After breakfast, the house slowly settled into its usual rhythm.
Shuron, however, found himself at a loss.
He didn't know what to do. In his previous life, he would have already been at work by this time. But now, everything was different.
He was free.
There was no job waiting for him, no responsibilities pulling him out the door. He didn't even have to go to school.
His summer vacation had just started, which he found fortunate. Otherwise, he couldn't imagine himself suddenly attending school after so many years, sitting with little children.
As for studying like his little sister, it was too boring. He was an adult, good in academics and athletics. There was no need for him to study the books of a twelve-year-old.
Now he wanted some timepass and entertainment. His gaze drifted to his mother's phone on the table. He wanted to read novels or play games to ease his boredom, but he didn't dare touch it.
If his mother found out he wasn't studying and was instead using the phone in the morning, he would either have to listen to a lecture or see a slipper flying toward him. Obviously, he don't want that. So what are other things to ease his boredom?
A word which he had forgotten in his busy life, suddenly appeared in his mind, "Friends...."
But he sighed, thinking about his current body's friends. He murmured inwardly, "I should keep my distance from them now. I don't want to make new friends either. I know they will leave me someday, this neighborhood, this city, and go elsewhere for jobs. Our friendship will fade, and they will forget me. I've already gone through this, watching them leave one by one. I don't want to experience it again..."
Anyways he is completely bored now. No entertainment, no friends, no work. He didn't know how he would get through this summer vacation while waiting for the golden finger to arrive.
What would he do if it never came? He had already planned it, but he had to wait for a month to confirm the golden finger.
For now, what could he do to pass the time?
While thinking, his gaze wanders to his arms, which looked too skinny to him (His adult mind). He decided to exercise. His excellence in athletics hadn't come naturally; he had earned it through training.
He had started training after his father's death. His resolve to protect his remaining family had driven him to pursue strength almost obsessively. He knew that in front of a bullet, he would still die, but he trained anyway, wanting at least a little more confidence that he could protect them.
Now, in this world, he decided to train again. Not just to gain confidence in protecting his family, but also to ease his boredom.
He went to his room on the upper floor. After a short warm-up, he started doing push-ups.
Doing one push-up was easy.
Doing three push-ups was still manageable.
On the fifth push-up, he gave up. His body was too weak. Mentally, he wanted to continue, but his muscles didn't listen. They protested, sending sharp pain through him.
He missed his old body, where he could do thirty to fifty push-ups easily without breaking much of a sweat. Now, even five felt like a battlefield.
After resting for a while, he started again.
This time, he stopped at four push-ups.
Trying once more, he managed three.
By the fourth round, he was huffing so loudly that it caught his mother's attention as she passed by, a bucket of clothes in her hand.
She quickly placed the bucket down on the floor and suddenly barges into the room. Rushing to his side, she said worriedly, "Shuron, what happened? Tell your mother. Why are you so tired and pale? Did you see something scary? Don't worry, I'm here."
She pulled him into a comforting hug, trying to calm him. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, confused by the absence of anything frightening. She wondered what had happened, but didn't ask yet. First, she needed to comfort her child.
On the other hand, Shuron was stunned by the sudden hug. He felt a bit embarrassed. Mentally, he was an adult, and this was also why he hadn't hugged his father before, even when his heart had wanted to.
But after a few moments, the embarrassment faded. A sense of familiarity returned, easing the awkwardness.
He simply enjoyed the warmth of his mother's embrace. He needed it.
Gradually, his huffing slowed, and his body relaxed.
At that moment, tiny tears welled up in his eyes. The hug stirred a memory deep within him—his mother's condition after his father was gone. He remembered her despair and sorrow.
Even now, in some world or timeline, his mother was likely struggling against her illness alone with Roxa. And he wasn't there. The thought was enough to make even his adult heart ache.
Inside his mother's warm hug, his heart began to soften, and his tears started falling more freely.
Seeing this, Shen spoke in a gentle, comforting tone while softly caressing his head. "Shuron, I don't know what scared you so much that you were huffing and are now crying, but don't worry. I'm here. First, relax your mind and rest."
As she said this, she shifted slightly, letting Shuron rest his head on her knees. Then she continued stroking his hair, trying to calm him.
Shuron gradually relaxed. His earlier gloomy thoughts faded into the back of his mind as he focused on the gentle movement of his mother's hands.
After a few minutes, he opened his eyes. His mother's face came fully into view.
With a small smile, he said, "Mom, I was just doing some push-ups. That's why I was so tired and huffing. And because of the pain, I cried. I wasn't scared or anything."
Hearing this, Shen asked curiously, "You were doing push-ups? Why all of a sudden?"
"It's because I saw a big brother across the street doing push-ups. I asked him why he was doing that, what he would gain from it. He told me it would make him strong and handsome. So I want to do it too. I want to become strong so I can protect you, father, and my sister. And I'm already handsome, but I don't mind becoming more handsome."
He lied without blinking, his expression completely natural, giving no hint that he had just made up the story.
Hearing him, Shen laughed lightly. "Shuron, you're really a good child, thinking about your family. You worried me just now, but it's okay. You can do push-ups and exercise, but don't go overboard. Understand?"
Shuron replied with a soft "Hmm."
He then sat up, giving her space to stand.
He watched as she walked out of the room, picked up the bucket of clothes from the ground, and turned around.
Shuron stood up as well, moving to close the door she had left open.
Just as the door was about to shut, he saw his mother turn back and say in a teasing tone, "Oh, I forgot to say, Shuron, you really are handsome, just like you said."
She turned away again, a faint smirk on her face, and went back to her work.
Shuron sighed. Though a little embarrassed, he brushed it off quickly. It was just a child being teased, and he was an adult. It didn't affect him. Not at all.
After closing the door, his thoughts drifted.
His father had died because an artery in his heart had burst in his previous world. It had been too fragile, rupturing suddenly while he was working in his office. But now that Shuron knew about his condition, he couldn't just tell him without finding a way to cure it. It would only cause panic, increasing the risk.
And he knew the cure. He had researched it after his father's death. It required millions of dollars—a surgical procedure involving an artificial artery.
But it was impossible for his family to afford such an amount. So he had to earn money, or hope for an extraordinary system or ability that could help him save his father.
And not just his father. His mother had a lung disease. If he had money or some kind of power, he could cure her too. He didn't want to watch his family fall into despair again.
At this moment, Shuron just wanted time to pass quickly, for the month to be over so he could confirm the existence of the golden finger.
If it didn't come, then he would have to step onto the world stage himself.