Chapter 332: Setting Aside That He

I can explain this..." Jiang Nian coughed, "Last time... I had something to do, so I skipped PE class."

"I won't listen, I won't listen—you're getting even closer to the monitor." Zhang Nenzhi's expression darkened; she was already slipping into robot mode.

"No no, you're still top-tier best friend." Jiang Nian protested, "I'm free this week—you didn't even invite me."

"That proves your friendship isn't firm—either it's absolutely firm, or absolutely not firm!"

"Case solved—half the blame is on you!"

Hearing this, Zhang Nenzhi immediately panicked.

"You!! That's nonsense—you didn't invite me either, so why blame me?"

"Then let's play together—just casually, anyway." Jiang Nian shifted tone, offering her another friendship choice.

"No."

"Private property, huh?" Jiang Nian pointed at her.

"It's not that! Don't talk nonsense!" Zhang Nenzhi pouted for a moment, then straightened up to explain, "What I mean is..."

She rattled off a long stream of words; Jiang Nian listened, utterly lost.

"So are you playing or not?" he asked.

"Mm."

"Alright, let's go down together." Jiang Nian exhaled in relief, then added, "By the way, I'll be absent tomorrow too."

"Why?" Zhang Nenzhi was no longer angry.

"Driving theory test—I might leave right after first period." He said, "I'll come back after, try to be back before dismissal."

"Oh oh, just tell the monitor then."

"She's not my desk partner."

"Then you're saying you want the monitor to be your desk partner?" Baby Zhizhi had a knack for sarcasm—as if born with it.

"It's not impossible..." Jiang Nian hesitated.

"You!" Zhang Nenzhi launched a flurry of tiny fists, punching him into submission.

"Just kidding, let's go."

PE class.

As usual, they ran two laps and did calisthenics, then were dismissed for free activity.

The boys sprinted straight to the basketball court, splitting into teams for matches. Two other courts moved slowly, only shooting casually.

The class outcasts drifted to the corner of the field, squatting down to play with flowers and grass, or idly fiddling with the gym equipment.

Sun Zhicheng still nursed the humiliation of the pot-tossing defeat, vowing to crush Yang Qiming's face. He relentlessly dragged Lin Dong upstairs.

Several girls also went upstairs, preparing to play pot-tossing.

Yang Qiming took Huang Cailang to the sports field, leering at girls from other classes. They strolled under the sun, utterly relaxed.

Zhou Yuting hurried toward the Gao San building. Her figure vanished around the wall's corner, disappearing quickly.

Boom—the white badminton shot high into the air.

Jiang Nian and Li Qingrong played for two minutes without breaking a sweat; seeing it was enough, they stopped to rest, replaced by Cai Xiaoqing.

Half the class passed; it was now his turn with Zhang Nenzhi.

He applied just a tiny bit of pressure on Zhizhi—she immediately scrambled all over the court. After playing, drenched in sweat, she stepped off to rest.

At that moment, Li Qingrong stepped onto the court.

Both sides had warmed up; as they played, their racket swings unconsciously grew wider.

Finally, a high clear exploded with a sonic crack across the court.

On the cool stone bench at the edge of the field, Zhang Nenzhi sat hunched on the side. Basking in the warm sun, her mouth slightly open.

She was stunned... So all that time Jiang Nian had been playing, it was just warm-up?

Watching the high-difficulty shots fly back and forth, Zhang Nenzhi couldn't help but form a thought.

Would he find playing with me boring?

Then Zhang Nenzhi began to waver between hope and dread.

Of course, if Jiang Nian thought that way, he'd face the harshest punishment—he'd be beaten senseless!

Soon she shook off her anxiety—each to his own craft. Everyone has their strengths; no need to torture yourself.

Plop—the badminton landed.

A pale, slender hand picked up the shuttlecock, holding it hesitantly.

"I'm done. Let's go back to the dorm for water."

Hearing this, Wang Yuhe suddenly remembered today was hair-washing day. She murmured "Oh," and slung her racket over her shoulder.

Suddenly, the sharp crack of a racket striking a shuttlecock came from the next court.

She halted, turned her head to look over. After watching a moment, her mouth twitched, and she muttered sourly.

"I can do that too."

Chen Yunyun merely smiled faintly, her gaze flicking briefly across the next court—then gone in an instant.

"Let's go."

She found it odd—Jiang Nian didn't skip PE class today. And a tiny twinge of sourness rose, because he hadn't asked her.

Even friendship shouldn't favor one over another, right?

But badminton is a competitive sport—if you play someone far weaker, you won't get any dopamine.

So she didn't dwell on it—just a quiet, fleeting pang.

One shouldn't deprive others of joy just for one's own happiness. That's unfair—and perverted.

Unless... if it's privatized—then that's another matter.

The winter sun was languid.

The school bell rang across campus, jolting the nearby teaching buildings awake.

Zhang Ningzhi had already been called away by Yao Beibei; they had arranged to go to the faculty apartments to look for a cat, then planned to be back in time for class.

More and more people were gathering.

"Embracing Qingqing, I'm going to grab lunch." Jiang Nian handed the paddle back to the class monitor, his address growing more and more casual.

Li Qingrong didn't look at him, her gaze drifting aside. A flicker of panic crossed her face before she took the paddle he handed over.

Mhm. Jiang Nian smiled, gave a wave, and left.

He strode across the yin-yang line cut by the teaching building's shadow, walking from the dim into the bright sunshine.

Suddenly he was off again like an arrow loosed from its string, the running boy seeming to glow.

"How do you do this problem again?"

In the classroom, Jiang Nian scratched his head and ears, his face flushing a little.

The road is winding, the future is bright. But when it comes down to actually doing it, you still have to start with one small problem after another.

Flip—out came the answer key.

By noon only a few people remained in the classroom, making it feel somewhat chilly.

A cold gust swept through as Zhou Yuting stepped to the aisle. Her expression was complicated, silent, staring fixedly at Jiang Nian.

The moment he looked up, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Holy shit?"

"Are you free?" Zhou Yuting asked, conflicted.

Jiang Nian sat at his seat, propping his head on his hand, glancing sidelong at his sworn enemy. His eyes drifted slowly as he asked absently.

"Something up?"

"Yes—can we step out to talk?" Zhou Yuting never imagined that one day she'd have to lower her voice and humble herself before Jiang Nian.

"Oh, no time." Jiang Nian refused flat out.

He didn't know what the other party wanted, but from experience—once Zhou Yuting opened her mouth, nothing good came of it. Refuse first, talk later? What if it were a life-or-death matter?

Then he'd refuse even more.

"You—!" Zhou Yuting trembled with rage on the spot.

Fortunately, this wasn't the first time she'd known Jiang Nian; being angered so often had desensitized her, and she calmed down quickly.

"Jiang Nian, I'm begging you." Zhou Yuting's tone softened, her voice thin as a mosquito's hum, and she simply stood in the aisle, refusing to leave.

"Sure, then beg me." Jiang Nian set down his pen, turned his head with a calm face. "Beg me, and I'll think about it."

Zhou Yuting froze; she hadn't expected Jiang Nian to be so cutting.

"You... really want to be like this?"

"See, you actually aren't at the point where you need to beg me." Jiang Nian spread his hands. "You can do it—keep it up."

Sometimes it really wasn't that he was being mean; it was just that there were too many idiots in this world.

Zhou Yuting stood rooted, her face turning ugly. She knew lines like "we're classmates after all" wouldn't work on him.

Jiang Nian was a man with a heart of stone, a bastard among bastards.

Her heart was full of anger; she almost wanted to just walk away. But... after hesitating a while, she still couldn't bring herself to do it.

The big joint exam was coming this weekend—after today, only two days were left.

Zhou Yuting was full of worry; she had to settle that matter once and for all. Otherwise she couldn't eat, couldn't sleep.

Two minutes later, she finally lowered her head.

"Jiang Nian, I beg... please, please, help me."

Hearing that, Jiang Nian paused his pen.

He only glanced at Zhou Yuting, didn't ask what it was, didn't agree. On his own, he walked straight out of the classroom.

Zhou Yuting saw this and hurried after him.

At the railing outside the classroom.

Jiang Nian gazed into the distance at Zhou Qingmu Ridge, the sky a clear blue, not a cloud for ten thousand li. He pulled his gaze back and looked down at the path below.

"Talk—what is it?"

Under this atmosphere, Zhou Yuting actually fell silent for a moment.

She had too many questions, but lacked evidence. She relied more on instinct, and facing Jiang Nian she was like a hedgehog with no way to strike.

"Is that account yours?"

Jiang Nian yawned and didn't reply.

"Can't be bothered to waste words—my time is limited. Before the joint exam, every inch of time is worth an inch of gold. You'd better get to the point."

Clearly, that little obedience test back in the classroom had worked.

Zhou Yuting actually didn't throw a tantrum; her jagged, uneven train of thought briefly returned to normal under Doctor Jiang's skillful hand.

"The school is investigating cheating. I asked Le Zhi. His last joint-exam scores were strange, but he didn't say anything."

She paused, then continued.

"Logically, someone in his situation should at least get spot-checked. But nothing happened—instead they're checking other people. Can you help me?"

Jiang Nian turned and glanced at Zhou Yuting, realizing this person really did have a bit of cunning, and seemed to be getting smarter and smarter.

"Sure—how can I help you?"

Hearing that, Zhou Yuting fell silent again.

She frowned; she hadn't heard anything reassuring from Jiang Nian. This person was like a piece of tough, slippery meat—

giving absolutely no reaction at all.

It looked warm, but in reality, nothing was actually said.

"I—" "If you were smart enough, you wouldn't keep opening and closing your mouth talking about me." Jiang Nian turned around. "My patience is spent. Goodbye."

After saying that, he turned around and went back to the classroom.

Zhou Yuting was left alone, standing dazedly in the hallway.

After the lunch break.

Jiang Nian woke from his dream. Zhang Ningzhi had already arrived. She just looked like she was in a so-so mood, turning her head to give him a fake smile.

A thoroughly perfunctory fake smile.

Seeing this, Jiang Nian was a little surprised.

"Your smile is like a Parisian citizen hearing that France has surrendered. You this..... who pissed you off?" Hearing this, Zhang Ningzhi rolled her eyes.

"No one."

"That's good, then I'm relieved." Jiang Nian bent over and fished out a lemon tea from her desk, then hopped out of his seat in one motion.

"Going to take a piss."

Zhang Ningzhi gagged, and shoved his kidney area irritably.

"Don't talk to me."

"Damn, Nine Yin White Bone Claws, huh?" Jiang Nian rubbed his waist, thinking, Aren't you about to wreck it? What a sicko!

Of course he knew what he'd done in PE class, but that was a friendship purer than Bai Xue.

Outside the classroom.

Jiang Nian went against the flow of people, stuck the straw into the lemon tea, and walked toward the end of the hallway. Before reaching the restroom, he tossed the drink box into the trash can with a clatter.

After finishing his business, a message came through.

He had someone find a Gao San student about to drop out to become an excavator apprentice, and casually reported Yu Tongjie's cheating on the last joint exam.

No hard evidence—just to disgust Squirtle a little.

Although he knew the school wouldn't do much to Yu Tongjie, it was something done in passing anyway—any chance to step on him, he'd take it.

Besides, no matter how they investigated, it wouldn't lead back to him. Le Zhi was an unsolvable bomb card.

The first class in the afternoon was Chinese.

Old Liu had just arrived at the classroom and didn't start the lesson right away. He first talked about some trivial matters, then steered the topic to cheating.

Almost by way of oblique hints, he warned everyone in the class.

"Ah, this joint exam is also a major exam. Organizing multiple people to cheat already counts as a crime. Buying answers...."

After class ended, Yu Tongjie was called away.

Jiang Nian felt nothing about it, too lazy to even show a smile. People should bear the cost of their mistakes, no matter where that cost comes from.

The remaining two science-comprehensive classes, the whole classroom atmosphere seemed somewhat drowsy.

After school in the afternoon.

Jiang Nian stayed in the classroom doing problems until five-thirty, then got up and left. Not long after stepping out, someone blocked his way ahead.

Zhou Yuting appeared from the other end of the hallway, looking at Jiang Nian with a complicated gaze.

There weren't many people in the hallway; those who should have gone to eat had already left. A few scattered people came up from the stairs, looking at the two of them in confusion.

Jiang Nian ignored her, preparing to take a detour and leave.

Suddenly, Zhou Yuting spoke, her voice trembling slightly.

"You.... what do you need me to do?"

*Tap. * Jiang Nian stopped in his tracks.

He turned his head to look at Zhou Yuting beside him, thinking, The cowardly Zhou Yuting isn't much to look at either—just an ordinary pretty girl.

"Congratulations, you've become an understanding person."

Then, Jiang Nian asked again.

"First question—are you still in contact with Liu Feipeng and the others?"

Suddenly, Zhou Yuting shivered. She realized Jiang Nian wasn't targeting her, but targeting everyone—"Y-yes... yes, I am."

"Then I definitely need that. Remember to add me as a friend." Jiang Nian patted Zhou Yuting's shoulder, turned around, and went downstairs to eat.

*Tap tap tap*, listening to the footsteps fade away.

Zhou Yuting's body suddenly relaxed. After her heart thudded wildly a few times, she took out her phone and pulled up friends from the class group.

【Friend Request—Jiang Yue Nian Nian Wang Xiang Si】

After she did all this, she looked down at the verification message. Suddenly she found it a bit laughable—Jiang Nian wants to take revenge on Liu Feipeng.

But Liu Feipeng has money and people. Could Jiang Nian be richer than Liu Feipeng?

Forget it, it has nothing to do with her.

After Zhou Yuting confirmed she was safe, she didn't care about all that. As for cooperating with Jiang Nian, she had even less psychological burden.

Back then, it was those people who laughed at him being a poor bastard; she hadn't chimed in.

Setting aside the fact that Jiang Nian is a bastard, as long as you don't oppose him, there's actually nothing to it—it's even more relaxing.

After all, she's already a student in the competition class. What stray dog is Liu Feipeng?

Not close.