Chapter 28

Jiang Nian didn't care who whispered behind his back, couldn't be shaken, and wouldn't reflect on himself.

After all, reputation is mixed—good and bad—you must live as your own weirdo.

High school is a small society; among any three people, there's bound to be an idiot.

Their mouths are their own; one word—idiot—and they've sealed your fate. You can only curse their mothers in your heart, do nothing else, so better pretend you don't know.

Rather than doubt yourself, blame others.

Lemon Branch: "I can't say it—it feels wrong to betray someone."

Jiang Nian was speechless, clicked her avatar, and prepared to delete her.

If you won't speak, you're an accomplice—what's the difference between you and someone standing by kicking me? Your kindness is nice, but Mom-hunting is my ultimate skill.

Ding—next second.

Lemon Branch: "I'm talking about something else now—do you know Yu Tongjie well in class?"

Jiang Nian's finger moved off the delete button; he disliked her tone just now, but he admired Lemon Branch Baby's flexible boundaries.

A friend is someone you bond with by letting go of minor moral constraints—in other words, "Don't be friends with a saint."

Tolerance for friends: 1. Cannot betray the country or break the law; 2. I must have the right to know.

I may not support, but I won't condemn.

"Yu Tongjie? Isn't he the guy who got promoted to Class Four with us?" Jiang Nian typed back rapidly, then found typing inconvenient: "Can you use voice?"

Lemon Branch: "I..."

Jiang Nian: "Your phone dead?"

Zhang Ningzhi weakly replied: "You call me."

A slightly noisy ringtone sounded for about five seconds, followed by a rustling sound—faintly, the wind howling outside, as if she'd taken the call on the balcony.

"What did Yu Tongjie say about me?" he cut straight to the point.

The moment to test friendship had arrived.

On the other end of the line, Zhang Ningzhi swallowed hard and whispered, "He said... you got promoted by cheating on the exam—I've already refuted him."

"Cheating?" Jiang Nian's tone grew slightly displeased.

Angry, trembling, cold—just because it's off doesn't mean it's on? What kind of external judge!

Hearing Jiang Nian's tone, Zhang Ningzhi's heart pounded with tension: "Don't get mad—I believe you. We sat right behind each other during the exam..."

Jiang Nian wasn't mad at all—same as always: their mouths are their own.

Hands itchy. Need a knife.

Listening to her babbling reassurances—"Next time score higher," "There's a monthly test," "Distance reveals a horse's strength"—Jiang Nian wanted to laugh.

"Don't go fight them—it'll drop your tier," Zhang Ningzhi said nervously. "What others say doesn't matter—just be yourself."

"Mm-hmm, got it." Jiang Nian wasn't kind, but he liked kind, beautiful girls.

As for Yu Tongjie—he was just a petty schemer.

Finally, Zhang Ningzhi, unable to hide it, feigned casualness but asked very obviously:

"Why didn't you add me?"

"Uh... aren't we front-and-back desks? I just didn't think of it in class. Only after vacation did I remember, and I was about to add you—you added me first."

"Oh, okay. But you added a girl in class who blows huge bubbles," Zhang Ningzhi said softly.

Wait, what?

We're just friends, Baby—why are you so possessive?

"Do you pay this much attention to me normally?"

"Huh?" Zhang Ningzhi froze, instantly flustered: "No... I didn't, it was just... don't overthink it, I... I'm kind of sleepy."

The voice call ended abruptly. Jiang Nian clicked his tongue, tossed his phone aside, and left the room.

In the living room, his mom was still texting on the sofa. Seeing Jiang Nian come out, she softened her grin slightly—but remembering his grades, her face hardened again.

"One of my coworkers's son, Yu Tongjie, seems to be in your class too—both promoted. Ring any bells? Want me to take you over sometime?"

He never hid anything. "Yeah—he just told someone I got promoted by cheating on the exam."

Hearing this, Li Hongmei's expression changed.

"What a nasty person. Stay away from him. I was even thinking of getting the two families together for dinner—now it's pointless. Goodwill fed to a dog."

Jiang Nian smiled. His temper clearly came from his mom.

The next day.

On the first day of National Day, Jiang Nian lay in bed all day.

Zhang Ningzhi hadn't said a word since last night; Jiang Nian didn't care. He didn't know why, but since the Divorce System arrived, his mindset had changed.

Life is a block of tofu—even rotten, it's still just tofu dregs.

If he followed his original life path, he'd divorce someday, burn out without promotion or raise. Poor when young, exhausted before he even got old.

Jiang Nian had made peace with it—happiness comes from self-effort. Deep Blue points!

He only left his room at dusk and found Mr. Xu from across the hall chatting with his own dad—stunned.

"Mr. Xu? Off today?"

In his memory, Xu Qianqian's father was always busy—a workaholic king. He'd heard Mr. Xu was supposed to transfer hospitals but stayed because of Xu Qianqian.

"Mm. Xiao Nian, awake?" Director Xu smiled warmly. "Your mom said you got into the Olympiad—big improvement."

Jiang Nian stood there and chatted with Mr. Xu.

"Something like that. Memorized some books."

Li Hongmei poked her head out of the kitchen, glanced at Jiang Nian laughing in the living room, and frowned.

"You've played all day—go call Qianqian over for dinner."

Since Xu Qianqian's mother passed away five or six years ago, the two families have basically spent every major and minor holiday together each year. Door to door, it's convenient—just a matter of adding two pairs of chopsticks.

"Oh."

The opposite door was ajar. Jiang Nian sauntered in and took a look—Xu Qianqian's bedroom door was open. She was sprawled over the desk doing homework; hearing the movement, she glanced back.

"Are you done with your homework?"

"Nope, planning to copy yours." Jiang Nian took the chance to sit on her bed, yawned once, and lay right down. "The ones I know how to do, I don't want to do; the ones I don't, I'll look at later."

"Get off, don't sleep on my bed." Xu Qianqian couldn't stand the sight of him. "Filthy—get out!"

"I didn't even go out today."

"Still dirty."

"Suit yourself. Hey, I'm telling you to come eat." Jiang Nian sat up from the bed, stood beside her looking at the test paper, then suddenly pointed at one spot and said, "This word is written wrong."

"What's wrong with it? That's how it's supposed to be." Xu Qianqian glanced over, a little uncertain.

"It's wrong. The correct way to write it is..." He casually Baidu'd it, set his phone down on the desk, finished showing off and vanished. "Remember to come over for dinner, the food's ready."

Leaving Miss alone, she stared blankly at the test paper, and after a long while a thought popped into her head.

Did he really memorize the whole thing?

At dinner, the adults were basically chatting away; the meal would basically drag on very late before breaking up. Jiang Nian and Xu Qianqian ate extremely fast, put down their bowls, and exchanged a knowing glance.

"Mom, I'm going next door to do homework."