Chapter 660: Side Story: Childhood 17

Side Story: Childhood 17

In the first month of the school term, the school announced an entertainment activity: International Youth Model United Nations.

The activity is scheduled for next Saturday, taking up an entire morning.

Several layers of people crowded in front of the bulletin board in the hallway.

Lin Ning couldn't squeeze in, was pushed from behind, so she simply stepped back and leaned against the wall, waiting, 'Youbao, what activity has so many people watching?'

Mu Youyu squeezed out of the crowd, holding a notice slip: 'International Youth Model United Nations, business session, divided into Z-language and Y-language tracks; simply put, it's the International Youth Model United Nations.'

The International Youth Model United Nations is a leisure-type activity organized within the school, open for registration to all students from grades 7 to 9,

The rules are clearly stated: it is divided into Z-language and Y-language sessions; participants can choose freely, either register as a team themselves or be assigned by individual lottery; each group, under a given topic, must complete position paper writing, formal debate, and voting on a draft resolution.

Hearing this, Lin Ning raised her eyebrows skeptically: 'Wasn't this activity already held in elementary school? My older sister participated before; she came back after less than half a month, saying it was especially pointless, just playing house.'

Playing house?

Mu Youyu tilted her head, looking at Jiang Liangjin who had come to find her: 'A Jin, want to go?'

Jiang Liangjin had indeed seen it before in the elementary division, but this would take up after-school time, and the two of them simply didn't have the energy for it.

Now that she asked, she actually became interested: 'Sure.'

Mu Youyu pointed to the registration rules: 'He said we can register as a team on our own.'

Lin Ning leaned over: 'Then let's sign up together.'

She pointed to Yu Ci and Gu Xingnan not far away, who were walking over from the other end of the hallway, each holding an identical notice slip.

Yu Ci walked up, voice light: 'You're all looking at this here? Want to sign up together? This was given to us by our homeroom teacher; I just glanced at it—you can have one person per country or multiple people per country.'

Gu Xingnan: 'Right, we want to join the Y-language session.'

'Fine.' Lin Ning didn't care; since Youbao said she wanted to participate, we might as well go play—after all, it's so pointless anyway.

Jiang Liangjin likewise: 'Perfect, the few of us can go together.'

When the activity began, on Saturday, the five of them arrived punctually at the entrance of the large stepped classroom in the school's west wing.

They all chose the Y-language venue, intending to use the competition to hone their oral expression skills.

Dozens of students were already seated in the lecture hall, mostly seventh graders, with some eighth and ninth graders as well.

The ceiling lights were bright, and the desks and chairs were arranged in a stepped layout.

Yu Ci strode in, scanned the room, picked a row slightly right of center where exactly five adjacent seats were free, and said, 'Sit here.'

They took their seats one after another.

Beside the podium stood a staff member in a gray uniform, adjusting the multimedia equipment; the projection screen displayed the schedule for this event.

Before the activity officially began, there was a half-hour free interaction segment during which each group could get to know one another and exchange opinions.

Several groups that had already formed teams had begun quietly discussing their position papers.

Yu Ci slumped over the desk: 'Ah, so boring—why does this have to be on Saturday? I still want to go home and play games.'

Jiang Liangjin: 'You can't beat Uncle Yu again.'

Yu Ci: '……' (Bringing up the sore spot).

Lin Ning: 'No way, you're already regretting it just after it started?'

Yu Ci: 'No, no, I was just saying it casually.'

Yu Ci sat for a while, feeling there was nothing to talk about with his group members, and began looking around.

Then he noticed a girl wearing a mask sitting on the other side of Gu Xingnan.

Yu Ci lowered his voice: 'Isn't that the girl who used to sit in front of us? She's also interested in this.'

Gu Xingnan looked up, followed his gaze, and recognized the person: 'Leng Anzhi.'

The Leng and Gu families have grown increasingly close over the years, becoming old family friends; he often sees members of the Leng family during holidays.

Yu Ci grunted in acknowledgment; he always felt this person was somewhat introverted and had little presence in class.

He glanced sideways again, only to see the girl still lowering her eyes, head down, writing something.

After a moment's hesitation, Yu Ci subtly shifted closer to Gu Xingnan's side and asked, 'Front desk, front desk, did you sign up alone?'

Leng Anzhi lifted her head: 'Yes.'

Having confirmed his guess, Yu Ci naturally extended the invitation: 'Anyway, you'd be assigned by lottery if you're alone; why not come join our group?'

This person has good grades—we can't let other groups poach her!

Leng Anzhi capped her pen, put the loose-leaf notebook into her bag, and said, 'Okay.'

She sat up slightly straight, posture proper, without initiating conversation.

Yu Ci had intended to turn his head to say a few words to Mu Youyu, but upon turning, he found her lowering her head to play on her phone.

Jiang Liangjin leaned against her, watching her play.

Leng Anzhi noticed the two of them standing close together and glanced over a few more times.

Lin Ning, having overheard the three's conversation, straightened her slumped posture, leaned over to that side, and greeted them proactively: 'Hey there, I'm Lin Ning; I notice you hardly ever speak in class.'

Leng Anzhi looked at him: 'Hello, I'm Leng Anzhi.'

Feeling the movement of Lin Ning beside her, Mu Youyu finally lifted her gaze: 'Ah, hello, I'm Mu Youyu.'

Although Jiang Liangjin didn't know what was going on, hearing her initiate conversation, he also said: 'Jiang Liangjin.'

Gu Xingnan said: 'I'm Gu Xingnan.'

Yu Ci chuckled: 'Front desk, front desk, you should know me, right?'

Leng Anzhi lowered her eyes: 'I know, Yu Ci classmate.'

'I knew it!'

Mu Youyu leaned toward Jiang Liangjin: 'Which class were you in elementary school before? How did you suddenly transfer here?'

Leng Anzhi has kept to herself from the start of the term until now, her presence in class activities consistently low; if no one approaches her, she can go an entire day without saying a word.

However, she still had an impression of that girl.

Leng Anzhi replied, "Class Two, the teacher assigned me to come here."

"Oh, Class Two is the neighboring class," Yu Ci said with a smile, "Now we're all classmates; next time you can hang out with us."

Leng Anzhi hooked an arc, "Thank you."

The free exchange session ended quickly; the host walked onto the stage and began announcing the activity rules.

The activity began; each group would take the stage in lottery order to present their position, each limited to five minutes, after which they would enter the free debate session.

"……"

After the activity ended, as several people left the lecture hall, Lin Ning clicked her tongue: "Sure enough, it's just as the rumors said—she won so quickly."

Mu Youyu had a shiny gold medal hanging around her neck; she smiled and replied, "Not bad, I just feel like I didn't really contribute."

Yu Ci chimed in, "I saw some people constantly looking at their phones to recite."

Jiang Liangjin ignored those around him and said coolly, "They're cheating."

Gu Xingnan also saw it, "No way, it's not a competition, so nobody cares."

Mu Youyu comforted, "It's fine; it's not like we're competing with those cheaters and still got a plastic gold medal?"

Lin Ning was speechless: "……This is plastic? He even has the nerve to give it."

Mu Youyu laughed, took the gold medal off her neck, and hung it on Leng Anzhi's neck, "Still, our classmate Anzhi is the one who really delivered."

After chatting together all morning, Leng Anzhi wasn't as shy anymore and replied softly, "Still, it's all thanks to you guys."

Mu Youyu said, "No, it's our Anzhi who knows how to talk."

Lin Ning said, "Then what about me?"

"You can speak too."

Jiang Liangjin, with one hand, pulled the green plum closer and said, "What about me?"

Mu Youyu leaned toward him a bit, "You can, you can."

Yu Ci said, "Me? Me? Me?"

Mu Youyu: "……"

After the activity ended that weekend, the five-person small group officially gained one more member.

At first, Leng Anzhi still seemed quiet, sitting among them, occasionally responding with a sentence, mostly just listening silently.

Lin Ning was the first to notice that she wasn't truly introverted; she just couldn't be bothered to make small talk with strangers.

Yu Ci's evaluation was: "So you're selectively socially anxious?"

Leng Anzhi thought for a moment and corrected, "It's selective silence."

Lin Ning laughed so hard she leaned against Mu Youyu's shoulder.

But just a few days later, Lin Ning couldn't laugh anymore.

The cause was that one day after class ended, she, who had skipped school to play for a morning, eagerly went to find Mu Youyu, wanting to drag her along to go shopping.

The result was that, at the classroom door, she saw Mu Youyu standing sideways, talking and laughing with Leng Anzhi by the hallway window.

Jiang Liangjin stood behind, helping to hold the backpack.

Lin Ning's steps paused; she stood there for a few seconds, seeing that they had no intention of ending, then turned and went to the convenience store herself.

When she came back, she had an extra bottle of yogurt in her hand, but forgot how she had walked back.

Clearly I met her first, so why do I now feel like I can't get in?

That afternoon, when Mu Youyu spoke to her, she was spaced out; it took several calls before she snapped back, "Huh? What did you say?"

Mu Youyu was puzzled, but repeated herself: "I said, after school, want to go together and buy that newly released …"

She stopped mid-sentence, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Lin Ning turned her face away, her voice muffled, her mouth practically pointing to the sky, "I just feel like someone hasn't been paying attention to me lately, as if they've found a better friend."

Mu Youyu blinked, "Who are you talking about?"

"You know yourself," Lin Ning's temper flared, and she turned her face to the left.

"I don't know," Mu Youyu said frankly, "I talk to you every day."

Lin Ning still kept her face turned away, her tone laced with obvious grievance: "That's not necessarily true; you've been chatting with Leng Anzhi all the time, right after class, and I can't get a word in."

Mu Youyu was both helpless and amused by her demeanor, "We were just talking about math problems; she came to ask me on her own—should that even make you unhappy?"

Lin Ning finally turned her head, indignant: "Of course I'm upset! You're my best friend; being the best means there can't be anyone better!"

Mu Youyu paused, "What about you and your desk mate then?"

"No, it's different!" Lin Ning said rapidly, "That's just a desk mate, a classmate, not the same! You can have many classmates, many friends, but a best friend can only be one, and that person must be me! You said so before!"

Mu Youyu, who had watched too many domineering CEO dramas, said, "I thought it was something else; turns out it's our Ningning treasure getting jealous."

"Exactly, I'm jealous!" Lin Ning grew more agitated, "Every time you talk to Leng Anzhi, I stand there like a background prop! Do you think talking to her is more fun than talking to me? Do you think I'm annoying? Tell me! If yes, I'll never look for you again!"

"No, don't," Mu Youyu said, fearing she'd get angry, and stopped teasing, "You've always been my best friend."

Lin Ning's eyes flashed bright for a moment, then she feigned calm, placing the yogurt on her desk, "Then you should have said earlier; I bought it for you."

"I've been saying it all along, thanks for the yogurt, Ningning treasure."

Mu Youyu took a candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and held it to her lips, "Ningning treasure, don't be angry; you've always been my best friend. From now on, when I talk to Anzhi, you don't have to walk off alone—just stand aside like A Jin does; if anything comes up, call me and I won't ignore you."

Lin Ning held the candy in her mouth, cleared her throat, "Well then, I'll reluctantly forgive you."

Jiang Liangjin listened nearby, not daring to show any reaction; Mu Xi had told him not to stop Youbao from making normal friends……

The front-row eavesdropper Yu Ci's expression gradually became amused, "Wow, so friendship can also make you jealous."

Gu Xingnan added lightly from the side, "It depends on the person; some people develop possessiveness whether it's friendship or love."

Lin Ning obviously hoped she would be the special someone in Mu Youyu's heart.

Over the next few days, Lin Ning formally entered a state of high alert, her actions far more direct than her words.

She no longer skipped class, and during breaks she practically never left Mu Youyu's side, even following her to the restroom.

Several times, Leng Anzhi deliberately moved to a lower seat to try to ask Mu Youyu a question, but Lin Ning would grab Mu Youyu's arm and pull her over to her side.

Leng Anzhi:?

Jiang Liangjin glanced at them and said nothing.

The next day at noon, the three of them ate out.

Lin Ning held her phone, then suddenly slapped it onto the table and solemnly declared, "I've decided—I'm going to officially announce our relationship!"

Mu Youyu snorted, "What relationship?"

Jiang Liangjin pushed the water cup over.

"Best‑friend relationship!" Lin Ning swiped open the screen, "I'll post an announcement on social media, letting the world know you're my best friend—we're the best in the world, no objections allowed!"

The internet‑savvy Mu Youyu knew what that meant, took a sip of water, and couldn't resist teasing, "What's in it for me to be your best friend?"

Lin Ning had already thought it through: "This way you can be my best friend forever, and I'll unconditionally stand by you—whatever you want, if I have it, I'll share it all with you."

"We can even fight together, share a bed, and when we get married later I can be your bridesmaid!"

Jiang Liangjin scoffed, "Childish."

Lin Ning ignored him completely, focusing only on Mu Youyu: "Why aren't you speaking? Don't you want to? Or do you only see me as an ordinary friend?"

Although with their relationship they didn't need to do all this for Mu Youyu to get the benefits, she of course wanted to make Lin Ning happy, so she asked, "Do I need to make an official announcement too?"

"Of course! I'll go first."

Youbao was already at the top of her feed, Lin Ning buried herself in drafting the copy, and then she solemnly posted a Moments update——

【Announcing some good news—I officially have a super‑invincible, world‑number‑one best friend! Best friends forever 【heart】】