Chapter 402: Li Qingrong: I

Li Hua turned to Jiang Nian upon hearing this, panicked.

"You stuck me?"

Jiang Nian made an "oh" sound, calmly saying.

"Did you say thank you?"

"Thank you my ass!!" Li Hua panicked again, "Chi Shi, Chi Shi, you've poked a hole in my hand."

Hearing this, Yao Beibei fell silent. She quickly stuffed several fruits into her mouth and dashed off with one remark.

"Wu wu wu, I'm done eating."

Only a few minutes into evening study, the fruit had been completely divided up.

Li Hua grumbled on the surface, but inside he was overjoyed—the feeling of being wanted filled him with intense delight.

But soon, he was no longer delighted.

After the first evening self-study session began.

Jiang Nian wandered over, eyeing Li Hua's drawer full of Xiao Chai Hu granules.

"What flavor is it?"

Li Hua: "Are you a ghost reborn from starvation?"

"I only ate one piece of fruit," Jiang Nian said, exasperated. "Ah well, forget it, I'm too lazy to argue with you."

"You're not worthy to hear."

Li Hua: "?"

Jiang Nian snatched the two packets of Xiao Chai Hu granules from Li Hua's hand and pulled out the small glass cup Baby Zhizhi had given him.

He picked up his thermos, opened the lid, and realized the hot water was gone.

"Let me see your cup."

"No."

"Fine, I'll ask someone else." Jiang Nian asked everyone around him—front, back, left, right—until his gaze met the monitor's.

Li Qingrong looked at him, her eyes flickering slightly. Then she pulled out a beige thermos and extended it toward Jiang Nian.

"Want some?"

"Yes, thank you," Jiang Nian said, taking the monitor's thermos.

It wasn't heavy—he guessed it was about half full of hot water. When he unscrewed the lid, steam rushed out.

The temperature was probably too hot.

Zhang Ningzhi bit her lip, suddenly regretting refusing him. But then she thought: there was no hot water left anyway.

Whatever. It's all Jiang Nian's fault!

Over there, Jiang Nian had already brewed the Xiao Chai Hu granules. The monitor's hot water was scalding, so he blew on it and took a sip.

Just then, Qian Bao entered the classroom from outside.

"Hm?"

"Jiang Nian's drinking tea? How luxurious."

At this, the whole class burst into laughter.

Qian Bao stepped closer, saw the dark cup, assumed it was coffee—but upon closer inspection, it wasn't, and it didn't smell like coffee either.

"What is this?"

Jiang Nian felt embarrassed and answered honestly.

"Xiao Er Chai Hu..."

Qian Bao looked closely.

One glance confirmed it.

"You're sick?"

"No, just drinking for fun."

"Hm?" Qian Bao froze for a moment, feeling like she'd lost her grasp of Chinese. "Alright, enjoy your sip."

She'd taught several graduating classes and had seen plenty of bizarre behavior—raising insects, playing with erasers—it was all common among Gao San students under pressure. She was used to it by now.

Bored, Qian Bao wandered around the classroom. Her gaze unconsciously landed on Wang Yuhe's small tank model on her desk.

"You like this kind of toy?"

Wang Yuhe didn't look up, realizing Qian Bao was speaking to her. She grew nervous, stammering for a long while.

"... Someone else's."

"Oh oh." Qian Bao walked away.

After a while, Lin Dong couldn't resist tapping Wang Yuhe on the shoulder. He was intensely envious of the tank and asked:

"What's the point of buying this?"

Since they were in the same group, he knew Wang Yuhe's personality. She wouldn't borrow from others—she must've bought it herself.

Wang Yuhe turned her head, frowned, hesitated for a moment.

"Because our homeroom teacher is always nagging. Whenever he says something I don't like, I aim the tank at him and fire."

Lin Dong:

Hearing this, he lost all desire to borrow the tank.

All one could say was: very imperial.

Two evening self-study sessions passed in a flash. Wang Yuhe's least-favorite teacher, Lao Liu, walked into the classroom and droned on about two things.

The final date for the toss-pot competition had been set; the two demo classes used as test fields had practiced enough.

With no hope of passing the Gaokao, they're doing fun education now.

Jiang Nian didn't react much to this. After all, the award was just for people to pad their resumes; there was no point complaining: "Jiang Nian, write this down—the competition is on Wednesday, that is, tomorrow's evening self-study, in the D-building activity center, where you guys last..."

Old Liu was nagging again, and Wang Yuhe found it annoying. So she quietly turned the cannon's direction on the little tank on her desk.

She pressed the fire button, aimed at Old Liu.

A pellet shot out of the barrel. For... this thing was launchable, but it flew only a few centimeters before falling.

It rolled around on the desk with a gulu-gulu sound, then finally came to a stop.

"Ah, the second thing is about the New Year's cultural evening," Old Liu mentioned. "Our class won't be participating this year."

At this, the class erupted in commotion.

"What the fuck, why aren't we participating?"

"Your ears are broken? We're not signing up for acts—not skipping the New Year's show. The school will definitely still hold it."

3

"Oh okay, then it's fine."

?? As long as there are long legs to watch."

Most of the class agreed with Old Liu's words. After all, they were already tired enough on regular days—why sign up for acts?

The college entrance exam was coming. No one had the energy to show off.

Suddenly, Lin Dong shouted out.

"Teacher! Will our class be holding a New Year's party that day?"

At this, everyone in the class turned to look at Old Liu.

Though the school's show wasn't that interesting, the class's own New Year's party was a guaranteed source of chaos.

No sign-up needed—each group had to provide one act.

If Old Liu rejected the group choir, someone would start biting lighters, and the class would inevitably descend into chaos.

Old Liu paused for a moment, then looked up.

"We'll see what the school decides. Probably the same as before."

As soon as he finished speaking, the class burst into cheers.

Li Hua was also extremely excited. After Old Liu left, he patted Jiang Nian on the shoulder and winked mischievously.

"Nian, got any ideas?"

Jiang Nian paused. "Bite the lighter."

"What the hell, bite a lighter?!" Li Hua was done. "Can't you come up with something even slightly interesting?"

"There is, bro, there is," Ma Guojun said with a grin, adjusting his glasses from the other side of the aisle. "I recommend you do a donghua dance."

"In a maid outfit," Jiang Nian added.

Zhang Nenzhi had been eavesdropping all along—because whenever Li Hua spoke and Jiang Nian echoed him, it meant chaos was coming.

If Ma Guojun joined in, and then her own group members responded—

That would be... ultimate chaos.

"A guy in a maid outfit? That's just Guinan," Ceng You turned back, grinning. "Wear a swimsuit instead—I'll sponsor it."

"What the hell kind of pervy shit are you guys cooking up?!" Ma Guojun shuddered.

"How about dancing?" Zhang Nenzhi couldn't help suggesting.

Since it was a class act, performing with classmates she saw every day, she wasn't so shy—she actually wanted to create memories.

"I... I can't dance," Empress Fangfang said weakly.

"New Treasure Island," Jiang Nian always had a flash of genius at the critical moment. "Recommended by Teacher Huang Lei—exclusive for tough guys."

"Huang Lei dances?!" Huang Fang was stunned.

But the boys' reactions were strangely uniform—they all wore lewd grins, then burst into loud laughter.

"It's time for a Renaissance, bro," Li Hua agreed wholeheartedly.

"Chinese don't bounce at foreign clubs," Ceng You nodded.

The three boys in the group turned—

—to look at him, exchanging glances, as if saying:

Look, here's an honest man.

The three paused for a few seconds like a frozen frame, then ignored Wu Jun Gu entirely and continued discussing the topic they'd been on.

"The one in the center needs to be fat—and needs to take off his clothes."

"Take off clothes in winter?"

"You'll get hot after dancing a bit—what's the worry?" Jiang Nian said. "First, expel Wu Jun Gu from the group. Ask Ma Guojun if he'll join."

Wu Jun Gu: "???"

"Fuck, don't drag me into this," Ma Guojun's scalp prickled.

Taking off clothes to dance—what kind of pervy nonsense is this?

"This is a brave man's dance—only real men can pull it off," Li Hua began ranting, gesturing wildly.

Compared to the lively sixth group, the other groups were overwhelmingly female-dominated.

The girls held all the power; the Guinan boys from Zhenan could only be forced to help pick songs for the group choir.

"It's beyond pathetic," Yang Qiming shook his head and coughed. "For our group's act, I think..."

"I can't do anything, bro," Huang Cailang just gave up.

"What the hell, I haven't even said what we're doing yet!" Yang Qiming was exasperated. "If no one steps up, are we stuck with the choir again?"

Zhou Yuting suddenly spoke. "I can sing solo."

Yang Qiming's expression turned complicated—clearly, his group was no different from the others; they'd have to rely on the girls to carry them.

He looked around and saw all his teammates buried in their exams. A wave of sorrow rose in his heart; he clenched his fist and declared boldly.

"I can be your backup singer."

Zhou Yuting immediately made a "sweating soybean" expression, her face breaking into an awkward smile.

"No thanks."

Yang Qiming:

"What's our group doing for the show?" Lin Dong rubbed his chin. "Better get started early than scramble at the last minute."

"Isn't it still too early?" Chen Yunyun winced.

"Let the group leader go solo—make a sacrifice," Wang Yuhe added with cruel logic. "Just sing something random."

"Isn't it unfair to leave it all to Brother Dong?" Sun Zhicheng stepped forward.

Wang Yuhe instantly had a brilliant idea.

"Then you go up with the group leader."

Hearing this, Sun Zhicheng wilted again.

"Brother Dong's always been independent—he can do the work of ten people."

Amid the noise, evening self-study was about to end.

Jiang Nian lifted his head from the pile of exams, squinting at the blackboard. It was crammed with homework from every subject.

He exhaled, easing his weary nerves.

He turned to look at Zhang Ningzhi; the girl was still diligently doing her homework. He stared for half

a minute, and she sensed his gaze.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to look at you," Jiang Nian said listlessly. "I'm sick of staring at exams—giving my eyes a rest."

Zhang Ningzhi instantly puffed up her cheeks, slightly mollified by the compliment.

"Then look."

Nearby, Li Hua, as dismissal neared, could only stare blankly at his watch with a dazed, vacant expression, muttering "Aba aba."

Yet this very person scored above ninety on average in the comprehensive science exam.

Heaven is unjust!

Jiang Nian suddenly regretted not studying hard in Gao Yi and Gao Er. Now, in Gao San, he could only rely on the sea-of-problems tactic.

The dismissal bell rang.

Since Xu Qianqian wasn't at school, she was probably still at home, doing the homework photographed by Song Xiyun on her phone.

So Jiang Nian wasn't in a hurry to go home.

He slung his bag over his shoulder and turned to look at the class monitor. He still remembered that line from Xi Yangyang: "You don't understand her."

Perhaps their friendship should go one step further.

Usually, after months of friendship, you know everything about the other person—except their bank passcode.

Even the reserved, adorable Zhi had once confessed childhood embarrassments.

Of course, he still didn't know her father's password.

But it didn't matter—he'd find it someday. It hadn't been his goal before, but from this moment on, it was the Yellow Hair's war.

Jiang Nian felt that even if he didn't need to know the class monitor inside and out, he should at least understand her more—to show he cared. "Qingqing, I'm heading home."

Li Qingrong, unfazed, looked up at him and nodded.

"Mm."

She waved goodbye, parting from Jiang.

Outside the school gate after evening self-study, crowds surged. Dim yellow lights fell on the street; people moved in small clusters.

Jiang carried his bag along the road—not heading straight home. He bought something by the roadside, scanned a shared bike, and rode to the riverbank.

Night was deep; nothing could be done in time.

At dismissal, Jiang had already realized it was Hai One. So he didn't alter his routine.

He didn't ask the class monitor if she was free, nor did he walk with Hao.

He needed a moment to evoke something emotional—high school girls responded to feeling. He needed a spark to create an atmosphere.

A walk together after heavy evening self-study?

Possible—but the risks outweighed the benefits.

First, he only had time today. He couldn't walk with the class monitor every single night after self-study. What if, while walking, someone died?

His life, the Three-and-Six Caves, and all that.

Jiang Nian's life was life too!

Walking also had another point—it required extremely high favor to sustain.

What if she had something more important and rejected him outright? Wouldn't he look like a fool?

So he came to the riverbank.

He took out a Kongming lantern, found a water area with no trees nearby, and lit it.

The Kongming lantern was tied with a fishing line, meant to float just long enough to snap a photo, then yanked back and thrown in the trash.

The red square lantern ignited, slowly rising with the heat of the flame.

Tonight, he was a young man with aspirations, setting his dreams free.

As it reached the perfect photo angle, he snapped a picture with his phone, then tugged the fishing line—the Kongming lantern plunged into the water.

He quickly pulled it back, dashed three steps, and shoved the wreckage into the trash bin. As he walked toward the shared bike, he sent the class monitor a message: "(Image), saw someone release a Kongming lantern by the river, took a photo."

He quickly pulled it back, and in three quick steps stuffed the remains into the trash can. Walking toward the little yellow bike, he casually sent the class monitor a message: "(Image), saw someone releasing a Kongming lantern by the river, snapped a photo."

A moment later, Li Qingrong showed "typing…".

"Are you by the river?"

"Mm." Jiang paused mid-motion of getting on his bike, wondering why she was asking, and replied, "Just took a stroll by the river."

"People these days really have no manners. Good thing I shot that Kongming lantern down."

He sent it over. No reply.

Just as Jiang was about to head home, his phone buzzed.

Li Qingrong: "I went down."