Chapter 15: A Fight Broke Out!

Chapter 15: A Fight Broke Out!

The factory had plenty of workers, and Chu Lanting had been sitting and working all morning, so it made sense he'd picked up other people's scents on his clothes.

But when he heard the word "smoke" from Pei Du's mouth, surprise immediately flashed across his face.

"How did you..."

He cut himself off and clamped his mouth shut, then quickly explained, "It's a coworker who smokes. Maybe he brushed past me and the smoke smell rubbed off on me."

Seeing the young man's brow smooth out, Chu Lanting quirked the corner of his mouth and shot back, "How did you smell other scents on me?"

After all, Feng Xingyun hadn't lit that cigarette while he was near him, and the two hadn't even had any physical contact.

"I smelled it when I hugged you just now. It reeks," Pei Du said, unable to help wrinkling his nose. "My wife always smells so good."

Chu Lanting couldn't smell it on himself, and after hearing what Pei Du said, he couldn't help wondering if Pei Du's sensitivity to smells was tied to his mental strength.

But his knowledge of mental strength was still thin—he needed to do some serious catching up.

After choking down his dry lunch, and after promising for the umpteenth time that he'd come straight home after work, Chu Lanting finally made it out the door.

Pulling the front door shut behind him, he glanced down at his wrinkled clothes, and a wry smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Old He, whom Uncle Tian had mentioned, also lived in this small town. But because Old He was a team leader at the factory and a close friend of Uncle Tian's, he had a much higher standing in town than most folks.

Like Uncle Tian, Old He lived in a two-story building.

The building looked quite old on the outside, but the furniture inside was several notches above what Chu Lanting had at home.

"Tianze said you'd come looking for me—that old man actually called it right. Have a seat. What would you like to drink?"

Unlike Uncle Tian, who came off as a bit of a slacker, Old He was neatly dressed, and even though he was well into his later years, his face was ruddy and healthy—you'd never peg him for fifty or sixty.

It was Chu Lanting's first time visiting, and since money was tight, he'd only grabbed some bread from the bakery to bring over.

Hearing how familiar the other man sounded, he let out a relieved breath as his stiff expression eased. "Just water's fine. Thanks, Uncle He."

Old He didn't sit back down until the water was on the table.

"Tianze said you picked up some guy from the main planet, and that he's no ordinary person. So when are you planning to send him back?"

Back in the day, Old He had led the slum folks in a revolt against the rich district. He'd been inches from victory when a traitor in his ranks ratted him out.

That was the closest Old He had ever been to dying. After that, the rich district completely washed its hands of the slums, and Old He went from being a hell of a leader to holing up in this small town, forgotten by everyone.

Even though so many years had passed, that natural leader's aura Old He had still radiated off him without him even realizing it.

Chu Lanting asked him back, "Do you have any way to send him back?"

Medical care on 207 was way too poor. If Pei Du stayed here, there was no telling when his lost memories would ever come back.

If he could get Pei Du back to the main planet, it'd be good for both of them.

He thought back to when he'd left the house and looked back to see the guy standing in the doorway, that reluctant look in his eyes...

Chu Lanting's fingers tightened around the cup, and he continued, "Uncle Tian said your television can only pick up a signal when a nearby planet approaches. I figured I'd come and try my luck."

"Then you're fresh out of luck—the TV won't get a signal anytime soon."

"As for getting someone off this planet, maybe you could try your luck in the rich district. They've got some kind of signal tower over there; you might find a way to link up with the main planet's signal."

Even after getting his answer, Chu Lanting didn't feel let down. This planet's crappy resources were just a fact, and his showing up wasn't going to change that.

As for the rich district, he'd find a chance to go there eventually.

Setting down his cup, he opened his mouth and said, "Uncle He, could you tell me what you know about mental strength and things like that?"

"The one you brought home has mental strength too? Then isn't he... right, anyone who can ride an airship is already rich and highborn. His companions all died, but he lived—that's got something to do with his body too."

"As for mental strength, let me think how to explain it to you..."

Chu Lanting ended up staying at Old He's place for a good long while that afternoon.

He didn't leave until the lunch break was nearly over, clutching the two pencils Old He had given him.

Watching that slender figure shrink into the distance, Old He stood at his doorstep, hands clasped behind his back. He lifted his gaze to the blue sky overhead and let out a wistful sigh.

"The times, they're a-changin' again."

Chu Lanting's mind was preoccupied with what he needed to do after work that afternoon.

He'd learned from Old He that most children in the surrounding towns didn't receive a proper education—many of them could barely even survive.

When he'd proposed to Old He the idea of teaching the children to read, surprise had filled the old man's eyes.

The original owner of this body could recognize some characters too, but barely knew more than a few, and certainly couldn't teach others.

He could only grit his teeth and put on the act he'd seen online of someone who'd transmigrated and pretended to be foolish or amnesiac, telling Old He that he often had dreams in which a teacher was teaching him to read.

To avoid raising Old He's suspicion, he'd even deliberately asked for a book and read the words aloud to him.

With Old He's approval secured, Uncle Tian would also join in.

Both men were respected elders in the town, and if they could help him, recruiting students wouldn't be too difficult.

He slipped his hand into his pocket, and upon feeling the pencils there, his heart settled considerably.

But before he could calmly wait for the workday to end, a piece of bad news reached his ears.

"Little Chu, you should go home and check! My old lady said that man you picked up got into a fight with Supervisor Feng!"

The sudden shout made Chu Lanting's hands pause mid-motion, and then he abruptly stood up.

His usually expressionless face instantly turned cold and stern.

"I'm heading over now. Thank you."

Chu Lanting hadn't wanted Pei Du to work with him precisely to avoid Feng Xingyun.

Who would've thought Feng Xingyun would go to his house and pick a fight with Pei Du instead?

Thinking of Pei Du's injuries, Chu Lanting quickened his pace even more as he hurried home.

His house was in a remote corner of the town, where even neighbors were rarely seen.

If not for his coworker's partner witnessing it and running to the factory to tell him, what scene would he have come home to after work?

The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, and Chu Lanting broke into a run.