Chapter 150: Coupling (Part 2/2)
Translator: Strivon
Luo Nan's mood became indescribable in mere seconds.
What Tian Si said was something close and personal to him. But the words in her speech, all of those names and concepts, were so unfamiliar to him.
He felt as if he were in a dream. He strove his best to merge inside, but he was always lacking a bit of something. He could only strive to replay the memory just now, and he feared to miss a single word. But he awoke from this important dream, and it dissipated completely.
Luo Nan waited even though Tian Si had stopped talking; he still wished for her to continue. Then he subconsciously extended his hand, touching the protective glass that separated the viewing platform from the crystal pillar. The ice-cold sensation cleared his mind a little, and it ensured that Luo Nan didn't forget even an ounce of Tian Si's words.
Perhaps it was because of Luo Nan's odd reaction that Tian Si became a bit puzzled.
"Junior Nan?"
Luo Nan really wanted to ask her, "Can you continue a bit more with that?" But the words changed when they left his mouth. "It must have been twenty years since they’ve graduated, and Senior Sister Tian knows about this?"
Tian Si's gaze softened a bit, and she revealed a gentle smile. "To say that the impression still ran deep after the passage of several years would be a lie. But by simply researching some data, many matters have come before my eyes. However, I have heard that a few old professors would use Gear as an example of architectural philosophy and aesthetics when it comes to architectural design. Senior Sister Qingwen's name has always resounded."
Luo Nan awkwardly laughed. "Is that so?"
"In comparison, I admire Senior Zhongheng even more. Although I am learning industrial design, Senior Zhongheng has a strong theoretical background. Many of his research theories have stood the test of time till this day. These include concepts, products, and design. Any of these can be easily used, saving quite a bit of effort."
Tian Si had clearly studied the material with great detail. Every word that left her mouth had a basis to it. But the more she was like this, the more confused Luo Nan became. It was awkward. Luo Nan didn't even know how to respond.
His hesitation caused a gap to appear in their conversation and in the atmosphere. This gave a certain someone a chance.
"Sisi."
It was the 'young doctor' who had been observing from behind and to the side all this time. He quickly walked over, his movements revealing impatience. He stood in between Luo Nan and Tian Si without a trace of politeness, and he used his shoulder to block Luo Nan's line of sight.
"Sisi, you've made it easy to find you."
Luo Nan frowned, and his finger, which was pressed against the protective glass, bent a bit. He got a bad vibe, and he knew why Tian Si was avoiding this rather handsome 'young doctor' nearly like she feared him. Such temperament and behavior made his good looks a waste.
So there was someone this unreasonable among the elites of the five schools.
Luo Nan's mood turned terrible. He didn't want to be involved in this contrived matter. But the absolute majority of the words Tian Si had said just then were what he desperately wanted to hear, what he desperately wanted to memorize.
Tian Si had said that she consulted a huge amount of information for the sake of her graduate project. She had to have more information. She must have a lot more in her stomach, but with the young doctor in the scene, it would be difficult for Luo Nan to continue this conversation.
Luo Nan stared at the spine ahead of him, which was wrapped in a white coat, and took a deep breath, but this was not enough to settle his annoyance.
"President Ju." Tian Si held the drawing board with her arms folded in front of her chest. She took a small step back, and her body language showed that she felt very alienated. She didn't hide it at all. When compared to her usual smooth style, it looked like she had reached her limits.
Unfortunately, President Ju was not conscious of this at all. Or maybe he was aware and just didn't care. He leaned forward to decrease the distance between him and Tian Si, and used the tone of a talk show host to say, "Sisi, the party is about to formally begin. I seriously invite you to pair up with me…."
Tian Si really couldn't bear it any longer. She took another step back, leaned to the side, and extended her arm out to Luo Nan. This forcefully shifted President Ju's attention. "Let me introduce you two. This is President Ju Maoxun of Cloud City School of Business's Elite Society. And this is my junior, Luo Nan."
Ju Maoxun felt really displeased with the way Tian Si had reacted, and he extended his dislike to Luo Nan…. Alright. He was already in a bad mood since two minutes ago when he saw Luo Nan and Tian Si chatting delightfully. He long had schemes in mind.
For him, it required no effort to bully the younger generation. He would correct this newcomer.
While Ju Maoxun was deeply considering how he would give this newborn kid a deep memory, Tian Si did something that made him furious all of a sudden. This petite and beautiful girl walked straight around him to stand by Luo Nan's side. She even pulled the boy's arm.
"Apologies, President Ju. I just promised Junior Nan that I would accompany him tonight…. It hasn't been long since Junior Nan came to our school, and it's the first time he's taken part in this sort of activity. He really is lost about the whole thing."
Halfway through, it seemed that Tian Si felt that her action of pulling his arm was too intimate. She relaxed her hand and patted Luo Nan on the shoulder. She was around six years older than Luo Nan, but she was shorter than Luo Nan by a head. Her patting was a bit humorous in the old-fashioned way.
The feelings of a male and a female were irrelevant in this context.
Tian Si's actions made Ju Maoxun reveal an expression that wavered between good and bad. He was unable to grasp Luo Nan's relationship with her. Naturally, he was angry that Tian Si rejected him, but if she was truly acting in consideration as a senior sister to a junior brother, he would cause trouble if he were to forcefully interfere. He would not be able to escape the shame.
Oh, wait a minute. He saw the whole thing from beginning to end. He was there since Luo Nan and Tian Si met, but he never saw Tian Si receive any requests from Luo Nan.
F**k. He was being played for a fool!
Ju Maoxun's innate temperament was a harsh one. He was known as 'The Butcher' at the Cloud City School of Business. This time he had dressed as a doctor in irony of his nickname. He had hesitated earlier because he was thinking about his course of action. He viewed the young lady Tian Si as a superior who was not to be trifled with, to a degree. But his fury raged at this moment, and he no longer gave a f**k.
He took a fierce step forward as he habitually revealed his teeth in laughter. Flesh pulsated by the sides of his handsome cheeks, and he instantly appeared sinister and malevolent. At the same time, his hand moved like lightning to grab the collar of Luo Nan's white coat.
Ju Maoxun was almost a head taller than Luo Nan, so the length of his arms and legs were longer. He just reached out, and the fledgling stood there stunned before him. Luo Nan had no reaction whatsoever.
It would be too conspicuous of Ju Maoxun to throw Luo Nan by the collar as part of his threat, especially in public. Ju Maoxun was a person used to such matters. Though he had acted with power and ferocity, he just shook the edge of Luo Nan's collar and exerted a bit of force to make the inner side of the collar chafe against Luo Nan's neck. There was even a bit of rhythm to it.
"So you're Junior Nan. To be dressed the same is also fate. Now we know each other, and I will remember you well. Don't worry, I have quite the good memory. I don't forget a face I've seen. Raise your head; don't be a p*ssy!"
He viciously ordered Luo Nan to raise his face, and at the same time, he shot him a piercing and vicious gaze. "This teaching from your senior is enough for you to enjoy for ten years. You should be saying thanks again and agai…."
His tirade suddenly stopped.
Luo Nan raised his face and locked gazes with Ju Maoxun. He looked at Ju Maoxun's pair of eyes; they turned from being fiendish to chaotic. And then, from being chaotic to vacant.
All these changes actually only happened in an instant.
Luo Nan gently removed Ju Maoxun's frozen hand while Ju Maoxun acted like a soulless puppet with rusted joints. Luo Nan frowned, exerted some force, and caused Ju Maoxun to stagger backward.
Ju Maoxun instantly regained himself. His hand, which was extended before him, jerked back as if he had touched a poisonous snake, and it hit his own chest. The impact caused him to grunt and wake up a bit. He wanted to rage again, but he saw Luo Nan’s eyes sweep over with a level gaze, and his mind shuddered. He gaped with his mouth, said not a word, turned around, and walked off.
When he got far enough away, Ju Maoxun's head became clearer. He turned around, wanting to head back, but he lacked the courage. He could only extend an arm and point at Luo Nan. In the end, he walked away fuming.
Tian Si felt like she had watched a preposterous drama. She was unable to discern any logic from beginning to end. The coarse and troublesome Ju Maoxun, who seemed to be possessed by the devil, had inexplicably had his ferocity dispelled and had walked away with his tail between his legs.
What did Luo Nan do?
Tian Si was stupefied for a full five seconds before coming to herself. She hurriedly apologized to Luo Nan, "Sorry, Junior Nan. Just now, I…."
"Senior Sister is very popular."
Luo Nan didn't want to diverge too far from the topic. He said a few polite words and stopped there. He hoped Tian Si would continue talking about the matters pertaining to his mother. It would still be good even if she included 'him', his father.
But Tian Si's mood had been altered, having witnessed the interaction between Luo Nan and Ju Maoxun. Her eyes were downcast and lost for a moment. Then she looked at the shaking water within the crystal pillar, and she suddenly spoke with emotion, "The scenery of the crystal pillar looks like a dream when seen from afar. But when one looks at it long enough, calling it a dream becomes an exaggeration…. It's like a person. The view on the surface may appear unbounded, but it is really quite limited."
Luo Nan didn't respond. He didn't hear anything about what he wanted to hear. He had no interest in Tian Si's situation and her mood. He just felt moody inside.
He imitated Tian Si in an effort to calm himself. He watched the rippling water within the crystal pillar.
His many days of cultivation had yet to form a link. Luo Nan's heart lantern of the eyes orifice had yet to reach a realm that can be called a small accomplishment, but his sight became much sharper. The swaying ocean water had its color restored from the blood by the time it reached the crystal wall, but it couldn't be considered particularly clear and clean. Fine impurities swam within, floating and undulating.
Under careful examination, most of the ocean life had fallen to the bottom in pieces of body tissues and waste.
Luo Nan's gaze extended out into the distance. He saw the shoal of fish mixed within the deep waters. The beautiful color of nature swayed tourists to take pictures as souvenirs. Not many people knew where the filth in the water originated from.
Likely a sizeable portion of filth came from the cruel hunt of the devil ray, the remaining traces of its slaughter.
It looked dirty and messy, but there was a classic saying, "No fish can survive if the water is too clean." The ecosphere of the ocean revolved around this filth. Microorganisms, algae, and small fish and prawn were formed upon it. These individual links followed each other in succession to join head to tail and form a tight and necessary chain.
If a link was missing, and there was no human intervention, the consequences would always be bad.
Luo Nan sighed as he thought to this point. He vaguely sensed that this was rather similar to the problem he faced in cultivation. But by carefully studying his situation once more, his mind had split into two. Whatever he couldn't resolve made his mood even worse.
Being upset, he no longer wanted to beat around the bush. He prepared to bluntly request this senior sister to say everything she knew.
But then Tian Si found a new linking point from being emotionally moved. She suddenly spun her face toward Luo Nan, and her delicate and dainty facial features were rejuvenated with her usual smile.
"Junior Nan, I don't know if you've heard this before, but there is one other structure that follows Coupling Design. Cloud City Water Village Building Complex, and the Ocean Sky Cloud City we are in right now follow it the closest."