Chapter 1: Times Change and Worlds Differ

By the way, there is a class reunion in a couple of days, you must come

This was said by You Ning when he was leaving, and Lu Zhen has been pondering over it, as he has not attended any of the gatherings held over the years.

Lu Zhen looked at the dust-covered notebook, many of the pages had become waterlogged and yellowed, and opening it produced a stiff creaking sound, with the handwriting also becoming blurred.

A bottle of mineral water

I really wish I could go back to that time, he thought, as Lu Zhen let out a bitter smile

In order to avoid making Lu Zhen feel awkward, You Ning did not refuse and directly accepted the mineral water. She opened the cap and took a big sip, after which the two exchanged a smile.

Lu Zhen pulled himself out of his memories, wiped the bloodstain from the corner of his mouth, and nearly every asthma attack caused him to cough up blood

Lu Zhen returned to his bedroom, where a considerable number of old books and notebooks from the past were piled up

Before seeing anyone, Lu Zhen shouted outside, "Uncle Li, wait a moment, I have quite a few things to take care of, let me tidy up!"

A sour and astringent feeling surged in his heart, crashing against Lu Zhen's steadfast mental walls, yet it could not sway any of his thoughts in the slightest. If there were no significant changes, he thought

Just as Lu Zhen was hesitating, his phone vibrated twice. Upon opening the message, he saw that it was from You Ning: "Perhaps the person you have a crush on, Yin Xia, will also be going.

As Lu Zhen was flipping through the pages, he unexpectedly noticed a line of clear handwriting on one of the pages that was identical to his own. However, he would never carelessly write in Yin Xia's notebook, absolutely not

Youning took out money from his pocket, glad that he had exchanged it for Renminbi as soon as he returned to the country, thinking otherwise it would have been too embarrassing in front of his old classmates

Just now, the place where Lu Zhen slept was the storeroom, where an old mattress was placed. In order to oversee the shop, Lu Zhen sleeps there every day, which also saves the cost of renting a house

Almost every day, the same things are repeated, and Lu Zhen has grown impatient, yet he feels powerless to change it in order to survive

Fortunately, this supermarket was left to him by his father before his passing, so there is no rent to pay. Although the monthly income is not substantial, by being frugal, he can always save a little. Additionally, the cost of the asthma inhaler is also a significant expense

Stretching lazily, Lu Zhen stood up, and the worn-out mattress creaked in response

Pitiful and tragic, this has been Lu Zhen's feeling over the years

Since opening the store at 4:30 AM until nearly noon, Lu Zhen has been standing at the counter. Many people passed by, but very few came in to make a purchase, and only former classmates would stop by to say hello

This is Yin Xia's notebook, which was borrowed at the time and forgotten to be returned, and Lu Zhen clearly remembers it

Cough cough

This is what Lu Zhen just finished examining yesterday, with the words 'cough variant asthma' written on it. This is the asthma that has tormented Lu Zhen since birth, a condition that is neither fatal nor comfortable.

Seeing the expression on the face of the woman before him, Lu Zhen was momentarily taken aback, and only then did he feel that this woman looked somewhat familiar. Tentatively, he inquired, "You Ning?"

"I heard you went abroad, how come you're back?" Lu Zhen felt a bit shy and couldn't look directly at You Ning, after that brief glance, he lowered his head

Lu Zhen's eyes instantly brightened as he stood up and walked out from behind the counter, looking incredulously at his female classmate whom he had not seen for nearly ten years. Her once short hair had transformed into long, straight black hair, and her subtle makeup made her appear much more mature. The only thing that remained unchanged was the mole at the end of her eyebrow.

This is ... ...

After all, we are no longer children; many things have changed, and naturally, comparisons arise between people.

Lu and * Tu * Shuzhen! '' You Ning also recalled and said with certainty

"What kind of store is it? It's just a small shop." Lu Zhen still felt a bit embarrassed, not expecting that after so many years, the gap between people had become so significant, to the point that even their social circles had changed.

The sound of a scrap collector's call suddenly echoed at the entrance.

If it weren't for this damned illness, Lu Zhen would be able to attend high school, then go to university, choose a physics-related major to study, and surely achieve great things, but now ... ...

Lu Zhen coughed a few times, expelling the blood that had accumulated in his throat onto the paper. The feeling of tightness in his chest was greatly alleviated, but as a result, he was completely wide awake.

Alright. Uncle Li wiped the sweat from his forehead, parked the three-wheeled vehicle at the entrance of the small shop, and leaned against it while looking at the cigarette he had rolled himself

It is again four thirty in the morning, and almost every time, the asthma attacks occur at this hour. This is also the time when Lu Zhen is sound asleep. He truly does not know which time might cost him his life, Lu Zhen thought.

This brought Lu Zhen's memories back to seven or eight years ago, to that innocent and carefree time

Um...

Upon hearing the sound of conversation, Lu Zhen quickly set down the "Encyclopedia of Physics" in his hands, raised his head with a smile in response, and then skillfully took out a bottle of mineral water from the box beside him

You Ning smiled slightly and nodded, her long black hair swaying like a waterfall with the motion: "Yes, I just missed my parents, so I came back to see them. I didn't expect you to have opened a shop here."

In a small city that is still not considered a third-tier city, the other has already settled abroad

Lu Zhen breathed in the air deeply and greedily, each time feeling how wonderful it was to be able to breathe in the air once again

If this expense cannot be sustained, it would be tantamount to sentencing Lu Zhen to death

Lu Zhen gazed at the rising sun and sighed, as it always reminded him of his birth

In his childhood, Lu Zhen envied other children who could run freely. However, he could only engage in slow movements, unable to chase or play roughly; otherwise, the sensation of an asthma attack felt as if death itself had gripped his throat, posing a constant threat to his life

Perhaps every boy's childhood involves protecting a girl, and Lu Zhen is no exception; however, at that time, he was also under the protection of a girl, and that girl was You Ning

Lu Zhen is not a stingy person, and he declined

With the influx of sunlight, the originally dim little supermarket has become much brighter. Although it is somewhat worn, the rows of shelves and products are neatly arranged, all of which were personally placed there by Lu Zhen one by one

Yin Xia, a name that once felt so familiar, has become somewhat unfamiliar after several years of absence

The surrounding air seemed to freeze in an instant, and a sense of suffocation immediately surged forth, akin to a person on the verge of drowning, desperately in need of fresh oxygen

This suddenly jolted Lu Zhen awake from his slumber, and he began to gasp for breath. He knew that his asthma had flared up again. Habitually, he reached for the inhaler on the bedside table, took a deep puff, and only then did he feel his constricted throat begin to clear.

Lu Zhen took a tissue from the bedside to wipe the blood from his hands and the corner of his mouth. The metallic sweet taste in his mouth made him glance at the diagnosis report placed on the bedside table

Lu Zhen bent down to pull up the rolling shutter door, and as the sunlight streamed in, he had to shield his eyes with his hand before he could barely open them.

Two pieces. Lu Zhen looked up at the woman in front of the counter

Asthma is a hereditary condition that Lu Zhen was born with, and it is a rare case of skipping a generation, which is almost nonexistent in medical history, yet it has truly occurred in Lu Zhen's case

Lu Zhen bent down as he walked out of the low bedroom, closed the dilapidated wooden door, straightened his back, stretched out his arms, and watched as the faint sunlight seeped in from beneath the roller shutter door

You Ning looked at Lu Zhen, just about to pay, but was momentarily taken aback