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"I wouldn't say entirely dumb. I mean you came from a small village with zero education, so you're educationally handicapped. It's not your fault, it's just your circumstances. But Military Science, from what I'm seeing, requires knowledge in major courses you know nothing about…"
Old man Shen let his mouth loose with no regard for how hurtful they sounded, and if looks could kill, Zhi Luan would have killed the old man over a hundred times. In the end, he summarized it with,
"I know I asked you to choose something you're interested in, but you also have to choose something within your capacity. This is no joke. This is a big step you're taking into your future. My concern is that you might not measure up to what is required to study it."
"Why would I go for something I can't do? That's dumb."
"At least we can agree on that," remarked old man Shen, before he spoke up again.
"My point remains the same. A course should be selected not only based on interest but also on capabilities in that field. Nonetheless, if you say that you are capable, I will push it no more."
Old man Shen made sure his message went through, in case Zhi Luan was making a mistake in choosing based on interest alone. Moreover, he expected Zhi Luan to choose something he was already good at, like say a vocational course related to cooking since he was a wonderful chef, even if old man Shen would never tell him that. However, Zhi Luan chose something completely outside his expectations.
Old man Shen didn't continue preaching about it and helped Zhi Luan fill out the entrance form. Besides some basic personal information, Zhi Luan had no legal document of identification. Old man Shen started to ask if he had been living under a rock his entire life. That was also when he found out that Zhi Luan had no contact information. As they went through the form, old man Shen couldn't avoid wondering how Zhi Luan had been moving around with none of the basic identification documents, at started to consider having Zhi Luan investigated again.
Old man Shen finally gave up on filling out the form and dismissed Zhi Luan. While contemplating on what to do, he suddenly had an idea and called up a friend of his who worked at City Hall.
Five days later, old man Shen brought Zhi Luan along to City Hall. It was unknown how long they would spend there, hence the restaurant was closed for the day.
It was now 4 pm. Old man Shen and Zhi Luan finally walked out of City Hall. Zhi Luan had long been frowning before they exited. Old man Shen had left him to stand alone in a queue for more than two hours before it was his turn to be attended to. After that, Zhi Luan was referred to another office where he waited in a queue for an hour, and then another queue after that. It was just one queue after the other until he had lined up in seven different queues before he completed what he wanted to do.
"Old man, you never said anything about waiting in line so many times"
Zhi Luan grumbled.
Old man Shen reclined his back as popping sounds issued from his joints.
"That doesn't sound like a thank you to me. And as you can see, I don't feel good either so quit your whining. I envy you youngsters; you don't have to worry about back and waist pains."
Zhi Luan completely ignored the old man as he looked through the files he carried.
"So, we spent the entire day for sheets of paper?"
"Those sheets of paper, my boy, are what you need to enroll at the university, and they did not come cheap. I had to pull some strings to get them ready as soon as possible. You should be thankful."
Zhi Luan rolled his eyes and said nothing. The old man had a hard exterior, but it was clear he wouldn't go to such lengths for someone who wasn't important to him in any way. Zhi Luan didn't understand why old man Shen was insistent on going through so much trouble, but it didn't mean he did not appreciate it.
City Hall was far from the restaurant, but old man Shen decided to walk for a bit. As they walked, Zhi Luan figured out that old man Shen was quite popular within the area. They saw some of the usual customers and when they asked why the restaurant was closed, old man Shen laughed and explained. Given how close they appeared to be, some people thought they were a father-son pair, to which old man Shen also explained. Zhi Luan didn't mind the chatter and played along with whatever the old man wanted.
The two walked for a while. Zhi Luan got to see more of the city and how busy it could be during this time of the day. However, he spoke up when he noticed old man Shen make an unusual turn.
"Where are we going? This is not the road back to the restaurant."
"What part of the city do you know apart from the restaurant?"
"All the more reason to ask where you're taking me. You might be taking me to a secret society of grumpy old men."
Old man Shen's eyes immediately twitched.
"You punk! You have quite a glib tongue for a buffoon!"
Old man Shen led Zhi Luan into a store. At first sight, Zhi Luan felt like he had walked into a world separate from what he knew. It was a sleek and modern store, as though an oasis where technology and innovation converge. The store's minimalist aesthetic belied the vast array of wonders within, as rows of gleaming devices hummed with the promise of connection and creativity. The soft glow of screens and the gentle bustle of customers made it a hub of connection, where worlds converge in one's palm.
"What are we doing here?"
Zhi Luan asked.
Old man Shen ignored the question until they got to the counter. A lady wearing a bright smile turned to them.
"Welcome to our store, how can I help you today?"