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墨書 Inktalez
"Answer me seriously one last time, do you really like Snow?"
When the Blue Old Man asked this question, Wei Yuan was a bit surprised.
It's not just women who have their reservations; men do too. Life isn't a soap opera where people casually throw around phrases like "I love you." For a moment, Wei Yuan felt quite awkward!
Of course, he liked Lan Xue, and it wasn't just a fleeting feeling; to be precise, it had been nine hundred and forty-eight days. It was easy to calculate since his attention had been captured by Lan Xue since the beginning of their first year in high school.
However, at that time, their circumstances were too different. If it weren't for the confidence given to Wei Yuan by his Ability, perhaps he would never have had any intersection with Lan Xue in his life!
But now Wei Yuan felt it necessary to let the old man know. Seeing him so serious and solemn, Wei Yuan knew that what he was about to say was very important. At that moment, Wei Yuan nodded firmly and added, "I like her very much!"
Who would have thought that Wei Yuan wouldn't receive the serious talk he expected from the old man? Instead, the old man burst into laughter, holding his belly and patting Wei Yuan on the shoulder, saying, "You really have no shame! Back in our day, we wouldn't dare to be as bold as you young people now!"
The sudden shift in expression from the Blue Old Man left Wei Yuan feeling as if he had been punched in the head; his previously tense demeanor relaxed instantly, but his mood felt somewhat deflated.
He had thought the old man was going to discuss his relationship with Lan Xue seriously, but now he had suddenly changed his attitude!
At this moment, the Blue Old Man walked over to the desk, sat on it, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from a drawer. He offered one to Wei Yuan and then lit one for himself.
Wei Yuan glanced at it and noticed that he had never seen this brand of cigarettes before; it seemed like they were not available on the market either. There were only six cigarettes in the pack, which intrigued Wei Yuan. After lighting it up, he let the sharpness of the smoke linger in his lungs but nearly coughed; indeed, this was strong tobacco meant for seasoned smokers!
The old man stood up again and took out a few books from the desk. He said to Wei Yuan, "I noticed you've been staring at my bookshelf since you came in. Are you interested?"
So Wei Yuan shared his thoughts with the old man. Hearing that Wei Yuan was eager to learn about business made the elderly man very pleased. He selected a few books and tossed them onto the table.
Wei Yuan noticed that the top book in the stack was a finance-related book; it seemed to be Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations." This book was quite profound; even an average person would find it confusing!
"These are all my treasured collections. While books can teach you things, doing business is far more complicated than you might think. You must understand your own advantages, national policies, and every move your competitors make if you want to remain undefeated."
If anyone else heard this statement, who would dare say that this old man had mental issues?
At this moment, as they chatted while puffing smoke, the old man was quite satisfied with Wei Yuan. However, he still maintained some of his former authority when dealing with subordinates. Nevertheless, Wei Yuan humbly accepted it.
Suddenly, the two heard a knock on the door. It was likely Lan Xue who had come to knock. Just as Wei Yuan was about to go open the door, the old man quickly whispered to him, "Don't open the door yet."
"Grandpa, are you hiding in the study again smoking?" came Lan Xue's voice from outside.
Upon hearing this, the old man hurriedly snatched the cigarette from Wei Yuan's mouth, extinguished his own cigarette, and tossed it into the ashtray. He then carefully placed the ashtray inside the drawer of the table.
To be safe, the old man took out a key and locked the drawer, then grabbed an air freshener and sprayed it around the room.
It was just a matter of smoking a cigarette, but the old man's behavior reminded Wei Yuan of how drug dealers with contraband would act when encountering customs—wasn't this a bit over the top?
Finally, after confirming everything was safe, the old man signaled to Wei Yuan, who then slowly opened the front door. Lan Xue stood there in a purple pajama set; as she entered, her delicate nose twitched as if trying to catch a whiff of any lingering cigarette smell in the air.
"Grandpa, why did it take so long to open the door?" Lan Xue asked him.
The old man smiled awkwardly and replied, "I was discussing your matters with your husband."
A shy smile appeared on Lan Xue's face. Freshly out of the shower, her body carried a hint of body wash fragrance that captivated Wei Yuan. The steam from the bathroom made Lan Xue's face look even more delicate and rosy.
"Grandpa must have been secretly smoking again, right?"
"That's not true! You can ask Wei Yuan!"
The old man shot a grateful look at Wei Yuan, who immediately said, "Really not."
Lan Xue walked over and leaned on Wei Yuan's shoulder, sniffing his clothes and saying, "There’s definitely a smell of smoke."
Feeling pressured, Wei Yuan replied, "I occasionally smoke myself!"
The old man quickly conveyed a thank-you signal with his eyes and gave a thumbs-up to praise Wei Yuan.
"You need to keep an eye on Grandpa; his health isn't good and he shouldn't be smoking. Also, you shouldn't smoke so often yourself," Lan Xue said, her face turning red by the end of her sentence.
"Wei Yuan, let's talk about something else," the old man said awkwardly.
"By the way, Grandpa, what did you call Wei Yuan to the study for?" Lan Xue asked curiously.
The Blue Old Man chuckled mischievously and said, "I have a little something I need his help with. Sorry to interrupt your mischief, but I must declare that you two can't do bad things at home. My heart isn't in great shape!"
Hearing this, Lan Xue's face grew increasingly shy. Wei Yuan knew that the old man was trying to drive Lan Xue away so he could smoke freely.
However, he forgot that Wei Yuan was still there. Since Lan Xue's grandfather had health issues and the doctor advised against smoking, Wei Yuan naturally wouldn't let him smoke either. But unlike Lan Xue, who could assertively take on the responsibility of stopping the old man, Wei Yuan had to let Lan Xue stay.
So following the old man's lead, Wei Yuan changed the subject: "What do you need my help with, Grandpa Lan?"
Wei Yuan was also a bit puzzled. Logically, the old man had plenty of money; if he wanted to do something and couldn't find anyone, aside from looking for his granddaughter's husband, there shouldn't be anything he needed help with.
Who would have thought that the old man had no such intention? He slowly walked over to the desk, took out a key from a hidden compartment, then opened the largest drawer and pulled out what looked like a postal album, placing it on the table. He then gestured for Wei Yuan to come closer.
The old man said, "I heard you helped Xue fix an Amulet; its effect is just like new. This postal album contains my collection, but it's been a long time and has some issues. Can you take a look and see if it can be salvaged?"
[These two chapters serve as a reflection and learning experience for the protagonist, laying the groundwork for his future achievements. The author does not wish to write about an ordinary person gaining Ability and suddenly becoming an Iron Buddha with extraordinary wisdom; that would be illogical since the protagonist's journey in the city is very important.]
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