Lu Xiang seldom revealed her emotions to others, making it hard to read her moods from her expressions.
She wouldn't laugh loudly when she was happy, nor would she stomp her feet when angry, and if something upset her, she would just curl up on her chair hugging her knees, just as she was doing right now, staring blankly at the hospital floor as she furrowed her brows.
Song Lan took a seat next to her. He knew that his brutal honesty had taken Lu Xiang aback, "Frankly speaking, I find you quite adorable when you're like this."
This wasn't a lie.
Song Lan had always believed in the power of human imagination.
Indeed, Lu Xiang's stiff, cold smile could easily remind anyone of a serial killer, but with a few imaginative adjustments to the context, it could be seen as charmingly contrasted innocence.
For example, a taciturn, icy-faced female boss practicing a smile in secret, just for you.
To be honest, for a guy like Song Lan, who had been single for over twenty years, this idea was quite appealing.
"Honest?"
Lu Xiang turned her head, staring straight at Song Lan.
"Being honest, everyone has something they're not good at. Sometimes, there's no point in forcing oneself too much."
Song Lan attempted to counsel Lu Xiang, "Like me, for instance, Calculus has always been my Achilles heel."
"You're bad at Calculus?"
Unexpectedly, his counseling had resulted in an astonished look from her.
Isn't being bad at Calculus pretty normal?
Do all the people from 2166 master Calculus?
"I failed the subject in an exam once."
"I can tutor you."
"It's just an analogy. What I meant was..."
"I can start now."
The truth was, just the mere mention of the term "Calculus" made Song Lan want to decline outright. However, as he looked up into Lu Xiang's sparkling eyes, the gloominess that once shrouded her seemed to disappear.
It was easy to see that she was genuinely excited about tutoring him in Calculus.
Song Lan gritted his teeth and swallowed his words of refusal.
For a man, living in this world, how could he be so easily intimidated by something as insignificant as Calculus!
However, as someone who never paid much attention in his university's advanced mathematics class, he never thought he would start a new round of study on Calculus in the year 2166.
In a short while, he realized that Lu Xiang was indeed a prodigy in advanced mathematics.
What took Song Lan by surprise was that during the tutoring session, Lu Xiang's expression softened, and she would even laugh at the exciting parts of the subject. Unlike her previous rigidity, this excitement was genuine, making her seem like a little girl eager to share her favorite toys with her friends.
It felt as if time was flying by. In the blink of an eye, an hour had passed.
After an hour of studying, Song Lan realised one thing.
Lu Xiang looked extremely beautiful when she smiled.
As for Calculus...
What was the Green's theorem about again?
"I had no idea you were so good at mathematics."
In order to avoid Lu Xiang springing a pop quiz on him, Song Lan had to divert the conversation. From her tutoring, he discovered that Lu Xiang didn't just excel at mathematics, she seemed to truly love this world built from numbers and logic.
Her unabashed love for it made him, someone who was satisfied with barely passing, feel a tad inferior.
"The one who taught me all this once said that this subject is the crystallization of human rationality. It's the key to unlocking a great door."
Unaware of how visibly her cheeks had flushed, Lu Xiang continued, "The one who holds this key will one day unlock the door leading to the third path."
Hold on...
The third path?
This sudden influx of information caught Song Lan off guard.
He vaguely remembered that on the night of Chai Ke's incident, Lu Xiang had educated him about the three ways to pass the rescuer examination. The first was the path of prosthetic implantation for the wealthy, the second was the path of physical training for the endurance champions, the so-called Liver Emperor. However, the third path was skipped over by Lu Xiang, dismissed with the phrase, "It's none of your business".
However, her demeanor when she mentioned this third path was starkly different from then and now.
On that night, Lu Xiang's tone had been icy, as if evoking an unpleasant memory. Now, though Lu Xiang's smile was subtle, Song Lan could sense her happiness.
So, understanding advanced mathematics is a prerequisite to taking the third path?
By putting all the pieces together, he could now vaguely see the three ways to gain strength in the year 2166. It seemed like he was living in an era dominated by the wealthy, the endurance champions, and the academic all-stars.
That's it. He's done for.
He had no money, was lazy, and didn't have the slightest grasp on advanced mathematics.
It seemed that in the highly competitive year 2166, he was destined to be a worthless dude.
But even a worthless dude has dreams.
Song Lan didn't forget why he was here today. At the moment, he was on a pivotal mission. Now was the time for him to start his attack.
After her session tutoring him in Calculus, Lu Xiang's bad mood had completely vanished. Taking advantage of the good atmosphere, Song Lan took out his mobile phone and brought up a movie he had found online earlier.
It was a classic tale of a protagonist faking his death to swap places, evading the enemies' deadly traps and eventually launching an unexpected counterattack.
Essentially, it was an entertaining film.
"Someone recommended this movie to me. It's quite good. Watching a movie after a tiring study is quite relaxing."
"I…"
"A bit of relaxation is also very crucial."
Before Lu Xiang could refuse, Song Lan selected the option to play online.
Lu Xiang was originally going to refuse. She had never been particularly interested in popular movies, but when she thought about Song Lan's rare visit, she didn't turn it down. Instead, she quietly began to watch the movie.
The film was 2 hours and 13 minutes long. If one were to give a candid evaluation, the storyline's framework and the plots of other similar films were virtually cloned. Even the plot twist of the protagonist faking his death to deceive the antagonists was a cliché already overused in other films.
However, what Song Lan needed right now was just such a fast-paced popcorn flick.
"I didn't see that coming. I never thought the protagonist would trick the villain by faking his own death. I was certain he was a goner."
As the end credits rolled, he exclaimed dishonestly.
Oh, Lu Xiang, you surely must understand my painstaking efforts!
This time, it seemed as though Lu Xiang indeed heard his silent plea. She cast a thoughtful glance at the hospital ward.
"You should head back now."
She spoke, "I still have some work to arrange."
"Alright, you carry on then. I will come to visit you again tomorrow… Do you have preferences for tomorrow's meal?"
"Egg tarts."
"Got it."