Chapter 259: On the Surface, the Enemy Lurks in the Dark Watching

Pity?

Li Qingrong didn't understand what was pitiable, but lowered her eyes to think for a moment, then looked up and said seriously.

"Just three months short."

Jiang Nian thought three months wouldn't work either — driver's licenses are strictly managed now. The rules require you to be an adult to register and take the test; not even one day late is allowed.

In the old days, take a driving test?

Test my ass — gramps just threw money down and bought one outright.

As far as Jiang Nian knew, a certain relative of the Jiang family had bought their license that way. A rough, uneducated guy who couldn't pass the test no matter how many times he tried — couldn't read a word, just stood there dumbfounded — so he had to throw money at it.

Four thousand five, front to back, and he got it.

As for actually driving — before he even got the license, that old rascal had already been on the road for several years. Ask him and he'd say life's tough, old driver here, totally reliable.

Set off at night, whether you got caught was pure luck, plus intel from various networks.

Later when license checks got strict, a friend warned him to buy one now or it'd be too late. So he gritted his teeth, spent the money, found a connection, and got himself a license.

He vaguely remembered, a few years back at the New Year's dinner table. That elder, neck flushed red from drinking, was shooting the breeze and bragging with a circle of middle-aged elders including Old Jiang.

The talk drifted to driving schools, and somehow an argument broke out.

That old bastard was a real character — with a loud slap he slapped his driver's license down on the table. Striking a cocky, picture-less pose, he swept his gaze around and said.

"2007, Huang'an Driving School, no internet, just register on the spot — there wasn't even a network back then. Four thousand five!"

The relatives around him sucked in a collective cold breath and crowded forward to look.

"Bro, you really bought it?"

"Yep, that's the one."

An even older bastard came over, leaned his head in for a look, and started bragging even bigger.

"Back in the nineties, I was in Guangdong learning to drive big rigs, knew a guy who bought a license for eight thousand. No internet back then either, and ID cards were still fifteen digits."

"His uncle, can you still buy one now?"

"What are you kidding about — every place has people making a living off this. But now it's all networked, if you can take the test just take it slow. Sign up for a guaranteed-pass class, yeah?"

"But if you can't pass, isn't that a headache?"

"Poke-la, it's the instructor who gets the headache."

You could only say it was a line of mother cows — one 'badass' right after another.

Old bastards love running their mouths when they're drunk, so the content isn't very credible. But at least thirty percent is true — meaning back then management really wasn't that standardized.

Don't even think about it now; better to just spend three or four thousand yourself and cram for a month to finish the test.

Jiang Nian came back to his senses and shook his head.

"Class monitor, this one really does require being an adult."

Li Qingrong frowned slightly and asked.

"Why?"

"Huh? It's the law." Jiang Nian didn't know how to explain — his mind was all on the driver's license. "I should be fine, but you, class monitor, wouldn't work."

Wait, he seemed to have forgotten to say something.

Li Qingrong hummed, her tone flat and even.

"Can't you wait three months?"

"It's not that I can't, I'm still considering it." Jiang Nian looked up, hesitated for a few seconds. "Class monitor, are you planning to take the driving test too?"

Li Qingrong froze for a few seconds, then pulled her gaze back from Jiang Nian and picked up her pen.

"Mm."

Jiang Nian was delighted — he felt he'd finally found a common topic — and said enthusiastically.

"I might sign up first, take Subject One or something."

The classroom was bustling; the vast majority of people had gone out. After all, it was the ten-minute evening break between the second and third periods, with periods three and four being back-to-back evening self-study.

Throughout the whole process, it was almost Jiang Nian talking by himself.

Li Qingrong just listened with her head down, seemingly doing problems. But her pen moved very slowly — looking closely, there was zero progress, effectively stalled.

"So have you signed up?"

At those words, Jiang Nian's voice cut off abruptly.

"No."

So after all that blabber, the result was a dwarf in action.

"Ahem, the current difficulty is signing up without my parents knowing." Jiang Nian was a bit embarrassed. "Taking Subject One doesn't really get in the way — you can just go take it directly."

"Mm." Li Qingrong nodded and said nothing.

Just then the class bell rang, and the chat ended there.

When Li Hua and the others came back into the classroom, Jiang Nian perked up again. After letting Zhang Ningzhi into her seat, he chatted with them about other things.

Zhang Ningzhi was in a good mood — she had already placed an order for a seat cushion.

But considering whether two packages would be too light to use as an excuse, and forcing herself to ask would seem too contrived, she simply ordered six in one go.

They were all friends she hung out with anyway, so she'd give one more to Empress Fangfang.

Perfect.

She couldn't carry six packages alone, so she needed a certain little thief to put in a little "labor." Of course, it wasn't entirely without reward.

They would get a brand-new free seat cushion, plus her praise.

At the thought, her body instantly brimmed with energy.

Back at her seat, she suddenly realized the "drawback" of being desk mates — that is, being too used to each other, so certain people often just ignored her outright.

Rather chat with the boys than chat with her.

But less than a second later, she dismissed the thought from her mind, thinking it was too selfish—didn't others have their own preferences?

With a sense of guilt, she pulled out the book listlessly.

But accidentally, it fell with a sharp *pa* onto the desk.

Jiang Nian jumped, thinking: Why is Baby Zhizhi upset again? I didn't even provoke her.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing." Zhang Nenzhi blinked, gently placing the book down, sighing bitterly, "I want to go back to sleep, but there are still two evening self-study sessions left."

Under the pale light, the noisy classroom glowed brightly.

"That's true—I'm fine," Jiang Nian thought, then said, "Wait a sec," and stood up right away from his seat.

Zhang Nenzhi turned in confusion, her gaze following Jiang Nian's back.

Watching him walk up to Discipline Committee Cai Xiaoqing and say something—probably making up an excuse again.

"Discipline Committee, I'm going to the restroom," Jiang Nian didn't hide it at all.

He'd already planned his reply: if Cai Xiaoqing asked why he didn't go during break, he'd just say, "I didn't feel the need right after class."

But Cai Xiaoqing merely glanced at him.

"Mm."

Jiang Nian's excuse was already on his lips, but Cai Xiang's single word slammed it back down.

"Alright, thanks, Cai Xiang."

Yu Tongjie beside him grew annoyed and snapped.

"I need to use the restroom too."

Cai Xiaoqing ignored him, continuing to write her homework.

The unspoken meaning: I didn't say you couldn't go—if you're truly desperate, just go. But if you get caught or the homeroom teacher asks, that's on you for not asking me.

Watching Jiang Nian leave the classroom, the ignored Yu Tongjie grew angrier.

"Why can he go but not me?"

*Tap. * Cai Xiaoqing stopped writing, staring coldly at Yu Tongjie.

"When did I say you couldn't go?"

"Then why don't you just say yes?!" Yu Tongjie was also getting heated.

He'd been worn down these past two days—constantly on edge, seething with rage.

Who the hell dug up his real info in the cheating group? A knife's been dangling over his neck for ages, never falling.

Fuck, it just keeps swaying around, hunting for the right angle.

Everyone dies eventually—Yu Tongjie wasn't afraid of blowing up with that idiot. After all, only someone in the same group could guess his info—so why pretend?

Might as well die together—let's see whose backend is stronger.

But he couldn't bear the knife constantly hovering at his throat, popping into his mind at random moments. He couldn't let it go, and the other side never responded.

Fuck, he'd fallen into the dark forest.

He was in the light; the enemy lurked in the shadows, watching him.

The situation had reached the point where he was the fish, entirely waiting for the other side to act—whether it was a prank or a real strike.

No matter how you looked at it, these days were unbearable.

Precisely because of this, Yu Tongjie's Dao heart had grown unstable these past few days—he was practically a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest spark.

Hearing this, Cai Xiaoqing frowned in displeasure.

"Decide for yourself—if you want to go, go. Take responsibility yourself."

"So after all that, you're just refusing?" Yu Tongjie hadn't endured this much frustration since before entering this class—he'd almost forgotten.

He wasn't some meek, obedient little lamb—he was

"Do you want to use the restroom or what?" Cai Xiaoqing grew impatient. "Does approval matter? I said if you want to go, go."

"Then why did you approve when Jiang Nian went?" Yu Tongjie's temper flared.

"I approved what?" Cai Xiaoqing said.

"You said 'mm'—isn't that approval?" His voice rose. "When I said I wanted to go, you didn't even respond—how is this not obvious favoritism?"

The whole class turned to look at the two arguing.

"Why are you two fighting?"

"No idea. Seems like someone started it."

Li Hua couldn't take it anymore—he wasn't the least bit intimidated by that idiot Yu Tongjie.

"If you wanna go, just go—why are you wasting time arguing?"

"What's it to you?" Yu Tongjie snapped back at Li Hua; they'd crossed paths before, weren't total strangers. "Mind your own business!"

"You idiot, talking about your mom?" Li Hua was already preparing to stand up and solve this physically.

Ma Guojun blocked him, pulling him back.

"Dog bit you? Don't go."

Fortunately, it was just an argument. After ten seconds, Yu Tongjie calmed down himself, realizing he'd painted himself into a corner, so he apologized to Cai Xiaoqing.

"Sorry, I was just a bit…"

Cai Xiaoqing naturally wouldn't hold grudges against classmates—if she did, she couldn't serve as Discipline Committee.

"It's fine."

Not long after, Jiang Nian returned and immediately sensed the tense atmosphere.

Friendly recommendation: *The Demon Lord*

Immortals are just cultivation methods—demons can also open the door to eternal life.

Born unlike any mortal guest, I tread upon white bones to become the Lord of the Dao.

—

Born within the demon sect, why can I not cultivate to attain the true fruit?

Since I am reborn in this grand era where immortals and demons stand together and gods and Buddhas preach the Dao, Ying Chen shall climb step by step, ascending tier by tier, until the moment he turns back, he can see all directions bow their heads and reverently call out the title of Lord of the Dao!