Chapter 298: Pressure from Qingbao

The next day.

Jiang Nian woke up early and entered the classroom at around 6:20 as usual.

Chatting with Li Qingrong last night was genuinely nice, just a bit too short. He had no idea what they even talked about—one "mm-hm" and it was over.

He was half-asleep and didn't think much of it.

Perhaps some people are only interesting to talk to in person; online they come across as dull.

Yu Zhiyi, buried under a mountain of test papers and with tomorrow's coming-of-age ceremony looming, had gotten up early on purpose to grind through problems. She sat pressed close to the desk, little Yu sprawled across it to take the weight off.

She looked up, saw it was Jiang Nian, and her face went blank with surprise.

"Why are you here so early?"

Jiang Nian slapped his bag down onto the chair with a snap, striking an extremely pretentious pose.

"Always this early. Because I believe heaven rewards the diligent."

Seeing this, Yu Zhiyi immediately broke into a cartoon-sweatdrop, thinking to herself: How did Jiang Nian escape from the mental hospital again?

First thing in the morning and he's already cringing.

She said, "Heaven rewards the diligent, but your name isn't Jiang Qin."

Jiang Nian's act fell flat.

"Kid, that wasn't funny at all."

"Really? I think I've got plenty of humor cells in me."

Yu Zhiyi bickered with Jiang Nian out of habit, well aware that this guy's mouth was viciously sharp. If she didn't seize the initiative, she'd inevitably be dragged into a passive position.

"So, if you can't get my sense of humor, you should look for the reason on yourself."

"Look for a damn market, look." Jiang Nian picked up two thermos cups, ready to go fill them with water, and shot her a hard glare as he left.

Just as he was about to leave through the back door, Yu Zhiyi suddenly called out to him.

"Hey, fill some water for me, will you?"

Jiang Nian's steps stalled, and he turned around and walked back.

"Oh, okay."

Hearing that, Yu Zhiyi's smile widened, and she said sweetly.

"Thanks~"

The next second, she watched Jiang Nian squat down right there in the aisle to tie his shoelaces. She froze, thinking: Shouldn't he be taking the cup first at a time like this?

As for whether she feared Jiang Nian might do something to her cup—no, she didn't.

He wouldn't go that far.

However, after Jiang Nian finished tying his laces, he simply walked off, muttering to himself.

"Crazy woman, I'm tying my shoelace, what are you thanking me for?"

The smile on Yu Zhiyi's face froze instantly, and she nearly ground her molars to dust.

"Bastard."

Morning self-study.

The class recited their books listlessly, the buzz of chatting slowly drowning out the sound of reading aloud.

"Bro, did the outfit arrive?" Huang Cailang asked.

"Today, probably, shipped express." Yang Qiming laughed heartily, a touch proud of himself. "Relax, Cailang, it'll definitely arrive on time."

"Ha, alright." Huang Cailang's laugh was a strained one.

The moment he lowered his head, his face went a few shades paler. He didn't want to do something this embarrassing—could he even keep his face if he wore the Big Monster Little Monster costume?

Originally, Huang Cailang had assumed it was just a joke.

But later he realized he was wrong—spectacularly wrong.

But once the bow is drawn there's no turning back the arrow; telling Brother Yang to cancel now was clearly too late. After all, the money had already been spent—even though it wasn't his own money, but…

He thought of the late-night snacks Brother Yang had treated him to, and finally understood that every gift from fate comes with a price tag quietly marked in advance.

"What outfit?" Zhou Yuting couldn't help but ask.

Those two had been playing guessing games this whole time, laughing back and forth—it was getting annoying.

"The outfit for tomorrow, it's almost here." Yang Qiming was genuinely pleased with this Big Monster costume, and he deliberately pulled out his backup phone to show Zhou Yuting.

Before pulling out the phone, he even took a deliberate glance at the classroom door.

Zhou Yuting took one look and was thoroughly dumbfounded.

"You guys are wearing that outfit? Are you insane?"

"Tch, no appreciation." Yang Qiming didn't care. He thought for a moment, then casually flexed on his QQ Moments, blocking all his high school classmates from seeing it.

【Eighteen-year-old me, be brave once.】

After posting the QQ update, he tucked his phone inside his book. He opened his middle school friends list one by one, eagerly stalking each person's profile.

"This kid, fought with me over a girl, went off to Hangzhou to be a barber apprentice."

"Xie Linlin, damn, isn't that the little class beauty? Seems like she got into the North Campus. What does she post all day? Just half-face selfies."

"Xiao Qiting, she's pretty good-looking too. Damn, no access permission!"

The corners of Yang Qiming's mouth curled up, completely lost in the sweet memories of middle school. He vaguely recalled that green, innocent, half-understood crush.

The person he liked was Xiao Qiting—alas, it had always been hidden deep in his heart, never confessed.

The coming-of-age ceremony was tomorrow—should he be brave for once?

Yang Qiming opened the chat window, gulped, nervously typed out a line, and mustered his courage to send it.

"You there?"

The other party's phone showed online, yet there was no reply.

He refused to believe it, and sent another message.

"Old classmate, how've you been lately? (Haha)"

He pressed send, and a line of small text popped up.

【Send failed. Please add the other party as a friend first.】

Sun Zhicheng took advantage of the break between first period to sneak a peek at his phone.

Friday, after English class ended was the safest time.

He tapped open the class group chat, originally wanting to check whether Chen Yunyun had said anything in the group yesterday. To get firsthand intel and commit it to memory.

This was a tactic he'd picked up from online chatting — know yourself and know the enemy, and every battle will be a victory.

First gather information, chat normally. Work at it through casual details, showing that although he seemed world-weary, he'd actually been paying attention to her all along.

I! Have been watching you all along!

Just thinking about it was enough to make him melt.

He skillfully tapped open the group chat, planning to do a precise search of the group messages. He typed in Chen Yunyun, and soon seven or eight historical message records from last night appeared.

Sun Zhicheng tapped open the first one. 【Underwater Moon (Chen Yunyun): Someone from the next class over wore a red formal dress, saw the finished garment, so pretty.】

He silently noted down the key intel about the next class's red formal dress, and scrolled down one by one.

Suddenly, he saw a message sent by a familiar id.

Gan Le Ge Shuang (Lin Dong): "@Underwater Moon, that pretty thing from the next class is bullshit, she came out to fetch water in the middle of the night, nearly scared me to death."

Underwater Moon: "You don't understand girls' aesthetics."

Lin Dong: "Meaning the dress looks good, didn't look at the face, huh?"

Underwater Moon: "@Gan Le Ge Shuang (Lin Dong), group leader, what's with that nickname of yours?"

Lin Dong: "(Hehe) Ah-Cheng's secret."

Seeing this, Sun Zhicheng's face instantly went pitch black, he completely couldn't hold it in anymore.

He grabbed Lin Dong, who was lying on the desk catching up on sleep, by the neck and shook him violently!

"Holy shit! You're really not human! Change it for me right now!"

Lin Dong was shaken awake, completely dazed.

"What?"

Not until Sun Zhicheng held his phone up in front of him did Lin Dong finally realize.

"Not changing it."

Jiang Nian liked to play on his phone during the morning long break — strictly speaking, this was the safest time.

Old Liu wouldn't launch a surprise inspection at a time like this, so he could relax and play.

Although the head teacher wouldn't catch him either, and would turn a blind eye even if he saw. But if he was too brazen, Old Liu would lose face too.

Buzz, a new message popped up.

The only person who'd send him a message at a time like this was Chen Yunyun.

After all, Zhang Ningzhi sat next to him every day, so there was almost no need to message in the classroom. As for everyone else, they wouldn't use their phones during break even more.

Chen Yunyun: "Guess what we'll be wearing tomorrow. (Tee-hee)"

"A dress, right?"

Chen Yunyun: "(Shy) How did you know?"

"I sneaked a peek when you were changing."

Chen Yunyun: "(Knock knock) (Left hmph)."

"What kind of dress? Aren't you going down for morning exercises?"

Chen Yunyun replied, "Asked for leave. As for what kind of dress, can't say, anyway you'll find out tomorrow."

Jiang Nian was about to head out the classroom door, thought for a moment, then replied.

"What if I ask for leave tomorrow?"

Chen Yunyun: "Then you won't get to see it."

Jiang Nian walked down the stairs along the corridor bathed in sunlight, saw Chen Yunyun's soft reply and couldn't help but smile — her counterattack had no force at all.

He didn't reply, casually stuffed his phone in his pocket and strolled down the stairs.

Perhaps because of the coming-of-age ceremony, the morning seemed to have been put on fast-forward. High-intensity problem-solving, and just like that the difficult problems were explained away.

Apart from time spent in the bathroom and napping during breaks, the remaining moments simply weren't enough for the class to catch their breath.

Five minutes before the end of school.

Biology teacher Qingbao timed it perfectly to end her lecture, she set her lesson plan aside and addressed the whole class.

"In another two or three weeks, the first round of review will be completely finished. As far as I know, the progress of other subjects is pretty much the same."

Hearing this, the restless class instantly fell silent.

Qingbao paused, then spoke again.

"The end of the first round also means you're already very close to the college entrance exam. Students whose biology fundamentals are relatively weak need to step it up."

The class buzzed for a moment, someone asked.

"Teacher, isn't there still a second round?"

"The second round only covers key points, won't go into detail." Qingbao's face showed a rather cute smile, like a diligent girl managing her QQ Farm.

The class instantly grew restless again, someone asked another question.

"Teacher, what about the third round?"

"The third round mainly focuses on exams and going over test papers, basically no new lectures." Qingbao explained.

Right then the dismissal bell rang.

Qingbao called out to Jiang Nian, asking him to stay a moment.

At her seat, Zhang Ningzhi sneakily turned her head to glance at him and asked in a small voice.

"What did the teacher want you for?"

He rubbed his face. "Probably to ask about your zoning out in class. I'll definitely tell her everything."

"Nonsense! You're the one who zones out in class!" Baby Zhizhi said huffily. "You sleeping in English class is so obvious, you were practically falling off your seat."

"Nonsense, just conserving my energy." Jiang Nian suddenly thought of something and glanced at the girl in her seat. "What clothes are you wearing tomorrow?"

"I'm not telling you!"

"Suit yourself, I'll just ask Yao Bei Bei." Jiang Nian's mouth curved up as he prepared to walk toward the podium. "Yao Bei Bei will definitely tell me."

"You're not allowed to ask!"

"I'm going to ask anyway."

In the hallway.

Jiang Nian followed behind Qingbao and asked curiously.

"Teacher, you wanted to see me?"

"Mm, one round of review is about to end." Qingbao turned to look at him. "I found a few sets of test papers for you, to solidify your foundation."

"Find time to do them this week, and hand them in next week for me to grade."

This wasn't just extra tutoring anymore, it was outright, aboveboard special supply.

Closed-door disciple confirmed.

Hearing this, Jiang Nian's first reaction was happiness.

Hehe, Qingbao really loves me.

After the excitement passed, reality set in again.

"Teacher, the 'a few' test papers you mentioned." Jiang Nian scratched his head and said awkwardly, "Is this number greater than six?"

Qingbao stopped her steps going downstairs and turned to look at him. Since she was walking in front, she could only look up at Jiang Nian.

"How could that be."

Hearing this, Jiang Nian secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's good then."

Unexpectedly, Qingbao said with an expression like she was looking at an idiot.

"It's definitely more than six. How could three or four test papers find and fill the gaps? These are all test papers I bought privately, with questions picked out from them."

"Jiang Nian, don't let me down."

He could barely hold it in. "Teacher, after I finish them all I could become a biologist."

"That's not quite it, high school knowledge is fairly basic." Qingbao waved her hand, then asked tentatively, "Could it be that you're interested in biology as a major?"

"No, not at all." Jiang Nian shook his head.

Purely because of the pretty biology teacher, he had so much patience with the biology course. If some old man were teaching it, getting seventy-something on biology would be plenty.

Damn, is this even a Gao Zhongsheng?

Isn't this perverted?

Yes.

Hearing Jiang Nian admit in person that he didn't like biology as a major, Qingbao was as dejected as a little figure squatting in a corner drawing circles.

"I think biology is still pretty interesting."

Jiang Nian instantly broke out in a cold sweat. "I'll do them, teacher, I'll do them, okay?"

"Is it willingly?" Qingbao stared at him with burning eyes.

"Yes." Jiang Nian was drenched in sweat.

The two went down to the first floor and entered the empty science office.

The sunlight by the window was just right, and the noisy chatter of students being dismissed outside filtered into the office. Only faint traces of sound remained, making it seem all the more quiet.

Jiang Nian skillfully brewed tea for Qingbao, wisps of white steam curling upward.

"Teacher, I'm curious, why not hand out the test papers to the whole class to do?"

"They have test papers, five of them." Qingbao spread her palm and gestured a terrifying number. "Yours are separate, and not suitable to hand out."

Jiang Nian was stunned, silently adding up the biology test papers he had to do.

Holy shit, can't count them on two hands.

Perhaps even Qingbao felt it was a bit outrageous, and she guiltily held her cup and sipped jasmine tea with a slurping sound. Silently not speaking, pretending to be an innocent little lotus flower.

Sigh, when did she learn this passive skill?

Qingbao herself wasn't sure either, she just used it directly anyway. Training a closed-door disciple was also a performance point for her.

Jiang Nian's biology grades actually still had room for improvement.

His foundation was really too solid. Even a small line of text in the book—as long as it was printed on it, he remembered every word clearly.

Biology was different from other subjects; having a good memory made him a good candidate.

"Teacher, you this—"

"Squeeze it out, time is like a sponge." Qingbao cut in. "I see you're usually pretty leisurely, which proves you still have a lot of time."

"People need to rest, teacher."

Qingbao waved her hand. "It's not that exaggerated. If you talked to girls a little less, that time would be squeezed right out."

Jiang Nian: "..."

Truly ridiculous, Qingbao was even playing the stereotype seal now.

But then again, with a week and a half left, if he wanted to raise his scores, he actually didn't know where to start.

The papers Qingbao gave were a lot, but at least they pointed in a direction.

Better to take action than waste time.

"Alright then, thank you, Teacher." Jiang Nian said solemnly.

"It's nothing, no need to thank me." Qingbao was also a little embarrassed—after all, she was the one squeezing Jiang Nian this hard; it was hard not to feel awkward about it.

Then, seizing the chance, Jiang Nian told Qingbao about the difficulties he was currently facing in his studies.

The joint exam at the end of the month—aim for six hundred.

Qingbao once again pulled out a grade sheet, on which she had manually recorded Jiang Nian's weekly test scores in every subject this month—a single-person table.

It was practically the birth chart of her closed-door top disciple's studies.

Jiang Nian listened attentively to Qingbao's analysis and suggestions, nodding again and again.

At the end, he asked the question that had been on his mind all along.

"Teacher, how's the class monitor's biology grade?"

Qingbao thought for a moment. "In the comprehensive science exam, about the same as Li Hua's."

That was heaven-defying too—on par with Li Hua.

Jiang Nian clicked his tongue inwardly, took the test paper, and left the office.

First period of the afternoon.

Chinese class. Old Liu was halfway through his lecture when he suddenly started talking about something else.

"Ah, our competition class's first-round review is moving faster, almost at the end."

The mood in the class dimmed involuntarily, and the anticipation and joy for the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony were washed away quite a bit.