Chapter 1
[Remaining Lifespan: 100 days 5 hours 20 minutes 13 seconds]
Kanzaki Tomomu acted as if he hadn't seen the system prompt visible only to himself.
With a calm and indifferent smile on his face, he placed a plate of seasonal pastries on the table.
"Senior, may I ask if Teacher's research… has not yet concluded?"
"It's been over a hundred years. When will you finally change and call me Sister Qingtu? That Ruan Mei really taught you such a stubborn and inflexible student."
Yu Qingtu helplessly gave Kanzaki Tomomu a sideways glance.
Getting this rule-abiding guy to change his address was harder than ascending to the heavens. Heaven knows how many unyielding, rigid principles Ruan Mei had drilled into him.
A few traces of apology flashed across Kanzaki Tomomu's restrained face, but he did not reply.
Toward the classically elegant woman before him, who appeared to be in her mid-to-late twenties, he always maintained perfectly appropriate etiquette.
Hundreds of Amber Eras ago, Yu Qingtu had already been a member of the Genius Society.
She shared hobbies similar to his teacher Ruan Mei—appreciating ancient music and mixology—though their personalities differed significantly.
To the outside world, Yu Qingtu was a genius pharmacist with a peculiar temperament.
To him, she had gone from being lukewarm in the beginning to now… hmm, amicable and kind?
It was likely because his skill at making excellent pastries perfectly satisfied this picky genius pharmacist senior's refined tastes.
But no matter what, rules were rules.
Seniority must not be disordered, and etiquette must not be broken.
Otherwise, Teacher would be displeased.
It had been one hundred and fifty-seven years since the last time Teacher was displeased.
Just as people forget most unpleasant memories from childhood, after over a hundred years, Kanzaki Tomomu could no longer clearly recall the exact reason Teacher had been unhappy, only vaguely remembering it was related to breaking the rules.
Following that was a punishment of five days without medication plus confinement.
It was only when the virus was on the verge of claiming his life that Teacher finally released him from the small dark room.
In Kanzaki Tomomu's understanding, failing to use the proper form of address was also breaking the rules.
"I bet the next thing you're going to say is 'This junior cannot disorder the hierarchy.'" Yu Qingtu said with certainty upon seeing his expression.
"Senior is Genius Society Member #55. This junior cannot disorder the hierarchy."
See, right on the mark.
"You've already completed your apprenticeship. What's there to talk about hierarchy anymore? Even inside the Genius Society, there are plenty of eccentric fellows who show zero respect to their seniors."
Yu Qingtu's eye-roll intensified as she spoke irritably.
"Moreover, your teacher isn't even a Genius. I don't see her treating me like a respected senior. She doesn't even want to see you now, yet you're still so loyal to her?"
"One day as a teacher, a teacher for life. This junior cannot bring shame upon Teacher."
"Such a stubborn temperament. Fine, fine. Your birthday is in another hundred days or so. What gift do you want?"
"Any gift bestowed by a Genius is an honor for this junior, regardless of what it is."
Kanzaki Tomomu maintained a proper smile on his face, smoothly steering the conversation back on track.
"Senior has yet to answer this junior. Regarding Teacher's research…"
"It's not finished. That fellow has shut herself away for decades. If I couldn't still detect her life signs, I'd suspect she died there."
"Thank you for informing me, Senior."
"Little guy, have a seat. I have some questions for you."
Yu Qingtu's eyes shifted as she gestured for Kanzaki Tomomu not to keep standing foolishly.
After a brief hesitation, Kanzaki Tomomu sat down neatly across from Yu Qingtu.
"As long as it doesn't involve Teacher's privacy, this junior will answer everything he knows without omission."
"Rest assured. Although it involves privacy, it's not hers—it's yours."
"This junior?"
"Tell me honestly—"
Yu Qingtu narrowed her long, slender eyes, her expression turning serious.
"Was your sudden completion of apprenticeship related to you trying to dissuade Ruan from pursuing that forbidden research?"
"…" Kanzaki Tomomu's gaze dropped. After several seconds of silence, he shook his head slightly. "I cannot fathom Teacher's thoughts."
Yu Qingtu immediately understood the answer in her heart.
As a genius in the chemical field, she naturally had overlaps with the domain of life sciences.
How could she not see that Ruan Mei was conducting the taboo research of resurrecting the dead?
The deceased was none other than her own parents.
Not interfering with others' research was basic etiquette among Genius Society members.
However, that didn't prevent Yu Qingtu from secretly complaining to herself: How could someone who herself despised the laws of biology raise such a rigidly rule-following student?
It couldn't be that Kanzaki Tomomu was expelled from apprenticeship and ended up like this now simply because he broke the rules and talked back to her, right?
"If I had been the one who met you back then, cured your illness, and taken you as my student, you definitely wouldn't be this rigid now."
Kanzaki Tomomu could only offer a smile in response.
Yu Qingtu was long accustomed to his personality and didn't mind.
After elegantly finishing the pastries that were impeccable in color, aroma, and flavor, a hint of satisfaction showed between her brows.
"Alright, little guy, I should be going now. But before I leave, I want to ask you one more question."
"Please ask, Senior."
"Do you admire… no, rather, do you like Ruan Mei? In the romantic sense."
"Senior, please don't tease this junior. This junior holds only respect for Teacher. How could I harbor such disrespectful and absurd feelings?"
"Is that so…"
Staring at Kanzaki Tomomu's utterly candid expression, Yu Qingtu found no traces of deception.
Naturally, she also couldn't detect any hidden affection.
Yet deep in her heart, she still found it exceedingly strange.
The main reason stemmed from the building not far from the current bamboo house—one that was identical in every way to the old residence in Ruan Mei's hometown.
She had been inside to look; the layout was exactly the same, without the slightest difference.
It was impossible to tell whether it had been transported over intact or built by Kanzaki Tomomu himself.
If it was the latter, why build it but not live in it, while still cleaning it regularly and keeping it spotlessly clean? What was the point?
In contrast, Kanzaki Tomomu sending plum blossom brew to Ruan Mei on schedule every year seemed more like normal respectful behavior toward his teacher.
Unable to figure it out, Yu Qingtu could only conclude that both teacher and student were peculiar individuals.
"…See you next time, little guy." With a wave of her hand, Yu Qingtu collected the ten jars of plum blossom brew nearby.
"Take care on your way, Senior. When you deliver the plum blossom brew, please remember to leave a message for Teacher, reminding her to keep regular hours and eat on time."
"You've been saying that for decades already. Don't worry."
Whether she would actually listen was up to Ruan Mei.
Kanzaki Tomomu escorted Yu Qingtu onto her spaceship and watched her depart before turning toward the residence.
However, Yu Qingtu was still observing the scene from afar.
Seeing Kanzaki Tomomu punctually going to clean the 1:1 replica house once again, she felt that between the teacher and student, the student was actually the more incomprehensible one.
Unable to make sense of it no matter how she tried, she helplessly shook her head and withdrew her gaze.
"Perhaps this is what they mean when they say a genius isn't a genius in every field."
Only after sensing that the hidden presence had completely departed did Kanzaki Tomomu let out a sigh of relief.
His previously healthy and rosy complexion instantly turned ashen gray. His youthful appearance rapidly aged into that of an elderly man, with his temples quickly turning white.
He coughed violently several times. A fishy-sweet taste clogged his throat, nearly spilling from the corner of his mouth.
He was about to die.
Admittedly, he had learned considerable biological knowledge from Ruan Mei and possessed various methods to prolong his own life.
But it was unnecessary.
As a short-lived species, reaching 175 years of age was already a complete and fulfilling lifespan.
Similar to protagonists in various novels, Kanzaki Tomomu also possessed his own system.
However, his system did not provide powerful external cheat abilities.
The only thing his system offered was: life itself.
To be born like a human, to die like a human, repeating over and over.
Natural death was the law of intelligent life and a blessing. He would not break it lightly.
Leaving his teacher Ruan Mei aside for now, the eccentric Yu Qingtu was a different matter.
If she learned the truth of his impending death, this genius who had lived for who-knows-how-many years might do something to him.
Therefore, there was no need to tell them.
But before he died, there were still some matters he needed to attend to.
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Bonus chapters
200 Stones - 1 chapter
400 Stones - 2 chapter
600 Stones - 3 chapters
And so on