Chapter 464: Don

Xu Qianqian heard this and froze in surprise.

Step on my back?

She'd only said it offhand, teasing little Jiang Nian—half-serious, half-joking, in a quantum superposition state.

If Jiang Nian really wanted it, then it was fake.

Those who get it, get it.

"The flowers you moved yesterday are already settled—what's there to step on?" Xu Qianqian pouted but didn't refuse outright.

Song Xiuyun smiled faintly but said nothing.

Jiang Nian didn't rush to argue; not refusing outright meant it was possible. He didn't look at conditions, only at the state, so he looked up at them.

Xu Qianqian held the upper hand, smug and triumphant.

Song Xiuyun was happy.

Both women had just stepped out of the exhilaration of listening to rain, playing chess, chatting, and drinking together, their faces flushed.

Their state was excellent, the atmosphere not awkward at all.

Jiang Nian suppressed his laugh and went along with it.

"You know I moved flowers yesterday? Woke up with a sore back, wrote my weekly test answers like a worm."

"Who'd believe you!" Xu Qianqian shot back, turning her head away, a hint of guilt flickering across her expression.

"Don't believe me? I'll bring my answer sheet back tomorrow for you to see. Xu Qianqian, you're heartless."

If this remark had been made right when he first walked in, "step on my back" would've just been a conversation starter.

Even if Jiang Nian had begged and whined all the way, even if he repeated it a hundred times, the outcome wouldn't have changed.

Because the timing was wrong—he'd used his ultimate move as a basic attack.

"I'm too lazy to look. You're lying," Xu Qianqian muttered, biting her lower lip. "Fine! Fine! I'll step on you!"

Hearing this, Jiang Nian nearly burst out laughing.

Plan succeeded!

"What? You think stepping on me is a hardship?" Jiang Nian pointed at her. "Don't try to half-ass this, Xu Qianqian."

He lay down on the sofa, glancing at Xiao Song.

No protest.

But you know—if you don't come, you're done for.

Song Xiuyun felt conflicted—this guy was truly...:.... But tonight had genuinely been fun, so she stood up and asked.

"Like last time?"

Xu Qianqian said, "Step on him hard—this Wang Ba!"

She was about to step on him with socks on, then remembered something. She pulled Song Xiuyun off to wash their feet—didn't want to let the pervert enjoy it.

Listening to the running water in the bathroom, Jiang Nian in the living room was already enjoying himself.

Ahhh, ahhh.

So good, might as well play a game.

Ten minutes later.

Xu Qianqian grew impatient, seeing Jiang Nian still playing his game. A surge of unexplained anger rose—she stomped down hard.

Her bare foot sank in, and a scream erupted.

The pale sole sank in, instantly bringing forth a cry of pain.

"Ahh!! My... flash!"

Jiang Nian turned his head with difficulty, staring at Xu Qianqian's bare feet.

"Xu Qianqian, did you take the wrong medicine?"

"You're the one with the problem—have you finished yet?" She loomed over him, impatient. "It's been ten minutes—I'm exhausted."

Song Xiuyun also stopped; stepping on someone's back was boring.

Hearing this, Jiang Nian began to fidget.

"Ten minutes for me is..."

Xu Qianqian's eyes narrowed, and she stomped him again.

"Talk properly."

"Oh, almost done," Jiang Nian stood up obediently. "By the way, I won't be giving you apples for Christmas Eve."

"Got it, stingy bastard," Xu Qianqian bent down to pull on her socks.

"Mm," Song Xiuyun said, fine with anything.

Jiang Nian changed tack. "I figure you don't like apples anyway, so I'll just give you other gifts."

Hearing this, Xu Qianqian froze mid-motion, still bent over, staring at him.

"Really?"

"Ding zhen."

The next day.

Jiang Nian got out of bed, gathered the exam paper he'd written late last night, slapped it twice on the desk, and tossed it into his backpack.

After washing up, he went downstairs and out the door.

Accustomed to waking early, he felt refreshed and alert.

The sky hadn't yet lightened; the streets were shrouded in mist and rain.

The steamed bun shop owner, across the mist, spotted Jiang Nian approaching with an umbrella—and suddenly felt a pang of anxiety, his heart rising to his throat.

Will he buy?

Jiang Nian walked over and gave him a glance.

Without saying a word, he turned and went to the neighboring juanbing shop. He bought a cup of hot soy milk and left in a hurry.

The steamed bun shop owner's eyes went blank, his heart shrouded in dark clouds.

There's a cow!

There weren't many people at morning self-study; Jiang Nian filled his water bottle as usual. He glanced at his phone—his gift, bought ahead of time two days ago, had arrived.

Tao Ran's perverted beast-eared girl doll, the larger one, isn't too expensive.

Even drilling a hole could...

Few people could make Jiang Nian, a pervert, call someone else a pervert—only the class monitor, Tao Ran, in Class Three. Truly opening the door for a female cow.

Among them was a special gift, to be picked up on Wednesday, Christmas Eve.

Before morning self-study, Jiang Nian stood with a few boys from Class Three in the corridor, catching the breeze and chatting about nothing in particular.

"What's Dong Ge been up to lately?"

"Selling apples."

Jiang Nian grunted, "I won't buy any. Helping my brother get rich only keeps me awake at night."

"I won't buy either," Li Hua shook his head. "Every penny you make is a bullet fired at the bride price fragments."

Hearing this, those around them burst into laughter.

Blessings like "Lin Dong will definitely be 38.8" drifted through the corridor with the cool drizzle.

"What are you talking about, brother? I'm a scholar," Lin Dong scoffed. "Besides, I just won't marry a Zhennan person."

"Most people marry their high school classmates, right?" Ma Guojun suddenly said. "My parents were high school classmates too—just different classes."

Pao Bao Bao's remark instantly ignited everyone's interest.

"The definition of 'high school classmate' is too broad—could it be a junior?" Li Hua was already daydreaming.

"Then you'd have to go on blind dates?" Liu Yang chimed in. "You never leave campus—how do you even meet juniors?"

"Damn, Jiang Nian knows one—heard it was the junior who came to him," Ma Guojun pointed at him, teeth gritted.

Liu Yang froze, then looked at him with awe.

"Brother Jiang is truly awesome!"

Amid the chorus of curses, Jiang Nian lightly pressed one hand downward.

"I'm a scholar."

Hearing this, the others around him completely broke.

"Fuck! The Chishi scholar!" Li Hua pointed at him, cursing fiercely. "What kind of scholar goes around seducing people!"

"Xu Xian? He fucked snakes," Jiang Nian grinned. "Ning Caichen was even better—he didn't even spare ghost girls."

"You fucking asshole!" Ma Guojun finally snapped. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you describing a real scholar?"

"Awesome, awesome!" Liu Yang could only admire.

Lin Dong was still thinking about his apple company—his grand enterprise unfinished, he remained cheerless, often sinking into gloom.

Eighteen years old, not a single achievement to his name.

And now the flesh on his thigh is growing back again!

As the bell for morning self-study rang, everyone dispersed.

Li Hua, still eager to chat, paused halfway through reciting an ancient poem. Suddenly remembering something, he turned and tapped Jiang Nian.

"Do you think Xia Mi will come back to life?"

Hearing this, Jiang Nian waved his hand.

"Don't mention it—that reminds me of that book, *A Little Mummified Corpse at the Bottom of the Well*."

Li Hua's smile vanished instantly; he pointed at Jiang Nian, his finger trembling.

"Fuck, you're even more of a fucking monster!"

The first two morning classes were math—everyone felt like they were dying. Luckily, since it was raining, there was no morning exercise during the break; as soon as class ended, everyone collapsed onto their desks.

Jiang Nian wasn't very sleepy; after lying down for a few minutes, he sat up and started working on his test paper.

Zhang Nianzhi had probably gone to the restroom with Yao Beibei; only Li Hua remained at his seat. After writing for a while, they started chatting again.

"Why do you keep trying to lure me into talking all day?" Jiang Nian frowned. "Can't pass the exam, so now you're playing dirty?"

"Chishi, you're the one who keeps responding," Li Hua said, feeling guilty. "I'm not talking to you—I'm going to find Old Ma."

Suddenly, Zhang Nianzhi returned, approaching cutely.

"What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing, just praising you," Jiang Nian laughed off. "Your grades are so high—Li Hua says he feels inferior."

Hearing this, Zhang Nianzhi nodded, then sat back down and said:

"True. The group leader's useless."

"Chishi! Chishi!" Li Hua couldn't take this pair of dogs anymore—he pulled out his textbook and began reciting ancient poetry with fake seriousness.

"Group leader, next class is English."

"Chishi! I know that!" Li Hua still insisted. "Can't I just study some classical Chinese texts if I want to?"

"Pfft." Zhang Nianzhi stuck out her tongue.

Jiang Nian also smiled. He could only say: proximity to vermilion stains red. Under his influence, Baby Zhizhi had gradually become more outgoing—so then... who had grown introverted?

He didn't say.

But even if Baby Zhizhi's affection level exploded, it wouldn't matter.

Her parents clearly...

If they ever came to visit, Jiang Nian would absolutely not buy tangerines. If they threw them out, scattering them everywhere would be a pain to pick up.

Li Hua was about to explode—what kind of days were these? The group leader's authority was gone forever, all because of Jiang Nian!

No good, I've got to work harder!

Qian Bao trotted into the classroom, ready to begin class, but caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye and froze—Li Hua was memorizing vocabulary.

Huh?

It's broad daylight—am I seeing ghosts?

She hadn't had much time to practice driving lately; the New Year was coming and there was too much to do. She'd piled up a stack of lesson plans she hadn't written, and she couldn't get Jiang Nian to help.

This kid's really gotten good lately.

"Clap! Clap!" Qian Bao clapped her hands, blew into the microphone, "Alright, take out yesterday's weekly test papers."

At first, Qian Bao had insisted on opening the windows.

After suffering from a cold and nasal congestion for a while, she stopped complaining about the stench of Class Three and simply ignored it.

Shameful wage thief—got halfway through the lecture and got tired again.

"Jiang Nian, come up and translate this."

"Huh?"

"What 'huh'? Writing math homework again?" Qian Bao made as if to go check, but stopped when Jiang Nian obediently walked up to the front.

Hmph, got him under control.

Of course, teaching wasn't entirely without benefits.

After class.

Qian Bao called Jiang Nian to her office and tossed him a bottle of fresh milk.

"You've worked hard."

Jiang Nian sat down in the office and couldn't help complaining.

"Teacher, that's it?"

"For now, that's all. I'll make it up to you in a couple days for Christmas Eve," Qian Bao waved her hand. "I can't even finish all the apples."

Jiang Nian couldn't help saying, "Teacher, I can't finish them either…"

Jiang Nian couldn't help saying, "Teacher, I can't actually finish it all..."

Hearing this, Qian Bao fell silent for a few seconds, realizing something.

"You really are…"

Qian Bao thought for a moment, still decided she couldn't owe him.

"Then I'll give you something useful—the school gives teachers little reindeer plushies. You, little… you'll definitely find a use for it."

"Then I'll give you something useful—the school gives teachers reindeer plush toys, and you, little one... will definitely find it useful."