Chapter 41

Chapter 41

It was roughly three years later.

A galaxy far, far away.

There is an unassuming planet known as Wu Star.

A planet significantly lagging in technological advancement amidst the vast expanse of the stars.

Here, the technological terminals are not part of the interstellar sharing network, resembling a place cut off from time.

The lifestyle of the people here is similar to that of Earth, in a transitional phase where they're gradually acquainting themselves with advanced technology.

It's said that Wu Star only began implementing policies for technological empowerment in the last five years. High-tech advancements are progressively being introduced, though they often face resistance from conservative factions.

In a rented attic, a lady swathed in furs collects rent from the final tenant.

She arrives at a household that has been in arrears with their rent for several months.

A single father with a child, not a native of this place.

Now, the father is absent again, leaving the child alone at home.

The elderly woman's eyes gleamed sharply, "Remind your dad to pay the rent when he comes back. Why is he never around? Such a busy man."

"Understood, Grandma Sabato," the child replied obediently, his voice sweet and endearing, much to the woman's delight.

This child had excellent genes, and he was exceptionally adorable, with rosy cheeks that resembled a giant, juicy peach.

Charismatic and loquacious, he was a delight to engage with.

The other tenants enjoyed spending extra time chatting with him.

In the evening, the single father returned home with a fish.

He prepared a delectable Sichuan-style boiled fish dish.

The mere aroma was enough to stimulate one's appetite.

The child took a step forward and called out, "Dad, it's time to pay the rent."

The single parent was handsome and charismatic.

If not for the little one tagging along, he would have long been swooned over by the upstairs tenants and coerced into marriage.

"Who else would run out every day if not to avoid her rent collection?" Lu Wei wore a black tank top, exposing his toned arm with its smooth, attractive muscles.

The child put his hands on his hips. "But that doesn't mean you should always expose me to such stress, huh?"

Lu Wei replied, "You're young, they all think you're naive."

"Dang it."

An earthly being stepped on the newly repaired floor, creating another hole.

Lu Wei pulled back his foot and squatted down. "Brother, get me a hammer."

The plump child, as familiar with the routine as could be, slid under the table to open the toolbox and fetched a hammer as big as his arm for Lu Wei.

Fixing his gaze on Lu Wei as he reattached the plank, Lu Lan watched intently.

Lu Wei stroked his chin with a serious expression. "Student Lu Lan, I have a question for you."

This made the little one feel anxious. "What's wrong, Daddy?"

Lu Wei, in his stepfather role, spoke up. "How old are you now?"

"..."

"Two and a half years old!"

Lu Wei's eyes lit up. "Then you're old enough. There seems to be a nursery school taking admissions. Why don't you give it a try, brother?"

Attending nursery school would mean that the little one could only spend the evenings with his father.

With his big, watery eyes, the child looked at Lu Wei. "Can't I just stay at home all the time?"

Although Danjiao usually acted quite mature for his age, the thought of being separated from Lu Wei was utterly unbearable to him.

His large, beautiful eyes were veiled with a misty layer, giving him a pitiful appearance.

Lu Wei said, "Brother, you know that Dad's finances are a bit tight. Recently, he needs quite a sum for renovations and such."

"There's a substantial bonus for outstanding performance at the nursery."

"Dad, can I enroll tomorrow?!"

Lu Wei took out a schedule. "Ten thousand star coins. Once we get it, we'll fix the floor here, upgrade to a better home AI system, and pay three months' rent."

The little one didn't behave like an ordinary babbling toddler. "We should also replace the windows."

Lu Wei advised the child, "Check if there are any welfare benefits we can claim. Act pitiful in front of the teacher, don't let go of a single coin!"

Child: "Don't worry, Dad, I'm best at begging!"

Lu Wei corrected him, "Don't put it that way. Our pockets may be empty, but our spirits aren't."

What would you call this?

United as father and son, their bond is unbreakable!

The next day, Lu Wei accompanied his child to register at a nursery.

Wu Star's First Nursery.

Due to the scarcity of children in the interstellar era, nurseries had funding incentives to encourage enrollment.

The more students they recruited, the more subsidies they received, so teachers lavished immense care on the children admitted, fearing they might withdraw.

The teacher beamed. "What's your name?"

Not to mention that this was an exceptionally good-looking child who had won the genetic lottery!

"My nickname is Danjiao... My name is Lu Lan," the child replied smoothly.

The teacher gently patted Danjiao's head. "So your little nickname is Danjiao?"

But what on earth is a Danjiao?

The child nodded seriously, "Because Papa thinks I resemble a Danjiao."

While he was engaged in a conversation with the teacher for his kindergarten admission test, Lu Wei was filling out forms.

The 'father' section was undoubtedly going to be him, but for the 'mother' section...

He had no idea who Danjiao's mother was either.

The teacher looked at him, and Lu Wei explained, "He comes from a single-parent family."

The teacher was quite understanding, "It's alright, just fill in your mother's information. We won't be following up with the mother's side."

You're right.

But even he himself didn't know who it was.

Lu Wei said, "If I told you he popped out of a stone, would you believe me?"

Teacher: "..."

Teacher: What do you think?

Lu Wei had never shared his bizarre experiences with anyone.

In reality, he was a transmigrator. Originally from Earth, he somehow ended up on Wu Star, a planet strikingly similar to his own.

To top it off, he started off with a child, who was confirmed to be his offspring through a blood test.

The one who found him was his current landlord. Apparently, when he was discovered, he emerged from a capsule pod, with the child lying beside him.

Inside the pod were only he and Lu Lan, the child.

After a doctor's examination, it was concluded that he had suffered a head injury, leading to amnesia and the loss of memory about his spouse.

Thus, Lu Wei, who was once an Earthling, suddenly transformed into an amnesiac, wandering through the galaxy as a scavenger with a child in tow, all due to a mysterious head collision.

Of course, the landlord used various medical bills and rent payments as excuses –

Succeeding in indebting them, father and son, by millions right from the start.

Both chuckled.

Lu Wei exclaimed, "This is my destined moment!"

Starting with a child in tow, burdened with a million-dollar debt, he would then leverage his own wit and intelligence to guide this child, who could only scavenge for a living, to the pinnacle of success!

Noticing Lu Wei's peculiar expression, the teacher didn't probe further. Instead, they took back the registration form with an understanding and empathetic look.

"No problem, Wu Star's First Nursery adheres to the principle of inclusiveness, and single-parent families are more than welcome to enroll!"

Danjiao had been listening to their conversation with his chubby hands propping up his chin, his emotions indiscernible, whether they were joy or disappointment.

The teacher then turned her attention back to Pang Qiu, "Danjiao, can you write your full name?"

Danjiao nodded, "Yes, I can."

The teacher kindly handed him the terminal pen with a warm smile.

Danjiao lifted his gaze and cautiously said, "We don't have such a pen at home. It's my first time using it, ahh."

Teacher: "..."

Lu Wei: "..."

Now, he had firmly captured the teacher's attention; any future requests would be well-received.

He pretended earnestly, holding the pen with his plump little paws as he wrote, his movements quite clumsy.

He managed to scribble his name crookedly.

The teacher composed herself and asked, "Has there been anything that made Little Danjiao happy recently?"

Such everyday conversations were likely meant to train the child's normal conversational skills and assess any communication issues.

A faint smile appeared on Danjiao's face. "Daddy bought a huge fish back. We were so happy eating it for two days, and Daddy is really good at cooking!"

Teacher: "..."

A fish for two days.

Danjiao continued, "But Father said he doesn't like eating the fish belly, so he left it all for me. He only likes to eat the fish head; he's quite picky."

Lu Wei: ...

The teacher had already turned away to secretly wipe her tears!

She held Danjiao's chubby little hand, radiating maternal love. "Little Danjiao, you've passed. Here's an application form for you and your father to sign."

She took out a low-income assistance form.

They would receive a substantial amount of star coins each month.

Ordinary nurseries wouldn't provide this, but Lu Wei owed it to his brother for this one.

Lu Wei and Danjiao exchanged a subtle glance.

Father and son, united, could conquer anything!

Danjiao had perfectly inherited Lu Wei's high IQ.

Lu Wei affectionately addressed him as his great kid brother.

After completing the registration, Lu Wei held Danjiao's hand and walked out.

Their departure drew quite a few curious onlookers. The handsome and cheerful father holding the adorable child was a sight that everyone wanted to take in for a while.

With a hopeful expression, Danjiao looked at him, "That teacher said if our family situation is difficult, we can work as a teaching assistant at the nursery. There's a salary and lunch provided."

Lu Wei felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this, "You know, I don't particularly like children."

Modern young people genuinely couldn't find any joy in dealing with mischievous kids.

If he were to spend time with a group of rowdy little ones, he would surely go crazy.

Danjiao blinked, hurt, "Not even Danjiao?"

Lu Wei replied, "They're children, but you're my brother."

You call me Dad, I call you Brother.

We'll stick to our own names.

"Between brothers, let's talk like this."

Danjiao's eyes were actually very dark, but staring at someone like this could be a bit intimidating.

Despite being just a tiny little fellow.

"Daddy, I love you the most too, ooh."

Danjiao pecked his face, his earlobe slightly flushed.

Lu Wei: "...."

That little action sent a jolt through his brain.

Damn it.

There was an uncanny resemblance in the expression and words that reminded him of someone from his memories.

A memory that didn't exist jolted him.

Shaking off this inexplicable sense of deja vu, Lu Wei instructed the child, "Be careful at home. Dad's going to check on the shop first."

Danjiao, having been dropped off, obediently nodded.

Ever since arriving at Wu Star, Lu Wei had an idea.

With advanced interstellar cryogenic preservation technology, it was perfect for insuring ingredients.

He could prepare ready-made meals and cooking packages to open a store.

In a place where food was so scarce, such an approach might bring unexpected prosperity to his business.

Rubbing his chin, Lu Wei pondered.

Yet, he felt as if he had this plan a long time ago.

For no apparent reason.