Shi Yao resolved to observe and experience whatever this new world had to offer, embracing the unfamiliar while letting himself drift through its patterns. He decided to wait and see what the next day would unfold, without attempting to force answers to the mysteries around him.
After breakfast, Shi Yao stepped out of the house, ready to head to school.
"Isn't our Yao early today?" his mother, Shi Mao, remarked with a teasing smile as she watched him leave. Her tone was lighthearted, but her pride in him was evident.
Shi Ling, the old man with glasses who was also Shi Yao's father, grunted in response. "Well… that's the time he should be at. Hmph." His words were stern, but the subtle lift of his lips betrayed his happiness. Despite his gruff demeanor, he clearly took pride in Shi Yao's small accomplishments.
Shi Yao noticed the exchange as he stepped out, but didn't dwell on it.
At school, the novelty of the surroundings was enough to hold Shi Yao's interest for a while. He observed the chatter, the routine of his classmates, and the strange dynamics of this world he had fallen into.
But Shi Yao's personality was easy to peg—calm, curious, yet prone to boredom when a situation didn't offer enough stimulation. It wasn't long before he found himself lulled by the monotony of the class.
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes growing heavy. Before he realized it, he had drifted off, his head tilted at an odd angle.
The hum of the classroom blurred into the background as his curiosity waned, giving way to a momentary escape from reality.
By the time lunchtime arrived, Shi Yao had shaken off his weariness. As he moved through the crowded halls to the cafeteria, his attention turned toward Li Yuan.
Observing him quietly from a distance, Shi Yao began to notice small details about the boy.
Li Yuan carried himself with an air of detachment, his sharp features unreadable as he moved through the crowd with quiet authority. It was clear he didn't enjoy mingling, keeping himself at a distance from the others.
As Shi Yao watched, he realized that Li Yuan wasn't particularly fond of him either. The subtle glances, the indifferent posture—it all pointed to a coldness that Shi Yao found oddly intriguing.
Interesting, Shi Yao thought.
There's something about him…