Chapter 74 A Gift from Heaven

Whether Luo Jun liked tangerine peel tea or not, Qin Huai didn’t know—but he certainly liked the sesame cakes.

First, he ate a hollow sesame cake without filling, brushing off the crispy flakes from his body. Then he ate a filled “Dream-Realizing” sesame cake, slightly frowning to show his dissatisfaction with the meat filling. Finally, without even taking a sip of the tangerine peel tea, he made his comments.

“Your meat filling for the Dream-Realizing sesame cake is too poorly done,” Luo Jun complained. “Much worse than what I had 60 years ago.”

“Then… would you like to try the tangerine peel tea?” Qin Huai asked.

Only then did Luo Jun look at the tangerine peel tea in front of him. His expression was complex—nostalgic, yet also hesitant.

After a moment of hesitation, Luo Jun ate another hollow sesame cake.

Perhaps realizing that if he didn’t drink the tangerine peel tea now, he might not be able to eat anymore, he hesitated again. He was about to continue hesitating, but Chen Huihong didn’t give him the chance.

She finished the remaining sesame cakes.

With no other choice, Luo Jun picked up a spoon, scooped a spoonful of tangerine peel tea, and drank it.

Almost at the moment he swallowed, a game notification sounded in Qin Huai’s mind.

“Congratulations! You have completed the side quest [Luo Jun’s Wish]. You have received the rewards: [Luo Jun’s Approval] and [Luo Jun’s Appreciation].”

“Congratulations, player. A new illustrated entry has been unlocked.”

Qin Huai: …

[Luo Jun’s Approval] was an explicitly listed reward, but why did the unknown one yield [Luo Jun’s Appreciation]?

Appreciation for what?

For being willing to accept that bowl of tangerine peel, white fungus, and lotus seed soup as tangerine peel tea?

Since everyone here was on the same side, Qin Huai directly opened the game panel to check the rewards.

[Luo Jun’s Approval]: Approval from the hot-tempered neighbor Mr. Luo. Obtaining this title gives you a high chance of gaining Luo Jun’s favor and assistance. After all, beneath his irritable exterior lies a surprisingly warm heart that is not easily seen.

[Luo Jun’s Appreciation]: Appreciation from the warm-hearted neighbor Mr. Luo. Obtaining this title gives you a certain probability of receiving his guidance, and may even allow him to open up and share past experiences he normally would not reveal.

Qin Huai felt the urge to scratch his head again.

Ever since the system activated, the number of times he wanted to scratch his head had exceeded the total of the past twenty years.

Luo Jun, a warm-hearted neighbor.

What a niche description.

“Did you complete your task?” Luo Jun asked expressionlessly while eating the tangerine peel tea.

“Yes, thank you for your guidance,” Qin Huai replied. “I’m checking the rewards.”

“Did you get a dream?” Chen Huihong asked curiously.

Qin Huai shook his head. “No, but it seems like I unlocked an illustrated entry. I’ll take a look.”

Luo Jun sneered. “Want to look at my memories? Dream on.”

Qin Huai scrolled through the game panel, found the illustrated entries section, opened it, and browsed downward—then paused.

“What does my entry say? Read it to me,” Luo Jun said. One moment he claimed Qin Huai wouldn’t be allowed to see his memories, and the next he was quite eager to know how Qin Huai’s system described him.

Qin Huai didn’t respond; he was still reading.

After a while, Luo Jun grew impatient. “Done yet?”

“Ah, I’m done,” Qin Huai nodded. “I’ll read it verbatim.”

Name: Luo Jun
Species: Bifang
Status: About to lose memory
Memories: 0/3
Recipes: None
Gifts: None

“That’s it?” Luo Jun asked.

“That’s it.”

“‘About to lose memory’—what kind of nonsense status is that? Your system shouldn’t talk nonsense if it doesn’t understand. And you—why are you so slow at reading at such a young age? Do you have that so-called reading disorder people talk about online? No wonder you didn’t finish the Classic of Mountains and Seas,” Luo Jun complained mercilessly.

Qin Huai smiled. “I am indeed quite slow at reading.”

“You don’t have any other quests related to me, right?” Luo Jun asked.

“Not at the moment.”

“Good. Best not to have any.” Luo Jun looked disgusted. “If you want to look at memories, go bother Qu Jing’s. Mine? Forget it. If you can help Qu Jing awaken like you helped Chen Huihong, then maybe she’d even thank you for viewing her memories.”

Luo Jun dropped information casually with every sentence.

Chen Huihong wasn’t surprised. “I asked you earlier whether Xiao Qu was a spirit or not—you didn’t say a word. Why are you so straightforward with Xiao Qin now?”

“What’s the point of telling you?” Luo Jun said, eating another bite of white fungus. “Do you have that… system? You woke up in a confused state yourself. And Qu Jing is already in her final life—don’t delay her. Tone down your enthusiasm and let people who can help actually help.”

Qin Huai processed the flood of information and asked, “So… you went to the hospital, discovered that Dr. Qu is also a spirit in her final life, and then persistently kept visiting her under the pretext of checkups?”

Luo Jun: …

His face reddened slightly. “What do you mean ‘persistently harassing’? It’s because spirits in their final life are drawn to each other. That’s why after Chen Huihong came, I ran into Qu Jing.”

“Rare opportunity to meet a completely memoryless spirit. Meeting one is fine—meeting two is even better. I’m interested. What’s wrong with wanting to see you all more before you completely dissipate?”

Qin Huai suddenly felt that the description of [Luo Jun’s Approval] wasn’t wrong after all—beneath that irritable exterior really was a hidden warmth.

Making such a far-fetched excuse and sticking to it stubbornly—being a warm-hearted neighbor isn’t easy either.

“Alright, you’ve asked your questions, your task is complete. Anything else? If not, you can go now. Take the trash down for me.”

Qin Huai left with the trash alongside Chen Huihong.

As soon as they entered the elevator, Qin Huai took the initiative. “Sister Hong, can I ask you a favor?”

“Don’t be so formal—just say it,” Chen Huihong replied readily.

“On the Little New Year in the north, could you bring Huihui to the shop to have a bowl of chicken noodle soup?”

Chen Huihong fell silent.

After a long pause, she said, “Actually, while you were cooking in the kitchen earlier, I asked Luo Jun about this.”

“He said humans are different from us.”

“Before we completely dissipate, no matter how many times we reincarnate, I will still be me. Because until complete dissipation, there’s always a chance I might recall past memories. But humans… once memories are gone, even if they look similar, they’re no longer the same person.”

“Huiniang is Huiniang, and Huihui is Huihui. No matter how alike they look, they are not the same.”

“Maybe Huihui is Heaven’s final chance for me. I’m just very lucky… to have met you, someone with a system.”

“I don’t mean anything else,” Qin Huai said. “I just hope… Huihui can have a bowl of longevity noodles that day, carrying with it Huiniang’s health and peace, and live happily.”

“Although I probably won’t be able to make a qualified A-grade longevity noodle this year, it doesn’t have to be this year. As long as she eats it before she turns 15, that’s enough.”

After stepping out of the elevator, Chen Huihong thought in silence the entire way, and finally nodded.

“Alright.”

“I’ll accept your blessing on her behalf.”

The two parted ways. Qin Huai did not return to the cafeteria; instead, he headed home.

Compared to going to eat, he had something more important to study.

Because when he opened the illustrated entries earlier to check Luo Jun’s entry, he discovered that Luo Jun was not the second entry he had unlocked.

The second entry belonged to someone he had never expected.

Name: Chen Huiniang / Chen Huihui
Species: Luan bird
Status: Deceased
Dreams: 0/0 (click to view text version)
Recipes: None
Gifts: Blessing of the Luan Bird

When opened, the blessing contained a passage:

[Blessing of the Luan Bird]: The envoy of the Spring God thanks you for saving Chen Huihong. The Luan bird will use its final divine power to bless you—may your wishes come true, and may you live in peace and joy.

And also, Huihui will always love her mother.

Perhaps Chen Huihong was right.

Huihui truly was her final chance.

A last lifeline extended from heaven to save her.