Chapter 404

Shit, I'm really gonna become Nanjiang's swimming champion.

What's there to chat about in the room?

Jiang Nian froze in place, hallucinating Liu Lao's voice in his ears.

【I don't want one less person in our class, and I don't want one more.】

No need to say more.

Of course I'd be careful about something like that.

Even as he stared blankly, his mind hadn't fully stopped thinking—he was still processing, trying to make sense of the monitor's logic: if Little Han, that evil succubus, invited him into the room, it must mean she planned to strengthen him, or even worse.

But this is the monitor.

First time bringing a guy home, straight into the room. Maybe she just thought the room was better—there's a glow-in-the-dark watch. "I'm not used to sitting in the living room," Li Qingrong said.

Hearing this, Jiang Nian's CPU nearly burned out. He stared at the monitor without blinking, thinking there had to be more she hadn't said yet.

Sure enough, after a few seconds, Li Qingrong added two words.

+

.. Stay. 」

Jiang Nian looked around and saw the living room was completely empty. The decor was luxurious, yet showed almost no signs of use.

"We don't have to be in the room—we could boil water in the kitchen."

Li Qingrong: "Do you want tea?"

"No." Jiang Nian checked the time—it was past eleven, "It's late already. I'll stay a bit and then:"

3

Li Qingrong opened the bedroom door and glanced back at him. Not knowing what to say, she simply pointed to a chair.

"Sit down."

Jiang Nian was still thinking—should he really sit?

If he sits, he'll get done for sure.

Concrete bench, prime seat for Nanjiang's swimming champion.

After thinking it over, he walked in anyway. The monitor was just aloof, not stupid—she wouldn't catch him red-handed.

Besides, he'd come here with a purpose.

In Shenzhen, you don't fear crooked shadows.

Of course, if there was any lewdness, he'd pretend to be modest for a bit—but he wouldn't refuse. He'd just slide right in.

Being close to the monitor—even if he died—would be worth every penny.

The monitor's room was just as spartan as always—not even a chair piled with coats. It truly lacked any homey feel.

A boy's sense of belonging at home is hiding Lu State's paper in his room. Wait until the character "Jin" fades and yellows, then mix it into the trash.

"Monitor, what do you usually do at this time?"

"Showering."

"Is your bathroom big?"

"It has a bathtub."

"Then..." Jiang Nian perked up, then calmed himself, "That's pretty nice. Soaking a bit wouldn't hurt."

"Too much trouble." Li Qingrong's speech remained as concise as ever.

After a few small-talk exchanges, Jiang Nian leaned back in his chair and pulled out his phone. Pretended to glance at it, then asked casually.

"By the way, Embracing Qingqing, you said your parents will come back for the New Year?"

"Mm."

"Aren't you close?"

"Mm. Not close." Li Qingrong lowered her gaze, unsure how to explain, "After the Gaokao, I won't come back here."

No, you will come back.

Jiang Nian silently scoffed inside—he didn't know what the monitor wanted from him, but she must've returned to Zhennan more than once.

She'd even delicately asked him once whether he'd run away with her.

To be honest, he admired his future self—he'd actually refused to run away with the monitor. That kind of willpower? Even for quitting lust, it'd earn a thumbs-up.

Making things work with your ex-wife matters more than anything.

"Oh, okay, not coming back's fine," Jiang Nian suggested. "You could work at a research institute—it suits you."

This wasn't just a random suggestion—it was a reasonable inference.

Although Li Qingrong became... that way while working at the institute, it doesn't mean the job cursed her.

Quite the opposite: the institute is quiet, with few people, and she spends her days around machines. That kind of finding-joy-in-misery job likely healed her.

Li Qingrong thought for a moment, seeming to find the institute appealing, then nodded.

"Okay."

After a few seconds, she looked up and asked.

"What about you?"

"Me..." Jiang Nian hesitated for a moment, then thought carefully and said seriously, "Probably study business, then start a small business?"

"I don't aim for great wealth—just enough to eat."

He did have the capital to start a business—even if the system stopped giving him money. He'd slowly saved up through 【Prize Winning】, and his savings were substantial.

With a steady income, he didn't fear losing money.

As for why he'd start a business—why not just lie around? Because in Zhang Wanhai's eyes, he was just a yellow-haired kid hitting on his daughter.

Zhang Wanhai, wait for me (voice cracking)!!!

Li Qingrong didn't quite understand Jiang Nian's thoughts and gave a soft "mm." Then, lowering her eyes as something occurred to her, she looked up and asked.

"Starting a business takes a lot of money, right?"

"Pretty much. Starting a business is just burning money." Jiang Nian leaned back in his chair and said casually, "But right now, I've got some cash on hand."

"Besides, that's something for after college."

"For now, let's just live our lives... no, let's just get the college entrance exam sorted. That's more important than anything."

Li Qingrong's eyes lowered slightly, lost in thought.

"Mm."

Going round and round,

Jiang Nian told a joke to liven the mood.

"I had a childhood buddy who walked into the side of a parked car on his way to school, and then just started laughing like crazy, laughing and saying—"

"'Yah-le yah-le, still can't get used to this body?'"

"His mom was passing by and stared at him in shock. Because of that, she dragged him out to the countryside for three days of ritual rites."

Hearing that, Li Qingrong felt like laughing, but pressed her lips together.

"Is that childhood buddy you?"

In an instant, Jiang Nian's grin vanished.

"How... how could it be."

Jiang Nian checked the time—it was almost midnight. If he got back too late, his mom would nag him nonstop.

Having someone bossing you around in high school is so annoying. Once college hits, I'm out—no coming home, just roaming everywhere!

"I should probably head back?" He stood up.

Hearing that, Li Qingrong stood up too.

"I'll walk you."

Jiang Nian didn't refuse and glanced at her.

"Just walk me to outside the complex. My home isn't that far from here."

Li Qingrong had originally wanted to grab her car keys, but seeing Jiang Nian's serious expression, she thought for a moment and pulled her hand back.

"Mm."

Going out the door, Li Qingrong was still wearing that purple windbreaker.

A younger sister in purple—indeed, very charming.

"Qingqing, your skin is so fair." Jiang Nian swallowed, his brain intermittently hijacked by his little head.

"Huh?" Li Qingrong touched her cheek.

She couldn't quite follow Jiang Nian's train of thought. Sometimes he seemed very reliable, but other times pretty childish.

The two were completely on different wavelengths—she just didn't know what kind of videos were playing on Jiang Nian's channel.

*Fruity Robo? *

During morning study hall, Li Qingrong could occasionally hear Jiang Nian and Li Hua passionately singing back and forth—and the song was this one.

Under the streetlight, both of them walked slowly.

Their shadows stretched out infinitely, finally intertwining together.

"Were your parents not good to you before?" Jiang Nian suddenly changed the subject.

"Mm." Li Qingrong's gaze dimmed. "They want to mend things with me, but I don't really want to see them."

"Your parents are..."

Li Qingrong began to speak, leaving Jiang Nian stunned.

"I have an older sister who's currently covering my living expenses. Unless something unexpected happens, she'll keep paying until I start working."

"Oh, that's nice." Jiang Nian didn't press further, thinking to himself, "Qingqing, I've got money too."

"Mm?" Li Qingrong turned to look at him, slightly dazed.

At this moment

?? the two had already walked half the way. The complex gate was only a few dozen meters away.

Under the streetlight, Jiang Nian looked at her and said.

"A good friend's money is fine to spend too. It's not a lot right now, but it's enough to get through school."

The class monitor's parents were indeed no ordinary people, and they seemed to still be actively trying to mend their relationship with their daughter, Li Qingrong.

But for now, there was simply no room left for reconciliation between the two sides.

After all, the class monitor was almost an adult.

Financially, she had her older sister Li Lanying's support. In terms of personality, she was already independent and completely unconstrained by her parents.

Jiang Nian could tell—the class monitor was just slow on the uptake, not stupid. She was also well aware that her sister was only mediating, so she had no grounds to refuse.

So Jiang Nian offered her a new choice. She didn't have to take it, but at least she'd have more confidence going forward.

Hearing that, Li Qingrong froze.

In a daze, Jiang Nian's figure overlapped once more with that of years ago. The world, because of the boy's courage, blazed with light again.

She lowered her head, not knowing what to say.

So, right there under the streetlight, she hugged Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian walked homeward, his slender shadow stretching out infinitely.

The riverside wasn't too far from home, so he planned to walk back. The night wind blew past, and his hot-blooded, buzzing head cleared a bit.

"Head's all flushed with blood."

Jiang Nian savored the feeling of being hugged by the class monitor—first a wave of fragrance, then something soft, and instantly his head spun.

"Great, we're saved."

"Not a cushion Superman!"

Midnight, twelve o'clock, the night was deep.

Jiang Nian walked alone on the road, when his phone suddenly buzzed with a hum.

He thought it was his mom calling, and with a guilty look fished out his phone for a glance, only to find it was a message from the class monitor.

"Are you home yet? (smile)"

The more Jiang Nian looked at that yellow-face smile, the harder it was to keep a straight face. "That Embracing Qingqing, you could switch up a few emojis next time. The smile is a bit, you know, not an all-purpose sticker."

Buzz—the class monitor replied instantly.

"Oh oh (silly)."

Jiang Nian found it even harder to keep a straight face, and typed back.

"(silly) isn't used like that."

Seems like... using it that way isn't really wrong either, it just looks even more passive-aggressive, so was this the class monitor's original intent?

Case cracked—the class monitor is the master of passive-aggressive remarks.

Li Qingrong: "Mm (slacking)."

Jiang Nian felt the class monitor's whole vibe was about to be ruined by these stickers, so he briefly explained roughly how long until he'd be home.

"I'll tell you when I'm home

."

Li Qingrong: "Okay (smile)."

After ending the chat with the class monitor, he found Xu Qianqian had also sent him a message.

"Not coming back?"

Jiang Nian immediately fired off a few question marks, wondering how she knew he hadn't come back.

"I'm home right now."

"Liar. Ten minutes ago Li Yi asked me." Xu Qianqian sent a smile sticker, extremely passive-aggressive.

"I said you were at my place writing test papers."

"Thanks, Xu Shao (fist bump)." Jiang Nian was slightly touched—this was the most human Xu Shao had ever been.

"I thought you'd say I went out for a foot bath. Guess I was measuring a gentleman's belly with a petty man's heart."

"Nope, no way." Xu Qianqian sent a smile, "I said you wanted to go out drinking and fighting, so I confiscated your money."

"Too embarrassed to see friends, so you could only write test papers at my place."

Jiang Nian laughed too, and sent a thumbs-up.

"Xu Shao, you're truly a heaven-struck, lightning-split good person. No wonder my phone has 24 missed calls (smile)."

Xu Qianqian: "(confused) Did you say thank you?"

"Thank you, Xu Shao."

Putting down his phone, Jiang Nian let out a sigh of relief.

In fact, those 24 missed calls were something he made up. He had no other hobbies usually—just liked to tell little lies. After getting home.

He first knocked on Xu Qianqian's door, and before knocking, lowered his head to sniff his clothes, making sure no scent of the class monitor lingered.

Hilarious, how skilled at sneaking around.

Because of Qing Bao.

After a minute, footsteps came from far to near at the door. This time Xu Shao didn't activate stealth, nor did she crouch by the door.

Clearly, she hadn't expected Jiang Nian to knock on her door this late either.

The door opened a small crack, revealing the girl's disdainful face.

"Back from your date?"

"Huh?" Jiang Nian was made a bit guilty by her act, then caught on, "You really told them I went drinking?"

"Didn't say anything." Xu Qianqian shot him a look, a bit impatient, "If you've got something, say it. If not, I'm closing the door."

"Hey, let me see your foot." Jiang Nian said something quite perverted, then skillfully squeezed in from the doorframe.

"No need to look, it's healed." Although Xu Qianqian was reluctant, she still showed off a bit of walking. "You call that healed?" Jiang Nian squatted down, poked her foot, then held it, "I'm the senior Physician now, let me take a look."

"Sick or not, I'll know once I lick it."

Hearing this, Xu Qianqian's face instantly flushed all the way through. She struggled free abruptly, didn't even have time to put her socks on, and pulled her foot back.

"You're a pervert!"

"Of course not, just checking if you're healed." Jiang Nian picked up the sock on the ground, glanced at it, then glanced at Xu Qianqian again.

Xu Qianqian's face darkened, "You take one sniff and I'm calling the police right now."

"What kind of talk is that? What kind of talk is that?" Jiang Nian reacted instantly, "That's defamation, I'm calling a lawyer."

Xu Qianqian was speechless, and after being pestered by him, didn't really feel like being angry anymore.

"Not lying to you, I'm really healed."

Saying so, she seriously walked a stretch. It really didn't look like there was any big problem—turns out she was faking it just now.

Quite the player, Xu Qianqian.

But Jiang Nian didn't take it to heart. Old Xu was never home, and didn't care about Xu Qianqian either. The whole picture of a hands-off boss.

Looking at it this way, it did seem a bit selfish, but it might also be deliberate on his part—wanting to disappoint everyone.

That way, he could use the money earned from burying himself in work to entrust the orphan. Settle Xu Qianqian, and leave with no ties.

If Jiang Nian didn't look after Xu Qianqian more, it really wouldn't sit right.

Amid the bickering, Jiang Nian also went back to his own home across the door. He was halfway through blow-drying his hair when he got a message from Xu Qianqian.

"(Disdainful) Made up with Zhou Yuting?"