell me."

"It’s a boy!!!" Fox rolled her eyes but scooted her bottom closer to Seed and began to whisper.

"It’s that Rodriguez brat, the one who’s always kicking a soccer ball. He’s always bragging to me about how he’s going to be a professional player, go to Europe to play soccer when he grows up, make big money, and all that... So annoying! Who would be interested in him!"

"...Playing soccer is pretty good. Why don’t you like him?"

"He’s ugly."

"Oh... so what kind do you like?"

"Ermm... like Leonardo DiCaprio!"

「Three days later.」

The plane landed at Shanghai City Pudong International Airport.

Chen Nuo and Teacher Jiang, along with Yu Naitang, bringing Lu Xixi and the little daughter, a group of five, arrived in the country.

The plane was a private jet Yu Naitang had rented.

It had to be said... this young woman was the wealthiest among them.

The Star Sky Empress’s savings accumulated over many years had actually been entrusted to this disciple for management.

After the plane arrived in Shanghai City, Teacher Jiang immediately left alone. He needed to find Song Qiaoyun.

Chen Nuo and the others, however, boarded a minivan that Yu Naitang had arranged in advance, traveling from Shanghai City to Jinling.

Sun Keke had encountered a bit of a problem, nothing too major.

After all, with her looks as the school belle of No. 8 Middle School, it was inevitable that she would attract quite a few suitors upon entering university.

Since the beginning of military training, Sun Keke had already turned down many.

The methods boys used to pursue girls in this era were much more "plain" compared to the myriad of approaches a decade later.

It was usually just awkwardly striking up a conversation during breaks in military training. Or perhaps asking an acquaintance to pass a message through her dorm mates, to see if they could get her phone number or QQ number. Otherwise, it was the bolder ones who would bring over a bottle of water during a training break.

At the end of military training, during the farewell party for the instructors, Sun Keke and a few other girls were conscripted by their counselor to perform a short program. It was nothing more than singing and dancing.

After that, Sun Keke’s admirers increased even more.

As was customary, the school was to hold a welcoming party for new students. Sun Keke firmly declined the invitation to perform on stage. My singing is just average, and I’m even worse at dancing. What’s the point of performing?

During the farewell party after military training, I only managed to copy the other students and go through the motions. This was thanks to the significant improvement in my physical fitness and flexibility over the past year. I don’t plan on pursuing a career in the arts in the future, so why bother learning to sing and dance?

Holding a book titled "Educational Psychology," Sun Keke sat on her dorm bed, flipping through it.

"By the way, Keke, are you signing up for the CET-4 English exam this semester?" a dorm mate asked.

"Yes, I’ve already signed up," Sun Keke replied casually.

The CET-4 exam was a must-pass—it was a mandatory requirement for undergraduate graduation in those days.

But what many freshmen didn’t understand was that for CET-4, the sooner, the better!

To put it bluntly, the freshman year, right after entering university, was when most university students were at their peak in terms of foundational knowledge. Having just gone through the hellish training of the third year of senior high, their knowledge reserves, learning rhythm, learning ability, and learning efficiency were almost at the pinnacle of their lives. Taking CET-4 at this time was actually easier. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

If they didn’t take it then... after idling for a year or two in their freshman or sophomore years, taking it later would be much harder.

Sun Keke didn’t understand these things, but Old Sun was an expert in education and naturally guided his daughter.

Actually, Sun Keke was feeling a bit restless.

Chen Nuo had been gone for several days. He had informed her in advance this time and occasionally contacted her by phone while he was away. Still, Keke couldn’t help but feel restless, as if... something might happen.

Just yesterday, she had spoken to Chen Nuo on the phone. He said he might be back in a day or two. But Sun Keke felt that Chen Nuo’s tone on the phone was a bit strange. They barely exchanged a few words before he hurriedly hung up.

Hmph, so secretive!

Actually, Sun Keke could roughly guess that he had gone abroad... possibly to find Lu Xixi!

Even though Chen Nuo hadn’t said it explicitly, Sun Keke could guess. After all, when Sun Keke had proactively told Chen Nuo about Lu Xixi visiting her, she had already anticipated that something like this might happen.

Sun Keke herself hadn’t quite figured out her own feelings. But Keke had experienced the ordeal of Chen Nuo being "dead for a year" and had met Lu Xixi that one time. Because of this, she knew all too well what kind of life she had lived this past year—her heart ashen, as if dead. That kind of bone-deep sorrow, that deadness of heart.

When she saw Lu Xixi that day, just one glance was enough for Sun Keke to understand one thing: that woman felt exactly the same as she did.

Strangely, it was as if from that day on, Sun Keke no longer harbored any hatred for Lu Xixi. He was dead. They were both in the same boat, sharing the same grief, the same despair, the same sorrow. What hatred could there be left?

There was even a stranger feeling, faintly. At that moment, Keke even thought that in the whole world, only this woman could truly understand her heartache, pain, and discomfort. This kind of pain and suffering was useless to talk about with others; they couldn’t understand, wouldn’t understand, and would at most offer a few words of comfort. But really, they didn’t understand. Yet that woman, she definitely understood.

...

Just as she was thinking this, she glanced at the time; it was already evening. The dormitory door was pushed open, and the other girls returned, having finished their dinner.

Sun Keke was feeling a bit lazy today and didn’t want to go to the university cafeteria—actually, she was a bit annoyed. These past two days, whenever she went to the cafeteria, boys would always come up to chat, even wanting to sit with her.

When Keke was at No. 8 Middle School, although she was the school belle and attracted the attention of boys, her father was a school administrator, so most boys didn’t dare to make a move. Later, when she got together with Chen Nuo—everyone knew she was taken, and Chen Nuo was also a dominant figure at No. 8 Middle School. Other boys could only look and secretly fantasize.

But unexpectedly, once she entered university, the boys here were much bolder than those in high school. After all, the state of university students and high school students was worlds apart. Having been freed from the "tightening-fillet spell" of high school, entering university was like regaining freedom, letting oneself go. Coupled with the hormonal impulses of youth, the whole atmosphere was filled with an restless agitation.

Yesterday, when Sun Keke went to the cafeteria, she was stopped three times by boys pretending to have mistaken her for someone else, and twice by boys feigning to ask for directions. While she was eating, some boys even deliberately came over to strike up a conversation.

The most awkward incident involved a clueless guy. Without even having prepared a topic, he stood in front of Keke’s table, staring and stammering for a while before finally squeezing out a question. Pointing to a serving of braised tofu on Sun Keke’s tray, he asked, "Classmate, that dish of yours looks delicious. How much is it?"

"...Window three, one yuan fifty cents."

Sun Keke had replied coldly and then buried her head in her food.

Thankfully, he wasn’t foolish enough to ask what dish it was. If he didn’t even recognize tofu, he might as well go home, buy a block of tofu, and use it to knock himself out. But... it was just so awkward!

Sun Keke disliked the feeling of being whispered about by those around her, especially since the girls from her dormitory started treating her a bit strangely after yesterday’s canteen incident, with a mix of envy, jealousy, and sometimes laughing and teasing her openly or slyly.

So, School Belle Sun decided not to go to the canteen today!

"Here! I brought you dinner," the slightly chubby girl from her dorm handed over a plastic bag containing several plump steamed buns.

Sun Keke took it, then saw the chubby girl extend the hand she had been hiding behind her back, now holding two more bags. "Here, these are for you too."

"?" Sun Keke frowned.

"Vegetable chow mein and salted duck."

Hmm, it wasn’t over.

There was also a paper bag containing...

"Wow, KFC!" a girl on another bed exclaimed, jumping up and rushing over to grab it. "Ooh, chicken wings, a burger."

Sun Keke looked at the chubby girl. "You bought these?"

"Where would I get that kind of spare cash?" the chubby girl chuckled, sitting down. "The chow mein and duck are from the class monitor. The KFC is from that senior in the student union from when we enrolled. They both specifically asked for you by name and insisted I give them to you personally."

Now, all the girls in the dorm gathered around.

The chow mein and salted duck were bought from the school cafeteria. The vegetable chow mein was five yuan fifty cents a serving—that was the price in 2002. The salted duck was a bit of a rip-off at five yuan for a small portion—when sold in the cafeteria, it was served on a small plate with only five or six slices of duck meat. Outside, at a braised meat shop, you could buy half a salted duck for fifteen yuan! Here, five yuan got you just those five or six slices.

"The class monitor is pretty quick, relentlessly pursuing. But a bit stingy, just ten yuan worth of stuff..." one girl said, somewhat dismissively.

"Yeah, I still say that senior from the student union is more generous. KFC, hahaha."

In 2002, KFC was still considered a high-end expense for students. A combo meal cost over twenty yuan.

Sun Keke didn’t take these items, only picking up the buns she had asked the chubby girl to buy for her.

"I ran into the class monitor at the cafeteria. He asked about you, and I said you weren’t feeling well and hadn’t come to eat. So he bought food and asked me to bring it back for you."

"What about the KFC?"

"That senior was waiting downstairs at the dorm. He saw me coming back and gave it to me," the chubby girl said with a smile.

Sun Keke frowned, thought for a moment, then looked at the other girls in the dorm. "He couldn’t have known I didn’t go to eat... Which one of you was the informant?"

The girls didn’t speak, but someone was clearly snickering.

Sun Keke looked at the chubby girl again.

"Senior He is downstairs. He asked if you’d be willing to come down for a moment; he has something to say to you," the chubby girl whispered with a smile.

Sun Keke hummed, thought for a bit, then turned to rummage through her bag.

"I’m not going down. Could you please do me a favor and go down to see him for me?"

"Huh?"

Two minutes later, downstairs from the girls’ dormitory building, a tall, bespectacled young man stood waiting by the roadside. He had a carefully crafted expression of reserved and gentle smile, his clothes were neat, and his hair was tidily trimmed—he looked like the kind of well-off young man from a good family.

Seeing the chubby girl emerge, this Senior He paused, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. But he still took a deep breath and walked over with a smile.

"Is Sun Keke not coming down?"

"Um, she said she’s tired." The chubby girl looked a bit embarrassed. "She asked me to thank you."

"...Uh, no need for thanks. I heard she wasn’t feeling well and skipped dinner, so I just bought something from the KFC at the school gate on my way." Senior He said, sneaking a glance up at the windows above... Unfortunately, the windows were closed; she wasn’t peeking out at him as he had hoped.

"Alright then, I’ll be going. Tell her to eat well." Senior He wanted to maintain his composure. Just as he was about to leave, the chubby girl called out to him.

"Um, wait a moment, Senior. She asked me to give this to you."

Saying that, the chubby girl handed an envelope to Senior He, then turned and ran off.

Senior He took the envelope, a warmth spreading in his chest. He quickly looked up at the window upstairs again, trying hard to suppress his emotions, not daring to show his elation. He coughed loudly before turning to leave.

He had only walked about ten meters when he couldn’t resist tearing open the envelope.

Then, his face fell.

It wasn’t the letter or love note he had imagined... there wasn’t even a slip of paper.

Hmm, two banknotes.

One twenty-yuan bill and one five-yuan bill.

Alright, the KFC meal set was twenty-four yuan and fifty cents. And he had even used a discount coupon... so it actually only cost him sixteen yuan and eighty cents. Good heavens, did I actually make eight yuan from this meal?

He clutched the banknotes, but his heart felt as if he had eaten bitter melon.

In the dormitory, the chubby girl entered to see the other girls already dividing the food—chicken wings, fries, and the burger were all being shared.

Sun Keke was nibbling on a bun to the side, a book still in her hand.

"Keke... he’s gone. I guess he’ll probably be too embarrassed to come tomorrow."

"Even if he comes again, I don’t have any money left," Sun Keke shook her head. "My family doesn’t give me much living allowance; I can’t afford to eat KFC every day."

Another girl, munching on a chicken wing, laughed. "Actually, I think Senior He is quite nice. He was so helpful when school started, very considerate."

"That’s not being considerate in general, that’s being considerate to Keke."

"But I heard his family is very well-off, and he’s already preparing for his postgraduate entrance exams as a junior. He’s quite good-looking too."

Sun Keke frowned, then put down her book and looked at the girls in the dorm. After thinking for a moment...

"I’m going to make things clear today, so you all don’t have to guess wildly in the future. Also... if any boys from school ask you about me again, please don’t try to help them out. I know you mean well, but it really causes trouble for me. Really."

After a pause, Sun Keke said very seriously, "I have a boyfriend!"

The girls exclaimed, "Really?!!"

"Really." Sun Keke nodded. "During military training, those big bags of things I brought back—food, drinks, supplies—were all from my boyfriend."

The girls immediately started to Bagua, bombarding Sun Keke with questions.

Sun Keke shook her head. "Actually, there’s not much to say. I’ve known him since I was little. We’ve been classmates since junior high, and we were in the same class in senior high. He’s my father’s star pupil.

"Our relationship is very good, and both our families’ parents have met.

"So... please, really don’t cause me any more trouble in the future. I’m begging you."

Once she said this, everyone was at a loss for words. Their relationship was strong, and even their parents had met... To continue playing matchmaker would truly be thoughtless and just cause trouble. That wouldn’t be kind; it would be purely idiotic.

Seeing that everyone still wanted to ask more—like, was he tall, handsome, which school he attended... Some were even bold enough to ask: How far have you two gone?

Sun Keke felt helpless. She simply stood up and packed her bag. "I’m going home tonight. I won’t be back."

After leaving the school, Sun Keke took two buses to the bus stop near No. 8 Middle School.

It wasn’t that she didn’t have money for a taxi... Although Old Sun was frugal, he actually gave his daughter a decent living allowance. But due to habits formed since childhood, Sun Keke wasn’t the type to spend money lavishly.

However, as she was going upstairs, she unexpectedly encountered someone.

"Teacher Jiang?"

Sun Keke was startled, then a surprised smile bloomed on her face. "You’re back?"

Old Jiang was taken aback and smiled awkwardly. "Keke, didn’t you go off to university?"

"School is boring, and I missed home, so I came back to see my parents," Sun Keke said with a smile, walking over. "I heard you took Mrs. Song Qiaoyun for medical treatment. Is she all better now that you’re back? Is she feeling better?"

"...Much better, much better." Old Jiang coughed. "I just brought her back. You see, we’ve been away for so many days, the house is cold and the stove hasn’t been lit. I was just going downstairs to buy some groceries."

Sun Keke immediately smiled warmly. "Buy groceries? Teacher Jiang, my family always eats late. They definitely haven’t started dinner yet. Don’t go out. Bring Mrs. Song, and come over to our place for a simple meal."

Sun Keke wasn’t just being polite; their relationship was genuinely that good.

Old Jiang and Old Sun taught at the same school. They had been colleagues for many years, had compatible personalities, and were good friends. Moreover, their families had lived upstairs and downstairs from each other for many years. Friends, colleagues, and neighbors, plus Sun Keke was a former student of Old Jiang. Their relationship was indeed as close as family.

If this were any other ordinary family with such a good relationship, if Old Jiang’s family had a son, he would surely have grown up with Sun Keke as childhood sweethearts, and they might have even had a childhood betrothal. What would that scoundrel Chen Nuo have to do with anything!

It was dinnertime, and if one family hadn’t prepared food, it was common to go to the other’s place for a meal.

On any other day, Old Jiang would have gone without a second thought, without any ceremony. Even Old Sun wouldn’t think much of it—no need to deliberately cook extra dishes; they’d eat whatever was available. Just two more people meant two more sets of bowls and chopsticks, no need for formalities, not treating them as guests.

But today...

How could Old Jiang possibly go?!!

He had to save face!!!!

It was only in the last couple of days that he found out. Me, Old Jiang! My apprentice! My student! He’s dating your daughter, and he’s been secretly hiding another wife on the side! They even have a child! And I’m supposed to go to your house, shamelessly freeloading a meal, pretending I don’t know about this? Is that even something a human being would do?!!!

Old Jiang felt a pang of guilt. He hurriedly waved his hands, repeatedly feigning other commitments, and hastily made his excuses.

Anxious to go downstairs, he had only taken a few steps when he turned back to look at the astonished Sun Keke.

"Um... Keke... you and Chen Nuo haven’t argued these past few days, have you?"

"Huh? No, we haven’t." Sun Keke was stunned.

"Ah, then, it’s nothing, nothing at all."

With that, Old Jiang scurried away.

Sun Keke stood rooted to the spot for a second, then suddenly, it hit her.

...Something’s not right! Teacher Jiang was away with Mrs. Song Qiaoyun for her medical treatment for a long time and just got back. How would he know that Chen Nuo, who was missing for a year, is back? Normally, even if he were asking out of concern, he should ask, "Any news about Chen Nuo?" or "Has Chen Nuo been found?" Right? From his tone, it sounded like he knew Chen Nuo was already home and even in contact with me? No!! I’ve even kept Chen Nuo’s return a secret from my own parents, Old Sun and Yang Xiaoyi!

Thinking this, Sun Keke suddenly decided not to go upstairs to her apartment.

She turned around and headed back downstairs!

Quickly exiting the building, she walked to the roadside outside the residential complex, hailed a taxi, and headed towards Chen Nuo’s house.

In the taxi, she sent a text message to Chen Nuo.

First, she typed: How does Teacher Jiang know you’re back?

After a thought, she deleted it, character by character.

She retyped: I ran into Teacher Jiang, he’s back home. How does he...

Thinking again, No, that’s not right. She deleted it again, character by character.

Suddenly, Sun Keke’s eyes lit up!

There’s something fishy here!

She typed a new message: Where are you?

Send!

Then, she typed another one: I ran into Teacher Jiang.

Send!