Chapter 663

Extra: Childhood 20

Lin Ning handed her the other untouched cup of coffee in his hand, saying, "I'm just observing the teaching quality of the PE class."

"What did you observe?" Mu Youyu took it, took a sip, then passed it to Jiang Liangjin for him to taste.

Lin Ning didn't mind, leaned in, and said, "I also found out that there are only two classes this afternoon."

Jiang Liangjin: …… Isn't that fixed every afternoon?

Lin Ning shook the folder in his hand, saying, "This is the power of authority."

Mu Youyu: "Heaven?"

The three of them sat on the playground until the second period, and only when the school bell rang did they slowly get up and head back, intending to pack up and go home.

When they returned to the classroom, they happened to meet An Qingqing coming out of the doorway, holding a stack of folders.

She saw Mu Youyu coming in from outside, and her expression subtly changed: "You skipped class again."

Mu Youyu laughed without a care: "It's none of your business."

An Qingqing pressed her lips, held the folders and left, not forgetting to add: "I'll report you sooner or later."

Mu Youyu: "Oh oh oh."

An Qingqing broke down again and immediately went to the homeroom teacher's office to report Mu Youyu for skipping class.

The homeroom teacher was lowering his head to grade homework; after hearing, he lifted his head and asked, "When did you see her skip class?"

"During the first period and also during the second PE class, the teacher didn't call roll, and she didn't come."

By rights, if the number of unexcused absences reaches the threshold, the school will punish, and severely could even expel!

The homeroom teacher let out an "oh" and said, "She took leave for PE class."

An Qingqing's smile froze: "Leave?"

"Yes, she's feeling unwell." The homeroom teacher replied, then lowered his head again to continue grading homework.

"What about the first physics class? She left halfway through, and Jiang Liangjin too."

The homeroom teacher glanced at the schedule; it was physics class: "They have a competition, need to attend training, so they don't have to take physics class—special permission from the physics teacher."

?

An Qingqing stood where she was, wanting to ask a few more questions, but the homeroom teacher had already lowered his head again.

She got a mouthful of dust, so she had no choice but to turn and leave.

On the way back to the classroom, the more she thought, the more wrong it felt—she hadn't seen Mu Youyu on the playground during the last PE class at all; when did she take leave from the PE teacher?

She returned to her seat; her desk mate was tidying up, and she leaned over: "Do you think Mu Youyu really took leave?"

That person blurted out the sentence out of nowhere, and the desk mate replied irritably: "Whether she took leave or not is none of your business."

An Qingqing was choked by that remark and dared not ask further.

Later she wised up, no longer directly telling the teacher; instead, during break she asked in front of the whole class: "Mu Youyu, did you skip class again this morning?"

Mu Youyu lifted her head, looking surprised: "No, I've been in the classroom all along."

An Qingqing said: "But I didn't see you."

"Maybe you were studying so hard you didn't notice me."

An Qingqing was left speechless.

Such little incidents kept happening in the first half of the second year of junior high; each time An Qingqing tried to catch Mu Youyu's fault, it was deflected with ease.

As time passed, the classmates grew accustomed to An Qingqing's presence, and also to Mu Youyu's occasional careless remarks and An Qingqing's "counterattacks."

Jiang Liangjin had no interest in An Qingqing; as long as she didn't directly bump into Mu Youyu, he treated her as if she didn't exist.

Yu Ci found it amusing and even prepared a small notebook to record how many times An Qingqing broke down each day.

He would occasionally come over to Mu Youyu during break to report progress: "Today she dropped her pen five times, her notebook twice, took four deep breaths—great improvement, much less dropping than yesterday."

Mu Youyu objectively commented: "There's progress."

Gu Xingnan quietly took notes, occasionally being pulled by Yu Ci's sleeve and forced to join the discussion.

After winter began, the classroom heating was on, and a layer of white mist covered the window glass.

Leaning against the heater, feeling warm all over, Mu Youyu took off her coat and rested her head on the desk, sleeping for half a class.

When she got up, her whole body felt limp, her cheeks flushed with an abnormal red, and her forehead hair was dried and frizzy by the heater.

She sat in the back row listening to class, occasionally coughing twice, but fearing to disturb others, she suppressed her voice as much as possible.

Feeling increasingly unwell, Mu Youyu shook her head and shook Jiang Liangjin awake: "Where are your tissues?"

"What's wrong?" Jiang Liangjin fished out a pack of tissues from his bag and handed it over, casually touching her forehead—it was scorching hot—"Did you catch a cold?"

Mu Youyu sniffed: "Seems like it."

"I'll get you leave and take you home."

Jiang Liangjin raised his hand to greet the teacher, packed up her belongings for her, then draped his own down jacket over her.

Mu Youyu was half-supported by him as they walked out of the classroom; the cold air in the hallway hit her face, she coughed twice more, and Jiang Liangjin pulled her scarf up to cover half her face.

After arriving home, Mu Youyu wrapped herself in a blanket and curled up in her room, the tip of her nose red from the cold, sipping hot water in small mouthfuls.

Jiang Liangjin sat beside her, responsible for lulling her to sleep.

After she fell asleep, it was already noon; Jiang Liangjin, following her request, planned to go to school to attend class.

Upon reaching the second-year junior high building, a few boys came up from the stairs, chatting and laughing intermittently.

The leader had a buzz cut, his school uniform zipper undone, revealing the hoodie underneath, chewing gum, looking lax.

Someone tapped him, pointed with his chin toward a direction, and said, "Tsk, came for nothing—Mu Youyu took leave again, truly precious."

"If you didn't see her, you didn't see her; even if you did, she wouldn't bother with people, eyes perpetually on top of her head—too arrogant."

"I hear her family is just average; maybe she latched onto Jiang Liangjin, which is why she swaggers around school."

"Come to think of it, she looks a lot like Mu Xi, especially the eyes; I don't know if they're related, but anyway, that pair of contemptuous gazes just makes me angry."

Exactly, exactly, Mu Xi is also full of himself, and I don't know why so many girls like him; we just bumped into him a few times this morning, and he even glared at us—is that necessary?

Exactly, Mu Xi is also arrogant; I don't know why so many girls like him; we just bumped into him a few times this morning, and he even stared at us—is that necessary?

We must keep the quotes? The Chinese includes quotation marks. Should we keep them? The instruction: translate lines; we should output the translation, not necessarily keep the quotation marks unless they are part of the meaning. Usually we can omit them. But to be faithful, we could keep them. However the instruction says "translate faithfully — never skip, summarise, or merge paragraphs." It doesn't require preserving punctuation exactly, but we should keep meaning. I'll keep the quotation marks as they are part of the line? The line includes them; we can keep them in translation. But English translation may not need them. I'd keep them to be safe. However the output must be a single line per 【N】. We'll include the translation without the Chinese quotation marks, but we can include English quotes if we want. I'll omit them for naturalness.

Thus 【61】 translation: "Exactly, Mu Xi is also full of himself—I don't know why so many girls like him; we just bumped into him a few times this morning, and he even glared at us—is that necessary?"

Jiang Liangjin walked forward a few steps, sent a message to someone, then stood in front of them.

Translation: "Jiang Liangjin walked a few steps forward, sent a message to someone, then blocked their path."

Jiang Liangjin walked forward a few steps, sent a message to a person, and then blocked them in front.

He hates gossip, especially about Mu Youyu; if it were about him, he wouldn't even bother.

Translation: "He hates gossiping the most, and the target is still Mu Youyu; if it were himself, he wouldn't even bother."

Those few boys approached, recognized him, and stopped, saying, "Young Master Jiang? What's the matter?"

Translation: "Those few boys approached, recognized him, and stopped: 'Young Master Jiang? What's up?'"

Jiang Liangjin had his hands in his pockets: "Yeah, keep me company while I wait for a few people."

Translation: "Jiang Liangjin had his hands in his pockets: 'Yeah, I'm waiting for a few people.'"

The buzz-cut guy's eyes lit up; he apparently thought he'd hooked up with this well-known heir from the circle, and immediately nodded, "Of course, we'll keep you company."

Translation: "The buzzcut guy's eyes lit up; he apparently thought he'd hooked up with the well-known heir of the circle, and immediately nodded: 'Of course, we'll keep you company.'"

The two beside him, however, sensed the atmosphere was off, exchanged a glance, and neither spoke.

Translation: "The two beside him, however, sensed the atmosphere was off, exchanged a glance, and neither spoke."

This place is near the entrance of Class 1, just a two-minute walk away, but those few people hadn't reacted yet when people from both sides swarmed and surrounded them.

Translation: "This place is near the door of Class 1, just a couple minutes away, but before those few could react, they were surrounded by people pouring in from both sides."

Jiang Liangjin stood outside the crowd, directing a few classmates: "Quick and decisive—class is about to start."

Translation: "Jiang Liangjin stood outside the crowd, directing a few classmates: 'Quick and decisive—class is about to start.'"

「……」

Translation: "……" (ellipsis). We'll keep as "……".

The whole process took less than five minutes.

Translation: "The whole process took less than five minutes."

When the crowd dispersed, the buzz-cut guy was squatting on the ground, his collar askew and a small split at the corner of his mouth.

Translation: "When the crowd dispersed, the buzzcut guy squatted on the ground, his collar askew, a small split at the corner of his mouth."

The others were in similar shape—some clutching their arms, some covering their faces, each squatting on the ground and moaning.

Translation: "The others were in similar shape—some clutching their arms, some covering their faces, each squatting on the ground and wailing."

Jiang Liangjin straightened his collar, looked at his classmates, and said, "Let's go."

Translation: "Jiang Liangjin straightened his collar, looked at his classmates, and said, 'Let's go.'"

Having said that, he strode upstairs, pulling up his hoodie's hood to cover most of his face.

Translation: "Having said that, he strode upstairs, pulled up his hoodie's hood again, covering most of his face."

One of his classmates ran up, "Hey hey hey, Jiang bro, wait for me—why did you hit them?"

Translation: "One of his classmates ran up: 'Hey hey hey, Jiang bro, wait up—why did you hit them?'"

"Jiang bro, who are they? We won't get into trouble, will we?"

Translation: "'Jiang bro, who are they? We won't get into trouble, will we?'"

Jiang Liangjin's voice was cool: "No worries—I'll handle it if anything happens."

Translation: "Jiang Liangjin's voice was thin and cold: 'No, if anything happens I'll take care of it.'"

Several other classmates also felt relieved and hurried to catch up.

Translation: "Several other classmates also felt relieved and hurried to catch up."

They had long wanted to curry favor with Jiang Liangjin; now that they finally had a task, they were naturally eager to help.

Translation: "They had long wanted to curry favor with Jiang Liangjin; now they finally had a chance to help, so they were naturally eager to pitch in."

「……」

Translation: "……"

After school in the afternoon, Mu Xi recalled being bumped twice by the buzz-cut guy and those few boys, along with that unpleasant stare, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

Translation: "After school that afternoon, Mu Xi recalled being bumped twice in succession by the buzzcut guy and those few boys, plus that unpleasant stare, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got."

That very day, he brought a few brothers and gave those four who were blocking the toilet a 'lesson'.

Translation: "That very day he brought a few brothers and gave those four a 'lesson' by blocking them in the toilet."

The next day, Mu Xi didn't arrive at school until the second period.

Translation: "The next day, Mu Xi didn't arrive at school until the second period."

Song Lujing hadn't expected him to come so late, and whispered, "Hey Xi bro, something happened—just now those few so-and-sos went to tattle, saying Jiang Liangjin beat them."

Translation: "Song Lujing hadn't expected him to come so late, and whispered: 'Hey hey, Mu bro, something happened—just now those few whoever ran off to tattle, saying Jiang Liangjin beat them up.'"

Mu Xi sat down and asked, "Who?"

Translation: "Mu Xi sat down: 'Who?'"

"The guys we pulled from the toilet yesterday."

Translation: "'The guys we dragged to the toilet yesterday.'"

Mu Xi frowned, "……Is Jiang Liangjin taking the fall?"

Translation: "Mu Xi frowned: '……Is Jiang Liangjin taking the fall?'"

"Seems like it."

Translation: "'Seems so.'"

"Let's go check."

Translation: "'Let's go check.'"

The two made up an excuse to slip out of the classroom and headed straight to the office downstairs.

Translation: "The two found an excuse to slip out of the classroom and headed straight to the office downstairs."

Mu Xi also gave Mu Nian a quick call on the side.

Translation: "Mu Xi also gave Mu Nian a quick call."

The office door was ajar, with several people standing inside.

Translation: "The office door was ajar, with several people standing inside."

Jiang Liangjin stood with his back to the door, head lowered, fingertips wandering over his phone screen as he played a game with Mu Youyu, his posture relaxed, completely unaware that he was at the center of the storm.

Translation: "Jiang Liangjin stood with his back to the door, head lowered, fingertips wandering over the phone screen, still playing a game with Mu Youyu, his posture lax, utterly unaware he was at the eye of the storm."

Beside him stood a middle-aged man in formal attire, speaking urgently with the director of academic affairs.

Translation: "Beside him stood a middle-aged man in formal attire, speaking urgently with the Director of Academic Affairs."

Across from them stood several couples, as well as the buzz-cut guy and his two accomplices.

Translation: "Opposite them stood several couples, as well as the buzzcut guy and his two accomplices."

The three's facial injuries had been treated, but you could still tell they had been swollen and their lips split.

Translation: "The three's facial injuries had been treated, but you could still tell they had been swollen, with split skin at the corners of their mouths."

The buzz-cut guy suffered the worst injuries—his arm was in a cast, as if it were a secondary injury.

Translation: "The buzzcut guy was worst off—his arm was in a cast, like a secondary injury."

The buzz-cut guy's mother was patting his back, looking heartbroken.

Translation: "The buzzcut guy's mother was patting her son's back, looking utterly heartbroken."

The buzz-cut guy and his several accomplices insisted that Jiang Liangjin had bullied them.

Translation: "The buzzcut guy and his accomplices all insisted that Jiang Liangjin had bullied them."

The father stood by the table, his face flushed red, pointing at Jiang Liangjin: "It's you little brat who hit them! Does your school even care? You're so young and already daring to hit people—won't you break the law later?!"

Translation: "The father stood by the table, face flushed red, pointing at Jiang Liangjin: 'It was you little brat who hit them! Does your school even care? You're so young and already daring to hit people—won't you break the law later?!'"

Jiang Liangjin kept playing the game.

Translation: "Jiang Liangjin kept playing the game."

The three classmates he brought backed him up, being even more arrogant than him, noses in the air: "Impossible—Jiang Liangjin has been with us the whole time; how could he have gone to hit someone? Teacher, we can all testify!"

Translation: "The three classmates he brought backed him up, even more arrogant than he, nostrils flared: 'Impossible—Student Jiang Liangjin has been with us the whole time; how could he have gone to hit someone? Teacher, we can all testify!'"

"Exactly, exactly, that day he was teaching us how to do homework!"

Translation: "'Exactly, exactly, that day he was teaching us how to do our homework!'"

"Yeah, teacher, he won awards in math competitions—we really admire him."

Translation: "'Yeah, teacher, he won a math competition—we really look up to him.'"

"Teacher, he's not the type to hit people!"

Translation: "'Teacher, he's not the type to hit people!'"

"Yeah, teacher, how could such a bookworm possibly hit someone?"

Translation: "'Yeah, teacher, how could this bookworm possibly hit someone?'"

"I think they're just targeting our easygoing Jiang Liangjin to extort money from him!"

Translation: "'I think they're just targeting our Student Jiang Liangjin because he's easy to talk to, trying to extort money from him!'"

Several people talked over each other, blocking the office door completely, as if afraid no one would hear them.

Translation: "Several people chimed in one after another, blocking the office door completely, as if afraid others wouldn't hear."

The buzz-cut guy's father, provoked by this, raised his voice even more: "What about the surveillance? Checking the footage would tell us right away!"

Translation: "The buzzcut-headed father, provoked by this, raised his voice another notch: 'What about the surveillance? Just check the footage and you'll know.'"

Student 1 quickly replied: "The surveillance was broken yesterday and still hasn't been fixed."

Translation: "Student 1 quickly replied: 'The surveillance was broken yesterday and still hasn't been fixed.'"

The buzz-cut guy's mother exclaimed, "Then you're covering for him! Is this how the school operates? Could my son have possibly beaten himself up like this?"

Translation: "The buzzcut-headed mother flared up: 'Then you're covering for him! Is this how the school operates? Could my son have beaten himself up like this?'"

The other two parents also chimed in, the scene briefly descended into chaos, and the homeroom teacher of Grade 8 Class 2 was left with a headache.

Translation: "The other two parents also chimed in hastily, the scene briefly descended into chaos, and the homeroom teacher of Grade 9 Class 2 had a splitting headache."

The director of discipline raised an eyebrow: "That's not necessarily true—maybe your son just fell himself. After all, you said before that he likes to roughhouse."

Translation: "The Director of Education raised an eyebrow: 'That's not certain—maybe your son just fell? After all, you said before he often likes to throw his weight around.'"

Student 1: "Exactly, exactly."

Translation: "Student 1: 'Exactly, exactly.'"

They clearly didn't beat them that badly.

Translation: "They clearly didn't beat them that badly."

Upon hearing that, the buzz-cut guy's mother grew even angrier, but her husband held her back.

Translation: "Upon hearing that, the buzzcut-headed mother grew even angrier, but her husband held her back."

The homeroom teacher of Class 1 spoke up for Jiang Liangjin: "Sir/Ma'am, you might have the wrong person—look, they also said our class's Jiang Liangjin excels in both character and academics; how could he possibly hit someone?"

Translation: "The homeroom teacher of Class 1 spoke up for Jiang Liangjin: 'This parent, you might have the wrong person—look, they also said our class's Jiang Liangjin excels in both character and academics; how could he hit someone?'"

With Jiang Liangjin's status, how could he possibly strike someone himself?

Translation: "With Jiang Liangjin's standing, how could he possibly strike someone himself?"

The remaining few witnesses were also students who excelled in both conduct and academics.

Director of Academic Affairs stepped in to smooth things over: "Let's do this—each side has its own story. How about we each go back for now, and we'll talk after the school investigates and clears things up."

He and the homeroom teacher of Class 1 shared the same view—Jiang Liangjin, such a perfect student, could never have done something like this!

Mu Xi and Song Lujing entered just then, going straight to stand beside Jiang Liangjin.

Jiang Liangjin, who had just finished a game, looked surprised—"How did they come here?"

Song Lujing nonchalantly hooked an arm around Mu Xi's shoulder, "Teacher, Jiang Liangjin couldn't possibly fight three people alone—this injury must have been self-inflicted."

The homeroom teacher of Grade 9 Class 2, seeing two more students from his own class barge in, grew even more exasperated: "Mu Xi, Song Lujing, why are you here instead of in class?"

Song Lujing: "Just here to watch the excitement."

Mu Xi, however, spoke bluntly, his gaze sweeping over the buzz-cut boy: "Your son had it coming—do you want medical expenses?"

The buzz-cut boy's father recognized the two, shifting his venting target: "Great, you Mu and Song families just bully people with your influence! Do you think having money and power lets you do whatever you want? I'm going to expose you."

He felt thrilled inside—aside from the Jiang family, he could now extort another sum from the Mu and Song families as well!

Mu Xi wasn't angry either, his tone calm: "Don't talk nonsense."

He also wasn't using his influence to bully others.

The buzz-cut boy's father reached out to slam the table, "You—"

The office door was pushed open from outside at that moment.

Mu Nian walked in, dressed in a neat suit, wearing sunglasses, with two assistants following behind.

The buzz-cut boy's father showed no loss of momentum: "Who are you?"

Mu Nian handed his coat to the assistant beside him, "I'm Mu Nian."

Song Lujing thought this parent was way cooler than his older brother.

The buzz-cut boy's father moved his lips twice; the anger he'd just shown visibly eased a bit.

Mu Nian walked up to the table and stood beside Mu Xi, his gaze sweeping over the buzz-cut boy: "Who hit him?"

Mu Xi suddenly didn't want to admit it anymore: "I'm not sure."

Held down by his father, the buzz-cut boy didn't dare to respond.

Mu Nian shifted his gaze to Jiang Liangjin: "You?"

Jiang Liangjin met his gaze: "Not me."

Mu Nian thought his brother had called because they were being extorted, so he didn't press further: "Fine, let the school investigate. If it was my child who did it, we'll handle it accordingly; if not, whoever spread the rumor should bear the cost."

"What child?" Mu Xi couldn't be bothered to argue, giving a low cough.

Song Lujing followed with a forceful cough.

Mu Nian seemed to understand, then said: "... I don't want to drag this out either, since it wasn't them who did it—you should compensate for the emotional damages."