This time there were no pixelated images, everything was so clear that it made Xiu feel like he was really there. This was everything he had experienced.
Five months ago.
At that time, Xiu was still a rookie 'ideation wanderer' as the first member of the 001 team to carry out a mission. He took off his helmet which connected his memory with the company's cloud system and implanted in his body. There was no discomfort, but instead he felt like getting up and stretching after sleeping for too long. The room in front of him seemed familiar, but memories were suppressed at this moment.
"Oh right, it's just a dream! This VR system is so damn realistic."
Xiu suddenly realized that all the dreams he had since childhood within the cloud system were beautiful dreams.
Everything in those dreams seemed unreal yet real at the same time - from fireflies shining brightly under mountains at night to colorful lights on streets during festivals or even small talks with classmates while going to school - they all touched his heart deeply again and again. Even though he was a genius science student from New Bridge High School, Xiu never felt any different from others; growing up happily with friends around him and being loved by his mother.
His father leaving home when he couldn't remember anything didn't make him feel lack of paternal love because Mr.Su Ningxun who lived next door treated him like their own son along with Mrs.Pei Chengxun treating him like her own daughter Su Yitong did treat him as her brother.
Xin Ju City where Xiu lived built upon hills wasn't considered as a big city in China but gained fame nationwide due to an exam arranged secretly by Ante Corporation using national name seeking for exceptional talents beyond current world technology level by setting questions based on standards 30 years ahead of current technology level aiming for selecting qualified future maintainers and experiencers of cloud systems worldwide among various countries.
The brain activity of scientific geniuses is astonishingly high; usually one year's worth equals lifetime neural activities compared to normal people while links between nerve elements are far more complex than ordinary people which serves as important nutrients nurturing complex nervous systems.
Ante Corporation developed 'memory chips' which could obtain sufficient historical data about brain activities within short period fitting human neural functions achieving true 'human-like intelligence'. And this is also why Ante secretly selects scientific geniuses worldwide; each country has puppets arranged by Ante Corporation making such selection not difficult for them.
Mom, I got first place in the national college entrance exam! The government wants to send me to study at Orphidell Polytechnic Institute for free!"
Remembered by Xiu when he found out and excitedly went home to tell his mother the news. His mother was shocked at first, then turned around to compose herself and forced a smile.
Xiu knew that his father's departure had made him extremely sensitive, and the strong sorrowful emotions hidden behind his mother's feigned joy also permeated his heart. His mother's strength moved him deeply, but he also hated why his father abandoned them both during her pregnancy. Thinking of this, Xiu Yinan clenched his fist tightly behind him despite the pain of nails digging into flesh.
Xiu saw his mother open her arms towards him and bent down to embrace him in her warm embrace. He held onto her slightly swollen waist due to overwork tightly as he felt tears fall from the back of his neck knowing that she was crying too.
"Your dad would be very happy..."
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
"Mom, don't mention Dad. I haven't seen him since birth until now. How could he abandon you while you were still pregnant? Ugh, he is only a irresponsible man who have abandoned us!"
"Don't say such things about your dad. your dad is actually a good person. He left because there were some difficulties that prevented him from staying by my side..."
Xiu Yinan didn't respond anymore because he feared delving deeper into talking about 'father' would hurt his mom even more.
"Here, Mom made your favorite sugar chestnut muffins." Yang Wen softly called out before getting up and patting her apron clean with hands on Xiu's shoulder as she pulled out a chair for him beside their dining table where they enjoyed those extra crispy sugar chestnut muffins together that night.
A genius teenager emerged in XinJu City which naturally caused quite a stir on results day; even though Xiu Yinan was already somewhat famous among students at New Bridge High School as an academic prodigy it only circulated within small circles until now where everyone knows who he is after scoring top marks nationwide! The next day reporters swarmed outside their house along with curious bystanders eager for any glimpse or information they can get about this young prodigy!
"You're Xiu Yinan right? What does it feel like being number one in the national college entrance exam? Regarding the government decision to send you abroad for further studies at Orphidell Polytechnic Institute what do you want to say to viewers watching?" A passionate reporter asked while handing over their microphone.
"I'm giving up this opportunity for government-funded overseas studies; let someone else have this precious chance instead." Xiu handed back the microphone calmly without hesitation while looking back at his mother who stood nearby listening intently alongside everyone else present including Yang Wen whose expression showed surprise mixed with confusion upon hearing these words come from such an accomplished student like himself!
"You really want to give up such a valuable opportunity?" The reporter clearly did not expect such an answer and looked incredulous.
"Yes."
...
In his dream, he did not pursue his so-called "scientist" dream and leave behind his mother who had already been abandoned by his father once and his childhood friend Su Yitong, who was only one year younger than him. He now realized that he could not accept being with anyone else. He did not know whether it was his own choice that put him in this situation.
When the details could no longer be supplemented by memories, Xiu got up from bed and went to the table. Looking at the open window beside him, he played with the paper cup megaphone made with Su in his hand, revealing a silly smile on his face. On those sleepless nights, boys or girls would call each other through these cups until they caught them under their eaves. They would then share recent interesting events and secrets through these cups. In dreams, Xiu has always had a spiritual connection with this younger sister since childhood; if one forgets to bring a textbook to school, the other will intuitively bring it for her/him.
On every night when he couldn't fall asleep tossing and turning around in bed, Xiu always sensed that Su wanted to call out for him at the window side. Before she even called out her name aloud，he would open the window and wait for her name to be called out.
The two of them smiled at each other while looking into each other's eyes; their faces blushed slightly but neither noticed it due to darkness.
"How brilliant if all of this were true," Xiu said as he looked back at the titanium alloy "solid" windowsill realizing that everything displayed here is just decoration after all because 30 years of technological advancement created an enormous gap between this dream world and today's high-tech world nobody can imagine such companies like Ante which are capable of leading current technology levels by 30 years exist in reality let alone building such an amazing city - Oubel City ,out of nowhere in this desert area where he is currently trapped inside its central Twin Towers conducting secret research work for Ante Corporation.
It is precisely because of this reason why Xiu wants to complete Cloud Metalas System's mission urgently so as to return back soonest possible into this sweet dreamland again.