Chapter 607: Opening Day

Jiang Nian's eyelid twitched, thought to himself, enough already.

Fuck, Lü Xuan.

"You're wandering alone?" He turned his head aside, formed a "go away" lip movement, "Didn't you make plans with someone?"

"I did make plans." Lü Xuan covered her mouth and laughed—that peculiar, sarcastic laugh—"I'm leaving right away."

Li Qingrong nodded, even waved her hand.

"Bye."

"Bye, bye!" Lü Xuan skipped away happily, like a dead dog rolling on the ground with a bone.

At least in Jiang Nian's view, Xi Yangyang was like this.

"Let's go." He exhaled in relief.

"Mm." Li Qingrong nodded, walked a bit, then suddenly said, "She's a good person."

"Huh?" Jiang Nian was stunned.

Even the Son of Heaven isn't all-seeing, able to clearly distinguish loyalty from treachery.

"Well, sort of," he muttered, "but recently, I saw her riding an old lady across the street."

Li Qingrong glanced at him, too lazy to speak.

At this moment, the sky had fully darkened. Around the square, the noise grew louder; the street of food stalls bustled with people.

"Are you eating that skewer?"

"What?"

"Duck intestines."

"No." Li Qingrong refused.

"Grilled cold noodles look decent." Jiang Nian had been staring at food all along the way, "Holy shit, grilled pig's trotters."

"Are you that hungry?" Li Qingrong turned to ask.

"Not really."

"Then I'll buy it for you." She stood beside the stall, ordered one grilled pig's trotter, and waited quietly.

There were indeed many people here for the lanterns; they hadn't run into anyone from Class Three yet, but Jiang Nian had spotted at least three former classmates.

Just recognized their faces, couldn't recall their names.

After years apart, former classmates had grown into adults. Some had gained weight, some had thinning hair.

But without exception, all cast strange eyes toward Jiang Nian.

"Fuck!"

"Is that Jiang Nian?"

"Who's with him? Isn't it… how the hell is she buying him grilled pig's trotters? This is unreal."

Li Qingrong is famous, but not that famous.

High school students in a small county are all introverted. Aside from busybodies, most only know the girls from their own class and the next-door class.

But someone always knows.

"Little Fan, that's the square up ahead." The tall Cao Yang and strategist Ceng Ceng Yunde flanked Zhang Xiaofan.

"Mm, alright." Zhang Xiaofan held his head high, looking defiant, "Let's buy some food first."

"I'll treat you!"

"Little Fan, you're so generous, majestic and noble!" Ceng Ceng Yunde didn't care—he immediately laid on the flattery.

Cao Yang gave a thumbs-up. "Absolutely."

Zhang Xiaofan just smiled, thinking this was true grandeur. Back in middle school, he'd admired a big brother.

Always surrounded by followers, lots of little brothers.

Later he found out those little brothers who followed those big brothers went hungry nine times in three days, each as thin as bamboo poles.

Heard they got beaten up later, their cool image shattered completely.

"Bro, isn't that… him?"

"Huh?" Zhang Xiaofan turned his head and saw Jiang Nian standing there, beside him a cold, elegant girl.

"Holy shit, am I seeing right?"

"Bro, who's that?"

"Li Qingrong."

Cao Yang didn't know Li Qingrong, but after one glance, he involuntarily looked away.

Too clean.

Whether her clothes or her tall figure, her skin as white as snow, standing beside the stall in stark contrast to others.

Her ponytail hung down, like a brushstroke in the night.

"Damn, feels like my eyes are broken," Zhang Xiaofan couldn't help muttering, "Why does Li Qingrong like this guy?"

"Bro, don't lose heart," Cao Yang comforted him, "If you like her, we'll find a way to take her from him."

Actually, he was just talking big—three shots fired, that's enough for Little Fan, actual charge? No way.

He still remembered that night seeing Grandma.

The moment he finished speaking, Cao Yang got hit by Zhang Xiaofan.

"Take her!"

"Take her sister!" Zhang Xiaofan roared, "You really want to get me killed? Do you know who she… never mind."

"Let's go, let's go."

Ceng Ceng Yunde knew some of the inside story and wisely chose to play dead. Before leaving, he glanced at the stall.

Li Qingrong took out a red bill and handed it to the roasted pig's trotter stall owner, her lips moving slightly.

She was probably saying thank you.

As for Jiang Nian, he stood to the side, took the roasted pig's trotter, and blew on it. This whole scene was caught in Ceng Ceng Yunde's eyes.

That's fucking unreal.

"Embracing Qingqing, want a bite?" Jiang Nian waved the trotter in front of her. "Be brave and try new things."

"No." Li Qingrong dodged.

"Then I'll enjoy it all by myself. There's more food up ahead." Jiang Nian suddenly cried out, "Sour and spicy chicken feet!"

Li Qingrong: "

One serving of chicken feet actually cost twenty yuan—Jiang Nian couldn't afford it. He turned to look at Li Qingrong, and she paid again.

"Thanks, Embracing Qingqing."

"Mm."

"Are you going to eat any?"

"No."

"You're so heartless, you won't eat anything." Jiang Nian said, "Our tastes are completely poles apart."

"That's called having different tastes."

"Forget it, just try it, will you?" Jiang Nian picked out a sour and spicy chicken foot. "It's really good, I promise."

Li Qingrong's face flushed slightly as she was forced to eat one chicken foot.

"Is it good?"

"Mm.

Hearing this, Jiang Nian picked out another chicken foot. But this time Li Qingrong refused no matter what, so he couldn't help sighing.

"You really don't know good food."

Li Qingrong glanced at him and spoke up.

"Our tastes are the same."

"What?"

"I just ate it." she said.

"Oh oh, that's true." Jiang Nian was stunned for a moment, then caught on. "Embracing Qingqing, are your hands cold?"

Li Qingrong: "Cold."

Jiang Nian glanced at the sour and spicy chicken foot in his hand, then glanced at the class monitor, took her hand just as she was about to put down the chicken foot.

But the chicken foot was innocent.

Li Qingrong glanced at him and took the initiative to slip her hand into his palm. Then, with her other hand, she picked up the chopsticks.

As she picked up the chicken foot, she even remembered to dip it in the lemon broth, bringing up a few cilantro leaves.

"Ah."

She handed it over and fed it to Jiang Nian.

"Delicious.

Jiang Nian downed it in one bite, his voice muffled and unclear. But all in all, the class monitor's hand was very soft, and the chicken foot was delicious too.

This scene happened to be witnessed by Li Hua, who had been looking everywhere for teammates. He froze, and the grilled sausage in his hand dropped to the ground.

"Holy shit, why did the class monitor go back?"

Li Hua had followed Jiang Nian the whole way and saw the two of them part ways at the intersection. Feeling something was off, he simply chased after him.

"Because her sister came."

Jiang Nian explained, "And my mom called me and told me to come over for a photo, so...."

"Eat shit!!"

Li Hua pointed at him, then suddenly felt a bit wistful.

"If only some rich woman liked me, even if she looked like a celebrity it'd be fine, taking a small loss is bearable."

"Oh." Jiang Nian suddenly realized, "Hearing you say that, I just remembered—the class monitor just paid."

"You fucking—!!!" Li Hua immediately pointed at him, his face pained, "Would you die if you don't show off for one day?"

"It really is, don't even say it." Jiang Nian babbled a few words, didn't waste any more time, and hurried off elsewhere.

Li Nushi's side was already ready to take photos.

When Jiang Nian arrived, he thought they'd just take a quick phone snap. A middle-aged woman's joy, taking photos

Showing off.

All that can be said is, understandable.

Unexpectedly, Li Hongmei had hired a photographer—a man with a camera hanging around his neck, with a fill light set up beside him.

Jiang Nian: "???"

"Mom, is this not too extravagant?" He didn't understand—Li Nushi, who was always frugal, why was she suddenly being so generous.

"Save where you should, spend where you should." Li Hongmei waved her hand grandly, "For taking photos, I can still afford this much."

"Oh right, call your dad back."

Jiang Nian: "?"

"He's just wandering around nearby, look around and you'll spot him."

"Oh oh." Jiang Nian agreed.

As he walked to the side, he thought it over. This rhythm feels off—calling Old Jiang over definitely means a family photo.

Xu Qianqian and Song Xiyun definitely wouldn't be allowed to just stand by and watch.

Xu Qianqian could understand.

Xiao Song?

Before Jiang Nian could figure it out, he spotted Old Jiang in front of a calligraphy stall, hands clasped behind his back, watching someone write.

"Ahem, Dad, my mom told us to come over."

"Oh, oh." Old Jiang turned his head, glanced at him, "Let's go. In a bit, you stand together with Qianqian and the others."

"Dad." Jiang Nian weaved through the colorful stream of people, yawning, "What made Mom think of taking photos?"

"Anyway, not for you." Old Jiang said.

?

Jiang Nian was stunned, "No, I'm your actual son. This is a bit too ridiculous."

"Everything's for Xu Qianqian. The son is just along for the ride."

Old Jiang thought for a moment, "Well, can't quite put it that way. Your mom has always liked Qianqian. I'm fine either way."

"Either way?"

He was dumbfounded. What did "either way" mean?

Xiao Song?

This time Jiang Nian really couldn't make heads or tails of it, unable to figure out what this group was up to.

Back at the lanterns, he found Xu Qianqian and the others already waiting.

"Did you put on makeup?"

"Light makeup." Xu Qianqian shot him a look, then while Li Hongmei wasn't looking, pulled Jiang Nian aside.

"Li Yi just led us around everywhere. Don't know how many people we met."

"Uh, my mom is just the type who likes... putting on airs." Jiang Nian didn't know what to say, hastily tidied up and got ready for the photo.

"Come on, look at the camera."

"Good, good. Three, two, one..."

The instant the photo was frozen, Xu Qianqian was reminded for no reason of a scene from childhood—Jiang Nian had fallen and scraped his skin.

She unwrapped a lollipop for Jiang Nian. "Once you eat it, it won't hurt anymore."

Jiang Nian called her a weirdo while biting down on the lollipop. The

spot he bit was too far up, so he bit a bit of her finger too.

She disgustedly washed her hands under the faucet for two full minutes.

Jiang Nian grabbed a feature phone, with its five-megapixel camera, and froze the moment she was rinsing her fingers.

"Li Yi, I'm hungry."

"Then... let's get some barbecue."

A third of the Lantern Festival had already passed, and the whole county town had livened up.

Zhang Ningzhi stood in front of a huge fitting mirror, carefully wrapping a scarf around herself, and trying on hats one by one.

"A beret doesn't seem quite right."

Buzz—her phone lit up.

She took the phone eagerly and glanced at the message. Jiang Nian told her he had already arrived downstairs on the first floor.

Zhang Ningzhi sent a voice message, excitedly saying, "I'm coming down right now."

At the Nanjiang Bay residential complex, Jiang Nian parked with familiar ease on basement level one. Most of the cars around were over two hundred thousand.

There were two-wheeled vehicles too, but very few.

His one electric scooter mixed in among them, parked temporarily at the elevator entrance of basement level one of Building 6, looking extremely out of place.

After a while—ding.

"Hello hello!" Zhang Ningzhi appeared cutely, bundled up tightly from head to toe. "Where are we going?"

Jiang Nian glanced at her little bear mittens. "Didn't we say last time? There's a fireworks show by the river."

"Oh oh, alright then." Zhang Ningzhi sat on the back seat. Her whole getup had been put together under Jiang Nian's guidance.

Because he said the wind at night would be very, very strong.

Strong enough to blow someone stupid.

The Nanjiang road section was very long. What Jiang Nian actually wanted to go to was the Nanjiang Gongdan stretch.

Others might not know, but the head of the compound definitely wouldn't go. That place was too noisy, and the scene was pretty chaotic.

As for Xu Qianqian, Li Hongmei loved to dawdle. By the time they finished browsing, she'd probably have no desire to go out at all.

The little electric scooter rode along the road, cutting through the vast night. The wind howled past their ears, and in the distance were scattered lights.

Zhang Ningzhi started off sitting on the back seat, but couldn't help leaning forward.

"Jiang Nian, you smell really nice."

"Nonsense." Jiang Nian was riding, replied offhandedly, "I never use any perfume or anything like that."

"Not perfume." Zhang Ningzhi pressed her lips together, gathered her courage and hugged his waist. "It's the smell of barbecue.

"Oh, I just came from the square area." Jiang Nian said. "Got hungry on the way, bought some stuff to eat."

"Oh." Zhang Ningzhi hugged him tight, her face pressed against his back. "The wind's a bit strong, let me hide for a bit."

"Fine, I'm pretty generous." Jiang Nian said. "When the wind dies down a bit, remember to let go."

"Jiang Nian,

my memory's not great." Zhang Ningzhi said.

She had hugged him once before, so she figured there was no need to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Besides, it really was cold at night, and hugging a deskmate was perfectly normal.

Because she and he were the best of friends in the whole world.

Nanjiang Park section.

The two hadn't arrived yet, but fireworks had already risen slowly into the sky. On the other side of the straight road, flames lit up the night.

"Wow! Fireworks!" Zhang Ningzhi said excitedly.

"You dummy, we're almost out of time." Jiang Nian sped up. "By the time we get there, the fireworks show will be over."

"But... we've already seen them on the way here." Zhang Ningzhi hugged Jiang Nian, watching the fireworks rising one after another.

The night sped along both sides of the road, and in the distance, a crowd celebrating.

At this moment, it made her feel incomparably free, exactly like the romantic, beautiful scenes in idol dramas.

The car stopped outside Nanjiang Park, and the two ran toward the inside. Unfortunately, they ran into the crowd streaming outward.

By the time Jiang Nian and Zhang Ningzhi reached the inner ring, only a field of debris remained, and in the distance, the spent fireworks.

"Ah... we still didn't make it in time."

"It's fine, we already saw them just now." Zhang Ningzhi pursed her lips and mimed a fireworks explosion with her hands.

"The fireworks go up, then go bang and explode."

The little Miss's eyes were sparkling, as if holding glimmers of light. Eyes like black grapes, round and rolling.

"So pretty."

Hearing this, Jiang Nian didn't leave right away.

"Wait for me a moment."

He told Zhang Ningzhi to stand where she was and not run around, and denied that he was going to buy oranges, telling her to stand obediently.

"Oh."

After a while, Jiang Nian came back carrying a bag of things.

"For you to set off fireworks."

At the sight, Zhang Ningzhi's eyes instantly lit up.

"Where did you buy them?"

"Picked them up." Jiang Nian pointed at her. "I just went to pick up trash, don't go telling everyone."

He had actually paid several times the market price to buy the leftover small fireworks and sparklers from someone.

"I definitely won't tell." Zhang Ningzhi covered her mouth, still cute as ever, except now she needed one more word.

Beautiful to the point of "freezing people."

Jiang Nian lit the small firework, and with a whoosh it flew into the night sky. It exploded with a bang high above, letting out a huge sound.

"The quality is better than expected."

Another whoosh, and the fireworks bloomed in turn. But compared to a fireworks show, this amount could only be called small sparks.

Quite a few people looked back, seeing a young couple playing with fireworks. Some were stirred into memories and couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Zhang Ningzhi's eyes sparkled.

She watched the fireworks rising one after another.

"Jiang Nian, you're so nice."

"Hm?" He turned back, lit a sparkler and tucked it into Zhang Ningzhi's hand. "Don't fall for me, buddy."

Zhang Ningzhi nodded heavily. "I'll try."

The next day, the start of school.

Jiang Nian woke up in bed, his throat a bit dry. Last night he had run around everywhere, and ridden his bike crazily along the Nanjiang river.

By the time he got back, it was already deep into the night.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly. He got a Lantern Festival gift from her—a nice-looking mechanical watch.

Not too expensive, not too cheap either.

Zhang Ningzhi also gave him a small gift, a nice-looking scarf.

Xu Qianqian and the others also gave Jiang Nian a massage. Though it was done with feet, and the three of them laughed together the whole time.

The Lantern Festival passed amid all the noise and bustle.

At noon, the boarders arrived at the dormitory one after another.

"Bro, when did you get here?" Huang Cailang pushed open the dorm door and saw Yang Qiming making his bed.

"Just got here. Come have some of the jerky I brought from home."

Huang Cailang immediately grinned foolishly. "Thanks, bro."