130: Lucky

"You two came today because Xu Feng asked you to help convince me, didn't you?"

Having his intentions seen through immediately, Yan Zhuohua gave an awkward smile. "Not exactly. He actually wanted me to give you some specific details about the project. As for whether he gets to go or not, that's still for you all to discuss."

"Your project has a high level of secrecy, doesn't it? There's no need to tell me much; it's not good for me to know too much." Zhang Shibi spoke considerately to Yan Zhuohua. "I'm not actually worried about him getting into trouble or anything. Joining the army is quite honorable, after all."

"Then why are you...?"

Zhang Shibi sighed and glanced at Sheng Xufeng with a hint of disdain. "I have a general idea that your project has very high requirements for personnel. That's why I definitely can't agree to let Xu Feng go. He's brainless; what if he causes trouble?"

"Just because of that?" Sheng Xufeng looked on in disbelief. "Because you think I'm stupid and don't deserve to join the military?"

Zhang Shibi nodded solemnly. "Isn't that enough? I consider myself a patriotic person, so how could I let such an idiot into the army? Wouldn't that be a disaster for the country and its people? I certainly can't bring myself to do such a thing."

Sheng Xufeng was so struck by her words that his eyes welled up with tears.

"Mom, how can you say that about Xu Feng?" Seeing his younger brother on the verge of tears, Sheng Xulin quickly came to his defense. "He passed the Family Tests too. How is he stupid?"

Yan Zhuohua also chimed in quickly, "Exactly, exactly. With Xu Feng's strength, there's absolutely no problem with him joining the army to pilot mechas. He's already surpassed many people."

"Really?" Zhang Shibi's skeptical gaze shifted between Sheng Xulin and Yan Zhuohua.

"Of course! How could I lie to you about something so serious?"

Zhang Shibi was still a bit skeptical. She hesitated for a long time before finally giving an answer.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Zhuohua, to arrange for him to give it a try first. If it doesn't work out, let him come back."

"I haven't even started and you already think I can't do it?" Sheng Xufeng sat up abruptly but was held back by his older brother beside him.

"Alright, alright. Mom has agreed to let you try. Why don't you just prove it to her?" Sheng Xulin comforted his agitated brother. Sheng Xufeng turned his head away in anger.

"Since it's decided, let's hurry up and have dinner!" Yan Qinghe changed the subject again, trying to draw Zhang Shibi away. "Didn't Aunt Zhang say she was going to make Zhuohua and me some new dishes she learned? We can't wait."

"...Fine, I'll go make them for you. You young people can chat for a bit." It was indeed getting late, so Zhang Shibi followed Yan Qinghe's lead and stood up to go to the kitchen.

The atmosphere was finally no longer so tense.

After the clock ticked for a few rounds and Sheng Xufeng had calmed down, he finally spoke slowly.

"Brother, ever since I liked that person in high school, have you all decided that I'm a hopeless fool who can't accomplish anything?"

"No..."

"You don't need to comfort me; I know." Sheng Xufeng's voice sounded distant. "I've long been labeled by you all, no longer worthy of trust, and those labels can't be removed. It's fine, though. With my brother as the eldest son who can uphold the family name, it doesn't really matter how I, the younger son, turn out." Even more so, he feared that whether this younger son existed or not made no difference at all.

Although Sheng Xufeng didn't say that last part aloud, for some reason, everyone understood it perfectly.

"Don't think like that. Just wait, I'll definitely have a good talk with Mom and Dad..."

"No need," Sheng Xufeng interrupted Sheng Xulin again. "Zhuohua, can you get me into the army as soon as possible?"

"Have you really decided?"

"Yes."

"I'll talk to my brother when I get back tonight. He'll contact you."

This meal was destined to be a mix of complex emotions for everyone. After getting the snack recipes Zhang Shibi had copied for them, Yan Zhuohua said his goodbyes and went home with Yan Qinghe.

It was the weekend, and although it was late, there was still quite a bit of traffic on the road. Yan Zhuohua sat in the passenger seat and looked at the colorful world outside, and he couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"Still thinking about Xu Feng?"

"Not just that," Yan Zhuohua replied somewhat weakly. "I'm also thinking about myself."

"Thinking about yourself? Our family has never treated a child like that, have we?" Yan Qinghe glanced at him in the rearview mirror.

"It's precisely because we haven't that I'm thinking about it." Yan Zhuohua sat up straight. "I really feel like I'm one of the luckiest people in the world."

He lowered his head with a faint smile, then turned to look at Yan Qinghe's profile and continued.

"I grew up in a wealthy, happy, loving, and free family, and I was the most pampered younger son. Even though there were some unexpected twists and turns as I grew up, those things never disappeared. Even during the years I wasn't home, I never lacked money and even gained fame. After coming home, I even ended up with an outstanding husband who had been secretly in love with me for years."

"It would be truly hard to find someone luckier than me in this world, wouldn't it?" Yan Zhuohua took a deep breath.

Yan Qinghe thought about it seriously. "Indeed."

"Yes, indeed." Yan Zhuohua nodded. "So, living in such a happy environment, I once couldn't understand why so many people had so many unbelievable hardships. My second brother even scolded me, saying, 'Why don't they eat meat porridge?'"

"He's quite cultured with his insults."

"..."

Yan Zhuohua stared silently at the person on his left.

"Nothing, go on, please continue."

Yan Zhuohua finally withdrew his gaze. "Later, my father took me to various places to learn about different kinds of lives. That's when I realized that human suffering isn't just about money. Health, spirit, family... if any one of these countless elements around you goes wrong, it can lead a person to a dead end."

"At that moment, I finally understood that the world is full of countless possibilities, and I just happened to be the luckiest kind in people's eyes." After saying this, Yan Zhuohua fell into silence.

After the car passed another intersection, Yan Qinghe took advantage of a red light to turn and look at the person beside him, who was immersed in his own world.

"Weren't you sharing your life insights with me? Why have you started dazing off?" Yan Qinghe reached out a hand to pinch Yan Zhuohua's cheek.

His thoughts interrupted, Yan Zhuohua impatiently swatted his hand away. "You're such a mood killer, you know that? I finally managed to build up a mysterious and enlightened feeling, and you ruined it all with that claw of yours!"

"Alright, my mistake. Please continue; I'm all ears." Yan Qinghe quickly apologized and pleaded for mercy.

Yan Zhuohua gave him a white eye before continuing.

"This kind of luck is really difficult to achieve. It requires me and everyone around me to have upright values and good character." At this point, he suddenly paused. "No, not just good character, but rather being able to distinguish right from wrong and having a firm will."

"...What do you mean?"

Yan Qinghe's tone was a bit dangerous. Yan Zhuohua swallowed nervously.

"Nothing, it's basically the same thing! Oh, don't interrupt, just listen to me."

Just then, the light turned green, so Yan Qinghe had to let him off for the moment.

"So what I'm trying to say is that it's very hard to encounter many, or even just one person like that. But I can turn myself into such a person. Then, if I am lucky enough to encounter another, it would already be something very enviable."

"In one's life, including oneself, one may only encounter very few people who possess both integrity and talent, or noble character, but you can ensure that this number is never zero."