Chapter 613: You

Why?

Jiang Nian heard this and nearly lost his composure.

Steal sunshine?

Xu Qianqian hit him a few times; whether from anger or not, her face flushed slightly as she lowered her voice.

Steal your head!

Behave yourself!

Alright, I'm naturally an honest person, 」 Jiang Nian nodded, 「Actually… the moment you hit me the first time, I surrendered. 」

I just didn't scream because it hurt too much.

Don't be a jerk! 」 Xu Qianqian pointed at him like a warning husky, 「And don't touch anything in my room. 」

Saying this, she turned her body to open the wardrobe, glanced at Jiang Nian again, then partially closed it. She pulled out a bag and hurried out of the room.

Seeing her leave, Jiang Nian took out his phone and scrolled through it.

After the semester started, not many people were active in the class group. Especially the boarders, who had seriously handed in their real phones.

Opening it, there were only a few messages.

Sun Zhicheng and a few others were chatting about games; most of the early replies came from boys, and the boarders hadn't finished washing up yet.

Suddenly, a girl spoke up.

Have you heard?

The girls' dorm is supposedly switching buildings with Building 3. Rumors are already spreading, but no one knows if it's true.

Yu Zhiyi: 「It's true. I don't know which floor we'll be on. 」

「Why hasn't the homeroom teacher announced anything yet? 」 Chai Muying said, 「Old Liu always does this—he knows but never says anything. 」

「Yeah, 」 Wang Yuhe appeared, sending a fist emoji, 「Every class meeting he talks a ton of nonsense. 」

Old Liu: 「I won't talk so much next time. 」

Wang Yuhe: 「(Confused). 」

Lin Dong: 「? 」

Li Hua: 「Kick him out @Qing. 」

Zhang Ningzhi: 「Huh? 」

Ma Guojun: 「(Shocked) Holy shit, I even exited to check—I didn't join the wrong group. 」

【Old Liu was removed from the group by admin Qing】

Huang Cailang: 「(Awkward) @Qing, Discipline Committee. That was Brother Yang—he changed his avatar and nickname. 」

Cai Xiaoqing:

Lin Dong: 「(Rubbing forehead) Bro, you're insane. 」

Jiang Nian sent one message: 「Genius. 」

The next second, Wang Yuhe sent an angry emoji.

「You scared me to death. 」

Jiang Nian: 「@Wang Yuhe, can you please recreate that panicked look? You made me laugh so hard I fell over. 」

「I'm going to beat you up tomorrow. 」 Wang Yuhe sent a fist emoji, laying down the threat first.

Jiang Nian: 「(Laughing)」

【Patrick Star from the Sea joined the group.】

Yang Qiming: 「【Red Packet】 Sorry, I was just joking (awkward). 」

Jiang Nian held his phone, laughing uncontrollably.

Class Three never lacked extreme antics.

Click.

A sound came from outside the door, drawing Jiang Nian's attention.

He looked up.

A long, straight leg extended through the door crack, wrapped in black tights—fine texture, just the right transparency.

The girl's leg shape was perfectly outlined.

Above it was a JK skirt reaching roughly to the knees, and on top, a white long-sleeved shirt with some emblems.

Xu Qianqian crossed her arms over her chest, shivering all over.

It had just been the New Year; nighttime temperatures were still low.

Jiang Nian was dressed, but he too shivered slightly. Seeing this, he stood up and draped his coat over her.

「Your Majesty, please sit. 」

「What are you doing? 」 Xu Qianqian eyed him warily, 「If you want to look, hurry up—I still need to change back. 」

「That's not urgent. Sit first, 」 he said.

「How isn't it urgent? 」 Xu Qianqian frowned, 「Xi Yun will be done bathing any minute. 」

Jiang Nian wasn't in a hurry.

Because he'd already reached out and touched it—the black tights felt slippery, cool and smooth to the touch.

And since it was early spring, they carried a hint of body warmth.

As his palm glided over them, the sensation was indescribable—slight friction, utterly delightful.

「Ah! 」 Xu Qianqian slapped his hand away with a sharp crack, 「You said you'd just look! 」

「Alright, no more touching. 」

Jiang Nian finished speaking, then met Xu Qianqian's suspicious gaze. 「I swear, if I touch you again, I'll be a dog. 」

Hearing that, Xu Qianqian finally lowered her guard.

"Remember what you said."

After saying that, she stood up again and twirled in front of Jiang Nian. The JK skirt fluttered like a flower petal, spinning lightly.

Jiang Nian reached out with a pat and felt her leg.

"Even a dog can't hold back, huh."

"You!!" Xu Qianqian flew into a rage, shoved him, "Fine, I'm going out to change back."

She walked to the door, just about to head out.

Suddenly, a clatter.

She heard the bathroom door open, the soft patter of footsteps, and a faint questioning voice from Song Xiyun.

"Hello?"

By the door, Xu Qianqian had turned to stone.

"I'm done for."

After saying that, she turned her head and glared fiercely at Jiang Nian. And the culprit was still grinning at her heartlessly.

"Still laughing, what do you suggest we do?"

"Then just wait a bit." Jiang Nian spread his hands — they weren't busy now, and going back was nothing but a shower then straight to bed.

As for grinding problems, he'd recently been focusing his practice on math.

That stuff required doing a certain volume of problems before a qualitative change could happen. In other words, it wasn't something accomplished in a day.

"Wait for your..::::" Xu Qianqian was both angry and anxious, but on second thought, what he said actually seemed to make sense.

"Forget it, Xiyun should message me in a bit."

"Mm."

The two sat down in the room, a distance apart, neither speaking, until three minutes later.

Knock knock knock.

Outside the room, a knock sounded.

"Qianqian?"

"Ah, what is it?" Xu Qianqian stood up and cracked the door open a sliver, "I'll go shower in a bit."

"Alright."

After a while, Xu Qianqian looked at Jiang Nian again. Remembering the leg-touching, she prepared to teach him another lesson.

"Wait, I have a suggestion." Jiang Nian said, "You're already in the room — just change here and walk out, wouldn't that work?"

Xu Qianqian turned her head and looked around, "Where would I change?"

"Here."

"I'll kill you!" Xu Qianqian gritted her teeth, about to pinch him, but then heard Jiang Nian add, "Under the blanket."

"Go to hell!!"

"Spa? I've never been to a spa, that stuff's too expensive." Jiang Nian dodged while holding her hand down.

But Xu Qianqian was harder to pin down than a New Year's pig,

and in no time she'd pinched him hard.

"Hiss~~!!" Jiang Nian nearly cried out in pain, glanced at his arm, "Damn, you actually bruised me."

"Hmph, serves you right."

The two horsed around for a while, and sensing no sound outside, exchanged a glance and wordlessly headed out.

"You go first." Jiang Nian said.

Hearing that, Xu Qianqian rolled her eyes.

"Scared?"

Before she could finish, Jiang Nian had already grabbed the door handle. She was so startled her face went white, and she grabbed his hand.

"Are you crazy?!"

Jiang Nian laughed and let go of the handle.

"Fine."

Xu Qianqian slipped out hunched over, changed back into her clothes, returned to the room, and handed Jiang Nian his jacket.

"Bye-bye."

Jiang Nian picked up the jacket and prepared to head out, glancing back at Xu Qianqian,

but unfortunately, the other had no intention of seeing him off. Seeing him look back, she even raised a little fist and shook it at him.

The next day.

Jiang Nian got up early, washed up, grabbed his bag and went downstairs,

he peeled a

chocolate and popped it in his mouth. As he bit through, he tasted the liqueur filling.

At the bun shop by the school gate, Zhou Haifei had just finished paying.

"Thanks."

The moment she turned her head, she saw a figure walking over from afar. She paused, instinctively feeling it looked like Jiang Nian.

So she stood in place and waited a while. When the person drew near, she found it was a boy she didn't know.

"Ah..

Zhou Haifei felt a little awkward, turned around and prepared to leave.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

"Zhou Haifei!"

"Mm?" She turned her head and saw Jiang Nian walking out of the wrap shop across the way, waving at her.

"Come here for a second."

Hearing that, Zhou Haifei murmured, her face full of confusion.

"What?"

She crossed the zebra crossing and walked up to Jiang Nian. She saw him pull a few chocolates out of his bag and hand some to her.

"Sharing some with you, I really can't finish them all."

"Huh?" Zhou Haifei clearly knew yesterday had been Valentine's Day, and stammered, "Isn't... that not quite right?"

"Well... it's just a few pieces, it's fine." Jiang Nian didn't bother correcting Zhou Haifei's assumption and went along with her.

"I don't even like them. I was already planning to find someone to share them with. In a while it'll get hot, and chocolate won't keep anyway."

"Alright then." Zhou Haifei took the chocolates, glanced at him again, "Thanks, and also during winter break..."

"Thanks for that too."

"Mm-hm." Jiang Nian didn't decline either.

After going upstairs, he entered the classroom.

"Morning, Fangfang."

"Morning."

Huang Fang turned and glanced at Jiang Nian—her attitude toward him now was complicated.

She wanted to stay far from trouble, but bones broken still had their tendons connected. Besides, Jiang Nian really had looked after her plenty.

Even her own father held him in very high regard.

"You should learn more from that classmate of yours."

"Dad, he..."

She couldn't escape and couldn't avoid it, so she could only stay on guard at all times.

Lest she get dragged into a ditch by Jiang Nian.

"Fangfang, here are a few chocolates for you." Jiang Nian held out a hand, and a few chocolates rolled down with a clatter.

"I don't like them." Huang Fang refused on instinct, then after a moment's hesitation said, "Better give them to the group leader."

"No, he'll have a meltdown." Jiang Nian stuffed them straight into her pocket, "And then he'll interrogate me nonstop."

"Eat shit, eat shit, who gave you the chocolates?"

Huang Fang heard that and nearly couldn't hold it together.

"It really is like that."

Morning self-study. More and more people filled the classroom.

"Hellooooo—"

"—oo."

Zhang Ningzhi greeted everyone full of energy and went to her seat. She had just put her bag down when she suddenly noticed something in her desk.

She looked down—it was yesterday's chocolates.

But the amount was half of what it had been.

"Mm?" She turned her head and looked at Jiang Nian.

"I left half with you so it'd be handy to grab when you wanted some." Jiang Nian said, "By the way, did you sleep well yesterday?"

"No, I had a nightmare." Zhang Ningzhi said, aggrieved.

Jiang Nian stroked his chin, "A ghost?"

"Yeah, scared me half to death." Zhang Ningzhi said, "It's all because of you and the group leader, telling ghost stories for no reason."

"Oh, that's Li Hua's fault then." Jiang Nian said shamelessly, reaching over and pinching Baby Zhizhi's leg on the desk.

"You're so annoying!" Baby Zhizhi flew into a small fury, "Tonight I'm sending you a scary video!"

"No worries, I'll print out your photo and put it by my pillow."

"!" Zhang Ningzhi beamed brighter than flowers, "That's so perverted, how would you even have my photo!"

"I snuck a shot during class, you were dozing off."

"I was not!!" Zhang Ningzhi went red instantly, tugging at his sleeve, "Delete it, delete the photo!"

The two were still roughhousing when Li Hua slid into the classroom.

He stopped, and the first thing out of his mouth was—

"Eat shit!"

"Holy crap!" Li Hua tossed off his backpack, walking toward his seat as he spoke, "Last night my mom gave me chocolates."

"I was so moved my eyes went red, ready to be touched."

"My mom said, this is from my aunt's coworker's son. He delivered them himself to my cousin's house, but she doesn't eat them."

Everyone around burst out laughing.

Ceng You asked, "How old is your cousin?"

"In middle school."

"Killing me, even middle schoolers get chocolates." Ceng You laughed uncontrollably, "Group leader, you can only eat other people's."

"Eat shit!"

As morning self-study drew near, Li Qingrong entered the classroom. Still cutting it close, still sailing through without a hitch.

"Morning."

"Mm..." Jiang Nian was finding it hard to keep a straight face. He turned and looked at her with a solemn expression, "Is there any chance this doesn't count as morning."

Li Qingrong glanced at him and said calmly.

"Good morning."

"Good morning." Jiang Nian nodded, thinking the class monitor's brain worked pretty well—not like Wang Yuhe's.

Morning reading had already started; the people around them had stood up and were reciting aloud.

Jiang Nian was the exception.

He had woken up early himself, and during morning self-study he didn't feel like standing. It wasn't exactly tiring, but there was no need to drain his energy.

Li Qingrong looked down from above, scanning the area around Jiang Nian's neck.

Empty.

Yesterday she had given Jiang Nian a jade pendant, the kind with a red cord. But clearly, Jiang Nian hadn't put it on.

Li Hua in the front row, holding his vocabulary book, read out a loud "dad," and the boys in front, behind, and to the sides all responded.

"Hey, good son."

"So filial."

"Daddy's here, don't be scared, son."

"Chishi chishi!!" Li Hua went red in the face, and loudly chanted at everyone around him, "son! son!"

No matter how old boys are, they all love to get serious about this sort of thing.

Jiang Nian was still laughing when he felt someone tap his back. He couldn't help but turn and look toward the back row, a puzzled expression on his face.

"What's up?"

Li Qingrong said nothing, silently took off the watch on her left wrist. Then, right in front of him, she set it down on the desk.

She lowered her gaze, looking at him.

The red cord hadn't been untied.

Jiang Nian actually cared quite a bit about that red cord—if he had taken it off, she'd probably be angry.

"Huh?" Jiang Nian was dumbfounded.

After a few seconds, he caught on. He couldn't help but feel a bit speechless, but could only answer seriously.

"I left it at home. Tomorrow for sure."

"Mm." Li Qingrong looked away.

Jiang Nian turned back around and heard the sound of a watch being put on from the back row, but he wasn't used to wearing things on his body.

Even if someone gave him one, he wouldn't wear it for long.

Two back-to-back math periods in the morning.

When the first period ended, the class's spirit was as if it had been drained away; everyone flopped down onto their desks with a clatter.

Li Hua and the others rushed downstairs, planning to grab a bite for breakfast.

Jiang Nian didn't have to run exercises during the long break, so he didn't go with them. He just left the classroom and stood in the corridor, letting the breeze hit him.

While he was loosening up, someone approached.

"Hey!"

"What?" Jiang Nian turned his gaze involuntarily toward a certain spot. "Why are you always bouncing around like that?"

"I didn't—" Yu Zhiyi got halfway through her words, then suddenly caught on, and her face flushed red in an instant. "You're a pervert!"