Chapter 225: Thank Goodness, He's a Warrior

Quite a few people were late for the math exam, and several more trickled in from the back to report in.

Since it was an in-class test, a makeup for last week's weekly quiz, and a pop quiz on top of that, the math teacher didn't bother being too strict.

"Come in."

After proctoring for about a class and a half, the math teacher got bored of sitting. After pacing around the classroom twice and seeing that all was peaceful, he went straight back to the office to brew some tea.

The moment the teacher left, the classroom instantly started buzzing.

"Baby, your face is all rosy, I really want to kiss it." Li Hua had nearly finished his paper, squirming as he spoke, "I like you so much."

"You idiot, that's just from doing the paper until his face turned red-hot!" Ma Guojun adjusted his black-framed glasses, his face flushed, "I swear on your mom, you idiot, get lost."

Jiang Nian paused his pen and couldn't help but applaud Ma Guojun.

Thank goodness, he's a warrior.

The test wasn't very difficult; he had already powered his way through to the last two big problems. He lost a few points along the way, but it didn't matter—losing points on a math test was normal.

What, why wouldn't the class monitor lose points?

How would I know.

One hundred and thirty was the watershed for the strong; sneaking in wasn't impossible. But to consistently maintain one-thirty, that was what it took to rank among the top of Class Three in math.

The most magical thing about math exams was that you simply couldn't feel time passing.

Ding-dong!

The moment school was out, Jiang Nian took off running.

While waiting in line at the cafeteria, he turned his head and spotted Xu Qianqian and Song Xiyun in the next line over, and couldn't help being surprised.

"Where did you two pop out from?"

"We caught up from behind." Xu Qianqian had the upper hand and smiled smugly, deliberately trying to annoy him.

"Oh dear, Jiang Nian, why isn't your line moving?"

"Annoying, how would I know!" Jiang Nian was getting a bit heated, "I can't stand it, what are the people up front doing, sneaking in transactions at the cafeteria window!"

"Ew, so crude." Xu Qianqian showed a look of disgust.

Song Xiyun beside them hadn't said a word from the start, just staring at Jiang Nian for a few glances. Suddenly she whispered something to Xu Qianqian, and the two girls burst into laughter together.

"What's so funny?" Jiang Nian looked down at his pants.

Good, no indescribable bulge, or any folded corner that could cause misunderstanding. So what's so funny? If they can't say it, he'll pin them down one by one.

"Xiyun said you have a cowlick sticking up on your head." Xu Qianqian laughed.

"You little punk." Jiang Nian pointed straight at Song Xiyun.

"I didn't do it on purpose." Song Xiyun stepped back, using Xu Qianqian to block that someone's gaze, "You can go look in a mirror yourself, there really is one."

The line shuffled forward again, but unfortunately it wasn't the line Jiang Nian was in.

This was the most urgent he'd ever been at school—why wasn't it moving! It was one thing that the whole line wasn't moving, but only his line wasn't moving, he really wanted to die.

No, the one who should die wasn't him, it was someone else.

"Xu Qianqian, get me some food."

"No, refused!"

"Then you get me some food." Jiang Nian immediately shifted his target, turning to look at the girl hiding behind Xu Qianqian, "Caught you talking bad about me, if you don't get me food, I'll go to your class and arrest you."

Song Xiyun instantly got a bit flustered and could only nod.

"O... okay, but I didn't say anything bad about... you."

She couldn't handle Jiang Nian, she simply didn't dare face him head-on—every time she'd be utterly routed by him, so she could only put up a feeble resistance.

"You..." Before Xu Qianqian could speak, she was cut off by a blue meal card thrust in her face.

"I'm treating you both, swipe my card."

Jiang Nian activated his ability.

Last time he ate the shrimp dumplings Song Xiyun bought, and he never found a chance to pay her back.

Normally he didn't run into Song Xiyun, so this time he'd seized the chance. After eating he'd buy two boxes of ridiculously expensive milk and clear the favor in one go.

"Excuse me, are these two seats taken?" Two pretty-looking girls stood in the aisle holding their trays, "I don't see any books placed here."

"Oh, sorry, they're taken." Jiang Nian glanced over, pointing at the phone and keys placed there, "They went to get food, they'll be here in a bit."

The two girls, hearing this, could only leave.

After a while, Xu Qianqian and Song Xiyun came over.

Song Xiyun handed the tray to Jiang Nian, and along with it passed over a pair of chopsticks.

"Here, and the card."

"Alright." Jiang Nian got his chicken leg rice as wished, and pocketed the meal card.

Xu Qianqian asked, "Were those two just now your classmates?"

"No, they were asking about the seats." Jiang Nian explained casually, "Wait, you two watch over my chicken leg rice, I'm going to the shop to buy a drink."

"Oh."

Jiang Nian had just left when Xu Qianqian said.

"Great, we have drinks now."

"Huh?" Song Xiyun looked blank, a bit puzzled, "We didn't ask him to bring any."

"Oh well, he's just like that anyway." Xu Qianqian didn't know how to explain it either, happily, "Anyway, don't worry about it, just consider it robbing the rich to help the poor."

"R-really?" Song Xiyun pointed in a certain direction, "He seems to be talking to a girl, and they look pretty close." "Really?" Xu Qianqian stood up to take a look.

Jiang Nian was indeed chatting with a girl, though that girl was plain-looking. From the looks of it, she was just sitting there eating, somewhat exasperated by Jiang Nian coming over to strike up a conversation.

"Oh, must be a member of his group." Xu Qianqian sat back down and said.

"Empress Fangfang, what a coincidence, running into you even while eating." Jiang Nian grinned, looking at Huang Fang who was reading a biology booklet on the side, as if meeting an old friend in a foreign land.

"We only saw each other yesterday on the road—you scared me half to death." Huang Fang was speechless. Who among her family understands? She ran into a guy from her group while eating.

Empress Fangfang's family was poor; they lived in a remote mountain ravine in a small town Jiang Nian had never visited.

There were no direct buses from town; you had to transfer at the township.

Thanks to the state's New Rural Program, every household now had a hardened cement road leading to their door.

Life had improved a little, but not completely.

She was the kind who "cannot be robbed of her resolve"; whenever she had free time, she was always reading.

She embodied "effort determines outcome"—a pure-blooded mortal emperor.

In East China, some people treat the college entrance exam like a game of luck, others like a battle for progress. For Huang Fang, the exam was vital, and she never found it tiring.

Who would pick and choose the optimal solution?

"Really? When?" Jiang Nian remembered, but didn't want to admit it. "By the way, wait here for me—don't run off."

Huang Fang was dazed. She looked down at her full tray.

Had she eaten that fast?

After about two minutes, Jiang Nian returned from the small store, carrying a large bag.

Thud. A box of Fruit-Particle Milk stood beside Huang Fang.

"I'm treating the whole group to drinks—I gave yours ahead of time." Jiang Nian raised an eyebrow, pressed his hand down. "No need to thank me—I'm leaving."

Huang Fang's mouth hung slightly open as she watched Jiang Nian drop a carton of milk and then dash off without another word.

For a moment, she truly didn't know what to say.

By the time she realized she should thank him, Jiang Nian had already vanished.

She glanced at the direction he'd disappeared, then down at the Fruit-Particle Milk standing beside her table. She guessed most of it already—yet still didn't know what to say.

Though Jiang Nian talked big, he genuinely treated group members to snacks every few days.

But since he'd said it that way, and she knew his nature, Huang Fang couldn't refuse. She'd just keep it in mind and repay him when the chance came.

On the other side of the cafeteria.

"Why were you gone so long?" Xu Qianqian looked up at him.

"Nothing. Ran into someone from my group." Jiang Nian sat down and handed drinks to the two girls. "For you—I was planning to treat my group anyway."

"Boss is generous!" Xu Qianqian accepted with a smile.

Ever since childhood, Jiang Nian had never eaten less than her share. Being treated was perfectly natural—she'd happily rob him daily until he was broke.

But the chance of meeting in the cafeteria was too low—even if you faced someone you knew, a surge of crowds could make you miss them entirely.

"Thank you," Song Xiyun whispered.

She rarely crossed paths with Jiang Nian; she usually left early or late for evening self-study because her school was far, and she had to wait for Zhao Qiuxue to pick her up.

Today was a rare occasion—all three eating together. A cause for universal celebration.

After lunch, Jiang Nian returned to the classroom.

He placed one box of Fruit-Particle Milk on each desk in Group Six, and also bought some for Ma Guojun and Yao Beibei—truly, everyone got one.

He didn't buy any for Chen Yunyun and the others because they usually bought their own. Besides, going through all this trouble would be inappropriate.

After all, was this just an afterthought—or something else?

Better to invite privately, one-on-one.

Afternoon. End of nap.

After waking, the classroom was nearly full.

Li Hua saw the drinks and instantly beamed.

"For me?"

"For the dog."

Li Hua's smile vanished.

Ceng You, Wu Jungu, and Lin Dong entered together. Ever since sharing a dorm, their bond had skyrocketed—they returned to the dorm and came to class at the same time.

"Holy shit, again Jiang Nian's treating?"

"Thank you."

Zhang Nengzhi arrived last and saw a box of Fruit-Particle Milk on her desk. Remembering last time, she guessed everyone in the group had one.

Still, she was delighted and sweetly said, "Thank you."

Then she remembered something and gave someone a subtle dig.

"Some people steal my drinks and never say thank you."

Jiang Nian thought for a moment, then spoke.

"Then thank you."

"That's showing off."

"Then don't thank me. Why don't you say thank you to me?" Jiang Nian said with utter shamelessness. "I stole your drink for your own good—drinking it won't make you fat?"

Zhang Nengzhi: "."

(End of Chapter)