That morning, the sky of Shenzhen looked clear, emitting a calming blue hue. The cool wind blew softly, greeting the faces of people who were starting to get busy with their activities. The streets were filled with electric vehicles that glided quietly, while pedestrians enjoyed the comfortable weather while walking along the clean and modern city sidewalks.
Jiu Fan wore his simple school uniform. A dark blue backpack hung on his back, and he walked slowly towards school. Every step felt light, but there was something strange that morning.
He looked around.
Everyone... was staring at him.
Not the usual strange or contemptuous gazes. This time the gazes... were different. The eyes were wide, some were smiling, even some adults he didn't know nodded at him as if expressing admiration.
"Is there something wrong with me?" Jiu Fan muttered, scratching his head that wasn't itchy. He looked down, checking for stains on his uniform. There weren't any. His shoes were also neat. So, why was everyone staring at him like that?
When he arrived at the school gate, the classroom atmosphere was already starting to get lively. The students joked, laughed, some read books, and most stared at their personal tablet screens. Jiu Fan stepped inside, still looking confused.
As soon as he opened the classroom door, several heads immediately turned to him.
"Eh... Jiu Fan! I can't believe you're actually such a brave kid!" exclaimed Xiao Min, his classmate who was known to be talkative and always updated on viral news.
Jiu Fan blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? I don't understand..."
Xiao Min lifted the tablet and showed the screen to Jiu Fan. There, a CCTV video recording of a shopping alley was displayed—a thief running fast carrying a large black suitcase. However, what was surprising was the figure behind him—Jiu Fan. He jumped, lunged, and knocked the thief to the ground.
His face... Jiu Fan's own face.
"I saw you go viral on the news!" Xiao Min continued excitedly. "They said you beat up a thief who stole a bag from the owner of one of the biggest companies in Shenzhen! Is that true?!"
Jiu Fan fell silent, then nodded slowly. "I just… wanted to help. Not because I wanted to be a hero. But, wait… you said the owner of a big company? Who is he?"
Xiao Min stared at Jiu Fan with an expression of disbelief. "You really don't know who the person you're helping is?!"
Before Jiu Fan could answer, the sound of footsteps echoed in the corridor. Wu Lixue, the graceful and intelligent girl from the next class, walked in with a serious face. She had overheard their conversation, and paused for a moment in front of the door before finally approaching them.
Xiao Min glanced at Wu Lixue, then looked back at Jiu Fan. "That's Wang Muzhan. The CEO of the technology company Zentech Dynamics. One of the most influential companies in the city!"
"Really…?" Jiu Fan whispered, his eyes widening.
"Of course! In fact, I heard… he's coming to your house today to give you a gift as a token of gratitude. He said that the money you managed to save… is around 50 trillion yuan in data and digital assets in that suitcase!"
Jiu Fan froze. His mouth was slightly open, having a hard time processing all the information. As if what he did yesterday was just an ordinary incident, now it had turned into something that shook the entire city.
Wu Lixue finally approached and stood right in front of Jiu Fan. "I've heard everything, Jiu Fan…"
Jiu Fan turned his head, looking at Wu Lixue who was looking at him with gentle eyes.
"You're so great," she said with a sweet smile.
Jiu Fan's cheeks immediately turned red like ripe tomatoes. "Haha… t-thank you…" he stuttered. His voice was as small as a whisper.
Wu Lixue laughed softly, then said, "Oh yeah, we're going to watch that drama tonight, right?"
"Of course! I… I've been waiting for it for a long time," Jiu Fan replied quickly, his face still red.
Wu Lixue took out two tickets from her pocket. "I've bought two tickets, one for you and one for me. Let's go together tonight, okay?"
Jiu Fan paused, then smiled awkwardly. "Ahh… This senior is too kind. I-I should have bought the tickets for you."
"It's okay," Wu Lixue said, still with her warm smile. "This is my expression of admiration for your courage."
That day, Jiu Fan's heart felt so light. It was as if the world that had previously ignored him was now starting to notice him. He, who had always been considered a weirdo because of his dream of protecting the world, was now truly the center of attention. More than that, Wu Lixue… the girl he had secretly admired… was now also looking at him with different eyes.
---
Nighttime in Shenzhen in the year 2100 felt different. The sky was filled with neon lights from tall buildings and delivery drones flew past like modern fireflies. The streets were not as crowded as they used to be, as most residents preferred to travel by air.
In a small, clean and tidy house, Jiu Fan stood in front of the mirror wearing a modern gray jacket with luminous lines on the sleeves. He smoothed his hair with a light wave at the ends, then sighed. Tonight was no ordinary night—he would be going out with Wu Lixue, the girl he had secretly liked for a long time.
His holographic phone rang, a notification popping up:
"Air Taxi Model HZX-4000 has arrived. Please board the vehicle immediately."
With a slightly shaky breath, Jiu Fan stepped out of the house. Ahead, an air taxi hovered gently in the air, about a meter off the ground, with its doors automatically opening toward Jiu Fan. The blue light from inside the cabin gave it a futuristic feel. Wu Lixue was already sitting nicely inside, wearing a light blue casual dress with a cloud motif, her hair down with a small star-shaped decoration on one side.
"Hey, you look great tonight," Wu Lixue said with a sweet smile.
Jiu Fan, who was not used to receiving compliments, just nodded nervously, "You too... look... amazing."
As soon as they sat down, the door closed automatically and the taxi began to speed up into the air at a moderate speed. The city lights below them looked like a sea of light. The ride only took five minutes, but the atmosphere inside the taxi felt like time had stopped for a moment.
"I'm glad you want to watch this drama with me," Wu Lixue said as she looked out the window.
"Sure, I'm looking forward to it too. I heard this drama is amazing," Jiu Fan replied while occasionally glancing at Wu Lixue, trying to hide his nervousness.
When they arrived at the cinema, they got out and were greeted by a humanoid robot waiter who bowed politely.
"Good evening, Sir and Miss. Please come in. The Main Theater is ready to welcome you."
The cinema was very different from the conventional cinemas of old. The building looked like a futuristic dome of glass and gleaming light metal. At the entrance, a giant holographic board displayed an advertisement for the movie they would be watching tonight:
"THE JOURNEY OF THE EARTH-PROTECTING HERO: HUANG REN"
A futuristic epic drama about a true hero.
"Wow, look at that," Jiu Fan said in awe. "The movie poster can move like a 3D video…"
Wu Lixue chuckled, "That's new technology. If we even touch it, it can bring up a movie clip."
As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the soft aroma of popcorn and the scent of vanilla from the automatically installed aromatherapy. The seats looked like soft capsules that could be adjusted to suit their body's comfort. A robot waiter came by with two bags of popcorn and cold drinks.
"These foods are included in the ticket. They're all free," Wu Lixue explained with a wink.
The movie began. It was dark and quiet, with only the clear sound of the surround system that seemed to transport them into the world of the story. The drama begins with a scene of a boy named Huang Ren who is often bullied by his friends. He has no one except his sickly mother. However, from the bottom of his heart, Huang Ren has a strong desire to protect the world.
"He's so similar to me..." Jiu Fan whispered to himself.
As the story progresses, Huang Ren grows into a strong man, not because of his physical strength alone, but because of his spirit of not giving up, even though the world laughs at him. He becomes the Protector Emperor, and at the most critical moment, when a giant meteor threatens the Earth, Huang Ren decides to sacrifice himself to save everyone.
Jiu Fan's hands clenched unconsciously. His eyes did not blink. "He's... amazing."
Wu Lixue glanced sideways, seeing Jiu Fan so focused and full of emotion. She smiled slightly, then softly whispered, "You're like him too, you know?"
Jiu Fan turned his head, his face slightly red, "What do you mean?"
"When you saved that person... even though you didn't know who he was, you still acted. That's a big thing, Jiu Fan."
Jiu Fan couldn't answer. His heart felt warm. Maybe... maybe for the first time in his life, he felt like he had meaning. Not just as a quiet student who was always underestimated, but as someone who could make a difference.
The film ended with a standing ovation. Even in the cinema, although the audience did not make a sound, they gave reactions in the form of holographic symbols that appeared above each head: flowers, applause, and five stars.
After leaving the cinema, the night looked so beautiful. The cool night wind brushed their faces, while the sky was filled with stars that looked clear, without pollution.
Wu Lixue walked slowly beside Jiu Fan. "Thank you for tonight."
"I should be the one saying that," Jiu Fan replied.
They paused for a moment on the skywalk—a pedestrian walkway that floated ten meters above the ground. The view of the city from there was breathtaking.
"I have a new dream now," Jiu Fan said suddenly.
Wu Lixue turned her head, "What dream?"
"I want to be someone like Huang Ren. Not because he's strong, but because he has a reason to protect others. I want to be like that too."
Wu Lixue smiled broadly. "Then, from now on, we'll watch you become like that together."
"Eh?"
"Why? I also want to see a hero's journey up close, it's cool." she replied with a chuckle.
Jiu Fan only smiled, but in his heart it felt like a burning fire had been ignited.
To be continued...