Chapter 197: When Fate Won't Give It, You Seek It Yourself

After Jiang Nian finished the biology test paper Qingbao had given him, he looked up and stretched his neck.

Right on cue, the bell rang for the third evening self-study period.

He could never finish all his homework, so he basically half-copied, half-wrote it. Out of habit, he turned his head to glance at Zhang Ningzhi, checking how far along she was—if she was done, he'd casually copy a bit.

"Finished physics?"

Zhang Ningzhi turned to look at him, recalling his perfunctory reply from earlier that evening.

"Finished. Not letting you copy."

"Oh, okay, then I'll ask the class monitor." Saying so, Jiang Nian turned toward the back seat and repeated the same line. "Class monitor, finished physics?"

Li Qingrong looked at him and nodded.

"Mm."

"Awesome, lend me a copy of the problems." Jiang Nian was a seasoned hand-extender.

Hearing this, Zhang Ningzhi whipped her head around without thinking.

Watching with her own eyes as the class monitor handed her physics workbook to Jiang Nian, she couldn't help but widen her eyes. The class monitor just gave it to him like that? The excuse of "copying the problems" was way too fake, wasn't it?

This little liar is basically the floor of integrity for Class Three!

Was he really copying the problems?

The class monitor is way too kind—she always gets tricked.

Zhang Ningzhi was so angry she wanted to bite him to death!

The third and fourth evening self-study periods were always back-to-back, but bathroom breaks were allowed.

Li Hua and Ma Guojun made plans to go relieve themselves, and the classroom got rowdy.

In the front row, Ceng You and Wu Jun Gu somehow got chatting. Ever since the two became roommates, the number of times they talked in the classroom had noticeably increased.

Chatting led to financial aid, which led to their habitual complaining about Old Liu.

"Old Liu can kiss ass like crazy—he treats the leaders like his dad."

"True. A few days ago when the school leaders came to inspect the dorms, he stuck by their side almost without leaving, only leaving at eleven at night." Wu Jun Gu also found it both funny and exasperating.

"Do you think after he finishes leading our cohort, he'll go back to lead students in Grade One?" Ceng You asked.

Wu Jun Gu, who'd seen a bit more of the world, thought for a moment and said.

"Not necessarily."

Just then, Li Hua came back from the bathroom and, as he sat down, picked up the thread.

"I heard people say he'll most likely become the head of the Chinese teaching research group."

Hearing this, the few people in the group all turned to look at Li Hua.

Ceng You was puzzled. "Chinese? Sounds pretty trash."

"Hard to say. What group head doesn't matter—it's just a stepping stone into the Academic Affairs Office anyway." Li Hua didn't want to say more, in case the rumors reached Old Liu's ears.

He could only say that, subtly influenced over time, he had roughly come to understand what Old Liu had been hustling for all these years.

As long as Old Liu could become the head of the Chinese teaching research group, he'd have a shot at getting into the Academic Affairs Office.

If he pushed a little harder, maybe in the next three years, with a single turn, he'd be the Academic Affairs Office director. Five more years, and with luck, he could edge toward the school leadership.

If things went well, by his forties or fifties he might luck his way into becoming vice principal.

Ceng You muttered on, still talking about Old Liu's bootlicking exploits.

Huang Fang, who'd been silent all along, suddenly turned her head and cut in.

"The homeroom teacher is actually really nice. He paid my class fees for me. He even told me to study hard, saying that little bit of money was nothing to him."

Hearing this, Ceng You fell silent, then after a long while squeezed out one line.

"True."

Jiang Nian copied the whole time. Damn, why is the class monitor's handwriting so good-looking?

When he came back to his senses, he'd copied all the answers.

Felt good.

As school was about to end, he felt Zhang Ningzhi's grudge against him today was a bit heavy.

It's just copying some homework—surely not that petty? If he didn't copy the class monitor's, was he supposed to copy hers? The thing was, he'd asked her too, but got turned down.

Forget it, deal with it tomorrow.

Jiang Nian happily grabbed his bag and headed home. Today was ring-tossing and homework-copying. Even though it felt like a wasted effort, it actually was a wasted effort.

Xu Qianqian is a pure and utter ingrate.

On the way home, she didn't mention the three big plushies at all.

Furious, trembling, cold.

The beginning I forgot, the middle I forgot, but when will men ever stand up!

Xu Qianqian walked home, her mind on the three plushies in her room. Like when she was a child, her playful side flared up—she wanted to rank the plushies by seniority.

But she had no intention of letting Jiang Nian know, because... she knew him too well.

"Xu Qianqian."

"Mm?"

"Look at those three streetlights over there—look, holy crap they're so bright." Jiang Nian said in an exaggerated tone. "Do you know what the lightbulbs look like?"

"What?"

"Don't they look like the plushies I won for you this afternoon?"

Xu Qianqian: "... You're that vain?"

Jiang Nian nodded. "A little."

What's wrong with a few compliments? Could he secretly record it on his phone? Then put in earbuds at midnight, crawl under the covers alone, and loop it on repeat?

No way, do people like this really exist in this world?

Xu Qianqian sighed and spoke up.

"Fine, even though you have XXX (five hundred characters omitted) little flaws, you do have a tiny bit of skill."

A tiny bit?

You want to imply that my great-luck-reaching-the-heavens old man, don't you!

You're just a grandchild-obsessed loser, low-brow girl.

The road home wasn't long; even crawling wouldn't take much time.

Jiang Nian walked into the alley side by side with her and said solemnly.

"Although you've given me plenty of bad reviews, the old folks always say hearts are separated by belly skin, so I can't take it too seriously."

Xu Qianqian was speechless and turned to leave.

Chatting with him carries not only risk, but also the risk of being visited.

After arriving home.

Xu Qianqian took a bath first, then returned to her room and couldn't wait to start picking her troops.

Three big plushies stood in a row, grinning like fresh-out-of-the-stable oxen and horses, unaware of Xu Qianqian's sinister intentions. Still thinking they could slack off on the job, they were about to be pushed around from now on.

"You're the ugliest, so from now on you'll be Jiang Nian's substitute punching bag." Xu Qianqian pointed at the big dog plushie and said with a serious face, "You! From now on you're in charge of taking the hits!"

The loyal big dog was still grinning foolishly, as if to say: Damn, should've rotted in the factory.

"You two are the cutest, you're in charge of taking turns attending the bedtime!" Xu Qianqian pointed at a little bear plushie and a kitty plushie, both of which looked decent in quality.

The two plushies couldn't talk, but if they could, they would probably heave a sigh of relief right now.

But if Jiang Nian had been present, he would definitely have laughed out loud.

Because Xu Qianqian didn't always sleep still, and would occasionally kick the blankets. The bed was only so big, so it wouldn't be strange if she kicked a plushie in the face.

What? What to do in the future?

It's not like she can't afford it—just get a three-meter-wide big bed.

Night fell, and the Zhennian Idea King Song Anran fell asleep.

Zhang Ningzhi's message arrived a step late; by the time it reached Jiang Nian's phone, this guy had already entered dreamland, piloting a Fruit Mecha in his dreams.

Fruit Mecha is great, gotta learn it.

Before long, in the dark little room, the phone screen tossed on the bed lit up again.

Lin Dong sent a message, seven or eight in a row.

"Ran, successfully ran!"

Probably because he was so excited, he kept sending the same sentence over and over. Following close behind were a few red packets—these were the ballast Jiang Nian had given him to keep him from getting carried away.

Now that the wool-gathering was over, he returned the share proportionally.

North District dorm group, Building Five.

In the next dorm, Hu Nianzhong's heart was equally unable to calm down.

He had followed Lin Dong to earn the first money of his life, and the principal was even borrowed from Lin Dong. Oh~ not just Lin Dong, there was also a kind gift from Yu Tongjie.

Praise Yu Tongjie, may good people be blessed with seasoning packets for life.

It wasn't a curse—he was sincerely blessing Yu Tongjie. Just like the Emperor's golden hoe, he had no idea whether Yu Tongjie secretly ate instant noodles or not.

Maybe rich people also love eating instant noodles, like the seven or eight yuan ones on the shelf. Those obviously very expensive imported instant noodles must taste pretty good.

He transferred the money to Lin Dong, but a portion was sent back.

"I only want my five hundred."

Seeing the message, Hu Nianzhong was stunned for a moment, and could only reply with a thank you, Brother Dong. Whether it was the head teacher or Lin Dong, everyone was actually pretty nice.

Thinking this, he hugged the borrowed phone and scrolled again and again.

He couldn't remember how many times he checked his balance that night.

To others, it was just a mere few hundred yuan. But for him, it was money earned in a few days that would have taken him seven or eight days of summer jobs to earn.

Still had to study hard, earn money with his brain like Brother Dong.

Little did he know, Lin Dong's money-making skills were completely forced out of him.

His family had money, true, but they weren't so rich that they could buy whatever they wanted.

Exactly because online dating also needed capital to package oneself—pray tell, who would like an ordinary Gao Zhongsheng? In reality maybe, but online, hmm.

One could only say online identities are all self-given; even having pictures doesn't necessarily mean truth, it all depends on packaging. He had many alt accounts, each with a different identity.

Some were college heartthrobs, some were Gao Er students already financially free. Some were melancholy lovers freshly dumped, and some were pitiful-background rich second-generation orphans.

If his alt accounts were gathered together, they could make up half the male leads of Jinjiang Literature City.

How could that not cost money?

Real and fake mixed, filtering the audience, there would always be someone taking the bait.

The next day.

Jiang Nian woke up and glanced at the message Zhang Ningzhi had sent.

Lemon Branch: "Are you there?"

The time was 11:20 last night.

Jiang Nian brushed his teeth while replying single-handedly.

"Fell asleep last night, what's up?"

Delivered, the other side didn't react, and after a long while replied with one.

"Nothing."

He finished brushing his teeth and started washing his face one-handed, typing replies one-handed at the same time.

"Is there a drink today?"

Zhang Nianzhi sent an angry sticker, throwing a heavy punch!

"I'm not letting you have any!"

Hearing that, Jiang Nian had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

The subtext was: she'd buy it, but she wouldn't let him drink it?

That works too.

What's meant to be yours will come; what's not, you go chase yourself.

What a joke — Baby Zhizhi had already bought it, and he had his own hands and feet, so how could he not help himself?

Got a drink to enjoy.

During morning self-study, Zhang Nianzhi watched Jiang Nian with a resentful face as he gulped down milk over there.

That was hers.

Not studying properly, copying homework every day, and now stealing her milk to drink!

Absolutely rotten!

Jiang Nian was overjoyed — life was finally looking up.

First thing in the morning, he could actually drink the milk Baby Zhizhi had brought. Although the thing didn't have a straw, it was no challenge for the King of Ideas — he just sliced open a hole with a pocket knife.

He had returned Lin Dong's money, keeping only the five hundred yuan given at the start.

The rest, he'd had him exchange for fruit tea.

Not to mention anything else, each of the two little groups got a cup — it wouldn't cost much anyway. Anything beyond that was Lin Dong's own sweat and effort.

Being able to escape a pig-butchering scam is a skill in itself.

Ninety-nine point nine-nine percent of people would get taken down by greed.

Take your beating and stand at attention.

The previous chapter really wasn't interesting — it was a character-setup chapter, so I thought about splitting it up to post.

The topic of poverty scholarships is pretty serious; if I don't write it well, it'll come off as smuggling in personal baggage, so I chose to keep it simple and realistic.

My condition really hasn't been great these past two days — I've been sick, and I've been shuttling back and forth between two places, typing on my phone.

Just got home tonight, made up one chapter.

Ensemble slice-of-life isn't easy to write.

I hope all you reader-lords can have a little more patience — just a little is enough.

Many thanks.