Three years, it's really too short.
A child starts middle school in seventh grade and graduates in ninth grade, just three years.
It's not even enough time for the Olympics to be held again.
Even for a person's short life, this is an extremely brief period.
Yet now, it has become humanity's last moments of happiness.
As the only person in the world who knows, Shen Shi now merely has to think a little to feel the heavy weight, and this is when he already has a way out.
The more he enjoys everything this society brings him, the heavier it becomes.
The wealthy always fear loss more than those who have nothing.
Even if that day he could lead tens of thousands to escape into the vast cosmos and continue to enjoy his power and status there, yet, tens of thousands of leaders? That's just a town mayor compared to the possibilities he currently has, so insignificant.
Moreover, what about his family? Can they endure a life of escaping?
What kind of future will his children have?
Shen Shi's thoughts were chaotic, his fork unconsciously scraping in the plate.
This action naturally caused some disdain from the people around.
"Not sure which mine owner's silly child this is." A middle-aged man in a suit laughed to his female partner, "Coming alone to RESPECT for a meal is one thing, at least follow the etiquette of western dining."
"Hehe." The girl, no more than in her twenties, chuckled lightly, and instinctively straightened her posture, even her movements with the knife and fork slowed considerably.
Shen Shi also heard this remark, frowned, but before he could do anything, the phone screen lit up.
It was a message just sent by Ai Xin'Er.
"I might not be able to come tonight, I'm being entangled!!"
Honestly, Shen Shi was quite looking forward to tonight's date.
Ai Xin'Er, to him, meant the "last highlight."
In fact, quite a few boys entering society feel this way—their middle school years might be the highlight of their lives.
During that time, as long as a boy wasn't bad-looking, had decent grades, and a sunny personality, he would be the object of many girls' secret affections. If he could also play basketball well, or play guitar and sing a beautiful song, he would be a god.
Money, power, influence... these most despairing disparities in society are minimized in middle school.
Even those who seem vastly different in society can have fun together as long as their personalities align.
Shen Shi and Ai Xin'Er are typical examples.
Although this friendship, tinged with vague emotions, faded significantly after entering university, it remains a past that truly touched the soul.
Shen Shi sent three question marks over.
Then he put down the phone.
Disappointment, naturally there was some, but he sought Ai Xin'Er in the first place to vent emotions stirred by suddenly handling great power, and after this afternoon's shopping spree, he actually calmed down a lot.
So if she can't come, she can't come.
However, a series of messages came rushing in.
"Let me tell you, a (superficial) girlfriend suddenly dragged me to watch someone confess."
"Then I found out, the person being confessed to might very well be me!!!"
Shen Shi's expression was somewhat dazed.
He opened the images, which indeed showed many people there.
Some were arranging candles into a massive "heart" on the ground, others were placing flowers, controlling drones, and even there were lights and speakers—it looked like a grand spectacle.
It's definitely a setup ordinary people couldn't pull off.
"Could it be you got it wrong?" Shen Shi typed away rapidly on his phone.
"Impossible! I felt my superficial girlfriend was acting weird today! I clearly said I had plans tonight, yet she insisted I come! And wouldn't let me leave! Most importantly! There's someone I know, has chased me for a long time—a rich second generation—right there among those setting things up!"
Shen Shi was silent for a moment, feeling a slight bitterness in his heart.
This was one of the reasons he previously chose to distance himself.
The simplicity of middle school was, in reality, a manifestation of immaturity—but one has to mature.
Pressing on his phone, this time typing slowly, but still he sent it out happily.
"You're really not here to show off?"
Ai Xin'Er replied instantly, faster than Shen Shi imagined.
Then a cascade of messages followed.
"Firstly, I figured it out at a glance—the guy is a scumbag!!!"
"Secondly, more and more people are gathering, possibly even faculty and teachers, trying to push me up! You know how much I hate this!"
"Thirdly, I can't let this superficial girlfriend win—girl drama is not something I'll elaborate to you."
"Haven't thought of the fourth yet."
"In short, rejection is certain; the problem is after rejecting, this jerk will absolutely use it against me!"
Creating a facade of deep affection, claiming I toyed with his feelings or something—this little bastard will undoubtedly do such things!!!"
Shen Shi looked at these messages sent without pause, unable to help the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
He could already imagine Ai Xin'Er's goddess style frantically pressing keys on the phone.
This old classmate, in reality, was a true goddess, but once she got on the keyboard, typing away, she was an entirely different image.
Not quite a troublemaker from the Land of Ancestors, but not far off.
"Need my help?" Shen Shi sent over.
"How can you help? Aren't you the one who hates dealing with these rich second generations the most?"
"That was the past. Anyway, I can drive over in a hefty luxury car, suppress the whole scene—wouldn't that solve it?" Shen Shi, sending out this statement, felt his eyes slightly brighten.
Without power, one would hate engaging with power.
But after gaining power, would he hate it?
Thinking carefully, isn't this sending up an opportunity for glory?
Shen Shi, who had originally calmed down inside, felt a bit restless at this moment.
"You mean rent a luxury car? Good idea, I'll pay! But can it be done in time?"
Looking at the message from Ai Xin'Er, Shen Shi was typing, but the opposing messages continued coming in.
"No! Forget it, no need for a luxury car, just ride your little electric scooter! Dress snazzy!"
"Sis is going to make you the legend of Hai City Music Academy today!"
"That little bitch wants to sneak a peek at my phone screen, enough said, come quickly, just be bold; with sis around, you won't lose face!"
Shen Shi silently looked at these few messages.
A little electric scooter?
He naturally understood Ai Xin'Er's meaning, but precisely because he understood, there was a sensation of having pierced the heart.
If he hadn't had this encounter today, hadn't had the power now in hand, would he go? Would he dare?
If he went, would he become a legend, or a joke?
In just a few hours, he seemed to have completely departed from his former self, never to return.
But he knows what he needs to do now.