Chapter 1

"Hey, you already have such good grades, why do you still cling to these thick books and study so hard? Do you even let us underachievers live!" The energetic young girl, dressed in a red knee-length skirt and a blue and white striped short-sleeved wool school uniform, complained to her childhood friend standing beside her.

"I didn't say I could understand them. I'm just putting on a show, you know. Young boys and girls always like to do and say things that make them stand out to attract the attention of their peers, the opposite sex, and friends. I'm just one of them!" The boy was dressed in the same school uniform, but his red skirt had been replaced with red trousers. The same outfit on him seemed less dazzling.

But if one had to give an evaluation, there was only one word: comfortable.

A clean and tidy look, no foundation, no extra adornments, just simple short hair. Each strand was smooth, black, and shiny, not touching his eyebrows or ears, and not violating any school rules. His skin was neither the healthy tan of someone often in the sun nor the sickly pale of someone who never goes out.

The boy wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, the straight, uncurved lenses indicating that they were just for show. Was he just stubbornly adding a cumbersome accessory to appear more scholarly to others, even though he wasn't nearsighted?

No, it was just to hide the piercing eyes behind the reflective lenses. Everything was for a life of ordinariness, not to stand out, not to be ostentatious.

"Hey, can you understand what Freud wrote in 'The Interpretation of Dreams'? All that stuff about dreams being the fulfillment of real desires, it's all just nonsense, right? Are you going to be a psychologist in the future?" The girl, unconcerned by the boy's explanation, reached for the thick book in his arms, completely disregarding any boundaries.

After all, they were close "family," like a sister and brother. They had been neighbors for over ten years. Who knows, they might become even closer in the future! No, they definitely would.

The girl didn't say any of this out loud, but her unguarded attitude was already captivating. Especially since she was a young, beautiful girl with short, stylish hair, sharp eyes, delicate features, and a strong, confident aura.

"Yeah, pretty much. My goal is to score 100 points higher than Akari's Eastern Magic Mechanized Comprehensive College and get in, then complete my bachelor's, scholar, and major certification in two years, and then become a renowned expert in neural networks across the continent."

"Um, I know you'll succeed, but can you say that with a bit more enthusiasm? It's such an extraordinary life goal..." The girl's black, short hair swayed with her complaints, like wind chimes, lightly dancing and occasionally revealing her pale earlobes.

After all, Xiao Yu had been a genius since childhood, and nothing had ever been too difficult for him. He just always acted so ordinary that people really thought he was just a small gear in a vast machine, destined to work diligently in his place. But a machine made of many parts, processed, and operated was not where he belonged. Like a gem, no matter how strong or excellent its material, it should be displayed in a glass case, with a thick layer of silk underneath, and illuminated by the lights to shine and reflect onto the retinas of those who gaze upon it with desire and greed.

"Hey, wasn't what I just said enthusiastic enough? That was a rare long speech for me." The boy scratched his head, looking bewildered. "Also, don't you think people are staring at us more and more?" He wiped his forehead, looking like a typical shy young boy.

"Ah! You almost got me killed, why didn't you say so earlier?" Seeing herself already pressed against Xiao Yu's chest, the girl quickly jumped away and lightly tapped his shoulder with her slender fingers, which had no real effect, like a newborn kitten playfully extending its "claws" at its owner.

It was a summer afternoon. The sun was no longer shining directly down, but rather casting warm, red rays. A slightly warm breeze blew through the streets, occasionally lifting a few leaves from the ground and tossing them into the air before letting them fall again.

Students and office workers on their way home from work were enjoying the rare, lazy, and comfortable time.

People who saw the two young teenagers, who were just beginning to experience the first stirrings of love, playing and joking together, watched with nostalgia and envy, not disturbing them with actual words. Who knew what the future held, whether they would stay together or part ways. Let this moment last a little longer.

"I had a dream again last night." Xiao Yu waited until the girl had calmed down before bringing up the topic.

"Oh? What kind of dream this time?" The confident girl asked nonchalantly.

Xiao Yu knew what she meant by "type." It wasn't the type of dream, the background of the dream, or even the type of career or life he had in the dream.

It was the type of women he encountered, met, or even had intimate contact with in the dream.

It was his own fault for being young and naive. Why did he tell her about it at the time? And why did he go into such detail? Now, thinking about it, he really wanted to die. Ah, ah, ah. So, the urge to scratch his head became even more frequent.

"Hey! No matter how much you scratch, you won't get any dandruff or hair to fall out. I know how good your hair quality is." The girl said impatiently, after all, she had personally tried to pull his hair out with force, but not a single strand had come loose.

"Yeah, nothing special, just a typical post-apocalyptic dream or something. No beautiful girls, really, absolutely no girls, I swear to the heavens." Xiao Yu held up his free hand, showing four fingers with the thumb tucked in, raising it high above his head.

Four, yes, four. If it was misunderstood, it certainly wasn't his fault. Xiao Yu thought to himself.