Act as soon as you think of it, keep your internal breath gentle and continuous, nurture it calmly, and carefully experience those subtle differences.

Half an hour later, having gained a little, Sean Foster heard some noise. He slowly stopped, got up, and came out, only to find it was Charles Thompson and Thomas Miller.

“Axin, I ran all this way, you’d better make us a few good dishes!” As soon as he came in, Charles Thompson shouted loudly. He was actually pushing a cart loaded full of food, which made Sean Foster a bit annoyed: “Look at Thomas, he only brought some flowers, and you can’t eat flowers.”

Sure enough, Thomas Miller was holding some flowers, and as soon as he entered, he went to the living room table to arrange them.

“Stop bluffing and get everything sorted out. Let’s see what we’re having for lunch today.” As Sean Foster spoke, his eyes glanced over, and he was quite surprised. He saw Thomas Miller arrange the flowers with a few swift moves, and instantly the table brightened up, bringing a touch of vitality to the whole room.

With just a few moves, there was already a sense of artistic conception. The vase was shallow, the arrangement elegant. Thomas Miller paused in thought, gently pressed the air with his hand, and as the flowers swayed, a fresh fragrance spread through the room.

“The Art of Floral Rhythm and Vitality!” With the memories of a noble family, Sean Foster was instantly amazed.

The flower arrangement skills already surprised him, but this method of infusing vitality into the flowers was even more the work of a true floral artist. The internal breath must be soft yet unbroken, weak yet long and continuous. In noble families, it was often used to cultivate one’s temperament. It was said that those with deep mastery could keep cut flowers alive and fresh for a month.

For nurturing one’s character, for experiencing the endless cycle of life, for cultivating clarity and tranquility, finding great joy in small things—this was of immense benefit. Very few young people could appreciate this state of mind and skill.

Without understanding the rhythm of flowers, without nurturing vitality, it’s hard to reach a true artistic realm. Color, fragrance, and form certainly provide aesthetic pleasure, but the rhythm and vitality of flowers deepen this pleasure and make it enduring. This is the essence.

But to truly grasp the rhythm and nurture the vitality of flowers means one has already laid the foundation for further improvement of their state of mind—yet Thomas Miller came from an ordinary family, so how did he learn such skills and attain such a realm?

It turned out Sean Foster didn’t even know his roommate’s current level, which was a bit of an oversight.

He pondered for a moment, but there were many things in this world, so there was no need to be too surprised. He sorted out the ingredients one by one, put away the packaged snacks and cured meats, stored the fresh but currently unused ingredients in the fridge, and took out the rest to start preparing.

Focusing intently, the knife flashed here and there, and in no time, several dishes were ready and served.

Kung Pao chicken, stir-fried greens, minced pork with eggplant, and a soup. Charles Thompson immediately rushed over, took a few bites, and started saying, “Really good, really good, tastes almost like a two-star restaurant. I didn’t expect you, Axin, to have such skills. Your future girlfriend and wife are going to be lucky.”

This level of cooking was, of course, just a casual achievement.

“Got bored during the holidays, so I learned a few things. It’s always good to pick up some skills,” Sean Foster said casually. “Definitely not level two chef, just barely level one.”

Thomas Miller took a few bites and also showed a look of surprise. After not seeing his roommate for a few months, he had indeed picked up quite a few skills and seemed a bit more profound and mysterious, with a different demeanor.

Although he probably didn’t have a level two chef’s skills, having a level one chef’s certificate meant he was qualified to work as a chef in an ordinary restaurant. Usually, it took a year to learn that, but he’d reached this level in just a few months—not easy.

After eating, the three of them felt closer, so they lay on the sofa chatting, turned on the big screen with the remote, and let it display naturally. They chatted about everything under the sun, passing the whole afternoon, since tomorrow was the start of the new semester.

Charles Thompson came from a wealthy family, Thomas Miller from an ordinary one, but he was diligent and steady, winning scholarships every year, and now he had clearly pulled ahead of the other two. At least compared to the old Sean Foster, Sean Foster’s background was a bit better—not just because of wealth, but also because of family education. He was handsome and charming, very popular with girls.

“My cousin is getting engaged. Three Sundays from now, my uncle is throwing a party for family and friends. Why don’t you two come with me?” Charles Thompson suddenly said.

“Cousin? How old is she?”

“Only seventeen. She fell for someone five years older who works at Flame Company, and my uncle approves. She’s a lucky girl—her dowry is a whole apartment, worth three million, and it’ll be transferred to her name,” Charles Thompson said.

In this world, although the legal marriage age was eighteen, tradition persisted, and many young people fell in love and married early.

“Yeah, the weather isn’t that hot anymore. But let me be clear, I’ll go, but don’t make things complicated for us. Also, I’m just a student, I don’t have much to give as a present. I’ll make her a cloth doll myself.”

“Tch, Axin, you’re willing to come—my family doesn’t need your gift,” Charles Thompson scoffed.

“A doll is still a gift, it’s the thought that counts. Thomas, you should come too. Just like me, make something yourself, that’s already pretty good. Let’s all have some fun.”

Thomas Miller hesitated for a moment, then said, “Alright. I worked at a diamond jewelry company during the holidays and learned a bit about design. The company is having a bridal-themed event, so I can really show my creativity.”

“Hmm, diamonds are cheap, but making good jewelry isn’t easy. It all comes down to the design.”