The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

109.

Li Zichun made his way through the crowded streets and quickly returned home.

This was the first time he felt alienated from the world. The loneliness and despair of having nowhere to belong in this vast world made him somewhat panicked.

Many people have probably experienced this sense of disconnect between their dreams and reality. When you leave your hometown alone for university and go to an unfamiliar place, or travel alone to unfamiliar tourist attractions, it feels like you're drifting on a vast sea, unable to find your way. But none of this seems so bad, because you know where you came from and that you will always return to that place.

What Li Zichun has to face is that he came from there, but he can never go back.

This kind of panic and loneliness is like facing a vast land, knowing that this is your own country, but all you see are ruins, and you are the only one wandering among them, not knowing where to go.

Li Zichun couldn't help but tremble, as if the world was swallowing him up. The invisible waves of worldly power were making him unlike himself. He was a citizen of the land of China, not a substitute for the Great Zhou in this world!

He inexplicably felt a desire to destroy the world, because at that moment, everything seemed like a false dream, and he needed to find something to rely on to prove his existence.

Li Zichun walked into the courtyard and saw Li Ke. Without saying a word, he hugged him tightly, feeling his warm body temperature and warm breath. He hugged him tightly with all his might, as if he wanted to crush him with all his might.

Zhao Qianfan had just finished showering when she saw this scene, and her eyes were practically spitting fire.

Just as he was about to step forward, Li Zichun suddenly released Li Ke and pinched his arm hard. Li Ke hissed and instinctively slapped his hand away, shouting, "What's wrong with you?"

Li Zichun looked at his hand, which had been hurt by the punch, and said, "It hurts a little. So you're really a person?"

Li Ke was puzzled by his question. Touching the spot where he had pinched her, she said, "Of course it's a real person. You're not so engrossed in watching VR that you can't even tell the difference between real and fake."

Zhao Qianfan stepped forward and asked, "What's wrong? You look terrible, are you alright?"

Li Zichun smiled and shook his head, then punched him in the chest and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Zhao Qianfan shook his head: "It doesn't hurt, you can hit me however you want."

Li Ke, who was standing to the side, rolled her eyes and said irritably, "One or two is enough. Showing off your love so late at night, go back to your room and go to sleep."

Li Ke went back to his room to rest without looking back, leaving Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan looking at each other in bewilderment.

Qitong jumped out of its portable cat carrier, meowed at Li Zichun, wagged its tail, and went back to its den.

Li Zichun also came to her senses and realized what she had just done. She apologized and said, "I'm sorry, I was a little flustered just now. Are you really not in pain?"

Zhao Qianfan frowned and said, "Of course it hurts, but what's wrong with you? You looked completely different when you came back from your trip."

Zhao Qianfan cradled his head and gazed intently at his features. Li Zichun tensed up as he felt the warm breath. The man smelled wonderful. He silently pinched his thigh to calm himself down.

Zhao Qianfan stared at him for a while, and Li Zichun also took this short time to slowly get used to the fragrance on his body. He swallowed and wondered why he hadn't noticed how fragrant he was before. Wait, why is Li Ke alright? Could it be that only he could smell it? He would ask him tomorrow.

Zhao Qianfan breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that he was alright, and said with a smile, "It's good that you're alright."

Li Zichun avoided eye contact, looking embarrassed. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Well, I'll go take a shower first."

Zhao Qianfan smiled and agreed, then watched him slip into the room before walking over to the Seven-Tong Nest and fiddling with it for a while.

The bathwater, which Zhao Qianfan had already adjusted to the correct temperature, sprayed down from the pressurized showerhead, running down his hair and soaking his entire body. Having lived for so long, he suddenly felt like letting loose, but he quickly suppressed the thought as soon as it surfaced.

With his current strength and reputation, even if he doesn't have three wives and four concubines, he could at least have romantic relationships with women with just a snap of his fingers. Naturally, there would be plenty of handsome men and beautiful women willingly throwing themselves at him. He could then dismiss them with a song or two without anyone saying anything.

But he was not a person of integrity to do such a thing. He was always a person of high moral character, and even if his soul was only temporarily residing in this body, he would still keep it clean.

Sometimes he wondered if he was taking things too seriously. He was just an actor in the entertainment industry, why be so persistent? But he just couldn't get over that hurdle in his heart.

After taking a shower, Li Zichun felt a little hungry again, so she went to the living room to get some fruit.

Just as he was about to leave, he saw Zhao Qianfan stirring hot milk outside his room. He smiled and said, "I thought you'd be hungry after your shower, so I made you a cup of honey milk. Would you like some?"

Li Zichun was inexplicably touched. It felt so good to be remembered. She smiled and nodded, but instead of taking the cup from his hand, she pulled him into the room and said, "Can you sleep with me tonight? I get a little emotionally unstable when I'm alone, and I get panicked."

Zhao Qianfan was surprised that he would make such a request, and his surprised face immediately turned into a smile. After Li Zichun finished drinking his milk, he lay down, and Zhao Qianfan climbed onto the bed to keep him company.

Looking at his reserved demeanor, Li Zichun thought for a moment and said, "Qianfan, how about we become sworn brothers?"

Zhao Qianfan pressed his hand in surprise and said, "This is the answer you've been thinking about for days?"

Li Zichun struggled a few times but couldn't get away, so she let him hold her down and slowly guided him, "Qianfan, I can't be in a relationship. Besides, we're both men, there's no future for us being together."

Zhao Qianfan moved closer to him, looking into his stubborn eyes, just like tens of thousands of years ago, and couldn't help but sigh and say, "Since you don't know how to date, then I won't date either. I can at least stay with you, right?"

Looking into his bright eyes under the lamplight, Li Zichun sighed and said, "Why do you have to do this? I'm an orphan, I can do whatever I want, no one can control me. But you're from a large family, you have to..."

Zhao Qianfan pressed her hand to his lips, staring at him with a worried yet affectionate expression, and said, "I only need you. I don't ask for anything else, and you don't need to love me. Just let me love you and stay by your side. This period won't be too long, just until I get tired of this relationship."

Listening to these intoxicating words of love and smelling the fragrance emanating from him, Li Zichun was somewhat intoxicated. The reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue was swallowed back down, and he sighed helplessly: "Sigh... whatever you want, just don't do anything too outrageous."

After saying that, he turned and shrank into the blanket. Li Zichun's heart was pounding. Zhao Qianfan's sweet words were so alluring that it was hard not to be moved.

Seeing this, Zhao Qianfan was delighted and couldn't help but smile. She turned off the light, covered him with the blanket, and carefully wrapped her arms around his tense body from behind, whispering, "Sleep, I'll always be here."

Seeing that he made no further move, Li Zichun felt relieved. He inhaled the fragrance emanating from Zhao Qianfan, and his unease about this unfamiliar world gradually subsided. It was as if, with this man by his side, all his fantasies and hopes had a foundation.

His eyelids drooped, and he slowly relaxed, falling into a deep sleep amidst his breathing.

Li Zichun fell asleep in Zhao Qianfan's arms. It was one of the few good nights he had ever had since coming to this sub-world—a deep, peaceful, and tranquil sleep.

When Li Zichun woke up the next day, everything was the same. He felt all the fatigue in his body disappear. Zhao Qianfan's firm chest still gave off a warm feeling like a stove, which made him feel very at ease.

Li Zichun moved slightly, but suddenly felt an inexplicable heat behind him. He froze and stopped in his tracks.

Zhao Qianfan also woke up, sensing the unusual morning atmosphere. He looked at the person pretending to be asleep in his arms, swallowed hard, gently withdrew his arm that had been used as a pillow, and went to take a shower with a smile. He couldn't guarantee that he wouldn't do anything outrageous if he stayed any longer.

Li Zichun slowly woke up, recalled Tie Zhu from earlier, and thought, "Phew, he really is a vigorous middle-aged man!" He patted his cheeks and quickly got up to get dressed and wash up.

Just as Li Ke was about to leave, she saw the two of them come out of a room and said with interest, "You two slept in the same room last night? Oh~"

Li Zichun rolled her eyes and said, "Stop being sarcastic. I wasn't feeling well last night, so he came to take care of me."

Thinking of his actions towards her last night, Li Ke said with concern, "No wonder you hugged and hit me last night. But why are you feeling unwell again? Did you catch a cold?"

Zhao Qianfan chimed in, "You probably caught a chill. Your hands and feet were freezing when you came back. It's only April now, and the weather is unpredictable between spring and summer, so you should wear more layers."

After saying that, he touched his forehead with his hand, and then touched his own.

Li Zichun let him touch her without objection, while Li Ke watched in astonishment, feeling that things were developing a little too fast.

After breakfast, the group lay down for a while before continuing their vocal and singing practice. Li Zichun typed on the sidelines, occasionally correcting their pronunciation and rhythm.

A few days passed simply like that, and then it was time for the recording of the King of Singers competition.

Ma Qian and the others were still waiting at the door on time. The questions on the way were still nothing special, but the main thing was that the theme of this episode had sparked a heated discussion among the public.

Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan also shared their views on this topic.

The idea that "studying is useless" seems to have been a persistent thought among the lower classes throughout history, because it's incredibly difficult for them to rise above their circumstances. They may learn to read and write like the wealthy, but they can't acquire the vision and refinement that comes with it. Once they achieve success, they're either blinded by wealth and status or morally blackmailed by their families: "We worked so hard to support your education, how can you not include us?" In the end, they either ruin their own future through reckless behavior or are dragged down by family and friends, unable to advance and stuck in the same place for life.

Li Zichun has read a lot of discussions on this topic in the past few days. He recalled a line from the novel "The Distant Savior": "The deadlock of traditional concepts lies in the word 'relying'. At home, rely on parents; when you go out, rely on friends; rely on God, rely on Buddha, rely on imperial grace... In short, you can rely on anything, just don't rely on yourself, so you can only kneel down in spirit."

They don't understand that social class isn't something that can be achieved simply through money and property; it requires internal change. The first step is to change one's habits. And habits are determined by mindset, status, values, and behavioral patterns—in short, a change in one area affects the whole. If one cannot adjust oneself in a timely manner, one will inevitably fall back into the dust.

People often hear statements like "The destination I strive for is not as good as your starting point" and "All roads lead to Rome, but some people are born in Rome." Social stratification is solidified, and for ordinary people to achieve upward social mobility, there are only six ways: education, entrepreneurship, career, wealth, politics, social connections, and technology.

All six methods require a strong knowledge base and extensive network of connections, which is why we often hear the saying, "You only realize how little you know when you need to use it."

Those in higher positions sometimes don't even need to lift a finger to control those below them. Inflation, the stock market, the housing market—there's always a way to take your losses. Even if you escape all that, health problems stemming from unhealthy lifestyle habits will unexpectedly land you in the hospital for surgery. While not fatal, they can quickly shrink your wallet.

For those at the bottom to advance, they must have a clear understanding: "It's not that studying is useless, it's that you're useless." That's why there's the saying, "A scholar is useless in a hundred ways."

Ultimately, it all boils down to the self-disciplined excelling and the undisciplined being eliminated. Surpassing oneself is far more meaningful than surpassing one's social class.

Li Zichun and Zhao Qianfan broadcast this conversation live, their clear self-awareness resonating with everyone watching. They then shared their daily schedules, waking up no later than 6:30 AM, starting with a run, followed by a nutritious breakfast...

The moment netizens saw just this one point, they were in an uproar. Very few people actually manage to wake up early! Let alone those who are used to staying up late.

Of course, they also said that this is a schedule, and they will clarify their goals based on how they use their time each day, and constantly adjust their plans based on their latest situation.

Our ultimate goal is to achieve efficient planning and organization, enabling us to do our best in the present moment, live the life we ​​want, understand what we truly desire, and be willing to let go of unimportant matters. This is the key to effective time management and the first step towards success.

Because of time constraints, the two quickly got off the bus. Nevertheless, the interview still caused a huge sensation online. The very idea of ​​creating a schedule alone was enough to deter many people. There's a reason why others succeed.

The two went to the lounge and waited for the show to begin. To be honest, they weren't very confident about the song they had prepared for this episode, but after looking at everyone else, who all seemed to be giving up and having no will to live, they felt relieved. It's true that it's difficult to write a good song about the topic of "reading".

After all, it's the entertainment industry, and how many people there are who are well-educated? Everyone more or less feels that the official stance is mocking their lack of culture.