Strangers in Sync

Chapter 16:

Solitary and Mysterious

The patient was someone who didn't like to talk, yet the irrelevant chatter from the onlookers persisted for half the day.

When Lí Tíng finished his meal, considering that the patient still needed rest, Wáng Fù Liáng and the others got up to leave.

Tián Dìan was heading to work at a bar and had dragged Lí Hán along with him, as Lí Tíng didn't want his parents to find out about his situation. If Lí Hán returned late, his mother might discover the truth and cause trouble.

The room, which had been noisy and chaotic just moments before, suddenly fell silent. Fāng Huà Líng walked behind the group at a slow pace, maintaining a certain distance from them. He seemed to want to say something, perhaps bid farewell, but Wang Fù Liáng had already said everything that needed to be said. Fāng Huà Líng thought that Lí Tíng wouldn't listen to his opinions anyway, so he saw no need to speak up.

However, leaving without any communication or interaction, after a visit that had seemed so meaningless, was unfulfilling. He had rushed to complete his experiments, compressing the time it took to half the usual duration. The experience had been dull and uneventful.

Lost in thought, Fāng Huà Líng's wrist was suddenly grasped tightly by a few fingers. He was taken aback and looked down to find that his sleeve was being pulled by those fingers. Following the fingers up, over the thin hospital gown and the shoulder brace, his gaze finally landed on a face with a serious expression.

Lí Tíng was intently looking at him and even asked, "Give me your phone number." Fāng Huà Líng looked at Lí Tíng, then at his hand, and finally at the group of people walking away in the distance, feeling a little surprised.

His expression, however, remained calm. "What do you need to say?"

But Lí Tíng's response was unremarkable. He pulled his hand back and said, "I will return your money."

Fāng Huà Líng straightened his posture slightly, noticing that the phone Lí Tíng was holding was a new model, yet it resembled the old-style fake mobile phones typically used by seniors.

Fāng Huà Líng cleared his throat and said, "There's no rush; I'll take it once you've recovered."

Nevertheless, he took out his phone and calmly exchanged contact information with Lí Tíng, also adding him as a friend on a payment app.

Lí Tíng glanced at the new contact on his phone and then commented, "The twenty-fifth..."

After a brief pause, he picked up a pen and started flipping through his notebook.

Since Lí Tíng had injured his right hand, he had to write with his left hand, occasionally stopping to check the real-time transactions on his phone. Fāng Huà Líng watched as he scribbled a large, uneven total on the paper and couldn't help but feel a strong urge to take over the calculations for him.

Fortunately, he managed to suppress that impulse, maintaining the dignity of someone who values hard work.

Eventually, Lí Tíng set down his pen and said, "No, the twenty-seventh is correct; I have a fixed deposit that gets transferred each month."

Fāng Huà Líng's gaze fell on the last line of his calculations...56.37...

He nodded silently for a long time.

Lí Tíng was injured, and the jobs he had been eyeing were no longer available for application, so he had also resigned from his part-time position at Dòu Dòu Dianxin.

He had spent a relatively long time at that place, nearly three months in total. Typically, Li Ting's work placements last only one or two months at most, and sometimes they can be as short as a few days. This isn't due to a lack of work ability; rather, it is often because of interpersonal relationship issues—complaints about his quirky personality, stinginess, selfishness, refusal to follow arrangements, and his tendency to be more assertive than others despite being new, among various other grievances. There is a saying: if one or two people dislike you, it might be their issue, but if everyone dislikes you, then you definitely have a problem. Li Ting is aware of his character flaws, but he has always done things his own way and is unwilling to change for anyone. So even when he finds a place where people have managed to tolerate him without driving him away, he habitually leaves on his own when the time comes, considering it a final courtesy to them.

This time was no different; seizing the opportunity, he decisively called Dòu Dòu Dianxin, and as he was planning his next move, Tian Dian burst in excitedly.

"Li Zi! I finally remembered who Fang Huai Ning is!"

Suddenly hearing this name took Li Ting by surprise.

Tian Dian had already dashed to the front of his bed. "So it turns out he's from the Computer Science Institute at A University or some research institute—he's a scientist!" Since Tian Dian only completed junior high school, someone like Fang Huai Ning seemed as unattainable to him as a researcher studying extraterrestrial civilizations.

Li Ting was rarely curious. "How did you find out?" The previous day, the topic had revolved around Li Ting when those people came, with little discussion about their own matters. Where had Tian Dian gathered his information?

"You told me," Tian Dian propped his head up smugly, as if to say, "Aren't I clever?" "That computer!"

Li Ting frowned, starting to understand. "There's something in it?"

Tian Dian nodded vigorously. "A lot! Wow, it's a true otaku computer… it's something else."

Wang Fu Liang and Zhao Bang had always planned to sell computers, but on that day, due to Li Ting's sudden decision to recycle waste materials, they didn't have time to completely format the computer before he took it, leaving behind many traces of an otaku's daily life.

"No wonder it looked familiar that day. Was the owner that bespectacled guy? Why does he love taking photos so much? There are quite a few pictures on that computer, from childhood to now, even pictures of that handsome guy. Hey, the handsome guy really is handsome; he was super good-looking as a kid too. Li Zi, do you want to see? I've saved the website."

Tian Dian rambled on, but he noticed that Li Ting seemed a bit dazed.

"Li Zi? Li Zi? What's wrong? Is your chest hurting again?"

Li Ting lifted his eyes and pushed away Tian Dian's phone that was coming closer. "The doctor said everything's fine; I want to be discharged."

"Huh?" Tian Dian immediately set aside his earlier chaotic questions. "Just stay and recover a bit longer. What's the rush?"

The doctor had said that Li Ting could be discharged, but didn't Tian Dian understand Li Ting's character? Once he was out of the hospital, no one would be able to manage him.

However, Li Ting ignored him and continued to pack his notebook and daily necessities beside the bed. Seeing this, Tian Dian had no choice but to help out reluctantly. "Alright, alright, I get it; I'll go handle the procedures first thing tomorrow morning."

Ni Wei Nian came today. The guys from his group gathered around him for a meeting all morning. The atmosphere wasn't tense at all; Old Ni, who resembled a Maitreya Buddha, spoke in a slow manner, and after a few hours, it felt like they had just watched a film alongside the PowerPoint presentation.

When the meeting concluded, everyone returned to their posts. Fang Huai Ning didn't have any new tasks, so he took out his phone and scrolled for a bit. His messaging application had many unread messages from classmates. Fang Huai Ning glanced at them, replied to a few familiar ones, and then scrolled down to the newly added contact.

If it weren't for the avatar being a chestnut, Fang Huai Ning would have thought this account belonged to someone else or had already been deactivated, as there was absolutely nothing inside—no photos, no posts, not even a single advertisement. Upon closer inspection, it closely matched that person's style.

Reclusive and mysterious.

After pondering for a moment, Fang Huai Ning remembered something and pulled up some previously written code to continue working.

A senior named Wu Yi walked by from behind, glanced over, and curiously leaned in.

"What is this?!"

Fang Huai Ning replied, "Just messing around."

However, the more Wu Yi looked, the more it seemed something was off. Unable to contain his curiosity, he muttered, "Hey, don't tell me this is going live; it can't be sold."

"What's wrong?"

Wu Yi's exclamation caught the attention of Old Ni, who had come to ask Fang Huai Ning to join him on a trip to Hexin Industrial in a couple of days. Old Ni chuckled and asked, "What's going on?"

That senior immediately chimed in, jokingly scolding, "Boss, take a look at Huai Ning—if this thing goes out, isn't it going to disrupt the market? Who are you writing this for?"

Fang Huai Ning had created a small prototype of an app, featuring functions like expense tracking, interest rate calculations, and more.

It seemed not much different from a virtual shopping application, but it included many particularly convenient features, such as calculating the most advantageous bank for deposits based on specific interest rate updates, determining the optimal deposit duration for the best terms, and providing real-time updates on the combined stability and returns of recent financial projects. This was not the vague rankings often seen in the news; it was precise data, almost like internal information that couldn't be obtained from external sources. It remained unclear how Fang Huai Ning managed to accomplish this, and if it were to be promoted, the banks would likely be the first to object.

Upon hearing this, Old Ni laughed as well. In fact, their group's main research direction was still somewhat scientific. Many students there developed software just for fun or to earn a little extra money, but Fang Huai Ning's work was equally strong in the theoretical aspects; he exhibited remarkable talent, which was why Old Ni appreciated him.

"Looks like you've secured an irresistible major client?" Old Ni remarked.

"A stunning beauty? A wealthy benefactor?" another curious senior speculated.

Wu Yi shook his head, summarizing and mocking, "I think it's for himself, to build a dowry—how absurd."

Fang Huai Ning: "..."

Chapter 17:

Terrifying.

That little money fanatic was very punctual, promising to repay on the 27th, and right after midnight that night, Fang Huai Ning received a notification on her phone that a money transfer had been completed.

When she opened the chatting app, she found a string of numbers followed by a simple "Thank you," alongside a medical bill. Truly, there was not a bit of loss and not a bit of advantage taken. Fang Huaining thought for a moment and replied with a polite "You're welcome." There was no further response. After a few seconds of waiting, Fang Huaining closed her phone. A few days later, it was rare for her to gather some of her roommates together; Qian Kun, who had failed to treat them last time due to an unexpected event, invited everyone to a hotpot restaurant at the main gate of A University. Wang Fuliang, Zhao Pang, and Fang Huaining arrived first. Qian Kun would be a bit late and sent a message asking them to order first. While pondering over the menu, a group of students entered, and two sharp-eyed girls noticed them and excitedly came over to greet them. "Senior Wang, what a coincidence! Are you all here for dinner too?" "Yes, the food here is pretty good. I recommend you try this and these..." Wang Fuliang chatted enthusiastically with them for a while. The girls then mentioned that they were planning to go karaoke later and asked if they wanted to join. Wang Fuliang and Zhao Pang exchanged glances and then looked at Fang Huaining. The headliner was completely focused on the menu, and when she sensed their gaze, she replied without any surprise, "You all go ahead; I have something to do."

After sending the girls off, Zhao Pang poked Wang Fuliang with his chopsticks: "If he doesn't go, we can! It's been a long time since I've sung, so why are you rejecting it?" "Are you being ridiculous...? They didn't invite me/us… I told you, those younger sisters from the Law School have shown interest in Huaining before. If he doesn't go, it won't make sense for us to go..." The male students from the Computer Science Department are a valuable resource for the school, especially someone like Wang Fuliang, who is outstanding and hardworking. Even though he may not be conventionally handsome, his skills make up for it, and many campus activities require their assistance, allowing him to build a wide social circle across different departments. Zhao Pang let out a deep sigh, not out of regret for himself but concern for Fang Huaining. He suddenly turned serious and asked the headliner, "Come on, be honest with us brothers, when are you planning to give us a way out? When will you get a girlfriend? Why aren't you getting a girlfriend?" This question had been posed since their freshman year and remained unanswered for the past three years. Wang Fuliang added, "Or maybe you actually prefer boyfriends?" "That's not impossible," Zhao Pang said, displaying a particularly empathetic understanding, "as long as it's not one of us brothers, just name the person, and we'll find a way to help you get together. The sooner you take action, the sooner you'll be free!"

Wang Fuliang was equally excited: "Right, right... just say the name..." "Li Ting..." Every now and then, they would get a bit wild, and over the past three years, Fang Huaining had actually grown accustomed to it. However, this sudden name caught her off guard just as she was about to take a sip of her tea! "Cough, cough, cough..." The headliner quickly grabbed a tissue from the table to cover her burning mouth, quietly coughing while glancing at the person who spoke. Qian Kun strode to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down, noticing that everyone was staring at him in shock. "What's wrong?" Qian Kun asked, puzzled. Wang Fuliang was so flustered that he stammered, "What did you just say? Who did you mention?" Qian Kun looked around the table, finally focusing on Fang Huaining's face, pursing his lips: "Did I remember incorrectly? Isn't the name of the guy we met last time this? I said I saw him on campus earlier." "Hey..." "Ugh!" As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of complaints erupted. Only Fang Huaining, after putting down the tissue, slowly regained her composure and then focused on the critical question, "You didn't see wrong?" Wang Fuliang snapped back to attention as well: "Li Ting... he was discharged from the hospital? Now that I think about it, it's about time, but isn't he supposed to be resting at home? Are you sure you didn't mistake him for someone else?" Qian Kun thought for a moment but wasn't certain: "It was on the road to the A Library. Maybe I got it wrong; forget it."

"Have you all finished ordering? Let's get the food!" After all, he's grown up, and he should know how to take care of his own health. Even if that's true, it's not really their business. The group quickly immersed themselves in enjoying their delicious meals. Only Fang Huaining glanced out the window at the tall building of the A Library, lost in thought… … She hadn't lied to those law school girls; she indeed had something to take care of later. A few days ago, Ni Weniang had specifically called her to discuss an issue with Hexin Industrial. They would soon be starting to station employees, so for a while, Fang Huaining would need to make more trips there. After finishing dinner, Fang Huaining went to catch a ride. She boarded the bus at the northeast gate of A University, where it would stop again at the west gate. Fang Huaining settled in the back of the bus, planning to take a nap, but instead caught sight of a familiar figure boarding through the middle door. The person noticed her as well but said nothing. After a brief glance, he headed straight to the front and sat down two seats away from her. It really is this guy?! Why isn't he lying in bed? What's he running around for? Is he taking this bus on this route... is he going to the suburbs to farm again? For a moment, questions bubbled in Fang Huaining's mind like soap bubbles, each one popping up in rapid succession. However, her nature didn't allow her to just rush over and ask; after all, they weren't friends.

What if he was heading somewhere else? What if he got off halfway? Wouldn't that be sticking her nose into other people's business? Ultimately, it was because they weren't close. Soon, many passengers boarded, filling the bus, which only dampened Fang Huaining's urge to approach him. For the next two hours, she kept her distance, nearly counting the hairs on the back of the guy's head in front of her. Li Ting certainly didn't disappoint her; as Hexin Industrial came into view, Fang Huaining stood up, and Li Ting also moved toward the middle door. This time, they faced each other directly, and Fang Huaining finally spoke up.

"Are you done?" The question was asked quite casually. Li Ting answered without much thought, "Just wandering around." Fang Huaining replied, "You wandered a bit far." Li Ting said, "It's a form of exercise." Fang Huaining: "..." After getting off the bus, several people followed them. Li Ting and Fang Huaining arrived at the entrance of Hexin Industrial side by side, and Li Ting stopped, prompting Fang Huaining to stop as well. Unexpectedly, Li Ting asked Fang Huaining, "What's special about today?" Fang Huaining understood that he was puzzled as to why there were so many people at the company today. She explained, "Some departments started trial operations today, and some employees have come." Li Ting's eyelashes fluttered; he seemed to recall something, didn't greet anyone, and turned to leave.

Fang Huaining watched him leave, feeling a slight discomfort in his chest.

Later, when they arrived at the main control room, the assistant from Hexin, who came to receive them, noticed the small experts sent by A University working for a while before gazing out at the glass wall to relax. It seemed that working in this industry was indeed mentally and physically exhausting.

About an hour after entering, Fang Huaining spotted Li Ting in the fields in the distance. Li Ting was standing there, talking to a man who looked like a farmer. After a while, the man left, and Li Ting walked towards the small wooden shed he had built previously.

Fang Huaining furrowed his brows slightly.

Fortunately, his fears did not materialize; Li Ting was still mindful of his health and didn't actually work in the fields in such a situation. He simply strolled around the field, appearing to take a leisurely walk while checking on the crops.

Just as Fang Huaining was trying to discern Li Ting's intentions, the farmer returned, this time with a large cart full of watermelons.

Li Ting exchanged a few more words with him, and Fang Huaining saw him pull out a red bill from his pocket and hand it over.

The farmer happily accepted the money and pushed the watermelons out as per Li Ting's instructions, while Li Ting walked leisurely behind him.

Fang Huaining had a sinking feeling in his gut.

Sure enough, an hour later, he returned from the restroom to see two employees each carrying half a watermelon, laughing and chatting as they walked into an office nearby. Fang Huaining hurried after them, hearing their joyful invitation for everyone to come eat. The office was quite crowded, and soon the colorful fruit was completely divided up. Some people were eating and exclaiming about how sweet it was, asking where they had bought it.

"There's a small stall right by the front gate of the company, it's super close." "Oh? The supermarket in the factory doesn't have much for sale yet; I'll go take a look too." "Hey, if it's not expensive, please bring me one as well. I'm afraid the fruit store will be closed if I come back late." "I want one too, just half."

Everyone was chattering as they headed outside, and Fang Huaining paused for a moment before silently following behind them.

Under the big banyan tree was a watermelon stall, and a young man there seemed like a breath of fresh air in such weather. Fang Huaining noticed him immediately. Although it wasn't too hot today, the humidity was high and especially muggy, making watermelon the perfect refreshment. He was selling them at a reasonable price, similar to a typical fruit shop, but Fang Huaining figured that by being here, they were saving entirely on logistics and storefront expenses.

Some employees even noticed that the young owner had limited manual dexterity, as he handled everything from packing to cutting on his own. Li Ting only needed to weigh the watermelons and collect payment, saving on labor costs—it was simply a surefire profit. Moreover, people tend to follow the crowd, and the scarcity of nearby shops made the business opportunities here evident; half of the watermelons in the cart had already been sold, and more customers continued to arrive. It was truly remarkable. Li Ting sat on a large boulder, one hand resting on his chest while the other held a large tree leaf, fanning himself as he patiently conversed with customers inquiring about prices at the stand. Noticing Fang Huaining's unwavering gaze, Li Ting slowly turned his head. Fang Huaining couldn't tell if it was an illusion, but for the first time, he saw a hint of emotion in Li Ting's eyes—a fleeting glint of mischief that highlighted his sun-kissed, clean face, instantly brightening Fang Huaining's heart. He heard Li Ting's soft voice asking him, "Would you like to buy a watermelon?"

Chapter 18:

Feeling that Li Ting resembled fireworks. In the end, Fang Huaining didn't spend any money to buy one, but after returning to the company, he still managed to enjoy some, as the assistant from the main control office generously shared the watermelon after purchasing it for him. Just as everyone had praised, the watermelon was juicy and sweet, an excellent value.

The little businessman, though skilled in trade, still adhered to some commercial ethics and boundaries, making it difficult to pinpoint any faults.

That afternoon, Fang Huaining continued his work amidst the fragrant aroma of watermelons, both indoors and outdoors, while downstairs the stand bustled with a steady stream of customers.

When Fang Huaining finished his tasks and walked outside, Li Ting's watermelons were nearly sold out. However, Li Ting remained seated, methodically tidying up the trash on the ground with a rather clumsy hand.

As Li Ting bent down, a few coins scattered and rolled away into the distance. He looked up and saw Fang Huaining standing in front of him.

Fang Huaining bent down to retrieve the coins and approached to return them to their owner.

Li Ting accepted them and said, "Thank you."

Fang Huaining remarked, "Business is doing quite well."

Li Ting responded politely, "Just barely."

Fang Huaining glanced at Li Ting's hand resting on his chest, noting, "That seems a bit of a stretch."

Li Ting retorted without backing down, "So next time, the price won't be that cheap."

Fang Huaining was left speechless.

After neatly arranging the money into his pocket, Li Ting adjusted his clothes and walked toward the bus stop. Observing his slow pace from behind, Fang Huaining suddenly said, "There's a shuttle bus available today."

Li Ting paused.

Fang Huaining added, "It's free."

Li Ting turned his head.

Hexin Industrial was located far from the city center, so they naturally provided shuttles for employee pickups. During the trial operation, the management of employees was quite chaotic. As a result, it wasn't too difficult for Fang Huaining to invite Li Ting to ride along, even though some people felt that this new colleague bore a striking resemblance to the watermelon vendor downstairs; ultimately, no one would say anything.

Fang Huaining chose a seat towards the back, where he would be somewhat noticeable, and Li Ting sat down next to him in the inner seat. The car set off without incident, and Li Ting leaned back against the seat. Soon, he found himself shifting slightly, and after a moment, he adjusted again.

Fang Huaining noticed this. As the vehicle took a right turn, Li Ting leaned toward him due to the centrifugal force, and Fang Huaining reached across Li Ting's body to press a button on the side of the seat. At that moment, Li Ting's seatback reclined.

Li Ting was taken aback and turned his head to look. Fang Huaining expressionlessly withdrew his hand and said, "You can take a nap."

After all, he wasn't an iron man. How could Li Ting not be tired? Fang Huaining knew he couldn't compare to his usual self. He had originally intended to just come over to check on the crops but ended up selling melons all afternoon, which had drained quite a bit of his energy.

With the lowering of the seat back, the discomfort in his chest eased a bit, and as he listened to Fang Huaining's words, Li Ting, rarely compliant, closed his eyes. He quickly fell asleep. Only when he sensed that the person next to him had fully relaxed did Fang Huaining turn to look at him. He loosely clasped his fists; Li Ting was sleeping peacefully, his thin chest rising and falling slightly with each breath, and his limbs, exposed outside his clothing, appeared slender and long, making it hard to imagine the infinite energy contained within. Outside, the sky had gradually darkened, and the car sped along the highway, the streetlights casting a flickering glow on Li Ting's face. Fang Huaining observed the beams of light passing over Li Ting's eyes, nose, mouth, and lips, and suddenly thought that Li Ting resembled fireworks. Yes, he was like that kind of thing wrapped in a simple paper shell—light and delicate—but once ignited with a spark, could burst into a splendid display of colors in an instant. Unpredictable and mysteriously dangerous, making it... hard to look away. In the past, whenever he had free time, Fang Huaining's thoughts were occupied by various theoretical knowledge and codes, but during this long car ride, he found himself lost in thought, the content incomprehensible. Returning to reality, he noticed that the sleeping person had woken up, looking at him with a hint of confusion.

Li Ting blinked and slowly sat up to open the window. Fang Huaining thought Li Ting wanted some fresh air, but after looking outside for a while, he stood up. Fang Huaining: "?" Li Ting said, "I want to get out of the car." Fang Huaining recalled that the last time they took this route, Li Ting had gotten out with him in the city, and now they were only halfway through the journey. Fang Huaining thought he must have become disoriented from sleep. Seeing that Fang Huaining wouldn't let him out, Li Ting tried to push himself out. Just at that moment, the car made a sharp turn, causing one of Li Ting's legs to get wedged between Fang Huaining's legs, bending his knee and making him stagger toward Fang Huaining! Although Fang Huaining quickly reached out to catch him and help him maintain his balance, Li Ting still ended up falling onto him, with his chest colliding against Fang Huaining's. With a thud, Fang Huaining was momentarily stunned. However, a faint muffled sound next to his ear quickly brought him back to reality. He hurriedly held Li Ting's waist to create some distance between them and frowned, asking, "Are you okay?" This collision hadn't impacted Li Ting's injury, but it still left him a bit breathless. Li Ting had no choice but to brace himself against Fang Huaining's shoulder as he took a couple of deep breaths, extricating his trapped leg and gritting his teeth as he said, "I... I'm home. I want to get out."

The car had already come to a stop, and the driver had turned around as if to signal that if no one was getting off, he would leave. In this situation, Fang Huaining had to get up, grabbing Li Ting's hand and half-supporting, half-dragging him down. Once the door closed, the car roared away, leaving the two of them in darkness, staring at each other in silence.

Fang Huaining was inexplicably confused about why he had gotten off, while Li Ting felt frustrated about the chaotic situation that had just occurred. The strange silence spread once more.

However, the bus had already left, and the situation had to be resolved. Considering that Fang Huaining had helped him, Li Ting slowly steadied his breath and said, "There are no taxis here, and no buses. We have to walk ahead." After saying that, he took a step forward.

Fang Huaining saw this and could only follow, so the two of them began to explore the dark road without streetlights or houses. Li Ting walked beside Fang Huaining, his pace steady once again, as if the earlier exhaustion was merely Fang Huaining's illusion. In the quiet summer night, apart from the occasional cicada chirping, there were only the sounds of their footsteps and breathing, harmoniously interacting.

Not knowing how long they had walked, a store and a streetlight finally appeared in front of them, along with a bus stop.

Fang Huaining slowed his pace but didn't come to a complete stop until Li Ting turned around and said, "My home is here." Following Li Ting's gaze, Fang Huaining noticed a small, inconspicuous alley to the right, with an old apartment building looming in the darkness at its end. He really lives here? Fang Huaining finally came to a standstill. "You can take bus routes 12 and 28 to get back to the city," Li Ting added. Fang Huaining nodded and walked towards the bus stop. However, after waiting for a while, he realized that Li Ting hadn't left; instead, Li Ting had followed him and stopped at a nearby newsstand. Fang Huaining watched as Li Ting browsed the stand for a bit before picking up a magazine and paying for it. When Li Ting turned around, their eyes met. "Cosmic Science" magazine? Fang Huaining was surprised that Li Ting was a fan and couldn't help but comment, "This series isn't very cost-effective; it was good before the revision, but now it's filled with advertisements – half of it is wasted paper – and it's quite expensive." He expected someone as pragmatic as Li Ting to appreciate his suggestion, but Li Ting just stared at him blankly, leaving Fang Huaining wondering if he had misjudged him. However, Li Ting then said, "I know, it used to be called 'The Mysterious World,' right?" This version has been around for nearly ten years.

Fang Huaining raised an eyebrow, feeling a touch of curiosity. He had been expecting to engage in some conversation with the other party, but to his surprise, as soon as Li Ting finished speaking, he turned and departed without a word.

At that moment, Fang Huaining couldn't help but notice that Li Ting's back seemed impossibly lonely and desolate. It was as though he had witnessed the other person enduring numerous hardships – being drenched in rain, exhausted, and injured – yet Fang Huaining had never felt compelled to offer any comfort. The cunning businessman he had encountered earlier that day was vastly different from this person. That suffocating feeling returned to Fang Huaining.

Fang Huaining called out softly, "Hey..."

Li Ting turned around.

Fang Huaining raised his hand towards him.

Li Ting caught it with one hand, opening it to reveal a USB drive nestled in his palm.

"This is an accounting software I researched for a client before," Fang Huaining explained. "I think it's quite convenient and can save a considerable amount of calculation time. You should give it a try – it has the yellow logo. I think you might find it useful," he added, before turning to hail a taxi without waiting for a response and stepping inside.

As the two sat around that old wooden table eating, Tian Dian couldn't help but scold him: "Don't think that just because I'm not at home I don't know. Did you sneak out again today? Didn't we agree that you'd be resting in bed? Those fruits and vegetables won't sprout legs; they can't just run away if you don't go for a few days, right?"

But receiving a dark glare from Li Ting, Tian Dian immediately swallowed his words, forcing a smile as he said, "I'm just worried about you! I won't say it again, so don't be angry. By the way, our boss has opened a new restaurant near Bar Street. It's quite large, and they'll be hiring soon. Do you want to give it a try? The pay should be good, and it shouldn't be too tiring."

Li Ting ignored him, finishing the last bite of his meal. He picked up his bowl to wash it, but was immediately stopped by Tian Dian.

"Give it to me! I'll take care of it. I know you're worried about not being able to keep up; just take a look first. With me around, no one will dare to give you a hard time, and if you really don't want to work, it's fine to walk away."

Li Ting stood up and sat down in front of the computer, turning his back to him.

"Hey, Li Zi… you really are something. Whatever, take your time, just make sure to get better first."

Seeing how stubborn Li Ting was, Tian Dian decided to give up and grumbled off to wash the dishes.

Li Ting opened his computer, took out the USB drive he had brought back, hesitated for a moment, and then plugged it in. Before the folder popped up, he noticed that the desktop was filled with various items. This was the first time he had used the device since bringing it back, and he rarely had the opportunity to witness the disorganization and exuberance of a computer science student up close.

Li Ting's gaze darted between two folders labeled "Photos" and "Life Records." Recalling Tian Dian's earlier words, he couldn't help but hover the mouse over one, hesitating for two seconds just as he was about to click. The files from the USB had already appeared, which extinguished Li Ting's fleeting curiosity.

There was a considerable amount of content on that USB drive, but it was much more organized than Wang Fuliang's computer. After looking around, Li Ting noticed that while all the file names were in English, they were likely simplified titles that he didn't understand. Remembering that Fang Huaining had told him to download software with a yellow logo, Li Ting searched carefully and found three yellow icons: one pale yellow, one brownish yellow, and one bright yellow.

After careful consideration, Li Ting decided to download the brightest one.

As noted before, while Li Ting seemed knowledgeable about many topics, in the current fast-paced world where young people could easily navigate digital technology, he found himself quite unfamiliar with it due to his limited exposure.

Downloading the software directly from the computer to install it on his phone was a hassle.

Before long, Tian Dian finished washing the dishes and joined the others. Upon learning that Li Ting wanted to install accounting software, he was surprised and then highly praised him.

"I've tried to persuade you so many times before, and you never listened," Tian Dian said. "Have you finally come to your senses this time?"

However, after helping to sort it out for half a day without success, Tian Dian unhappily suggested that Li Ting switch to a simpler version.

"Who's the genius that gave you this?" Tian Dian said, exasperated. "It's way too complicated. Just delete it! I'll help you find another one online; I guarantee it'll install in no time."

But before he could make a move, Li Ting swatted his hand away, saying, "Leave me alone."

"Hey!" Tian Dian was annoyed, "Fine, fine, I won't help you. You can do it yourself and see when you can figure it out."

Tian Dian angrily went to sleep, but Li Ting continued working on it. It's likely that Fang Toupai never would have imagined that what he thought could be easily resolved with a few clicks became a problem more challenging than memorizing the Oxford English Dictionary in front of someone else…

But that person still persevered in overcoming it.

Li Ting spent the entire day, sitting in the car for several hours, selling watermelons, walking home at night, and struggling with the software until dawn.

The next day, he was utterly exhausted, so he obediently lay in bed for a few days until it was time for the A Library's open day again.

Li Ting arrived on time and, as usual, began searching around. Unfortunately, he couldn't find the book he wanted to borrow; however, he was fortunate to discover another book that had been returned at the entrance. Li Ting took it to the staff to scan and inquired about when the other books he wanted would be available for exchange.

The staff member replied, "At least after the holiday. However, since you already have this one, you've reached the limit of five borrowed books. If you want to borrow again, you'll need to return the previous ones first. Also, you know the maximum borrowing period is two months, right? Some of the earlier books you borrowed have already been out for over a month, so they're about to expire."

Upon hearing this, Li Ting quietly calculated the time, and his expression became less cheerful.

The next day, at the same time, Li Ting arrived at the A Library's inquiry desk with a huge stack of books. The former work-study student administrator, who had previously stolen a glance at him, happened to be there as well. Upon seeing Li Ting, he rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Oh man, even with summer vacation, you're still haunting us…"

Litiang wasn't interested in chatting this time; he opened his phone, showed a phone number, copied it, then handed it to him and said, "You call and tell them to come pick up the books."

The administrator looked confused. He glanced at the books again, then at the phone number, and suddenly understood. "Oh my god, are you involved in some sort of illicit business again? Why don't you call yourself? This has nothing to do with me. Why should I make the call for you?"

Litiang stared at him intently.

The administrator snapped angrily, "Don't try to threaten me with that again. Last time, the time before that, and the time before that—I'm not scared of you."

Litiang narrowed his eyes.

The administrator's face flushed with anger, and he glared at Litiang for a moment before picking up the paper.

"I'll report you to the Guard Department eventually; you wait and see!"

Litiang seemed to ignore the insult but seriously reminded him to make the call a little later.

"Don't use your phone; use the library phone to call."

"Why did you agree to do this project? Are you just trying to make more trouble for me?"

The administrator cursed under his breath while dialing. After a moment, his call went through, but no one picked up.

"No one's answering! What do I do?" the administrator asked.

"Call them again," Litiang insisted, not willing to give up.

The administrator tried once more, but once again, he experienced the same frustrating silence.

"There's no one at home. Look, the library is about to close. You can either come back tomorrow or another time."

Litiang furrowed his brow as he looked at the books in his hands. While it wouldn't be too inconvenient to return later, his small car had an accident last time, leaving the battery broken and unrepaired. Given his current situation, riding a bike wasn't a feasible option, so he had been taking the bus to and from work. However, the bus route to A's out-of-town apartment was often extremely crowded, and Litiang worried that if he had to make a few more trips, the new books he held would quickly become old.

"Can I leave the books here?" Litiang asked.

The administrator firmly refused. "No, it's not that I'm trying to make things difficult for you, Litiang. You've already checked the books out. Leaving them here would be hard to manage. What if someone else takes them? It would be difficult to explain."

After thinking for a moment, Litiang had no choice but to carry the books away again.

The books were heavy, with several being hardcover editions, and carrying four or five of them felt comparable to the weight of two computer cabinets. Perhaps Litiang hadn't done any heavy lifting recently, or maybe his body wasn't fully recovered, but he ended up sweating through his clothes after just a short walk.

Finally, he spotted the Institute of Computing on A's campus from a distance, but Litiang did not enter. Instead, he took out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, dialed a number, and then turned to sit down in a nearby grove.

He waited for over ten minutes before someone emerged from the institute and hurried over to Litiang.

"Bro, what are you doing here? Is your health improving?"

Litiang simply nodded and asked, "Can you store some things at your workplace?"

Liyang looked at him with confusion. "What things?"

Litiang pointed to a stack of books beside him.

Liyang squatted down to take a look. "Hmm, these are from A Library. What do you need them for? Are you doing a part-time job again?"

However, Litiang had hurt his hand and was no longer working. He avoided answering directly and asked, "Can you store them there?"

Liyang flipped through two of the books he picked up but found most of the text unreadable. "Okay, I can... but there's some space under my computer desk. When are you going to pick them up?"

Litiang replied, "Soon."

Liyang agreed and lifted two of the books. "These are so heavy..."

Litiang helped him carry them for a bit but then stopped. "I won't go up; can you manage?"

It was clear that his brother was not suited for heavy lifting, so Liyang nodded and took all the books. "I can manage. Just be careful on your way."

Litiang nodded and watched as his brother, struggling with the weight of the books, stumbled into the institute.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and turned to leave.

...

Xu Nian returned to the factory in the morning, and in the afternoon, he headed back to the institute to brief everyone on the situation, not having a chance to grab a drink until almost dusk. Wu Yi brought a large fruit platter to console everyone, and Xu Nian picked up a slice of juicy red watermelon. Suddenly, he had an idea and pulled out his phone to browse through his apps, opening the accounting software.

As the designer, he could view backend statistics such as the number of users who had downloaded, clicked, logged in, and used a particular software. However, when he opened the accounting app, all the data displayed as zero.

Xu Nian's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Was it because he hadn't used it at all?

Why?

Had he forgotten about it?

Was he simply not interested in it?

Or...

He suddenly had a clear understanding: he didn't even have a computer! It was possible that the person relied solely on manual calculations and didn't own a computer, so it was unlikely he would have thought to send him a USB drive in the first place. He was truly out of his mind.

Reflecting on the past, Xu Nian felt a sense of regret, but before he could dwell on it, someone from downstairs, Wang Feling, came to ask for his help.

In fact, most of the project team had already left, and Xu Nian was particularly busy that day. Meanwhile, Wang Feling was a diligent worker who always found things to do for himself even after everyone else had gone home.

Xu Nian often tried to offer help whenever he could, but today, as he descended the stairs, he noticed the lights still on in the large lab on the seventh floor. There, a young man sat before a computer, looking concerned.

After a moment of thought, Xu Nian recalled that the young man appeared to be Litiang's younger brother. Just then, the young man looked up and their eyes met.

...