The Luckiest Man - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: An Awakener Quota?

Translator: Larbre Studio

Editor: Larbre Studio

People are in high spirits when they encounter good things. 

Grandfather and grandson became so much closer in a day as they walked home together. With such a capable grandson like Hong Xiaofu, Liu Huajun was feeling the best he had felt the past few decades.

Considering Liu Huajun’s reputation and identity, there were countless people who would want to get close to him to reap off the benefits. It wasn’t an exaggeration—if he had mentioned it, people willing to become his grandchildren would queue from the front of his house to the train station, five kilometers away.

After all, he was someone whom government officials had to pay a special visit to and countless people holding high ranks in the military had been taught by him. An elderly person like him was barely showing a small part of his true self.

As they arrived at the grocery store, Liu Huajun brought Hong Xiaofu inside to buy groceries. Hong Xiaofu rushed to pay for the groceries. They bought a pound of pork, two pounds of chives and some shrimps to make dumplings at home. 

Liu Huajun wanted to pay, since he was aware of Hong Xiaofu’s situation better than anyone else. One sentence from Hong Xiaofu, however, made him take his money back.

Hong Xiaofu said that since he had been Awakened, he had been receiving his bursary. He wanted to treat his grandfather to a meal to thank him for his hard work, which had allowed him to finally live a comfortable life. Liu Huajun did not want to refuse his kindness.

Xiaofu quickly arrived back home. Once he opened the door, he grabbed Shen Xiaoling and dragged her out of the house. He said, “Liu Huajun wants to be our grandfather. We are going to his house to eat dumplings, what do you think?”

The young girl was thrilled. Shen Xiaoling jumped up in excitement and shouted, “We have a grandfather?” 

It brought so much happiness to Hong Xiaofu that he couldn’t stop smiling. The two lonely, young orphans finally had a family!

“Come here and let me take a look at you!” Liu Huajun welcomed them warmly as Hong Xiaofu brought Shen Xiaoling into the house. He looked at them carefully from head to toe and smiled brightly while saying, “Xiaoling, you may call me grandpa!” 

Shen Xiaoling shouted sweetly, “Grandpa!” 

“Ha! Good! You are so sweet!” Liu Huajun held both of their hands as they walked into the house and he said, “Usually both my son and daughter are busy. It would be good if I can even see them once or twice a year. Now that I have the both of you to keep me company, it’s great! Come in! I haven’t prepared fruit for you though…”

Hong Xiaofu giggled as he rubbed his nose and said, “We don’t usually eat that anyway. Grandpa, let me help you cut what we need.” 

“Sure.” Liu Huajun nodded his head and said, “We can do it together.” 

Hong Xiaofu followed Liu Huajun into the kitchen to help him chop the ingredients.

Stuffed dumplings were easy to make: they had to mince the pork, wash the chives and chop them up, throw the eggs into the pan and stir until cooked; then, mince the shrimps; lastly, they had to add some seasoning such as soy sauce, salt and ground pepper, and mix it all evenly.

Hong Xiaofu was chatting with Liu Huajun as they made the dumplings together. Shen Xiaoling did not know how to do it, so she sat on the bed and watched the television.

After watching for a short while, she could not sit still anymore. She started wandering around the house. Liu Huajun’s house was neat and clean and the blankets were all folded into perfect squares. Although he had retired from the military a long time before, it was a habit that he still had.

Shen Xiaoling was excited to be looking around. She suddenly saw a whole row of medals hanging inside a large cabinet. She was curious—and of course went to ask Liu Huajun about it. “Grandpa, do all the medals on the wall belong to you?” 

“Oh, those?” Liu Huajun said carelessly, “I got those when I was in the military. It has been a few decades since then, I can barely remember how I got them.” 

Hong Xiaofu was watching from the side. It was his first time seeing so many medals, there were at least more than ten of them. He was also surprised and he asked, “Grandpa, those are so many…what did you do to get them?” 

“It was not a lot.” Liu Huajun explained while making the dumplings, “I used to be young and aggressive, not willing to lose out to anybody. We had competitions over everything—defeating the enemy, patrol, catching spies, and a bunch of other nonsensical things.” 

He said it lightheartedly, but Hong Xiaofu could feel the hardships and danger of the time in his words.

All those merits had been hard earned. Back then, how would they be easy to attain? 

“Grandfather, you are so great.” Shen Xiaoling was astonished, “I can’t even imagine it!” 

“Ha! Don’t think about it. People die in wars.” Liu Huajun smiled and said, “Isn’t it all good now? Oh right, Xiaoling, you haven’t been Awakened right?” 

Shen Xiaoling shook her head in a daze and replied, “No, I haven’t. What’s wrong? I thought people can only be Awakened after they turn twelve?” 

“That is what the authorities say.” Liu Huajun shook his head slightly and said, “In fact, you can be Awakened after you turn ten. 90% of the time, however, people are Awakened after they turn twelve. Have you taken the Awakeners’ potential assessment?” 

Shen Xiaoling shook her head firmly and said, “Not yet…” 

“Hmm…” Liu Huajun put down the dumpling skin that he was holding. He looked at Shen Xiaoling, then touched his chin, and he said, “I think I still have an Awakener Quota. I’ll ask about it tomorrow.” 

Awakener Quota?

Hong Xiaofu was stunned. What was that about? Awakeners had limited places!?

“Grandpa.” Hong Xiaofu asked immediately, “The Awakener Quota, what is it all about? Whether a person is Awakened or not… can be decided?” 

“Yup, it could be.” Liu Huajun continued making the dumplings, “To ordinary people, Awakening depends on their natural gift and luck. However, to us who worked in the military, we could use drugs to stimulate one’s Awakening. Simply put, someone who has taken the drugs can be Awakened instantly. I was supposed to have a place for myself, but I am an old man who already has one foot in the grave, I didn’t want to waste such a precious—I don’t need it. However, since Xiaoling has not been Awakened, I could try to ask for a place for her.” 

Although Liu Huajun only talked about it briefly, Hong Xiaofu could infer the underlying meaning from his words. Anyone would know that it was impossible to mass produce such drugs. Otherwise, would it not be amazing to gear up the whole military?

Such drugs were most likely extremely hard to source for within the country. Grandpa was just using his rank and reputation in the military to ask for a precious Quota.

He actually said that he was going to get one for Xiaoling…

“Grandpa.” Hong Xiaofu tried to stop him quickly, “Don’t rush into it. Xiaoling may be Awakened soon. If even I could be Awakened, she would have no issue with that. We don’t want to trouble you.” 

When he heard that, Liu Huajun stopped what he was doing suddenly and said, “Hmph, what trouble would this be? I’m doing this for my obedient granddaughter Xiaoling. If those guys have anything to say about it, I will rip their skin off!”