Chapter 70

Liu Shufen still had a discerning eye. No matter what, she insisted on not being sent home, but rather to the barbecue shop, where she encouraged her son to accompany the girl home and then pick her up.

When they got out of the car at the barbecue shop, she said with ulterior motives, "Chat more. If Xiaoming has something to do, I'll go back on my own."

Once the door was closed, Fang Lingying chuckled, "Xiaoming, your mom is really interesting, huh?"

Bak leaned back against the seat, not feeling embarrassed, "She loves her children. Even if she's just a car washer, she thinks she's the best."

Fang Lingying raised her eyebrows in agreement and drove towards the school, "You really have a lot of unique qualities."

Bak was modest, "Maybe it's because I've been abroad for a few years, my way of thinking is a bit different?"

Fang Lingying brought up the past, "I think it's because your brain is different after a long journey."

Bak didn't disagree, "There's a possibility. After all, when you have enough time to think, you become very clear about what you want."

The distance was short, and they were soon at the art college. The security guard didn't even try to stop the car. Fang Lingying held the steering wheel with both hands, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. The car slowed down as it entered the campus, and the bright headlights seemed unable to pierce the dark tree-lined avenue. "Do you really want a comfortable and warm home?"

Bak looked at the slowly passing shrubs, sculptures, and ghostly branches, "Yes, that's the ultimate goal. No matter what I did before, during my free time, I would always think about how to make the house look nice, how to make the rooms comfortable. After losing it once, I cherish these things even more. I used to think I was afraid to touch them."

Fang Lingying parked the car in front of the graduate dormitory, where there was more space. She intentionally or unintentionally slid the car under a tree, as if it could block some of the streetlights, making the car's interior darker. Turning her head to speak, she wasn't worried about being observed, "From the way you talk, you're not just a barbecue cook. Actually, you never thought of being a barbecue cook as your livelihood, right?"

Bak nodded, "When I first came back, I didn't know what to do. I just had to do something to avoid worrying my parents. That's all. Whether it's washing cars or even opening a car wash, it's all for that purpose. For me, what I do isn't important. I have confidence in making money to support my family. I'll find the right path eventually."

Fang Lingying moved her fingers, "Like this car and the new house? Don't tell me you won the lottery."

Bak laughed, "It's kind of like winning the lottery, but it's not illegal. The process wasn't great, but it's acceptable."

Fang Lingying didn't ask for details, "What's the source of your confidence? I'm already in a Ph.D. program, and I still can't say for sure that I can make money to reach my goals. This society is very realistic and cruel. Everything depends on connections and resources." Even in the ivory tower, Miss Fang understood these principles.

Bak's smile grew, but he didn't laugh, "This isn't cruel. I've experienced the most cruel and realistic things. Looking back, everything in front of me is nothing. I think what I rely on is this mindset. I don't think being extremely wealthy or famous is that impressive. No matter how rich you are, it's all external. When you die, you die. No matter how loud your reputation, it will fade. Even a quick death by a knife or a gun is better. I only focus on what I want now, achieving my goals, and living freely. That's enough."

If someone else heard this, they might find it a bit hard to understand this carefree attitude. But the forensic pathologist, who deals with murder cases and dismembered heads, felt a bit of resonance, "Yeah, when you die, you're just a pile of bones. Even Emperor Qin Shi Huang's grand mausoleum can only occupy 0.75 square meters."

Bak gave a thumbs up, "I want my family to be more comfortable. Having a car would be great. Living a bit better is enough. Is it really that hard? It doesn't have to be a certain amount in the bank. As long as the family is happy..."

This point resonated deeply with him. In Eastern European countries, even a middle school teacher might be happy to pool money with a few families to build a villa by the sea or in the countryside, and go on a leisurely vacation every year. During the vacation season, many European cities are empty as everyone enjoys life.

In the bustling domestic scene, the more successful people seem, the busier they are, with no leisure at all. Everyone is like a wound-up spring, busy with higher, faster, and stronger goals.

This is partly due to national welfare and social environment, but more so to mindset. After a few years of influence, Bak's mindset was indeed different. Of course, the lingering effects of the war zone made his psychological state more complex. Striving to return to a leisurely state is beneficial for mental and physical health.

Fang Lingying, who also strives to improve her mindset through self-driving tours, could accept this view, "Buying a house... isn't a simple matter. Many people spend their whole lives paying for a house. You make it sound easy. What kind of house?"

Bak thought for a moment and flipped through the photos on his old phone. At this moment, he was a bit relieved that he didn't have that high-end phone worth ten thousand yuan, or Old Yang might have noticed something.

The screen was small and the resolution low, but it still illuminated the girl's face a bit in the dark car. Fang Lingying focused on the phone, "Didn't you have a different one before? The number doesn't work?"

Bak simply said, "I dropped it. I only know a few people, so I remember their numbers: you, my parents, and Liu San'er."

Fang Lingying flipped through the photos. The light from the phone revealed a slight smile at the corner of her mouth, "The house is nice, you have some taste..." She closed the menu, noticing only a couple of numbers in the contacts, and smiled as she handed it back, "Xiaozhou has good taste too." She opened the driver's door and got out, "Drive carefully later, pay attention to safety."

Just as Bak got out of the car and moved to the driver's seat, Fang Lingying stood on the steps of the dormitory and turned back, "When your car wash opens, will my car be a VIP customer?"

Bak nodded matter-of-factly, "Of course! See you later..." He waved and drove off. For him, that bit of alcohol was nothing, especially since he didn't have a driver's license yet.

After picking up his mother, Liu Shufen was eager to probe about which girl her son was getting close to. Bak tried to persuade her, "I'm not being picky. I'm not thinking about this right now. You don't need to worry too much. Just live comfortably, okay?"

Liu Shufen was traditional, "Getting married and starting a family is a big deal in life. As a mother, I worry about this. Tell me, do you think Xiaozhou or Xiaofang is better?"

Bak patiently explained, "Mom, really, I don't want to think about this right now. Being friends is fine. Some things are about fate."

Liu Shufen huffed at her son. She had taken photos while taking care of Zhou Xiaoli and showed them to her husband, Bak Dacheng, with the nice phone Bak had given her.

"These are a bit dark, but look at her fair skin. She must be very tired, just like our Xiaoming."

Bak Dacheng pretended to be casual but was actually serious, "Yeah, don't worry about it."

Bak moved away, and Xiao Yi brought him a basin of foot-washing water and squatted beside him, "Tomorrow, can I and my sister go see the big sister?"

She rarely spoke like this, usually preferring to follow orders.

Bak tried to reason with her, "School is important. You should focus on your studies. At least learn to read, right?"

The older sister pouted, looking dissatisfied, but reached out to wash Bak's feet. Bak stopped her, and the more talkative younger sister brought a towel, "The people at school always look at us like we're curiosities. Even students from other schools come to see us. It's so annoying."

Bak agreed, "Twins are indeed rare. If I were in school, I'd probably go to see too."

Xiaozhao smiled, "Then why don't you come to school to see us?" In the dim light at the door, her sister's face looked more innocent and different from her sister's coolness.

Bak reflected, "Yeah, I'll try to pick you up and drop you off more often after this busy period."

The two sisters reluctantly agreed to continue going to the school they disliked.

The next day, Bak didn't ask his mother to go to the hospital. He brought a thermos of soup to visit. Out of respect and duty, he should have gone earlier. If he had acted more decisively, things might not have been so serious.

Zhou Xiaoli looked much better. Her limbs were fine, and she was sitting on the bed. Two police officers were handing over some items and signing documents.

Bak caught a glimpse of his bank card.

As soon as the police left, Zhou Xiaoli's first words were, "Where's your ID card?"

Bak took it out and handed it to her. Zhou Xiaoli ran her fingers along the edge of the ID card and whispered, "Thank you." The female police officer had left, and Zhou Xiaoli's mother was still respectfully seeing the police off downstairs. She had just signed a notice requiring her to stay in the area and cooperate with the investigation and trial, but she had regained her freedom, which brought smiles to both their faces.

Bak didn't explain his thoughts at the time, "It's in the past. I didn't expect you to have a knife on you."

Zhou Xiaoli didn't answer directly, "My mom looks good, right?" She pointed to the bed next to her.

Bak sat down and smiled, "Yes, she looks a lot like you, very young. My mom went home and complained about how hard we made her work."

Zhou Xiaoli laughed softly, her eyes on the bandage on her hand where the IV had been. Now there was no IV tube, just rest and recovery. "My family's conditions weren't good. People say that if a woman marries into a good family, she can live a good life. But in such a family, my grandparents only belittled and looked down on us. It seemed that because our family conditions were poor, we should be submissive. So, my mom divorced and chose to be with me."

Bak listened silently, mentally asking her catchphrase, "The point, the point?"

Sure enough, Zhou Xiaoli spoke frankly, "So, the lesson I learned is that in relationships and marriage, it's best to find someone with similar conditions. Being poor or hard is fine. The most important thing is to struggle together and support each other."

She looked at Bak's eyes, "What do you think?"