Chapter 617: The Meticulous Li Qingrong

Across the aisle, Ma Guojun laughed out loud.

"So vain."

"Chishi!"

Amid the noise, the class's morning reading gradually began. Qian Bao came in, walked around, and assigned a dictation task for vocabulary words.

"Here, take this." Zhang Nenzhi handed him a small box of red bean yogurt, "I brought it this morning, don't want to drink it."

Jiang Nian took it. "Then I'll drink it."

Delicious, got food again.

"We have PE today?" Ceng You yawned, "Our class girls seem to be switching dorms too."

"You wanna go?" Li Hua raised an eyebrow.

"Nope."

After saying that, Ceng You remembered last night's scene. He turned to look at Jiang Nian, unable to help asking.

"That senior really won't come back?"

"Yeah." Jiang Nian nodded.

"What a shame, why do they have to move dorms?" Ceng You sighed, his expression utterly dejected.

Hearing this, Jiang Nian couldn't help but feel speechless.

"She's boarding now. The Gao Si dorms are connected to the Gao San ones, I heard it's to push for the college entrance exam."

"What senior?" Zhang Nenzhi blinked, looking at Jiang Nian, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Not telling you."

"Hmph! You just drank my yogurt!"

"Hey hey, here, take it back." Jiang Nian handed her the half-drunk yogurt, "I'll spit out what I drank."

"!!" Zhang Nenzhi recoiled.

The girl glared at him, turned away in a huff. She didn't even bother asking about the senior anymore and started memorizing vocabulary.

"What senior?" Li Hua was stunned.

"Too lazy to explain."

"Chishi!"

Two morning classes flew by. As soon as class ended, Liu Yang gathered several boys and marched en masse toward the girls' dorm.

Along the way, everyone was extremely excited.

"We're going into the girls' dorm!"

"Holy shit."

"Who's going in first?" Li Hua, as always, turned into a master of retreat, "Jiang Nian?"

Jiang Nian: "Scared?"

"How could I be? I'm just thinking… what if the dorm supervisor stops us and asks which class we're from?"

Lin Dong couldn't take it anymore and spoke up.

"If you're scared, don't go."

"Chishi!"

Liu Yang rubbed his chin. "I think the dorm supervisor will only let in honest people."

"Then that's me!"

Jiang Nian said, "Hua, why did you post a link in the class group?"

"Accidental tap." Li Hua instinctively reached for his phone, then realized he hadn't brought it, "You fucking—"

"MOTHERFUCKER!!!"

"Why isn't Lao Ma here?"

"You're making it hard for him—fourth floor to carry stuff." Jiang Nian said, "After we finish moving, grab something to eat at the cafeteria?"

The group exchanged glances.

"Can we do it?"

"Isn't the fourth period PE?"

"Eat!"

"I'm not that hungry."

In the end, six or seven boys split into two groups. Saying they'd grab food meant they planned to skip third period.

After eating, they'd directly head to PE.

Several boys from Class Three arrived at the girls' dorm entrance, only to find it packed with people.

"They've already started moving?"

Liu Yang said, "It was announced last night, so the girls probably finished packing and are just waiting to move."

Hearing this, the group sighed in relief—and also felt a tinge of disappointment.

"Then let's go."

The girls' dorm sent one representative down to guide the boys. Said to guide, but she couldn't actually lead them through.

Crowds upstairs and down, laden with bags, were all stuck.

"So fucking crowded."

"Bro, can't breathe."

"Holy shit, who the fuck just grabbed my ass?"

The group pushed and shouted their way up to the fourth floor. Along the way, they kept sneaking glances—but only dared to peek with the corners of their eyes.

"It's pretty much the same as the boys' dorm building."

"What else would it be?" Jiang Nian was far more composed than the others; when he saw pretty girls, he'd even glance a second time.

At the fourth floor, the boys began to split up. After all, Class Three had several girls' dorm rooms that needed help.

Li Hua, who had just been boasting, panicked when he realized they actually had to divide into groups.

He panicked...

"Fuck, who wants to pair up with me?"

"Who wants to pair up with you?" Liu Yang turned back, unimpressed. "Five or six dorms—there aren't enough people to go around."

Jiang Nian was about to head to Chen Yunyun's dorm when he said, "Stay right here. I'll go buy you a few tangerines."

"Chi Shi! Chi Shi!!"

He couldn't stand Jiang Nian's childish way of taking advantage. "Wait, damn it—you're supposed to be helping Empress Fangfang!"

Jiang Nian waved his hand. "We're all in the same class. Who I help doesn't matter."

"You fucking—"

Li Hua stood in the hallway, watching Jiang Nian head into the dorm. Instantly, he felt like thorns were pricking his back, as if everyone around was staring at him.

"Ahem." He pondered how to make the girls know he was an upright, upwardly motivated man.

Someone who had abandoned bad habits—neither lewd nor sneaky.

Suddenly, a voice rang out.

"

Move aside, group leader."

Huang Fang, carrying a mat, bumped into Li Hua. She nearly knocked him flying—he staggered back several steps.

"What the—?"

Jiang Nian stood at the entrance to the girls' dorm and knocked on the open door.

"You came?" Chen Yunyun set down her work and stood to greet him; as she drew near, a faint fragrance drifted with her.

"Yeah."

"I've already moved half of it," Wang Yuhe stared at him, smugly. "You don't need to help at all."

"Impressive."

Jiang Nian glanced around. Actually, there wasn't much to move—just suitcases, quilts, that sort of thing.

Clothes and personal items, girls generally wouldn't let boys see, so they'd finish moving them themselves.

One could only say—it was only natural.

"Which floor is your new dorm on?" Jiang Nian asked.

"Third floor."

Hearing this, he nodded. "Third floor isn't too high, and it won't be too damp—pretty good."

Chen Yunyun said, "Actually, fourth floor isn't bad either."

"Let's move," Jiang Nian said, picking up two suitcases and stepping out. "We'll chat after we're done."

"Mm."

On the stairs, Jiang Nian carried the two suitcases effortlessly, then turned and met Yu Zhiyi's gaze.

"Done moving?"

"No!!!" Yu Zhiyi snapped angrily, gritting her teeth, then stubbornly shoved herself further down the crowded stairs.

Jiang Nian didn't understand. After a moment, they walked side by side again, toward the packed staircase below. He lifted his chin slightly.

"Keep pushing forward."

Yu Zhiyi: "

Since they couldn't move, Jiang Nian had nothing better to do. He studied Yu Zhiyi for a while, making her involuntarily turn her body aside.

"Why are you staring at me?"

Jiang Nian looked away, too lazy to answer.

Seeing this, "Yu Yourong" felt a faint surge of pride. She straightened up again, puffing out her chest.

"I won't bother with you."

"Oh." Jiang Nian yawned.

Yu Zhiyi's punch landed on cotton. Her bravado vanished. She thought: this guy is getting more and more annoying.

She stopped looking at him. Out of sight, out of mind.

Even so, she couldn't help stealing a glance at Jiang Nian—what if he was secretly staring at her chest?

If she caught him in the act, she could blackmail him.

But Jiang Nian wasn't looking at her. He was staring at another girl—a slender one with a high ponytail.

Yu Zhiyi frowned. She thought: I'm actually quite slim too. It's just that I developed during puberty, so I don't look as thin as others.

She drifted into idle thoughts: if I were thinner, maybe the lipids would feed my brain better, and I'd outscore Jiang Nian.

Downstairs, Yu Zhiyi was still lost in thought. She accidentally bumped into someone ahead.

"Ah!!"

Jiang Nian turned at the sound.

"Shout 'marketplace'?"

"Oh, oh—I thought I bumped into someone else." Yu Zhiyi exhaled in relief, yet a mischievous thought stirred within her.

Just now, did I bump him with my chest?

"The hell you are," Jiang Nian said, his deadfish eyes staring ahead as he turned and carried two suitcases up to the new dorm.

Upstairs, Chen Yunyun placed a bag on the top bunk. Seeing Jiang Nian arrive, she went over to help.

"Thanks for your trouble."

"Not a problem. I didn't want to go to class either," Jiang Nian said, setting both suitcases aside—they were both Chen Yunyun's.

Girls' stuff was always so much: a pile of tiny, scattered odds and ends.

He shifted slightly, turning his head and accidentally bumping the bag beside the bed—Chen Yunyun let out a startled "Ah!"

"Hm?"

Jiang Nian wondered what important thing was inside.

He snatched the bag with lightning speed, but the momentum caused it to instantly deform.

A fresh, sun-warmed scent of laundry detergent surged toward him.

"What's this?"

Someone glanced down—a pale purple bra, lace-trimmed, full and beautifully shaped.

Whoosh—the bag was snatched away by Chen Yunyun.

"Oh my—you..."

The girl's face blazed red like sunset clouds, a streak of rouge spreading from her cheeks down her neck, staining her earlobes.

"... Don't look."

Jiang Nian was momentarily speechless—he truly hadn't meant to.

"I didn't look."

"Really?"

"Purple," he admitted honestly. "I only saw that. Didn't see what was underneath—you wouldn't let me see anyway."

"You..." Chen Yunyun fumed, flustered.

Suddenly, Wang Yuhe peeked in from outside, then stepped in. Seeing Jiang Nian in the dorm, her eyes brightened.

"I finished moving everything. Did you?"

"Nope," Jiang Nian said, glancing at her—and unconsciously recalled the scene he'd seen on the rooftop.

He shook his head, banishing the image from his mind.

Wang Yuhe smirked. "Then you're worse than me!"

The class bell rang.

Jiang Nian looked up—he'd only made one trip. Li Hua, Liu Yang, Lin Dong—they were all stalling too.

You couldn't really call it slacking; going up and down stairs was just hard.

Once class started, fewer people moved dorms. After another ten minutes or so, even the brooms had been carried over for them.

Afterward, Liu Yang and the other three exchanged glances.

They checked their watches, planning to grab something to eat soon.

"Damn, I'm exhausted."

Li Hua pounded his lower back, complaining.

"I thought we'd just move while having fun, but they actually treated me like a donkey—I'm wiped."

"Is Empress Fangfang's stuff heavy?" Jiang Nian asked.

Li Hua opened his mouth, then closed it again, glancing at the others present.

"Did they pack bricks in their suitcases?" Liu Yang said. "So small, yet so heavy—no sound when you lift them."

Jiang Nian grinned, pulling out a meal card.

"Let's go. My treat."

"Holy shit!"

"Seriously? So generous?"

"Big Brother Jiang is awesome—let's hurry!"

Lin Dong said, "First meal? Let's rush ahead. But at this hour, there probably won't be many dishes left."

The group arrived at the cafeteria. Dishes were laid out on the first floor; they called out the names, and the kitchen staff served them.

Physical education class.

Zhang Ningzhi ran over, badminton racket in hand, her footsteps tapping rapidly. She stopped before Jiang Nian, lips pursed.

"Aren't you playing badminton?"

"Yes, baby," Jiang Nian said, sitting on a stone bench, squinting. "Just finished eating."

Zhang Ningzhi burst out laughing.

He said, "I ate too much."

Zhang Ningzhi:

This guy had zero romantic cells. He'd asked her something else entirely—he was just being deliberately annoying.

Jiang Nian watched her stomp off, puffed up with annoyance, and couldn't help smiling.

After a while, Cai Xiaoqing was rotated off.

"Are you taking leave?"

Cai Xiang blocked his sunlight, her long legs encased in jeans, stepping in white soft-soled sports shoes.

"With the class monitor?"

"Yeah, got something to do together," Jiang Nian said vaguely, unsure if Cai Xiaoqing knew.

"Oh, I see," she nodded. "The class monitor's sister is leaving Zhennan. She just wanted to confirm with you."

"Mm-hm."

Cai Xiaoqing wiped the sweat from her palms with a small towel, intending to leave right away. But thinking of the class monitor, she turned back and reminded him.

"Drive slowly, be careful on the road."

Jiang Nian was briefly stunned, thinking to himself that Cai Xiang was quite thoughtful.

"Got it."

Speaking of which, he hadn't seen the class monitor. From the start of PE class, she was nowhere to be found — probably in the office.

On the field, Dong Que and Nie Qiqi were pecking at each other like noobs. The girl's lithe figure leaped in graceful arcs.

After school.

Lan Lan gave him a call, which actually surprised Jiang Nian a little — he hadn't expected this woman would reach out to him.

"Hey, Third."

"Jiang Nian?"

"Mm."

"Get your class's Li Hua under control." Lan Lan's voice sounded headache-ridden. "He's come to me for counseling again."

Jiang Nian: "???"

He stood in the noisy stream of people, and it clicked.

It was the study committee member.

Damn — Class Three really is full of ruthless characters.

Logically speaking, Jiang Nian at his level had neither the standing nor the authority to review the study committee member, but since Lan Lan brought it up, he supposed he had to ask.

"Alright, I'll give it a try."

Lan Lan was about to hang up, then added, "Oh, one more thing — tell Sister Feifei to come pick up the volunteer work socks."

Jiang Nian's eyelid twitched at the words.

Zhou Haifei volunteered during winter break, moved into a free temporary dorm, did hard labor all day, and still got work socks?

Lan Lan is really something else — running the psychological counseling department all by herself.

The outlaw of Zhennan Middle School.

"Alright, thanks, Third."

Jiang Nian stood in place for a while, then continued toward the cafeteria. Lan Lan was still quite humane.

Before the lunch break, he sent Zhou Haifei a message. Ten minutes later, he got a long reply.

"But I am doing hard labor, you think..."

3

Jiang Nian: "Take it."

It wasn't until one-thirty that he got her reply.

"Okay."

The lunch break ended; he figured it was about time.

Jiang Nian took a sip of water and headed straight for the school gate. He waited by the roadside for a while, and the class bell rang.

Two minutes later, a black Audi pulled up by the road. The car window rolled down, revealing a side profile wearing large sunglasses.

"Pretty early, huh."

Click — the passenger door opened.

Li Qingrong walked up to him, took a careful look at his neck, and only looked away after seeing he was wearing that jade pendant.

"I have one too," she said.