Chapter 933: Inquiry (Thank You Again to Tushi Cha Wan Zheng for Becoming a Silver Patron)

Lu Mi sat back two steps and took a seat on the waiting bench outside the opposite classroom.

His fingers twitched slightly as he skillfully entered Anderson Hu De’s Moments feed:

“Yesterday: Someone else’s failure is my success.”

“August 14: Everyone has different talents—some in language, some in art, some in ordinariness.”

“August 13: My roommate really died—he got gameover in the game of life.”

“August 12: Love is also a war; hunters can reap just the same—To Danzi.”

“August 11: As long as you don’t get angry, others will.”

“...”

“August 2: Friend, you actually scrolled this far? Respect some privacy!”

Lu Mi stared blankly as he kept scrolling—no further content appeared—then he saw a familiar yet slightly altered prompt:

“—Friends only display their Moments from the past month—”

Lu Mi chuckled, brought his phone to his lips, and sent Anderson a voice message: a brief self-introduction, watching to see if the other would reply, and whether there was hidden meaning in his words.

After another two minutes, he saw someone approaching from the front desk.

The man wore a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and light-colored sneakers; his short black hair had been neatly combed, his eyes deep brown, and he wore half-rimmed pale gold reading glasses. His facial contours were soft, his features subtly handsome, and he carried a black shoulder bag—Zhou Mingrui, the dream avatar of “The Fool,” the primary target of Lu Mi and the others’ dream journey.

Lu Mi lifted his head as if just hearing footsteps, turning his gaze toward him.

He noticed that this version of Zhou Mingrui differed even more from Gellman Spade:

Both had emerged from the original Zhou Mingrui, yet developed in opposite directions—one leaning toward gentleness and refinement, the other emphasizing sharpness and coldness.

Zhou Mingrui sensed Lu Mi’s gaze and looked in his direction.

Lu Mi smiled and nodded slightly.

Zhou Mingrui paused, puzzled why this stranger would greet him, but still nodded politely in return.

Lu Mi lowered his gaze, focusing again on his unlit phone screen.

He saw his own reflection on the black surface—undoubtedly handsome, but not to the degree that a talent scout would approach him.

He had used “Lies” to lower his appearance, aiming for maximum conformity.

Zhou Mingrui glanced at him curiously, then turned sideways into the Business English classroom.

A few minutes later, the Dream Tutoring Center’s principal, Ai Nana, entered the Business English class with her lesson plan; a man with a patterned bowtie went across to the Beginner English class to serve as Anderson Hu De’s teaching assistant.

Lu Mi looked up at the ceiling camera, then, like most parents waiting in different corridor zones or peering through classroom windows, he played with his phone.

A few parents who knew each other began chatting:

“My child Zihan can now hold conversations in English.”

“Really? Mine started Beginner English too late—he’s still struggling.”

“Look at that kid—he hasn’t stopped talking.”

“Probably his first day; it’s normal. My Zihan was the same at first—you need to discipline your child more during this phase.”

“...”

Lu Mi ignored all of it, focused entirely on the photo he’d taken of the frost-covered blackboard, sinking once more into the world of the conspirator analyzing every detail.

He occasionally scrolled through local news and trending videos, keeping track of major changes in the dream city.

The Beginner English class took two breaks; during these, Ludwig came to Lu Mi to replenish food, soothing his wounded spirit.

The Business English class took only one break, but Lu Mi did not approach Zhou Mingrui—only watched with the corner of his eye as the man went to the restroom and returned quickly.

The Business English class ended ten minutes earlier than the Beginner class; Lu Mi stood abruptly, blocking Zhou Mingrui’s path directly in front of him.

He forced a smile:

“Hi, what do you think of this Business English class? I’d like to know.”

Seeing Zhou Mingrui’s confusion, he added:

“I came here to enroll my child in Beginner English, but I overheard your class and thought it sounded good—so I’m considering signing up too, to avoid wasting time waiting.”

“You have a child?” Zhou Mingrui asked instinctively.

He looked Lu Mi up and down—this man seemed much younger than him, like a college student.

Already a father?

“Yes, my son,” Lu Mi replied with a smile.

A son... a son old enough for Beginner English... Zhou Mingrui suppressed the urge to twitch his lips.

He’d been out of college for two or three years and still didn’t have a girlfriend—yet this man who looked like a college student already had a four- or five-year-old son!

Had he started dating in high school and gotten someone pregnant?

Clearly, only good-looking people get to have youth...

Zhou Mingrui said sincerely:

“Principal Ai teaches very well, but the Business English class requires a certain foundation.”

He suspected this young man had dropped out of high school, married early, and never attended university—so he kindly warned him that Business English needed prior knowledge.

“I see...” Lu Mi nodded thoughtfully, sincerely replying, “Thank you.”

He stepped back a pace, no longer pressing Zhou Mingrui for more.

First contact—know when to stop!

Now, observe how things change.

Zhou Mingrui was curious, but wouldn’t pry into others’ private lives; he lingered near the classroom doors, observing.

Soon after, the Beginner English class ended; Lu Mi slipped a lollipop into Ludwig’s hand before Zhou Mingrui could look over, then led the boy out of the Dream Tutoring Center.

Ludwig looked about seven or eight—had Zhou Mingrui seen him, he’d have been deeply struck: a son aged seven or eight, a father who looked barely twenty—someone in this family had to be breaking the law!

But leaving a strong impression on “The Fool’s” dream avatar was not part of Lu Mi’s plan today—it would hinder his ability to eliminate options.

After buying a pile of steamed buns and pickled mustard greens to fill Ludwig’s stomach, Lu Mi took the boy for a normal dinner and checked into a budget hotel.

He turned on the TV for Ludwig, randomly selecting an animated film, then picked up his phone and swiped his thumb to Anderson Hu De’s WeChat avatar.

In the end, he did not send another message to this “foreign teacher” who seemed to sense the dream’s essence—he wanted to see if the man would reach out first, offering a hint.

…………

In the rented apartment.

Fu Lan Ka sat propped against her bed, scrolling her phone, but her mind wasn’t fully on it—she worried about Lu Mi’s situation.

Direct contact with Zhou Mingrui could bring bad changes!

Jianna felt the same, pacing back and forth in the room at intervals.

Suddenly, Fu Lan Ka sat upright, frowning:

“I feel like I forgot something...”

“Is this my spiritual intuition warning me?”

The next second, without divination, she instantly recalled what she’d forgotten:

“Yes! Today is the Double Color Ball drawing day!”

“I completely forgot!”

She quickly checked the results, her mouth slowly opening wider.

“Won?” Jianna asked, curious and hopeful.

“Won... won!” Fu Lan Ka was first dazed, then ecstatic, “I hit over twenty second prizes—total prize money over 150,000.”

She immediately pinched her cheeks:

“I have this kind of luck?”

“No—could Lu Mi’s ability to influence fate produce effects like this?”

“Over 150,000?” Jianna was stunned.

These days of hardship had made her content with a few thousand yuan—yet now she’d gained tens of thousands, a two-digit sum!

Fu Lan Ka got up from the bed and began pacing:

“If we save a bit more, we can rent those obviously extraordinary items from Star Dream Grocery.”

“Shouldn’t we first consider repaying our small loans?” Jianna reminded her.

“It’s not due yet,” Fu Lan Ka said, her joy tinged with unease, “winning this much at once—will the lottery office notice? Will the Celestial Lord take notice...?”

Before Jianna could reply, she went on alone:

“It’s just over a hundred thousand—what’s that? The first-prize winner had over thirty tickets, five million per ticket! We just ate the crumbs falling from his fingers...”

…………

In the Bin Zhi Hotel.

After eating late-night snacks, Ludwig was already asleep on the other bed; Lu Mi lay awake, propped on his pillow, silently watching the dark screen and the room faintly lit by moonlight.

So far, Anderson had not sent him any message, and his direct contact with Zhou Mingrui had caused no obvious anomalies—he remained unrestricted, not expelled from the dream.

Time ticked away, then Lu Mi suddenly heard a thunderous “boom,” and saw the night sky outside the curtains illuminated by silver lightning.

Rolling thunder came, heavy rain poured down, and it didn’t stop all night—only lessened at dawn.

Lu Mi stayed awake all night, greeting the daylight with clear eyes.

He opened his phone and saw news of flooding in several areas, some subway lines suspended for the day.

Was this symbolic? If so, what did it symbolize? Lu Mi stuffed Ludwig with steamed buns, then took him out for noodles nearby.

He ordered pea sauce noodles for himself, tomato and fried egg noodles for Ludwig.

The peas were tender and soft, soaked in sauce, mixed with the noodles—fragrant and flavorful; he ordered two portions of two taels each, ate one and a half bowls himself, and left half a bowl for Ludwig.

After breakfast, he slowly took Ludwig on public transit back to the rented apartment.

Seeing that Lu Mi and Ludwig were unharmed, Francia, Yu Jianna, and Anthony exhaled in relief.

Lu Mi smiled and said:

“The preliminary experiment shows that briefly encountering the dream image of Mr. Fool, Zhou Mingrui, during the day—without leaving a strong impression on him—does not attract the Heavenly Sovereign’s attention, nor does it result in being kicked out of the dream or restricted.”

“Of course, perhaps I’ve been deceived—the Heavenly Sovereign is deliberately ignoring me, waiting for me to reunite with you all before expelling us all from the dream together.”

PS: Thank you, Tu Shi Cha Wan Zheng, for once again pledging the Bai Yin Alliance!

(End of Chapter)