The Closer, The Deeper the Longing

Chen Minyue cooked breakfast, so Shen Nian could eat as soon as he came downstairs.

Braised fried eggs with tomatoes. With one bite, the sweet and sour tomato juice burst from the fried egg, mixing with the oil to create a very appetizing flavor.

He had to admit that his mom was an absolute authority when it came to cooking. As for pairing tomatoes with eggs, Shen Nian only knew how to make basic tomato and egg stir-fry.

He took a ride in the pickup truck to the breeding farm.

After helping out with some chores, Shen Nian slipped away to the open space where he had previously had a picnic with Xia Yanchun and Li Shiyan.

The coast wasn't always like what was shown on TV, with sandy beaches, swimsuits, and beautiful men and women. Looking out into the distance, the shore was covered with massive stretches of dirty oyster shells.

Shen Nian tried entering the Focus state. This time, the visual enhancement was even more obvious. If he hadn't entered the Focus state, he wouldn't even have known there was a boat in the direction he was facing.

Compared to his sight and hearing, Shen Nian was more interested in testing his strength.

How could his overall attributes not include strength?

There were plenty of rocks around the farm. Shen Nian picked one up and tossed it casually; the rock flew an incredibly long distance before disappearing into the mangrove forest.

It was a pity there weren't any large boulders nearby.

Shen Nian returned to the farm to help out and carried a few bags of feed. Lifting the fifty-kilogram bags of corn feed was... well, he couldn't just call it easy; it was an absolute breeze.

He could carry two bags at once with energy to spare. If it weren't for the awkward grip, carrying three bags wouldn't have been a problem at all.

Could I really kill a cow with a single punch?

Shen Nian maintained his Focus state until it automatically deactivated. After his stamina recovered, he entered the Focus state again. Surprisingly, he couldn't even maintain it for half an hour the second time before getting so tired that he was panting heavily.

And that was even when he was just sitting down.

Damn, the energy consumption was ridiculously high.

Such a powerful enhancement definitely came with a price.

After resting for an hour, he entered Focus again, but this time it lasted for less than ten minutes...

"Phew... Phew..." Shen Nian tugged at his collar, feeling sticky and a bit sweaty.

He was dog-tired. Not only that, but Shen Nian was also starving right now; he needed to eat immediately.

Fortunately, it was already noon, right at mealtime. Shen Nian went over to Pond Number Three just in time to eat.

He devoured three large bowls of rice with tears of joy. Even the Wujiang pickled mustard served with the meal tasted incredibly fragrant.

"What have you been doing? Why are you so hungry?"

"I'm just hungry, that's all." Shen Nian was full and satisfied.

"You can eat just as much as your dad used to."

"Was Dad a Bottomless Pit back then?"

"Not exactly. Anyway, before we got married, he was a little chubby."

"He's so skinny now. Did working on the farm burn off all his fat?"

"Yeah. Your dad is so tanned now because he's out in the sun all day. Where do you think the money for you and your sister's apartments in the city came from?"

Shen Nian looked at Shen Shi, who was still busy working on the other side, and grinned. "Since Dad is working so hard, I can't keep being lazy. I'll head back to school early tomorrow morning and study intensely for a week to prepare for the college entrance exam."

"Just make sure you get enough rest. Do you want more to eat?"

"No, I'm good. Mom, please help me clean up, I'm going to go help Dad with the work!"

"Don't run so fast, what if you trip and fall...!"

After lunch, Shen Nian felt that his stamina had mostly recovered. Although he wasn't quite at the peak condition he was in right after waking up, he was ready to find something to do.

The stamina consumed by working didn't drain as fast as his energetic recovery rate; the more he worked, the more energetic he felt.

He also pretty much figured it out. The more times he used Focus within a certain period, the greater the energy consumption. The first time, he could sustain it for nearly an hour, but by the third time, even lasting ten minutes was a struggle.

But it was enough.

He could be a true man for an hour.

Enhanced vision, enhanced hearing, high agility, great strength in his left hand, and massive strength in his right hand. His super brain told him that utilizing his super strength within this one hour was the optimal solution.

At the very least, if he and Xia Yanchun ever encountered any unexpected dangers in the future, he would have some ability to protect them.

Shen Nian enthusiastically helped Shen Shi with the work, urging him to go back and eat. He ended up staying busy for half the day.

Even though the work wasn't entirely finished, it was already time to pack up and go home.

The workload at the farm was exceptionally heavy, with all sorts of tasks popping up constantly. Shen Nian had no idea how his dad and mom had managed to build the farm up to what it was today, bit by bit.

At night, there was the occasional barking of dogs.

Summer nights in the small town lacked the neon lights of the city, the smoke-filled barbecue stalls, and couples strolling hand in hand. The long streets only had a few aging streetlights, peaceful like a gently sleeping poem.

Shen Nian was on a video call with Xia Yanchun, staring at her on the screen with a silly grin.

"You look so creepy." Xia Yanchun poked her phone screen, wishing she could invent a phone with a physical strike function so she could poke Shen Nian's face through the screen.

"I'm lovesick for my Chun."

"Eww..." Xia Yanchun shivered in disgust, holding the phone further away. "What time are you coming back tomorrow?"

"I should arrive around two in the afternoon, and then I'll head straight to school."

"Oh."

"Aren't you going to ask me to come back earlier?"

"Even if you wanted to be earlier, could you fly over? Once you're at school, what difference does it make if you're early or late?" Xia Yanchun puffed her cheeks and complained.

She didn't go home at noon. She arrived at school at 6:50 AM and didn't leave until 10:45 PM. Even if Shen Nian arrived at 10:00 AM, she would still be stuck at school.

"True, true." Shen Nian rubbed his nose. "Go to sleep early."

"Mhm."

Shen Nian blew a kiss at the phone.

Xia Yanchun looked at him blankly. Phones were filthy; she didn't want to catch it.

So she grabbed the blown kiss Shen Nian sent over out of thin air and casually tossed it aside, letting his kiss land on the floor.

"Damn it, Haji Chun, you brat!"

"Someone's mad."

"Don't sleep too soundly tonight! I'll be watching you!"

"Keep barking. I'm muting my speaker."

Watching Shen Nian blabbering on the phone, Xia Yanchun's eyes curved into a smile.

Can't hear you, can't hear you, time to sleep!

Shen Nian was furious. He needed a solid eight hours of sleep to cool off.

...

At eight o'clock in the morning, Shen Nian had already packed his things and had his dad drive him to the entrance of the town.

"Do you have cash for the bus?"

"I always pay with my phone, but if you have some, you can give it to me." Shen Nian held out his hand.

"I didn't bring any." Shen Shi shook his head. "I was just reminding you to bring cash."

"We're already here, what's the point of reminding me now?"

Shen Shi held back a laugh. "Just reminding you for fun."

"??"

This is the most loving father in all of Cinan. Is there an even more loving father in the whole world?

Shen Nian died inside, accepting his fate.

"Hey, remember to eat on time when you get there." Shen Shi patted Shen Nian's shoulder and drove off stylishly.

Shen Nian waited for the bus alone and soon boarded the bus back.

Calculating the time, if nothing unexpected happened, he should arrive at school around one in the afternoon.

I should bring Haji Chun a cup of fruit tea when I get back; she should be able to drink it even during her period.

Shen Nian leaned against the window, staring at the trees rapidly retreating outside. His mind was full of Xia Yanchun, and his heart felt a ticklish longing.

He wanted to hug Xia Yanchun and take a deep sniff of her scent.

He hadn't felt this strongly just a couple of days ago.

Even though he would be seeing Xia Yanchun in just a few hours.

The closer he got to Xia Yanchun, the more he missed her...

Sigh, he was completely wrapped around Xia Yanchun's finger.