[Remaining Lifespan: 100 days, 5 hours, 20 minutes, 13 seconds] Qi Zhimu acted as if he hadn’t seen the system notification visible only to himself.
His face wore a calm, effortless smile as he placed a plate of seasonal pastries onto the table.
“Senior, may I ask…
is Teacher’s research still not concluded?” “A hundred and some decades, and when will you finally change how you address me?
Just call me Qingtu.
That woman Ruan Mei — to think she’d raise such a stubborn, rigid student.” Yu Qingtu cast a helpless sidelong glance at Qi Zhimu.
Getting this rule-abiding man to change his address was harder than climbing the sky.
Who knew how many inflexible principles Ruan Mei had drilled into him?
Qi Zhimu’s restrained face flickered with a trace of apology, but he didn’t respond.
Toward the woman before him — who appeared classically elegant, looking like a woman of twenty-six or twenty-seven — he always maintained precisely the appropriate level of courtesy.
As early as several hundred Amber Eras ago, Yu Qingtu had already become a member of the Genius Society.
She classical loved music and mixology, similar to his teacher Ruan Mei, though their temperaments differed considerably.
To the outside world, Yu Qingtu was an eccentric genius alchemist.
Toward him…
from initially indifferent to now — well, amiable and kind?
Perhaps it was because he made excellent pastries that happened to satisfy this senior genius alchemist’s picky palate.
But regardless, rules were rules.
Seniority must not be disordered.
Propriety must not be broken.
Otherwise, Teacher would be displeased.
The last time Teacher was displeased was one hundred and fifty-seven years ago.
Just as a person forgets most of the unpleasant memories from early childhood, after a hundred and some decades, Qi Zhimu could no longer recall exactly why Teacher had been displeased — only that it had something to do with breaking the rules.
What followed was five days without medicine, plus confinement.
It wasn’t until the virus nearly claimed his life that Teacher finally released him from the small confinement room.
In Qi Zhimu’s understanding, even failing to observe proper forms of address counted as breaking the rules.
“I bet you’re about to say, ‘This junior would never dare disrupt seniority.'” Yu Qingtu looked at his expression, her tone certain.
“Senior is Member #55 of the Genius Society.
This junior would never dare disrupt seniority.” See?
She could guess it every single time.
“You’ve already completed your apprenticeship.
What’s this nonsense about disrupting seniority?
Even inside the Genius Society, there are plenty of eccentric people who show no respect to their seniors.” Yu Qingtu rolled her eyes even harder, speaking with irritation.
“Besides, your teacher isn’t even a genius herself.
I’ve never seen her treat me as a respected senior.
She won’t even see you now, yet you still side with her like this?” “Once a teacher, always a teacher.
This junior cannot bring shame to Teacher.” “Stubborn.
Fine, fine.
In another hundred days, it’ll be your birthday.
What gift do you want?” “Any gift from a genius is an honor for this junior.” Qi Zhimu maintained a proper smile as he skillfully steered the conversation back on track.
“Senior still hasn’t answered this junior — Teacher’s research…” “Not finished.
That woman has locked herself away for decades.
If I couldn’t still detect her life signs, I’d wonder if she’d died in there.” “Thank you for telling me, Senior.” “Little one, sit.
I have some questions for you.” Yu Qingtu’s eyes shifted as she gestured for Qi Zhimu to stop standing there like a fool.
Qi Zhimu hesitated for a moment, then sat down properly across from Yu Qingtu.
“As long as it doesn’t involve Teacher’s privacy, this junior will answer anything.” “Don’t worry.
Though it involves privacy, it’s not hers.
It’s yours.” “This junior?” “Tell me honestly —” Yu Qingtu narrowed her long eyes, and her expression gradually turned serious.
“Did your sudden decision to complete your apprenticeship have anything to do with trying to dissuade Ruan Mei from pursuing that forbidden research?” “…” Qi Zhimu’s gaze dropped.
After a few seconds of silence, he gave a slight shake of his head.
“Teacher’s thoughts…
I cannot presume to fathom.” Yu Qingtu already had her answer.
As a genius in the field of chemistry, her work naturally intersected with the field of life sciences.
Of course she could see that Ruan Mei was conducting forbidden research on reviving the dead.
And the dead in question were none other than Ruan Mei’s own parents.
Not interfering in another’s research was basic etiquette among Genius Society members.
But that didn’t stop Yu Qingtu from silently grumbling to herself: How could someone who personally defied the laws of biology raise such a rule-abiding student?
Unless…
Qi Zhimu had once defied the rules and talked back to her, got expelled from her tutelage, and ended up like this?
“If I had been the one to find you back then, cure your illness, and take you as my student, you definitely wouldn’t be this rigid.” Qi Zhimu could only smile at that.
Yu Qingtu had long grown accustomed to his temperament and didn’t mind.
She elegantly finished the fragrant, colorful, and delicious pastries, a hint of satisfaction showing between her brows.
“Alright, little one, I should go.
But before I leave, I want to ask you one more question.” “Please speak, Senior.” “Do you admire — no, let me put it this way — do you like Ruan Mei?
From a romantic perspective.” “Senior, please don’t mock this junior.
This junior has only respect for Teacher.
How could I harbor such disrespectful, absurd feelings?” “Is that so…” Yu Qingtu gazed at Qi Zhimu’s entirely candid expression and found no trace of deceit.
Likewise, she could detect no hidden romantic affection.
Yet deep down, she still found it utterly strange.
The primary source of her suspicion came from the building not far from the bamboo house they were currently in — a structure identical to her friend Ruan Mei’s hometown residence.
She had gone inside to look.
Even the furnishings were exactly the same.
She couldn’t tell whether it had been moved here intact or whether Qi Zhimu had constructed it himself.
If the latter — build it but never live in it, yet clean it regularly, keeping it spotless…
what did that mean?
In comparison, Qi Zhimu sending Ruan Mei plum blossom wine every year at the proper time seemed far more like normal behavior from a student respecting his teacher.
Finding no thread to pull, Yu Qingtu could only attribute the matter to both teacher and student being a pair of eccentrics.
“…Until next time, little one.” Yu Qingtu waved her hand and took away the ten jars of plum blossom wine beside her.
“Walk slowly, Senior.
When you deliver the plum blossom wine, please remember to leave a message for Teacher — remind her to maintain a regular routine and eat on time.” “You’ve been saying that for decades.
Don’t worry.” As for whether Ruan Mei would actually listen — that was her own affair.
Qi Zhimu saw Yu Qingtu onto her spacecraft and watched her leave, then turned and walked toward that residence.
But Yu Qingtu was still watching from afar.
Seeing Qi Zhimu once again went to clean the one-to-one replica residence on schedule, she felt that between teacher and student, the student was the more puzzling one.
In the end, unable to figure it out, she shook her head helplessly and withdrew her gaze.
“Maybe this is what they mean when they say: geniuses aren’t geniuses in every domain.” Only after sensing the covert presence had completely departed did Qi Zhimu finally relax.
His originally healthy, rosy complexion instantly turned ashen.
He transformed from a young man into an elderly one, his temples rapidly whitening.
He coughed violently several times, a cloying sweetness clogging his throat, nearly spilling from the corner of his mouth.
He was going to die.
Admittedly, he had learned considerable biological knowledge from Ruan Mei and possessed many means to prolong his own life.
But there was no need.
As a short-life species, living to one hundred and seventy-five years was plenty fulfilling enough.
Similar to the protagonists of various novels, Qi Zhimu also possessed his own system.
Only — his system did not directly provide powerful cheat-like advantages.
The only thing his system provided was: life.
Born as a human, died as a human, endlessly repeated.
Natural death was the law of intelligent life, and a blessing besides.
He would not easily break it.
Leaving aside Teacher Ruan Mei for the moment — the eccentric Yu Qingtu was another matter entirely.
If she learned the truth that he was about to die, this genius who had lived for who knew how many years would very likely do something to him.
Thus, there was no need to tell them.
But before he died, there were still some things he needed to accomplish.
*** Hello everyone!
It’s CNBLUE.
This is a new project I’m working on: a Honkai: Star Rail fanfic that I’ve just uploaded.