Chapter 26

In his dream, Zhao Yan was eating pizza, and the long-lost aroma was enough to make his taste buds explode. It was so incredibly fragrant that Zhao Yan felt like weeping. Dreams are sweet, but reality must be faced. Despite being worn out from running around all day yesterday, his biological clock—cultivated over the past few days—woke him up right on time. He opened his eyes slowly and prepared to rise. The soreness in his entire body made him gasp; it felt just like the days of physical fitness testing in college, when every movement upon waking would bring aches and pains. Zhao Yan had graduated nearly five years ago, and most memories had grown blurry, but this sudden flash of pain brought the past back in an instant. Indeed, painful memories are always the most vivid. Supporting himself with his hands, he rose slowly. His abdominal muscles were pulled in the process, and the stinging, aching sensation was indescribable. Once he managed to sit up, he stared blankly at the humble room. In this rare moment of leisure, he was reminded again of how delicious the pizza in his dream had smelled. As if reading his mind, his stomach let out a thunderous rumble. Zhao Yan rubbed his uncooperative belly and began to ponder what he should do today.