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The second academic year at MIT begins amidst a flurry of activity, as autumn deepens in Boston and the maple trees along the Charles River turn a vibrant red.

Suning and Kim Yoon-ji spent a peaceful and warm time together in their small apartment.

However, this calm was replaced by a subtle tension as the date of Yoonji's mother, Mrs. Kim's, visit drew near.

Yunzhi started getting anxious several days in advance and dragged Suning to do a "rehearsal".

"Oppa, remember, Mom likes well-mannered boys from good families. When she asks about your family background, you must answer carefully."

Seeing Yunzhi's alarmed expression, Su Ning gently held her hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, I know what to do."

"Oppa, you're the best!" Kim Yoon-ji happily kissed Su Ning on the cheek.

The meeting place was set at a well-known Korean restaurant in Boston.

Inside the private room, the traditional Korean-style decor was elegant and tranquil.

When Yunzhi walked into the private room arm in arm with Su Ning, a middle-aged woman dressed in a well-tailored dark suit and with her hair perfectly styled was already sitting in the main seat.

Her sharp gaze, imbued with the scrutinizing quality honed by a life of privilege, slowly fell upon Su Ning.

“Mom, this is Suning Oppa.” Yunzhi’s voice carried a hint of barely perceptible tension. “Oppa, this is my mother.”

Su Ning stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "Hello, Auntie, I am Su Ning. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Mrs. Jin nodded slightly, her smile polite yet distant: "Su, please sit down. Yunzhi often mentions you on the phone, saying you are very... outstanding."

She chose her words carefully, but her gaze swept over Su Ning's shirt, which, though clean and tidy, was clearly not a designer brand, like a scanner.

The initial greetings took place in a somewhat polite atmosphere.

Mrs. Jin inquired about Su Ning's studies, and when she learned that he came from the Physics Department of MIT and had outstanding grades, a hint of approval flashed in her eyes.

"MIT is a good school; only top talents can get in. Yunzhi told me you're also self-studying computer science and advanced mathematics?"

“Yes, Auntie. I believe that future technological development requires interdisciplinary knowledge,” Su Ning replied calmly.

“Very farsighted.” Mrs. Kim nodded, then changed the subject casually, but actually got to the heart of the matter, “For a young girl like Su to have such insight and planning, her family education must be excellent. May I ask what industries your parents work in? Perhaps they have some connection with our Kim family? Our family mainly runs hotels and cosmetics in Seoul.”

The air in the private room seemed to freeze for a moment.

Yunzhi clenched her fists under the table, watching Su Ning nervously.

Su Ning put down her teacup, her expression remaining calm, but a hint of understanding appeared in the depths of her eyes.

Meeting Mrs. Kim's probing gaze, he spoke clearly and frankly, "Auntie, I think I need to be honest with you about my family. I am an orphan, raised by a kind single mother in Alabama. My adoptive mother, Mrs. Gan, was an ordinary bed and breakfast owner who raised my brother and me with all her love and hard work. I am very grateful to her; she is my most important family member. As for my biological parents, I have no recollection of them and cannot provide the family background you might expect."

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.

Madam Jin's smile froze instantly. Although she tried her best to maintain her composure, the warmth in her eyes suddenly turned cold.

The recognition that had been based on Suning's academic capabilities was almost instantly replaced by a pragmatic consideration.

Yunzhi's face turned pale instantly. She looked at her mother with worry, then at Su Ning, her eyes filled with unease and concern.

A long silence quickly spread through the private room, with only the faint strains of Korean folk music playing in the background.

Finally, Mrs. Jin picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and said with a condescending detachment, "Oh... I see. Su is indeed... quite extraordinary."

"To be able to get out of that environment and get into MIT, one must have put in unimaginable effort."

This sounds like a compliment, but it actually emphasizes the vast difference in their backgrounds.

"Thank you for your understanding, Auntie." Su Ning seemed oblivious to the underlying meaning, her tone remaining remarkably calm. "Environment certainly shapes people, but I believe a person's value lies more in their future choices and creations than in their unchangeable past."

Mrs. Jin smiled noncommittally. “Young people’s ideas are always very idealistic. Mr. Su, the real world is often much more complicated than the ivory tower. Some gaps cannot be crossed by personal efforts alone. For example, circles, resources, connections… These are crucial for a young person, especially a young person like you who has no roots or foundation.”

“Our Yunzhi has never suffered much hardship since she was a child, so her understanding of the world is probably still relatively…naive.”

"Mom!" Yoonji couldn't help but exclaim, her face filled with shame and indignation.

Su Ning gently pressed Yun Zhi's hand under the table, signaling her to calm down.

“Auntie, I understand your concerns. Every parent hopes their child will have a stable and smooth future. I cannot choose my birth, but I can use my abilities, plans, and determination to create the life Yunzhi deserves. MIT offers not only knowledge, but also vision and opportunities. I believe that my future achievements will not be limited by my past.”

Su Ning's words were frank and confident, without any humble pleading or sharp rebuttal, but simply stating a fact that he firmly believed in.

Madam Jin narrowed her eyes slightly and looked at the young man in front of her again.

Su Ning's composure and clear logic were indeed beyond her years, but this could not completely dispel her deep-rooted prejudices about social class.

“Your determination is commendable! However, Mr. Su, life is a long journey with many uncertainties. Yunzhi is still young, and she has many more… more suitable choices for her future. I hope you can understand a mother’s good intentions.”

Then Mrs. Kim stopped looking at Su Ning and started speaking rapidly to Yun Zhi in Korean, her tone leaving no room for doubt.

Yoonji's eyes were slightly red, and she stubbornly kept her head down without responding.

The meal ended hastily in a tacitly understood atmosphere of indifference.

On the way back to the hotel with Mrs. Jin, the atmosphere almost froze.

Before parting, Mrs. Jin said to Su Ning, "Mr. Su, thank you for your hospitality. I hope you will seriously consider what I said. It would be good for both of us to recognize the differences in our views in time."

Back at the apartment, Yunzhi immediately hugged Su Ning, "Oppa, I'm sorry... my mom..."

“No need to apologize, Yunzhi. Your mother’s reaction was within my expectations. She was just acting from her perspective and thinking of you.”

“But she doesn’t understand you at all! She only sees your background!” Yunzhi raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Then let time and facts make her understand." Su Ning wiped away her tears, her eyes firm yet gentle. "What matters is your choice, Yunzhi. Are you willing to believe me? Believe that I can give you a future that is second to none?"

"Of course I believe you!" Yunzhi answered without hesitation, hugging him tightly. "I don't care what Mom says, I just want to be with you!"

Madam Jin's disdain did not frustrate him; instead, it made him realize more clearly that in this era, he needed to accumulate power more quickly, not only in terms of knowledge, but also in terms of the strength to break through worldly prejudices.

This meeting, like a thorn, silently pierced the seemingly calm relationship.

It didn't immediately trigger a storm, but it planted a seed in Suning's heart...

He must accelerate his plans to build his own undisputed kingdom in this society that worships capital and family background.

For yourself, and for everyone around you. ...

Autumn in Alabama always arrives late, and the air is filled with the scent of grass and earth.

Jenny sat by the window of her women's college dormitory, absentmindedly flipping through her psychology textbook, her gaze drifting out the window.

It seems like ages have passed since I last spent a summer vacation with the brothers Agan and Suning.

Just then, the dormitory supervisor's voice came from downstairs, "Jenny! Someone's looking for you! It's your football star friend!"

Jenny's heart skipped a beat.

It's Forrest Gump.

She put down her book, straightened her skirt, and quickly walked down the stairs.

Sure enough, Forrest Gump's tall figure was standing somewhat awkwardly under the oak tree at the dormitory entrance, holding a brown paper bag in his hand.

"Jenny!" The moment he saw her, Forrest Gump's face lit up with a bright smile. He waved his big hand and said, "Mom brought over some apple pie, and I brought you a slice!"

"Thank you, Forrest Gump." Jenny took the still-warm pie, a warm feeling welling up inside her.

Mrs. Gan always treated her like a mother.

Then Jenny pulled Forrest to sit down on a bench under a tree. "Why did you suddenly come over? Don't you have training today?"

"I'll rest this afternoon!" Forrest scratched his head and answered honestly, "Besides, I have some good news I want to tell you first!"

"Oh? What good news?" Jenny smiled and broke off a small piece of apple pie and handed it to him.

While happily eating, Agan couldn't wait to share, "My brother wrote a letter! He even sent photos!"

He carefully took an envelope out of his pocket.

Upon hearing the word "brother," Jenny's heart began to beat faster.

She took the envelope, and the first thing that caught her eye was a picture of the MIT dome.

Su Ning stood at the front, tall and straight, with a calm expression and eyes that seemed even sharper than when he was in Alabama.

She flipped through the photos one by one, mostly of campus scenery and pictures of Su Ning in the library or laboratory, until... her fingers stopped.

This photo was clearly not taken on campus.

It was a cozy and comfortable-looking apartment balcony.

Suning was wearing a loose white sweater, and her expression was relaxed and gentle, something Jenny had never seen before.

Sitting next to him, close to him, was an Asian girl with cascading black hair.

The girl tilted her head, her smile bright and cheerful, as she offered a strawberry to Suning's lips.

Su Ning lowered her head slightly, a clear smile of indulgence and pampering playing on her lips.

Jenny felt her breath catch in her throat, as if her heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

“This older sister is very pretty, isn’t she?” Agan, oblivious to Jenny’s odd behavior, continued excitedly, “My brother said in his letter that her name is Yoonji, and she’s a Korean who studies art. They live together, and Yoonji even makes him kimchi! My brother seems very happy…”

Jenny could barely hear what Forrest Gump said after that.

Living together... I'm so happy... These words hit her heart like a hammer.

She always knew that Suning was different from others, and that he would eventually leave Alabama and fly to a wider sky.

She always believed that she was special in his heart, that she was "Jenny" who could understand his loneliness and share his secrets.

On those summer nights filled with the chirping of cicadas and the glow of stars, the two of them would sit side by side by the lake, listening to him recount those distant tales of knowledge.

In those moments, she thought there was some unspoken understanding between them.

But now... the smile of that girl in the photo is so glaring, and the rare gentleness on Su Ning's face is like a needle.

It turns out that he wasn't born cold and aloof, nor was he incapable of gentleness; it's just that his gentleness was never shown to her.

"Jenny? What's wrong?" Forrest finally noticed her pale face and asked with concern, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Jenny quickly stuffed the photo back into the envelope, forcing a very strained smile. "N-nothing. Just... just happy for your brother. He looks... fine."

Her voice was somewhat unsteady, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

Forrest Gump nodded as if he understood, but he was still a little worried. "Are you really okay? Your hands are a little cold."

“I’m really fine,” Jenny took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound normal. “I’m probably just a little tired. Forrest, thank you for the apple pie. I’d like to go back to my dorm and rest for a bit.”

"Oh, okay." Forrest stood up, still looking at her with concern. "Then you should rest well, Jenny. I'll come see you again next time."

Only after watching Forrest Gump's honest and sincere figure disappear at the end of the tree-lined path did Jenny allow herself to let down her guard.

She sat alone on a school bench, the afternoon sun unable to dispel the sadness in her heart.

Just then, an exaggerated voice suddenly rang out, "Hey! Let me see! Who's this? Isn't she the former school beauty?"

“You are…” Jenny looked up at the boy who seemed familiar.

“Jenny, I’m Billy from Greenfield Town! Have you forgotten me?” the handsome boy explained to Jenny.

“Billy? What are you doing here? This is an all-girls school.” Jenny was also thinking of her childhood playmate from elementary school.

"Hehe, I'm giving this to my girlfriend. She's also from your school."

"Good."

The dashing Billy immediately noticed Jenny's unusual mood. "Are you in a bad mood? Want to go out for a drink?"

"Great! I haven't been to a bar in ages."

"As you wish." (End of Chapter)