Chapter 37: 37, The outside world

"Mr. Zhang," Zhang Xiaosu said politely to Zhang Jinglin: "I hope that during my absence, you would allow Sixuan and Miss Yu to reside in the school."

Zhang Jinglin looked at Zhang Xiaosu and asked in confusion: "Has it been confirmed that you must go?"

Zhang Xiaosu thought for a moment and said: "I fear there is no way to refuse them any longer. You have seen the fate of Zhang Baogen. Now, the power over life and death lies in the hands of those within the refuge wall. If I go willingly and encounter danger, I can avoid it in time, or even sacrifice others to save myself. But if I stay here and refuse them, they may resort to despicable methods to deal with us."

"Is there no better choice?" Zhang Jinglin asked.

"I fear not," Zhang Xiaosu shook his head: "But Mr. Zhang, rest assured. Perhaps they are all dead, and I may not be in danger either."

In truth, Zhang Xiaosu had initially only wished to avoid muddy waters. Now, with his physical prowess and the survival experience he had gained in the wilderness, he did not worry about returning.

Moreover, the conditions offered by the other party were not satisfactory. If he, Sixuan, and Miss Yu each had a place in the refuge wall, it would be acceptable. Otherwise, it would be meaningless.

He longed to enter the refuge wall, but he could not abandon Sixuan and Miss Yu to go in alone.

What Zhang Xiaosu did not tell Sixuan was that, for some reason, after gaining his abilities, he had once lain awake in the night, yearning for the vast world beyond.

This settlement was too small, so small that standing on high ground, one could see its end in a single glance, so small that he could hear the voice of a widow in the west scolding ruffians from the east.

He had once thought of venturing out to see.

What Zhang Xiaosu now worried most about was the safety of Miss Yu and Sixuan if he left.

If Zhang Jinglin did not agree to let Miss Yu and Sixuan stay at the school, then no matter what Zhang Xiaosu said, he could not follow the band.

"It seems you have your own plans. Let Miss Yu and Sixuan stay here tonight. I will prepare rooms for them," Zhang Jinglin nodded. On the wasteland, Zhang Jinglin felt that no one in the settlement was more experienced than Zhang Xiaosu. As the schoolmaster, seeing that the other party had his own resolve, he said nothing more.

Zhang Xiaosu breathed a sigh of relief upon Zhang Jinglin's agreement: "Mr. Zhang, I have here five thousand yuan I have saved recently. Please accept it as the boarding fee for Miss Yu and Sixuan."

"Take it back," Zhang Jinglin shook his head and said: "I am the schoolmaster and only collect tuition fees."

"Mr. Zhang, do not refuse. You can use it to buy some tobacco," Zhang Xiaosu said.

Zhang Jinglin hesitated: "Ahem, then I will take one thousand, as rent."

Zhang Xiaosu did not argue further, immediately giving Zhang Jinglin one thousand. He was usually stingy, but he had never hesitated when it came to important matters. The money for Sixuan was always given without delay.

The remaining four thousand or so, Zhang Xiaosu intended to give directly to Miss Yu.

This money could not be given to Sixuan. If Miss Yu harbored any ill intentions toward the money, she could simply take it and leave, but she would not harm Sixuan.

But if the money were in Sixuan's possession, his safety would be threatened.

At this moment, Zhang Xiaosu still harbored some caution toward Miss Yu. This thought might be wrong and unjust to her, but it was the choice least likely to leave regrets or pain.

To be honest, Zhang Xiaosu still felt that their time together with Miss Yu was too short. It was not that he now suspected Miss Yu of any ulterior motives.

It was just that he had struggled to survive on this wasteland for so long, each day's life was one he had fought for with his own hands, each step seemingly stained with blood.

How could such a life easily entrust one's fate to someone known for only a few days?

Zhang Xiaosu took Sixuan back to the clinic to gather their belongings. He had not expected the newly acquired "new home" to be left vacant again. Wang Fugui, standing nearby, said: "You can rest assured. I will guard this courtyard and ensure no one else moves in."

"Alright, thank you," Zhang Xiaosu said.

"Actually, you need not insist on having them stay at the school. With me here, what is there to fear?" Wang Fugui laughed.

"I am not just guarding against you," Zhang Xiaosu coldly rejected Wang Fugui's proposal. In this settlement, only the school was the safest place.

Wang Fugui did not take offense. He knew what kind of person Zhang Xiaosu was, so it was expected that Zhang Xiaosu would even guard against him.

Miss Yu and Sixuan remained silent throughout, lowering their heads to pack their things. Only after everything was packed did Sixuan whisper: "Can we not go?"

"I will return. That path is not dangerous as long as we walk it correctly. If there is real danger, I will abandon them and come back," Zhang Xiaosu said, not answering Sixuan's question but directly stuffing the money into Miss Yu's hands: "Anyway, I have no place to spend money in the wasteland. Take this."

"Hmm," Miss Yu agreed: "Bring more dry rations. It is too hard to rely solely on luck to find food in the wasteland."

"No need," Zhang Xiaosu shook his head: "If we do not consider taste or endurance, once we pass the first few dozen kilometers, food is easy to find."

However, Miss Yu's words reminded Zhang Xiaosu. Since he could retrieve the medicine bottle into his mind palace at any time, could other things be stored as well?

If the medicine bottle was a tangible object with quality, then the palace was also a peculiar space.

If that were the case, Zhang Xiaosu even considered secretly taking the well from the settlement. After all, the water sources outside were not very reassuring.

Perhaps that was the meaning of leaving one's homeland.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xiaosu secretly attempted to store a piece of steamed bun into the palace. The next moment, something miraculous happened: the bun did not move...

The palace emitted a sound: "Storage permission not obtained."

Zhang Xiaosu was stunned. It seemed that objects could indeed be stored in the palace, but he did not yet have the qualification!

He asked in his mind: "What is required to obtain storage permission?"

"No permission to answer," the palace fell silent, not responding to Zhang Xiaosu's question.

Zhang Xiaosu suddenly felt that the palace did not have its own consciousness but was merely issuing specific tasks based on some logic. Its function... seemed only to guide Zhang Xiaosu's actions.

...

After settling Miss Yu and Sixuan in the school, Zhang Xiaosu turned around without hesitation and left. Miss Yu and Sixuan stood at the school gate, watching Zhang Xiaosu's figure recede into the night. Sixuan suddenly asked: "Miss Yu, do you know why he gave all the money to you?"

"Hmm," Miss Yu calmly replied.

"Will you blame him?" Sixuan looked at Miss Yu.

"No," Miss Yu smiled.

Zhang Xiaosu walked far away before finally turning back to gaze toward the school. At that moment, the starry river above the sky was vast, and the stars like the sea.

He turned around resolutely and walked toward the clinic, to welcome the guest who was about to arrive.

Often, it is only in retrospect that one understands the moment that defines their life. Perhaps during a certain period, they merely made a small decision, but that might be the fork in the road of great change.

Left or right, it all hinged on a single thought, then they charged forward toward an unknown future without hesitation.

Only at the time, they thought it was just an ordinary day in their life.