Chapter 5: The Number You Have Dialed Is Unassigned

Although he had already sensed that the world after his rebirth differed somewhat from his previous life, Lu Mingfei still found it hard to accept that the Cassel Trust had transformed into Cassel Academy.

Especially the bewildering Goodrian, that muddled overseer, who had somehow risen from being an aging employee ranked at the very bottom of the business department to a university professor!

The degree of defiance against logic was almost comparable to a death god grade schooler switching careers to become a model worker at a brewery!

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lu Mingfei felt a vague unease spreading within him.

It seemed as if the world after his rebirth was like a wild stallion running loose, dashing recklessly towards destinations beyond his expectations.

Even if someone now jumped out to tell him that supernatural powers existed, he would be willing to believe it.

“So, what do you say? Want to schedule an interview and give it a shot?” Lu Gucheng pressed while the topic was still hot, hoping to persuade his nephew to reconsider.

Earlier, when he returned, neighbors had opened their doors to eavesdrop in the hallway; news of the family quarrel had undoubtedly spread.

If this wasn’t handled carefully, it could easily turn into unscrupulous uncle and aunt kicking their nephew, who was about to take the college entrance exam, out of the house.

If that happened, not only would the neighbors gossip mercilessly, but his promotion to a level-four research officer would probably be jeopardized.

If you can’t even manage your own household of four, how can you be expected to serve millions?

In your dreams.

Lu Mingfei said nothing. He tore open the large FEDEX envelope and pulled out a pure black slider phone.

A bit retro, but much sleeker than ordinary keypad phones.

He tossed it lightly in his hand with an indifferent gesture, which made his uncle’s scalp tingle:

“Hey, take care with that! That’s an N96 worth five thousand yuan!”

Appearance counts in officialdom, and Lu Gucheng was particularly attentive to image, caring deeply about watches, phones, lighters—anything that could project status.

He had long coveted this new Nokia model, but the family’s accountant never approved, and his small stash of money wasn’t abundant.

If Lu Mingfei hadn’t insisted on “splitting the family assets,” he would have snatched it away and caressed it like a lover.

Unfortunately, this kid lacked the virtue of modesty; after seeing it still had power, he just pocketed it, completely oblivious to the concept of sharing.

He even complained, “Trash school doesn’t even bother giving out charging cables—just as stingy as Apple.”

Catching a glimpse of his uncle still staring longingly, as if hoping his pocket would suddenly develop a hole and drop the phone for him to pick up, Lu Mingfei simply took out his wallet and handed over his only twenty-yuan bill:

“Uncle, the landlord’s family has no surplus grain; this is all I can contribute.”

In his previous life, he had fallen out with his aunt, but he and his uncle still kept in touch. When he got married and had children, his uncle had even sent a few generous red envelopes, probably draining his small stash.

So every time he saw his uncle’s pained expression, he was immensely grateful for his own dear, lovely, treasured wife, who was understanding, gentle, and thoughtful.

She not only left him alone but occasionally surprised him with little gifts—simply adorable!

Without her, he truly felt he would die!

A twisted scream crawling.jpg

“Enough, enough! Who needs your sponsorship?” Lu Gucheng, interrupted by his nephew’s diversion, felt embarrassed to make a move for the N96 and reluctantly withdrew his gaze.

---

Just as he was about to continue the previous conversation, Lu Mingfei casually tossed the envelope aside and suddenly sped up his packing. In the blink of an eye, his backpack was packed to the brim.

“Alright, Uncle, I’m done packing. I’ll go have Auntie return the bankbook.”

Lu Mingfei checked his phone; it was still several hours before dusk. Heading to Old Chu’s house, he could definitely snag dinner.

“After I leave, if neighbors ask, just tell them I’m going through a rebellious phase and chasing poetry and distant lands, or that I’m going abroad to reunite with family.”

He brushed aside the bangs covering his eyebrows, revealing a pair of deep, untainted eyes untouched by university corruption:

“If Auntie isn’t happy, I can take a megaphone up to the rooftop to explain, and maybe get a TV crew to do an interview.”

Lu Gucheng was speechless.

This middle-aged man balancing family and career fell silent for a moment, finally realizing that the “harmony” just now, like the “peace” he once thought existed, was a mere illusion.

His eldest nephew had never wavered in his decision to leave.

After hesitating for a moment, he couldn’t bring himself to say any words of persuasion.

If before, Lu Mingfei had seemed to him like a sometimes mischievous but ultimately obedient child, now he was mature and independent, like the rising stars in the workplace—radiating a “don’t underestimate the youth in poverty” aura, unwilling to be bossed around by old fogies like them.

“Have your parents contacted you?”

Lu Gucheng couldn’t figure out why his nephew had changed so drastically; the only explanation was that his older brother and sister-in-law, whom he couldn’t reach before, had now gotten in touch.

Their presence gave the nephew someone to rely on and the confidence to resist his uncle and aunt.

“Yeah.” Lu Mingfei nodded slightly. He and his aunt had exchanged barbs and gathered quite a bit of useful information, including that contact with his parents was one-sided all along.

With this information gap, he could say whatever he wanted, since his uncle and aunt had no way to verify.

“No more questions, or I’ll self-destruct!”

“Is that so…” Hearing this, Lu Gucheng felt a shadow settle in his heart, realizing what it meant that his brother and sister-in-law contacted his nephew behind their backs.

He glanced at Lu Mingfei fiddling with his phone, knowing that if he kept pressing, the TV station might actually receive a tip-off from some concerned citizen.

Sighing, he turned and left, shifting his persuasion target from his nephew to his wife.

As the door of the adjacent master bedroom opened and closed, muffled quarrels between the couple could be faintly heard. Lu Mingfei whistled softly, grabbed his bag, and went to the living room.

“This school doesn’t even give out SIM cards? Are they that poor, Cassel?”

There was no Wi-Fi at his uncle’s house, and the N96 had no SIM card; Lu Mingfei couldn’t even download QQ.

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have shut down my computer so hastily just now. Now going back to the room is awkward.”

After hesitating, Lu Mingfei decided to hold his ground, so Lu Mingze wouldn’t notice anything unusual about his study materials later.

Just as he thought of this, heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway outside. A fashionably dressed chubby boy leaned against the wall and entered.

“Tsk, rich.” Lu Mingfei glanced at the boy’s XL white shirt and slacks, then looked at the near-identical L-size plain shirts in his own wardrobe, deeply feeling what true wealth disparity meant.

Lu Mingze put the vegetable basket on the table, quietly simmering with anger but moving carefully, as if afraid to disturb Witch.

---

He had planned to go back to his room and read novels but couldn’t resist the curiosity sparked by the bulging backpack on the sofa, so he approached:

“Lu Mingfei, where are you going? Running away from home?”

Ho~ Not asking why I quarreled with your mom, but where I’m going?

That’s just like you, Lu Mingze.

Sensing his cousin’s thoughts, Lu Mingfei smirked, speaking cheerfully as if about to reveal someone’s browsing history.

“Yeah, your nighttime ‘gluing’ noises are so loud and intense, I’m afraid one day the bed will collapse and crush you.”

One sentence taught the chubby boy what it means to exchange one initiative for a lifetime of introversion.

His most private activity exposed in public by his cousin left him utterly mortified even without an audience.

He shot Lu Mingfei a fierce glare, threw out “If you’ve got guts, don’t come back,” and stormed into the next bedroom, slamming the door as hard as his mother.

As the bedroom door shut repeatedly, the master bedroom door opened. Lu Gucheng emerged with the bankbook in hand, his eyes wide with a look of narrowly escaping disaster.

Though he closed the door quickly, his wife’s curses still slipped through the crack.

Not very pleasant to hear, akin to a hippo defecating while wagging its tail—fast, foul, and splattering damage.

“Are you really set on leaving right now?” Lu Gucheng’s expression was grim.

Not because of the earlier verbal assault pressed closely to his face, but because the bankbook balance was less than expected.

Lu Mingfei nodded, took the bankbook from him, and after scanning the withdrawal records and remaining balance, raised his eyebrows and clicked his tongue twice, making Lu Gucheng blush and hurriedly say:

“Are you heading to the airport or somewhere? Need me to give you a lift?”

“No need. I have my own plans.” Lu Mingfei crumpled the note with the password and pocketed the bankbook registered under his name.

“What about the school…”

“I’ve already informed the teacher.”

As for which teacher, it certainly wasn’t Teacher Cang.

Shouldering his bag, Lu Mingfei patted his uncle on the shoulder, left a “I’m off now, I’ll treat you to a big meal sometime,” and turned away without sparing a glance at the room.

After rebirth, he had no corresponding memories and was utterly unfamiliar with this place, not even knowing which toothbrush or towel was his—there was no sentimentality at all.

Going downstairs, Lu Mingfei bought a SIM card at a convenience store, installed it, promptly downloaded QQ, and immediately called his good friend Chu Zihang.

Soon, a gentle female voice came through the receiver:

“Hello, the number you have dialed is out of service. Please check and dial again…”