After the meal at Gou Yu’s house, there wasn’t much special going on—everyone mostly just did their own thing.
Gou Yu’s father was dragged into a room by his mother amidst his agonized screams, while the store manager lady seemed to bow slightly as if making space for the two to be alone, then headed toward the study.
According to Gou Yu, hardly anyone used the study at home, except the store manager lady. But even then, her reason for using it seemed to be locking herself in there for self-reflection whenever the family did something incomprehensible again.
She’d reflect on whether it was her family’s fault or hers—and each time, the answer was obvious.
“I feel like she’s a bit of an outcast,” Gou Yu whispered into Zhu Niao’s ear. “She’s going to get isolated like this.”
Hearing Gou Yu’s words, Zhu Niao only felt that the store manager lady’s life was filled with even more suffering.
Sitting on the sofa in the living room, Zhu Niao held a juice drink that Gou Yu had just stolen from his sister’s mini fridge.
Too bad the store manager lady was in the study—unaware that there were ghosts lurking in the house.
Taking a sip, it was orange juice—but not soda.
Makes sense. The store manager lady didn’t seem like the type to like soda.
Then Zhu Niao saw Gou Yu pull out a tube of effervescent tablets from the pocket of his pants, which he’d put on backward.
Before he pulled out the tube, Zhu Niao had thought that protruding cylindrical thing was some bizarre object.
“Just toss the effervescent tablet directly into your mouth, then you’ll have bubbles in your mouth. Add the orange juice, and isn’t that just orange soda?”
Gou Yu said this very seriously, momentarily leaving Zhu Niao speechless.
Maybe he really was a genius.
Still, Zhu Niao dropped the effervescent tablet into the juice.
Drinking the somewhat strange-tasting juice, Zhu Niao frowned.
Some people are always pushed along by time, life, and fate. When they finally stop, they don’t enjoy the brief leisure but instead think about the intangible future.
“Old dog, tell me, what do you plan to do in the future?” Zhu Niao lifted her glass, facing the crystal chandelier’s light.
The effervescent tablet at the bottom slowly separated and diffused, bubbles rising one after another to the surface, yet the foams couldn’t even stir the slightest ripple—so powerless.
“Future?” Gou Yu mumbled a few words after saying that, but maybe because of the tablet still in his mouth, his words sounded like the ramblings of an ancient god to Zhu Niao’s ears.
After chewing a couple of times, Gou Yu swallowed the whole tablet.
“Do whatever you want to do later. Do you really need a plan? Do you have to do something you absolutely have to?”
Saying this, Gou Yu suddenly realized something. “If you really have something you have to do, then just do it. I’ll be with you.”
Zhu Niao just shook her head gently, holding the cup: “I don’t think so.”
She was just a little confused.
She’d first turned into this state—like completely bidding farewell to her previous life—and then discovered her good brother’s family was actually very rich. Just the sofa she was sitting on was worth more than her life.
Everything seemed to be heading in a good direction. She herself could sense her sighs had lessened, and her laughter had increased.
All of this felt like a dream. If it kept going at this pace, she might keep being carefree. But now, with this rare moment of free time, she couldn’t help but start thinking about life.
She was afraid that everything now would shatter just like waking up from a dream.
“Then why do you care so much? People like us don’t know anything about future plans.” Gou Yu tapped his temple with a finger. “I only know how to live in the moment—eat, mess around, and wait to die.”
Zhu Niao blinked, seemingly unable to understand Gou Yu’s blunt words.
Or maybe it was just that he said what Zhu Niao had been hiding deep in her heart but refused to admit.
“Don’t think too much. You don’t have any noble ideals or goals. What you need is just to consume around fifteen hundred kilocalories a day, find a place with a comfortable temperature where you don’t lose heat, and sit there. Everything else is your side quest.”
Looking at Gou Yu as he said this fully, Zhu Niao was dumbfounded.
First, because the content of what Gou Yu said hit the mark.
Second, because…
“You can really say stuff like that?” Zhu Niao’s eyes widened in shock. “That’s impossible. Whoever you are, get off my brother now!”
Gou Yu just calmly unlocked his phone, showing a video he had just scrolled past, and the text matched his words exactly.
“If you think it’s awesome, just copy it. Judging by how you look, you must’ve taken it seriously.”
Gou Yu grinned proudly and gave Zhu Niao a thumbs-up.
“Damn it.” Zhu Niao punched Gou Yu’s shoulder.
“But what I want to say is pretty much the same.” Gou Yu looked at Zhu Niao, who was raising her fist like she was about to throw another punch. “What I mean is, you don’t have to think so much. If you don’t know what to do next, you can just maintain the status quo, throw away the past and things that don’t matter, and just care about the people and things in front of you.”
“People live just to eat their fill, wear warm clothes, and have a cozy and harmonious home. But you already have those, so you don’t need to force yourself to strive for anything. That’s just how I think. No need to push yourself to prove anything or do anything.”
Zhu Niao pursed her lips, lowering her head, lost in thought.
Finally, she replied: “You seem a little too pessimistic.”
“I am.” Gou Yu took a sip of his orange juice. “No matter how hard I try, how can I surpass the family business and what I’ve done so far? Besides, I don’t have that kind of talent. Just being able to survive on my own has already drained all my ability.”
“So, I actually admire you. You’re way stronger and more capable than me.”
This was the first time Zhu Niao saw her good brother like this. She felt that maybe Gou Yu wasn’t as carefree as she had thought.
The two life masters sat quietly for a while without another word.
Finally, Gou Yu spoke again.
“Big life decisions aren’t something people like us can really figure out the outcome of. As long as we’re happy, that’s enough.”
After finishing the whole glass of juice, Gou Yu felt like the effervescent tablet he swallowed was still bubbling inside his stomach.
He thought for a moment and added, “I’m pretty happy when I’m with you. Whatever we do, it’s fun.”
“Feels like you just like being an asshole to me. And I’m the only one who still tolerates it and hasn’t run away.” Zhu Niao put down her glass, hands on hips, looking smug.
“Yeah, yeah, thanks to you, Lord Zhu Niao, for putting up with my shit.”
Gou Yu smiled slightly and, taking advantage of Zhu Niao’s distraction, snatched her glass of orange juice and downed it all—without leaving a drop.
“Damn it, spit it out!”
Furious, Zhu Niao punched Gou Yu sharply in the kidneys.
Gou Yu actually did spit it out—but sprayed it all over Zhu Niao’s face.
Covered in orange juice, Zhu Niao took a deep breath and clenched her fist.
“I think I’ve been way too nice to you.”
“Pfft, can we make peace now?”
What a strange family