Chapter 97

Chapter 97

Feng Chen got into the car and said to the black lion and Binu Nu, "Widen the snow path at the entrance. I need to drive this car out."

The black lion immediately headed under the car, but Binu Nu stayed seated on the sofa, unmoved.

"This car can move like the ones in the movies," Feng Chen gestured swiftly to Binu Nu, "If you clear the path, you can ride in such a car."

Binu Nu decisively stood up and followed the black lion out of the car.

"You, go shovel snow too," Feng Chen said, pulling Yan Bubu down from the driver's seat.

Yan Bubu walked to the car door and saw Feng Chen sitting in the driver's seat, looking at a small booklet, and asked, "What are you reading?"

Feng Chen leisurely flipped a page, "I'm figuring out how to drive."

"You don't know how to drive?" Yan Bubu asked in surprise.

Feng Chen glanced at him, lifting his eyelids, "When have you ever seen me drive?"

"...Alright." Yan Bubu slowly walked under the car, but couldn't help asking, "Can you learn to drive just by reading that?"

"Are you doubting my intelligence?" Feng Chen narrowed his eyes menacingly.

"No, just asking."

While Yan Bubu, Binu Nu, and Sasa Ka were digging out the driveway, Feng Chen sat in the car studying the driving manual.

Due to the soft snow, it took less than half an hour to dig a path to the surface. By the time the trio returned to the warehouse, Feng Chen had finished studying and had installed the Lishi stone into the engine.

"Sasa Ka, go open and close the door, then get back in the car."

Because of the low temperature, if the door was left open for a few minutes, the supplies inside would freeze, so the black lion had to manually open and close the door.

The black lion got off, and Feng Chen prepared to start the vehicle.

"Ready?" he asked, turning to Yan Bubu and Binu Nu.

Yan Bubu climbed into the passenger seat, nodding both nervously and excitedly, "Ready."

Binu Nu, sitting on the sofa in the van, tapped the vehicle impatiently with its paw, signaling him to hurry up and cut the chatter.

Vroom! Vroom, vroom!

The ignition button pressed, the vehicle roared to life.

"Hahaha, the car is starting!" Yan Bubu exclaimed in delight.

Startled by the noise, Binu Nu looked around warily, trying to locate the source of the sound.

Feng Chen's hands rested loosely on the steering wheel as he turned to Yan Bubu, "Miss, the sun is shining brightly. Would you like a drive to the beach?"

Yan Bubu couldn't stop smiling, "Yes, let's go, let's go for a drive. I'd fight my boyfriend to go with you..."

"Be a little more composed," Feng Chen said with a corner of his mouth upturned in a handsome smile, "Look at the lady behind us, sitting so elegantly."

"Hahaha— Ah!!!"

Yan Bubu's laughter hadn't yet subsided when the van suddenly charged forward, heading straight for the pile of supplies ahead, his laughter turning instantly into a scream.

Screech—

With an ear-piercing brake sound, the van stopped less than half a meter away from the supply pile.

Startled, Yan Bubu half rose from his seat, quickly saying, "Brother, slow down, slow down."

"Sit tight, don't panic. It's just a matter of minutes to get the theory in sync with practice," Feng Chen calmly explained, shifting gears to reverse.

"I'm not panicking, but you still need to slow down— Ahhhh! Ahhh!"

The van rapidly reversed, aiming for the pile of supplies behind.

Screech—

Another long, abrupt brake, and the rear of the van stopped just short of crashing into the supply pile.

"Brother, slow down, slow down, don't crash into anything," Yan Bubu screamed.

Feng Chen made a calming gesture, "I'm still getting used to the pressure needed on the energy pedal. Now I've got it."

The black lion and Sasa Ka stood frozen at the entrance, staring blankly at the scene. Binu Nu stumbled towards the car door, tried to push it open, failed, and then inserted its claws into the gap, intending to forcefully dismantle it.

"Maybe you should read the manual a bit more. I'll go and clear the road outside again; some spots weren't flattened properly," Yan Bubu suggested, still shaken.

"I've already memorized the entire manual. This is a track vehicle; you don't need to go and clear the road," Feng Chen tightened the small tuft of hair at the back of his head, glancing at Binu Nu's actions in the rearview mirror, he barked, "Trying to escape, are we? No one leaves the car, everyone sit tight!"

Binu Nu bared its teeth menacingly, but Feng Chen had already pressed the energy pedal, causing it to stagger and quickly grab the handle of a small freezer beside it.

Vroom! Vroom, vroom!

Though the van's speed wasn't fast, it jerked and swayed toward the gate.

Binu Nu, jostled back and forth, displayed a rare look of panic, clinging tightly to the handle of the small freezer.

Consequently, the freezer door kept swinging open and shut due to Binu Nu's grip.

Yan Bubu repeatedly tried to open the side door, "Brother, I want to get out, I want to get out!"

Unperturbed, Feng Chen locked the doors securely, and amidst Yan Bubu's shrieks, the van, though seemingly perilous, didn't hit anything and eventually made it safely onto the ground.

Still shaken, Yan Bubu looked at Feng Chen to see him calmly gazing back, a mischievous smile in his eyes, and only then did he realize.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you? You've driven this car before, just to scare us, right?"

Feng Chen laughed, not answering, but steered the van smoothly out.

"You're terrible," Yan Bubu was about to pounce, but Feng Chen hurriedly said, "I'm driving, don't touch me." He glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Binu Nu, teeth bared, heading towards the driver's seat, "Quick, grab Binu Nu before I really slip and flip the car."

The van traveled across the flat and vast snowy plains, carrying everyone through Haiyun City.

Yan Bubu, leaning out of the window, though the snow and wind made it hard to keep his eyes open, excitedly yelled, "Ahhhhhh Aowww..."

The black lion seemed quite happy, but Binu Nu was not faring well, occasionally going to the door to pry at the gap. Feng Chen would then stop and open the door to let it stand outside for a while.

Standing in the snow, Binu Nu breathed heavily, frowning in apparent distress, while the black lion also got down, looking at it with concern.

"It's alright, just car sick," Feng Chen called out to the two outside, "Do you two want to stay off the car?"

Just as the black lion was about to nod, Binu Nu, who had been bent over, shakily turned around and insisted on climbing back into the car.

"It loves riding in cars. No matter how uncomfortable it gets, it wants to ride," Yan Bubu explained to Feng Chen, "It always watches intently whenever there's a car in the movies."

The van traveled through this city of ice sculptures, arriving at the former docks. The sea had frozen over, forming a thick, flat expanse stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Here, you try," Feng Chen said, patting the steering wheel, signaling Yan Bubu to take a turn at driving.

"Can I really?"

"Of course."

Yan Bubu took the driver's seat, both thrilled and excited. Under Feng Chen's guidance, he released the handbrake and pressed the energy pedal, sending the van speeding across the ice.

"Hahaha..." Yan Bubu's face turned red with excitement, laughing and screaming simultaneously, "I can drive, I can drive too!"

Feng Chen sat in the passenger seat with a smile, somewhat regretting not having brought out the car earlier for him to enjoy.

After Yan Bubu had been driving for an hour, he stopped and got up to switch with Feng Chen, but Binu Nu quickly positioned itself beside the driver's seat.

"Do you want to drive too?" Yan Bubu asked.

Despite appearing uncomfortable, with its brows furrowed, Binu Nu still nodded.

Yan Bubu said, "Then get off and rest first. Once you feel better, you can drive."

Binu Nu and the black lion squatted beside the car to rest, while Feng Chen and Yan Bubu, holding hands, leisurely strolled on the ice.

"How long will we stay in Central City? When will we come back?" Yan Bubu asked, shielding his eyes with his hand and gazing towards Haiyun City.

After a moment of silence, Feng Chen replied, "I don't know. Maybe a few months, maybe a few years."

He turned to get some simple tools from the car, chiseling a hole in the ice layer, ready to catch a fresh fish. But having not brought a fish spear, he could only let the black lion dive in to catch one.

As the black lion submerged into the sea, Yan Bubu lay on the ice, peering into the hole, his mood suddenly less buoyant.

"This is our sea, our Haiyun City," he murmured softly.

Feng Chen brushed the frost off Yan Bubu's eyebrows, "Our sea is always here, and so is Haiyun City. We can come back whenever we want."

Yan Bubu looked up and smiled at him, "Yeah, I know."

The black lion quickly returned, appearing at the hole with a lively fish in its mouth. Feng Chen took the fish and knocked it unconscious on the ice, suggesting, "How about grilled fish and meat for dinner tonight?"

"Great, grilled meat," Yan Bubu cheerfully got up, "The kind with lots of chili peppers."

When they got back to the car, Binu Nu was already sitting in the driver's seat. Feng Chen looked at its short limbs and clicked his tongue in dilemma.

"How will you hold the steering wheel?"

Binu Nu leaned forward, laying on the steering wheel.

"And how will your feet reach the brakes and the energy pedal?" Feng Chen asked further.

Binu Nu thought for a moment, then jumped down to stand under the seat. One small foot on the brake pedal, its paws gripped the lower edge of the steering wheel.

"I understand you want to drive, but you can't see the road like this... How about waiting until you grow a bit taller?"

Binu Nu didn’t respond, stubbornly holding the steering wheel, leaving a resolute silhouette to the two men and a lion.

Time ticked by silently in the car. Yan Bubu tentatively reached for Binu Nu's paw on the steering wheel. It didn’t turn its head but didn’t loosen its grip either, its reflection in the adjacent window showing it baring its teeth in anger.

Feng Chen began to roll up his sleeves.

When a quantum beast refuses to listen to reason, the only solution is to resort to force.

The black lion quickly squeezed through the van, positioning itself between Feng Chen and Binu Nu.

Yan Bubu leaned over the seat and whispered to Binu Nu, "Actually, you can drive too. If you establish a mental connection with me, whatever I see, you can see too."

Binu Nu's reflection on the window, initially fierce and angry, softened at Yan Bubu's words.

Yan Bubu gently touched a leaf on top of Binu Nu's head, "You are my quantum beast. I know you're afraid of transmitting the zombie virus back to me, so you've been reluctant to connect with me mentally. But we can try, right? Maybe it won't happen at all. If it doesn't work, we can immediately disconnect."

"Nonsense, get out of the way," Feng Chen suddenly interrupted, pulling Yan Bubu away from the driver's seat by the back of his neck.

Binu Nu, who had been gripping the steering wheel, loosened its hold, climbed out of the driver's seat, and silently made room.

Feng Chen drove back, with Yan Bubu and Binu Nu sitting on the sofa, and the black lion squatting opposite them.

Yan Bubu, ignoring Binu Nu's resistance, touched its leaf again and whispered in its ear, "You are my quantum beast, and I want you to be happy. Even though you're often unreasonable, I still care about you. How about we try sometime? Establishing a mental connection?"

Flap, flap.

The fish, initially frozen, began to revive in the warmth of the van, flopping around on the floor.

Binu Nu, ignoring Yan Bubu, got up from the sofa, clenched its little paw into a fist, and knocked the fish unconscious with a thud. It then walked to the small freezer, gripping its handle as a handrail, clearly refusing to return to the sofa or listen to Yan Bubu.

Yan Bubu, watching Binu Nu's profile, stood up and approached the driver's seat, "Brother, let me drive. I want to take Binu Nu for a drive."

Feng Chen glanced at the rearview mirror, stopped the car, and made way.

Yan Bubu turned back, picked up Binu Nu, and shushed it as it began to struggle, "Do you want to drive? I'll let you."

Binu Nu immediately ceased its struggling.

Yan Bubu sat in the driver's seat, placing Binu Nu on his lap. He managed the brakes and the energy pedal, allowing Binu Nu to control the steering wheel.

The van wobbled on the ice for a moment before finally moving smoothly. The tracks sped across the ice layer, kicking up fine ice particles that the wind turned into a misty white fog.

"Woo... awoo... woo..."

Yan Bubu promptly opened the window, excitedly shouting into the blustering snow. Binu Nu, gripping the steering wheel, focused intently ahead. Though still expressionless, everyone knew it well enough to see its happiness.

The fish, previously knocked unconscious by Binu Nu and just revived, was again frozen with a layer of ice.

The black lion, initially lying still in the van, now got up and walked to the passenger seat, nudging Feng Chen with its head.

"Do you want to drive too?" Feng Chen asked softly.

The black lion nodded.

"Ah... let me think."

Moments later, the black lion replaced Yan Bubu in the driver's seat. It used its hind paws for the brake and energy pedal, with Binu Nu in its lap controlling the steering wheel.

The van sped across the ice, making sharp turns now and then. Thankfully, the vast expanse was flat and unobstructed, posing no danger of crashing.

Moreover, the black lion shared a mental connection with Feng Chen, ensuring at least braking safety.

They drove the entire afternoon until dusk approached before returning to the research institute.

Yan Bubu collapsed on the sofa, exhausted. Feng Chen prepared the ingredients for grilled meat and fish in the kitchen, assisted by the black lion. Binu Nu sat beside Yan Bubu, staring blankly but occasionally miming steering wheel turns with its paws.

The so-called grilled meat was simply seasoned with salt and chili powder before being roasted on the stove and served.

When Feng Chen brought the grilled fish and meat out of the kitchen, he found the lights on the sixth floor turned off, with only a candle lit on the small table in the hall, casting a gentle glow.

The table, cleared of its usual clutter, now had an empty glass with a chili branch inserted, adorned with a few red and green chilies.

And there was Yan Bubu, sitting at the table, resting his chin in his hands, watching him.

Feng Chen set down the two plates, then went back to the kitchen to fetch chopsticks and two bowls of bean rice.

Returning, he noticed two more wine glasses on the table.

"No lights because we're leaving this place soon. A candlelight dinner before we go," Yan Bubu explained.

Feng Chen curved his lips into a smile, sat down at the table, and picked up his chopsticks to reach for the fish and meat. Yan Bubu quickly pressed down his chopsticks, "We have to clink glasses first."

Feng Chen raised his glass to clink with Yan Bubu's, taking a sip before complimenting, "The taste of plain water is quite good."

"Thank you," Yan Bubu smiled with pursed lips.

"What about music? Shouldn't there be music at a candlelight dinner?" Feng Chen asked.

Yan Bubu looked confused, "Music?"

Feng Chen pointed to the chili in the glass and the candle, "Didn't you learn this from movies? Don't people usually have music during candlelight dinners?"

Yan Bubu felt foolish, "There is... but I thought that was just background music for the movie."

Feng Chen waved his hand dismissively, "Hurry up, put on some music, violin."

"Alright."

The room filled with the soft strains of violin music. Yan Bubu tied a cloth around his chest and rolled up his sleeves, tackling a greasy rabbit leg.

"Haas... spicy... deliciously spicy... haas..."

Unfazed, Feng Chen pulled a piece of paper towel, "Come here."

Yan Bubu leaned forward, letting Feng Chen wipe off the sweat and tears caused by the spice, then continued to chew heartily.

Feng Chen tossed the paper towel into the trash, "After dinner, pack your bags. We leave tomorrow. Put all your things in one bag. Remember, we’ll travel slowly, stopping along the way. It'll take about a month to reach Central City. Bring your books too; you should study even while on the road."

"Ah!" Yan Bubu exclaimed in shock, "Study on the way to Central City? Isn't it supposed to be a fun trip?"

"What was your average score in the last exam?"

"…Thirty-six."

"An average score of thirty-six, and you think it's okay to play and not study along the way?"

With a stern tone and gaze, Feng Chen silenced Yan Bubu, who dared not voice his thoughts and quietly continued eating his meat.

After a couple of bites, Yan Bubu abruptly put down his chopsticks, pulled out the chili plant from the bottle, emotionlessly plucked off a few chilies, and tossed them into his bowl.

After a moment's thought, he blew out the candle on the table.

Sitting in the dark, Feng Chen's deep voice eventually broke the silence, "Go turn on the light."

Yan Bubu remained seated, deliberately popping a chili into his mouth, chewing noisily.

Feng Chen stood up, walked to the switch to turn on the light, then returned to his meal, saying indifferently, "Besides the books, bring your homework notebooks as well."

"What? The homework notebooks too? Ah-choo! Ah-choo!"

Feng Chen took a sip of water, asking coldly, "Do you have a problem with that?"

Yan Bubu met Feng Chen's gaze, his little rebellious spirit gradually fading away, "…No problem."

Feng Chen put down his bowl, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and turned to head upstairs, casually remarking, "Since you have no objections, it means you love studying. In that case, bring the two sets of test papers you haven't done yet."

Yan Bubu sat stunned, as if struck by thunder, watching Feng Chen walk to the staircase and then turn back, "Wash the dishes after dinner, and then come upstairs to help."