Crossing to the Future, it's Not Easy to Be a Man

Baby-face carefully looked over Li Shiyu"s fingers. Discovering no wounds, he instantly released a relieved sigh. If Li Shiyu"s hands were at all damaged, he would definitely be dismembered by the senior colonel instructors of the military medical research branch of the medical faculty, and be made into a specimen to be experimented on.

Mind you, Li Shiyu was a gem in the hearts of all the instructors in the military medical research specialization. All the instructors wanted to take in Li Shiyu as their own true disciple. There had even been a large battle fought previously over the matter ... In the end, the head of the military medical research branch Major General Qi had been unable to take it any longer, and had come out to declare Li Shiyu as the shared disciple of all the instructors; only then did the fighting stop. This was also one of the reasons why Li Shiyu was so exceptional in his specialization.

Seeing the worry on his friend"s face, Li Shiyu"s heart was moved. He took his hand back and said sheepishly, "Yun Xiu, I"m fine!"

"That"s good then. What happened earlier that made you so angry?" asked Yun Xiu curiously. What exactly had triggered Li Shiyu?

Li Shiyu looked towards Yun Xiu, and sighed softly, "You still remember the grand armed melee that year? And that I wasn"t in the school then?"

Yun Xiu remembered, nodded and said, "Yes, back then I had lamented that it was such a shame you had to miss it! Otherwise you could have already had a chance to cross blows with your younger cousin brother." Then, recalling how Li Shiyu had changed when he had returned, his tone became regretful as he said, "I had originally thought that you would apply for the mecha piloting specialization in the First Men"s Military Academy. But unexpectedly, when you came back, you suddenly told me you wanted to become a military doctor! Until now, I still cannot understand it ..."

At this point of his recollection, Yun Xiu"s face was filled with confusion. Even now he still wanted to understand why, after just leaving for a brief stint of half a month, Li Shiyu had returned with completely different dreams and goals.

Even more so since Li Shiyu had been given the cold shoulder due to his decision. The second year after he chose to become a military doctor,Li Shiyu gained a newborn younger brother — this move by Li Shiyu"s parents was proof that he had been abandoned by them1. This was because for one to become the family head of the Li family, one had to be the strongest mecha operator within the Li family. Thus, Li Shiyu"s decision was a clear declaration that he was voluntarily giving up in the fight to be the first inheritor for the position of family head.

If Li Shiyu truly had no talent in mecha piloting, Yun Xiu would definitely have supported his good friend"s decision. But the fact was that Li Shiyu"s talent in mecha piloting was very high.

In these four years in the military academy, Li Shiyu had put his full effort into medical research, only using the bare minimum required by the military academy to train in mecha control. But despite that, Li Shiyu still had no difficulty in advancing to the early stages of advanced mecha warrior — it was clear to see how talented Li Shiyu actually was in mecha piloting. Every time this thought crossed his mind, Yun Xiu would lament the waste on behalf of his good friend.

In the face of his good friend"s questioning, Li Shiyu only pursed his lips, but did not reply. However, due to his good friend"s reminder, the incident that year appeared once more in the forefront of his mind ...

That was when he had just reached the 10th year in the scout academy. He and his parents had been busy preparing for his application to the mecha piloting specialization in the First Men"s Military Academy ... but it was at this time when his grandfather, the current family head of the Li family, had suggested that he go visit his eldest cousin brother Li Mulan.

Ever since his eldest cousin brother had gone to planet Azure, he had never once returned to Doha. 10 years" time did not make Li Shiyu forget about his eldest cousin brother. Rather, with the pa.s.sing of time, after becoming numb to the cold ruthlessness of the Li family members as they fought among themselves for power and authority, the memory of the unique warm aura of his cousin was almost stark in contrast, engraved even more deeply into his heart.

Thus, when his grandfather had suggested he take a vacation to visit his eldest cousin brother on planet Azure, he had gladly agreed. However, he could not have known that this visit would end up changing his entire life ...

Li Shiyu recalled that pale face on that sickbed, those dull-coloured lips, that limp person half laid up on the bed ... Still, that person had smiled so warmly at him — his smile so pure and clean, without any trace of resentment. His eldest cousin brother was not oblivious to the Li family"s machinations, but he was still living without a care.

His eldest cousin brother"s stamina was already very weak, unable to support speech for too long. Li Shiyu remembered how short the meeting with his cousin had been — only a brief ten or so minutes. During that time, his eldest cousin brother had not said anything about their family, only mentioning some of his own insights, such as how one should observe more, listen more, learn more, and think more — only then would one be able to see things clearer and project their thoughts further. Or, for example, how one should not blindly judge an incident or a person, for some incidents and people were not as simple as they appeared — how considering things from a few more angles would perhaps yield some new discovery. In the end, he had also said that the hardest things for people were tolerance and acceptance, especially when it came to some friends and relatives. Sometimes, if they made a mistake, one should not be so quick to heap on the blame — instead, give the other a chance to right the wrong. Sometimes, taking a step back may yield even better results ... he had said with a laugh that, Li Yingjie, for example, who seemed so arrogant and bossy, was actually a good person at heart. Treat him with a bit more patience, and one may see more bright gleams of goodness and something different.

Though Li Shiyu had felt that these words were a little strange, as if his eldest cousin brother had been trying to hint at something, he had not thought much of it back then.He had just listened quietly as his cousin spoke, greedily absorbing more of the other"s warmth2. This was something the Li family in Doha could not provide, so he was hungry for it. Only when he had seen the sweat pouring from his eldest cousin brother"s forehead from the strain did he bid farewell and depart very reluctantly.

On the journey home, he settled down and contemplated those words his eldest cousin brother had said, and found something off about them. It was as if his eldest cousin brother had been trying to guide him — back then, he had already been suspicious, wondering why his eldest cousin brother would say all this ...

Only when he returned to Doha and met his grandfather, who then told him personally that in future, his eldest cousin brother"s role would be on his shoulders, did he come to a shocked realisation. His grandfather had sent him to visit his eldest cousin brother, not for any so-called kinship bonding, but for the purpose of letting his visit be an announcement to his cousin on the Li family"s decision. He was the candidate the Li family had selected to replace his eldest cousin brother as inheritor ...

Li Shiyu was immediately consumed with regret. Due to his ignorance, his idiocy, his dim-wittedness — he had actually hurt his beloved eldest cousin brother by his own hand. He also hated the Li family"s heartlessness. His eldest cousin brother"s body was already so weak, and they had still given him such a heavy mental blow at this time — they had never intended for his eldest cousin brother to get better, hoping instead that he would just go ahead and die from the shock for their own ease of mind.

Yes, his eldest cousin brother was very intelligent! The moment he had seen him, his cousin had already understood what the Li family had decided. His eldest cousin brother had not reacted with resentment or rage, but had instead done all he could as an elder, giving his younger brother some advice and guidance, entrusting his hopes to him ...

In his heartache, Li Shiyu rejoiced that he had left the Li family early on to enter the scout academy, thus saved from becoming cold-blooded like the rest of the Li family members. He directly refused his grandfather"s arrangement, and said that, since the Li family had given up on his eldest cousin brother, then he would be the one to build his eldest cousin brother"s future! The Li family people would no longer be allowed to interfere in his eldest cousin brother"s life! As for the matter of the Li family inheritor, since Li Yingjie was interested, then they should just let Li Yingjie do it.

Yes, he disdained the position of Li family inheritor — he did not value this cold-blooded Li family.

He had long thought before that when he grew up to become someone strong enough to stand on his own, he would take his eldest cousin brother out of the Li family, the two of them completely cutting ties with this cold-blooded and heartless Li family3.

His grandfather had not been angered by his words. Instead, he asked him with a sneer — what was he basing his words on? If he became the family head, he might perhaps still be able to give Li Mulan a better life, otherwise, everything was just empty talk — he would not be able to give his cousin anything.

Subsequently, his grandfather had listed out the total fees of all the various consultations, medications, and high-grade medicinal agents spent on his eldest cousin brother all this while to Li Shiyu. To maintain Li Mulan"s life, it was impossible without several million credits. If Li Mulan had not been a direct descendant of the main branch, so the Li family had borne the costs, he would have long died from illness on planet Azure. The Li family had already done more than enough for Li Mulan. Now, they could not let the average Li Mulan continue to be the first inheritor, making the Li family the laughingstock of the top elite families.

This was the true opinion of a family head. Li Shiyu had been very disappointed — he had thought that his grandfather had truly loved his eldest cousin brother, only sending him to the distant planet Azure to protect him, distancing him from the cruel struggles within the main camp of the Li family. Reality proved that he had been too idealistic. There was no such thing as kinship and blood relation within the Li family; profit was the only thing tying parents and siblings together — there was only calculation, and using one another. Perhaps his grandfather had simply not wanted to keep seeing this disgrace of the Li family, thus sending eldest cousin brother so far away for his own peace of mind.

Li Shiyu was sad and indignant, reflexively wanting to fight back with barbed words. But when the words came to his lips, he recalled those words his eldest cousin brother had said to him back at planet Azure, that he should learn to tolerate ...

Yes, if he became at odds with his grandfather, and let his parents know his true thoughts, it might end up harming his eldest cousin brother.

Li Shiyu knew very well how ruthless his parents could be with their methods. Once they found out that his eldest cousin brother was the reason why he had refused to be the first inheritor, they might very likely employ dirty means to eliminate the problem. This was not something he wished to see; he did not want his eldest cousin brother to be harmed any further due to him. Thus, Li Shiyu was silent. He only said that he would return and think about it.

His grandfather had looked at him contemplatively — that one glance almost making him think he had been seen through — but his grandfather had not said anything on it. He had only informed him that he still had a year"s time to consider, but once he began schooling at the military academy, that would be the final deadline. As he left, his grandfather had also reminded him that he could come discuss things over with him whenever he had the time.

The words "discuss things over" were said with especial emphasis; Li Shiyu understood the hidden meaning behind his grandfather"s words. If he agreed to accept the position of first inheritor, his grandfather would be willing to pay some price, such as continuing to pay for Li Mulan"s medical expenses for a while longer or something.

Li Shiyu thought for a very long time after returning to the scout academy. He had also considered his grandfather"s suggestion — to become the family head, and thenhold up the sky for his eldest cousin brother4, allowing him to live securely under his wing ...

Yet, Li Shiyu could not fool himself. By the time he truly obtained the rights of family head, it would be thirty to forty years later at least, while his eldest cousin brother"s body did not seem like it could hold out for so long. Only by finding the best doctors in the Federation as soon as possible, the best medicine, the best resources, would he have any hope of extending his eldest cousin brother"s life.

Li Shiyu did not hope for his eldest cousin brother to die young. Right now, the human lifespan was already infinitely close to 200 years — he wished that his cousin would at least live beyond 150 years ... to achieve this goal, he could only find a way to heal his eldest cousin brother as soon as possible.

At present, what Li Shiyu wanted, he did not have, so it was impossible to rely on any outside power. As for the Li family, his grandfather had already spoken. The Li family had already done their duty by his eldest cousin brother — the age of maturity in the Federation was 20; the Li family would only support him till then. After that, they would no longer continue to pay for those ma.s.sive medical fees of his eldest cousin brother. According to his grandfather"s words, since he would be an adult then, he should be fully responsible for himself.

This meant that there could only be one path before him. Four years later, he needed to possess a large amount of credits, enough to replace the Li family"s role in supporting his cousin"s exorbitant medical fees. However, at that time, he would still only be a cadet, so he would never be able to afford it. Moreover, the Li family would only give Li family descendants the necessary credits for daily living, not a credit more. Before maturity, even if they earned any credits, those credits would be claimed by the Li family accounts — he would not see a single bit of it.

For those few days, he was plagued with worry, with no mind at all to bother with anything else around him. Even though the 10th grade had been beaten so soundly by the 7th grade that they did not dare to lift their heads, he had not noticed. Every day, he was thinking about his and his eldest cousin brother"s future. Just when he was at his wit"s end and was preparing himself to lower his head and negotiate with his grandfather, an application brochure from the military academy illuminated a path for him.

The military academy not only had mecha piloting, but countless other specializations as well, and one of them was the military medical research specialization which was held in very high esteem by the military. Meanwhile, military doctors were definitely the best among the Federation doctors. As such, they had the opportunity to work with medicinal agents that had been secretly formulated by the Federation. In particular, there were certain forbidden medicines that only top-level military doctors could access.

Therefore, instead of begging others for medicinal agents and resources, he might as well become a top-level military doctor himself and earn the right to take those medicines and resources. Li Shiyu"s gaze had sparkled; he had finally found a path by which he could save his eldest cousin brother.

Li Shiyu did not rush. He immediately went home and had a sincere talk with his grandfather. When he had told the other of his decision, he remembered his grandfather asking him if he would ever regret it.

Li Shiyu remembered that he had smiled as he replied, saying that he did not want to become a puppet controlled by power and profit. He was not heartless enough to abandon his own blood brothers ... and since that was the case, he would follow his heart. He would not regret it.

When he bid farewell to his grandfather, he could vaguely hear his grandfather muttering these words:Li Mulan,what virtues or abilities have you5...