19: Chapter 19 Neighbors, Classmates, and Sleepless Nights

The first "side effect" brought about by his brand-new physical state appeared on Saturday morning.

Alex put on his sportswear as usual, preparing for his morning run. As he opened the door, he happened to run into his next-door neighbor, Mr. Wilson, a retired history professor, who was bending over at his doorway to pick up the newspaper. Hearing the door open, Professor Wilson looked up and adjusted his reading glasses. His gaze lingered on Alex for a moment, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

"Good morning, Alex." Professor Wilson straightened up, his tone gentle. "Forgive me for being presumptuous... but have you been attending some kind of rigorous training camp lately? You look... completely refreshed." The old man's gaze was sharp; he had clearly noticed the healthy glow and upright posture from within that came with Physical Sublimation, a stark contrast to the slightly gloomy and silent mixed-race youth from a few months ago.

Alex felt a slight stir in his heart, but on the surface, he wore a young man's slightly embarrassed smile. "Good morning, Professor. I've just been sticking to running, and... well, maybe I've been eating healthier and sleeping better lately." He cleverly attributed it to lifestyle habits.

"It's not just health," Professor Wilson nodded thoughtfully, wearing an inquisitive expression typical of a scholar. "Your eyes are different, too—steadier. It's good for a young person to have vitality, but you... tsk, you're like an oak sapling that's soaked up plenty of sunshine and rain. Very good." He waved his hand and went back inside with the newspaper.

Alex ran along the coastal path, feeling the morning sea breeze and the seemingly inexhaustible energy within him. The effects of Physical Sublimation far exceeded his expectations; every step was light and powerful, his breathing long and steady. He even had the presence of mind to observe the scenery along the way, noting that the elderly couple who often walked their dog had a livelier Corgi today, and the usually stony-faced owner of the surf shop was actually humming a tune.

After his morning run, he bought coffee and fresh bagels on his way home. In front of the apartment building's communal mailboxes, he ran into Sara, the young nurse who lived on the third floor. She had just finished her night shift, her eyes a bit dark, and she was struggling to pull out a pile of mail.

"Morning, Sara. Do you need a hand?" Alex reached out to help her catch a brochure that was about to slide off.

"Oh! Thanks, Alex." Sara looked up and, seeing it was him, a smile appeared on her tired face. Then, her gaze, much like Professor Wilson's, paused on his face and his fresh athletic attire. "Wow, have you... just finished exercising? You look so energetic. Unlike me, I feel like the night shift has hollowed me out." She said half-jokingly, her tone carrying a hint of imperceptible envy and admiration. She had crossed paths with Alex before, but today, he seemed exceptionally... striking.

"The night shift is tough. Coffee helps." Alex handed over the extra cup of coffee he had bought (purely by habit).

Sara took it, pleasantly surprised. "Thank you! That's so thoughtful." She took a sip and hesitated for a moment. "Um... it's my birthday next week, and a few friends are having a small get-together at 'Blue Whale'. It's just people from the medical circle and some neighbors, very casual. If you're free... you're welcome to come?" She extended the invitation, her eyes frank—it was that kind of friendly probe common among young urban men and women.

Alex smiled and gave an open but non-committal answer: "That sounds nice, thanks for the invitation. I'll check my schedule for that week, assuming I'm not working overtime editing footage." The two chatted for a few more moments before parting ways.

Back at the apartment, Alex took a shower and changed into comfortable loungewear. The effects of Mental Pillar allowed him to clearly categorize and process these small social interactions; he would neither dismiss them nor overanalyze them. He knew that as his influence grew and his outward appearance changed, similar attention and invitations would become the norm, and he needed to maintain an open but clearly defined boundary.

In the afternoon, he met Lena at the school cafeteria to discuss a short film project she was preparing, as she needed some editing advice. As soon as Lena sat down, she stared at him with wide eyes. "My god, Alex, have you been taking some kind of elixir lately? Your skin looks so good it's glowing! And..." She lowered her voice, wearing a gossipy smile. "I heard that the senior from the dance department at the film school who's always trying to ask you out made a bet with someone at a party the other day, saying she'd definitely get your private number within a month. You'd better be careful; that girl is a woman of action."

Alex didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Spare me. I just want to focus on doing the 'city sound and vision' series well right now. By the way, I watched the rough cut of your film; the pacing issues are mainly in the transitions of the third scene..."

They quickly got down to business. Lena had quite a few professional questions, and Alex answered them one by one, relying on his solid experience and clear train of thought. The high efficiency and focus brought by Mental Pillar allowed him to quickly grasp the core of the problems, and his explanations were well-organized. Lena nodded repeatedly as she listened; besides the familiarity between friends, her eyes also held a bit more genuine admiration.

"After talking with you, I feel like my film is saved!" Lena closed her notebook, her tone chirpy. "As a reward, I'll tell you a bit of gossip. For that 'Harmony Bridge' music and visual project, I have a senior whose brother works as an assistant there, and I heard the internal evaluation has already started. Although I don't know the specific list, your name... seems to have been mentioned." She winked.

This counted as a positive signal. Alex raised his coffee cup. "Thanks, this intel is more refreshing than coffee."

After parting ways with Lena, Alex went to the Reality Maze company to meet with Leo and the two newly joined visual designers to finalize the concept for the next AR live-action short film. The meeting was efficient and fruitful; Alex's "Team Leadership Intuition" ability made him more adept at coordinating members with different professional backgrounds, allowing him to stimulate the programmers' creativity while bringing the artists' wild ideas back down to the ground of feasibility.

The meeting ended in the evening. Leo suggested they all go to a newly opened craft beer bar nearby to relax, and the team readily agreed.

The bar had a nice atmosphere, and the music was soothing. After a few beers, the topic shifted from work to life. Mina, the cheerful Korean-American visual designer on the team, emboldened by the alcohol, smiled and said to Alex, "Alex, seriously, you're the talk of many of our female colleagues right now. Young, talented, and you look... well, in the words of my friend, 'highly aesthetic and safe.' Any interest in expanding your social circle? I know quite a few interesting and pretty girls." Her words carried good-natured teasing and also represented a certain level of recognition and acceptance within the circle.

Alex smiled and shook his head, raising his glass. "Thanks, Mina, but the project schedule is packed lately, so I'm afraid I don't have time to 'expand.' This toast is to the tough battle ahead of us." He cleverly used work to change the subject, neither making the atmosphere awkward nor failing to make his priorities clear.

When leaving the bar, the night breeze was cool. Alex walked toward the parking lot alone. His mind remained clear under the influence of Mental Pillar, and his body felt no fatigue whatsoever. A calm sense of strength filled his entire body.

Just then, he noticed a familiar figure at the entrance of a small alley across from the bar street, being harassed by two sleazy-looking men. It was Sara, the nurse neighbor. She seemed to be trying to break free, her expression tense and disgusted.

Alex paused for a moment, then walked naturally toward that direction. Although Perception Sharpening had not been redeemed yet, the sensory enhancement brought about by Physical Sublimation and the calmness imbued by Mental Pillar allowed him to assess the situation in an instant.

"Sara?" He raised his voice, his tone calm but clearly carrying over.

Sara and the two men all turned their heads. Seeing it was Alex, Sara visibly breathed a sigh of relief, quickly broke free from their grasp, and walked quickly toward him. "Alex! You... you haven't gone back yet?"

"I was just about to." Alex's gaze calmly swept over the two men who were clearly displeased. Seeing his tall, upright figure and his calm, fearless eyes, they muttered a few words and, knowing when to quit, retreated back into the shadows of the alley.

"Thank you... that was really..." Sara still had lingering fears, looking at him with gratitude. In the night breeze, she was wearing a thin dress and trembling slightly.

"It's fine now. Shall I walk you to the main road to catch a taxi?" Alex took off his thin jacket and handed it to her very naturally. This action carried no ambiguity; it was simply out of basic consideration.

Sara took the jacket and draped it over her shoulders; it still retained his body warmth and a faint, fresh scent. Her face flushed slightly, and she whispered a thank you.

Walking to the main road, while waiting for a car, the atmosphere was a bit quiet. Sara suddenly said softly, "Actually... I saw you this afternoon. By the apartment mailboxes, you and that pretty female student were chatting and laughing. Is she... your girlfriend?" Once the words were out, she seemed to regret it a little and lowered her head.

Alex was a bit surprised but answered honestly, "She's a classmate and a friend; we were discussing an assignment." He paused and added, "I don't have any plans to develop a stable relationship right now. There's too much to do."

Sara looked up, watching his well-defined profile under the streetlights and those calm, deep eyes, and understood something in her heart. She smiled, and this time the smile was more relaxed. "I understand. You... you're not quite like us. The car is here." She took off the jacket to return it to him and said sincerely, "Thank you so much for today, Alex. Let me buy you a coffee another time."

Watching the taxi's taillights disappear, Alex put on his jacket and walked toward his car. This little interlude of the night was like a pebble thrown into the lake of his heart, sending out shallow ripples before returning to calm.

Back at the apartment, he stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking at the sleeping city. These connections, whether deep or shallow, between neighbors, classmates, colleagues, and even strangers he happened to get involved with, were weaving a web that was becoming increasingly real around him. He was not only the creator of "Alex's Wonderland" but also a young man in Santa Monica named Alex Su.

The system interface quietly appeared, his popularity steadily rising. He looked at the option for Perception Sharpening; perhaps it was time to let these eyes and this heart see the world, and the people within it, more clearly.

He turned off the lights and lay down. The deep relaxation brought by Physical Sublimation allowed him to quickly enter high-quality sleep.

Tomorrow, there would be new shots to capture, new collaborations to push forward, and new "people" and "events" would continue to surge in. And he was already prepared to meet everything with clarity, strength, and calmness.