My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 437 As Before

After mid-May, Van Enlou's paper piled up more and more.

The old folder in Trenton was also getting fuller and fuller.

The papers on Van Ellsworth's side had page numbers, definitions, lemmas, appendices, and inquiries from different places.

Woolley would sift through all the new emails every day, setting aside those that could be left out, and only printing out the ones he actually read.

The paper in Trenton had the date, appointment details, transportation information, lunch schedule, community center hours, and questions Luke couldn't answer.

Neither of them contained pieces of paper that could be easily thrown away.

It was just lying on one side in the large conference room of Van En Building, and on the other side in a folder on an old wooden table on the side of the chapel.

When the May winds blew through Princeton, the windows of Vane Building were often half-open.

The photocopier beeps every now and then, the coffee in the break room runs out quickly, and people often go in with one piece of paper and come out with another.

Sometimes, Wu Li would walk to Chen Zhuo's office door carrying a stack of emails.

The door was half open.

Chen Zhuo sometimes looked at Hodge's preprints, sometimes wrote two short marks next to letters from outside, and sometimes had another folder spread out on the table.

The folder wasn't as thick as the ones from Van Enlou.

But after Woolley saw it once, he remembered the name on the cover.

Luke.

Woolley didn't ask at first.

Later, he saw Chen Zhuo put several letters from Europe on his right and put the folder into his bag, and finally asked a question.

"Going out today?"

"Um."

"Trenton?"

"Um."

Woolley glanced at the emails on the table.

"These tomorrows?"

"tomorrow."

Woolley did not try to persuade him further.

During this time, no one in Fan Enlou thought it was strange for Chen Zhuo to go out.

On some days, emails poured in like snowflakes, and the lights in Cyril's office didn't go out until very late. Arthur and David were still frowning at the same photocopy in the conference room.

But when it was time to go to Trenton, Chen Zhuo would still close the book and pack his bag.

It's not always on time.

Sometimes, I would stay an extra half hour because of a problem at Fan Enlou's place.

Sometimes, because the community center hours in Trenton clash, the schedule is moved up or down by a day.

The light blue reservation card was still tucked on the first page.

The words "Every five days, as usual" written by Chen Zhuo are still there.

Luke would always glance at a new ledger first whenever he opened it.

He denied that he was confirming something.

He simply said, "I'm checking if the card has fallen out."

Even after the basic connections at the community center began, Luke still didn't like to say how good it was there.

When he first came back, he said, "The chairs are uncomfortable to sit on."

When he came back the second time, he said, "That teacher has too many problems."

When he returned for the third time, he pulled a folded piece of practice paper out of the ledger and slapped it in front of Chen Zhuo.

"They also made me write the date."

Chen Zhuo picked it up and glanced at it.

The date is written at the top.

It's a little straighter than before.

Below are a few short sentences and two simple calculation problems. The calculation problems are correct one for each question, and the wrong one has a small circle drawn in pencil next to it by the community center teacher, but no cross.

Chen Zhuo asked, "Did you change it yourself?"

She said she'd change it next time.

"Then why did you bring it back?"

Luke turned his face away.

She said she'd let you see.

Chen Zhuo nodded.

"Then I'll see."

Luke looked at him again.

"Should this also be recorded in the log?"

"want."

"Write down the mistakes too?"

"Write."

Luke frowned.

Chen Zhuo said, "It's not about writing down your mistakes, it's about writing down exactly where you went wrong."

Luke looked down at the paper.

After a while, he whispered, "Then don't write it too badly."

Chen Zhuo said, "I will try my best to write accurately."

"It's not good-looking either."

"Then there's nothing we can do."

Luke glared at him, pulled the exercise paper back, and carefully tucked it into the new ledger.

He used to dislike it when people saw his mistakes in writing.

He would unconsciously stuff the messy lines, torn pages, and scribbled numbers in the old ledgers deep into his pocket.

But during this time, he began to realize that some wrong answers shouldn't be thrown away carelessly.

The community center needs to be visited.

Abraham wanted to see.

Chen Zhuo also wants to see it.

Once, he crumpled a piece of paper that had been written on halfway, then stopped, angrily unfolded it, flattened it, and handed it to Chen Zhuo.

"You want this one too?"

Chen Zhuo glanced at it.

The problem above got the second step wrong, and the rest was all off.

"want."

Luke uttered a very short curse.

Chen Zhuo did not answer.

Luke then pressed down the corner of the paper with his hand.

"Then you write that it starts going wrong from the second step."

"Um."

"This is not the last time."

"Know."

Luke then placed the paper next to the folder.

The folder is getting thicker and thicker.

At the very top is the piece of paper that Luke himself wrote.

First name, last name, age, date, church address.

Following that were the assessment form, a copy of the appointment card, records of basic connections with the community center, and page-by-page learning instructions compiled by Chen Zhuo.

Which page of the old ledger?

Which page of the new ledger?

Questions I know how to do.

Questions I don't know how to do.

Places to avoid.

A place where you can return.

Abraham always put the new paper in very gently.

He used to tidy things up.

He knew exactly what items in the relief room were: canned goods, bread, coats, blankets, medicine, and near-expiry food. He knew who each item was for, when they could take them, how much was left, and what was still needed.

But most of those things don't have names.

At least not every item will have a name on it.

This folder is different.

There was a small white label on the cover.

There is only one name on the label.

Luke.

From then on, Abraham's way of handling things gradually changed.

In the past, when Luke asked him something, he would often say, "I don't know yet."

Now, he'll say, "Let me ask."

This is more complicated to say than "I don't know".

Because after saying it, you really have to ask about it the next day.

Ask the community center.

Ask about the school district.

Ask about the church's education fund.

Ask about transportation discounts.

Ask about lunch.

How should the four-week report following the basic integration be provided?

The question is whether Luke's absence should be considered an absence or a rescheduled appointment should be made if he doesn't show up on time.

Ask how long the church address can be used.

If the school system needs to take over later, whose signature is required?

As the questioning progressed, Abraham's hands accumulated more and more papers.

Sometimes he would come out of the relief room with flour crumbs on his hands, while holding a phone in his other hand to take notes.

"The community center said we can apply for lunch with them first."

"Transportation will have to wait until next week."

"The school district told me not to rush to submit the materials, and to wait four weeks to see the community center report first."

"The lawyer asked for the church's official registration information."

"They also asked who was responsible for the double signing."

After each listen, Chen Zhuo would only ask one question.

"What do you need me to do?"

There are some things he needs to do.

Some are not needed.

David's lawyer quickly contacted Abraham.

When the call came to the church, Luke was sitting on a bench doing his homework.

Abraham went to the small office next to the relief room to answer the phone.

Luke wrote two lines and then looked up at the doorway.

"What is he saying?"

Chen Zhuo said, "Documents."

Luke immediately became alert.

"mine?"

"It's related to you."

Luke's pencil stopped.

"money?"

Chen Zhuo looked at his account book.

"Yes."

Luke's expression changed.

"How much?"

I won't tell you.

Luke looked up abruptly.

Why?

"Because you don't need to worry about the amount."

"My business."

"It's your business," Chen Zhuo said, "but it's none of your concern."

Luke glared at him.

"Then who cares?"

"Manage your own money."

Luke didn't understand.

Chen Zhuo used a different approach.

Some things aren't IOUs.

Luke fell silent.

After a while, he lowered his head and started writing the problem again.

When Abraham returned after finishing the phone call, he looked a little tired.

He pulled out a chair, sat down, and placed a new piece of paper on the table.

"They asked very detailed questions."

Chen Zhuo asked, "Is it troublesome?"

"It's very troublesome."

Abraham glanced at Luke, said nothing about the amount or the entrustment, but simply folded the paper and put it into the envelope labeled "Arrangements".

Then he said, "But the trouble is reassuring."

Luke looked up at him when he heard this.

"Troublesome or reassuring?"

Abraham said, "Some troubles are for the sake of preventing future chaos."

Luke was not satisfied with this answer.

But when he saw Abraham put the paper in an envelope instead of in his folder, his expression relaxed a little.

During this period, Chen Zhuo also revised his writing style.

He used to explain problems to Luke, and once he finished explaining, that was it.

He remembers which page he missed, which page he corrected, and which step he needed to go back to.

But David had warned him.

He won't stay in Princeton forever.

Madrid will come.

After Madrid, there may be other itineraries.

Chen Zhuo cannot turn Luke into a problem that only he can handle.

So, at night at Pierre's house, there were often two folders on Chen Zhuo's desk.

On the right is Hodge's manuscript folder.

The folder on the left is the Trenton folder.

The paper on the right contains external correspondence, page numbers, and marks left from internal discussions in Van En Building.

The paper on the left has Luke's date, wrong answers, community center records, and a new title page.

Learning records (takeover version).

Chen Zhuo initially wrote things that resembled what he himself had read.

The sentences are short.

There are many symbols.

Some places only write "can dodge", "long sentences are weak", and "can follow after two steps".

He showed it to Abraham the next day.

Abraham looked at it for a long time and said, "I can understand half of it."

Chen Zhuo asked, "Which half?"

"Write the half that he doesn't know."

"What about your other half?"

"I can tell you know why he did what he did, but others may not."

Chen Zhuo took the paper back and rewrote it that evening.

This time, he wrote even more slowly.

Don't ask him long questions at the beginning.

First, have him write down the date.

If he says he doesn't know, don't immediately change the question.

Ask him which step he doesn't understand.

If he starts swearing, don't immediately assume he's uncooperative.

Sometimes he tries to hide.

Sometimes he knows he's wrong but doesn't want others to say it first.

Short commands can be followed.

It can be done by disassembling it.

Give me only one thing at a time.

Don't say "You should be able to now".

Say "Start from here".

Chen Zhuo paused his writing at this point.

He remembered the card the teacher had tucked into the lesson plan when evaluating him.

Start with the first step.

He also wrote this sentence into the version he took over.

It's not just for show.

Instead, it's placed at the very top of the first page.

Later, Abraham looked at it again, paused for a moment, and said, "Now it can be shown to others."

Chen Zhuo asked, "Is that enough?"

"Not enough."

Abraham closed the folder.

"But you're not the only one who knows this now."

The chapel was quiet when these words were spoken.

There were still people talking in the relief room outside, and the rustling sound of paper bags came through the door, like the sound of rain from afar.

Luke sat on the bench, not hearing what they were saying.

He was looking down as he clipped a community center practice sheet into his new ledger.

Before clipping it in, he glanced at the first page.

The light blue reservation card is still there.

The phrase "once every five days, as usual" is still in effect.

He read it before stuffing the new paper behind him.

Days passed by like this.

Meanwhile, at Van Enlou's place, someone was still asking about a particular page in Hodge's preprint.

Some people were not convinced.

Some people are cautious.

Someone wrote a long letter saying that they couldn't give a conclusion yet.

Cyril did not press anyone for a conclusion.

Pierre didn't have any either.

Sometimes Arthur would come out of the large conference room, stand by the coffee machine for a long time without saying a word, and finally go back with a cup of coffee that had gone cold.

Chen Zhuo went to Fan Enlou as usual.

Read the letter as usual.

I went to the library as usual.

One evening, he ran into Clarice at the library.

She sat by the window with a book open in front of her and a few notes beside her. When she saw Chen Zhuo coming over, she glanced up briefly, then quickly looked down again, as if she had originally wanted to ask something but ultimately didn't.

Chen Zhuo put the book back on the shelf.

Clarice said, "You've been coming here lately."

Chen Zhuo said, "Hmm."

I thought you would be very busy.

"I am very busy."

Clarisse looked at him.

"Then why did you come?"

Chen Zhuo thought for a moment and said, "This is also part of the busy work."

Clarisse smiled.

I didn't ask Hodge.

I didn't ask Madrid either.

She simply moved the book next to her to the corner of the table to make some room for him.

Chen Zhuo sat for a while, flipped through the pages he needed to look up, and then closed the book.

That evening, when he returned to Pierre's house, Mathilda had left him some soup.

Pierre asked, "How's it going in Trenton?"

Chen Zhuo said, "We're still walking."

"Does that child still go to the community center?"

"go."

"You go every time?"

Chen Zhuo thought for a moment.

"There was one time I almost didn't get in."

Matilda looked over from the kitchen doorway.

"And then?"

"They're inside."

Pierre smiled.

"That's good."

Chen Zhuo lowered his head and drank his soup.

He didn't say how long Luke stood at the entrance of the community center, nor how long Abraham stood outside with him that day, nor did he mention that he later included that item in the handover report.

Don't rush them before they come in.

You can stand for a while.

But you need to let him know that standing for a long time isn't a problem.

By the end of May, Luke's folder had become quite thick.

When Abraham put it back in the cabinet, he had to push the old folders next to it inwards.

Luke saw this and immediately said, "Don't break it."

Abraham turned back.

"What?"

Luke pointed to the folder.

"that."

Abraham looked at him.

Luke seemed to regret speaking too quickly and immediately added, "There's a card inside."

"It's in your ledger," Abraham said.

"Dungeons are also available."

Abraham nodded.

"I will put it away properly."

Luke then turned his gaze away.

Chen Zhuo stood to the side without saying a word.

He saw Luke holding the new ledger in his arms, with the old ledger stuffed inside his clothes, and both pockets were still bulging a little.

Unlike at the beginning, Luke now occasionally turns back and asks a question when he reaches the door.

"When is the next day?"

The first time he asked, he asked very quickly, as if it were just a casual remark.

The second time, he immediately added a question after asking it.

"It's not that I'm afraid you won't come."

The third time, he didn't make up for it.

Chen Zhuo always answered.

Sometimes it's five days later.

Sometimes it's because the community center's hours are moved forward by one day.

Sometimes it's moved back by a day.

Luke would frown, calculate, and find it troublesome.

But he started calculating.

When I left Trenton for the last time in May, it was drizzling outside.

The rain was light, falling on the steps and leaving very shallow watermarks.

Luke pulled his hat down, walked to the side door, and then stopped.

He pulled a new account book from his clothes and turned to the first page.

The light blue reservation card is still there.

The few lines Chen Zhuo wrote are still there.

Once every five days, as usual.

In special circumstances, the date may be moved up by one day.

Luke pressed the words with his finger, as if to make sure they hadn't been erased.

Chen Zhuo stood inside the door.

Abraham stood by the old wooden table, still holding the envelope with the instructions written on it.

Luke closed the ledger and stuffed it back into his clothes.

"Don't be late next time."

He said.

Chen Zhuo said, "As much as possible."

Luke looked up at him.

"Not as much as possible."

Chen Zhuo looked at him.

After a while, he said, "Okay."

Luke then pushed open the door and went out.

A bit of dampness drifted in through the crack in the door.

After the door closed, the chapel fell silent again.

Abraham looked down at the folder on the table.

It was not put back into the drawer.

In Chen Zhuo's bag, there was still the copy of the study notes.

On Van Enlou's side, the Hodge preprint had not yet been closed.

On Trenton's side, Luke's folder was also not closed.

May passed by just like that.